I have to say, I wasn't sure what to expect when I first started reading Annarasumanara. But it didn't take long to be captivated by the art, and fall in love with the plot.

The art style is very noire, the characters having a pencil sketch look and backgrounds heavily saturated in grey. Color is superimposed on certain objects and backgrounds to create a brilliant contrast. It provides a dark and weighty backdrop for the story.

The characters themselves feel real. They're flawed, imperfect, trying to survive and become respectable adults in the process. Throughout the story, you see each Ildeung and Ai grow as their very beliefs are challenged. It's a genuinely moving journey, and it's hard to walk away from this story without lingering on the issues it presents.

I can't say much more about the finer points of the story without spoiling too much, but you will not expect the emotional and psychological journey Annarasumanara will take you on. At what point is magic real? Is it real because it is an actual force that affects the world around it, or is it real because your belief in it shapes the way you view the world? I have nothing but the highest praise and recommendation for this story.