What do you think?
Rate this book
冷たい校舎の時は止まる [Tsumetai Kousha no Toki wa Todomaru] #1
A School Frozen in Time, Vol. 1
On a snowy school day like any other, classmates and childhood friends Hiroshi and Mizuki arrive at school to find the campus eerily empty. Before long, they find themselves trapped inside with six other friends, and even stranger, all the clocks have stopped at a very specific moment--the exact time when a former classmate jumped off the school roof to their death three months earlier. It turns out that this departed friend is their way out of their current predicament and may even be among their group...but no one can remember who it was that took their life on that sad day. The students must face themselves and their past memories to piece together the identity of this suicide victim or risk a similar fate--with their lives lost and forgotten inside these frigid school walls.
234 pages, Paperback
First published November 17, 2008
23 people are currently reading
658 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 175 reviews
June 27, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and Vertical Comics for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
'A School Frozen in Time' is the first volume in a manga series following a group of students who have been trapped in their school, right at the moment when a classmate of theirs committed suicide three months earlier. What follows is a psychological horror as the students try to remember who it was that lost their life that day, and the twists and turns that follow.
I really enjoyed this manga for a number of reasons. While it isn't outright horror, there's definitely an eerie, unsettled feeling that you can pick up on throughout the book. It also examines how friendships in their many forms change with our actions, which I liked.
Personally, I feel that the art style could have been a bit cleaner, but it definitely conveys what it needs to. I'd recommend this to anyone who would like a psychological thriller in manga form, or is looking for something out of their comfort zone.
'A School Frozen in Time' is the first volume in a manga series following a group of students who have been trapped in their school, right at the moment when a classmate of theirs committed suicide three months earlier. What follows is a psychological horror as the students try to remember who it was that lost their life that day, and the twists and turns that follow.
I really enjoyed this manga for a number of reasons. While it isn't outright horror, there's definitely an eerie, unsettled feeling that you can pick up on throughout the book. It also examines how friendships in their many forms change with our actions, which I liked.
Personally, I feel that the art style could have been a bit cleaner, but it definitely conveys what it needs to. I'd recommend this to anyone who would like a psychological thriller in manga form, or is looking for something out of their comfort zone.
April 12, 2021
It wasn’t hard to rate this one. I’m split right down the middle. I’m quite interested in what’s going on, but it is moving a little slow for my tastes. It makes me wonder if there will be a total of eight books in this series.
The art was pretty good. I just really loved the cover in all of its colorful glory!! There were also a few parts that I was wishing were in color also. It would make things really pop!!
So all in all, I liked it as a beginning. It will be interesting to read the next in the series and try to figure out what will happen to our group of students. I’m not in love with any character in particular though because we don’t know a whole lot. That’s fine, I’ll just keep thinking of them as a group.
This means, I may or may not recommend this one. Ha! Sorry, I’ve got to see where this is going to really be able to recommend this one. On to the next one I say!!!
Thanks to NetGalley, Kodansha, and Vertical Comics for allowing me to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion.
Check out this review and others on my blog @ https://shannarareads.com/?p=396
Thank you!!!
The art was pretty good. I just really loved the cover in all of its colorful glory!! There were also a few parts that I was wishing were in color also. It would make things really pop!!
So all in all, I liked it as a beginning. It will be interesting to read the next in the series and try to figure out what will happen to our group of students. I’m not in love with any character in particular though because we don’t know a whole lot. That’s fine, I’ll just keep thinking of them as a group.
This means, I may or may not recommend this one. Ha! Sorry, I’ve got to see where this is going to really be able to recommend this one. On to the next one I say!!!
Thanks to NetGalley, Kodansha, and Vertical Comics for allowing me to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion.
Check out this review and others on my blog @ https://shannarareads.com/?p=396
Thank you!!!
April 26, 2021
I appreciate the concept. I like the characters.
It's the translation and the presentation that I feel need to be more polished and I do feel need to be redone.
The artstyle is good nevertheless.
The first four chapters in the first volume. Liked it. Hopefully the next volumes come up with a more polished and better translation.
The suspense is kept well. Expect some horrifying moments.
Trigger warnings for the mention and hints of suicidal events.
And yes, expect teen drama and school fun. It's heartwarming at times.
The best part is saying no to vandalism. Truly appreciated.
The manga does become better with the subsequent chapters as it happens with most manga series.
A huge thanks to the authors and the publisher.
It's the translation and the presentation that I feel need to be more polished and I do feel need to be redone.
The artstyle is good nevertheless.
The first four chapters in the first volume. Liked it. Hopefully the next volumes come up with a more polished and better translation.
The suspense is kept well. Expect some horrifying moments.
Trigger warnings for the mention and hints of suicidal events.
And yes, expect teen drama and school fun. It's heartwarming at times.
The best part is saying no to vandalism. Truly appreciated.
The manga does become better with the subsequent chapters as it happens with most manga series.
A huge thanks to the authors and the publisher.
October 14, 2024
"Sadness never goes away. We live on... with sadness carved into our hearts. That's what makes us beautiful."
On today's episode of "I am not crying, you are": Mizuki Tsujimura to the nth degree ❄️❄️❄️ (if you liked "The Lonely Castle in the Mirror" -my review here- as much as I did, give this a shot, but know that is way way more depressing and intense)
This manga (I am reviewing all 4 volumes here) encapsulates all of Tsujimura's favorite themes and then some.
This is a story about mental illnesses among teenagers. It's a story about bullying and the struggle to make sense of it all. It's a story about suffering. It reminds us that we rarely know someone entirely, understand their struggles, and what's behind their smile.
You are in for:
🧊 horror and mystery
🧊 high-school manga
🧊 great illustrations
🧊 isekai (= displaced world) / paranormal
⚠️ every panel, and I mean EVERY single panel, is a CW: mental illnesses, self-harm (on page), suicide (on page), blood, abandonment, and emotional abuse (including excessive pressure to perform).
My only niggle: in this manga, as in many many many others, mothers are often described as selfish and absent; it is rarely the father. It's such a skewed and patriarchal view.
July 24, 2022
I liked the mysterious plot and trying to come up with theories as to who died is a great experience, but the I am not really vibing with the characters yet. Hoping that changes in the next volume!
Also, this story sounds very similar to the author's other novel Lonely Castle in the Mirror which was quite disappointing in a way, because I loved that book.
Also, this story sounds very similar to the author's other novel Lonely Castle in the Mirror which was quite disappointing in a way, because I loved that book.
May 11, 2021
A weird, trapped in a school, can't get out, who's dead and who's not story.
It feels like I've read a story just like this before. The idea of kids trapped in a building or school with no way out has been done. THe intriguing thing here is "Who died?". The story opens with someone killing themselves and through the kids being trapped in we're trying to piece together who died and why...or if they're all dead...
The story moves a bit slow for me. And I feel like I've read it before. However, the art is fantastic as well as the dialogue being really solid for most part. The pacing is the biggest issue I currently have but I'm hoping it'll speed up as it goes. For now though I am intrigued enough to find out where we go from here.
A 3 .5 out of 5.
It feels like I've read a story just like this before. The idea of kids trapped in a building or school with no way out has been done. THe intriguing thing here is "Who died?". The story opens with someone killing themselves and through the kids being trapped in we're trying to piece together who died and why...or if they're all dead...
The story moves a bit slow for me. And I feel like I've read it before. However, the art is fantastic as well as the dialogue being really solid for most part. The pacing is the biggest issue I currently have but I'm hoping it'll speed up as it goes. For now though I am intrigued enough to find out where we go from here.
A 3 .5 out of 5.
April 16, 2021
These thoughts will also be shared on my Youtube channel! Subscribe to my channel!
"I don't have any strengths and I have no personality. That's why I'm attracted to the kind of bright light that I don't have."
Diving into this book, I didn't really internalize the blurb since I really wanted to be surprised. Just looking at the cover, I thought it was going to be more on the YA Contemporary or even romance side of things.
Boy was I wrong. This manga is such a SLOOOOOOW burn. It really took its time showing the relationship dynamics of a group of friends who are quite literally stuck in their school as time stood still on the moment when a former classmate jumped off the school's roof.
The writing and the art are simplistic but really have the potential to punch you in the gut. It was around the 2nd and 3rd chapters that the mysterious part of the story started to unravel. I found myself checking the pages again and again because I kept thinking "oh no there's only X pages left!! there are still a lot of questions!!" and alas, it slaps you with a cliffhanger!
I'm definitely looking forward to the sequels because I want to see other character arcs as well and how these can affect the story and the readers' perception of the story.
Trigger Warnings: suicide, suicide attempt
"I don't have any strengths and I have no personality. That's why I'm attracted to the kind of bright light that I don't have."
Diving into this book, I didn't really internalize the blurb since I really wanted to be surprised. Just looking at the cover, I thought it was going to be more on the YA Contemporary or even romance side of things.
Boy was I wrong. This manga is such a SLOOOOOOW burn. It really took its time showing the relationship dynamics of a group of friends who are quite literally stuck in their school as time stood still on the moment when a former classmate jumped off the school's roof.
The writing and the art are simplistic but really have the potential to punch you in the gut. It was around the 2nd and 3rd chapters that the mysterious part of the story started to unravel. I found myself checking the pages again and again because I kept thinking "oh no there's only X pages left!! there are still a lot of questions!!" and alas, it slaps you with a cliffhanger!
I'm definitely looking forward to the sequels because I want to see other character arcs as well and how these can affect the story and the readers' perception of the story.
Trigger Warnings: suicide, suicide attempt
Read
April 6, 2021this is a book about suicide. it’s about a group of 8 people who arrive at school one day, with their watches suddenly stopped at a certain time. this time is when their fellow student committed suicide two months prior. but none of these students remember his/her death, even tho it was recent. the students soon realize that the person who killer themselves is in the room with them, and they are reliving the months leading up to their death
this was very confusing to me and i soon found that you had to read this right to left, since it’s a japanese comic. storyline has potential but extremely confusing
this was very confusing to me and i soon found that you had to read this right to left, since it’s a japanese comic. storyline has potential but extremely confusing
April 14, 2021
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
” Someone once said that you die twice. Once, when your physical body decays. And once more when you vanish from people’s memories. ”
TW: Suicide, self-harming
I was so excited when I was this manga popup on my radar. I didn’t hear about it previously but seeing that the art was done by Naoshi Arakawa, author of You Lie in April, while the story was writing by Mizuki Tsujimura, whose award-winning book Lonely Castle in the Mirror is finally getting published in English this year, got me hooked.
On a snow day, Hiroshi and Mizuki discover that their school is empty. They are the only ones there along with 6 other classmates. Moreover, all the clocks have stopped. After going back and forth in the building in order to find other people, they realize that they are locked in and there is no way for them to leave the school grounds. For some reason, all of this seems connected to the suicide of one of their classmates during the school festival two months ago. But no one actually remembers their name or their face. Solving the mystery seems to be the only solution to their problems.
Since it’s a mystery, I don’t want to talk too much about the plot, but this first volume was a good introduction. We get a brief introduction to each character; therefore, it was difficult to get attached to any of them so far. But it seems that it’s going to be a plot-driven manga rather than a character-driven one. I find it interesting that, beneath the mystery aspect, the manga also dealt with heavy topics such as loneliness and I guess suicide is also going to be even more talk about in the next volumes.
Regarding the art style, I overall like it even though I found it weird sometimes, really sketchy and some characters were roughly done.
If you are looking for a plot-driven manga and that you like the mystery aspect of Erased, I would definitely recommend picking this one up.
” Someone once said that you die twice. Once, when your physical body decays. And once more when you vanish from people’s memories. ”
TW: Suicide, self-harming
I was so excited when I was this manga popup on my radar. I didn’t hear about it previously but seeing that the art was done by Naoshi Arakawa, author of You Lie in April, while the story was writing by Mizuki Tsujimura, whose award-winning book Lonely Castle in the Mirror is finally getting published in English this year, got me hooked.
On a snow day, Hiroshi and Mizuki discover that their school is empty. They are the only ones there along with 6 other classmates. Moreover, all the clocks have stopped. After going back and forth in the building in order to find other people, they realize that they are locked in and there is no way for them to leave the school grounds. For some reason, all of this seems connected to the suicide of one of their classmates during the school festival two months ago. But no one actually remembers their name or their face. Solving the mystery seems to be the only solution to their problems.
Since it’s a mystery, I don’t want to talk too much about the plot, but this first volume was a good introduction. We get a brief introduction to each character; therefore, it was difficult to get attached to any of them so far. But it seems that it’s going to be a plot-driven manga rather than a character-driven one. I find it interesting that, beneath the mystery aspect, the manga also dealt with heavy topics such as loneliness and I guess suicide is also going to be even more talk about in the next volumes.
Regarding the art style, I overall like it even though I found it weird sometimes, really sketchy and some characters were roughly done.
If you are looking for a plot-driven manga and that you like the mystery aspect of Erased, I would definitely recommend picking this one up.
April 15, 2021
Actual rating 3.5
TW suicide
I'm a bit torn on this one. I absolutely love the horror/mystery aspects. It is so creepy and I really need to figure out exactly what is happening. However, I felt that the characters were both forgettable and over the top. I don't remember who is supposed to be who just in this first volume, so I'm hoping that continuing with the story will help. I did like that we got to focus on one character near the end of the volume and so I hope that will continue as well. I definitely need to pick up the second volume.
One other thing that is a pet peeve trope of mine is an age gap between an adult and a teenager. While we don't know the whole story yet, there is a teenage student who is way too into her teacher.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
TW suicide
I'm a bit torn on this one. I absolutely love the horror/mystery aspects. It is so creepy and I really need to figure out exactly what is happening. However, I felt that the characters were both forgettable and over the top. I don't remember who is supposed to be who just in this first volume, so I'm hoping that continuing with the story will help. I did like that we got to focus on one character near the end of the volume and so I hope that will continue as well. I definitely need to pick up the second volume.
One other thing that is a pet peeve trope of mine is an age gap between an adult and a teenager. While we don't know the whole story yet, there is a teenage student who is way too into her teacher.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 22, 2021
Ngga baca blurb nya cuman liat mangakanya sama yg bikin Your lie in April dan ini adaptasi salah satu buku dari penulis lonely castle in the mirror, yaudah coba baca. Dibagian awalnya dibuka kasus bunuh diri di acara festival sekolah private dan kasus sebagai pemacu kejadian aneh di awal musim dingin setelah kasus bunuh diri 2 bulan sebelumnya. Ku pikir bakalan cerita romance-romance remaja dari artnya ternyata ngga. Aku suka bagian psychological thrillingnya, bagaimana ke delapan siswa ini terkunci di sekolah dan satu persatu yg mengingat kejadian bunuh diri itu menghilang. Dari sini sih bikin penasaran kelanjutan kasus nya bagaimana mereka bisa kejebak di dalam waktu di sekolah dan kasus bunuh diri nya paling bikin penasaran, siapa yg bunuh diri ?? dan penyebabnya. Buku Vol.1 nya ini beneran bikin penasaran ceritanya mau dibawa kemana.
May 29, 2021
Thank you Kodansha comics and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Deliciously eerie and poignant, Mizuki Tsujimira delivers an incredibly mystery. What I love about this book is the friendships it explores. Friendship is something that is rarely highlighted in teen fiction, hence why it was refreshing to read about. My only complaint is that the art style was rather sloppy. Overall, if you're a fan of phycological thrillers, or love twists and turns, then this is definitely the series for you!
Deliciously eerie and poignant, Mizuki Tsujimira delivers an incredibly mystery. What I love about this book is the friendships it explores. Friendship is something that is rarely highlighted in teen fiction, hence why it was refreshing to read about. My only complaint is that the art style was rather sloppy. Overall, if you're a fan of phycological thrillers, or love twists and turns, then this is definitely the series for you!
March 6, 2024
March 2024
Kindle edition
Manga
It was on sale so gave it a go. At the beginning it feels like the pages have been scanned and brightened, none of the pages line up and I'm not sure if the panels are straight. Could be my eyes. The art is okay. I liked the story, it had that spooky horror vibe to it with a tense mystery of a stopped clock and numbers dwindling down. Not sure why their first thought was a physical spirit and sounded more among us. Big on suicide and trauma. Has a sort of Lost feeling. I'm curious where this one is going.
Kindle edition
Manga
It was on sale so gave it a go. At the beginning it feels like the pages have been scanned and brightened, none of the pages line up and I'm not sure if the panels are straight. Could be my eyes. The art is okay. I liked the story, it had that spooky horror vibe to it with a tense mystery of a stopped clock and numbers dwindling down. Not sure why their first thought was a physical spirit and sounded more among us. Big on suicide and trauma. Has a sort of Lost feeling. I'm curious where this one is going.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2021
TW: su**ide,sel**arm
September 7, 2021
I’m intrigued by the story and I’m looking forward to read the rest when the time comes.
September 15, 2022
I haven’t read the original novel series because it hasn’t been translated into English, but I’m hoping that it’s better than the manga, because some of the jokes in here just...don’t hit. They seem extremely out of place for a horror/mystery manga. Also I’m not a fan of the typesetting in this translation, but that’s just personal preference. I’ll still continue on with the series though.
January 1, 2024
I finished this in like an hour. It was so good 😭
November 9, 2025
The mounting mystery and varied characters make this an intriguing first volume
April 8, 2021
(Content warning: suicide)
Several teens head out to reenact Robert Frost’s seminal Stopping by School on a Snowy Morning. It’s been some months since a tragedy struck the school, but... what exactly happened and why is it quite literally coming back to haunt these kids?
Oh I love a good mystery, y’know? And while I find a certain subset of Japanese horror, which this one seems willing to adhere to, a little toothless, I can’t deny that my intrigue is thoroughly piqued by this opening volume. As we’ll see, there’s a lot of room to do some good unsettling stuff in this space.
Which is saying something because the art’s not doing anybody any favours and the characters are written a little thinner than I’d like, but given how the volume progresses I think that’s going to be slowly ironed out as we go.
I do like how the sense of dread slowly builds from nothing being wrong to something clearly being very wrong to things being VERY wrong indeed. It takes its time, but it’s never boring and the feeling of unease palpably grows over the story.
And much as I said this might be a bit toothless, there’s one scene towards the end that is absolutely spot on in the creepy and horrifying department, a full on Mark Manga Moment (tm). And it’s done with minimal gore, which is even more impressive.
No, there is a question asked very early on and when somebody finally answers it... well, the response and the way it’s delivered are one of the shiveriest moments I’ve read lately. Perfectly done and worth reading the book just to get to it.
As with any mystery, there’s at least one glaring omission from the suspect pool and I’m very curious if that turns out to be the answer because that would make this even more fascinating than it currently is, honestly. There’s some good work here and the speculation is fun.
4 stars. Yep, thin characters and merely adequate art can’t hold back a cracking good mystery and an atmospheric dollop of horror. The knives might be coming out, the danger is quite real, and the calls may very well be coming from inside the school...
Several teens head out to reenact Robert Frost’s seminal Stopping by School on a Snowy Morning. It’s been some months since a tragedy struck the school, but... what exactly happened and why is it quite literally coming back to haunt these kids?
Oh I love a good mystery, y’know? And while I find a certain subset of Japanese horror, which this one seems willing to adhere to, a little toothless, I can’t deny that my intrigue is thoroughly piqued by this opening volume. As we’ll see, there’s a lot of room to do some good unsettling stuff in this space.
Which is saying something because the art’s not doing anybody any favours and the characters are written a little thinner than I’d like, but given how the volume progresses I think that’s going to be slowly ironed out as we go.
I do like how the sense of dread slowly builds from nothing being wrong to something clearly being very wrong to things being VERY wrong indeed. It takes its time, but it’s never boring and the feeling of unease palpably grows over the story.
And much as I said this might be a bit toothless, there’s one scene towards the end that is absolutely spot on in the creepy and horrifying department, a full on Mark Manga Moment (tm). And it’s done with minimal gore, which is even more impressive.
No, there is a question asked very early on and when somebody finally answers it... well, the response and the way it’s delivered are one of the shiveriest moments I’ve read lately. Perfectly done and worth reading the book just to get to it.
As with any mystery, there’s at least one glaring omission from the suspect pool and I’m very curious if that turns out to be the answer because that would make this even more fascinating than it currently is, honestly. There’s some good work here and the speculation is fun.
4 stars. Yep, thin characters and merely adequate art can’t hold back a cracking good mystery and an atmospheric dollop of horror. The knives might be coming out, the danger is quite real, and the calls may very well be coming from inside the school...
April 6, 2021
Forget locked-room mystery, try locked-time (!) mystery. Ok, so the story goes like this: a group of students get stuck in time on a very snowy day and need to solve the mystery of a fellow student's suicide.
The main characters are:
• Mizuki, who reads her textbook as she walks to school.
• Takano, who's worried about Mizuki's wellbeing after their classmate's suicide.
• Rika, who spend a lot of time with Sugawara, a perv & gambler.
• Shimizu, a top student.
• Mizuru, a guy who denies being upset.
• and Akihko and Keiko, who arrive late.
So, our characters get to school one morning and discover it's completely empty. Now, locked inside, they have to figure out why they are here, why the time has stopped, and how to get out. The only clue is a question written on the blackboard.
There is a twist to all this and it's a big one. A good one. Trust me, it made my jaw drop.
Apart from the fact that suicide is mentioned quite often, the story isn't very dark. There is occasional humor, but the general tone is somber and one of mystery. The manga was classified as horror, and there were definitely parts of it that put it in that category. It's not very gruesome, though, especially that it's black and white, so, you know, blood isn't red.
The characters are lovable and even though there is quite a lot of them, it's easy to remember who is who.
It mixes some school life elements and tropes with heavier topics. If you kind of remember enjoying Stephen King's The Langoliers (or the dreadful CGI in the miniseries by the same name), but want to try something less gory, this manga is definitely for you.
The main characters are:
• Mizuki, who reads her textbook as she walks to school.
• Takano, who's worried about Mizuki's wellbeing after their classmate's suicide.
• Rika, who spend a lot of time with Sugawara, a perv & gambler.
• Shimizu, a top student.
• Mizuru, a guy who denies being upset.
• and Akihko and Keiko, who arrive late.
So, our characters get to school one morning and discover it's completely empty. Now, locked inside, they have to figure out why they are here, why the time has stopped, and how to get out. The only clue is a question written on the blackboard.
There is a twist to all this and it's a big one. A good one. Trust me, it made my jaw drop.
Apart from the fact that suicide is mentioned quite often, the story isn't very dark. There is occasional humor, but the general tone is somber and one of mystery. The manga was classified as horror, and there were definitely parts of it that put it in that category. It's not very gruesome, though, especially that it's black and white, so, you know, blood isn't red.
The characters are lovable and even though there is quite a lot of them, it's easy to remember who is who.
It mixes some school life elements and tropes with heavier topics. If you kind of remember enjoying Stephen King's The Langoliers (or the dreadful CGI in the miniseries by the same name), but want to try something less gory, this manga is definitely for you.
April 9, 2021
В един обикновен ден, когато снегът заплашва да затрупа чак къщите, няколко ученици отиват на училище. Както обикновено.
Но в училището няма абсолютно никого. Вратите и прозорците не се отварят, нито се чупят. Много скоро героите ни откриват, че път навън няма. Часовниците са спрели на един определен час, телефоните не работят.
В този определен час, преди известно време, в училището се е случил инцидент - някой е скочил от покрива. Но никой не си спомня кой е бил този човек, нито как се казва.
А сега, на дъската, се появява един въпрос. "Помниш ли?"
Този кратък преразказ илюстрира идеално какво представлява тази манга. Тя е издържана напълно в стила на мистериите (от по-нисък клас, сиреч - училищните), дори е и малко кървава в даден момент.
В историята предимно се залага на разглеждането на взаимоотношенията между отделните участници, докато се опитват да си спомнят какво ги е довело до ситуацията, в която се намират. Подозирам, че ще се случват доста тежки училищни драми, имайки предвид, че имаме участие на автор, работил по "Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso".
Интересна ми е само доколкото искам да разбера кой е мистериозният самоубиец от покрива, но не съм сигурна, че имам търпението за драмите, тъй като изглежда, че ще ставаме свидетели на много триъгълници и разни пресилени съжаления. Не мога да не призная, че като за училищна мистерия, донякъде е постигнато желаното напрежение и героите като цяло се държат прилично (въпреки че невинаги са логични, но то иначе не се получава мистерията).
Артът е кривичък на много места, което леко ме дразни.
Предполагам, че ще се хареса на почитателите на тази смесица от жанрове (мистерия и драма).
Но в училището няма абсолютно никого. Вратите и прозорците не се отварят, нито се чупят. Много скоро героите ни откриват, че път навън няма. Часовниците са спрели на един определен час, телефоните не работят.
В този определен час, преди известно време, в училището се е случил инцидент - някой е скочил от покрива. Но никой не си спомня кой е бил този човек, нито как се казва.
А сега, на дъската, се появява един въпрос. "Помниш ли?"
Този кратък преразказ илюстрира идеално какво представлява тази манга. Тя е издържана напълно в стила на мистериите (от по-нисък клас, сиреч - училищните), дори е и малко кървава в даден момент.
В историята предимно се залага на разглеждането на взаимоотношенията между отделните участници, докато се опитват да си спомнят какво ги е довело до ситуацията, в която се намират. Подозирам, че ще се случват доста тежки училищни драми, имайки предвид, че имаме участие на автор, работил по "Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso".
Интересна ми е само доколкото искам да разбера кой е мистериозният самоубиец от покрива, но не съм сигурна, че имам търпението за драмите, тъй като изглежда, че ще ставаме свидетели на много триъгълници и разни пресилени съжаления. Не мога да не призная, че като за училищна мистерия, донякъде е постигнато желаното напрежение и героите като цяло се държат прилично (въпреки че невинаги са логични, но то иначе не се получава мистерията).
Артът е кривичък на много места, което леко ме дразни.
Предполагам, че ще се хареса на почитателите на тази смесица от жанрове (мистерия и драма).
April 28, 2021
Although A School Frozen in Time mentions ideas of the Looking-Glass World, Doraemon, Stephen King's Langoliers, and the legendary ghost ship Mary Celeste, if there's one story this manga's first volume is likely to bring to mind it's Another. Like in that piece, this features a group of students in the same class who know that one of their classmates is dead, but cannot recall who it is - or even if it's one of them.
As a horror set up, it's remarkably effective, no matter who's telling the story. This one adds to its atmosphere the device of the endless snowy day, which gives the entire, empty school the air of existing in a different time and place, one packed away in cotton wool with the sounds of reality muffled. The idea of being "put away" also works with the theme of time standing still - it's almost certain that what triggers the clock to start again, albeit briefly, is one student moving ahead with something he's kept to himself. Did that cause his death? Or his escape? Is there really anyway to know?
Right now I'm betting that there's more going on than anyone realizes, and that the teacher, who is absent from the school but very present in everyone's minds, has more to do with it. Whatever the case, I'm hooked - and not holding out any that rather than any of the stories mentioned above this isn't actually Jean-Paul Sartre's No Exit.
As a horror set up, it's remarkably effective, no matter who's telling the story. This one adds to its atmosphere the device of the endless snowy day, which gives the entire, empty school the air of existing in a different time and place, one packed away in cotton wool with the sounds of reality muffled. The idea of being "put away" also works with the theme of time standing still - it's almost certain that what triggers the clock to start again, albeit briefly, is one student moving ahead with something he's kept to himself. Did that cause his death? Or his escape? Is there really anyway to know?
Right now I'm betting that there's more going on than anyone realizes, and that the teacher, who is absent from the school but very present in everyone's minds, has more to do with it. Whatever the case, I'm hooked - and not holding out any that rather than any of the stories mentioned above this isn't actually Jean-Paul Sartre's No Exit.
July 14, 2022
On a heavily snowy day, two months after a school suicide case, eight students find themselves trapped in an eerily empty school, without any possible ways to escape. When they realise that none of them remember the name of the classmate who committed suicide, these students cannot help but wonder if perhaps the dead person is actually among them.
Although I would say that the pace of the story is quite slow, I was still hooked from the start! There were barely introductions to any of the characters, but Mizuki specifically caught my attention. Mainly because she was the first to appear and she is terribly clumsy. The eight students did not seem like they are part of the same friendship clique, probably only classmates, but close enough to be taking pictures together with their homeroom teacher, just the eight of them.
The artwork is not really what I would personally enjoy at other times, but the artist captured the eeriness of the empty school along with some bloody scenes which did gave me some shivers. I liked how the plot is unfolding, and I'm definitely curious as to whether the dead person is really among the eight of them or not. And if yes, why would that person do this?
Many thanks to Netgalley for the digital review copy in exchange for my honest review!
Although I would say that the pace of the story is quite slow, I was still hooked from the start! There were barely introductions to any of the characters, but Mizuki specifically caught my attention. Mainly because she was the first to appear and she is terribly clumsy. The eight students did not seem like they are part of the same friendship clique, probably only classmates, but close enough to be taking pictures together with their homeroom teacher, just the eight of them.
The artwork is not really what I would personally enjoy at other times, but the artist captured the eeriness of the empty school along with some bloody scenes which did gave me some shivers. I liked how the plot is unfolding, and I'm definitely curious as to whether the dead person is really among the eight of them or not. And if yes, why would that person do this?
Many thanks to Netgalley for the digital review copy in exchange for my honest review!
April 23, 2021
I received this book from the publisher/netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
8 friends, a time frozen (multiple times even that all have to do with what happened), a mystery. When I spotted this one up on Netgalley I was intrigued. A bit hesitant as well due to the suicide theme and the fact that NONE of these people could remember who killed themselves that faithful day (HOW? I mean if a friend of mine died or even a classmate I would fucking remember). But I decided to give it a shot.
I love how things seemed normal at first, just 4 friends meeting up and then heading to school, but when they arrive at school… things are weird. The campus is empty. It is just them, and so it starts. I loved seeing the kids try to figure out why the school was empty, walk around and check the campus out, and then the mysterious thing mentioned in the blurb starts. The kids find out they are stuck. LORD, I would have panicked so much if that had happened to me. And yes, I would have also thrown furniture at things to see if I can break a window, or a door, or something to the outside.
OK, so the part that they forgot, I thought that meant they just had forgotten it from the start… but it seems something is messing them inside the building. That definitely changes things for me and makes things more suspenseful/mysterious. What is causing them to forget. Who did die? Will they find out… but also what happens when they remember? That is quite a scary thought.
The story continues and boy I was just sucked in. We see confessions happen, we see them ponder and question what is going on, worry, cry, get angry, and there are other creepy things happening…. and then Mitsuru… he remembers and so we come into his memories. Not just of that day or the day near to it, but also his youth when he had found a cat. I was frankly pretty disgusted by how the author/mangaka showed that Mitsuru remembered to his friends/classmates. I don’t want to delve to far into it, but boy I was practically puking. Bah. Couldn’t there have been a better way? One not so traumatising and disgusting?
I loved the reference to Drifting Classroom! I was indeed thinking of that one when I saw the blurb/title! I am glad I am not alone, the characters also thought of that.
All in all, I want more. This is one manga that has me very curious. I want to solve the puzzle. There are so many hints and puzzle pieces, but I need more if I want to get everything together. Hopefully we get more hints and memories in the next one.
The art? Fantastic, but I already knew that would happen given the mangaka who work on this one. I love their style.
I would highly recommend this one if you like mystery along with spooky/creepy things.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
8 friends, a time frozen (multiple times even that all have to do with what happened), a mystery. When I spotted this one up on Netgalley I was intrigued. A bit hesitant as well due to the suicide theme and the fact that NONE of these people could remember who killed themselves that faithful day (HOW? I mean if a friend of mine died or even a classmate I would fucking remember). But I decided to give it a shot.
I love how things seemed normal at first, just 4 friends meeting up and then heading to school, but when they arrive at school… things are weird. The campus is empty. It is just them, and so it starts. I loved seeing the kids try to figure out why the school was empty, walk around and check the campus out, and then the mysterious thing mentioned in the blurb starts. The kids find out they are stuck. LORD, I would have panicked so much if that had happened to me. And yes, I would have also thrown furniture at things to see if I can break a window, or a door, or something to the outside.
OK, so the part that they forgot, I thought that meant they just had forgotten it from the start… but it seems something is messing them inside the building. That definitely changes things for me and makes things more suspenseful/mysterious. What is causing them to forget. Who did die? Will they find out… but also what happens when they remember? That is quite a scary thought.
The story continues and boy I was just sucked in. We see confessions happen, we see them ponder and question what is going on, worry, cry, get angry, and there are other creepy things happening…. and then Mitsuru… he remembers and so we come into his memories. Not just of that day or the day near to it, but also his youth when he had found a cat. I was frankly pretty disgusted by how the author/mangaka showed that Mitsuru remembered to his friends/classmates. I don’t want to delve to far into it, but boy I was practically puking. Bah. Couldn’t there have been a better way? One not so traumatising and disgusting?
I loved the reference to Drifting Classroom! I was indeed thinking of that one when I saw the blurb/title! I am glad I am not alone, the characters also thought of that.
All in all, I want more. This is one manga that has me very curious. I want to solve the puzzle. There are so many hints and puzzle pieces, but I need more if I want to get everything together. Hopefully we get more hints and memories in the next one.
The art? Fantastic, but I already knew that would happen given the mangaka who work on this one. I love their style.
I would highly recommend this one if you like mystery along with spooky/creepy things.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
April 8, 2021
5/5 stars
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Eight students arrive at school only to find the building empty. The clocks have all stopped at a certain time and there appears to be no way out. The characters soon realize that the clocks are stopped at the time one of their classmates committed suicide at a few months ago. It appears that their departed classmate is behind the strange events and might even be one of the eight students present. The only problem is that no one can remember who killed themselves. With a handful of clues inside the school, the students need to remember who it was that died--or they might suffer a similar fate.
I really enjoyed this volume! Since it was the first volume, things started off a little slowly, but they quickly picked up. There's not a lot known about the characters, though that might be fixed in upcoming volumes. There are some eerie scenes that really drew me in, and I'm really curious about the mystery itself! Things are just getting started in this volume, and I can't wait to see how this mystery progresses!
TW: suicide and self-harm
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Eight students arrive at school only to find the building empty. The clocks have all stopped at a certain time and there appears to be no way out. The characters soon realize that the clocks are stopped at the time one of their classmates committed suicide at a few months ago. It appears that their departed classmate is behind the strange events and might even be one of the eight students present. The only problem is that no one can remember who killed themselves. With a handful of clues inside the school, the students need to remember who it was that died--or they might suffer a similar fate.
I really enjoyed this volume! Since it was the first volume, things started off a little slowly, but they quickly picked up. There's not a lot known about the characters, though that might be fixed in upcoming volumes. There are some eerie scenes that really drew me in, and I'm really curious about the mystery itself! Things are just getting started in this volume, and I can't wait to see how this mystery progresses!
TW: suicide and self-harm
May 20, 2021
A School Frozen in Time is a mystery manga about a group of friends that are suddenly stuck in their school. They can't get out and the clocks have stopped. One of their classmates killed themselves a couple of months ago, but none of them seems to remember who and it seems one of them is a spirit of that said person. This is the plot for the first book and this is a series of four books. So, quite short and thus the volume gets into business fast. In a sense the manga doesn't offer anything new, but it's interesting still and keeps the mystery up. The biggest downfall is that the original series is from 2007 and thus the phones are old and the setting feels old due to it. I do really enjoy mystery series when they're well done and there's horror elements in this too without being all over the place.
The art looks crude and kind of incomplete, which is a shame. Arakawa isn't all that magnificent with faces and the panels are quite empty too. Since this all happens in a school, the setting is extra bare and centered around the characters that look wooden in a sense. I don't know really why this was suddenly published in English, when this isn't knew and quite basic? Not bad, but not amazing either.
The art looks crude and kind of incomplete, which is a shame. Arakawa isn't all that magnificent with faces and the panels are quite empty too. Since this all happens in a school, the setting is extra bare and centered around the characters that look wooden in a sense. I don't know really why this was suddenly published in English, when this isn't knew and quite basic? Not bad, but not amazing either.
April 16, 2021
Thank you Netgalley/Vertical Comics
As the school festival a couple of months ago someone jumped. As the story begins, we have a group of classmates who fiend themselves trapped inside the deserted school. The corridors are empty, phones don’t work, doors and windows don’t open, and the clocks are stopped at the time when this person jumped. BUT no one can remember who it was.
The premise and slow building tension work well, depending on how the story is continued over the next few books I think A School Frozen in Time could really ramp up on the horror. As a beginning I think this first book is a good enough hook to want people to come back and read more.
As the school festival a couple of months ago someone jumped. As the story begins, we have a group of classmates who fiend themselves trapped inside the deserted school. The corridors are empty, phones don’t work, doors and windows don’t open, and the clocks are stopped at the time when this person jumped. BUT no one can remember who it was.
The premise and slow building tension work well, depending on how the story is continued over the next few books I think A School Frozen in Time could really ramp up on the horror. As a beginning I think this first book is a good enough hook to want people to come back and read more.
May 6, 2021
WOW, this manga is not what I expected, it is much better! I thought it was going to be a slightly lighter story and slice of life (BUT NO), but several things were presented that did this story much better.
I found the story very interesting from the beginning, as there is a group of classmates/friends trapped at school and in time, but what struck me most were the following pages: I felt fear and great anguish😖. All that suspended in history, gives a very shocking and very incredible plus to the story.
I need the next volume!
Thanks Netgalley and Kodansha Comic (Vertical Comics) for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!✨
I found the story very interesting from the beginning, as there is a group of classmates/friends trapped at school and in time, but what struck me most were the following pages: I felt fear and great anguish😖. All that suspended in history, gives a very shocking and very incredible plus to the story.
I need the next volume!
Thanks Netgalley and Kodansha Comic (Vertical Comics) for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!✨
April 13, 2021
Thanks Netgalley and Vertical Comics for supplying me volume 1 of the manga which was done by the same author who did “Your Lie In April” (personally prefer the live action adaptation tbh but that’s just me). Anyways basically it’s where a group of school kids get trapped in their school when a strange paranormal phenomenon happed after the tragic death of their classmate. I can’t help but be reminded of “Corpse Party” when I read the whole volume and even the art was rather off. Yeah sorry but this story ain’t for me chief....
April 23, 2021
This initially gave me really strong Breakfast Club Vibes (as someone who hasn't really seen the classic)
This quickly disappears, as you find yourself engulfed in the mystery presented. The atmospheric horror of this book had me glued to the page as I was reading. Enough so that I forgot this was only Volume 1 and that Volume 2 isn't out until June.
Which means that I'm completely head over heels in love with this series but I'm not stuck in purgatory waiting for it's complete release here in the west.
So for those who also enjoy reading a series as a whole, know that this is 1 of 4 Volumes.
The Final Volume will be out October 19, 2021 according to Penguin Random House.
What I think was absolutely fantastic about this book was, the content warning saying that this work does contain references to suicide. As well as resources for those who need them.
THIS is something I want to see more of in the future.
This quickly disappears, as you find yourself engulfed in the mystery presented. The atmospheric horror of this book had me glued to the page as I was reading. Enough so that I forgot this was only Volume 1 and that Volume 2 isn't out until June.
Which means that I'm completely head over heels in love with this series but I'm not stuck in purgatory waiting for it's complete release here in the west.
So for those who also enjoy reading a series as a whole, know that this is 1 of 4 Volumes.
The Final Volume will be out October 19, 2021 according to Penguin Random House.
What I think was absolutely fantastic about this book was, the content warning saying that this work does contain references to suicide. As well as resources for those who need them.
THIS is something I want to see more of in the future.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews