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The smallest things in life can keep a person living, just a little longer...

This nostalgic one-shot deals with the sombre issue of suicide in a sweet but melancholy manner. Mitsuko and her son Yui return to her grandmother's shop; a place where she was raised and spent most of her youth. It is a solitary little shop that sits alone near the tip of the peninsula, at the place of the last bus stop. Very few people ever stop there and all of them leave on the next bus by the end of the day. But as a child during those times she spent in ... her grandmother's store, Mitsuko began to realise that some of the people who got off the bus failed to get back on...

The art is very simplistic and is composed of a lot of dark shading. This creates the nostalgic and bittersweet undertones that the one-shot tries to evoke. There is a sort of hazy, dream-like quality to the art that makes it a relaxing and enjoyable read.

The characters in this one-shot are fairly two-dimensional but I believe that for a one-shot such as this, this is not a very large issue. It is the very strength of the themes and the story that carries this one-shot along. We are introduced to a few secondary characters who serve to reinforce these themes.

Overall, this one-shot carried the purpose of relating a message of hope. Even in the darkest of times, the smallest things in life, like buying a packet of smokes from a shop, or the smile and kind words of a stranger, can let the light shine back in and give us the sustenance to continue on.

The forbidden desire of loving oneself beyond all others...

A curious, dark one-shot that I'm still puzzling my head over. On the outside it begins with a brother reading the suicide letter of his sister. Throughout its course, our belief about what this story really is about changes dramatically. Whatever your original impression may be, several plot twists reveal the reality of the matter. We are slowly drawn into the cruel world of this brother and sister. Their names are never revealed.

The dark, gothic nature of the art befits the themes of this one-shot. The silhouette of trees is beautifully drawn as is the sister's long, ... spidery hair, cascading across her shoulders. There is an old crime, film-noir aspect to the art. And the focus on shadows creates a feeling of being enclosed, trapped in.

The characters are something that I had a problem with. Despite the depth and the darkness of the plot line they remain relatively two-dimensional and are used only as caricatures to progress the story along. There is very little depth to their characters and their motivations and ambitions are left quite undeveloped.

The story portrays a very bleak view on humanity and exploits the faults of man. Overall, I thought that it was a very interesting, albeit confusing read and if you are you looking for something very dark and melancholy then this is definitely for you. The last line of this one-shot was, I thought, very poetic.

Love is fleeting... like the seasons...

This poignant one-shot tells the tale of first love. Spanning the course of several years, the story begins with the young girl, Akino and her father traversing the mountainside. She soon trails behind and discovers, to her amazement, the mysterious appearance of a deep-blue coloured tree. From behind the tree appears an adolescent boy named Konoha, with hair the same shade of blue. This would be the first of their many meetings.

This is a beautifully portrayed one-shot that conveys more emotion to the reader than many full-length mangas. It is able to incorporate such a myriad of conflicted emotions ... and is able to express our reluctance to grow up. Akino reaches one hand hesitantly towards the future but is unable to let go of the past, of the memories and the love she has shared with Kunoha.

The art for this little one-shot is simplistic and clean. There is a very nostalgic feel to the art and it focuses heavily on nature, with many shots of a blue, cloudy sky. Another excellent point to this one-shot is its reliance on the realistic nature of its main character Akino. We are able to relate to her conflict of emotion and her inability to let go of her childhood innocence and in a way 'fantasy' and to approach the future. Kunoha is much less developed and remains forever as a figure of mystery and chivalry.

There is only complaint from me about this one-shot. The flow and leaps in time are sometimes very indistinct and confusing. But overall, if you enjoy reading about bittersweet romances with a light supernatural undertone then this is a must-read.