bird in the rainSo, here are my thoughts on the first #Moribito novel by Uehashi Nahoko! It's somewhat more laconic than the #anime because the #anime expands the story by adding some extra subplots in the middle section; however, the central themes and the main cast's personalities are basically the same. It's also clearly aimed at children, so Uehashi's prose is fairly simple (for the record, I read it in English), though absolutely not in a bad way.
I think the book emphasizes the issue of colonization and gradual loss of local culture a bit more? The #anime does address it, but the novel really spells it out for younger readers, which is great.
As a fan of Chagum, I'm very pleased with his portrayal. 💞 He's shown to be a brave and honest kid who still gets angry about his fate, yet he's able to feel empathy for the water spirit's egg, for example. His mystical journey is amazing, too; I adore Uehashi's concept of two superimposed worlds, the 'normal' Sagu and the near-Lovecraftian Nayugu. Can't wait to read the rest of the novels.