Publisher Seven Seas Entertainment brings artist Akihito Tsukushi’s 2012 debut manga “Made in Abyss” to the western readers. His fantasy series transports readers to a strange island will a gigantic chasm that seems to have no end. The civilization now lives around the mystery of the “Abyss” and many train to become cave raiders. Young Riko is one of the apprentices that have dreams of finding relics in the darker levels just as her famous mother did. Neither the threats of death and criticism of her peers could stop the girl’s eager spirit, but the right opportunity has yet to arrive. During one of her treasure hunts, Riko tries to rescue another apprentice from a monster attack but she ends up getting attacked by it. When it charges at her, a sudden beam hits it and goes away. She investigates the laser’s path and finds an unconscious boy who is actually a very human-like robot. It seems that the cogs of fate are moving towards her favor with the arrival of her new companion, but it is unknown if the mechanical addition will be enough for their descending adventure.

There is a strange feeling while reading “Made in Abyss” due to the clash of emotions. Riko seems to have an infinite amount of optimism though the career she has is a dismal one filled with tragedy. Tsukushi’s soft art style adds more to the conflicting feel, possibly giving a foreboding hint to the story. He also brings in a lot of detail to his fictional world ranging from the texture of the various creatures to the many relics the cave raiders discover. It will be interesting to see how his cast of kids will take on this very mature journey.

Studio Kinema Citrus released Season One of the anime adaptation in Summer 2017 with plans for a continuation in the future. Amazon Prime members can watch the episodes on Amazon Prime Video since the company moved the anime they provided though Anime Strike to that service after AS ended.

Seven Seas Entertainment slated three upcoming volume released of “Made in Abyss” for 2018 with Volume Two being out in April. For more information on the manga, visit the publisher’s webpage.