Aka no Sekai

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Since this is a collection of short stories, I will be reviewing each chapter individually on their own merit.

I'd like to talk about the art before the chapter rundown, since it really impressed me.

The art in this is gorgeous. Simplistic at times to convey the mood of the scene, but there is not an ugly page anywhere in this manga. Bikke, whom does the story as well as the art, deserves recognition for the amount of detail that went into the backgrounds and textures.

The Red World (7) - An interesting horror/mystery story. The characters didn't develop much over the course of the chapter, but ... they're pretty endearing to start with. The plot was somewhat far-fetched, but still managed to capture my interest and keep me absorbed throughout. Thanks to the marvelous pacing of the whole chapter, I was never bored either. An enjoyable chapter all around.

The Story Time (8) - A mature romance story that tugged at my heart strings and left me unsure of how to feel by the end. When a work of fiction can toy with my emotions like that, it must be doing something right. It should be noted, however, that the pacing felt a little rushed in some parts.
This was more of a character piece than the first story, and to me that's important. Nothing beats good character's in my book.

The Pigeon's Wings (9) - This was a gorgeous story. It was unique, and it offered a cool viewpoint most people wouldn't consider. The main character had good characterization, and the supporting cast all played their parts well.
It's touching in places and uplifting in others. My favorite of this collection.

Flowers in the Palm of My Hand (6)- This one wasn't bad, but it was the weakest of the four stories. It heightened the suspension of belief much higher than even the first chapter did, and the romance couldn't compete with The Story Time chapter. It didn't help that the characters weren't especially compelling either. The art was still solid, and the premise tried it's hardest to pique the readers interest, but it still couldn't quite hold a candle to the others in this anthology.

All in all, this collection of short stories gets a strong recommendation from me. It delivered solid storytelling all around, even if it's final chapter felt a bit weaker than the others.

I'm doing a joint review of the whole manga. Not individual chapters.









...
INCLUDES SPOLERS!!!



Art: Not really much to write about the art. A very nice style. There was a page where the mountains were shown, but I feel like they tried more on the story than the art. Still more than I can do and still incredible work.

7/10

Characters:

Honestly, again, not much to say besides the fact that the all have a dense background and the fact that they stretch through generations. Very likeable. A hot pigeon woman? Cool

7/10

Story: This manga is about a pre/post war time-period story off many different shades.
Chapter 1 is about a summer camp.
Chapter 2 is about a war veteran coming back to his wife.
Chapter 3 is about pigeons turning into humans?
Chapter 4 is about a girl who can turn people she touches to stone.

One reason I really like this manga is that all the chapters have Easter eggs in them.
For example. In chapter 3, we can see Theo; the war veteran from chapter 2; severely injured after a road collapsed and him, along with a bunch of other people trapped.
This sets the plot to chapter 2, in chapter 3. Not a very common this in manga.
The storyline is very unique, stretching over generations and for only 4 chapters, is very in-depth. Incredible story.

8/10

Enjoyment: I really recommend this manga for a short read. It gives you a lot to think about and is absolutely incredible story-wise

8/10

Overall: A really nice, short read. From likeable characters, to an illusionary storyline, this manga in very good.

It's difficult to fully articulate why, but I love this manga. It's one of my favourites.

The Red World presents its narrative like something from a distant memory. All of the locales are harmonious and untouched by the war setting that frames them, and each of the chapters are embellished to differing degrees by their low fantasy concepts. There's a whimsy and beauty to each of the stories that makes them very easy to be engaged by, even in spite of their short lengths.

However, The Red World doesn't linger on the spectacle of it's setting. Each story is more focused on exploring the ways that it's ... characters navigate through their lives, with each of them either being drawn together or pulled apart by the hand that life deals them. This serves as the ultimate goal of the anthology, being a reflection on the spirit of mankind, the value of human kindness and the threads of fate that remind us how small our world truly is. There is a lingering and haunting appeal to these stories, which is masterfully understood by the author through the ways they are reintegrated into the later chapters.

If you like stories that focus on a single pivotal point in the lives of it's characters, transport you to a completely different place and time, or just simply enjoy storytelling, this is a sure-fire recommendation. Otherwise, if you clamour for nuanced characterisation or more conventional and realistic depictions of war in your stories, you may be left disappointed.