Written by Daniel
A nerd from day one, who will talk about his love for fiction and printed stories for hours!
Summer is almost over, and the year is entering its final third. And although I will miss the sun dearly, there are some incredible manga releases waiting for us at the end of this year to make the dark winter seem bright and warm. One of these manga is not only ending but is a masterpiece chilling beneath the shadow of a small tree, barely visible yet undeniably cool.
I am talking about Land of the Lustrous!
This manga takes you on a philosophical journey like no other, with one of the most distinctive art styles you will ever see in comics or manga. It is a hidden gem you should not miss. (You’ll get this joke in a second, hehe.)
What is Land of the Lustrous about?
Tens of thousands of years after humanity ceased to exist, the earth is only inhabited by a few immortal beings that are made out of gems, called the Lustrous.
Each of these individuals have unique roles and attributes that are determined by their hardness. Although some of these roles are smaller than others, all of them follow the same goal essentially.
About once every three days, a mysterious force called the Lunarians, attacks the Lustrous from the sky to collect their shattered fragments from the wounded Lustrous for unknown purposes. To prevent this, the strong Lustrous fight with their gem-like weapons and abilities to protect themselves and the weaker ones, who instead heal or gather information.
Phos, short for Phosphophyllite, is newly born at the beginning of the story. Unfortunately, they are one of the most fragile gems ever born, which earns them the seemingly meaningless task of compiling a natural history encyclopedia. However, this task is not rewarding enough for Phos and they desire a greater purpose to prove their worth to themselves and the other Lustrous.
On a fateful day, Phos encounters a dangerous situation, which reveals that Phos possesses a unique ability that changes them physically and psychologically.
As Phos’s journey unfolds, questions arise about identity and what it means to be yourself. On top of that, the lines between allies and enemies become blurry and reveal secrets that will change everything the Lustrous once believed in.
This manga is the perfect blend of mystery, action, philosophy, and existential crisis.
Additionally, the manga takes a lot of inspiration from Buddhism, which makes the story feel spiritual and meaningful beyond the panels!
Speaking of panels… I have to talk about this incredible art style…
Art that Makes Opposites Bleed into Each Other
You may ask, ‘Daniel, isn’t every art style unique in its own way?’
Yes, definitely! But Land of the Lustrous is something that me and my fellow manga friends haven’t seen before! It is far more than an art style, but rather a statement on a meta level, based on the story itself.
The story of Land of the Lustrous is filled with a lot of opposites that bleed into each other as the story progresses. The gems are either hard or soft, the individuals are either good or bad, and the world seems beautiful until it isn’t. And while this ‘bleeding’ is done well in its writing, the art helps us through this transition, which then amplifies the story itself and creates a sense of comfortable unease within the audience. What do I mean by that exactly?
If we look at the story during its first pages, we could assume that this is a wholesome manga. The characters are cute, the lines are all soft, and the shades of grey are mostly bright. Our brains get soft and ready for something beautiful. But then the Lunarians arrive… They are attacking these cute beings, who then in turn defend themselves successfully. This portrayal already creates small shatters in our expectations and makes our brains harden. We can feel that something is wrong. This doesn’t match up.
We are then presented with the concept of hardness. We understand that harder gems are strong and drawn with harsh lines, and softer gems are weak with softer lines. Until they aren’t… But at least the conflict is easy to understand… the Lustrous are cute beings that are hunted by creepy evil sky demons. Until we are not sure anymore…
The Art Helps Us Process
Each chapter cracks our expectations and leaves us with a shattered brain halfway through the story. We no longer know what’s right or wrong. We don’t know what to believe. The only thing that helps us process is the art.
Soft lines nestle against hard lines and start to bleed into each other. The beautiful world starts to become filled with grotesque elements. The cuteness of the good side and the creepiness of the bad side vanish. And although this makes us feel uneasy, this visual representation of change helps us process that there are no lines anymore. Not only does this create a unique visual journey, but also shows how well visual elements can amplify a story, especially if the style is chosen closely to what the story tries to tell.
The story is about gems and their hardness, which we can feel through the art!
The story is about good or bad and how this may not exist, which we can feel through the art!
The story is about breaking expectations like a fragile gem, which we can feel through the art!
But ultimately, the story is about change within yourself and the world, which we can feel through the incredible art – making this the most unique visual journey that you can encounter.
Identity, Change, Belonging, and the Cycle of Destruction
But the manga is far more than just a visual masterpiece! It is a philosophical journey like no other, which draws inspiration from Buddhism. Not only does the manga take visual inspiration from it, but it also closely follows some ideas and beliefs that this religion presents. Sadly, I cannot further disclose this point without spoiling, which would hurt the story and the experience. However, after reading this story, you should definitely look up this story in connection to Buddhism.
However, I thankfully can talk about the other themes that I found to be executed perfectly!
Phos is the Perfect Character To Tell This Story!
As I mentioned before, the main character, Phos, is one of the weakest gems to ever exist. This presents itself as a curse to them, because they would love to have a more meaningful role in their group and feel like they truly belong there. This forced identity, as the weak link, makes Phos suffer and pushes them into decisions that ultimately changes them.
While this may sound like a good thing – your classic underdog story, it seems – this change also comes with some negative side effects. Through these changes, Phos discovers secrets, conspiracies, and mysteries that would have never been revealed without their unique change. And while the first change happened to find a sense of belonging, the further changes, ironically, drift them away from their group more and more, making them question who they are, why they change, and where they truly belong.
Additionally, these changes reveal the cycle of destruction that the Lunarians and the Lustrous are trapped in. Fundamental and existential questions are raised, which in turn once again change Phos further, blurring the lines between opposites more and more.
But this change also helps Phos discover what needs to be done and that there is a path for them – just a pretty difficult one. It is up to Phos to decide if they want to stay in their comfort zone and keep living this reality filled with mysteries and secrets or if they want to question the foundation of this world that they are living in and possibly find something worth fighting for. I don’t want to further spoil anything, but I can say that Phos’s character development is one of the most unexpected and craziest I have seen – in the most positive way!
What You Can Learn from Phos’s Change
Ultimately, the story of Land of the Lustrous revolves around the change of an individual and how this can also change the world around them. It shows us that the journey of changing yourself comes with sacrifices but also with opportunities that one may seize.
Change ultimately brings scary insights and destroys the comfort that once was. But change also brings the opportunity to transform things that once were deemed unchangeable. It is up to each one of us to decide if we want to change or not. But once you read this incredible story, you will realize that change is one of the most important things one individual should undergo – even if it brings hardships with it.
A hidden gem ready for you to find!
In conclusion, Land of the Lustrous is a hidden gem that shines with its incredible art style that amplifies the mysterious and life-altering story, symbolizing that art is more than just a visual extra to a story. Themes of identity, change, belonging, and the cycle of destruction, inspired by Buddhism, are handled in a fresh, distinctive way that you definitely haven’t seen before! The main character, Phos, perfectly symbolizes these themes and undergoes a character development that can be seen as one of the best across all manga and will inspire you to seek change in yourself and the world around you. All of this is accompanied by an unbelievably smart conspiracy and mystery that will shock you with every volume.
I’d go so far as to say Land of the Lustrous stands alongside Attack on Titan and Fullmetal Alchemist for mystery and twists! The only reason it hasn’t gained as much attention is its experimental art style, which you can only appreciate by experiencing it., making this a secret tip that you cannot miss!
Thus, if you love experimental stories with huge plot twists, incredible character development, and philosophical themes – you should go ahead and start this journey right now and pick up the last volume at the end of this year!
