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彼方から / From Far Away #1
From Far Away, Vol. 1
On her way home from school one day, Noriko is unexpectedly plunged into a strange and extraordinary fantasy world. Her troubles compound exponentially when she is rescued and befriended by a handsome young man by the name of Izark.
He may be brave and courageous, but inside Izark lurks the darkest evil imaginable. And according to an ancient prophecy, Noriko possesses the power to unleash that evil. Now, inexorably bound together, these two unlikely allies must navigate a world both wondrous and hostile.
He may be brave and courageous, but inside Izark lurks the darkest evil imaginable. And according to an ancient prophecy, Noriko possesses the power to unleash that evil. Now, inexorably bound together, these two unlikely allies must navigate a world both wondrous and hostile.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 25, 1992
93 people are currently reading
3554 people want to read
About the author
Kyoko Hikawa
60 books340 followersName : 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 263 reviews
August 14, 2016
The plot and setting of From Far Away is nothing new: a gentle, ordinary school girl gets thrown into some alternative world and meets the brooding male lead who has a dark past, blah blah blah. But the difference is, Kyoko Hikawa managed to create something nice and sweet and meaningful with her series: the importance of friendship, trust, acceptance and overcoming one's fear is highlighted, instead of the entire story focusing on the romance.
December 7, 2022
VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/EMxUhGUtHPs
I AM FLAILING!! THIS WAS SO SO SO GOOD!!!
This, THIS, right here is my kind of story! Perfect blend of the "real world" mixed with fantasy and such fantastic characters that left me wanting to binge read their story all in one go! VERY big happy sigh in how wonderful this story was!
I absolutely LOVE Noriko! I think she makes a very relatable and compelling heroine and couldn't help my heart going out to her. She tries to be brave in the smallest of ways and truly admire her for that. I think one of the most compelling parts about her story though that is very different than "modern" isekai is that she has to learn the language of this new world. I can't say I've seen that and feel it adds a whole other element to this story, especially in regards to Izark.
And Izark…he is the perfect hero. So much perfection and already strongly claiming him and Noriko as the ultimate shojo ship! While I could imagine, to him, Noriko looks like a damsel in distress (and would agree that she does and is, but I didn't dislike it because I really love the way it was written), but he acts like the perfect white knight in every situation. (Granted, he brings such a great small amount of humor that makes me smile because he's always saying "I don't understand what you're saying." but still listens to her and tries to be patient.) Though the cliff hanger involving him had me like :o :o :o :o :o!!!
I am SO excited and thankful that I am trying to get the volumes of this series because I already know it is well worth it! I enjoyed the art, the story world, and just everything about this first volume! So so so good!!
I AM FLAILING!! THIS WAS SO SO SO GOOD!!!
This, THIS, right here is my kind of story! Perfect blend of the "real world" mixed with fantasy and such fantastic characters that left me wanting to binge read their story all in one go! VERY big happy sigh in how wonderful this story was!
I absolutely LOVE Noriko! I think she makes a very relatable and compelling heroine and couldn't help my heart going out to her. She tries to be brave in the smallest of ways and truly admire her for that. I think one of the most compelling parts about her story though that is very different than "modern" isekai is that she has to learn the language of this new world. I can't say I've seen that and feel it adds a whole other element to this story, especially in regards to Izark.
And Izark…he is the perfect hero. So much perfection and already strongly claiming him and Noriko as the ultimate shojo ship! While I could imagine, to him, Noriko looks like a damsel in distress (and would agree that she does and is, but I didn't dislike it because I really love the way it was written), but he acts like the perfect white knight in every situation. (Granted, he brings such a great small amount of humor that makes me smile because he's always saying "I don't understand what you're saying." but still listens to her and tries to be patient.) Though the cliff hanger involving him had me like :o :o :o :o :o!!!
I am SO excited and thankful that I am trying to get the volumes of this series because I already know it is well worth it! I enjoyed the art, the story world, and just everything about this first volume! So so so good!!
May 3, 2014
An ordinary 16 year old girl gets sucked into a fantasy world where everyone and their mother is out to get her. She meets her reluctant savior in the face of a travelling warrior who wants to deliver her someplace safe and be done with her. They don’t understand each other’s language and the girl is pretty much useless in a world full of monsters and thugs, but she and the warrior soon form a strong friendship.
Even though she doesn’t know it, the girl is the Awaking, a legendary creature that is fated to wake the Sky Demon, the most destructive monster of them all that will bring chaos into the world. She and the warrior will have to fight enemies around every corner, but they will also find friends in the most unexpected places.
For the life of me, I can’t understand why this manga doesn’t have an ARMY of fans.
The art is oldschool, from the mid 90’s, I’ll give you that. But it’s still beautiful.
Noriko is one of the best female characters in shoujoland. She is not strong, powerful or super smart, but she uses the one thing that is rare to find both in manga and YA books : LOGIC, people. Freakin’ logic.
She knows how useless she is, so when someone gives her some advice like:
Don’t keep that thing, no matter how much you want to, because it will endanger you.
she thinks :
Ok, I really wanted to keep it, but hey, I’m a freakin’ high school student from Tokyo, he’s the warrior that kicks ass here in neverland, he knows best, here, take it.
When she’s scared or feeling miserable about how useless she is and she feels like crying, she scolds herself, raises her chin and thinks:
Ok, I’m pretty useless and it really sucks that I’m here and everyone is after me, so what can I do? Ok, I can’t fight but I can at least try to learn their language in order to fit in as much as I can now that I’m here.
When she needs to be rescued (all the time that is) she doesn’t pull any brave stunts because she simply can’t afford to, but she’s always in the lookout for an opportunity to get out of trouble by herself.
You simply can’t NOT love her.
As for Izark, I’ll only use one word and that is *swoon*.
The romance is one of the sweetest things out there, nothing original, but the couple is so sweet, you can’t help but root for them to escape destiny.
This series is full of adventure and some great side characters, a 53 year old lady that kicks butt among them.
If you’re a fan of the shoujo fantasy genre, you just HAVE TO give it a shot.
You can find it online and remember, it's Japanese, so right to left is the way to read it.
March 20, 2009
I've read a lot of manga recently. A lot, a lot, actually. This 14 volume series is pretty close to the top of my list of the best I've read. It uses a lot of cliches/stereotypes, the heroes are exactly what you'd expect them to be, but I really, really loved it--enough to read it online a total of 4 times already, and be considering purchasing it. It is well drawn, written, and organized; it doesn't completely follow the archetypal story--it's still semi-original; and mainly it just gives me a good feeling. I love the way the author addresses the problem of language barriers (which most mangas would not), and I appreciate peace-loving characters that are obviously good continually opposing those characters and forces that are obviously evil.
October 11, 2019
This first installment of Kyoka Hikawa's fourteen-volume From Far Away series, which came highly recommended by a friend with a great deal of experience in the genre, is my first foray into the world of Japanese manga. I had previously read one manga-style comic from Australia (Queenie Chan's
The Dreaming
), but never anything from Japan itself, so I was curious to see what I would make of it. Apparently it is a "shōjo" manga, which wikipedia informs me is a sub-set of the genre aimed at young women and girls, featuring human relationships, and the emotional lives of the characters. All in all I was pleased - thanks, Jeannette! - and, despite having a little difficulty adjusting to the storytelling style and layout (more on this anon), plan to continue with the series.
A work of fantasy, From Far Away opens as high-school girl Noriko Tachiki, on her way home from school, is caught up in a terrorist blast, awakening to find herself in an alternate dimension, where her coming has long been foretold. Known as "The Awakening" in this other world, Noriko's presence is prophesied to awaken the terrible Sky Demon, a monster of great power, and so the various countries and powers, although ignorant of her form (or, indeed, that she is a girl at all) seek her, hoping to gain that power for themselves. Fortunately (or not - although I have my own suspicions), a wandering warrior named Izark - mysterious, solitary, and endowed with super-human skills - finds her in the Sea of Trees, and comes to her aid, disguising her, and guiding her to the nearby city of Calco, where this opening episode concludes...
It was a little difficult for me to acclimate to the storytelling style here - I found the ubiquity of sound words quite distracting: way too much "ffttp!" and "zazaza!" for my taste - and although I quickly adapted to reading from right to left, sometimes the sequence of panels, within a given page, wasn't clear to me. Generally speaking, it seemed as if the artwork was divided into three lines, or strata, on the page, and when the panels consistently followed these three levels, I had no trouble following along. But when panels would alternate from incorporating two levels at once, and then back to two divided panels (not sure if that makes sense), I would stumble. I think this must be a case of needing to read more in the genre, and that it will come to feel more natural to me, as I gain more experience with the layout of manga.
In any case, all that said, I did enjoy this, and although the premise - a girl with a hidden destiny, in some other world - was hardly unique, the story was engaging, and I wanted to know what happened next. Noriko sometimes felt a little too innocent and unworldly to me - even a little submissive at times - but then again, she was thrust into a completely alien world, so her complete dependence on Izark made sense. She's a realistic girl, I think, rather than a Robin McKinley or Tamora Pierce style heroine (not that I don't love that kind of heroine!), and that has its place. I appreciated the fact that, after an initial period of panic, and of almost-immobilizing fear of the unknown, Noriko decides to try to adapt, by learning the language. Which brings me to: I really liked the fact that Noriko and Izark don't understand each other - it was really quite funny, as Noriko would constantly start on these long speeches to him, and his response (in his own language) would invariably be: I have no idea what you/she just said! - and appreciated the gradual process whereby that starts to change.
In sum: this was an engaging first reading experience, both with Hikawa's series, and with manga in general, and, the book having concluded with a cliff-hanger (naturally), I will be seeking out subsequent volumes!
A work of fantasy, From Far Away opens as high-school girl Noriko Tachiki, on her way home from school, is caught up in a terrorist blast, awakening to find herself in an alternate dimension, where her coming has long been foretold. Known as "The Awakening" in this other world, Noriko's presence is prophesied to awaken the terrible Sky Demon, a monster of great power, and so the various countries and powers, although ignorant of her form (or, indeed, that she is a girl at all) seek her, hoping to gain that power for themselves. Fortunately (or not - although I have my own suspicions), a wandering warrior named Izark - mysterious, solitary, and endowed with super-human skills - finds her in the Sea of Trees, and comes to her aid, disguising her, and guiding her to the nearby city of Calco, where this opening episode concludes...
It was a little difficult for me to acclimate to the storytelling style here - I found the ubiquity of sound words quite distracting: way too much "ffttp!" and "zazaza!" for my taste - and although I quickly adapted to reading from right to left, sometimes the sequence of panels, within a given page, wasn't clear to me. Generally speaking, it seemed as if the artwork was divided into three lines, or strata, on the page, and when the panels consistently followed these three levels, I had no trouble following along. But when panels would alternate from incorporating two levels at once, and then back to two divided panels (not sure if that makes sense), I would stumble. I think this must be a case of needing to read more in the genre, and that it will come to feel more natural to me, as I gain more experience with the layout of manga.
In any case, all that said, I did enjoy this, and although the premise - a girl with a hidden destiny, in some other world - was hardly unique, the story was engaging, and I wanted to know what happened next. Noriko sometimes felt a little too innocent and unworldly to me - even a little submissive at times - but then again, she was thrust into a completely alien world, so her complete dependence on Izark made sense. She's a realistic girl, I think, rather than a Robin McKinley or Tamora Pierce style heroine (not that I don't love that kind of heroine!), and that has its place. I appreciated the fact that, after an initial period of panic, and of almost-immobilizing fear of the unknown, Noriko decides to try to adapt, by learning the language. Which brings me to: I really liked the fact that Noriko and Izark don't understand each other - it was really quite funny, as Noriko would constantly start on these long speeches to him, and his response (in his own language) would invariably be: I have no idea what you/she just said! - and appreciated the gradual process whereby that starts to change.
In sum: this was an engaging first reading experience, both with Hikawa's series, and with manga in general, and, the book having concluded with a cliff-hanger (naturally), I will be seeking out subsequent volumes!
September 30, 2023
Older than my usual shoujo mangas, but full of heart and surprisingly good at avoiding bad isekai tropes.
October 24, 2011
“Can you see it. This is the world of light. Everything has become one in light. I entered the world of light and I found you.
Do you understand? We are the world of light. This is what we have been searching for. I feel a gentle energy that embraces everything. And this energy can be felt anywhere anytime as long as you open yourself to it”
Kanata Kara by Kyoko Hikawa has been my most favorite Shoujo Manga since early 90s till today and I know it will stay as my most favorite for years to come.
Kanata Kara is the only shoujo manga that can come close to shounen manga. Hikawa can beautifully mix love story with interesting adventure and great fighting scenes, she also put some good moral in it.
Continue reading> http://bokunosekai.wordpress.com/2011...
Do you understand? We are the world of light. This is what we have been searching for. I feel a gentle energy that embraces everything. And this energy can be felt anywhere anytime as long as you open yourself to it”
Kanata Kara by Kyoko Hikawa has been my most favorite Shoujo Manga since early 90s till today and I know it will stay as my most favorite for years to come.
Kanata Kara is the only shoujo manga that can come close to shounen manga. Hikawa can beautifully mix love story with interesting adventure and great fighting scenes, she also put some good moral in it.
Continue reading> http://bokunosekai.wordpress.com/2011...
April 3, 2017
Welcome to volume 1 of Kanata Kara or as it's known in English, From Far Away. This is another manga I picked up because of an article in Animerica Extra, but the added bonus is I love Hikawa-san's other works (notably Chotto Friday and Chizumi & Fujomi). This is a straight out the boat fantasy (despite Noriko saying it's a cool scifi story), which Hikawa-san doesn't have many of.
Cast!
Noriko, a high school student--I believe first year (10th grade) making her about 15?--who dreams of a fantastic world filled with beautiful sights. Thanks to a terrorist bombing (and destiny) she finds herself in another dimension at the center of an age old prophecy naming her The Awakening. Will she bring ruin and destruction to this land or could the prophecy be wrong and short sighted?
Izark, a mysterious fellow of few words who saves Noriko after she lands in his world. His favorite saying is currently "I don't understand what you are saying" since Noriko initially can't speak his language (nor he hers). He's superhuman in speed, fighting ability and leaping tall mountains in a single bound. Sadly if Noriko does turn out to be the The Awakening of the prophecy he has to kill her. Its sad because he kind of expected The Awakening to be less...nice.
Keimos, basically a violence happy merc that loves blood, dying men screaming and killing. Not always in that order tho. He's joined a search party looking for the prophesied one (aka the Awakening) and is rather put out that someone potentially stronger beat him to it. He's so put out that he kills a man for pointing out that its must have been hard for that mysterious other man to do such a thing. Keimos is then FURTHER put out because Agol is like "dude stop killing the peons".
Lord Rachef, young, polite defacto leader of the free city of Rienka, he has a keen interest in Keimos and the Awakening (mostly in that order) and knowing the future. Geena Haas gets a creepy vibe from him (which Agol just assumes is because he's such a powerful figure), but look he has this sinister little smile on his face the entire time. And he's only interested in Keimos AFTER Agol says he's a crazy homicidal brute.
Agol, father to the brilliant Geena Haas, he became a merc for hire to earn money to cure Geena Haas' blindness but regrets that it means she's lonely often. Probably a much better guy then his current occupation would imply though. Currently in service to Lord Rachef (more or less).
Geena Haas, extremely young (she's like 5) but powerful seer who happens to be blind (I would draw the conclusion that because she's blind she can "see" so powerfully, but I really think her blindness was a device of the story so that Agol would work for Rachef). Tends to act older than her age, and is devoted to her father Agol. Bit of a serious sort and shy.
Part of what I love about this manga, and is something I rarely see, is that Noriko takes the time to learn the language. We see her struggle through a few volumes before becoming fluent enough to converse easily and throughout the rest of the series she still speaks in a much simpler, stilted manner than the others. Having read more portal fantasies (or Scifi portal books) then I can name, its aggravating when its hand waved away somehow. (The Touchstone trilogy by Andrea K Host also features this to an even more detailed degree). Plus Noriko does this when she realizes that if she learns the language to some degree she can be less of a burden on Izark and helpful. Potentially also figure out how to get home.
There is also the fact Noriko is a practical sort. She freaks out, that's to be expected, but recognizes that she needs to be less of a burden on Izark. She works hard to be useful, even as limited as her abilities currently are, which only confuses poor Izark more because really who expects the ruination of their world to be cheerful and friendly?
Izark for his part doesn't get upset with Noriko or irritated. He's occasionally exasperated (she wakes up at one point and would have run blindly into a stone wall if he hadn't protected her head), but overall he treats her kindly despite his conflicting emotions about the fact if she turns out to be The Awakening she has to die a real dead death (his hardline about why is explained later on).
As a whole the series is a much more thoughtful and quiet manga, unlike Red River which was releasing at the same time (in America at least) and is a soap opera roller coaster (plus smutty, From Far Away does not feature the smut). There is action, but it largely contents itself with soft beautiful illustrations, quirky characters living their lives and an examination of what a foolhardy endeavour it can be to trust prophecy.
Cast!
Noriko, a high school student--I believe first year (10th grade) making her about 15?--who dreams of a fantastic world filled with beautiful sights. Thanks to a terrorist bombing (and destiny) she finds herself in another dimension at the center of an age old prophecy naming her The Awakening. Will she bring ruin and destruction to this land or could the prophecy be wrong and short sighted?
Izark, a mysterious fellow of few words who saves Noriko after she lands in his world. His favorite saying is currently "I don't understand what you are saying" since Noriko initially can't speak his language (nor he hers). He's superhuman in speed, fighting ability and leaping tall mountains in a single bound. Sadly if Noriko does turn out to be the The Awakening of the prophecy he has to kill her. Its sad because he kind of expected The Awakening to be less...nice.
Keimos, basically a violence happy merc that loves blood, dying men screaming and killing. Not always in that order tho. He's joined a search party looking for the prophesied one (aka the Awakening) and is rather put out that someone potentially stronger beat him to it. He's so put out that he kills a man for pointing out that its must have been hard for that mysterious other man to do such a thing. Keimos is then FURTHER put out because Agol is like "dude stop killing the peons".
Lord Rachef, young, polite defacto leader of the free city of Rienka, he has a keen interest in Keimos and the Awakening (mostly in that order) and knowing the future. Geena Haas gets a creepy vibe from him (which Agol just assumes is because he's such a powerful figure), but look he has this sinister little smile on his face the entire time. And he's only interested in Keimos AFTER Agol says he's a crazy homicidal brute.
Agol, father to the brilliant Geena Haas, he became a merc for hire to earn money to cure Geena Haas' blindness but regrets that it means she's lonely often. Probably a much better guy then his current occupation would imply though. Currently in service to Lord Rachef (more or less).
Geena Haas, extremely young (she's like 5) but powerful seer who happens to be blind (I would draw the conclusion that because she's blind she can "see" so powerfully, but I really think her blindness was a device of the story so that Agol would work for Rachef). Tends to act older than her age, and is devoted to her father Agol. Bit of a serious sort and shy.
Part of what I love about this manga, and is something I rarely see, is that Noriko takes the time to learn the language. We see her struggle through a few volumes before becoming fluent enough to converse easily and throughout the rest of the series she still speaks in a much simpler, stilted manner than the others. Having read more portal fantasies (or Scifi portal books) then I can name, its aggravating when its hand waved away somehow. (The Touchstone trilogy by Andrea K Host also features this to an even more detailed degree). Plus Noriko does this when she realizes that if she learns the language to some degree she can be less of a burden on Izark and helpful. Potentially also figure out how to get home.
There is also the fact Noriko is a practical sort. She freaks out, that's to be expected, but recognizes that she needs to be less of a burden on Izark. She works hard to be useful, even as limited as her abilities currently are, which only confuses poor Izark more because really who expects the ruination of their world to be cheerful and friendly?
Izark for his part doesn't get upset with Noriko or irritated. He's occasionally exasperated (she wakes up at one point and would have run blindly into a stone wall if he hadn't protected her head), but overall he treats her kindly despite his conflicting emotions about the fact if she turns out to be The Awakening she has to die a real dead death (his hardline about why is explained later on).
As a whole the series is a much more thoughtful and quiet manga, unlike Red River which was releasing at the same time (in America at least) and is a soap opera roller coaster (plus smutty, From Far Away does not feature the smut). There is action, but it largely contents itself with soft beautiful illustrations, quirky characters living their lives and an examination of what a foolhardy endeavour it can be to trust prophecy.
December 25, 2021
Liked it, getting the next one. I like the MC H. So mysterious! 4 solid stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2022
10/5 stars
fucking glorious
I read this years ago and actually glanced at my set (because you betcha I have a full set) today. Instantly engrossed. Addicting stuff.
I will be giving this an actual re-read in the future, once I am done reading all the manga I have yet to read.
I want every single thing Hikawa has ever written.
fucking glorious
I read this years ago and actually glanced at my set (because you betcha I have a full set) today. Instantly engrossed. Addicting stuff.
I will be giving this an actual re-read in the future, once I am done reading all the manga I have yet to read.
I want every single thing Hikawa has ever written.
July 19, 2013
4.5 Stars!
I think me and From Far Away are going to do juuuust fine ;)
I think me and From Far Away are going to do juuuust fine ;)
September 12, 2021
Me suelen gustar las historias dónde la o el protagonista son transportados a otra época. Por eso comencé a leerlo y tambien por el dibujo que tiene. Este tipo de manga siempre me gusta 😍
Por el momento no es nada del otro mundo ya que ví varias historias similares en ciertas cosas, pero siento que está bien hecho.
Por el momento no es nada del otro mundo ya que ví varias historias similares en ciertas cosas, pero siento que está bien hecho.
November 12, 2025
A very cute, amusing start to this series! The early 90s shojo manga trope if innocent young girl gets teleported accidentally to a foreign world and must travel with a handsome, gruff man truly never gets old.
January 7, 2013
Ehm….baru-baru ini aq habis baca novel Legend yang diterjemahin Mizan. Entah kenapa, abis baca ini jadi keinget Noriko-Izaku di cerita komik ini. Mungkin krn kedua karakter pasangan ini sama2 tokoh cewek-cowok yg menentukan akhir konflik. Atau mungkin lebih ke kategori fantasi. Dan aq berandai-andai, seandainya ni komik dibikin novel dengan POV noriko dan Izaku, pasti seru. Secara jg ni komik yang paling meninggalkan kesan kuat di masa-masa aq SD (yg waktu itu baru ada Doraemon dan Rose of Versailles).
Secara garis besar, ceritanya dimulai dari terdamparnya Noriko, gadis SMU biasa ke dunia tempat Izaku tinggal. Di awal, Izaku sudah menunggu-nunggu kedatangan Noriko.untuk membunuh “sosok” yg datang ke hutan emas itu, tapi begitu melihat yg datang justru gadis muda dengan pakaian / bahasa yang aneh dan terlihat kebingungan dan ketakutan, jadi lah Izaku menunda niatnya.
Kenapa Izaku berniat membunuh ? Nah, ini masuk ke fantasinya.
Izaku ini dianugrahi kekuatan fisik di atas rata2. Ini membuat dirinya beda dengan orang lain. Masa lalunya kelam di mana orang tuanya “menjual” Izaku sejak dalam kandungan ke pihak kegelapan. Masa anak-anaknya selalu dipenuhi dengan kebencian ibunya terhadap dirinya. Puncaknya, desa tempat dia tinggal musnah beserta orang-orangnya.
Izaku ini dari awal ga pengen jadi “Sang Kegelapan”, sosok monster yang bisa mengubah dunia. Kepribadiannya sendiri jauh dari sifat2 gelap. Ada ramalan bahwa sang Kegelapan akan bisa dikendalikan oleh “ Sang Pencerah” . makanya negara2 di dunia Izaku mengincar Sang Pencerah, dg harapan sang kegelapan jg bisa mereka kendalikan.
Maka dari itulah, izaku berniat membunuh sang pencerah yang diramalkan muncul di hutan keemasan. Eh….kemunculan Noriko sbg sang pencerah menganggu niatnya. Tidak mungkin dia membunuh seorang gadis yg ga tau apa2.
Sementara Noriko yang terdampar di dunia asing, bisa menyikapi dengan baik. Maksudku dia ga histeris, ga merengek, atau cerewet. Noriko yakin bahwa kedatangannya di dunia baru ini pasti ada alasannya. Dengan sikap optimis ini, mulailah Noriko belajar bahasa dan selalu mengikuti Izaku.
Waktu itu Dunia Mimpi kesukaannku banget waktu itu. Cewek yg tidak tahu apa2 ternyata memegang takdir cowok cakep yg dianugrahi kekuatan fisik. Romance? Sudah pasti.
Konfliknya macam2. Tapi intinya adalah bagaimana sikap Noriko begitu tau bahwa dirinya adalah sang pencerah, sosok yang akan mengubah Izaku menjadi monster kegelapan ? bagimana juga dg Izaku yg lama2 menyadari bahwa noriko ternyata bisa menerima kekurangannya. Apakah Izaku akan menerima kehadiran Noriko sementara jika itu trejadi, takdirnya sebagai sang kegelapan akan dia terima ?
Aq inget dulu sampai cerita konfliknya ini, komiknya lamaaaaaaa banget keluar. Bikin frustasi…….mana waktu itu, jadwal komik keluar ga serapi sekarang. Jadilah pungguk merindukan bulan….sama dengan nasib Topeng Kaca
Komenku :
#Noriko-dibanding Izaku, Noriko ga punya kelebihan kekuatan fisik. Tapi yg kusuka, Noriko ini punya sikap optimis dan bisa menerima orang2 dg kekurangannya. Dodolnya, Noriko sama sekali ga menyadari kelebihannya. Dia sempat ragu dg dirinya yg dianggapnya ga punya kelebihan apa2. Tapi justru di saat2 genting, kelebihannya ini menyelamatkan dirinya. Wooa….ini yg kusuka. Sosok heroine yg ga sadar dirinya punya kelebihan dan kelebihan inilah yg bisa menyelamatkan dirinya.
#Izaku-ya ampun dulu itu sempat berandai2 kalo punya pacar seperti dia. Gayanya cool, pendiam dan anehnya, rambutnya yang panjang justru keliatan keren. Kepribadiannya yang berjuang menolak kegelapan, ga menyerah mencari harapan.Bener2 sosok idaman lah. Suka juga ngeliat gimana bimbangnya izaku yg sadar Noriko sudah menjadi sosok istimewa di hatinya, tp dia masih takut dg identitas kegelapannya yg bisa menyakiti Noriko dan membawa kehancuran. Konflik romancenya lebih keliatan dari Izaku ini. Duh………
#suka juga dg pembawaan sang mangaka membikin cerita Dunia Mimpi ini, ada pertanyaan question of life di sini. Dan ceritanya ga pure romance 100%. Ada konflik yg lain2. Endingnya jg khas sang pengarang, tapi menurutku agak kurang memuaskan. Berharapnya sih dibikin sekuelnya lg.
Kesimpulannya : fantasi-oke,romance-oke,hero&heroinenya,konflik-oke.
Untuk ukuran komik, sudah pas deh milih komik ini
Secara garis besar, ceritanya dimulai dari terdamparnya Noriko, gadis SMU biasa ke dunia tempat Izaku tinggal. Di awal, Izaku sudah menunggu-nunggu kedatangan Noriko.untuk membunuh “sosok” yg datang ke hutan emas itu, tapi begitu melihat yg datang justru gadis muda dengan pakaian / bahasa yang aneh dan terlihat kebingungan dan ketakutan, jadi lah Izaku menunda niatnya.
Kenapa Izaku berniat membunuh ? Nah, ini masuk ke fantasinya.
Izaku ini dianugrahi kekuatan fisik di atas rata2. Ini membuat dirinya beda dengan orang lain. Masa lalunya kelam di mana orang tuanya “menjual” Izaku sejak dalam kandungan ke pihak kegelapan. Masa anak-anaknya selalu dipenuhi dengan kebencian ibunya terhadap dirinya. Puncaknya, desa tempat dia tinggal musnah beserta orang-orangnya.
Izaku ini dari awal ga pengen jadi “Sang Kegelapan”, sosok monster yang bisa mengubah dunia. Kepribadiannya sendiri jauh dari sifat2 gelap. Ada ramalan bahwa sang Kegelapan akan bisa dikendalikan oleh “ Sang Pencerah” . makanya negara2 di dunia Izaku mengincar Sang Pencerah, dg harapan sang kegelapan jg bisa mereka kendalikan.
Maka dari itulah, izaku berniat membunuh sang pencerah yang diramalkan muncul di hutan keemasan. Eh….kemunculan Noriko sbg sang pencerah menganggu niatnya. Tidak mungkin dia membunuh seorang gadis yg ga tau apa2.
Sementara Noriko yang terdampar di dunia asing, bisa menyikapi dengan baik. Maksudku dia ga histeris, ga merengek, atau cerewet. Noriko yakin bahwa kedatangannya di dunia baru ini pasti ada alasannya. Dengan sikap optimis ini, mulailah Noriko belajar bahasa dan selalu mengikuti Izaku.
Waktu itu Dunia Mimpi kesukaannku banget waktu itu. Cewek yg tidak tahu apa2 ternyata memegang takdir cowok cakep yg dianugrahi kekuatan fisik. Romance? Sudah pasti.
Konfliknya macam2. Tapi intinya adalah bagaimana sikap Noriko begitu tau bahwa dirinya adalah sang pencerah, sosok yang akan mengubah Izaku menjadi monster kegelapan ? bagimana juga dg Izaku yg lama2 menyadari bahwa noriko ternyata bisa menerima kekurangannya. Apakah Izaku akan menerima kehadiran Noriko sementara jika itu trejadi, takdirnya sebagai sang kegelapan akan dia terima ?
Aq inget dulu sampai cerita konfliknya ini, komiknya lamaaaaaaa banget keluar. Bikin frustasi…….mana waktu itu, jadwal komik keluar ga serapi sekarang. Jadilah pungguk merindukan bulan….sama dengan nasib Topeng Kaca
Komenku :
#Noriko-dibanding Izaku, Noriko ga punya kelebihan kekuatan fisik. Tapi yg kusuka, Noriko ini punya sikap optimis dan bisa menerima orang2 dg kekurangannya. Dodolnya, Noriko sama sekali ga menyadari kelebihannya. Dia sempat ragu dg dirinya yg dianggapnya ga punya kelebihan apa2. Tapi justru di saat2 genting, kelebihannya ini menyelamatkan dirinya. Wooa….ini yg kusuka. Sosok heroine yg ga sadar dirinya punya kelebihan dan kelebihan inilah yg bisa menyelamatkan dirinya.
#Izaku-ya ampun dulu itu sempat berandai2 kalo punya pacar seperti dia. Gayanya cool, pendiam dan anehnya, rambutnya yang panjang justru keliatan keren. Kepribadiannya yang berjuang menolak kegelapan, ga menyerah mencari harapan.Bener2 sosok idaman lah. Suka juga ngeliat gimana bimbangnya izaku yg sadar Noriko sudah menjadi sosok istimewa di hatinya, tp dia masih takut dg identitas kegelapannya yg bisa menyakiti Noriko dan membawa kehancuran. Konflik romancenya lebih keliatan dari Izaku ini. Duh………
#suka juga dg pembawaan sang mangaka membikin cerita Dunia Mimpi ini, ada pertanyaan question of life di sini. Dan ceritanya ga pure romance 100%. Ada konflik yg lain2. Endingnya jg khas sang pengarang, tapi menurutku agak kurang memuaskan. Berharapnya sih dibikin sekuelnya lg.
Kesimpulannya : fantasi-oke,romance-oke,hero&heroinenya,konflik-oke.
Untuk ukuran komik, sudah pas deh milih komik ini
June 3, 2013
I read this earlier in year as a digital copy but re-read with the hardcopy in my hands.
This classic shoujo adventure by Kyoko Hikawa began serialization in in Japan in 1992 and the artwork has the hallmarks of the time. This is my favorite era of shoujo-adventure because the current crop of shoujo seems far more interested in high school life whereas the late 80s and early 90s was about fantasy adventure and the young girl who gets swept to another place.
Noriko is a slightly spacey teenager in modern Tokyo who has been having recurring dreams of another place in another dimension. On her way to school, she is talking to her friends about it and they tease her on how spacey she is.
Meanwhile, there have been reports of terrorists roaming city and to be aware of suspicious packages (and little eerie to read that post-Boston but anyway...). Noriko, of course, comes upon a package and there is an explosion but Noriko disappears.
And yes, she goes into that other world from far away. She is found by a handsome warrior. His name is Izark and thankfully, logically, they don't understand each other because she doesn't know the language and he doesn't know hers.
This is one of many little nuggets of details that can be appreciated as Noriko reacts to her surroundings and Izark tries to keep her safe.
It is a lot of shoujo lovely. My fave stuff. Of course, Noriko is special and she's in that world for a reason but she's also super cute and tries her best to not be such a burden and with determination, she will learn the language so she can help a little more.
Izark, at least in this first volume, is the handsome stoic warrior and I never met a handsome stoic warrior in a shoujo that I didn't learn to like at the very least.
A first volume is always tricky because it can all go to heck in a handbasket by volume 4 but I do appreciate this first volume and look forward to the second.
This classic shoujo adventure by Kyoko Hikawa began serialization in in Japan in 1992 and the artwork has the hallmarks of the time. This is my favorite era of shoujo-adventure because the current crop of shoujo seems far more interested in high school life whereas the late 80s and early 90s was about fantasy adventure and the young girl who gets swept to another place.
Noriko is a slightly spacey teenager in modern Tokyo who has been having recurring dreams of another place in another dimension. On her way to school, she is talking to her friends about it and they tease her on how spacey she is.
Meanwhile, there have been reports of terrorists roaming city and to be aware of suspicious packages (and little eerie to read that post-Boston but anyway...). Noriko, of course, comes upon a package and there is an explosion but Noriko disappears.
And yes, she goes into that other world from far away. She is found by a handsome warrior. His name is Izark and thankfully, logically, they don't understand each other because she doesn't know the language and he doesn't know hers.
This is one of many little nuggets of details that can be appreciated as Noriko reacts to her surroundings and Izark tries to keep her safe.
It is a lot of shoujo lovely. My fave stuff. Of course, Noriko is special and she's in that world for a reason but she's also super cute and tries her best to not be such a burden and with determination, she will learn the language so she can help a little more.
Izark, at least in this first volume, is the handsome stoic warrior and I never met a handsome stoic warrior in a shoujo that I didn't learn to like at the very least.
A first volume is always tricky because it can all go to heck in a handbasket by volume 4 but I do appreciate this first volume and look forward to the second.
April 20, 2013
My overall rating of this manga is ★★★★★
This kind of story is kind of similar to Red River, Vol. 1 (amazing manga series). I really enjoyed this.
You know how the female protagonist is always crying in shojo mangas. Noriko cries too but I actually understand why she's crying. It's not something feeble as OMG, he thinks I'm annoying *cries* but it's something more then that.
Noriko and Izark are so ADORABLE together!
I freakin' adore Izark, he makes me swoon. Yes ladies he is that type of man. That type of man who has an emotional barrier around himself and looks and act tough, and only shows his soft side to his lucky lady (Noriko).
My favourite parts in this manga was:
Note: I used Managreader to read this manga
Volume 1: pg 19, 24, 28, 41, 72
Volume 2: pg 7, 11, 19, 23, 34, 37, 38, 51, 52, 65
Volume 3: pg 16, 22, 27
Volume 4: pg 57-58, 64-68. 86
Volume 5: pg 13, 38, 73
Volume 6: pg 7-12, 18, 19, 21, 22, 30, 43-50, 58, 75, 77-80, 88
Volume 7: pg 52-57, 83-87
Volume 8: pg 7, 17, 18, 22, 29, 32, 41, 42, 56, 65
Volume 9: pg 41, 50, 60, 61, 65, 72, 73, 79, 85
Volume 10: pg 8, 50-55, 57-59, 82
Volume 11: pg 8, 50-52, 82
Volume 12: pg 24-26, 32, 52
Volume 13: pg 9, 17, 18, 20-26, 47-49, 55, 56, 59
Volume 14: pg 48, 56, 79-81
This kind of story is kind of similar to Red River, Vol. 1 (amazing manga series). I really enjoyed this.
You know how the female protagonist is always crying in shojo mangas. Noriko cries too but I actually understand why she's crying. It's not something feeble as OMG, he thinks I'm annoying *cries* but it's something more then that.
Noriko and Izark are so ADORABLE together!
I freakin' adore Izark, he makes me swoon. Yes ladies he is that type of man. That type of man who has an emotional barrier around himself and looks and act tough, and only shows his soft side to his lucky lady (Noriko).
My favourite parts in this manga was:
Note: I used Managreader to read this manga
Volume 1: pg 19, 24, 28, 41, 72
Volume 2: pg 7, 11, 19, 23, 34, 37, 38, 51, 52, 65
Volume 3: pg 16, 22, 27
Volume 4: pg 57-58, 64-68. 86
Volume 5: pg 13, 38, 73
Volume 6: pg 7-12, 18, 19, 21, 22, 30, 43-50, 58, 75, 77-80, 88
Volume 7: pg 52-57, 83-87
Volume 8: pg 7, 17, 18, 22, 29, 32, 41, 42, 56, 65
Volume 9: pg 41, 50, 60, 61, 65, 72, 73, 79, 85
Volume 10: pg 8, 50-55, 57-59, 82
Volume 11: pg 8, 50-52, 82
Volume 12: pg 24-26, 32, 52
Volume 13: pg 9, 17, 18, 20-26, 47-49, 55, 56, 59
Volume 14: pg 48, 56, 79-81
January 14, 2021
Noriko is on her way home from school, when she is unexpectedly transported to another world. Assumed dead in her world, she starts to panic. When a creature from the depths tries to eat her, a beautiful man named Izark rescuses her. (Talk about a shojo hunk!)
There is a clear language barrier between the two, and Noriko feels so alone. Izark knows that "The Awakening" was prophesied, but he didn't expect this phenomenon to include a helpless girl who kindly asked him for his name.
I am liking the direction of this series. It's reminding me a bit of Red River. They really should repub all of these old fantasy romance shojo titles for me!
There is a clear language barrier between the two, and Noriko feels so alone. Izark knows that "The Awakening" was prophesied, but he didn't expect this phenomenon to include a helpless girl who kindly asked him for his name.
I am liking the direction of this series. It's reminding me a bit of Red River. They really should repub all of these old fantasy romance shojo titles for me!
March 12, 2016
The plot is so very familiar. It's like Fushigi Yugi by way of Inuyasha, and Juni Kokuki. High school girl is transported to another place and time. She is rescued by a very good looking young man. They are attacked by beasts and villains then end up traveling & having adventures together.
The heroine Noriko Tachiki is a more sensible version of Miaka Yuki & less volatile than Kagome Higurashi. And like Youko Nakajima, she's ignorant of her purpose and presence in the strange new world.
I love it so far. Thanks Leyla for the info! Onto volume 2!
The heroine Noriko Tachiki is a more sensible version of Miaka Yuki & less volatile than Kagome Higurashi. And like Youko Nakajima, she's ignorant of her purpose and presence in the strange new world.
I love it so far. Thanks Leyla for the info! Onto volume 2!
January 4, 2023
Thanks Jeanette for convincing me to give this series another go!
This manga was a lot better than I recalled (Transferring star ratings from MAL to Goodreads is rough). Honestly, the story set up is incredibly intriguing and I think that the characters have a lot going for them! The only thing that made me knock off a star is the plot holes, such as her learning their native language so quickly.
I'll finish by saying that cliff hanger has me reeling for more!
This manga was a lot better than I recalled (Transferring star ratings from MAL to Goodreads is rough). Honestly, the story set up is incredibly intriguing and I think that the characters have a lot going for them! The only thing that made me knock off a star is the plot holes, such as her learning their native language so quickly.
I'll finish by saying that cliff hanger has me reeling for more!
October 1, 2022
From Far Away is a series about a girl who gets transported to another world, whose name is Noriko. There she meets a very strong warrior, Izark, who protects her throughout the series. It is a fantasy/romance manga, and it has a total of 14 books.
Is it clean? I’d say so. There is very minimal swearing in the first 4 books, and one very trivial character who was a cross dresser, but other than that the series was perfectly clean. There were fight scenes, but there wasn’t too much gore.
I really liked the dynamic between Noriko and Izark and had fun watching their relationship develop. I did think that they were extremely clingy though. The most time that they were away from each other was 2 days! Since they were glued to each other the entire series, most of the relationship development was between Noriko and Izark, and they were practically the only characters that were developed. As a result, even though I liked the other characters, I would get impatient when the narration would check back in with some of the characters who were separated from Norik and Izark and rush through those sections.
I also liked the world Noriko had fallen into. Unlike many fantasy manga, the other world actually had its own language! When you think about it it makes sense, but this is the only time I have ever seen a manga like that. I also really enjoyed the creatures that were introduced and wish that the mangaka had introduced more. She focused on Chimos, but flying dinosaurs and “horses'' that looked nothing like horses were also mentioned. The clothes were interesting, and the author had even drawn up a map of the Continent. Overall, I enjoyed the world the mangaka had made, and wished that I could read more about it.
One thing that I should probably mention is that there are many things that aren’t explained, like how Noriko was transported to the other world in the first place. As long as you don’t take this series too seriously and don’t look too deeply into the strange occurrences that happen often throughout the series, it doesn’t detract from the overall enjoyment.
I liked the message that you shouldn’t worry that you can’t change the entire world, but you should focus on doing good in what ways you can because you don’t know how your actions can affect others. I agree with it and think that it was really well portrayed. I didn’t agree with the idea that humans are naturally good, but become bad because of external factors, and need to rid themselves of the evil within them to get back to their good and pure state (more implied than explicitly stated). I believe that humans are naturally bad (Ephesians 2:3, Romans 3:12) and can not rid themselves of evil, but have to rely on God (Ephesians 2:8-9). I think that it is a message that encourages people to do good things, but it does not line up with my beliefs.
Overall, I really enjoyed this series! It is definitely a romance manga, so I would recommend it to people who like romance but also enjoy some action. It is cute and fun and has an engaging story.
Is it clean? I’d say so. There is very minimal swearing in the first 4 books, and one very trivial character who was a cross dresser, but other than that the series was perfectly clean. There were fight scenes, but there wasn’t too much gore.
I really liked the dynamic between Noriko and Izark and had fun watching their relationship develop. I did think that they were extremely clingy though. The most time that they were away from each other was 2 days! Since they were glued to each other the entire series, most of the relationship development was between Noriko and Izark, and they were practically the only characters that were developed. As a result, even though I liked the other characters, I would get impatient when the narration would check back in with some of the characters who were separated from Norik and Izark and rush through those sections.
I also liked the world Noriko had fallen into. Unlike many fantasy manga, the other world actually had its own language! When you think about it it makes sense, but this is the only time I have ever seen a manga like that. I also really enjoyed the creatures that were introduced and wish that the mangaka had introduced more. She focused on Chimos, but flying dinosaurs and “horses'' that looked nothing like horses were also mentioned. The clothes were interesting, and the author had even drawn up a map of the Continent. Overall, I enjoyed the world the mangaka had made, and wished that I could read more about it.
One thing that I should probably mention is that there are many things that aren’t explained, like how Noriko was transported to the other world in the first place. As long as you don’t take this series too seriously and don’t look too deeply into the strange occurrences that happen often throughout the series, it doesn’t detract from the overall enjoyment.
I liked the message that you shouldn’t worry that you can’t change the entire world, but you should focus on doing good in what ways you can because you don’t know how your actions can affect others. I agree with it and think that it was really well portrayed. I didn’t agree with the idea that humans are naturally good, but become bad because of external factors, and need to rid themselves of the evil within them to get back to their good and pure state (more implied than explicitly stated). I believe that humans are naturally bad (Ephesians 2:3, Romans 3:12) and can not rid themselves of evil, but have to rely on God (Ephesians 2:8-9). I think that it is a message that encourages people to do good things, but it does not line up with my beliefs.
Overall, I really enjoyed this series! It is definitely a romance manga, so I would recommend it to people who like romance but also enjoy some action. It is cute and fun and has an engaging story.
March 9, 2025
4/5 stars. no spoilers.
i recently remembered this was one of the series i adored when i was in middle school. even though the plot was pretty generic fantasy, something i loved was the thought that was put into the MC trying to navigate a society where she doesn’t know the language. i was going through some identity stuff (as one does as a child) and i was significantly less fluent in Spanish than i am now as an adult — like it was very difficult for me to have a basic conversation with some of my relatives. so it felt very affirming to younger me seeing another girl going through the frustrating experience of not knowing exactly how to express herself but trying anyways and progressively picking up that second language more as the series progressed. i remember i also quite liked the pace of the romance it felt gradual and sweet. i honestly might read the first volume again just for nostalgia but i’m kinda scared to because i remember reading + adoring some really toxic shit when i was younger….hope that isn’t the case here.
i recently remembered this was one of the series i adored when i was in middle school. even though the plot was pretty generic fantasy, something i loved was the thought that was put into the MC trying to navigate a society where she doesn’t know the language. i was going through some identity stuff (as one does as a child) and i was significantly less fluent in Spanish than i am now as an adult — like it was very difficult for me to have a basic conversation with some of my relatives. so it felt very affirming to younger me seeing another girl going through the frustrating experience of not knowing exactly how to express herself but trying anyways and progressively picking up that second language more as the series progressed. i remember i also quite liked the pace of the romance it felt gradual and sweet. i honestly might read the first volume again just for nostalgia but i’m kinda scared to because i remember reading + adoring some really toxic shit when i was younger….hope that isn’t the case here.
May 1, 2025
Overall: 3.75 stars
This was a delightful, nostalgic fantasy isekai manga where our heroine has to quickly adapt to her new surroundings and try to learn the language, get new clothes, etc. That's a refreshing little twist on old tropes.
There's a lot of action and adventure in this opening volume as our two main leads run from monsters and such, and of course there's hints that the heroine is some kind of chosen one.
This seems like it will provide some fun twists on classic tropes, and I'm eager to see where the series goes, especially since it's so highly regarded and I did enjoy this first volume.
My only real "complaint" is that I didn't love the art style - it's got a 90s shoujo aesthetic but it's not as cute as something like Sailor Moon and there's also some weird styled/caricatured facial features in the side characters like enlarged lips and teeth that really put me off. Still, the story was interesting enough that I just deducted a star for art and will keep reading for now.
This was a delightful, nostalgic fantasy isekai manga where our heroine has to quickly adapt to her new surroundings and try to learn the language, get new clothes, etc. That's a refreshing little twist on old tropes.
There's a lot of action and adventure in this opening volume as our two main leads run from monsters and such, and of course there's hints that the heroine is some kind of chosen one.
This seems like it will provide some fun twists on classic tropes, and I'm eager to see where the series goes, especially since it's so highly regarded and I did enjoy this first volume.
My only real "complaint" is that I didn't love the art style - it's got a 90s shoujo aesthetic but it's not as cute as something like Sailor Moon and there's also some weird styled/caricatured facial features in the side characters like enlarged lips and teeth that really put me off. Still, the story was interesting enough that I just deducted a star for art and will keep reading for now.
March 29, 2020
4.5 ⭐️
TW/CW:
Violence, ableism (character mentions curing his daughter’s blindness)
Wow this actually gripped me from the start! I just wanted to clear this from my manga tbr and I just assumed that I would be indifferent to it and not want to continue but I’m actually going to continue and hope to enjoy them more as I read them. This is basically about a girl who enters a different world and time period but is rescued by a guy who belongs there. He seems to reluctantly keep her with him and even though they don’t understand each other because of the language barrier, the seeds of them starting to bond are starting to grow. Okay, I like romance and have to have romance in books for me to be interested, and this seems really promising in that respect. I’m not sure if I’ll end up liking the future volumes as I start to continue, but I hope so. This was really easy to read and follow, fingers crossed that I’ll have a completed manga series that I enjoy!
TW/CW:
Violence, ableism (character mentions curing his daughter’s blindness)
Wow this actually gripped me from the start! I just wanted to clear this from my manga tbr and I just assumed that I would be indifferent to it and not want to continue but I’m actually going to continue and hope to enjoy them more as I read them. This is basically about a girl who enters a different world and time period but is rescued by a guy who belongs there. He seems to reluctantly keep her with him and even though they don’t understand each other because of the language barrier, the seeds of them starting to bond are starting to grow. Okay, I like romance and have to have romance in books for me to be interested, and this seems really promising in that respect. I’m not sure if I’ll end up liking the future volumes as I start to continue, but I hope so. This was really easy to read and follow, fingers crossed that I’ll have a completed manga series that I enjoy!
August 20, 2021
Holy moly, "regular schoolgirl gets transported to an ancient society where she is destined to fulfill a prophecy and fall in love with a handsome bishounen along the way" is such a specific trope, but it sure did have a Moment™ in early 90s shojo manga (}Fushigi Yugi, Ao no Fuin, Red River, From Far Away, probably more I don't know about yet). It's a great premise for a story though, so I'm not complaining.
I really liked that the author here chose to acknowledge the language barrier the main character would have instead of explaining it away with magic or something. Not being able to communicate with... anyone at all threw an interesting conflict into the mix and showed some nice growth from Noriko deciding to try to learn the unfamiliar language. I hope I'm able to find more volumes of this series because I'm definitely intrigued.
I really liked that the author here chose to acknowledge the language barrier the main character would have instead of explaining it away with magic or something. Not being able to communicate with... anyone at all threw an interesting conflict into the mix and showed some nice growth from Noriko deciding to try to learn the unfamiliar language. I hope I'm able to find more volumes of this series because I'm definitely intrigued.
February 3, 2018
Noriko dreams of a strange and beautiful world, only to be pulled into it on her way home from school. Her arrival sets off a flurry of signs and omens. People all over this world know that an ancient prophecy is being fulfilled. The Awakening has come. Everyone rushes to find her, but she ends up in Izark's keeping. Mixed messages abound since he's kind to her and protects her ... but feels he must kill her if his suspicions are true.
Although this is a reread, it's been *so long* since I pulled this series off the bookshelf, I've forgotten almost everything about the storyline. Which means I get to experience the adventure all over again! One of my favorite details in this manga has to be the language barrier.
Although this is a reread, it's been *so long* since I pulled this series off the bookshelf, I've forgotten almost everything about the storyline. Which means I get to experience the adventure all over again! One of my favorite details in this manga has to be the language barrier.
February 12, 2019
One of the beast manga ever
June 14, 2021
fantasy shoujo is irresistible and this was exactly what I was looking for, can’t wait to find out more about the awakening and izark's mission!!
September 20, 2015
Caught up in a terrorist bombing, high school student Noriko is transported to a fantasy world where she is the Awakening - a girl with the power to awaken the Sky Demon. Lost, alone, and confused, Noriko meets Izark, a travelling warrior who wants nothing to do with her. When I came across this manga as a middle school student, I didn't really like it all that much. Where was the magic? Why was Noriko so useless? When would she learn kick-ass moves and help Izark out?
However, when I reread this as an adult, I understood all the reasons I disliked this manga as a kid. Noriko isn't badass because she's an average high school student. Unlike series like Magic Knight Rayearth I, Noriko doesn't have a convenient background in martial arts/fencing/swordplay. Instead, she uses the power of logic: she recognizes her own uselessness and trusts Izark: he says throw the bag away, she lets him throw the bag away. Noriko doesn't magically learn how to fight or use magic or kick ass; living in a fantasy world doesn't change that she's a typical, modern kid. And it shouldn't! Noriko doesn't speak the language of this fantasy world - and she shouldn't! By adding the language barrier, Kyoko Hikawa has made this series realistic in a way that many other fantasies do not. Yay!
There isn't all that much romance in this first volume (which I'm totally okay with) - Hikawa portrays no love at first sight and instead allows the bond between these two characters to grow as they spend time together: Izark seems much less annoyed with her on day two than he was on day one. Good! This has the makings of a realistic romance, and I look forward to seeing how it complicates in further volumes.
For a first volume, this series is off to a good start: we've already seen some character development in Noriko as she decides to become less useless and learn the new language. Hopefully future volumes will expand on other characters as well.
However, when I reread this as an adult, I understood all the reasons I disliked this manga as a kid. Noriko isn't badass because she's an average high school student. Unlike series like Magic Knight Rayearth I, Noriko doesn't have a convenient background in martial arts/fencing/swordplay. Instead, she uses the power of logic: she recognizes her own uselessness and trusts Izark: he says throw the bag away, she lets him throw the bag away. Noriko doesn't magically learn how to fight or use magic or kick ass; living in a fantasy world doesn't change that she's a typical, modern kid. And it shouldn't! Noriko doesn't speak the language of this fantasy world - and she shouldn't! By adding the language barrier, Kyoko Hikawa has made this series realistic in a way that many other fantasies do not. Yay!
There isn't all that much romance in this first volume (which I'm totally okay with) - Hikawa portrays no love at first sight and instead allows the bond between these two characters to grow as they spend time together: Izark seems much less annoyed with her on day two than he was on day one. Good! This has the makings of a realistic romance, and I look forward to seeing how it complicates in further volumes.
For a first volume, this series is off to a good start: we've already seen some character development in Noriko as she decides to become less useless and learn the new language. Hopefully future volumes will expand on other characters as well.
October 30, 2007
Cintaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa bgt sama kyoko hikawa, gambar2nya bagus, ceritanya menyentuh dan menghangatkan hati :)
Kanata Kara atau Dunia Mimpi dalam versi Indonesianya adalah cerita tentang Noriko, anak perempuan Jepang biasa yang terlempar ke dunia lain lalu ditakdirkan untuk menjadi 'pencerah'. Dia lalu bertemu dengan Izaku (yg super duper kakkoi) seorang pendekar pedang yang ternyata adalah sang kegelapan. Awalnya Izaku datang ke tempat kemunculan Noriko alias sang pencerah dengan maksud membunuhnya, karena keberadaan sang pencerah akan membahayakan sang kegelapan. Tp, krn ternyata sang pencerah cuma anak perempuan biasa yg ga tau apa2, dia ga jd bunuh deh.
Trus karena ga kenal siapa2, Noriko akhirnya ikut Izaku berkelana. Niat Izaku sih suatu saat akan membunuhnya klo Noriko membahayakan.
Seperti komik pada umumnya, akhirnya kedua tokoh ini jatuh cinta. Diceritain perjuangan mereka menghadapi tantangan, bertemu orang2 jahat yang mau menguasai dunia, walaupun Izaku sang kegelapan yang menyimpan kekuatan setan, tp ternyata dia pembela kebenaran (yang keren abis :) Kadang kekuatan setannya lepas kendali, klo udah gini cuma Noriko yg bisa menenangkan dia.
Lalu akhirnya mereka tahu bahwa jauh di balik kekuatan setannya Izaku tersembunyi kekuatan malaikat (....? atau apalah itu) pokoknya kekuatan baik yang sangat kuat.
Trus mereka hidup bahagia dan berkelana berdua, Noriko memutuskan tinggal di dunia itu bersama Izaku dan tidak kembali lagi ke Jepang.
Happy ending story, gambar2 yang bagus banget, pria tampan dan wanita cantik, dialog2 yang menarik, adegan pertempuran dan adu kekuatan yg keren banget.
What else U can expect?
Kanata Kara atau Dunia Mimpi dalam versi Indonesianya adalah cerita tentang Noriko, anak perempuan Jepang biasa yang terlempar ke dunia lain lalu ditakdirkan untuk menjadi 'pencerah'. Dia lalu bertemu dengan Izaku (yg super duper kakkoi) seorang pendekar pedang yang ternyata adalah sang kegelapan. Awalnya Izaku datang ke tempat kemunculan Noriko alias sang pencerah dengan maksud membunuhnya, karena keberadaan sang pencerah akan membahayakan sang kegelapan. Tp, krn ternyata sang pencerah cuma anak perempuan biasa yg ga tau apa2, dia ga jd bunuh deh.
Trus karena ga kenal siapa2, Noriko akhirnya ikut Izaku berkelana. Niat Izaku sih suatu saat akan membunuhnya klo Noriko membahayakan.
Seperti komik pada umumnya, akhirnya kedua tokoh ini jatuh cinta. Diceritain perjuangan mereka menghadapi tantangan, bertemu orang2 jahat yang mau menguasai dunia, walaupun Izaku sang kegelapan yang menyimpan kekuatan setan, tp ternyata dia pembela kebenaran (yang keren abis :) Kadang kekuatan setannya lepas kendali, klo udah gini cuma Noriko yg bisa menenangkan dia.
Lalu akhirnya mereka tahu bahwa jauh di balik kekuatan setannya Izaku tersembunyi kekuatan malaikat (....? atau apalah itu) pokoknya kekuatan baik yang sangat kuat.
Trus mereka hidup bahagia dan berkelana berdua, Noriko memutuskan tinggal di dunia itu bersama Izaku dan tidak kembali lagi ke Jepang.
Happy ending story, gambar2 yang bagus banget, pria tampan dan wanita cantik, dialog2 yang menarik, adegan pertempuran dan adu kekuatan yg keren banget.
What else U can expect?
November 9, 2024
I'm so happy right now re-reading this series again! Can't believe it's been ten years since I read it the first time!
It's definitely the best fantasy manga shoujo ever. It's got amazing world building, a great plot, and characters you can't help but love.
Noriko is a high school girl that gets caught in a terrorist explosion, but instead of blowing her apart, she is catapulted into another world, which has been expecting her....
There is a prophecy of that world, that says something they call "the awakening" will arrive into the world that will cause a terrible evil creature to arise that will control the world.
No one expects the awakening to be an ordinary girl, least of all the young warrior who finds her.
One thing I loved about this story was how well thought-out every-thing was. Noriko couldn't speak the language of the new world, so she learns over time. The individual people in the story are not always black-and-white completely good or bad, but instead some bad guys turn to good through other people's compassion and kindness.
It's a strong Good-vs-evil story though. And although it's not christian, it is all about light defeating darkness and that everyone has the ability to choose to do what's right.
The whole series is clean with no spice, unlike Red River, which many recommend as being a similar story.
It's got tons of action, and a heart-melting love story. It's not heavy on the romance, but I think that really serves to make the love story even more poignant. I've always loved the action adventure/fantasy stories, and this series really delivers.
It's definitely the best fantasy manga shoujo ever. It's got amazing world building, a great plot, and characters you can't help but love.
Noriko is a high school girl that gets caught in a terrorist explosion, but instead of blowing her apart, she is catapulted into another world, which has been expecting her....
There is a prophecy of that world, that says something they call "the awakening" will arrive into the world that will cause a terrible evil creature to arise that will control the world.
No one expects the awakening to be an ordinary girl, least of all the young warrior who finds her.
One thing I loved about this story was how well thought-out every-thing was. Noriko couldn't speak the language of the new world, so she learns over time. The individual people in the story are not always black-and-white completely good or bad, but instead some bad guys turn to good through other people's compassion and kindness.
It's a strong Good-vs-evil story though. And although it's not christian, it is all about light defeating darkness and that everyone has the ability to choose to do what's right.
The whole series is clean with no spice, unlike Red River, which many recommend as being a similar story.
It's got tons of action, and a heart-melting love story. It's not heavy on the romance, but I think that really serves to make the love story even more poignant. I've always loved the action adventure/fantasy stories, and this series really delivers.
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