パスカルとバラの木

Generally I'm not a fan of oneshots - it seems like most mangaka struggle to deliver compelling stories with interesting characters given the limited space - but this collection by あべまりな demonstrates she is a master of the format.

The works do share similarities - child protagonists, fantasy settings or supernatural elements, finding happiness amidst emotional pain - but the stories are distinct and the characters varied. Each chapter is a snapshot of a carefully-crafted world, a glimpse into the characters' lives; nothing like the forgettable filler I'm used to with oneshots.

Though they lack nothing as standalone works, I feel like any one of these stories could be adapted into a series. My especially enjoyed 忘れ物とガラクタの町, コーダ姫と呪いの首輪, and 黄金の刻 - I would love to see any of them expanded into longer works.

The only real difficulty I noticed language-wise is that there is no furigana at all; other than that, the plots and dialogue are fairly straightforward.

If you enjoy fantasy and slice-of-life manga, I'd definitely recommend giving this a try!