I disagree to compare this to kiseiju.
Yes the execution of Kiseiju was fantastic and thus you can't stop reading it.
But in the end, what was left after reading it? only some existentialist thoughts.
Tanabata's execution was lesser, the thrill was less, but the magic was never trivialized, the mystery of the "other side" was kept, sure they revealed the secret about the the "star-childs", but there are still room for readers interpretation and imagination (and if you're that type, you get chills and mindblows from thinking about the implications of some ideas there) , and that's what I think, in my mind put it above Kiseiju.

... Last updated on October 10th, 2014, 4:11am

and its a good thing, if you like being restful even thorough with such violence. the low key-ness does not come from the plot or the characters, it come from the pacing and the paneling. the panels are quite static with rigid boxes and the expressions and actions of the characters are contained in it, so you dont get a proper flow, making the tempo of the story low and relatively serene. it reflects on the main character that is an eternal optimist, but not insufferably so. i like the way he look to the future with open but hopeful gaze. all in all, good manga!

... Last updated on July 30th, 2014, 6:47pm

This story will always be compared to Iwaaki's masterpiece Parasyte, and in this comparison it will always fall short. But Parasyte was a masterpiece and TnK should not be ashamed of not quite measuring up.

Tanabata no Kuni (TnK) has an interesting premise and the space cancellation powers are developed with the skill expected of the author of Parasyte (albeit this is an earlier work). Though the characters themselves are less likeable and developed, the philosophies that form the context of the story are well explained, and the origins of the powers are made very clear.

The story is a lot lighter in tone than Parasyte, the characters have less depth and act with less conviction. Additionally, the manga is much shorter than Parasyte, making it simultaneously more accessible (little commitment involved to read) and less eventful (less time for meaningful plot events).

Clearly not the masterpiece Parasyte was, but still extremely entertaining, and I would go so far as to call it a page turner for most of the read. I would recommend to fans of Iwaaki's other works, as well as fans of Kigitsu (Franken Fran, Arthur Pyuty, Hellen ESP).

As I said - I liked. Maybe you will too. Or maybe not? Who knows. This is not review, this is simply a comment.
One thing I would like to complain about is the lack of emotions. Like something that should shake person happens, but they have this "Oh, okay..." attitude.

There's nothing special here. It's an adequately told story, but it's not about anything more than what it says on the tin. None of the characters are very interesting, and I dislike the art. It's not bad, I guess, but there's nothing there that would make me want to recommend it.