What do you think?
Rate this book
クジラの子らは砂上に歌う [Kujira no kora wa sajō ni utau] #1
Children of the Whales, Vol. 1
Chakuro is the archivist for the Mud Whale, diligently chronicling the lives and deaths of his people. As one of the short-lived thymia wielders, he knows his time is limited and is determined to leave a better record than his predecessors. But the steady pace of their isolated existence on the Mud Whale is abruptly shattered when a scouting party discovers a mysterious young girl who seems to know more about their home than they do…
194 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 16, 2013
57 people are currently reading
2240 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 332 reviews
Read
January 23, 2018this was such a nice and calm story until the end came in like a wrecking ball. consider me shook.
December 9, 2017
Probably because of the translation from the original Japanese manga, that's why the story and dialogues are not that good. The beginning is a bit bland or maybe because, I repeat, from the translation.
I can't help it, but I fell asleep on the four consecutive nights that I've tried to finished the first half of this manga. However, the best part starts on Chapter 3 and it continues to get better as the story continues.
Thanks to VIZ Media LLC and Simon & Schuster for the reading copy of this.
I can't help it, but I fell asleep on the four consecutive nights that I've tried to finished the first half of this manga. However, the best part starts on Chapter 3 and it continues to get better as the story continues.
Thanks to VIZ Media LLC and Simon & Schuster for the reading copy of this.
December 23, 2017
Check out more manga and graphic novel reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
In an endless desert floats the Mud Whale, an island city of clay moving by magic, containing a small community where most die young their life spans cut short by their own magic. Chakuro diligently chronicles these deaths determined to leave a better record than those who came before. When a scouting party he's a part of discovers a young girl who knows more about their island than they do, everything changes...
GAH!! The art is GORGEOUS!! I mean it really takes my breathe away... This is the first time I kinda wish the art was were in full color with soft pastels... NOT that the black and white art was compromised but I can just imagine the dreamy colorless world they live in! I never had trouble figuring out who the characters were nor did I get them mixed up! And the settings were like characters themselves they were so well thought out and drawn!
This is a super cool dystopian manga! I kept saying... oh this is so cool... Oh wow, that was such a neat thing... GAH, this is just getting better and better... There is this slice of life aspect with the flying migration of the crickets plus this sci-fi part with the machine from the heavens that takes emotions to survive. This is NOT an easy going manga... NO! There are battles and the solders were creepy, crazy, cool! It was JUST ONE VOLUME and yet we learned so much about the world and things advanced at just the right pace.
There are three leads and I really enjoyed each one. There is Chakuro, a rather sweet and naive boy who records everything. There is a girl, Lykos, and her ferret whom they find who is an emotionless fighter. And there is the moles leader, Ouni, who is the most gifted of the thymia users. He is the rebel and blows opens the things the elders would rather be kept secret...
The only thing that gives me pause is that there are A LOT of minor characters we are introduced to (which isn't bad) and I struggled a little with who they were and why I was to care about them. I'm sure I will get to know them more as the series goes on...
Otherwise the world building is quite cool paired up with the gorgeous art... I won't say much but the norm of the mud whale is established then compared to the girl's whale so that you can understand that something mysterious is going on... and Chakuro is there to witness it all!
The end DOES NOT DISAPPOINT! It is shocking and just... wow! GAH! This is a creative, compelling post-apocalyptic fantasy world and I totally need the next volume!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Art
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Leads
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Others
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tension
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Development
BOTTOM LINE: If you are a fan of the dystopia, post-apocalyptic or fantasy genres then this is the manga for you...
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my manga and graphic novel reviews in a special feature called Saturday Morning Cartoons...
September 14, 2019
4.5 stars
This was an excellent start to what promises to be a fascinating and compelling fantasy manga series <3
CotW follows Chakuro who is the archivist on the Mud Whale (a floating island in an ocean of sand) and documents everything that happens on the island to preserve the island's history for future generations. Chakuro is one of the "marked" which means he wields Thymia - a power fuelled by emotions - and results in a reduced lifespan (approx. 30 years).
On one of his expeditions, he encounters another floating island and a lone girl is found and brought back to the Mud Whale, although, she keeps referring to the Mud Whale as 'Falaina' which I believe to be the real name of the floating island. We're not sure why she seems to know more about the island than the residents themselves but she is the lone survivor on her island which breeds a plethora of questions.
It is also discovered throughout the course of the story that she too wields Thymia (like Chakuro) and remains on the island until that terrifying and upsetting cliff-hanger which left me shook!!
All in all, a really solid start to the series with plenty of world-building, delightful artwork and a thoroughly engaging story!
This was an excellent start to what promises to be a fascinating and compelling fantasy manga series <3
CotW follows Chakuro who is the archivist on the Mud Whale (a floating island in an ocean of sand) and documents everything that happens on the island to preserve the island's history for future generations. Chakuro is one of the "marked" which means he wields Thymia - a power fuelled by emotions - and results in a reduced lifespan (approx. 30 years).
On one of his expeditions, he encounters another floating island and a lone girl is found and brought back to the Mud Whale, although, she keeps referring to the Mud Whale as 'Falaina' which I believe to be the real name of the floating island. We're not sure why she seems to know more about the island than the residents themselves but she is the lone survivor on her island which breeds a plethora of questions.
It is also discovered throughout the course of the story that she too wields Thymia (like Chakuro) and remains on the island until that terrifying and upsetting cliff-hanger which left me shook!!
All in all, a really solid start to the series with plenty of world-building, delightful artwork and a thoroughly engaging story!
October 29, 2017
Ho visto l'altro giorno questo manga in fumetteria, non so se vi è mai capitato, ma appena l'ho preso e sfogliato mi è salita una strana emozione al petto. Sembrava che quelle pagine mi stessero dicendo "Leggimi, sono la storia che cerchi!" Ho seguito il consiglio! Children of the whales è un manga molto particolare, si avverte immediatamente di quanto sia complicata la trama e i suoi personaggi. Ci troviamo sulla Balena di Fango, un'isola dove vivono i non marchiati, destinati a diventare coloro che governeranno il luogo, e i marchiati, esseri dai poteri magici e la vita piuttosto breve. Chakuro è il protagonista di questa intensa storia, ama scrivere tutto ciò che vede e, proprio per questo, si occupa di registrare tutto ciò che avviene sull'isola. Un giorno, tra l'immenso mare di sabbia, gli abitanti dell'isola scorgono una nuova terra. Chakuro, che farà parte della spedizione, trova per puro caso una ragazza, marchiata come lui, che in preda al panico lo attacca per poi svenire. Chi è e cosa nasconde? È la prima domanda che Chakuro si pone, ma non sarà l'ultima, Lykos infatti nasconde segreti e verità pericolose da raccontare.
Insomma io voglio il secondo!
Insomma io voglio il secondo!
May 23, 2020
Re read this recently as I just finished the anime, the art is beautiful, but I’m just not sure on the story.
May 30, 2021
I’m absolutely obsessed with this unique magic system & world! And THAT ENDING?! I am shook. 🤯
February 19, 2021
One of those trickster style books where everything seems happier than it is till shit goes down.
Except unlike Made in Abyss, this one didn't hook me emotionally. We have a group of people in basically a sand type world who find a girl and they bring her back to their village. It is ALOT of world building and to be honest the exposition dump seems endless at points and I was bored. Luckily the art itself was solid to make me finish and of course the final chapter, which is probably what most people will be talking about, is shocking and brutal. But I don't feel it was a 100% earned. Not horrible but didn't do much for me. Might check out second volume down the line.
A 2.5 out of 5.
Except unlike Made in Abyss, this one didn't hook me emotionally. We have a group of people in basically a sand type world who find a girl and they bring her back to their village. It is ALOT of world building and to be honest the exposition dump seems endless at points and I was bored. Luckily the art itself was solid to make me finish and of course the final chapter, which is probably what most people will be talking about, is shocking and brutal. But I don't feel it was a 100% earned. Not horrible but didn't do much for me. Might check out second volume down the line.
A 2.5 out of 5.
December 27, 2017
Interesting story. A floating island called the Mud Whale drifts across the sandy wastes. 90% of the population on the Mud Whale have a type of magic fueled by emotion. Those with the 'mark' rarely live past the age of 30.
Up to this point no one on the Mud Whale knows why they are there or where they come from. They haven't even seen another person besides those they live with on their floating Island.
Until now...
3.5 🌟's out of 5.
Up to this point no one on the Mud Whale knows why they are there or where they come from. They haven't even seen another person besides those they live with on their floating Island.
Until now...
3.5 🌟's out of 5.
May 8, 2019
I don't often read manga. I picked this one up when I was browsing a shop with a friend and she suggested it to me ( ages ago haha) and it was great! Fluffy start and getting to know the world. It is mysterious and intense at the end!
November 15, 2019
Il protagonista principale della storia è decisamente Chakuro. Lui abita sulla Balena di fango, così come tante altre persone, e gli piace scrivere. Annota tutto quello che accade sulla balena, un'immensa nave che vaga in un mare di sabbia. E quando dalla nave vedono un'isola, dopo tanto tempo che non ne scorgevano, non possono fare a meno di andare in esplorazione, anche Chakuro parteciperà all'evento e sarà proprio lui a trovare su quell'isola una ragazza. Non è la prima volta che gli abitanti della balena si imbattono in un'isola, ma è decisamente la prima volta che si imbattono in un altro essere umano.
Ma chi è questa ragazza? E come mai non dice nulla?
Non posso dire altro sulla storia perchè rischierei di raccontare troppo. Però andando avanti si inizieranno a scoprire altre cose, vedremo altri personaggi oltre a Chakuro, e il loro mondo verrà sconvolto. La fine del primo volume lascia in sospeso un sacco di domande, e fa anche un po' soffrire.
Trovo l'ambientazione fantastica, una nave di fango che vaga in un mondo dove il mare è di sabbia, le precipitazioni sono quasi assenti e gli abitanti della balena sono dotati di poteri magici, la thymia, che tende ad accorciare la vita di chi è marchiato. Quei pochi che non hanno i marchi -e quindi non hanno magia- sono detti anziani perchè vivono più a lungo. Sono loro a governare la balena, e sono loro a sapere qualcosa sul mondo esterno che agli altri non è dato sapere. Ma alla luce del ritrovamento della ragazza, tutto questo sta per essere cambiato, il mondo sta per bussare alla loro porta.
I disegni sono incantevoli, potrei stare ore a fissarli, tanto quelli dell'anime a colori che quelli del manga in b/n.
I personaggi sono ben fatti e caratterizzati, impossibile non affezionarsi a Chakuro e Sami, e provare interesse per il misterioso Ouni. In più da quando entra in scena quella nuova ragazza, Lykos, la curiosità cresce a dismisura. Per il momento ho trovato anche una certa fedeltà con l'anime, andando avanti vedremo. Se lo avessi letto senza aver prima visto l'anime mi sarei forse un pochino persa, per questo il voto non è di 5 stelle, ma prevedo che nei prossimi soffrirò e amerò molto di più che in questo primo volume.
March 30, 2018
3 stelle e mezzo
Le ultime pagine dell’ultimo capitolo… O.O
Questo manga, per ora, ha preso la piega giusta! Mix perfetto tra dispotismo, magia, storia e avventura! Per ora promosso!
Le ultime pagine dell’ultimo capitolo… O.O
Questo manga, per ora, ha preso la piega giusta! Mix perfetto tra dispotismo, magia, storia e avventura! Per ora promosso!
November 19, 2019
Imagine existing over an open sea of sand. Where all you know is the existence of your small clan of less than 600 people, and have never met another living human being. There is a scene painted towards the end of the book where the main character, who logs everything in his journal, describes their life on the Whale, the vessel that allows them to float on the sand sea. It was so beautiful written and coupled with beautifully drawn landscapes, that in itself made the book worth reading despite the catastrophic ending that is sure to shock any reader. And what an ending it was. Tragic to say the least. Definitely need to read more...
5 out 5 stars
F. D. Gross
5 out 5 stars
F. D. Gross
March 4, 2021
Children of the Whales is something I’ve known about for a while, I suppose since ever since it debuted. From what I can recall, it was a smash hit from the very beginning, even receiving an anime adaptation just a few years after the manga’s debut.
It’s been in my to-watch queue for quite some time, but for no reason in particular except for such a lovely paperback design, I happened to read the manga first. But even then, it still took me many, many months to actually read it even after picking it up. But now that I have read the first volume, I am very glad I chose to finally give it a chance when I did. The art is so endearing and beautiful, I love the pen strokes and the detail. Not to mention that the narration is so good, I actually briefly believed the author’s afterword about the shop and the manuscript she found until I really thought it over and came to the conclusion that she was roleplaying for an immersion effect.
I also enjoy seeing the characters and how they live their lives, not that I’m particularly attached to any of them yet. Though, I do like their designs. And I don’t know if it’s by design or if the art style is to blame, but I really believed that not only Chakuro but also Suou were females until it was explicitly stated otherwise. And even then, I was taken aback by it a bit.
There were also some characters who appeared who I initially thought I’d hate, but through the course of these first four chapters, I actually came to feel fond of them and wished to see more of their exploits and how they unravel as humans. However... given the circumstances that it appears this story is taking place in, not every life is given such liberty. Or... better said, they already did as much, merely the story didn’t take place at a time for us to see it.
I’m unsure what else I could say without spoiling it, so I’ll leave my review short and sweet for now. Even if you don’t feel as though Children of the Whales is your cup of tea, please give it a chance. The narration is profoundly well done. If the narrator is good, any story can become enchanting, enthralling, scary, or whatever the narrator wishes it to be.
It’s been in my to-watch queue for quite some time, but for no reason in particular except for such a lovely paperback design, I happened to read the manga first. But even then, it still took me many, many months to actually read it even after picking it up. But now that I have read the first volume, I am very glad I chose to finally give it a chance when I did. The art is so endearing and beautiful, I love the pen strokes and the detail. Not to mention that the narration is so good, I actually briefly believed the author’s afterword about the shop and the manuscript she found until I really thought it over and came to the conclusion that she was roleplaying for an immersion effect.
I also enjoy seeing the characters and how they live their lives, not that I’m particularly attached to any of them yet. Though, I do like their designs. And I don’t know if it’s by design or if the art style is to blame, but I really believed that not only Chakuro but also Suou were females until it was explicitly stated otherwise. And even then, I was taken aback by it a bit.
There were also some characters who appeared who I initially thought I’d hate, but through the course of these first four chapters, I actually came to feel fond of them and wished to see more of their exploits and how they unravel as humans. However... given the circumstances that it appears this story is taking place in, not every life is given such liberty. Or... better said, they already did as much, merely the story didn’t take place at a time for us to see it.
I’m unsure what else I could say without spoiling it, so I’ll leave my review short and sweet for now. Even if you don’t feel as though Children of the Whales is your cup of tea, please give it a chance. The narration is profoundly well done. If the narrator is good, any story can become enchanting, enthralling, scary, or whatever the narrator wishes it to be.
July 14, 2024
C'est beau, c'est intéressant, vivement la suite !
June 20, 2024
obligatory COTW reread 🦅🦅🦅
January 1, 2018
This is the first Abi Umeda I've read. Here, she creates a complex, deeply layered storyworld, one that, at times, challenges immediate comprehension. There were several times that I had to back and reread sections so as to better taken in the nuances and details of the people and setting. But this is to the narrative's benefit, not a criticism. To some degree, this is a post-apocalyptic story, but one in a world that is not our own. I'll definitely go on to read future volumes.
February 6, 2017
My first manga. Thanks to my little brother for this one :)
March 4, 2019
Gorgeous illustrations, compelling characters and story. I would definitely keep reading if I had a shorter to-read list! I see the anime is also on Netflix, so I might check that out...
August 14, 2019
ordered vol 2 & 3 immediately, i think this is a manga series I will absolutely love
May 25, 2023
so intriguing ! :) started so calm and sweet & then very quickly fell off the rails but in a good way. i really wanna read the next one now :0
January 14, 2019
4.5
FR
J'ai aimé la beauté de l'histoire, l'étrangeté de l'univers, je me suis attachée aux personnages, et cette fin !!! Elle était chargée émotionnellement, et elle donne vraiment envie d'en (sa)voir plus !
EN
I loved the beauty of the story, the strangeness of the world, I got attached to the characters, and this ending!!! It was full of emotions, and made me want to see (and learn!) more!
FR
J'ai aimé la beauté de l'histoire, l'étrangeté de l'univers, je me suis attachée aux personnages, et cette fin !!! Elle était chargée émotionnellement, et elle donne vraiment envie d'en (sa)voir plus !
EN
I loved the beauty of the story, the strangeness of the world, I got attached to the characters, and this ending!!! It was full of emotions, and made me want to see (and learn!) more!
June 8, 2024
High on emotion, Children of the Whales is a touching and beautiful story, with a touch of Lovecraftian world building.
I read this sweet story on the sea of sand years ago but I've never read the end. The story ended a year ago and it seems the books are available at my local library so I'm reading the ones I already have.
I read this sweet story on the sea of sand years ago but I've never read the end. The story ended a year ago and it seems the books are available at my local library so I'm reading the ones I already have.
January 22, 2024
O M G !! Pourquoi j'ai attendu si longtemps avant de tenter ce manga ??
Et cette fin ?
Et cette fin ?
May 19, 2023
3.5 stars.
I liked this, I would continue but it isn't a priority series to focus on out of all the manga I am currently in the middle of.
The art work is amazing and I am intrigued in the set up and how it will progress.
I liked this, I would continue but it isn't a priority series to focus on out of all the manga I am currently in the middle of.
The art work is amazing and I am intrigued in the set up and how it will progress.
September 4, 2017
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Children of the Whales is about as close to a Miyazaki movie as you are going to get. From the character designs, to the subtle characterizations, the random fantasyish setting, the innocence of children and machinations of adults, the intrusion of war into that innocence, and a subtle beauty. That influence is all over Children of the Whales to the point where this feels almost like an homage.Story: In a world where the sea is made up of sand that you cannot step on, 'ship cities' called mud whales lazily cross the expanse. Most of Chokuro's small island's population has magical abilities that eventually translate into a short life span. The non magical elders guide and administer the colony since they live a long life. When the mud whale comes across another island, they expect it to be empty like the others they have passed - and so do a simple scavenging run. But young Chakuro, the obsessive archivist of their colony, comes across a lone survivor - a girl his age with martial abilities and a tale of having buried everyone on her island. But she also knows much more about their islands than they have been told by the elders - and her warnings are about to come too late to save Chakuro's people from a hiding horror.
By the end of this first book, we get a "the Village" movie type of feel. The elders are clearly keeping things from the magical marked kids - and everything is about to go very wrong for the peaceful island. The story isn't specified as coming from Earth but the islands greatly resemble air craft carriers or tankers that have been covered in mud and odd buildings - and glide along the sea of sand by some unknown means.
As with all manga of this nature, we are given very little in the beginning and the story will build from there. The character designs are lovely though very ambiguous - it can be hard to tell gender for several of the characters. In fact, I thought Chokuro was female for half the book.
There are intriguing ideas within and certainly this is a unique concept with thoughtful world building. It will be interesting to see where the story goes from here. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
June 7, 2018
4-4.5 stars.
I picked this series up on a whim, since I've recently gotten quite into Manga, and this first instalment did not let me down 😄
I like the characters (already obsessing over Ouni - he's a badass and those are my kind of characters), the world is really interesting, the art is amazing... I love it all^^ I'm not sure why I don't feel like I can rate it 5 stars, maybe it's just that I'm still getting used to the format of Manga so it takes a little bit of effort to read it correctly, but I haven't got any complaints about the story itself.
We're still learning about the world and the Mud Whale and the people living on it, so everything isn't 100% clear to me atm, but I don't mind^^
Now it you'll excuse me, I'll get right on to the second one 😁
I picked this series up on a whim, since I've recently gotten quite into Manga, and this first instalment did not let me down 😄
I like the characters (already obsessing over Ouni - he's a badass and those are my kind of characters), the world is really interesting, the art is amazing... I love it all^^ I'm not sure why I don't feel like I can rate it 5 stars, maybe it's just that I'm still getting used to the format of Manga so it takes a little bit of effort to read it correctly, but I haven't got any complaints about the story itself.
We're still learning about the world and the Mud Whale and the people living on it, so everything isn't 100% clear to me atm, but I don't mind^^
Now it you'll excuse me, I'll get right on to the second one 😁
March 11, 2017
Dans ce premier tome on rencontre plusieurs personnages et je vais attendre d'avancer dans la série pour me prononcer sur eux. Pour l'instant l'essentiel du contenu représente à mes yeux une grosse introduction et les choses sérieuses arrivant à la fin j'attends de voir comment ça va évoluer, mais entre l'univers et cette fameuse fin, je suis déjà accrochée à cette série. Mon avis est un peu maigre, mais j'avoue ne pas ressentir le besoin de m'étaler davantage, il y a une grosse part du manga qu'il est bien de découvrir par soi-même.
Ma chronique complète : http://bloggalleane.blogspot.fr/2017/...
Ma chronique complète : http://bloggalleane.blogspot.fr/2017/...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 332 reviews