... just how amazing this manga is. I nearly cried when it ended because I loved it so much.
Art:
Old fashioned, but soooooo impressive and awesome. It added to the rustic, intense feeling of the manga. There were a few pages where it was a little iffy as to what the mangaka was trying to draw
like in one of the last scenes, when Izark was fighting Keimos and you couldn't tell which guy was Keimos and which was Izark because in one panel it showed Izark cutting a hole in Keimos's barrier and jumping through, but in the next it had the hole by Keimos and Izark far from it
but it was pretty even and clean throughout. She was really consistent but added changes to the characters as the story progressed. From the beginning to the end, I estimate that Noriko was in their world for about two to three years, and it showed in her hair length and the way she carried herself, and in the faces and statures of those around her. All the fight scenes were well done and intense. 10/10
Characters:
Gah, where do I begin? All of the characters were great, including the bad guys. I loved how
at the end, when you think Rachef is going to kill Noriko, he instead says that he just wants to be loved, though he does it a little more violently and round-about than that.
All the characters were well-developed by the end, especially Noriko and Izark. Normally you don't see many changes in the main characters in mangas like this, but Noriko and Izark underwent many trials and grew from them instead of acting like they never happened. All the side characters existed for a purpose and had their own stories, but it never got confusing for me. 10/10 for everyone, including the bad guys and the nameless characters.
Story:
This manga left a very deep impression on me. For example, the whole bit about
choosing between light and dark and having no set destiny.
This entire story was deep and meaningful, but still very intriguing and worth the length. I've seen some people complaining about how long it is, which is understandable, but every single one of the 14 volumes was worth reading and rarely was any of it boring. I don't feel that this is a waste of time in the least, long or no. I love love LOVE "From Far Away." <3 At the end, everything was resolved, in this world and in theirs
! but I can't help but wish that it had shown Noriko pregnant in one of the last panels. I thought it would have because for quite a while it didn't show from her chest down, but no, she wasn't preggers. Also, you just know that Noriko and Izark will stay together forever, it just could have had a teensy bit of closure. The rest of the plot was well finished, though, and the implication that they get married in the Noriko's Diary thing at the very end was all the confirmation I needed.
Oh, and it was great how Noriko had to LEARN their language instead of just knowing it upon entering their world. You don't see that often, and it just made the story perfect and maybe a tad realistic, like how Noriko grew stronger after the first few volumes both physically and emotionally. You don't see her crying much unless something happens to Izark, which was awesome. (IZARK AND NORIKO'S LOVE STORY IS SO CUTE, but I liked how it wasn't the entire focus of the plot. There were also politics, war, and the whole Awakening/Sky Demon thing to round out the story.) I also love how the story makes a complete circle in all their travels and you meet characters in the epilogue that you met in the very first volume. It was really great. 10/10, absolutely. This is one of the of the best resolved and written mangas I've ever read, and I've read A LOT of manga.
All in all, this manga is a must-read. I loved it so much that I literally hugged my computer after finishing it just so I could express that emotion. You will not regret reading this manga, I promise you. I don't, and I never will. I have a feeling that I will be rereading this manga many times in my life, that's how much I adored it. Please, give it a chance. The first volume is a little meh, but after Noriko learns their language and some villains start getting introduced, it gets much better. I love this manga, and you most likely will, too. 🙂
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