Aka no Sekai

Since this is a collection of short stories, I will be reviewing each chapter individually on their own merit.

I'd like to talk about the art before the chapter rundown, since it really impressed me.

The art in this is gorgeous. Simplistic at times to convey the mood of the scene, but there is not an ugly page anywhere in this manga. Bikke, whom does the story as well as the art, deserves recognition for the amount of detail that went into the backgrounds and textures.

The Red World (7) - An interesting horror/mystery story. The characters didn't develop much over the course of the chapter, but they're pretty endearing to start with. The plot was somewhat far-fetched, but still managed to capture my interest and keep me absorbed throughout. Thanks to the marvelous pacing of the whole chapter, I was never bored either. An enjoyable chapter all around.

The Story Time (8) - A mature romance story that tugged at my heart strings and left me unsure of how to feel by the end. When a work of fiction can toy with my emotions like that, it must be doing something right. It should be noted, however, that the pacing felt a little rushed in some parts.
This was more of a character piece than the first story, and to me that's important. Nothing beats good character's in my book.

The Pigeon's Wings (9) - This was a gorgeous story. It was unique, and it offered a cool viewpoint most people wouldn't consider. The main character had good characterization, and the supporting cast all played their parts well.
It's touching in places and uplifting in others. My favorite of this collection.

Flowers in the Palm of My Hand (6)- This one wasn't bad, but it was the weakest of the four stories. It heightened the suspension of belief much higher than even the first chapter did, and the romance couldn't compete with The Story Time chapter. It didn't help that the characters weren't especially compelling either. The art was still solid, and the premise tried it's hardest to pique the readers interest, but it still couldn't quite hold a candle to the others in this anthology.

All in all, this collection of short stories gets a strong recommendation from me. It delivered solid storytelling all around, even if it's final chapter felt a bit weaker than the others.