Award-Winning Manga Author Gets Artistic on Store Window

Daisuke Igarashi illustrates six meter wide mural in Shibuya

July 20, 2012 3:35pm EDT (7/20/12)

Daisuke Igarashi, a manga author widely praised for works that artfully mix the natural world with the fantastic, recently appeared in Tokyo-based Shibuya Publishing Booksellers to illustrate a giant mural on the store's glass window. Inspired by his twice Osamu Tezuka Cultural Prize nominated and Japan Media Arts Festival winning Children of the Sea, the six meter wide work will be on display through the end of August.

An art book of original illustration will be released in Japan on July 26th, while the long awaited fifth volume hits on the 30th.

volume 5

art book

Viz has released the manga in North America. From their description of the series:

When Ruka was younger, she saw a ghost in the water at the aquarium where her dad works. Now she feels drawn toward the aquarium and the two mysterious boys she meets there, Umi and Sora. They were raised by dugongs and hear the same strange calls from the sea as she does.

Sora begins investigating their strange connection to the sea. But the current research is too slow for Sora, who is lured away by with the promise of answers. This leaves Umi severely depressed, and it is up to Ruka to help her new friend find his brother. But time is quickly running out…

A chapter can be read online here.