Dear NOMAN, Vol. 1

by Neji, Leighann Harvey (Translator)

Overview

Ever since she was little, Mashiro has been able to see ghosts-of people, of animals, and of some strange creatures that don’t seem to be either. For years, she’s pretended not to see the eerie sights around her, but then a chance encounter plunges Mashiro into the world of the inhuman Nomans. An accidental kiss leaves Mashiro partnered with Bazu, a human-hating crow lady, as she joins the Boundary Preservation Society to help the dead that walk the earth move on…

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781975320089
Publisher:	Yen Press
Publication date:	01/19/2021
Series:	Dear NOMAN Series , #1
Pages:	162
Sales rank:	344,570
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 5.00(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

Editorial Reviews

02/22/2021

This sweet manga tale by Neji (Beauty and the Beast Girl) puts a magical spin on processing grief. Mashiro Unohana, a 14-year-old girl whose older sister has died, sees wildly different, odd creatures that no one else seems to notice. When she finally decides to interact with one, it tries to eat her. Luckily, she’s saved by Bazu, a crow spirit and employee of the Boundary Preservation Society. Mashiro’s recruited into the society to partner with Bazu and help the “Nomans” that she sees, who may be humans or animals that have died or “natural spirits, traditional monsters, and the spirits that serve the gods.” (When a deceased human or animal Noman lingers in the human world for too long, it can become dangerous.) Neji does a lovely job getting readers invested in the spirits and their dilemmas; there’s tear-jerkers as well as emotional hijinx. Her characters are multidimensional: Mashiro’s a “goody two-shoes,” but she never feels like a pushover, able to hold her own against the loud-mouthed Bazu. Neji’s delicate line art and thoughtful grayscale shading technique grounds the fantastical elements, lending a serious tone to its themes of grief. The bevy of nifty creatures to explore will draw in manga fans, and leave them with weighty reflections on loss and life. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly