Children of the Whales, Vol. 1: Volume 1

Children of the Whales is a beautifully realised world with enjoyable characters and an intriguing story. This is an incredible story for those interested in fantasy worlds.The story is set on the "Mud Whale" an island floating in the middle of a sea of sand. Inhabiting the Mud Whale are people known as the "Marked" who are able to manipulate magic known as "Thymia". We follow the story of Chakuro who suffers from hypergraphia and must write detailed accounts of everything that happens to him. One day Chakuro sees another far away island, and the inhabitants of the Mud Whale make a discovery that might just save their lives.The story starts off fairly slow at the beginning, but isn't afraid to pull hard on your heartstrings and this first entry really sets the groundwork for an incredible series. The characters are all very likable and the artwork is beautiful, helping to really bring the Mud Whale to life. I would compare the style to a Ghibli film - it looks as though so much love and attention has been put into every detail.I would recommend this if you like fantasy manga, and if you enjoy Ghibli films, specifically Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke. I can't wait to see what happens next!

A great first volume that had me intrigued throughout. Its style reminded me of many studio ghibli films and as a huge image comics fan it had similarities to Monstress (another great book). I would highly recommend. I also just read it will be released as an anime on Netflix in 2018.Can’t wait for the next book to come out in January.

I bought this for a friend for her birthday and she really loved it! I was a bit concerned about the way it arrived since it came in a pretty thin cardboard package, but it was in perfect condition!

good

great bargain

Good

A respectful reworking of 'Dune' and 'Nausicaa' style fantasy sci fi with absolutely the best artwork in comics period. Each panel is flawless - and that's maintained for the 16 volumes I've read. I once saw a foot drawn that wasn't absolutely perfect in volume 15 and was shocked because that's literally the only time something like that ever happened in this manga.The story - which concerns the journey of the adolescent inhabitants of a giant floating prison on a sea of sand in an unspecified time and place is highly original, complex and rousing with just the right amount of pathos. It also resists any sexual or other gratuity. Violence is used sparingly and hence with great impact and this is suitable for all ages. There are no 'filler' volumes and the story moves at a cracking pace and develops logically.I am very unhappy that this manga doesn't get the attention or praise it deserves - probably because it lacks the liberal (or for that matter, any) politics and perversity that seem to be the selection criteria for Western publishers of manga. It also does a great job in portraying racial minorities (which is usually a negative with manga publishers who only care about sexual as opposed to ethnic minority representation).Superb job by Viz Signature again. They seem to be publishing ALL the best manga such as 'Golden Kamuy', 'Hells Paradise' and many others.Buy with confidence.

I really enjoyed this, the scenario is well set and the story is just starting to take off by the end of the volume. the art is the usual manga cute stuff but without the child element you often get. Others have pointed out a Studio Ghibli vibe and I concur. Sometimes even average manage is over-rated and its always difficult to tell how a series will pan out due to the relatively slow pace of story telling. This is however a good introduction and I will purchase volume two where I hope that its potential can be fulfilled........