Most manga stories try to give you everything upfront. They want you to understand the power levels, the magic system, and exactly who the bad guy is by chapter three. The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún doesn’t do that. Honestly, it’s a bit of a relief. Created by the mangaka Nagabe, this series is less of a traditional comic and more of a moving, charcoal-smudged fever dream that feels like it was pulled out of a centuries-old basement.
You’ve probably seen the art online. It’s hard to miss. The stark contrast between Shiva, a tiny girl in white, and Teacher, a towering, pitch-black creature with horns and a long coat, creates this visual tension that most artists would kill for. But it’s not just about the aesthetic. It’s about the fact that if they touch, Shiva becomes a monster. That’s the hook. It’s simple, it’s cruel, and it’s deeply human.
What is The Girl from the Other Side actually about?
The world is split. You have the Inside and the Outside. People in the Inside live in constant, vibrating fear of a curse that turns humans into "Outsiders"—monstrous, immortal beings that look like silhouettes of nightmare fuel. Shiva is a human child living in the Outside with a creature she calls Teacher. He cooks for her. He protects her. He reads to her. But he cannot touch her.
If he touches her, she loses her soul.
It sounds like a classic fairy tale, and it basically is, but Nagabe injects a level of existential dread that you won’t find in Disney. The story is titled Siúil, a Rún, which refers to an old Irish folk song. The lyrics translate to "Walk, my love," a nod to the constant wandering and the bittersweet longing that defines the relationship between the two protagonists. It’s quiet. Sometimes, three or four pages go by with zero dialogue. You just watch the wind move through the grass or Teacher’s long, clawed fingers hovering inches away from Shiva’s hand.
People often ask if it’s a horror story. Sorta. It’s "folk horror" in the way that the Brothers Grimm were horror. It isn't trying to jump-scare you. Instead, it builds this heavy, damp atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re breathing in fog.
The art style that broke the mold
Nagabe’s style is the real MVP here. While most modern manga relies on crisp digital lines and screentones, The Girl from the Other Side looks like it was etched with a quill pen. There is so much "scratchiness" to the lines.
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The character design of Teacher is a masterclass in minimalism. He has no eyes. No mouth. No facial expressions at all. Yet, through his body language—a slight tilt of the head or a stiffening of his shoulders—you feel his immense grief and his desperate desire to be a father figure to a girl he can never hug. It’s heartbreaking. Truly.
Shiva, by contrast, is a burst of white. She is the only light in a world that is literally darkening. The way Nagabe plays with negative space makes the environment feel infinite and lonely. You aren't just reading a book; you're looking at a series of paintings that happen to tell a story about the end of the world.
Why the ending of The Girl from the Other Side is so divisive
Without spoiling the fine details, the ending of the series shifts from a quiet domestic drama into something much more cosmic. Some fans felt it went a little too far into "metaphor territory."
There are questions about the nature of God, the origin of the curse, and whether humanity is actually worth saving. It gets heavy. We find out that the Outsiders aren't just "monsters"—they are part of a larger, older cycle that humans tried to break.
The ending doesn't give you a "happily ever after" with a bow on top. It’s more of a "this is the way the world ends" type of vibe. If you like stories that explain every single mechanic of their universe, you might find yourself frustrated. But if you’re okay with a little ambiguity and a lot of emotional weight, it’s one of the most satisfying conclusions in recent manga history.
Comparisons to other works
If you liked The Ancient Magus' Bride, you’ll see some similarities, but The Girl from the Other Side is much darker and less "whimsical." There is no magic school here. There are no cool spells. There is only the curse and the encroaching forest.
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Some critics have compared it to Pan's Labyrinth or the works of Edward Gorey. It shares that same DNA of "childhood innocence meeting ancient, uncaring darkness."
The 2022 OVA and feature film
For a long time, fans only had a short 10-minute OAD (Original Animation DVD) that was mostly silent. But in 2022, Wit Studio—the same people who did the first seasons of Attack on Titan—released a feature-length OVA.
They used a specialized art style to mimic Nagabe’s pencil strokes. It was a risky move. Usually, anime looks very "clean," but this movie looks like moving charcoal. It’s stunning. The soundtrack is haunting, mostly consisting of strings and piano that make the forest feel alive. If you haven't seen it, it’s a great entry point, but the manga still holds more of the nuance regarding the "Mother" and the "Father" entities that govern the world’s lore.
Real-world themes in a fantasy setting
What makes The Girl from the Other Side stand out in 2026 is how it handles the idea of "The Other." It’s about the fear of the unknown. The "Insiders" are so terrified of becoming "Outsiders" that they become monsters themselves. They hunt children. They burn villages.
It’s a pretty transparent look at how fear of disease or fear of "the outsider" can destroy a society's morality. Teacher is a monster who acts like a man; the humans are men who act like monsters. It’s a trope, sure, but Nagabe handles it with such gentleness that it feels fresh.
Key things to know before you read
- Pacing is slow. If you want action, go read Jujutsu Kaisen. This is a slow burn.
- The lore is cryptic. You have to pay attention to the background details and the small lines of dialogue to understand the "cursed" world.
- It’s a finished series. You can read all 11 volumes right now without waiting for a cliffhanger.
- The physical books are gorgeous. Seven Seas Entertainment published them in "Deluxe Editions" that look like old hardback fairy tale books. They’re worth the shelf space.
It’s rare to find a story that stays so consistent in its tone. From page one of volume one to the final panel of volume eleven, the atmosphere never breaks. It feels like one long, held breath.
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Moving forward with the series
If you are looking to get into The Girl from the Other Side, don't just jump into a wiki and read the plot summary. You’ll ruin the experience. The plot isn't the point; the feeling is the point.
Start with the first three volumes. They establish the "daily life" of Shiva and Teacher. You see them pick berries. You see them have tea parties. You see Teacher try to brush Shiva's hair with a wooden comb without his skin touching hers. Once you are emotionally invested in that relationship, the later twists regarding the military and the origin of the black curse will hit ten times harder.
The series is also a great study for artists. Nagabe uses a technique called "cross-hatching" to create depth and shadow that most modern illustrators avoid because it's so time-consuming. Looking at how he manages to make a character with a static, goat-like skull face look genuinely sad is a lesson in character design.
For those who have already finished the manga, the next logical step is to track down Nagabe’s other works, like The Wize Wize Beasts of the Wizarding Wizdoms. It’s a bit more lighthearted but keeps that same "creatures in a human world" vibe.
Ultimately, The Girl from the Other Side remains a masterpiece of the "dark fairy tale" genre because it understands that the scariest thing isn't a monster—it's being alone. And the most beautiful thing isn't magic—it's someone staying by your side, even when they can't touch you.
Actionable steps for collectors and new readers
- Check the Deluxe Editions first: If you’re a physical media fan, the Seven Seas hardcovers are significantly better than the standard paperbacks. They include color pages and better paper stock that makes the dark blacks of the art really pop.
- Watch the Wit Studio film on a big screen: The art style is so textured that watching it on a phone doesn't do it justice. The film covers the core emotional beats of the manga beautifully.
- Listen to the folk song: Search for "Siúil, a Rún" on YouTube or Spotify while you read. It sets the perfect auditory backdrop for the melancholy of the story.
- Pay attention to the "White Bird": Without giving too much away, keep an eye on the birds in the background of the early chapters. Nagabe uses them as a visual shorthand for the presence of the "God" of this world long before the characters actually discuss it.