Orca and his imperial troops have arrived in Amonlogia, and Chakuro and the other Marked hope to use the chaos as cover for a rescue operation. But as they attempt to breach the castle to save Suou and the Ummarked, Orca sets out on a diabolical mission of his own. Can Lykos prevent her brother from causing more harm, even if it means killing him?
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 their lives... This all changes when he meets a young girl and they are suddenly attacked by an Empire! What will be the citizens of Falaina do?!
The Premise
In Children of the Whales vol 11, Orcas arrives at his destination in Amonlogia. He's left bodies in his wake to obtain his goal. We were given a hint in the previous volume what he wanted... and Rochalízo tries to stop him. The mayor is there to witness Orcas great plan be revealed and boy is it a doozy! He's crazy!! I LOVED IT! Shuan and Lycos aren't out of the game yet... they are major pieces in freeing the unmarked and heading off Liontari. And Ouni and Chakuro arrive to join the battle!! Paired with the revelations Orcas makes this was a powerful step forward in the battle between the nous with the Children of the Whales caught in the middle.
The Buzz
Orcas has by far been the most intriguing character in the series and our wait is brought to marvelous fruition in Children of the Whales vol 11! As the once loving brother of Lycos, the girl Chakuro convinced to want peace, I so badly wanted to know his end game. He's been shown as a man with two faces. Cold, austere, bound to duty. But also compassionate, loving and inspiring loyalty. So which is it?! Well you just wouldn't be able to guess what he wants. And honestly for a villain... I kind of want him to succeed. What would happen? How would the world change? It's pretty amaze to think about.
The Feels
I loved Lycos face off with Liontari. Her words to him totally floored me and I know they cut him to the quick. Dumpling though is the one who was a mini champion in Children of the Whales vol 11. I loved the role he played in inspiring Rochalízo and how honest and up front he was about his actions. I was also quite intrigued by Rochalízo's other friends who also met the Children of the mud whale... they are totally following the steps they feel their leader would take if he were there. It's quite at odds with what Roch chose up to this point so it really makes me melt inside their love of him. All of Amonlogia isn't heartless!
The Visuals
Visually Orcas has always come across as a powerful figure with a radiant charisma. That is played up to great effect in Children of the Whales vol 11. The pages where he reaches his goal and shares his plans are so gorgeous! I loved how Suou gets caught up in that visual as well. The nous really are incredibly beautiful otherwise why else would those who use them preserve them? They are too scary otherwise. Lycos and Ouni aren't to be outdone either, both shining with magic dust. Chakuro also has a stunning moment on the page where I was just blown away with how far this boy has grown! It's a visually stunning volume you need to have in your hot little hands to really enjoy to the max.
Children of the Whales vol 11 gives us battles, beauty and power rich plans that will knock you back and having you dashing back for more. Events in Amonlogia have far reaching effects that will change both nations. Will the Children of the mud whale survive? They sure are clinging on for deal life and Ouni is ready and willing to step into the gap to protect them... Let's see how it all plays out in the next volume of this super dystopian fantasy series...
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tension ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Art
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.
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Ça fait longtemps qu’un manga ne m’a pas autant fait vibrer. J’ignore si c’est parce que je commence à avoir l’esprit plus libre, mais ça m’a tenu en haleine du début à la fin, je me sentais oppressée dans les situations angoissantes et enthousiaste lors des retournements de situation. La beauté des dessins a amplifié ce phénomène : j’ai passé beaucoup de temps à les détailler à chercher un indice qui me mettrait sur la voie de la conclusion à telle ou telle scène. M’interrompre fut une torture et dès que j’avais cinq minutes, je replongeais dans cette lecture. J’aime toujours autant les personnages. Quand je suis arrivée à la fin de ma lecture ce matin, j’étais terriblement frustrée de ne pas avoir la suite… En conclusion, c’est un gros coup de cœur pour cette lecture. https://psylook.kimengumi.fr/2024/03/...
What an interesting revelation to find that when Orca was younger, he “could not hurt a fly” and was cowardly. From what I could tell, it looked as though he and Lykos were involved in a tragic incident which greatly impacted his psyche. Perhaps feelings of powerlessness, guilt, and sorrow catapulted him beyond never wanting to feel that way again and instead into the territory of global consideration. He never wanted the world to experience these things again, not for lack of feeling but for lack of anguish. He was offered his perfect world full of peace and no regrets, but he said he couldn’t go alone and that’s why he didn’t choose it. It appeared that his choice to not go alone was made out of cowardice, but he’s actually the bravest of all to carve a new path in the world. Orca is a blooming dictator, so now it makes sense how he’s so charming. That’s one of their trademark characteristics, and I don’t know how I didn’t see it beforehand.
Holy moly! The most intense cliffhanger yet! This one is all action all of the time with some unexpected twists, but it is great as usual. I always suspected Kuchiba as a redhead, and the cover gave him away. But red eyes! It’s interesting that the last two volumes are when we finally get some detailed information on the nation players in this drama. While superficial, I did enjoy closing with the “From the Annals of the Empire” bit. That ending though... the next volume looks to start at a sprint!
Puede un manga siempre dejarte con ganas de más, estar siempre interesante, sin bajar el nivel narrativo, sin hacerse pesado, mantener el misterio y los secretos del mundo de la obra, continuar evolucionando a los personajes y dejarte siempre con hype?
Sí y ese es Children of the Whales.
El mejor shojo de fantasía de los últimos años. Y, como digo siempre, uno de los mundos mejor construidos que yo he visto en la vida tanto en cómic, anime o libro.
This is just about the halfway point of the series (I believe it recently ended with 23 volumes in Japan?). The story started off so strong and vibrant, and I'm hoping it can regain that charm. Right now it's becoming a bit of a slog. The art is gorgeous, though!
Cette fin ! Vite je veux la suite !! Il y a beaucoup d'action dans ce tome. Un univers toujours aussi riche, et un soupçon d'humour. On s'attache aux personnages.
As Orca cuts a bloody swathe through the city to reach the Duke's castle, the Marked are on their way to free the Unmarked. Orca is holding a pretty big secret up his sleeve, and it explains much about his rise to power and path in life, but his intentions for the future seem quite scary. We also delve more into the mythos of the Nouses and the Amonlogian derivative, and how these things fit into their world. The Unmarked, meanwhile, have a tough choice to make, but luckily they are rescued by allies, which they also gain during this volume. Belatedly, but finally, Rochalizo makes a stand to side with the people of Mud Whale. I'm, as always, awed by the world-building in this series, and this volume was no exception.