Hikidashi ni Terrarium
Terrarium in Drawer

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I thought I'd write a review of Hikidashi ni Terrarium but after sitting down to write it, I really don't know what to write. This is probably the most weird piece of manga I've ever read till now.

Hikidashi ni Terrarium is a collection of 31 different manga which doesn't share even a single trace of similarity between them except for the weirdness maybe. Each chapter deals with an aspect of human life, but portrays in such a different way that you're left thinking, wtf did I just read?

There's a good deal of heavy doses of sarcasm about the average human life in some of the ... chapters. And some of the chapters are just plain weird. But one thing that is common across all of them is the fact that you're bound to sit back and think a bit about what you just read and your life. You might even start thinking about your life in a new way after reading it...

I don't know why I read Hikidashi ni Terrarium and I can't tell of a single reason why you should do so. But hey, the chapters are short and it'll hardly take 15-20 minutes to read the whole thing. Why not just give it a go? If not for anything else, just for the sake of getting weirded out?

I have to preface this by saying I love short stories format. I feel it's most often than not a more condense and rich exploration of theme than long form. It's the perfect media to explore one aspect, be it philosophical, narrative, structural or experimental.

Terrarium in Drawers is just that, and its in my opinion among the best short stories compilation all medium compared.
I would also add, it's amongs the best written fantasy and world building among any medium.

The title in fact, said it all, these short story are just that. Tiny exploration, one in each metaphorical drawer. Sometimes, it's the theme that is interesting, ... sometimes the world building, some other time it ask (quite humoristically) classic philosophical question ("death of the author" being among the best example, being explored thematically through a quite litteral angle).

Best of all, Ryoko Kui also explore social aspects of her theme, an element often side stepped by most fantasy. All of that with quite the mastery of creativity, expression (be it through the narrative or the drawing) and deepness. Reading her, only another author comes to mind : Ursula le Guin.

The manga is a lesson in world building, each new story bringing new universe, new questions, new consequences, sometimes story are even echoing and a few time continuing each other, adding a twist or new view point, or answer for the same situation. Each story feels alive and real, albeit often dangling close to the uncanny valley becoming really weird as it reinforce the presence of the theme.

If like me you like short story, creative story telling and worldbuilding in general, Terrarium in drawers will be the best manga read you can get.

Sadly, not officially translated in most country though...