Our story starts by introducing us to Kasumi, a young girl who has only known a world rampaged by earthquakes and other natural disasters. Despite there being little to hope for, she finds solace within a building that used to be known as a stationary store, filled with pens and crafts of all kinds. We soon find out that this store, which has survived all of the natural disasters that have occurred so far, ends up being the place that Kasumi goes as much as possible. She makes up one half of the pen-pals in this story.
The second character, without spoiling anything about the middle of this one-shot, is somehow interconnected with this stationary store. The two begin communicating and develop an unexpected pen-pal relationship in a world where communication is otherwise totally unavailable. This concept feels fresh and interesting because we witness the world surrounding our characters as hopeless and empty, yet they find themselves filled with excitement and happiness to have something worth living for. Things suddenly don't feel completely hopeless. The story delivers from start to finish.
Aside from the plot, this one-shot has some of the best art design and expression in it's category. You feel like you're part of the world. The characters are accurately expressed in each panel, and they do a great job at including little details such as small, significant motions as well as Kasumi singing parts of a song but using letters or syllables to fill in the parts she doesn't remember; something I recall doing myself as a child.
Thematically, this story is dark, melancholic, and sad... But also extremely positive and uplifting. It's unique because you are presented with an environment that is very bleak, however at the same time it is utilized in a way alongside the characters to create a wholesome and memorable experience. Despite the situation, the world and it's people are calm.
Most of us have likely never known what it feels like to live in complete destruction and isolation, and likely never will. We often take our comfort and safety for granted until it's too late, and this story allows the characters to look beyond the hopelessness on the horizon of their living quarters and naturally find a place that they feel safest. Pen Pal At the End of the World explores living within a harsh reality in a way that I haven't seen before. This will likely be one of your favorite one-shots and is well worth the adventure.
"Regardless of the shape... so long as there's a person who talks and a person who listens, that's enough to make one fine story."
