“A kidnapped and blindfolded princess's time in darkness with her silent caretaker. The ten minutes an ordinary woman spends with her tied-up stalker. The last six months a man has before he loses his beloved wife to cancer. These are a few of the moments we share with the characters brought to life by Toryumon Takeda in this collection of seven short stories, including her highly acclaimed “My Wife Whom I Loved Dearly.” But what will become of each of them?” (Yen Press)
Collecting eight stories from Toryumon Takeda, “One More Step, Come Stand by My Side” is a somewhat disjointed anthology held together by mature themes and a sharp visual direction. Often, varied story lengths and subject inconsistencies can make for a frustrating experience, but here it acts as a wonderful highlight of the range of Toryumon Takeda.
Still, a few stories in this collection stand far above the others, with the initial story “When the Time Comes” arguably the best on offer. A historical piece of drama where a princess falls in love with a captor and only has to say a silent goodbye when she is rescued; the story is beautifully dark and romantic. Other standouts include “Paradise,” which sees two explorers succumb to their desires while visiting a tribal land with deadly consequences, and “The Wife Whom I Love Dearly,” which follows a couple dealing with an inevitable death.
The remaining segments don't make as much of an impact, but the short, dark comedic sting of “Ain't That Nice” injects welcome humor in the middle of the collection. This is also true to a lesser extent with the story “Ten Minutes Later, The Cop Showed Up,” which adds a psychological angle to its punchline. The only entry that falls slightly short is “Nothin' Wrong With That,” which is a quick slice-of-life story foregoing deeper meaning.
Each segment has an undeniable ability to draw the reader in, and while the impact of each may vary, most will leave a favorable impression. This sentiment will also radiate more with older readers, as there is a complexity to most–like losing a partner to cancer–that will have more emphasis on tragedy outside of youthful follies. For mature readers, Toryumon Takeda's ability to tug at various emotions is welcome and praiseworthy, whether that be appealing to a sardonic wit or touching on the inherent frailties of the human condition.
The art of Toryumon Takeda is stunning and versatile, able to jump between genres and maintain a strong visual presence. The range here is best highlighted in the short historical piece “A Tranquil First Night,” containing a brief action sequence, a loving embrace, and beautiful fashion. Moreover, this segment highlights Takeda's attention to detail in both characters and background.
Another aspect that Takeda excels in is creating contrasts in emotions, which is most apparent in “The Wife Whom I Love Dearly.” Here, the mangaka shows how the weight of inevitable loss transforms the once bright and optimistic characters into an inescapable pain with uncomfortable realism. The visuals are praiseworthy on all fronts, but they feel remarkably well suited to capturing the characters' emotions that Toryumon Takeda explores.
“One More Step, Come Stand by My Side” is a beautiful anthology from Toryumon Takeda, perfect for mature readers looking for depth and range in their storytelling. With a striking visual presence printed in a slightly larger format through Yen Press, it is also one of the perfect single buys that readers will find themselves picking up and revisiting.
