In Reika, a young orphan whose parents recently died in a car crash is having trouble making friends in her new school, and finds herself being picked on by the class bully. The child withdraws and turns her thoughts inwards. Soon she begins seeing strange and frightening supernatural beings.
The creatures turn out to be Yokai, spirits in a variety of shapes who wander between hell and our world. Reika comes to lose her fear of these entities, and begins to feel more confident and loved because of their friendship.
This story is from the Heart Anthology, a collection of works taken from Webtoons’ 2020 short story contest. I’m a big fan of these self-contained narratives, because the story arcs are well-defined like a good movie or novel. For example, Reika’s story structurally begins in the present day, with the rest being told in flashback, leading up to a touching epilog.
Creators Marvin.W and caw-chan have composed a fast-paced, exciting, and visually impressive fantasy. Their collaboration is a feather-light balance of drama, comedy, and young romance. The story situates itself in an interesting space between reality and the supernatural world. It is a thrilling exploration of the the unseen and the unknown, but for its young protagonist, the consequences are personal and very real.
