Hoshi no Sabaku: Talsha Night

To me, Desert of Stars is one of the most beautiful manga that I've had the honor to read. Of course, obviously, it seems that many others do not agree with me.

Though the plot might seem simple, at first, there's really a whole lot more to it. The story isn't just about two warring planets, nor two twins who happen to be caught in the middle of the war. It's about the characters, about how they react and change to the situation. It's about Manami, who feels unwanted. It's about Kenji, who wants to help his sister. It's about Hitoshi. It's about Juou.

The art might seem simple as well, but there really is also a whole lot more to it. The use of negative space and contrast between black and white is excellent. There are many dark and black scenes. There are also many bright and white scenes. Surprisingly, an almost eerie whiteness is used, on occasion, for extremely dramatic, heart-wrenching scenes, rather than black. It provides a different feeling to the page and is wonderfully executed.

This is definitely one instance where the art seems to say more than the words. The characters all have such a variety of expressions and seems to tell us many things in each panel, even without speaking, without words.

For me, this manga was an exquisite work of art. With each rereading, I found myself enjoying it more and more, constantly finding new things that I didn't notice before. But, even after I had the entire volume practically memorized, there was still something about it, something that captured me time and time again.

Desert of Stars is truly beautiful.