Ame no Kubi

[Warning] child abuse, minor gruesome bits (but never focused on for long) TL:DR Simple but charming story of a man finding a family (yes really). 15 minute read. Would recommend! Story: 7/10 Short and sweet: we meet the characters, we get to know them a bit, they grow closer and the inevitable happens. Not as grim as the description would imply, it's actually very sweet. The 'black cat' acts selfishly when he takes in the titular young girl but quickly finds she's become precious to him.Character: 6/10 Not a lot of characterisation but what there is is good. Stiff and cold man becomes more affectionate and opens up when met with this sweet child. The child, Rain ('ame' is japanese for rain) grows out of her shell she was forced into from abuse. Rain learning to speak is simple but effective way of getting across how much she changes. Art In a word: charming. The sketch-like, expressive art seems oddly appropriate for this manga, serving to soften the more grim parts of what it depicts. The fact that the characters (which are well designed) are more solid and real compared to the sketched backgrounds grants the manga a dream-like quality that befits it's strange premise. Overall: 7/10 It's very short (11 chapters), it has an emotional core, and wonderful art. It's not a masterpiece, but for 15 minutes? You won't regret giving it that time. I highly recommend this manga.