Oh my goodness, I fell in love with this book. I knew I had to get it when I saw that the art was done by an artist duo I really love, Atelier Sentō and I am so glad that I did! The story of this graphic novel follows the two artists on a visit to Japan. Soon after arriving, they stop by an old antiques shop. They are looking at some cameras when the shop owner insists they buy this special camera with lenses polished by monks, allowing it to take photos of supernatural beings (Yokai). But! They must also buy the special film if they hope to capture the spirits! So they end up getting the camera (though one is a little skeptical of the price), and begin to consult the locals and maps in their quest to hopefully catch a Yokai on film.

The art is absolutely beautiful, detailing the countryside of Japan in lovely watercolors as the two explore. Each chapter is set up to show the pair finding their way to a new location where there should be Yokai and then taking a photo. While they don’t see the photos until they return home and develop them (also done is a special way), we get to see all 8 developed photos at the end of each chapter and they are so cool. I also love this set up because you have the suspense of what is going to show up in the photo as the story goes on.

I also love that it’s like a travel journal. It shows off a lot of interesting spots in towns across the countryside. It also highlights specific festivals, foods, legends, and other aspects of culture throughout their travels.

The story and dialogue flow smoothly and there are several parts that made me laugh. There were also many, many times I stopped to just take in the art. This is definitely one I can see myself re-reading often. I give this one a 5/5 stars!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ( )

children's graphic novel (2 children travel around Japan taking pictures of invisible yokai)

charming stories full of wonder and mystery, with engaging illustrations by Atelier Sento. ( )

An interesting mix of ghosts and travelogue; I really liked the weirdly sparse episodic way the story unfolds. The revealed photos were fun too. ( )

Artwork was 5/5! The story was fine and simple ( )

Two young travelers spending a few months in Japan buy a camera that allegedly takes photos of yokai (ghosts). They then spend their time visiting potentially haunted sites in search of subjects to photograph, and learn about the culture and folklore of yokai along the way. This was a fun graphic novel and I loved the ghosty folklore, but the story was a bit choppy in places. ( )