Blissful Land

Blissful Land is a charming manga set in 18th century Tibet. It follows a young man, Khang Zhipa, who is training to be a healer. Khang's life is interrupted when a girl is brought to stay at his house while waiting to be married to her fiance... as it turns out, she's been promised to marry Khang.

I thought this was a simple and sweet story. The plot is very low-key and relaxed - each chapter gives a "slice-of-life" look into Khang's life. As the plot progresses, Khang and his bride-to-be get to know each other better, and the reader in turn learns something about Tibetan life. I was really drawn into the story by this aspect - I know next to nothing about Tibetan history and culture, so it was interesting to get a little peek into that. The art and character designs were also very captivating. 

If I have any complaints, I hope we get to learn more about each character. Khang is the character who develops the most, and it would be nice to learn more about his bride or his family members. 

Overall, this was a charming cozy story, and a perfect book to choose for more lighthearted reading.

Khang Zhipa is a doctor’s apprentice living in 18th century Tibet. On his way back to his village from picking medicinal herbs he sees a group travel through their town and it turns out his bride-to-be was a part of the group. 

Blissful Land explores the Tibetan culture and is very much a slice-of-life tale. This first volume gives a simple outline of all the pertinent characters, and we can gain an initial impression of the characters. Khang Zhipa is a very kind-hearted yet simple-minded boy and I loved reading about his dedication to his apprenticeship. 

The artwork is very beautiful and intricately detailed. I loved seeing the traditional clothing portrayed on paper and with the bride’s weaving hobby I can’t wait to see what else there is to be seen. Time is taken to show the ingredients and the process involved in creating the medicine. I have a slight fascination with apothecary-esque settings, and I thoroughly enjoyed the combination of all the medicinal herbs.

I have a feeling the romance would be slow for the couple to learn more about each other. The can’t wait to see how the nuance’s of the Tibetan culture being portrayed and learn a bit more of the livelihood around the 18th century.

3.5 stars

Blissful Land is such a lovely manga, it's steeped in Tibetan culture from the food to the relationships. Seeing Khang Zhipa and Rati's relationship slowly develop is so heartwarming and satisfying. I didn't expect much romance from this since this volume is before their marriage, but I'm so pleased to see them become good friends. This reminded me of A Bride's Story by Kaoru Mori, which is another historical manga that follows a young woman who is engaged to a boy 8 years younger than her. In Blissful Land, they seem to be around the same age, and they also get along very well. However, this story is very subtle so I think it will take a while for their relationship to truly develop. I love the subtlety and the use of humour in this manga. 

The art style is beautiful, I could almost feel the wind in the mountains as Khang Zhipa is collecting herbs. I really enjoyed the scenes where Khang is making medicine or Rati and Khang's mother are cooking together. I already want to read the next volume.

I definitely recommend this for people who enjoy historical, shounen, romance, and slice of life manga. 

Thank you to Netgalley for this free book.

Blissful Land is a story of a young apprenticed doctor who has a passion for medicinal herbs, and the quiet life he and his family enjoy in a small and remote village. It begins with a young bride (his betrothed) being left with his family so that she can meet her future partner. This is essentially, the scenario, but the story, the romance, and the tension of this story are fairly absent. This is not unusual for iyashikei. The purpose of iyashikei is to focus on the minute activity of peaceful everyday life. This is an escapist type reading experience where you should come away fully exposed to the people, the place, the pace and the emotion of a particular life. 

I think Ichimon Izumi does a good job of capturing this iyashikei essence, with their effective use of art. The artwork conveys the vast landscapes of the Tibetan country, as well as the minute details of Tibetan fashion, architecture, and everyday life producing a full picture of a time and place. It was a very calming reading experience.

For the most part, I really enjoyed the art, but I did find some of the expressions a bit strange or jarring. I feel like these expressions were there to highlight the difference between a “Tibetan” and “Japanese” character, almost to make them seem more foreign. It didn’t work for me, instead it gave a constant surprised expression to the main character which was confusing. Or I could interpret his empty round eyes as an expression of his emptiness. Either way, it was a strange choice.

Overall, this was a cute manga. It doesn’t appear that it will become overly complicated, or deal with difficult themes. But, because of it’s structure, I’m not sure how long this series can sustain itself and remain interesting. By the end of the volume, we were introduced to a secondary character whose presence could revitalize the series. I have high hopes, and looking forward to reading more.

I would recommend this for fans of: A Bride’s Story (By Kaoru Mori), or Sweetness and Lightning (By Gido Amagakure)

This manga is a super cute slice-of-life! The main character, a young Tibetan boy who loves herbs and is in training to be a doctor, is super endearing and lovable. It's a simple and sweet story that makes me look forward to the next volume!