Kujira no Kora wa Sajou ni Utau (Children of the Whales)

Alternative Titles

Synonyms: Whale Calves Sing on the Debris, Tales of the Wales Calves, Kirokusha no Ballad, Hikari no Tonari Kabe no Sora, The Sky on the Wall, Next to the Light

Japanese: クジラの子らは砂上に歌う

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Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: 23

Chapters: 99

Status: Finished

Published: Jun 6, 2013 to Jan 6, 2023

Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi

Demographic: Shoujo

Serialization: Mystery Bonita

Authors: Umeda, Abi (Story & Art)

Statistics

Score: 7.69¹ (scored by 2,704 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #1742²

² based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #1147

Members: 17,097

Favorites: 350

Available At

@kujira_no_ko

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Wikipedia

7.69

Ranked #1742Popularity #1147Members 17,097

MangaMystery BonitaUmeda, Abi (Story & Art)

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Volumes: /23

Chapters: /99

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Synopsis

Located inside the Mud Whale that endlessly soars through a sea of sand, there is a community divided in two: the Marked majority who are capable of using a power called "thymia" at the cost of their lifespan; and the Unmarked, who are unable to wield such an ability but have regular lifespans and hold positions of authority. Diagnosed with hypergraphia, 14-year-old Chakuro is the archivist of the Mud Whale, with the responsibility of recording everything that happens on the island and other uncharted places.

During one mission to explore a foreign island, Chakuro encounters a wounded girl with no memories. She immediately tries to attack him, only to pass out and be taken to the Mud Whale by Chakuro himself. The girl's existence is shrouded in mystery, as no one has ever met a human from the outside world before. Furthermore, her lack of emotions and skilled combat abilities demonstrate that her life experience is vastly different from those inside the Mud Whale.

With the sudden appearance of the girl nicknamed "Lykos," Chakuro is about to uncover what lies beyond the Mud Whale—forever changing his destiny in the most unbelievable way.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Included one-shot:
Volume 7: Hikari no Tonari Kabe no Sora (The Sky on the Wall, Next to the Light)

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Background

Kujira no Kora wa Sajou ni Utau ranked 10th on Kono Manga ga Sugoi!'s top 20 manga for female readers list in 2015. In 2017, the manga was nominated for the 21st Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. During the same year, the French translation of the series won the Mangawa award in the seinen category.

Kujira no Kora wa Sajou ni Utau has been published in English as Children of the Whales by VIZ Media under the VIZ Signature imprint since November 21, 2017, and digitally since July 23, 2019. It has also been published in French as Les Enfants de la Baleine by Glénat Editions; in German as Die Walkinder by Carlsen Comics; in Italian by Star Comics; and in Spanish by Milky Way Ediciones.

A Japanese stage play adaptation based on the series premiered in April 2016.

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More characters
Characters

Chakuro

Main

Lykos

Main

Ouni

Supporting

Liontari

Supporting

Suou

Supporting

Shuan

Supporting

Ginshu

Supporting

Sami

Supporting

Nibi

Supporting

Oruka

Supporting

Reviews

Apr 19, 2020

bad_shipping

Recommended

Preliminary (68/99 eps)

I really liked this manga. The Sea of Sand is a mystical world that radiates an odyssey-like sense of wonder. It's a world painted by a unique blend of dystopia, utopia, and political intrigue, with a cast of characters that are genuinely all likable, the kind of people whom you'd be friends with.

Story: 9/10
I really like the idea of a lone ship sailing on a vast ocean of sand, unaware of the outside world and without a destination in mind. The story quickly swaps out this whimsical facade with a rather mature tale about the value of emotions, eldritch abominations that eat peoples' feelings, and ... an ongoing war between bloodthirsty empires. It's all genuinely interesting stuff that I've never seen in any work of fiction before. Each chapter follows the Mud Whale's inhabitants as they sail across the Sea of Sand, seeing new places and having deadly encounters with nearly everybody they meet. The only criticism I would make is that certain parts of the story are rather predictable. If you want a story with innovative fantasy elements and emotionally impactful plot beats, definitely give this one a try.

Art: 10/10
Abi-san's art style is gorgeous. Her art style is probably the most beautiful I've ever seen. All the scenery is luscious and detailed. The characters' faces and their actions are very powerful and expressive. The scenes involving "Nous" (the aforementioned eldritch abominations) are deliciously mind-bending and abstract and, honestly, remind me of Madoka Magica's amazing witch labyrinths more than anything else has.

Characters: 10/10
The characters of this story are, in a word, friends. It's a strange word to use, but to me, everyone in this story is a friend. The main character, Chakuro, is extremely nice to everyone he meets. He's adorable, the kind of person I'd give everything to protect. The heroine, Lykos, goes through powerful emotional development as she spends time on the Mud Whale and learns about the value of emotions. Ouni, the story's anti-hero style character, also has a very interesting backstory and eventually turns into someone you truly care about. Suou, one of Chakuro's best friends, is an amazing idealist who profoundly influences other characters as the story progresses. Even the villains have astonishingly complex motivations. All in all, the characters give you the feeling of a tight-knit village where everyone cares for each other. This kind of village gives me such a gentle feeling.

Enjoyment: 10/10
I don't think I need to add much here because everything I've described makes this manga a joy to read. Every panel is amazing, beautiful, and emotionally resonant. Yeah, I can't give enough praise for this author because she's crafted such a beautiful world and honestly I wish more people knew about it!

Overall: 10/10
The story, the characters, and the art combine to create one of the most gorgeous and heartwarming fictional worlds I have ever seen. This is not to say everything is butterfly and rainbows. Children of the Whales is actually a dark story that explores shockingly mature themes alongside some very twisted characters. But it's this darkness, this dystopian world, that provides such a good canvas for the warmth and comfort of the utopian Mud Whale to be painted upon. The resulting picture is filled with characters and feelings I'll never forget.

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Apr 18, 2021

enricocaliolo

Recommended

Preliminary (68/99 eps)

Um conto sobre memórias e o sentido da vida

I made it in english too! It is below!

IN ENGLISH

A tale about memories and the meaning of life

I wrote the review in portuguese and I was lazy to translate it to english, so I used Google Translate. Sorry in advance for any gramatical errors!

Children of the Whales is a manga that surprised me in a positive way. I started reading it because of the art and the synopsis. I was in the vibe of looking for some manga that dealt with a “lost civilization”, and the anilist recommended it to me. And, to my surprise, it was ...

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Sep 25, 2017

rollercoasting

Mixed Feelings

Preliminary (2/99 eps)

A shoujo manga getting an anime adaptation? Beyond the fact that shoujo anime are incredibly rare these days, {and not very popular in the general community}, I was inspired me to read the manga, and I wasn't impressed.

Art: The art is gorgeous. A pastel water-color like vibe, it is gorgeous on the eyes. Super abstract and beautiful.

Story: Unique, but really slow. It just sorta meanders at the early points, introducing us to the world. Once it kicks up, it slows down again, taking its time to do things. Really, a lot of stuff is just dumped on us, and it doesn't really explain anything. The ...

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Poll: Kujira no Kora wa Sajou ni Utau Chapter 99 Discussion Seiya0890 - May 13, 2023	7 replies	by Seiya0890 »» Mar 26, 1:34 PM
How many chapters is this manga? Deanomac2010 - Jan 31	0 replies	by Deanomac2010 »» Jan 31, 12:40 PM
Am I the only one who felt this was marketed in the wrong genre. Neostorm-X - Jul 7, 2021	3 replies	by lebannen_ »» Jun 10, 2023 2:15 PM
Poll: Kujira no Kora wa Sajou ni Utau Chapter 1 Discussion Stark700 - Aug 4, 2015	3 replies	by TimeFliesAway »» May 7, 2023 12:20 PM
Should I drop it? number_66 - Jan 29, 2023	1 replies	by ColinCrane »» Feb 16, 2023 11:50 AM

Kujira no Kora wa Sajou ni Utau
Children of the Whales
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Children of the Whales
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