Mu-kai

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(This is a non-spoiler review)

This story has an undeservedly low score, and I blame this on the reviewers' lack of experience with short stories. The point of a short story is to invoke certain emotions or ideas by hitting specific points and leaving other points open. I think this story does just that.

The setting and story is done so well and sparks enough interest in the readers that a point of contention by the other reviewer and those in the forum discussion is that it was TOO short. They desired more. This is one thing good short stories do well, give a sufficient amount of ... story to make you feel satisfied, but want more, this is NOT a fault.

The world and it's predicament are set out and described in just a few pages, an adequate amount to understand the setting and predicament of the characters. I will admit the main character Kenta was lackluster, and I think this lends to the idea of the story being incomplete/unsatisfactory. The supposedly main character Kenta is treated as a side-character even though the story is in his POV. The only thing we know about Kenta is where he was from, and a brief mention of what his life what like from 2 anecdotes in a single panel. From his character design, I thought he was a tom-boyish girl until he gave his obviously-a-boy-name 7 pages in. I think Mika had a satisfying story arc, and the old-man played his part.

Of course it could have been much longer, and have been made into a multi-volume series even, but that would ruin the impact of the story. The desire for MORE from readers is the misunderstood idea that EVERY single plot point in a story/form of media has to be touched upon and completed by the end, or the story was bad. Again, this would undermine the impact, something I think most reviewers don't understand. They see 'One-shot', and assume it's a truncated version of a larger story, and they feel robbed, thus the lower scores.
Hirotaka Tobi is a science-fiction writer who is known for his short stories; it's basically all he writes.

Regarding the art:
Kishiro Yukito (Author and artist of Battle Angel Alita/Gunnm) does a very good job of expressing the world and his attention to detail is as usual very pleasing. It is unfair to compare a very short-story (32 pages) to the huge multi-series manga Alita. In a short-story, you have to convey many things with very little room, and here, he definitely delivers.

Mukai is a story of impressive scope, following two youths as they're caught in a seemingly motionless world where their surroundings are mashed together, as if swept along by a great storm.

Kenta and Mika - the main characters - find themselves in a unique position. They're the only inhabitants in this world who can move. They can see others, but the other residents are husks of their former selves; revealed to be completely transparent when Kenta and Mika attempt to touch them. It's an intriguing premise, as expected from seasoned sci-fi novelist Tobi Hirotaka, but the scope of the story proves too much for a ... 30-odd page one-shot.

Mukai attempts to tell a coherent tale, and while it is understandable enough, the pace is too quick to really garner any emotional investment from the reader. Tobi Hirotaka writes of parallel worlds, advanced science, a world spreading plague named the 'Grey Ocean' and of non-linear time; it's a little too much for such a short one-shot. The plot comes across as very rushed, with the author hurriedly telling one little tale in a universe that begs for further explanation. A story of this scope both deserves and needs to be doubled in length, at the very least. At only 31 pages, it isn't sufficiently told nor developed, with a lightning fast pace and characters lacking in personality and motivation.

Yukito Kishiro - of Battle Angel Alita fame - handled the artwork. This was his first venture outside of Alita's world in over a decade and unfortunately it seems as if some of his enthusiasm was left behind. Kishiro's page spreads are impressive and his characters are well drawn but, given the calibre of his other work, there's much to be desired. This is a huge shame, as the setting offers the opportunity for some stunning imagery, but instead ends up largely forgettable.

Mukai isn't an awful piece - it's a snappy one-shot with many interesting ideas - but it is certainly not up to expectations. Tobi Hirotaka and Yukito Kishiro are both established professionals with well-regarded work under their belts, but they've missed the mark somewhat here.