Somali and the Forest Spirit

Gureishi’s ornate fantasy showcases the cozy charms of iyashikei (“healing”) manga, character-driven stories designed to draw readers into a setting that seems real enough to step into the page. In a Miyazaki-influenced world inhabited by monsters, fairies, animal people, and other fantastical beings, humans have all but vanished, wiped out in a half-forgotten war. But a little girl named Somali survives, and a robotic, emotionless golem leaves his post as a forest guardian to help her find her family. Together they wander forests and fields, learn to survive on the road, and encounter colorful characters in whimsical settings. The history of their world and the fate of humanity are gradually revealed, but this narrative is more about the journey than the destination. Gureishi lavishes detail on the characters’ day-to-day: they fish and forage, encounter beings ranging from antlered rabbits to a talking “false cat,” learn from a forest herbalist how to make medicines, and visit a witches’ library infested with book-eating ghost fish. Though reminiscent of Nagabe’s The Girl from the Other Side, this series, with its lush nature art and creative creature designs, offers enchantments all its own. Fantasy readers will be transported. (Dec.)