Foaming about Houseki no Kuni AGAIN.

As I write this I am FOAMING AT THE MOUTH. Houseki no Kuni has officially ended today, April 25th, 2024, and though i haven’t read it due to availability things, the hype is STILL THERE. I am screeching. I am rolling. I am a frog. Man. To honor this occasion, and also because I just want to write about Houseki no Kuni again, I’m going to share SOME of my favorite panels from volume 12, which were the last chapters up until today. With that said:

 

This blog post DOES INDEED CONTAIN MAJOR SPOILERS for the Houseki no Kuni manga, also known as Land of the Lustrous.

 

Now, onto the panels! I was only able to get some pictures because I was on a time limit, plus there’s a lot of moments I love, so no ranking today! These are in no specific order.

 

THIS ENTIRE SCENE 

 

Cinnabar is such an interesting character to me, and they have so many moments that are stuck in my brain. This, this moment, though- this has to be one of my top favorite. Cinnabar’s blank expression as they agree with Phos’ snide commentary, not backing down even though they believe what Phos says. The fact that Phos’ dialogue is literally partly them voicing their own views on themself, with how others behaved around them before they went to the moon. It’s an amazing look into both Cinnabar and Phos’ character, and it does the story incredibly scrumptious justice. Also, the mercury-phos Cinnabar crushes between their palm is a stinging callback to near the beginning, when they preformed the same action (minus the crushing) to say they weren’t completely giving up on Phos yet.

BRO. BRO THE ART. BEAUTIFUL.

DO I EVEN NEED TO ELABORATE. The clashing shapes, the way Phos’ spikes stretch towards Cinnabar, the way Cinnabar’s mercury lash out at Phos, the impeccable shiny texture of both substances, the emphasis on the battle, the varying character in each stance. Haruko Ichikawa is a master of detail, and this scene DELIVERS.

Stares

The signature symmetry is back at it again, and GRHRHRHR. This moment is so pivotal to the plot, and the construction of the scene is so chompable. I especially love how you can make out different, distinct characters in the crowded clouds, and Phos’ people being centralized despite their lower population. I can’t imagine how Phos must have felt in this moment. 

Bonus!

The cover of the volume itself. Compared to all previous volumes, this cover is very desolate and empty, which adds a very tasty contrast. The contrast isn’t for no reason, either: the emptiness and somber tone is likely due to the story within. It wouldn’t be fitting for the cover to be colorful and full when the main character is isolated and suffering.