By the same animators of the Attack on Titan anime, WIT Studio’s brilliant 2022 adaptation of The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún by Nagabe, unfortunately, hasn’t received anywhere near the same amount of recognition as its highly acclaimed magnum opus. The 70-minute OVA might be a step up from the manga’s original 10-minute OVA that WIT also adapted a few years ago, but these three episodes should have been approved for a full 12.
Aside from its haunting story, what should stand out immediately to viewers is The Girl from the Other Side‘s highly unique, sketchbook-like animation style that delightfully complements the artwork’s smudged graininess. Together, they create an almost dreamlike atmosphere, which, incidentally, encapsulates the otherworldliness infecting this medieval countryside perfectly.
Viewers are actually able to fully immerse themselves in this very purposeful setting, even though it takes place outside of Japan through its superb cast of characters. Surprisingly, this can only be accomplished when watching the wonderful English dub, since the highly talented voice cast’s perfectly executed Irish accents more accurately capture the area where viewers have been transported to. This move was also undoubtedly most appreciated by Nagabe, whose original title is a direct reference to a traditional Irish song.
The Girl from the Other Side Is A Touching Yet Hauntingly Tragic Tale
Produced by WIT studio, based on the original manga by Nagabe
The actual purpose of these beautifully rendered artistic choices, however, is to accent The Girl from the Other Side’s true allure – its touching yet tragic tale. Mostly through the interactions of only two characters, the film exquisitely showcases the innocence and purity of a young girl named Shiva that an accursed Outsider she lovingly names Teacher tries so desperately to preserve. The fear driving Teacher’s endeavor to protect this little girl is both endearing and ominous, perfectly emulating what any parent or guardian can feel, while also highlighting how the innocence of a child can shake and influence even the darkest and most immobilized of hearts.
Partially fueling this heartbreaking dynamic is Teacher’s own tragic fate. It’s one that can be easily attributed to humanity’s fear of dying, since Teacher’s own journey shares many similarities with death. The prospect of anyone having to experience Teacher’s unfortunate tribulations might be frightening on its own merit, but the fact that it could befall someone as young and innocent as Shiva is truly terrifying. Moreover, much like the foolhardy attempt to escape the jaws of death, Teacher’s efforts appear to be impossible, which adds to the overall despair of this short masterpiece. It’s this combination of Teacher’s love for Shiva and fear of what might have befallen her that keeps viewers at the edge of their seats despite its wonderfully slow pacing that sometimes functions like a slice of life.
A Daringly Hopeful End That A Full Series Would Need To Preserve
For all the good the OVA does, it’s simply not enough
Like many adaptations that try to condense a great amount of material into such a small package, The Girl from the Other Side omits quite a bit and only loosely adapts up to chapter 8 of the manga. However, even though this already elongated OVA deserves even more episodes, the adaptation’s way of finalizing Teacher’s final conversation allows him to embrace an incredibly bittersweet albeit hopeful mindset that was robbed of his manga counterpart. The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún may have continued on for much longer, but where Teacher and Shiva are left in the OVA is so beautifully poignant that any other prospective adaptation would need to capture it.
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