Comics / Manga

Children of the Sea: Volume 3

By Leroy Douresseaux
June 13, 2010 - 19:36

Children of the Sea Volume 3 cover image

Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”

Ruka Akumi, a tomboy with a quick temper, always felt at home at Enokura Aquarium where her father worked.  There, she met and befriended Umi and his older brother, Sora.  They were two mysterious boys who were raised by dugongs (a member of the manatee family) during the early years of their lives.  Soon, Ruka is hearing the same strange calls from the sea that the brothers hear.  This is but the first of many signs that her life is changing and that she is part of a worldwide mystery centered in the planet’s oceans.

In Children of the Sea, Vol. 3, flashbacks abound.  The chapters herein recount Umi and Sora’s first years amongst humans, their time with Jim Cusack, and the arrival of Anglade, the boy who would become a gifted young marine biologist and Jim’s partner.  Meanwhile, in the present, Ruka, Anglade, and Umi travel far out to sea and encounter myth made into reality.

THE LOWDOWN:  An ecological mystery and oceanic adventure story, Children of the Sea could be considered a children’s fantasy or even a juvenile/teen suspense thriller.  The series’ mixture of myth and reality will remind some of The Sandman (by Neil Gaiman and various artists).  However, creator Daisuke Igarashi mixes myth, mysticism, and magic with science, ecology, evolutionary history, and the modern world in a unique way.  This uncommon blend creates a narrative that expresses an astounding sense of wonder about the world, its past, present, and future, as well as our place in it.

Igarashi’s earthy drawing style is pitch-perfect for a series in which much of the story takes place in the ocean or along the shore, and the graphics and visuals in this comic book are magical and have a wonderful sense of texture.  It only takes one reading to discover that Children of the Sea has introduced a sense of adventure, mystery, and wonder about our world into comic books for young readers and readers young at heart.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers looking for the best in comics will find a must-have in Children of the Sea.

A+

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Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12