Lonely Castle in the Mirror (Manga) Vol. 5

かがみの孤城 [Kagami no Kojō] #5

by Mizuki Tsujimura, Tomo Taketomi (artist)

THE KEY TO IT ALLWhen someone breaks the castle's main rule, six of the kids are devoured by the wolves. To save her friends, Kokoro ventures back into the castle and wades through each of their memories to find the key. Why were the seven of them brought to the castle? Will Kokoro ever see her friends again? When all of the mysteries finally come to light, the door to the future creaks open! The thrilling conclusion to Lonely Castle in the Mirror!

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Comics, Young Adult, Mystery, Seinen

Kindle Edition

First published May 18, 2022

About the author

Associated Names:
* Mizuki Tsujimura
* 辻村深月 (Japanese)

Tsujimura is an award-winning novelist, she is best known for her mystery and children novels. She studied at Chiba University and won the Naoki Prize in 2012 for Kagi no nai Yume wo Miru (I Saw a Dream Without a Key), and in 2018 she won the Japan Booksellers' Award for her novel Kagami no Kojo (Lonely Castle in the Mirror).

Japanese name 辻村 深月

Reviews

[kristyn ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ · Rating 5 out of 5]

i'm so excited to read the novel now because this completely broke my heart and then kept mending it and then breaking it again. this is such a wonderful series and i'm so glad i started this journey with my yukishina no. 5 babies 🫶🏻

[Carm · Rating 4 out of 5]

That’s a wrap. This manga adaptation was an excellent companion to the novel. I really enjoyed the art style and the few additional plot points only in this series. This was a heart breaker. On to the anime! 🐺🖤

[Aisvarya (Semi-hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omgg I never saw that ending coming!!!🥺
Gonna miss these characters now & I guess I can finally watch the anime adaptation now.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

No puedo creer que haya terminado, lo que mis sopechad han sido confirmadas 😱

Eso si el giro que dio el señor lobo me rompió entera.

[donutdot · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is the last (probably) adaptation of Lonely Castle in the Mirror that i've finished. i talked about the story plenty of times so this will just be for the manga. i found out a manga for this existed when processing library books for a school that ordered them at work. i added this to the tbr so fast.

i will start by saying the art style is very cute, and i actually liked the manga art more than the anime. the movie looked like a pretty standard anime, but i like how the manga gives each of the kids a very distinct design, and i finally see how Subaru looks like Ron from HP.

in the movie and book, there wasn't any mention of the covid-19 pandemic so the whole thing of Fuka walking into the castle with masks and stuff was surprising. it is a nod to what happened, but somehow i feel like it dated the story.

i love the dramatisation of certain scenes in the manga though, such as when Masamune asks the others to meet in school, or when Kokoro meets Rion in school after the castle closes. and that scene with Rion and Mio after everyone left. ahh.

a worthy adaptation.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished the 5th volume of the manga. It was good but so much happens or is resolved in the last volume that I am not sure that I would have followed it if I hadn’t read the novel first.
Still, I enjoyed the manga series. Now that I have read the novel and manga, I want to watch the movie.

[anca⁷]

this story is truly amazing, really enjoyed both the original book and this manga version 🥰

[Xirimoya · Rating 5 out of 5]

ojalá haberlo leido con 14 años

[Aras · Rating 5 out of 5]

Todo el tiempo pensando que quizás me decepcionaba porque quedaban muchos frentes abiertos, pero nada más lejos de la realidad. Ha sido un cierre de 10 para una historia de 10.

[Olga (reejiereads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Que bonito final. 😭

[Lesebiene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uppsi… zwei Bücher an einem Tag und dann auch noch zweimal fünf Sterne?!
Tja, was soll ich sagen: das war einfach ein wundervoller Abschluss einer wundervollen Reihe. Ich muss unbedingt den originalen Roman lesen und bin schon so gespannt auf den Film! Love it! 💛

[Tachan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sans surprise et sans faillir, cette série aura été un coup de coeur du début à la fin, avec une très belle utilisation du fantastique dans ce récit mêlant émotion et dénonciation des drames vécus lors de l’enfance. Une superbe lecture totalement inattendue ❤

Je ne m’attendais vraiment pas à une telle qualité d’écriture en démarrant cette série que j’imaginais un peu passe partout surtout, arbitrairement, parce que j’avais vu qu’elle avait une adaptation en film et que c’est rare que mes oeuvres préférées en bénéficient, en général, c’est plus réservé aux titres mainstream. Mais ici, les autrices du début à la fin, ont su proposer un récit puissant et original, jouant à merveille sur les tropes fantastiques introduits.

Après un démarrage un peu confus, ce tome a ainsi su me séduire du tout au tout. En nous dévoilant enfin les secrets de cet univers, les autrices m’ont totalement conquise. J’ai beaucoup aimé, enfin, découvrir ce que chacun cachait mais également ce qui les réunissait et comment, et la surprise, enfin pas totalement, fut à la hauteur de mes attentes avec une belle pointe d’émotion avec celle cachée derrière le masque.

C’est ainsi avec émotion que les autrices nous ont conduites à travers les méandres des récits de vie de ces jeunes qui ont vécu harcèlement scolaire, pression parentale, violences intrafamiliales, abandon, etc. Souvent, c’est bien trop larmoyant et dégoulinant dans ces cas-là, j’ai trouvé le pathos parfaitement dosé ici. Nous ne sommes pas face à des ado passifs, leur rencontre leur a permis de relever la tête et d’oser braver ce qui leur a fait perdre pied. La mise en scène de ces liens amicaux leur permettant de survivre fut vraiment poignant et lumineux.

Du coup, même si les personnages sont des archétypes, tout comme la situation qui définit chacun, ça ne m’a pas gênée car cela créait une sorte de lien de confiance avec nous en nous disant : « et si c’était nous ? ». La connivence nous a vraiment rapprochés et on avait qu’une envie les voir s’en sortir. Cet ultime volume fut parfait en ce sens car il a apporté toutes les réponses souhaitées. On a vu chacun changer, relever la tête et affronter ses démons avec courage. On a trouvé la clé et exaucé leur voeu. On a trouvé qui était le petit chaperon rouge et quelle était la vraie histoire qu’elle racontait. Tout s’est éclairé avec émotion et justesse et même un peu de surprise avec cette dernière.

Les autrices ont ainsi vraiment su mener leur histoire de bout en bout. Les explications sont logiques. La gestion du fantastique originale et très inspirée, surpassant ce qui est souvent fait avec ce genre de lore emprunté à Alice aux pays des merveilles. J’ai vraiment eu un petit coup de coeur pour la construction de ce récit et l’émotion insufflée dedans. Je n’ai qu’une hâte désormais, en voir la version animée pour revivre cela.

Article complet : https://lesblablasdetachan.wordpress....

[Rafia Rahman · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.

কোকোরো, এক প্রাণবন্ত কিশোরী কিন্তু স্কুলে বারংবার বুলি হওয়ার কারণে মুষড়ে পড়ে। স্কুলে না যাওয়ার বিভিন্ন ধরনের ফন্দি আঁটতে থাকে। একাকিত্ব এমনভাবে গ্রাস করে যেনো মনে হয় পৃথিবী থেকে হারিয়ে গেলে মন্দ হতো না। এমনটাই ভাবছিল যখন হঠাৎ খেয়াল করে রুমের আয়নার মধ্যে অন্য একটা জগৎ দেখা যাচ্ছে! দ্বিধা নিয়ে সে প্রবেশ করে আয়নার জগতে। পৌঁছে যায় এক অদ্ভুত ক্যাসেলে যেখানে আরও ছয়জন কিশোর-কিশোরী রয়েছে। তারাও আয়নার মাধ্যমে এই জগতে এসেছে। তবে সবার মধ্যে একটা বিষয়ে মিল আছে। তারা প্রত্যেকেই একাকিত্বে ভুগছে। নিজের জগৎ থেকে তারা পালিয়ে বাঁচতে চায়।

মুখোশধারী পিচ্চি একটা মেয়ে তাদের ক্যাসেলের নিয়ম বলে সাথে একটা খেলাও ছুঁড়ে দেয়। যদি জিতে যায় তাহলে বিজয়ীর একটা ইচ্ছে পূরণ করা হবে তবে তারা একে অপরের স্মৃতি ভুলে যাবে। কিন্তু যদি হেরে যায় আছে এক ভয়াবহ শাস্তিও! প্রায় প্রতিদিন তারা নির্দিষ্ট সময়ে ক্যাসেলে আসে, গল্পগুজব করে, বিভিন্ন খেলা খেলে, ঘুরে বেড়ায় ও বিকাল ৫টায় ফিরে যায়। কী সে খেলা? জিততে পারবে কি কেউ? হেরে যাওয়ার শাস্তি কী? জিতে গেলেই বা কে কী চাইবে? মুখোশধারী পিচ্চি মেয়েটাই বা কে?

জাপানিজ ও কোরিয়ান বেশ কিছু বইয়ে স্কুল বুলিংয়ের ভয়াবহতা নিয়ে পড়েছি। তারমানে বুলিং খুবই কমন একটা ব্যাপার দেশগুলোতে?! খুবই অবাক হয়েছিলাম যখন মুভি ও সিরিজেও এমনটা দেখি। কেন তারা এই জঘন্য জিনিসটা বন্ধ করতে পারছে না এতো সচেতনতা তৈরি করার পরও? বইটা পড়ার সময় মনে হয়েছে বুলিংকে নিচ্ছক মজা হিসেবে নিচ্ছে অপরাধীরা আর ভুক্তভোগীদের জীবনে রেখে যাচ্ছে অন্ধকার সব স্মৃতি। জীবনে কখনও কেউ বুলি হয়ে থাকলে বইটা পাঠককে সেসব স্মৃতি আবারও মনে করিয়ে দিবে। বইয়ের কাহিনী হলো ভুক্তভোগীরা প্রতিবাদ করবে নাকি সহ্য করে যাবে তা নিয়ে প্রত্যেকের নিজস্ব মানসিক দ্বন্দ্ব ও পদক্ষেপ।

𝙸𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚠���𝚛𝚕𝚍, 𝚠𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢 𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜.

কোকোরো, সুবারু, আকিকো, রিওন, মাসামুনে, ফুকা ও উরেশিনো সুন্দর সময় কাটাতে থাকে। দিনের এই সময়টায় তাদের সেরা সময়। একদিন ঠিক করে তারা দেখা করবে সবাই কিন্তু অদ্ভুত একটা ঘটনা ঘটে। কী ঘটে বলবো না। বললে স্পয়লার হয়ে যাবে। পিচ্চি মেয়ের ব্যাকস্টোরি ও পরিচয়...!!! সমাপ্তিটা খুবই সুন্দর। তাদের গ্রুপ করে শেষে রহস্য সমাধানের অংশটা অনেক ভালো লেগেছে।

২০১৭ সালের মে মাসে নভেল ও ২০১৯ সালের ডিসেম্বরে মাঙ্গা প্রকাশিত হয়। মাঙ্গায় ৫টা ভলিউম আছে। ইলাস্ট্রেশনগুলো খুবই সুন্দর। ২০২২ সালে বইয়ের কাহিনী নিয়ে অ্যানিমে মুভিও বানানো হয়েছে। তবে আমার কাছে মুভি থেকে বই বেশি ভালো লেগেছে।

[Lola Noruma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Siamo arrivati alla fine di questo viaggio lungo circa un anno, quanto il soggiorno dei protagonisti all'interno del castello, e posso confermare le sensazioni che ho provato leggendo soltanto la trama del primo volume: un viaggio che merita esser vissuto. Il finale mi ha sconvolta totalmente, perché avevo dato per scontato che la protagonista indiscussa della storia fosse Kokoro, mentre in realtà è qualcun altro nel romanzo, qualcuno che non mi sarei mai aspettata potesse dare un contributo così grande alla storia.

"Ci apprestiamo a fare ritorno alle nostre realtà. Non potremo più varcare la soglia dello specchio… Non potremo più scambiarci pensieri e parole. Tuttavia… Fa' il ricordo resti… Fa' che il ricordo resti…"

E' naturalmente una storia che ha come tema centrale quello dell'amicizia. Ci parla di adolescenti che non hanno nessun amico al mondo, che non vanno a scuola per i motivi più disparati, e per questo si ritrovano in questo castello governato dalla Signora Lupo. Ma nel racconto troviamo anche i primi amori, le prime cotte tipiche dell'età adolescenziale. Il finale è chiaro, le tempistiche anche, ma avrei preferito fosse approfondito il "post-castello", quel presente in cui ogni personaggio ha un'età differente, in cui ognuno ha la possibilità di vivere nuovamente la propria vita con il ricordo di una speranza. Scopriamo, in qualche modo, solo il futuro di Aki, e questo ha colelgato vari pezzi del puzzle che c'è nella serie di manga.

"Va tutto bene, Aki. Tieni duro, devi diventare grande!"

Mi è piaciuto tutto di questa serie, anche quella sensazione di pericolo che ho avvertito tra il penultimo volume e questo, dovuta principalmente alla sparizione di tutti i ragazzi tranne Kokoro, divorati dal Lupo. Mi è piaciuta l'ambientazione in Giappone e i vari riferimenti alla cultura e ai metodi di insegnamento del luogo, ma posso dire molto tranquillamente di aver amato tutto e di essere molto dispiaciuta di aver finito questa lettura. Una serie che sicuramente porterò sempre nel cuore, da far leggere ai ragazzi senza dubbio.

[María · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este manga en 5 tomos nos presenta la emotiva historia de un grupo de adolescentes que atraviesan fortuitamente el espejo de sus respectivos cuartos para entrar en un misterioso castillo, situado aparentemente en otra dimensión, donde podrán compartir todos los días, durante un año, unas pocas horas de evasión de sus vidas diarias, marcadas por el bullying, el abandono escolar, el acoso, la presión familiar y otras dificultades.

Pese al trasfondo mágico de la historia, este no es un manga con grandes escenas de acción ni emocionantes giros de argumentos, salvando algunas páginas de los tomos 4 y 5. Mizuki Tsujimura adapta la historia original de Tomo Taketomi al manga para ofrecernos, en otro formato, el día a día de estos chicos: cómo aprenden a conocerse entre ellos y a ellos mismos, cómo entrelazan sus vivencias y sus sentimientos, sus fortalezas y sus debilidades. Los personajes me han parecido muy convincentes, muy sólidos y realistas. Quizás hay algunos momentos de la trama estirados o repetitivos en los tomos 2-3, pero es un detalle menor en la lectura de una obra en la que una buena historia se acompaña de un dibujo tan bien definido, tan íntimo. Ha sido una experiencia memorable.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous series. Just the right length, and their stories wove together well. I like how they incorporated leap years as well, and that Mio turned out to be the author of the story and kind of a participant as well. Not sure why two kids were from the same year, but hopefully they met up. I thought perhaps one would be a parent if the other (video game bros) but I don’t think that happened. It was hilarious that he was so outraged that he hadn’t even noticed how advanced the games were from 1985 to 2013 😂 and the Nostradamus prediction of the world ending in 1999 really took me back! It was also funny that Masamune’s name came from an embarrassing trend. Poor kid.

I’m curious if it initially had Covid in Fuka’s storyline, since I think the series was written slightly before 2020. I guessed as soon as I saw the masks…though I will say that Haruka was NOT in preschool - he’d have been 7.

It was lovely that Aki was saved and later came full circle to help Mio and then Kokoro. In theory she might recall Rion from the days teaching Mio. Each kid had a different complicated backstory, and it was well done.

Highly recommend.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely series. So warm and comforting, one of those young teen series that actually intends to speak to kids on their level without being overly sentimental or too glass-half-full about the Very Big and Awful-Feeling dramas of their lives. I would love to revisit this via the novel.

I only wish I felt like I got to know the kids, besides Kokoro, a little better. It made sense that they all agreed to not pry into each others' lives--on a plot-level (so the twist wouldn't get revealed too early) and on a character-level (as they all clearly wanted to be defined by something other than their pain, like they were in the "real" world)--but I still wasn't sure how to parse the kids while they were in the castle. Still, when everything gets revealed and comes together, it makes the secrecy worth it, even if I'm sure my faint mistiness would have been upgraded to full on tears if I knew more about the kids.

Really wonderful surprise. Magical-feeling.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

reading this story in the manga format made it so magical, especially since I struggled to get into the original novel earlier this year. and just like I thought: I adored every second!

all seven of the kids in the castle are so vibrant, and watching kokoro struggle and overcome with her friends by her side was incredible. the parallels of her most fearful moment with the girls from school and her wandering the wolf filled castle took my breath away, and I spent most of the last volume choked up. it has that same feeling at the end as your name does, at least in my opinion! I couldn't get enough. it's really a perfect ending, and I was so immersed that it snuck up on me. I want to see everyone's new successes after the castle!!

genuinely a beautiful picture of loneliness and friendship, fear and bravery. tsujimura created an incredible fairy tale within a coming of age story, and it was beautiful in manga form. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time!

[Imogen Brand · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad I have found Lonely Castle In The Mirror manga the whole series feels so unrated in the manga world only I have been following the author Mizuki Tsujimura work from the beginning only this series releases a whole new line of emotions which is easy to relate to especially from old difficulties I used to have at school.

I hope that one day much more people would know about this manga series or even the light novel written by the same author. Lonely Castle In The Mirror is a real gem it is hard to describe what I felt while reading the series only I know words are not enough to describe how I am feeling. Especially the twist at the end of the series it is such a wholesome moment to remember.

[Elnera Aline · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐ bellissimo ultimo volume che secondo me ha l'unica pecca di affrettarsi leggermente sul finale! Nonostante il manga sia un adattamento di un libro, soffre davvero pochissimo della differenza di profondità che differenzia i due tipi di narrazione! Il castello invisibile è una storia commovente (non ho affatto pianto 👀) che racconta le difficoltà di un gruppo di preadolescenti che hanno molto in comune, ma che al contempo vivono problemi e situazioni diverse. Una bellissima storia di formazione in vesti fantastiche che consiglio tantissimo! Chissà magari prima o poi mi verrà voglia di leggere anche il libro da cui è tratta!

[Shany S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Que dire sur ce manga à part qu'il est juste génial ? L'intrigue nous prend dès le début du tome 1 et ne nous lâche pas. J'ai adorer suivre Kokoro et ses amis dans ce mystérieux château ! Le manga aborde des sujets comme le harcèlement, la phobie scolaire,... de manière très juste. C'est rempli d'émotions, de tristesse et de joie (ce qui est assez contradictoire xD). J'avais quelques soupçons par rapport à quelques détails de l'intrigue mais j'ai quand-même été étonnée, j'ai même lâché quelques larmes sur le dernier tome. Je le conseille vraiment et j'ai hâte de lire le roman dont vient le manga !

[bee been · Rating 3 out of 5]

Covid is canon in this !!! Honestly all in all it's such a solid work , the characters are diverse in their struggles and somewhat well fleshed; it's such a cool concept and i loved how it tied all the loose clues in a pretty satisfying bow !

I d say the only thing i found a bit awkward was the pacing and how exposition of each of the characters's story was handled;(honestly by the end of the whole manga i was like oh just know she remembered how there's a tale about wolf and red riding ...) anyways i liked this story more than lost souls meet under the moon , i feel like this story delivered emotionally more .

[Shatiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Capolavoro!
Sono ancora in lacrime...è stato stupendo, anche se alla fine non ha fatto rivedere in dettaglio che tutti si sono rincontrati, sono certa che sia successo!
Bellissimo e commovente. Una lettura che dovrebbero fare tutti!
Sono contenta di averlo acquistato per la biblioteca!

Spero di poter presto vedere il film e leggere il libro!

Fuka anche nel libro viveva la pandemia? E se cosi non fosse, hanno cambiato altro dal libro?

[ℂ ✧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

És una llàstima que una premissa tan interessant, amb unes il·lustracions tan xules i un elenc de personatges tan ric quedi completament aigualida pel ritme tan farragós d'aquesta sèrie... sospito que la peli serà millor perquè anirà més al gra i no donarà tantes voltes innecessàries, però no sé si m'animaré a comprovar-ho :/ en realitat, la història es podria haver resumit en una trilogia perquè la part emocionant no arriba fins a la meitat del quart volum...

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed the series and the art is amazing. But I think I prefer the novel. I love the moment at the end with the brother and sister, that was really beautiful. I'm not sure adding the covid-19 stuff was a good idea as it was slightly inconsistent, any of the ones in more recent timelines should have picked that up. I don't recall it being in the original book. Adapting to manga was really well done.

[Edmond Dantes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Final de trama ,muy sorprendente, no me esperaba , lo que sería el castillo , hasta casi la mitad del último tomo ,toma un nivel bastante dramático , como a mí suele gustar jejejeje en resumen final de historia bueno y bien cerrado !!

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lonely Castle in the Mirror was my top book last year. I was unsure how it would stretch out to 5 manga volumes but the parts that were added to the story made it even better. I loved it. It’s just as good and heartfelt as the text.

[Akansha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending of this story was so well done. Wrapping it all up beautifully. Four of the characters were in the center of it all in the last scene and if you think about it, this was a sister's dying wish for his brother. Which in a way helped 7 kids find themselves again.

[Maisie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly beautiful! Both heart-wrenching and heart-warming with a thoughtful approach to unique to unique traumas and struggles for young individuals.

Gorgeous artwork as well! The wolf truly struck a core with me, and I could not tear my eyes away from it!

[Sheila Moreno Moreno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me ha gustado muchísimo. 5 tomos preciosos. Me ha encantado.