海獣の子供 [Kaijū no Kodomo / Children of the Sea]

Daisuke Igarashi’s Children of the Sea (2007–2012) is a five-issue manga series from Shogakukan that follows Ruka, a solitary girl drawn into a mysterious summer adventure when she encounters two enigmatic boys, Umi and Sora, who seem to have been raised by dugongs. As she becomes entangled with their strange connection to the ocean’s creatures and a global phenomenon at the aquarium, the story unfolds into a breathtaking meditation on nature, life, and the cosmos. Igarashi’s lush, flowing artwork and philosophical storytelling make this a standout work in modern manga, celebrated for its poetic vision of humanity’s bond with the sea.