Mushi to Uta

My first reaction to this manga was something of a “huh…” but I really do think it’s worth a read. The stories all explore the fragility and transience of life, but at the same time the way life stubbornly appears again and again and strives to remain. This is not a happy manga — there’s sadness and loss and loneliness — but the stories feel good, fulfilling almost. Visually, the manga is nothing special, but the beauty of the stories themselves more than make up for it. The blending of fantasy and realism is smooth and quickly established, allowing for character and plot focusmore than worldbuilding (which is a strength with such short stories). The collection as a whole holds together well in the forms of life it addresses, although I feel it could have been better ordered. As for the individual stories: 1. This one was my least favorite, and honestly felt a little creepy throughout. While it did make an interesting point about women’s roles in society, the less wholesome elements had me a little on edge when it came to female characters in the later stories. 2. The innocence of the characters and the progressive introduction of fantasy elements really made this one stand out. It feels like a child’s first experience playing with something fragile. 3. Plot-wise, this one was definitely the least out-there. It follows a traditional short story structure pretty closely. It also does the best job of representing the themes and mood of the collection as a whole, bringing loneliness, loss, and sacrifice into something that actually feels hopeful. 4. I felt a little thrown around with this story — it felt like a lot of twists for a single story, but it was still very enjoyable. It wrapped itself up well (although I certainly would not choose it for the final story of the collection). Overall, I think this is one of the better story collections out there, both in terms of individual stories and the collection as a whole. Definitely worth a read.