by Kamelot on April 28th, 2015, 5:06am

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User rating of this review - N/A out of 5
Story/Plot - 3 out of 5
Characters - 5 out of 5
Drawing Style - 4 out of 5
Enjoyment - 4.5 out of 5
Overall - 4.2 out of 5

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Plot/Story

Honestly speaking, those expecting a hell of a plot or a very complex one might not find it in here. This is your average "person in a strange, foreign world" manga, very similar with other works such as Fushigi Yuugi, Saver, etc. Noriko Tachiki has been spirited away in another world and finds a companion in a mysterious guy named Izark Kia Tarj. She does not know the language of the new world (and thank god, the author did not make this whole situation unnatural by making her capable of speaking and understanding the language of the new world she found herself) and it is surprising how well she adapts to the environment considering the issue that she was spirited away from her family and friends and ended up in a world vastly different than her. To top it all, Izark is not you average guy. His coldness and his solemnity is what makes him mysterious and cool at the same time. However, the guy hides a painful past and a secret that he cannot tell anyone.

Like in the Saver manhwa, there is prophecy about a person coming from another world that will awake the Sky Dragon, a being seen as an evil one that will engulf the world in darkness. As a result, many countries are trying to get ahold of that person. And the plot kinda ends here and paves the way for character development.

Characters

Noriko is the epitome of pureness and innocence. She is not the typical physical strong protagonist that ends up in a strange world having to fend for herself. She needs someone to look after her and she finds this trait in Izark. Izark is a cold, apparently emotionless guy that at first seems like he does not care about what happens with Noriko. But seeing that she relies on him and seeing how helpless she is, he relunctantly allows her to accompany him through his journey. His scars from the past play a vital role, as Izark is adamant when it comes to socializing with other people, aspect which makes the interaction between Izark and Noriko distant. However, Izark is in the end emotionally attracted to Noriko. He finds no ulterior motives in her actions, she cares for him not because of personal interest (because of her wanting to stay alive) and not because of gratitude, but because she actually likes him as a person. Her thoughts are pure and her actions are cute, elements that even the stone-hearted Izark notices.

Like I said in the plot section, the real strength behind this manga is not the plot itself, but the character interactions. Noriko and Izark are opposites when it comes to comparing their personalities, but it is exactly this vast difference that draws them together. Noriko has the strength and will to believe and love someone and the innocence and pureness to draw others towards her. Izark is cold, lonely yet a brilliant fighter which makes him a dependable person. He might not be pure at heart, but he is a good person that cannot stand injustice nor seeing helpless people perish in front of him without taking action. Each of them sees in the other person what they lack. Noriko sees in Izark the strength and reliability that she lacks, while Izark sees in Noriko the innocence and cheerfulness that he lacks. They are the two sides of the same coin that cannot stay appart.

The secondary characters are not neglected either. Whether they are the antagonists Keimos, Rachef or Tazasheena or the allies the two protagonists encounter in their journeys such as Izark's former sword master Gaya, a former warrior in the Gray Bird Tribe, Barago, formerly a mercenary with a beef against Izark who eventually becomes his friend, Jeida, the former leader of the country Zago or the duo Agol & Geena, father and daughter, the first being a mercenary while the other being a blind seer and Irktule, a spirit who asked Noriko for help and repays her by protecting her and Izark through their many journeys, all of them possess their own individual strengths, personalities, backgrounds and weaknesses to make them likeable characters. All of them play a very important part in shaping the main couple and helping them find their peace and place in the world.

Drawing Style

To be honest, as a rather young reader still in his 20s, I have been avoiding this mange for a long time because I find it hard to get accustomed to the old-school way of drawing. However, lately I engulfed myself in reading older works (thus, with older drawing styles) and I could finally click with them. The drawings and character designs are nothing impressive, but they are representative for each character. The author manages to fit the character designs with the personality of each protagonist which is a plus. None of the characters seem unnatural because of the way they are drawn. Also, the drawing quality increases as the series meets its finale. There is not much emphasis place on the background designs except for a few landscape drawings that either portray wastelands, ancient ruins or city landscapes, but the few there are, they are professionaly executed.

Enjoyment

Being very accustomed with the 'person in a strange world' motiff, I was not expecting much out of the ordinary from this series. The plot was not that interesting from reading a mere synopsis. What made me enjoy this work from the first volume to the final one were the characters. From the first chapter you itch to see the adventures of Izark and Noriko and the people they encounter. The author is ingenuous when it comes to portraying characters that draws your interest. They are not complex ones nor with a twisted personality, but it is their simplicity and innocence that makes you root for them. Despite the fact that this mange relies heavily on fantasy elements, the characters seem humane and ordinary, not out of your reach. Whether it is the coolness and later, macho behavior of Izark or the adorable Noriko that overwhelms you with her warmth, optimistic views and the strength and courage to stand beside the ones she loves and believes in, this manga has much to offer in terms of enjoyment.

Overall

What could've been a very cliched and average manga turned out to be a hidden gem. This is how I would describe, in a few words, Kanata Kara (or From Far Away, for those accustomed to the english version). While plotwise it might not have much to offer, it is worth reading it for the main characters and their development. The art might not seem gorgeous, but with a bit for open-mindedness, especially from the younger audience (of which I am part off), you will not find it an obstacle. I recommend this work for those accustomed with series like Saver, Fushigi Yuugi, Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hitori or Shinobi Life.

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