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Description
At the center of story is a teenaged girl who has been in a coma since the age of nine, when she was found with her dead parents. The mother had apparently killed the father, and then killed herself. Oh, and the girl, Aoba, was found to have her dead parents’ hearts in her stomach. The core mystery, of course, is why this girl ate her parents’ hearts, but there are plenty of other mysteries to chew on (if you’ll forgive the metaphor). Why does the presumably imaginary dreamworld —Barbara— that Aoba now inhabits seem to affect the real world, and what is her connection to the boy, ...
More...
At the center of story is a teenaged girl who has been in a coma since the age of nine, when she was found with her dead parents. The mother had apparently killed the father, and then killed herself. Oh, and the girl, Aoba, was found to have her dead parents’ hearts in her stomach. The core mystery, of course, is why this girl ate her parents’ hearts, but there are plenty of other mysteries to chew on (if you’ll forgive the metaphor). Why does the presumably imaginary dreamworld —Barbara— that Aoba now inhabits seem to affect the real world, and what is her connection to the boy, Kiriya, who she has never met and who shares her dreams of Barbara? And what does this have to do with a mysterious scientist looking for the secret to eternal youth, or, for that matter, with a long extinct race of Martians?
Winner of Japan SF Grand Prize (2006) Less...
Winner of Japan SF Grand Prize (2006) Less...
Type
Manga
Related Series
N/A
Associated Names
Barbara (Italian)
Barubara Ikai
Otherworld Barbara
The Island of Barbara
バルバラ異界
沉睡的秘境
Barubara Ikai
Otherworld Barbara
The Island of Barbara
バルバラ異界
沉睡的秘境
Groups Scanlating
N/A
Latest Release(s)
N/A
Status
in Country of Origin
4 Volumes (Complete)
3 Volumes (Bunko, Complete)
3 Volumes (Bunko, Complete)
Completely Scanlated?
Yes
Anime Start/End Chapter
N/A
User Reviews
N/A
Forum
0 topics, 0 posts
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Click here to view the forum
User Rating
Average: 7.5 / 10.0 (8 votes)
Bayesian Average: 6.55 / 10.0
Bayesian Average: 6.55 / 10.0
10
13%
9+
13%
8+
25%
7+
25%
6+
0%
5+
25%
4+
0%
3+
0%
2+
0%
1+
0%
Last Updated
December 27th 2023, 1:14am
Image [Report Inappropriate Content]
Genre
Categories
Category Recommendations
Recommendations
Author(s)
Artist(s)
Year
2002
Original Publisher
Serialized In (magazine)
Flowers (Shougakukan)
Licensed (in English)
Yes
English Publisher
Fantagraphics (2 Volumes - Complete)
Activity Stats (vs. other series)
Weekly Pos #745 (+38)
Monthly Pos #1718 (+164)
3 Month Pos #2264 (+1110)
6 Month Pos #4897 (+87)
Year Pos #7036 (+453)
Monthly Pos #1718 (+164)
3 Month Pos #2264 (+1110)
6 Month Pos #4897 (+87)
Year Pos #7036 (+453)
List Stats
Forum Posts Click to view the forum
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User Comments
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weirdcore + peak
by MAPLE+STREET
August 23rd, 2023, 7:24pm
August 23rd, 2023, 7:24pm
Rating: 10.0 / 10.0
I don't really have the words to describe it but this manga changed the way I see the world. I'd even say its my all time favorite. I know this sounds like a red flag as if this was my first manga and it was the nostalgia talking but I can *assure* you it is not. Far from it, I've been a stinky weeb for more than a decade now and I stand by this. Moto Hagio is Peak, and Barbara is somehow even more peak than normal even for a genius of her caliber.
There's this scene in particular that's been stuck in my mind since 2017, which I won't spoil, but let's just say it felt like a very radical statement about the nature of reality and the value of fiction and it opened my eyes real bad.
I really like reading stories where logic isn't necessary. It's been a while since I read it last time, but this manga runs on dream logic and *owns* it. Kinda like Alice in Wonderland but with actual things of value to say lmao
You won't be getting explanations for most things, but the vibes are immaculate and the message still reaches. Things don't happen because reality says so. Things happen because they feel right and they work. It's nonsensical in a way that makes even more sense than reality. You know what? Scratch that, this manga doesn't run on dream-logic, it runs on human heart-logic.
I think an easier way to sort of explain why I like this manga so much is by explaining why I hate the last rebuild of evangelion movie so much. I know, I know, just hear me out, ok? Evangelion as a whole can get very wild and avant garde, but the last movie sort of throws that all away and the protagonist gets to live a happy normal life in the real world. It feels like its saying "cut the crap, stop dreaming and grow up". It felt to me like those endings where the MC wakes up and the story was just a dream and thus "not real" by their logic.
Otherworld Barbara felt to me like it does the opposite, it holds dreams and imagination as realities deserving of value and recognition in their own way. I'd summarize it as such: Even if it's just a dream, it is real, for dreams are things that can be experienced, talked about and relayed to others. How is that any different from being real?
One day I'll write a proper review for this xd
... Last updated on August 23rd, 2023, 7:26pm
There's this scene in particular that's been stuck in my mind since 2017, which I won't spoil, but let's just say it felt like a very radical statement about the nature of reality and the value of fiction and it opened my eyes real bad.
I really like reading stories where logic isn't necessary. It's been a while since I read it last time, but this manga runs on dream logic and *owns* it. Kinda like Alice in Wonderland but with actual things of value to say lmao
You won't be getting explanations for most things, but the vibes are immaculate and the message still reaches. Things don't happen because reality says so. Things happen because they feel right and they work. It's nonsensical in a way that makes even more sense than reality. You know what? Scratch that, this manga doesn't run on dream-logic, it runs on human heart-logic.
I think an easier way to sort of explain why I like this manga so much is by explaining why I hate the last rebuild of evangelion movie so much. I know, I know, just hear me out, ok? Evangelion as a whole can get very wild and avant garde, but the last movie sort of throws that all away and the protagonist gets to live a happy normal life in the real world. It feels like its saying "cut the crap, stop dreaming and grow up". It felt to me like those endings where the MC wakes up and the story was just a dream and thus "not real" by their logic.
Otherworld Barbara felt to me like it does the opposite, it holds dreams and imagination as realities deserving of value and recognition in their own way. I'd summarize it as such: Even if it's just a dream, it is real, for dreams are things that can be experienced, talked about and relayed to others. How is that any different from being real?
One day I'll write a proper review for this xd
... Last updated on August 23rd, 2023, 7:26pm
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