Minato and his sister Nagisa seem to be pretty much on their own for the most part. It is clear that their mother leaves for long stretches of time unexplained. This makes complete sense because the book follows the point of view of Minato and how he must care for his sweet little sister. Mom makes a return and takes the kid to the amusement park. It is during a ride on the Ferris wheel during the storm that lightning strikes and Minato finds himself in another's body and in a terrible situation involving a group of criminals.

This book is marked by great characters and suspense. Who doesn't love a fish out of water story when there is a body swap involved! I loved how the author paced and set up this story. The questions were presented and little answers were meted out in such a perfect way. It motivated me to tear through this story. I cannot wait for the next volume to be published so I can see how all the conflict introduced in this volume works out.

This volume is rated Teen Plus. I reckon this was because of the violence. Take care as there are a few death scenes on page. I did not feel like these deaths were gratuitous. They served to help with important character development and to set up key tension. The juxtaposition of the children's world with the violence of the criminal world is key to this story.

Thank you to NetGalley for a preview copy of this book to read.

The description already intrigued me to request this manga and guess what? I am by far love it and want to know more about what happened to Minato when that accident occurs at the Ferris wheel. Minato trying to figure out how to switch his soul to his own body. Knowing this series gonna be involve child neglect, might as well you consider checking on the trigger warnings before proceeding further.

I love how Minato taking care of her lil sister, Nagisa. They're just small and fragile and I just can't comprehend why their mother does that. The transition story between Minato and the criminal really goes smoothly and not confusing at all. The cliffhanger really bawled me as I want to know more!

Love this volume 1 and thank you NetGalley and Kondasha Comics for the e-arc <3

Island in a Puddle

If you liked Erased, you would probably like this one as well. Instead of going to the past, we get a young boy who switches bodies with a criminal. Minato takes care of his younger sister, as their mother is rarely home. One day when his mom does show up they go to an amusement park where Minato knows that his mom is about to leave them again as she gives him money and has them go on a ferris wheel by themselves. However, Minato feels like this time is different from the other times she has left. The ferris wheel is struck by lightning; when he awakens he is in a much older body and in a bad situation. He thinks quickly acting like the lady is sleeping and carries her to "his" vehicle. Minato is concerned for his sister's safety assuming he switched bodies and tries to check on her.
While the criminal sees switching bodies as a good thing since he was a wanted man, now he just needs to figure out how to get the money back.

Volume 1 is building the foundation to something that can be good. I feel the suspense will continue to build as the series continues. It kept my attention throughout and was easy to follow what was happening.

This was definitely a treat to read as the author has amazing blend in the child's innocence along with the dark underground world of thugs. There's an interesting incident of fantasy that adds the biggest twist to the plot. I definitely enjoyed reading it and the characters involved are worth reading. Loved each and every character, as the author has definitely captured in each character's development in the book.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC.

I truly enjoyed this volume from beginning to end as it grips you instantly. The concept is really cool and it was executed really well.
I do like the concept of Minato having swapped bodies with a criminal because it's gonna be extremely testing for him and it'll be interesting to see how he'll find his way back to his sister. Also the ending was crazy!

I love the bond between Minato and his sister, Nagisa, and can't wait to read more about it. I also want to see more of Fubata with the kids and how she takes care of them in her own way.

The suspense throughout the chapters was amazing! I couldn't put it down!
The volume was a great introduction to the series and I definitely cannot wait to read the next one!

Island in a Puddle is another tempting mystery from Kei Sambe. Minato and his sister live in a small apartment and their mother hardly ever comes home. Minato is in elementary school, but already at that age he has to take care of his sister. Their mother ends up coming back home only to take the siblings to an amusement park and the Ferris wheel. She leaves them there and says her goodbyes. Due to the storm a lightning strikes the car and suddenly Minato changes bodies with a criminal. The setting is surely something else and the body exchange is exciting. What bothers me though is that Minato seems to think like an adult all the time and his reasoning is not that of a child. This kind of eats credibility, but only to some extent.

The art looks Sanbe-like, it's very recognizable and works with its angular style. This series is only five books long, so the rhythm is quite fast-paced. The structure is otherwise good and easy to follow, so this is a fast read in every way. A good and steady series for those who enjoy Sanbe's style and shadily dark once again!

A very cool concept which was executed very well. Neglected children Minato and Nagisa are met by a brief appearance of their mother who takes them to an amusement park. After they go onto a ferris wheel, it is struck by lightning and Minato wakes up in another part of the ferris wheel as an adult, near the body of a recently killed woman. Having swapped body with a known criminal, Minato has to get himself out of the situation and save his sister from the hands of the murderer who now wears his face.

This was unexpectedly dark and brilliant - the art work is really cool and the topic of this manga is dark. I can sense a stroyline building really well and we already have two very distinctively different main characters with different motivations and personalities which will likely drive a very interesting plot forward.

Can't wait for the next volume, which I will be picking up.

<i>Thank you to Kodansha and NetGalley for the ARC of this volume in exchange for an honest review</i>

I had never read anything by Key Sanbe before but I heard lots of good things about Erased and Echoes so I had expectations for this one.
We follow Minato and his little sister Nagisa who are trying to survive while their mum often disappears for weeks. One day, while they are on a ferris wheel, lightning strikes and Minato’s soul is exchange with someone else’s, a murderer. It was really intense. I can’t wait to see what Minato is going to do now. It is very intriguing.
I recommend to people looking for a short and intense thriller
3.5/5

Thank you to Kodansha and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this manga to review!

Erased is one of my favorite works by Kei Sanbe, so you can imagine how excited I was when I saw I was accepted to review Island in a Puddle. Just like Erased, despite being somewhat confusing since it is the beginning of the story, I am already hooked and want to know what happens next in the story.

Island in a Puddle is about two children, Minato and Nagisa, a young brother and his little sister, who are essentially victims of child neglect. Minato cares for his little sister with the help of a neighbor who occasionally comes by and brings food, as their mother disappears for weeks at a time, but nobody knows this. Minato does his best to take care of Nagisa so they are not caught and separated by CPS. One day, their mother visits for the first time in two weeks and takes them to an amusement park. She spends part of the day with them, sends them to go ride the Ferris wheel, and disappears again while they are on the ride.

The story then shifts to the POV of a criminal, who's real name is not shown, and who is wanted for stealing money a large sum of money. Another person in his gang had stolen the money, so he persuades her to meet with him over dinner and a Ferris wheel ride, where he murders her to take to the money back. Seconds after the murder, lighting strikes both his car and the one with Minato and Nagisa in it, causing the criminal and Minato to somehow change bodies. The remainder of the story relates to Minato trying to find a way to protect Nagisa from this criminal deceiving her, while being on the run from police.

I found this story to be quite intriguing. It did not grip me quite as much as Erased did initially, but it is still great and I am excited to see how the story unfolds next. Kei Sanbe has quite the talent for writing suspenseful stories.

Ooh, body swapping and a mystery/ suspense vibe? This sounds really cool. The characters feel a little bit meh but hopefully they get better with time. I think this could be an interesting series if it’s done as well as Erased was! But man, crappy parents all around here huh?

The art is a bit touch and go but the translation is pretty good. I think this one has a good vibe and it’s definitely got that touch of danger.

A new manga from the author of Erased I'm intrigued. This new story is about two siblings that are neglected by their mother but one night their mother came back and took them to an amusement park, only to leave them again, but something unexpected happened that changed their lives.

Kuromatsu, a criminal that stole from a building worth 170 million gets set up by his own members and plans to hunt them down and kill the traitors but as he met another member he got into unexpected event that gives him a chance to start fresh away from the eyes of the police and the gang he was hiding from.

How will these events change the lives of our characters and those around them?

I can't wait for the other volume to come out! I need to know what happens to Minato and Nagisa. Though at first I was confused by the change of characters and got bored, but understood the importance of it along the way. I love the suspense and thrill of this manga.

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for this amazing ARC.

Thank you to Kodansha for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Island in a Puddle, Volume 1 by Kei Sanbe is an action-packed adventure manga that will appeal to fans of Detective Conan. The story revolves around two main characters who end up switching bodies. Minato is a boy in elementary school who has to take care of his younger sister in place of his absentee mother. One day, the pair go to the local amusement park. While on the ferris wheel, lightning strikes, and Minato ends up switching bodies with a gangster who has just killed a woman. Now, he's on the run from the police while trying to handle life as an adult. And a murderer is with his sister!

Overall, Island in a Puddle, Volume 1 is a shonen manga that will keep you turning the pages! One highlight of this book is the original premise. Other than Detective Conan, I haven't read any other manga that involves an elementary school kid switching bodies with an older man. Another highlight of this book is how thrilling it is. The story jumps from action to action, and I was never bored while reading. I had to keep turning the pages to see what would happen next. The story ends on a cliffhanger, and I can't wait to read Volume 2. If you're intrigued by the description, or if you're a fan of action manga, I highly recommend that you check out this book , which is available now!

This was so suspenseful and engaging to read! I can't wait to purchase this for students- Erased is very popular, and this will be an excellent next read for them.

I hate to say it but it's just not interesting. Not once did I care for any of the characters. This isn't awful, just super mediocre. The art felt sloppy and looked like a low quality doujin at times. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for letting me read this arc.

This volume only left me wanting more. More of these characters, of the story, of the relationship and connections between the protagonists.
I one-clicked this because of one and one thing only. KEI SANBE. I didn't read the synopsis or search for reviews. Didn't need to. I mean this is the guy behind 'Erased'. I had some high expectations and he delivered.
I inhaled it in 15 minutes and left for wanting more. The story's just getting started. I can't wait to get my hands on the second volume. Vol.1 only whet my appetite. I am also biased with any work on sibling bonds and relationship.
If you're familiar with Sanbe's previous works, it is similar to his art and plot style. Yet 'Island in a Puddle' stands on its own two feet.

Thank you to Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

From the creator of Erased, I was definitely curious to see what Kei Sanbe has to offer in this new series.

For the first volume, it does a great job introducing close-knit siblings Minato and Nagisa. It touches on the topic of child neglect, with Minato not asking for help from neighbors and the school to not trouble them in his situation. There is definitely more room for the characters to develop and it is still a mystery of what the mother does for work, so I hope it will touch on that soon.

It then transitions to characters from the criminal underworld after the Ferris Wheel incident. As there is a lot of plot being introduced, the quick pacing and attention to detail compliments the twists and suspense as the criminal, whose soul is now intact to Minato's body, is dangerously close in contact with Nagisa. The stakes are high as the reader follows Minato fighting for his life to keep Nagisa safe while his soul is intact to the murderer's body. A promising start, can't wait for Vol. 2!

3.5 stars

This kid has the worst luck.
So there was a lot of plot set up in this volume, so not a lot of time for character development. Again, male protagonist, so no immediate connection for me.

The story is intriguing though, so it might be worth continuing, although you have to be in the mood for a dark story.

Wait, when is the next one coming up? I need to know what happens!
I’ve never read this format before and I’m glad I gave it a go. Perfect initiation to manga.