Ran to Haiiro no Sekai

Okay, this manga is amazing. It drew me in from the first chapter and did not let me go. I love almost everything about it! ... But that doesn't mean it has a few issues.

Story 9/10: This bewitching story is filled with magic, fun, excitement and everyday life in a very good balance. It's never so casual that it gets boring, but never so intense that you feel it doesn't fit. This is kind of a nitpick, but I was not the biggest fan og the pacing from the middle until the end. It worked okay, but lost a bit of it's initial energy.

Art 10/10: I did not expect to like this, but it was amazing. This manga was made between 2008-2015, but the artstyle looks like something out of the 90's with a modern twist. When they want someone to look happy they get this glow about them and when someone is mad their face really shows it. The spells, scenery, character designs and general atmosphere was all very well expressed in the drawings and I feel like it opened up a lot of possibilities for someone like me who usually doesn't enjoy the artstyle from the 90's and earlier.

Character 9/10: Everyone in this manga has a unique and very fun personality. I especially enjoyed Ran with her bubbly energy and Shizuka who is just a silly, but really motherly ball of fun. The only person I didn't enjoy as much as the others was Outarou. He wasn't a bad character, but his womanizing and sometimes really mean personality didn't grow on me at all. Even if he learns a bit through the manga, I just couldn't bring myself to like him.
The relationship between him and Ran is also something I have mixed feelings about. Since Ran uses an aging spell when she's with him, he doesn't know she's 10 while he's in his late 20's, but it just made me uncomfortable when he was with her. He had more of an adoration or obsession with her than anything else, and saw her as more of an angel than a person, something that made me feel like their relationship wasn't very strong despite all the time they spent together.

Enjoyment 10/10: This manga was a blast. It captured my attention fast and just kept roping me in with fun characters and a very engaging story. It has a great climax and some really great emotion and atmosphere and I just can't do anything but love it.

Overall 9/10: Even is this manga has some issues with pacing and characters, it is a heck of a good manga. It takes the reader seriously and doesn't try to be completely kid friendly. It sucks you in with its atmosphere and keeps you hooked until you realize you've read the entire manga and it's suddenly 4 o'clock in the morning. If you like magic, action, drama and a hint of romance, with an enjoyable and fun cast of characters, then this is the manga for you!

Ran to Haiiro no Sekai has a nice slice of life beginning to the story. The first few chapters introduce you to the main character 10 year old Ran and her family. It presents their unique family dynamic of being sorcerers and sorceresses and the father and brother struggling to keep tabs on Ran who has much power but little control.

After characters are established, the story smoothly shifts into the main plot, building plot points that may seem episodic or irrelevant at first but are relevant later on. The author also does a great job of showing all the characters' faces, even the not so nice ones. However, at least from my experience reading it, all the characters are loveable/likeable.

Lastly, the art is a perfect match to the comical and light vibe the story creates. The character designs themselves do a great job complimenting the characters' own personality traits.

While there is a main plot, the main focus of the story is watching Ran feel her way through her young life. If you're looking for (depending on your definition of light, at least in the beginning) a light, funny slice-of-life read, I recommend you check this out.

Inexplicably wondrous and enchantingly beautiful.

If you've ever seen an episode of Mushishi, you probably have felt some of what this manga will make you feel.

If you've ever read Omoide Emanon, you probably have felt some of what this manga will make you feel.

I can fathom no way to improve it, other than that I want to feel more of what this series made me feel.

A perfect series can end one of two ways. It can end with all ends tied and all arcs closed, or it can leave you with a longing to erase your memory of the series so that you can read it for the first time again. This is the latter, and by God... what I would give.

Read it. it will improve you.

Easily one of my favorite things ever, but flawed and difficult to recommend. The villain's unacceptable behavior is pretty unsettling, though I think his character is handled pretty well. The point of the series is dealing with traumatic realities, and he's one of them.

I also appreciate just how long it goes on after the final battle against the antagonists; almost half the manga takes place after that point. There's enough time for the characters to properly bounce back from that and to get to back to the real point: the parallel stories of adults and children dealing with stress.

The adults face hectic work and tough decisions, while the kids face the veil coming down from their eyes and the world showing its ugliness for the first time. Both of them seek comfort by returning home, but they've spent so much time fragmented that it's hard for them to work out a balanced family dynamic.

To vainly use some social psychology jargon: there are two kinds of support that can help alleviate the autonomic response that comes with stress: tangible and emotional support. The characters begin to surround themselves with people who can offer them both, while working out issues of interpersonal trust.

The fantasy allows for direct, creative metaphorical imagery which keeps it fresh while continuing to acknowledge the various problems faced by the characters; the probable best example of this occurs fairly late in the manga, and asks us to recall everything that Ran's been through up to that point while she struggles to cope with a brand new experience.

It's a pretty unabashedly sentimental thing that unquestioningly accepts its own ridiculous reality. But it doesn't cut corners to reach that sentiment, and for that it's very uplifting.

Without a doubt the best and sexiest manga out there. I don't mean sexy in a fan service type of way though. This is a Josei manga in the purest sense, because even though the characters are adults, they maintain the signature Shojo sparkle. But the sparkle has been refined with age, to a point where if you saw the characters in everyday life your eyes would naturally be drawn to them.

The whimsy that permeates this world is always there, even at its most serious moments of Drama and Melodrama. The art quality is absolutely phenomenal on every level, such that I could write paragraphs on end about the entire thing. The love that every character feels is portrayed with such grace and charm it is impossible not to feel a warmth in your heart reading this manga. There is no one who could read this and not be affected on some level.

I can admit some might feel the relationship between Ran and Outarou is a little uncomfortable. But you have to remember that nothing does actually come of it, and if you think to yourself that adult Ran isn't attractive you are lying.

The story does get very serious at points. People are nearly killed, lives are ruined, and the story gets extremely dark. But even then, the magic and wonder never leaves the series. If this is ever made available in America, I am buying as much as I can. Everyone who reads this will absolutely love it.

Ok, according with the sacred MAL traditiion. This is my first review! (obviously in this page). Its in english and quesadilla. Im learning english, sorry for any misunderstanding (please, tell me if something is not clear).

Ran to Haiiro no Sekai is a work of Aki Irie, in story and art. Is his most famous manga and the only i read of him. According to the synopsis you already have an idea about the main background of the story, a world of magic.

I really dont want say details about this worldbuilding beacuse is one of the strongest points of the story, since the (very charming) first chapter, its instaured an unique atmosphere of imagination and surprise. Chapter after chapter we are going learn more about the particularites of this world, only close to the end we know all the history of this place. That evolution is satisfactory and entertaining.

Only one thing, i dont see frequently a world so full of little details, outlandish and yet simple and credible. Very impressive the talent of Aki for design such deep universe with a few elements, and for mix it with the daily live.

So, the surroundings are special, ¿the characters? Well, like something i read idk where of by who, the world comes of the persons that inhabit it. If the amazing magic its close to real is thanks to the normal and incredible people capable of doing it. Simple, special and so full of life.

Each character is unique and has an important role for the story also for himself. I mean, have palpable relations with the other ones and without these ones, remains the little customs. The main character have a strong development according to the main theme of the series "growth".

Through Uruma, Hibi and Outarou, the tematic its treated according each perspective and that means, a real work around the topic. Even the pararell stories have a relation with the big theme. Its evolving according the development and in their climax, reach a simple and strong message.

And the fantastic art, its just perfect for the objective of the story. Beautiful when needs to be, so many little deatils in the most important draws, and with funny and comfy faces in the other ones. That dedication is capable of convert that amazing world in something near to real.

The understanding of Aki for the rythm is the "right one". He really knows what he is doing. There are passivity when the story need it, also its passion and frantic in the most non breathing scenes. The same adjectives are valid for the composition of a scene, imaginative with clearity of whats its happening and yet,beautiness.

The only flaw i see is the duration, its true than part of the charming is that is a short story, but that wolrd has a lot of others things to give. I wish Aki give more stories settng in this magical land.

In conclusion, its a short and charmful story. Maybe could give a little more but what we have is special and magical.
The most strong spell its growth.

Español

Ran to Haiiro no Sekai es un trabajo de Aki Irie, tanto en historia como en arte. Es su manga más famoso y el único que he leído. Si lees la sinopsis ya tendrás una idea cerca del trasfondo principal, un mundo de magia.

Realmente no quiero decir detalles acerca de este universo porque es uno de los mejores puntos de la historia, desde el (muy encantador) primer capítulo, se instaura una atmósfera única para la imaginación y la sorpresa. Capítulo tras capítulo iremos aprendiendo más sobre las particularidades de este mundo, sólo cuando estamos cerca del final conoceremos a totalidad la historia detrás del mismo. Esa evolución es satisfactoria, trabajada y entretenida.

Sólo quiero comentar que no veo frecuentemente a mundo tan llenos de pequeños detalles, extravagante y aún así simple y creíble. Muy impresionante el talento de Aki para diseñar un universo profundo con pocos elementos, y para mezclarlos con la vida cotidiana.

Entonces, el contexto es especial ¿Los personajes? Bien, como leí alguna vez, no sé donde ni por quién, el mundo proviene de las personas que lo habitan. Si la increíble magia está cerca de la realidad es gracias a los normales e increíbles personas capaces de lograrla, especiales y llenas de vida.

Cada personaje es único y tiene un importante rol para la historia y también para sí mismo. Quiero decir, tienen relaciones palpables con los demás, y sin estos, aún quedan sus pequeñas costumbres. Los personajes principales tiene un denso desarrollo acorde al tema principal "madurar".

A través de Uruma, Hibi y Outarou, la temática es abordad acorde a cada perspectiva, lo que significa un verdadero trabajo alrededor del mismo. Incluso las historias paralelas tienen una relación con el trabajo principal. Evolucionan acorde al desarrollo y en el clímax, alcanzando un simple y poderoso mensaje.

Y el fantástico arte, simplemente perfecto para el objetivo de la historia. Hermoso cada vez que lo necesita, repleto de pequeños detalles en los dibujos más importantes, y con divertidas y entretenidos expresiones en las demás. Esa dedicación es capaz de convertir tal increíble mundo en algo cercano a la realidad.

El entendimiento de Aki del ritmo es el "correcto". Sabe lo que está haciendo, hay pasividad cuando la historia lo necesita y pasión junto a frenetismo en las escenas más tensas. Los mismos adjetivos son válidos para la composición de las escenas, imaginativas con claridad sobre lo que está pasando y aún así, belleza.

La única falla que veo es la duración, si bien es cierto que parte del encanto es su corta extensión, su mundo tiene tantas cosas que podría dar. Espero que Aki brinda más historias ubicadas en está mágica tierra.

En conclusión, es una corta y encantadora historia. Podría haber dado un poquito más pero lo que tiene es especial y mágico.
El más poderoso hechizo es la madurez.

Deeply flawed story with some strikingly redeeming qualities. Whether the flaws are too problematic will depend on the reader.

Ran to Haiiro no Sekai is the story of Ran, a 10-year old girl from a family of magic users, who is heir apparent to great power, but just learning to use it, and just as prone to misuse it.

It's the execution of said story that gets lost. In reading it, it's not clear the mangaka could decide what the story should be. At its best, it follows the "ordinary" day to day life of its (mostly) very appealing characters. Ran is vibrant and charismatic; seeing her explore her world is a joy, even as her struggles at school and testing her family limits feel real. Indeed, this story has so many great characters, including Jin, Nio, Hibi, Tamao, and many more, each distinct and interesting in their own way. This manga could have been built around Ran's coming-of-age, with plenty of room for its huge cast of characters to get substantial side stories of their own, and it would have been endlessly entertaining and charming. The potential for great character development and stories weaving magic with growing up is here.

But that, apparently, wasn't enough. Instead, Ran needed the gimmick of being able inhabit her 20-year old body by putting on a special pair of sneakers, which she does time and time again. There was never a why for this power, although initially, she seemed to use magic better in this form. The only reason this seemed to serve for the story is to allow her to meet Outarou, an adult character who is far too reminiscent of Doumyouji of Hana Yori Dango in his earlier, arrogant days, so he could become infatuated with her this way. Mind you, she doesn't age when she puts on the sneakers. She is merely her 10-year old self in her 20-year old body. For most of the story, he is unaware of this, and although the story initially depicts him taken with her physically, it presents him falling in love with her as time goes by, which to put into perspective, is a 29-year old man falling in love with a 10-year old personality. Something just doesn't sit right there, to put it mildly.

So after the charming coming-of-age story and bizarre romance, there now needs to be a world-threatening crisis, requiring the sorcery of their world to combat an invading dark force. Here it ends up being reminiscent of Kekkaishi (even down to the family matriarch being outrageously powerful and often away at work) as all the various supernatural beings and magic users with their own bonds and resentments, band together to fight a common foe. Although some groundwork was laid for this story arc, it still feels jarringly out of place. After this arc resolves, the story meanders back to day-to-day life with a focus on recovery from the crisis, and a rushed ending.

Still with me?

Either these three disparate story angles were unskillfully wedged together, or I'm just missing the point, but I think it could have done without the pedophilic romance and epic sorcery conflict. At about 50 chapters, Ran to Haiiro no Sekai is not a long manga. To tell all three stories, there was just too little time to develop so many of the terrific characters, many of whom were simply wasted.

With that said about the story, the art of Ran demands special mention. It is gorgeous. The mangaka takes old-school retro shoujo art and modernizes it magnificently. The character designs are beautiful, idiosyncratic, and appealing. Stills can be breathtakingly detailed and pretty. Typical scene panels are often simply drawn but are dynamic and expressive. This is one lovely manga to look at.

To sum, I have rather mixed feelings about the manga and find it hard to recommend. I consider its story flaws too great to be overcome by the art, characters, and the better parts of the storytelling.

Ran and the gray world is the story about a little girl who has an extraordinary amount of magic. Its a slice of life series however there is a story here as well. And unlike most SOL that try to blend plot together this one actually did it surprisingly well. Now this series took me by surprise. I wasn't exactly sure what the series was about as in the beginning it actually looked like an age gap romance however it became much more than that. Now some of the characters fell flat and the main romance was.. weak. The series did almost everything well. The side romances, the story the artwork, the tension the angst. All of it was well done and addicting but the age gap romance was poor. Age gap itself is a thin line which done well is exceptional and shows the quality of the author but done poorly leaves an incredibly bad aftertaste. And the author doubled down on the poor age gap romance rather than loosening it. Now i liked the other romances in this series as well as pretty much everything else. With the exception of the age gap all the other poor parts of this series were actually minor when you consider the series as a whole. And i definitely absolutely loved certain parts of it. Now the older in the age gap romance was actually the most interesting character so it wasn' a complete situation. Overall the age gap brings the series down from Epic to just awesome instead. Also the author clearly has a fetish for older rough men.

8/10 100% check it out

**SPOILER WARNING**

Ran and the Gray World is a manga about a 10 year old girl named Ran who possesses magical powers. Equipped with a nack for getting into trouble and magical sneakers that artificially age her body up to that of a 16 year old, Ran’s misadventures carry the bulk of the story throughout the series. Supported by a likable cast (with one exception), an ok story, and fantastic art, Ran is a manga with a lot of potential that is ruined by some pretty dark blemishes.

Art: The art is fantastic. It is shoujo styled and works well with the “show don’t tell” style of the work. There are some gorgeous double-paged spreads and detailed work. Very impressive.

Story: The story is laid back for the most part. Most of it is SOL. There is some action in the middle but that’s definitely the weakest part of the story. The best parts are the wonderful character moments (with one character being the exception).

Characters: All but one of the characters is likable and interesting. Ran and her interactions with her older brother Jin always bring a smile to my face. I particularly liked watching Jin and Sango come together as a couple. Watching them was probably the most enjoyable part of the series. Ran’s classmate Hibi, who has a crush on her but also bullies her, was sweet and heartwarming to watch.

And then we get to Outarou. Outarou is a 29 year old womanizer playboy who meets Ran when she falls through his penthouse roof and lands in his flowerbed. We are then shown Outarou trying to force himself onto her, and when she rejects him, refusing to let her leave his penthouse. There is a whole host of problems here, but the biggest problem is that Ran is a 10 year old girl and that Outarou is 29. Outarou does not realize that Ran is this age, but even with Ran magically aging her body to that of a high schooler it doesn’t make their relationship any less revolting. At one point in the story Outarou returns Ran to her home saying “Do you think I would try to keep a minor from her family? I don’t want to get arrested.” He then goes and tries to ask for her parents’ permission to court her with the intention of marriage. Outarou clearly has no moral qualms about having a relationship with a girl who he thinks to be half his age (when in actuality she’s 1/3 his age).

Outarou and Ran’s relationship uncannily resembles the one portrayed in Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita. Which is something I find ironic. For a fandom in which the word “loli” is a commonly used term, it’s interesting to see it used with its original intention in mind. That of an older man with an obsession and sexual lust for a pre-pubescent girl. The manga tries to avoid this moral dilemma by giving her the body of a sexually mature woman, but I’m sure we can all agree the physical age of her body isn’t the problem here. Outarou’s feelings are that of infatuation. He remarks on multiple occasions that Ran looks like she is constantly glowing, and is his dreams she has the wings of an angel. He views her as pure, and untainted. This naturally fuels his obsession and desire to have her for himself. He is selfish, and possessive. There are multiple points in the story where he claims that she “doesn’t need anyone else in this world other than me,” and that he wishes he could take her and keep her from her family, as they are just getting in his way. He treats children cruelly, frequently views other women as objects, and never feels any remorse for his actions.

Outarou’s role in the story baffles me. He’s simultaneously the series only villain, and Ran’s great love. After his death many of the characters look back on him fondly. Which I don’t quite understand considering he murdered dozens of people and attempted to murder Ran, her brother, mother, father, and friend. The author skirts dangerously close to trying to pass off their relationship as ok, and his behavior as acceptable. I legitimately cannot fathom why the series handles him the way it does. No one but Ran’s brother asks him to “take a seat over there,” but not even he makes much of an effort to fully explain exactly what it means when you grope Ran’s ass. He is by all accounts and purposes a pedophile, yet he’s glorified to the point of idolization by the series as a whole. Ran still blindly loves him at the end even after he is shown to be a ruthless murderer, and the wistful reminiscing attempts to sugar coat his entire character and convince you that he was a standup guy. Pretty insulting to be honest. Does the author think I’m just going to overlook everything he’s done because he claimed to “truly love her” in his final moments? I’m not that easily manipulated.

Thankfully Outarou dies about 35 chapters in, yet his shadow hangs on. Ran sees a lot of growth in the final arc of the manga which is somewhat satisfying to read. The problem is that Outarou is the prime motivating factor in her growth. I have trouble watching a 10 year old girl “grow up” when I know she’s only “growing up” because of a relationship she had with a 29 year old man. That just screams “abuse” from all corners of the globe.

I’ve gone on long enough and I think I’ve made my point. Even I’m beginning to feel a little obsessed with Outarou. Basically the whole manga would have been much better if Outarou was just cut entirely. Blame the editor for not stopping the mangaka from going too far. Would I recommend the series? That depends on who you are. It definitely has some great moments, but some parts are just horrid. It’s hard to go from watching a 10 year old girl fool around with magic in her house, to watching a 29 year old man borderline sexually molest that girl in the next chapter. Outarou is a poison that ruins an otherwise fantastic read. I think there are a lot of other manga out there that are more worth your time than this one. It’s not worth getting so worked up that you write a 2 page rant on a character most people don’t remember in a manga that only 3500 people have read.

Note: At the time of my initial review, there was about 11 chapters released. I understand that MUCH has changed within that time, and I have made necessary adjustments. I hope that this review is much more faithful and reflects what Ran To Haiiro No Sekai has become.

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Ran To Haiiro No Sekai is hands down probably the best manga in a long, long time. If that's all you needed to hear, then close MAL and go read it.

I think this is a little redundant to say (as the title translates to Ran and the Ashen World), but this is a story about Ran. It is about the many adventures of this very charming little girl who kinda just wants to grow up. And although it does have the fantasy tag, it is not a fantasy story. It also has the supernatural tag, but I can guarantee it's not that kind of story either.

This manga is about Ran, and this is a story of her growing up.

First and foremost: this manga just FEELS good. It's refreshing, magical, and just gives you a good feeling. After chapter one, I can guarantee that it will just feel remarkable -- I promise. The mangaka is very maticulate, keeping a keen eye on the level of intensity, it's atmosphere, the emotions... always making sure that it feels intangible and whimsical. It's very nicely planned, leaving some things unexplained for a while only to increase shock value, or maybe letting the readers know something that the characters do not, and sometimes he just prioritizes the order of events just to give us readers the best experience.

But despite how intangible and airy this manga may seem at first, it's pretty smart at being effective and memorable. Many things are hinted at (so that you understand something) without actually facing any topics head on. For example, in the beginning, it was immediately understood that Sango had a crush on Ran's brother (and not only does that develop, but it has become very important). This is something rarely done in manga, and I believe only the best mangaka are able to pull this off.

I mean, you always get the FEELING you understand what's going on, even though there's never a formal introduction.

The characters, too, are superb, and within the last 40 chapters or so, they all have been expanded greatly on. At first, it may seem like there are an abundant amount of stock characters, however, that idea pulls a whole 180 and begins to develop even the one’s we've seen little of. There are even some scenes just put in there for the sake of the character development. Extremely impressive, and even more so once you factor in the part where there’s currently only five or so volumes.

And the art is something I must touch upon, although I usually do not consider this part of my scoring. Just like the pacing and narration, it feels just so, so different. It's beautiful, but, it too feels whimsical and airy and magical. I don't want to touch too much on this (I mean, how many different ways can you try and describe someone else's art?) but there is no way to dislike it.

In my original review, I said it was a "great manga, with even greater potential". I still stand by this, but I am so glad I called that early on. It has become so popular in such a small amount of time -- for sure it has become the "next best thing". And like I said in my earlier review, Ran often gets herself in some undesirable situations for her age, but the mangaka has already recognized these problems and fixed it (how cool is that?). I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that it is a well-rounded, top tier manga, and because of the combined efforts of storytelling, characterization, enjoyment, and art, it will be wholly deserving of 9.0 / 10.0. I beg you to just try it out.

You see, Ran To Haiiro No Sekai is a breath of FRESH AIR.
Put down your battle Shounen Jump and pick this up.

★★★★★★★★★☆
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.