Hikawa. Volume 10 Cover, From Far Away, Viz Media.
From Far Away – Information
Author of Story: Kyoko Hikawa
Chapter Count: 14 Volumes
Status: Completed
Content Warnings
These content warnings do not reflect the contents of the review below; only the literary work itself.
- Topics of war, explosions
- Violence, death, injury
- Blood
- Mental health
Spoiler Disclaimer
This recommendation post may contain small plot spoilers for review purposes. Any major spoilers are hidden by default and are able to be revealed via click or tap.
From Far Away – Plot Summary
From Far Away is a fantastic manga series that portrays a very fun isekai romance! It follows the heroine Noriko Tachiki, a daydreaming high school student (age 18). One day while Noriko is walking home from school with her friends, something unexpected and crazy happens to her!
A criminal had left explosives around the city, and the police were in the process of searching for them—but poor Noriko accidentally comes into contact with one.
But rather than that being her sudden ending, she is instead transported to a different world, with unique creatures and strong people who speak a different language. Scared and confused, Noriko finds herself following a mysterious yet reliable man named Izark, who was at the scene of her sudden appearance.
He calls her the “Awakening,” and tells her to keep it a secret from those around them. As Noriko travels with Izark, she slowly learns more about this new world and meets more and more people who help her during her journey!
Hikawa. Volume 1 Cover, From Far Away, Viz Media.
Why I Enjoyed From Far Away
Plot:
From Far Away (also known as Kanata Kara in Japanese) is a lot older of a read than what I typically recommend—the original Japanese version of this manga was first published in 1993! I really like the vibe of older mangas, but I will warn that this story is a little cliché.
I also love clichés though haha, so it didn’t bother me at all. I think that the storytelling and portrayal of action in manga has developed quite a lot since the 90’s, but this manga still tells a very interesting, dramatic, and emotional story that was just as enjoyable as modern manga.
Even though the plot was cliché and a bit predictable, I actually kind of enjoyed that aspect, as I often try to find more stories that are similar to what I’ve read before. If you enjoyed Yona of the Dawn or Snow White With the Red Hair, perhaps you’ll enjoy this series, too.
Noriko may not have had as much direct involvement in the overall conflict as the heroines of those two mangas, but she was a still a likable character who played a very important role in Izark’s character growth.
And as you’d expect from a sort of cliché, predictable story, the plot is not overly complicated. Conflict and action happens, but it never feels extremely surprising or suspenseful.
This may be good or bad, depending on the reader. I don’t mind predictable stories, as I’m totally okay with a more uncomplicated reading experience (especially since I read rather often). However, if you’re looking for something mind-blowing, maybe just keep this aspect in mind.
In line with its uncomplicated story, this manga had a consistent theme throughout the plot. It seems like it would just be a simple adventure story, but it actually features a very cool good vs. evil sort of message throughout the story. This obviously isn’t new or unique to this manga, but I just enjoyed how this story portrayed it.
As for the romance, From Far Away is a slow burn love story that is rather tame and very appropriate. It isn’t super sudden, and Noriko isn’t annoyingly looking for a romance after being isekai’d into a new place. The relationship builds very naturally, and involves a lot of trust and reliance.
It is a great option for readers who enjoy a mild romance in addition to an action-and-adventure plot. During moments where the romance shows more prominently, it was very sweet and incredibly endearing. The two main characters are very cute and have good hearts, making them perfectly suitable for a wholesome romance.
Additionally, this story had a little bit of humor here and there that was delightful. It isn’t a romcom sort of humor and is rather subtle—so I think it really fit in perfectly. It helped build in some positivity among the frequent fight scenes and conflicts. Lastly, the ending was well done and pretty satisfying, so the From Far Away manga finishes on a great note!
Characters:
Noriko is your typical shoujo manga heroine: A cute daydreamer who is clumsy and good-natured. She is 18, so she acts a bit more mature than some shoujo heroines, but is also still pretty realistic considering the cards she’s dealt in this story.
Poor Noriko often finds herself in need of saving, especially in the beginning where she can’t even speak the language of this new world she’s in.
Even though I don’t typically enjoy the damsel-in-distress trope, I’m appreciative that the author doesn’t let Noriko magically become super strong in this new world. Instead, they allow her to be her normal self in an unfamiliar place.
I like this because it feels more realistic that Noriko would be confused and scared—not magically full of willpower or strength. She adjusts to the world in her own way, and although Noriko does cry often (and is frequently in need of rescue), I never found her annoying.
I think this is because she tried her best to be strong and often expressed how she disliked being needy. She also plays a very important role in the story that is easier to recognize as the plot progresses.
The male lead, Izark, is an interesting character from the very beginning—and so full of mystery. Why was he there where Noriko was transported? Why is he so strong? Why does he call her the “Awakening,” and why does he help her?
You are immediately drawn to his kind personality, yet still left to wonder what his intentions are. He has a ton of character growth throughout From Far Away, and also has a bit of an unexpected background, which I really enjoyed.
As I got to know his character more, I began to really like the depth of his personality. Often, male leads are just perfect with no flaws, but this manga shows Izark’s personal struggle with his self image, internal struggle, and mental health—even though he is such a strong character physically.
He displays a lot of difficult emotions that male characters are not always portrayed to have or show. I really enjoyed this about his character, as it was really endearing and made the romance more touching, too.
Art:
As usual, I love the art style of older manga. It’s very beautiful. The art throughout the From Far Away manga series is just a bit different than my usual favorite style, but the detail in this manga and design of the characters is pretty close to it!
Something about older manga just feels so nostalgic and very unique to the styles of modern manga. Noriko’s hair and eyes, the outfits, unique side characters—all of them are so interesting and fun.
Hikawa. Volume 14 Cover, From Far Away, Viz Media.
Any Cons?
The world-building in From Far Away is heavily based on fantasy and magic. Things are not explained very often, and powers exist just because. When things are explained, it’s often done quickly, in the moment, and with little detail. If you dislike this sort of world-building with little explanation, you may not enjoy this manga.
There are also a ton of characters in this manga, many of which who don’t really get a full introduction—so sometimes it can be a bit confusing. I had trouble remembering the names of characters at times, but I was at least able to keep up with the story.
I do feel like this aspect makes all the side characters almost irrelevant when they don’t get as much focus or character depth, but that isn’t necessarily a huge problem (sometimes learning too much about too many characters can be a struggle, too). I guess it can be hard to get that perfect middle-ground when it comes to side characters.
I’ll also mention that the ending of this manga does feel slightly dragged out. The last few volumes bring in many more characters and more questions. This extension towards the end feels a bit like unnecessary side quests, even though it does actually follow the main plot.
By the end, I was beginning to get tired of waiting for the final conclusion, but continued reading anyway so that I could see the resolution and a happy end. The ending was worth it, so pull through, friends!
Final Thoughts
From Far Away was a worthy read—featuring whimsical fantasy, magic, action, adventure, and romance. The romance was very sweet and wholesome, and I really enjoyed seeing the characters grow slowly as the plot progressed.
This shoujo manga definitely shows its age a bit with the way it is written, but for enjoyers of fantasy, I think you will still really enjoy it. I think the art style is very beautiful, and I really enjoyed this read overall! I hope you do, too. ♡
Disclaimer: Any images used for this blog are for illustrative purposes only, are not owned by me, and are under ownership of the artist or publisher.
Images Credit: Hikawa, Kyoko. From Far Away, Viz Media, 2004.
