Animus

March 12, 2018
Children are disappearing in Kyoto, and the police are confounded about what to do about it. Sayuri and her friend Hisao hang out in a park, where they encounter “Toothless,” a ghost boy who is waiting for someone to find his body. He introduces them to the mystical features of the park, such as swings that allow them to enter people’s dreams and a slide that ages them up or down, depending on which direction they go. Together, they work to find out what has happened to the missing children and to Toothless’s body. Revoy’s otherworldly adventure moves quickly, but his succinct storytelling keeps readers on track with essential details. Both the contemporary and historical elements of the story’s setting come to life in the manga-style art. Revoy makes effective use of thin outlines, cross-hatching, and dramatic, blacked-out backgrounds to create a spooky atmosphere for this mysterious, macabre tale. Ages 14–up. (May)■