Anzu struggles with self confidence and feeling different from her school mates. The person who used to boost her up, her grandmother, has died, and Anzu just wants to be the same as the other girls. She lets them call her Anne, instead of Anzu, but it doesn't feel right. Once day, she follows a strange dog and winds up in the land of the dead. In the world of Japanese Shintoism, there are many gods and tricksters in the underworld, and Anzu needs to get back to the land of the living or she will be stuck there forever. Can she find the strength to be her true self and truely appreciate her culture?

Anzu is pulled into the Shinto underworld (Yomi)- a place she has heard stories of from her now deceased obaachan (grandmother). Once there she faces creatures she never would have believed were real as she races against the clock to find her way back to the human realm before being stuck in Yomi forever.

This was an enjoyable read but doesn't stand out among the crowd of fantasy graphic novels. It was solid and I will likely purchase it for my middle grade library but I wouldn't recommend it if on a limited budget.

This was an amazing story of a young Japanese American girl who doesn't feel like she fits in with the other kids at her school. After her family moves, she feels even more alone and wishes she could just disappear. She ends up chasing a black dog into the Yomi realm, where she makes the ever foolish mistake and eats some of the food of the realm. This means that she is cursed and needs to figure it out before she is lost in Yomi forever. With the help of the black dog, who is the gatekeeper of the realm, Anzu gains the confidence to be herself and help set the realm of Yomi to right. The author says this is a mix of Japanese and Vietnamese cultures and is filled with such delightful and scary creatures. The artwork is amazing with many pale greens and purples that blend perfectly. A great story for any child trying to figure out how to be themselves. Loved it.

This was a really fun read. I learned a lot about Japanese folklore by being "thrown into" the story rather than having it explained. Such a wonderful message about just being you without being preachy or heavy handed. It took the main characters time but they each came into their own in their own timing. I did not realize when I downloaded the title that it was a graphic novel however I was thrilled to find that it was. I think that could be marketed a little better.

I loved this book. I loved the story and learning about the belief system within the book. The art was amazing, and it was a great story about bravery and friendship. Anzu's story and her journey to get back to her family is beautifully told, and it was a great book.

This was an easy 5 star. I adored everything about this. It gave me everything I wanted and more. The art is absolutely stunning with so much attention to detail. Nearly every page could be it's own little work of art.
The story really does give me all those wonderful vibes that watching any Studio Ghibli movie does. You could certainly compare this one to Spirited Away although Anzu has it's own unique story and characters.
I think this graphic novel can be enjoyed not only by kids in the middle grade age group, but also teens and adults! This is definitely one of my favorite graphic novels I've ever read and I'll be looking forward to more from the author!

*Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group for letting me read an ARC of this book through NetGalley!*

Anzu and the Realm of Darkness
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ .5 (4.5/5) or 8.85/10 overall

Characters - 8
Anzu and Limbo were incredibly likeable and relatable characters. It was easy to root for them and enjoyable to see their interactions. Most of the side characters were fleshed out enough and had some personality to them. However, I do wish we had gotten to see a bit more of the real-world characters.

Atmosphere - 10
Coming into reading this book, I had no clue that it was a graphic novel, but the art did not disappoint. Each panel had a sense of life and movement that added so much more to the story than just the words could express. The backgrounds were beautifully detailed, while not becoming too busy or hard to follow.

Writing - 9
The writing in throughout the story was reasonable and interesting. It helped to explain key elements and elaborate on the characters' emotions well.

Plot - 9
This story was incredibly unique and entertaining. While the shift to Yomi did seem a bit abrupt, the rest of the plot had a good pace that pulled me in and made me keep reading til the end.

Intrigue - 9
The premise and cover of this book originally drew me in to want to read it. After realizing it was a graphic novel, I became that much more excited to start because the cover is so pleasing to look at. I was intrigued the whole way through and nothing felt too predictable.

Logic - 8
The book was reasonably logical. There were a few points that struck me as a bit odd, but I was able to look past them and have a good time reading this book anyway.

Enjoyment - 9
I was thoroughly entertained by this book. It was incredibly unique, with amazing art and dynamic characters. I would've given this book 5 stars were it not for a few minor points that dampened my enjoyment. :)

Anzu and the Realm of Darkness
is a fun fantasy graphic novel about Anzu, a young girl who is missing her grandmother and feeling out of place in her life. Then a strange dog steals her grandmother’s necklace and Anzu chases him right into another world. She gets taken in by the death goddess of Yomi, who may not have the best intentions, and she’ll have to use all her bravery and wit to find her way back home.

Anzu’s story is one of identity and being true to yourself and your history, while shaping who you want to become. It is also a story of finding friendship and remembering your family. These ideas are present and wrapped in a wonderfully illustrated spirit world filled with yokai, night markets, and spooky magic. The characters, even the background characters, are well designed and full of expression. This read is great for anyone looking for a Spirited Away type adventure.

This was such an awesome story infused with Japanese folklore and mythology! I really loved Anzu, she was a grand protagonist for this middle grade graphic novel. I liked how she fought back and saw through Izanami's tricks. I liked how she worked with Limbo and freed others like herself who were trapped by Izanami.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalkey for letting me review this book. Anzu is having a rough time with the new move and her new school. She learns who she can trust and can’t as the novel progresses. When she took a bite of food in the spirit world, it reminded me of all the other myth books I read that says never eat or drink anything in the spirit realm.

Short but powerful story of finding one's place in the world without giving in to mean people's tricks to make yourself smaller. The art and the color scheme captured the fantastical elements of the story really well and I loved how Anzu's development arc was executed as she went from someone who's frustrated by being 'different' from everybody to embracing that difference and acknowledging how that makes her her. This graphic novel was also a nice intro into Japanese mythology.

Rating: 5
Genre: Fantasy
Thank you Viking Books for providing an e-copy through NetGalley .

Summary:
Anzu isn’t feeling it. She’s not feeling her new move, with new schoolmates and neighbors. She’s not feeling her Japanese heritage, wanting to go by “Anne” instead of her real name. And she’s definitely not feeling Obon, the Japanese festival of families and remembering. Since her obaachan (grandmother) passed away, Anzu doesn’t want to celebrate at all, so she leaves her house and goes for a walk. A strange dog then appears out of nowhere and steals her necklace, a gift from her obaachan, and Anzu races after the strange mutt, stumbling into a nearby ridge and falling unconscious. When she wakes, she appears in a strange liminal world, and strangest yet, the dog now stands on two legs and speaks to her. He is the Gatekeeper of Yomi, the Shinto underworld, and he needs two things: 1) Anzu’s necklace 2) For Anzu to leave immediately. But it’s too late, for the Queen of the Underworld, Izanami, finds her first. Anzu is glad to have a guide, but the devious goddess cannot be trusted. And Anzu has a time limit - If she doesn’t leave the underworld soon, she’ll be stuck down there forever, never to return. With the help of the Gatekeeper and wayward spirits, Anzu must find hidden gods, fight against nefarious creatures, and escape Yomi before Izanami drags her down to its depths forever.

What I Liked:
Anzu and the Realm of Darkness is an adventurous, spooky, and heartfelt journey into the Shinto underworld of Yomi, where a girl must figure out how to find joy again. With mythology-adventure stories and graphic novels being the most popular books for stories right now, combining the two is the logical conclusion to creating a fantastic story to recommend for all ages, and this title beautifully capitalizes on both the genre’s and medium’s strengths. Readers will watch as Anzu makes her own journey to the underworld and battles her way out, coming out different gods and legendary Yokai of Japanese mythology. She is a great protagonist with tangible fears, relatable flaws, and the strength to overcome the physical and emotional obstacles before her. The Gatekeeper of Yomi is the secondary protagonist - acting as a guide and foil to Anzu - with his own dilemmas, and the two must learn to trust each other if even will make it out alive. The art is beautiful, with textured linework and coloring, making it feel more natural and almost like an old Japanese painting vibe, in a stylized style reminiscent of both manga and cartoon shows. The page layouts and paneling make Yomi come to life, showcasing the environment, characters, and action in visually appealing designs. You can feel the care and attention to detail in every page. The plot is high stakes and action-packed, and readers won’t want to put it down. Overall, definitely recommend Anzu and the Realm of Darkness for any kids who love mythology, Japanese legends, and great graphic novels!

What I Didn’t Like: Nothing!

Recommend to: Kids who like mythology adventures, especially in graphic novel style, underworld locations and creatures, and Japanese myths and legends. Ghost Book by Remi Lai, The Moth Keeper by K. O’Neill, Fibbed by Elizabeth Agyemang, and Nayra and the Djinn by Iasmin Omar Ata are good read alikes.

Review Date: March 20, 2024

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Anzu and the Realm of Darkness by Mai K. Nguyen is a Middle Grade graphic novel exploring Japanese Obon and Buddhism. When Anzu moves to a new town, she’s feeling really down and nervous. She didn’t feel fully accepted at her old school and doesn’t have a lot of hope that this new town will be much different despite her brother and parents thinking otherwise. After meeting a neighbor and feeling embarrassed, Anzu runs into the forest and encounters the guardian of the gates of Yomi.

Izanami-no-Mikoto, the Shinto kami of death, is our antagonist, capturing children and their souls. As the author states in the author’s notes, the graphic novel isn’t a straight retelling of Shintoism, so this is a great introduction to ideas in Shinto as a faith but wasn’t made to be a guide. We see bits of the traditions surrounding Obon, particularly the spirits of the deceased having a chance to visit their relatives and the use of cucumbers and eggplants as vehicles for those ancestors to visit.

What I really liked was the color palette. The strong use of purple and orange for the world of Yomi along with the distinctive art style makes the graphic novel stick out while also giving it its own identity. It felt like a really nice balance of cool and warm tones.

What I also liked was how Anzu’s relationship to her grandmother who has passed away came up several times and how it connects to the setting of Obon. It’s always nice to show grandparents and grandchildren having loving relationships.

I would recommend this to Middle Grades who are interested in Japanese culture, readers who enjoyed Coraline and are looking for something similar, and fans of graphic novels with strong themes of identity.

Anzu is just trying to survive her life at school with people making fun of her for her heritage. She ends up in the spirit world and is caught between attempting to please a big spirit who is a bit off to her, and listening to the guardian of the rifts. This story is touching and beautiful, and touches on themes of loss, and pride in one’s heritage and self. It’s perfect for fans of Spirited Away!

This new fantastical graphic novel reminds me of a Miyazaki film–full of magic, adventure, and a bit of weirdness. It was a wonderful read, and I cannot wait to share it with my students!

Anzu and the Realm of Darkness is a beautifully rendered graphic novel that immerses the reader in Japanese Folklore. As someone who is not knowledgeable of Japanese Folklore, the Kami & Yokai of Japanese Folklore appendix at the end of the book was super helpful in understanding all the different characters throughout the book.
I love the artistic style used in creating the story. The color transitions between the present time and the flashbacks are seamless. The characters and landscapes are dynamic and eye-catching.
A definite purchase for my school's library.

#AnzuandtheRealmofDarkness #NetGalley

I flew through this book and loved every minute of it. The illustrations were beautiful and the tie in with Japanese folklore was fantastic. I was very impressed by Anzu's journey through the underworld and the building of her confidence and voice. Everything came together so well and I simply couldn't put this book down.

I was hooked from the cover and loved the idea of being a 5 world meets spirited way. It had that great fantasy field that I was looking for and worked as a children's fiction novel. It had a unique world and worked with what I was hoping for. I enjoyed that the main character had to break curse and free the spirits of lost children in a realistic way. The magic elements worked with this world. And I didn't feel like I was questioning why things were happening. Mai K. Nguyen has a great writing style and I hope to read more from her.

Anzu and the Realm of Darkness is a thrilling, coming of age story that invites readers to journey to the Shinto afterlife of Japan.

Japanese - American Anzu has felt the need to assimilate when her family moves to a new house and neighborhood. When a dog steals her special necklace, Anzu crosses into the world of Yomi, or the underworld. There she meets the Gatekeeper and the goddess, Izanami - who both want to befriend Anzu for purposes of their own. It is a coming-of-age story akin to the film "Spirited Away" in which Anzu must forge her own path to find a way home and learn to not compromise who she is for the comfort of others.

This story is centered around the beliefs of Shinto, a Japanese religion focused on the natural world. This graphic novel's shadow-filled illustrations are highlighted by bright oranges and greens that pop out of the gloomy atmosphere. Included in the back of book is a glossary of Kami and Yokai which is helpful and informative if you are unfamiliar with Shinto deities.

Anzu hasn't felt like herself since her grandmother died years ago. After her family moves to a new area, a dog steals Anzu's necklace and she chases after him, straight into Yomi, the underworld. Anzu and the Gatekeeper must work together to restore order to Yomi and get Anzu back home before she's trapped there forever.

This is a wonderful story about learning to be true to who you are and not who other people want you to be.

There are a few lines where characters are speaking Japanese, and the text is written in Japanese, which is not something I've ever seen before.

I had no idea going into this that it was a graphic novel, not a regular novel, but the art and limited color palette are lovely. There are a couple images that might frighten younger readers, specifically Izanami after she drops her human disguise and a giant skeleton made out of lost souls.

CW: racist bullying (kids making fun of Anzu's food and renaming her something "normal"), death of a grandparent.