彼方から 14

彼方から / From Far Away #14

by Kyoko Hikawa

The End is here! The darkness that has pursued Noriko and her tortured warrior Izark descends full force as their corrupt enemies in the government stage a last coup. With Noriko bedridden, Izark must fight alone, but help may come from an unexpected source. Still, even if they survive, the prophecy can no longer be avoided. The time of the Sky Demon has come--and no one is ready for the final revelation. Will Noriko truly be the death of her first and only love? Find out all the answers and much more in the incredible conclusion to this epic manga.

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Romance, Shojo, Comics, Adventure, Graphic Novels

205 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Name : 冰川京子 (ひかわきょうこ)

Blood type : A

Likes Jackie Chan movies and American movies like BIG. Also cats, but not enough to own one. One of her favorite activities is decorating and creating useful objects for her home. Hates mosquitoes and cockroaches. Has enormous trouble in bicycle parks.

Does mostly light-hearted comedy stories, but very entertaining. She does surprisingly great action scenes (haven't seen many shoujo artists try at a Western before!!).


Her stories ranges from cute to action, but all done unparalled attention - the drawings are refined and the storylines bring the readers into what the characters feel. Her page layouts and camera angles varies a lot, and thus keeps the interest of the reader.

Reviews

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best manga ever! Battle between good and evil, great art and beautiful romance!

[Rahma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can you see it? This is the world of light. Everything becomes one in the light. I entered the light and found you

This was a rare gem. A beautifully written historical romance.
The struggle of finding your purpose in this life. What if you had every reason to fall into the darkness? Love is the only thing to drag you out from that hell and bring you to the light.

This is a story about love, not just between the characters but about its place in the world...its ability to heal and give strength. The world is corrupt by desire. The message in this story send is clear. We must give love to each other, and be loved and fight corrupt ambitions and desires to rise not only as people but as nations and countries. Some will fail through their journey and some will prevail and shine in the light.

As for the story- the writing matured as Noriko matured. From a clutzy silly girl to a strong woman able to fight for what she believes in.

What I enjoyed most was that this wasn't one of those stories where the girl always needed to be saved and a handsome warrior was there...we got to see Izark and his insecurities, his worries, his emotions being exposed. He needs her as much as she needs him - it felt like a true partnership, they completed each other. If Izark is strong physically his emotions always affected him, be it rage, anger, fear, worry - Noriko is a weak girl but from early on she knew her feelings well all the way till the end.

I have loved this.
It will be one of those stories that lives with me forever


also this last volume can only be read with the wonderful composition --

Mountain Haze by 高梨康治, Takanashi Yasuharu

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kyoko Hikawa's fourteen-volume fantasy manga epic comes to a thrilling conclusion in this final episode of the series, which sees Izark continuing his battle with Keimos, the citizens of Ennamarna refusing to surrender Noriko, and rising up to defend their city, and Noriko herself finding the World of Light, to which she is able to guide Izark. Joining him in spirit, Noriko adds her power to his, strengthening him in his final conflict with Rachef, and with the malignant spirit who has been the source of his rise to power...

Wow! I feel both happy and sad to be done with this series, which was my first foray into the world of manga. Many thanks to my goodreads friend Jeannette for being my tour guide in this new artistic and literary territory. Life is just a little stressful right now, and this romantic fantasy saga is just what the doctor ordered! I loved the characters, the story, and the artwork. This volume was a strong conclusion - I particularly liked that the door was left open for the villain to redeem himself. I also liked the conclusion, in which Noriko finds a way to communicate with her family back home.

[Chili Public · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Written on my Blog - February 15, 2007)

I just finished volume 14. The last volume. I was a little melancholy afterwards, sort of how you get after a long vacation. Sad to be going, glad you went, happy to have a conclusion. After 12 long years of writing, the series is over. The author/illustrator mentions this in one of her many sidebars. She says that people were always writing/emailing her because they want to know when the next installment was coming out, and she felt so awful that she couldn’t write them sooner. When you think about it, there were 14 volumes over 12 years. That’s less than one a year! You wouldn’t think anything of that if it was a novelist, and she has to illustrate everything too! Still, I’m glad that I only had to wait a little while since: 1) I hadn’t heard of this series up until a year or so ago and 2) I’m not Japanese so I only have to wait the time it takes for the English translation to come out.

The end of the book gets a little strange with lots of talk about the light and dark, but its still very sweet, not counting the people who get killed, or have “evil bits” (my term, not their’s) oozing out of them. It ended very tightly, with every character being covered.

Read it!

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/EMxUhGUtHPs

"People want to contribute something to the world they live in…People want to help other living things on this Earth. People have an inherent need to do something useful in one way or another."

I am trying so hard not to let my tears fall as I write this review. I am so so so crestfallen this series is over, but what a beautiful and wonderful adventure this series has been!

While the ending wasn't romantic in the way I first was hoping for, it was beyond anything I could have potentially wanted (and better!). I felt the mangaka put such beauty and care into every single character, panel, and page. The healing, the hope resonates so powerfully off page that even now I feel I'll probably cry later just because of how much this story moved me.

It is hard to express all that I feel, but this was beyond worth reading. The compassion that was shown to characters I didn't expect to have it shown to was something I didn't know I needed to see, but so grateful I did.

From Far Away is a beautiful series! I definitely (and highly) recommend reading if if you love shojo fantasy! This is a classic for a reason and rightfully deserves to be. <3

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this series so so so many times. Someone said in a review that it’s so good because the main character isn’t just a weak female, she strives to do things she is able to accomplish. She learns the language and encourages others. Her and Izarks love is such an innocent love where they literally only kiss once but it’s the strongest love I’ve ever felt from reading books. They are the awakening for each other to become better people in the world. If there is one manga I would recommend to anyone, it is this one. Such a fantastic read, I go back to it once a year and find new things every time. Also it’s a bonus that I’m able to fall in love with the characters and cry at certain parts because of their connection to each other.

(5/27/25) This book still gives me the feels every time. It’s just such a good story of good vs evil and the love between the two co them even though it’s young adult is literally the love you want to have, spirit changing world saving love!

https://xbato.com/title/25552-kanata-...

[Starbubbles · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was such a nice ending. It would have been nice see lovely little kids running around. But it was still a lovely way to wrap things up.

[Saba · Rating 4 out of 5]

aaa this was such a great story I loved this manga!!! glad I finally read it <3

[Noora Alhosani · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was Published in 1992

looked for it everywhere and I finally found it! I LOVE THIS MANGA SO MUCH!
everything was perfect, enjoyed reading it :)

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 5 out of 5]

#Program BUBU

Pertama kali dibeli dan dibaca pada tanggal 12 November 2003.

Wow, jilid terakhir terjemahan Elex ini terbit lebih dari 10 tahun lalu!

Tapi... aku masih suka manga ini. Love it, actually.

Untunglah masih dapat menemukan satu set penggantinya yang hilang, dalam kondisi mint pula. Meskipun punya mangascannya, tetap saja tidak sebanding. Apalagi dulu ngumpulinnya perlu kesabaran ekstra saking lamanya terbit dari jilid ke jilid, dari tahun 1997 sampai 2003!

[Amy N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this series is like drinking a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter's day. It's so sincere and sweet, full of action and adventure and a heroine who doesn't have any special powers but does what she can anyway. Her efforts to be productive and useful in a world of magic and monsters are so inspiring. The male lead is strong but vulnerable, handsome but cute. Every time I finish this series it leaves me smiling.

[Luna's Little Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall Series review 3 Stars. I probably should have left it after book 7, because there is a sort of ending there with Noriko and Izark leaving their (first set of) friends behind but I did want to see what the conclusion was.
The second half of From Far Away (books 8-14) is weaker in my opinion but I do like Noriko as a character, she’s endearing, and there are parts that I enjoyed.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

See my review for the whole series here.

[Vivien · Rating 3 out of 5]

The people of Ennamarina refuses to hand Noriko over to evil & believe in the light; 2 of them attack the sand creature impersonating Gorya & he was killed in reality as well. This made the moonstones strong enough to repel the rest of the sand monsters.
Angry, Rachef used the moonstones to make the monsters more powerful, & hideous.
Keimos continued to transform & attack Izark. Izark eventually defeated Keimos but not before receiving a major injury to himself. The shield comes down. Keimos is still alive & returned to being an ordinary man. Not happy about his defeat he begins reabsorbing the evil energies.
Everyone return to the city & sealed all the doors & windows; Noriko was moved to another room & Noriko was feeling helpless. So Gaya gives her some words of advice which she thinks about. Eventually she realises the truth & releases her power, glowing, & reinforces the moonstones, throwing the sane monsters far away from the city.
As soon as Keimos is back in fighting form he attacks Izark but soon Keimos is transforming the wrong way, he absorbed too much power too fast & now its out of his control. Izark gives him a mercy death before he collapses slightly due to lack of strength. Evil spirits come shooting out of the dome towards Izark but Noriko shows up 1st, making Izark glow & disintegrating the evil spirits.
Noriko has opened the doors to the world of light for him, revealing the truth to him. Physically she is now standing on the walls of Ennamarina looking out at all the sand monsters. With Izark she destroys them all before going into a praying position & joining Izark in his battle against the source of all evil. Gaya, Zaena, Barago & the mayor witness Noriko's act; Zena stops Gaya from interfering with Noriko as she can see where Noriko's mind is right now & their up coming battle.
Meanwhile Rachef was shocked at his defeat & scared Izark will destroy all of his dreams. Izark has no choice but to destroy all the moonstones in the cavern, destroying the source of all evil's power source. With Noriko, he destroys it all & shows Rachef the world of light before he dies, as he connected his soul to the moonstones.
Izark returned to Donya while Noriko returned to her body. Then everyone went to welcome Izark back.
Now that the evil is gone & the sky demon has chosen the path of light instead of destruction, people around the world are inspired that they rise up against evil & corruption. Jeida & the others have their work cut out for them when they return to their countries.
Noriko was telling Gaya how the world of light is connected to her homeworld & how she missed her family; Izark overhears this & is worried that she'll leave him once she knows he can send her back, but it's a 1-way trip. But he tells her the truth anyway & her reaction is not what he was expecting. Noriko refused to leave him, wanting to stay with him forever.
So Izark & Noriko returned to the town that held the flower festival, to retrieve Noriko's diaries, so Izark can send them to her family.
All of Noriko's family was shocked to hear from Noriko via their dreams & rushes to her room, thinking she might have returned but all they find are books on her desk. Reading them they soon learns what they are. Noriko's father is a writer & he wrote Noriko's story into a novel for everyone in her world to read.

Epilogue: Lord Nada had turned her fighters/guards into thieves & after some words from Barago they turn against him. Now there is no chance for Lord Nada to become the next king & since Duke Kemil supported him his position is in danger. Opposing fractions are voting for Paroy as the next king but Kemil is dead against it because he has always claimed Jeida was innocent. To prevent this from happening he plans to have Paroy assassinated. But his schemes was detected by Geena & the information was secretly passed to Paroy. His aides investigated & arrested the assassin before he could act. They also found the link to Duke Kemil, which resulted in Kemil being ousted.
The king was ashamed that he allowed Kemil so much power he decided to step down & allow Paroy to take his place as king. Paroy soon welcome Grand Duke Jeida back & exonerated him from the charge of attempting a coup. This brought about a new beginning for Zago.
Izark & Noriko's next stop is Guzena. Barago, Agol & Geena decided to join them; Geena has grown taller.
Guzena was in chaos; the king was under house arrest for objecting to the ministers plans. So Zena tells the king what to do. Publicly the king orders a cabinet resignation en masse & once they all stepped down the king's former & trusted aides were reinstated, along with Enri & Kainowa as ministers.
The mayor of Ennamarina updated Doros, who is working in the stables, on the situation in Guzena.
One day; Noriko curiously asked Anita & Rottenina what happened to Tazasheena. She had lost her powers as her divine was based on evil.
Izark & Noriko returned to the sea of trees, a year since they were last there, to send her diaries to her family as well as a message from her.

[faatima]

This is a series reread.

Kanata Kara follows the journey of Noriko, a girl spontaneously transported into another world whose impending prophecies she happens to be at the center of. Her initial traveling companion, Izark, is someone whose fate deeply intertwines with hers and that of the world's, and the pair of them journey across the continent as they attempt to understand each other, sort out their fate, and perhaps save the world from imminent darkness.

PROS:
- Stress on language. One of the things this series is most known for is its attention to language; Noriko isn't magically able to communicate with Izark and the other inhabitants of his world upon entering it. She has to observe and learn from others' speech, then apply it herself in an attempt to properly assimilate. It's also admirable to see how she tries to work around this barrier when some concepts are simply too difficult to convey in the language she's learning.
- The politics of normal people! Although nothing about Kanata Kara's politics is overtly complex, it pays acute attention to what makes oppression possible, and how the common people can be encouraged to break free of those chains and fight back. There's a consistent commentary present as to how people help each other, and how each person has their own part to play in the world, no matter how small or insignificant their role may feel to them.
- The balance in Izark and Noriko's relationship. It's very easy to fall into a power imbalance when pairing together such characters. Izark could easily play the role of sole protectorate and Noriko the everlasting damsel-in-distress, but their relationship is far more fleshed out than that. Izark needs Noriko as much as she needs him, and where he has intense moments of emotional vulnerability, she likewise has intense moments of emotional strength. They're flawed and balanced characters who truly complete each other, and it never feels like either one of them has an overstated presence within the relationship.
- The message about the world of light. Perhaps Kanata Kara's greatest strength lies in the simplicity of its messages. In the end, there's a stress upon the need to look within oneself in order to ascertain light and gain a true understanding of the world, and the need for love, friendship, and goodwill to ensure its survival. The way this message is revealed is subtle and beautiful, like a flower finally blooming, and it doesn't feel corny at all despite its simplicity. Izark and Noriko save each other, and they save themselves, because they allow themselves to believe that reaching the light inside is possible.

CONS:
- The lack of consistency in Noriko learning the language. Although Noriko's process of learning the language is very prominently highlighted in the first half of the series, in my reread, I noticed that in the second half, her efforts are kind of forgotten and she seems to seamlessly be able to speak in a pretty complex manner, despite only having been in the world for a year or so. Of course, the urgency of her situation demands that she learn the language quickly, but I still would have liked to see that her process of learning was everlasting, because ultimately that's what learning any language entails.

FINAL RATING: 4.75

[Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's only fitting that a finale be given the full star treatment. It had it all: action, political/magical intrigue, romance, you name it. Is the series perfect? Personally, no. I'm a bit greedy when it comes to wrap up. I would've liked to see a wedding, full on HEA between Izark and Noriko, but in the end, that's not what her HEA is about. From the beginning, we watch Noriko struggle to find her place in a "new" world from fighting beside Izark, to the "mundane" language barrier. It was satisfying, seeing the The Sky Demon and The Awakening team up, instead of bringing on destruction, and cheesy as it sounds, learning how to control the darkness, rather than letting it control you. Story-wise, the early volumes had a leg up on the latter, (the romantic tension/world building made for superb storytelling, while post declaration volumes suffered from middle book syndrome; repeating plots, interchangeable villains/settings), but by the end, I'd say it was well worth the read. This "lost in time" trope was made fresh for me (odd, seeing as this was 1st published in 1992, way before this became a mainstream craze) in that, yes there's romance, but the everyday/slice of life elements are grounded in reality: Noriko has trouble speaking the language, feeling unworthy alongside who she believes to be real heroes, when she was simply transplanted in this realm by sheer dumb luck. Her appearance brings out a goodness and humanity in Izark (A la Beauty and the Beast), allowing him to feel love and acceptance not in spite of his "monstrosity" but because of it (they're drawn to each other, despite prophecy proclaiming their demise upon meeting). Whew! This was ramble, but those of you stumble upon me know how the drill. Now the reading hangover sets in... suggestions for my next foray into manga are always welcome. Enjoy your time From Far Away!

[Arissaé Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very beginning this manga has pique my interest, I like reading historical fiction such as this one. I wouldn't compare this with The Queen's Knight and Anatolia Story where both heroines came from the future and have contributed a great with the new world they're in. they all have different strength on how to reach their readers heart. Of course, it has a lot of feels and drama as well. I like how the female lead overcome the situation by adapting and trying to learn over the culture in order to survive. By far, I think she is a strong one, and a good example for being so positive and brave. As for the Male lead, i feel so sorry for him, I have always read them having hard times but so glad of how he cope up for the rest of the story as it develops.

For the romance, it is light and fluffy, it is also quite refreshing, I just wished for more of the epilogue to elaborate about the two main leads.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just couldn't write a review per volume while reading a manga. I usually fly through the whole series before I write an overall review. This is quite a ride, it's full of action, magical elements and the plot just kept going. The mangaka uses the 'chosen one' troupe that is super popular in those days. Even though the main protagonist is lovable enough, but I wish she could save herself sometimes. She depends too much on that guy. The guy is cute and he is romantic, however almost too obsessive towards the girl. I mean, please stop the cheesiness and corniness, especially the ending. The girl actually chose the guy over her family, seriously, this is not believable. I think this is an entertaining series, but I'm not a fan of the essence of the relationship. I ship them, don't get me wrong, but it is not a healthy relationship that I was expecting. The art style though, classic! 3 stars!

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Satisfying but bittersweet. I'm really not ready to leave this world, and want very much to know what happens next. Are they truly happy forever? After everything this couple has gone through, I certainly want that to be the truth.

I can't say enough about how much I liked this series, and I wish it had gained the popularity that Fushigi Yuugi did, which I couldn't help but compare this to. Honestly, I think Noriko is by far the better heroine of the two, much stronger and more willing to dig deep and give her all. If she ever feels a little flat, it's because the author never seemed to have enough room to give the deeper character development as the pacing never allowed for it.

I was really sad to close the book at the end. I want more!

[strôbeari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a bit convenient that everybody got their happy ending with no loose ends and nobody (except the antagonists, of course) died or suffered some consequences. But, I like a happy ending as much as the next person so I don't mind.

As a whole, this manga is definitely not for everyone! The original manga was released from the early 1990s until the early 2000s, and the art style really reflects that (think: impossibly long and skinny limbs, narrow waists, broad shoulders (for the men), big eyes (for the women), and outdated hairstyles). As for the plot, I found the middle volumes (from around vol. 6 to vol. 11) to be meandering and repetitive and "filler". In my opinion, the first and last couple of volumes were the best.

[Maude · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall a really strong ending to a great series! I loved that we finally got an answer as to what happened with Noriko's family back on Earth. I got chills reading that ending and the title drop. Izark and Noriko are such a strong couple with the purest love for each other. This manga had good pacing, long enough to develop our characters but not too drawn out, and the action scenes kept me interested and engaged, always looking forward to the next volume.
I feel like this series helped fill the Basara-shaped hole in my heart. Early 2000s fantasy shoujo will always be the best!

[-moonprismpower- · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet ending! That final fight was amazing!!!

Overall I give this series a 3.5/5 stars.
This series is well loved so I wanted to at least read it once. And once is probably all I am going to give it.
I’m not the biggest fan of isekai or adventure stories though. Someone who enjoys those genres, will probably love this more than me!
Oh, the romance was lacking. So if you’re expecting a romance like Yona and Hak, that’s not here lol. The romance definitely takes a backseat to the story.

[MaguiWorld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ayyyy pero que besho final. Muy color de rosa, predecible y un poco abrupto pero muy lindo. El final final me emociono un poquito y me encanta cuando tienen *ese tipo de final * . Me gustó mucho el arte en general del manga y es un estilo con el que siempre me encuentro cómoda. Voy a buscar más sobre la misma mangaka o de los mismos años 🌟

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a pretty unfocused, but not entirely unsatisfying ending. Like some of the other readers, I thought the first half of the series was much better than the second half. A lot of the things that happened during volumes 10-12 seemed to be necessary. At least it wasn't really a long series.

[Challis Thalman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The whole series

I love these books. They are a beautiful representation of the nature of good and evil and how much choice plays a role in the good and bad that happens to us and that we do. Very heart warming read.

[Novelishlife · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those stories that I carry with me and have carried with me for so many years.
Whenever I reach the end of the series I feel like I am saying good bye to friends.
From Far Away is such a touching and beautiful story for me.

[Anna Shiverdecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this. Not for everyone but definitely up my alley. It was so cute and had great lessons and great characters. Is it perfect? No. But it was for me. I can definitely see myself rereading these every now and then.

[Bea Tris · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10 the end... Now what should i do... i want more 😭😭😭. This shoujo manga is better than 90% of the shonen manga out there. The blueprint for a lot of fantasy books i'm sure!!
Lastly, soporten muak 👄💁‍♀️.

[Dita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid ending, it is predictable and felt too easy if you know what I mean, but still very entertaining and I love it. I really adore Noriko and Izark. I love this series so much. Definitely will read it again next year.

[A_MOTUS · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best manga serie I have read. This is a very old Isekai story with so much world building and such intricate development. This is relatively sweet compared to Red River but still full of adventures. I highly recommend it.