"The God of Light took everything away from the God of Darkness, changing him into the shape of a hideous monster. Rage drove the God of Darkness mad. He transformed his punishment into a curse and spread it to others. The God of Light was distressed by this and banished the God of Darkness to the Outside, and built a vast, enormous wall to keep his curse from spreading further."
—Chapter 2, on how the Inside and Outside came to be
The Girl From The Other Side: Siúil, a Rún (known in Japan as Totsukuni no Shoujo or "Foreign Girl") is a Dark Fantasy manga by Nagabe. It follows Shiva, a little girl who lives in the forest with her Teacher. The forest itself is dark and looming, inhabited only by the demon-esque creatures known as Outsiders. Every human alive — except Shiva — lives on the other side of a vast wall intended to protect against the Outsiders' "disease", which corrupts any human they touch into Outsiders. Teacher himself is one of these Outsiders, but fortunately, Teacher is careful to never touch Shiva or allow other Outsiders to.
In 2017, the series was localized into English. Because of its fast-moving plot and focus on the setting's mysteries, all spoilers will be unmarked. It is highly recommended that tropers do not read further until they are up to speed.
The manga ran in Monthly Comic Garden from 2015 to 2021, with a bonus volume including a feature-length OAD with its release.
In March 2021, Wit Studio ran a successful Kickstarter
campaign to produce an animated movie based on the series. The movie was released in March 2022.
See also The Ancient Magus' Bride which is also about a girl and an animal-skull headed mystical being.
The Tropes from the Other Side:
- An Arm and a Leg: Teacher loses a foot fighting the soldiers, though in a later volume Shiva helps him tie it back on.
- Anatomy of the Soul: The soul is necessary for a being to maintain both memories, a sense of identity, and the capacity to feel emotions. Black Children lack souls, but are given purpose and direction by "Mother", but because their bodies / shells are cursed by the God of Light and the Insiders, these slowly fade until they "cease" (die is a bit problematic to say) and their bodies are returned to her. Insiders who are touched by Black Children and cursed slowly have their soul rot away, in the process losing their memories and eventually turning into trees. Souls are represented as a clear liquid, and as such tend to "spill" or lose bits when being transferred or stolen. Shiva being the exception, not because her soul is divine, but rather her body is actually that of a Black Child (itself a fragment of the body of the God of Light, stolen by Mother), who stole Albert / Teacher's soul. The body changed into Shiva's after the theft, and gained a new identity over time. The Black Child's body granted her soul a high degree of resistance to the curse from other Black Children and Teacher. However since the original Outsider body lacked the upper skull, the "hole" caused both slow leakage and eventual rotting.
- Annoying Arrows: Justified. Outsiders can't be physically harmed or killed, so Teacher can take any number of arrows and pull them out no problem. However, they still do seem to hinder movement and the force of the arrows hitting still causes flinching or recoil in the target, leading to an Outsider's actions being cancelled or delayed.
- Anthropomorphic Personification: The Outsider that took Teacher's soul reveals that Shiva is merely an embodiment of his soul and heart, taking the form of his dead daughter, and in the meantime the Outsider has served as the soul's "vessel".
- Armor-Piercing Question: Teacher refuses to believe that he was born of the Outside's Mother, as there's no way of proving so. The headless Outsider asks him if he has a name, then, since all of the other Insiders have names. Teacher can't respond, since he has no memories of his former life at all... which may be because he didn't really have one.
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: When she gets angry at Teacher, Shiva accuses him of being a liar who hides things and refuses to get along with her aunt. He's also bad at cooking.Teacher: Err... I don't think that's relevant...
- Bittersweet Ending: The story displays this hard. Teacher comes to realize that Shiva was created as a result of losing everything he had during his life as a human, and both of them wish that they never met each other, realizing that each have negatively impacted the other. Despite this, they come to terms with the current predicament and still live in harmony.
- Cheerful Child: Deconstructed with Shiva. Despite her situation, she is as energetic and playful as a child her age should be. But that's because Teacher and her aunt are too afraid to tell her the truth to avoid ruining her innocence and happiness. As well, she's too young to really realize the ramifications of the Outside's curse and what the Insiders will do to stop it. Even when she's suspicious about what's happening, she has no way of finding out the truth herself and is understandably frustrated and confused. Although she does spring back from most traumatic experiences, it's likely enforced as a coping mechanism.
- Close Call Hair Cut: In Teacher's case it's a close call horn clipping.
- The Corruption: The curse of the Outside. Anyone who touches an Outsider will eventually become one themselves.
- Cosy Catastrophe: Shiva and Teacher live a comfortable life in a woodland cottage on the "Outside" of safe lands, gathering wood, water, and food from the forest, and occasionally looting items from a nearby abandoned village. The world itself is one where there is only one kingdom left, and what safe land remains for the Insiders is slowly shrinking as Outsider contact depopulates outlying villages. However, what places remain on the "Inside" have life go on more or less as normal, albeit carrying both the trauma of lost loved ones and paranoia of a spreading plague. At the end of the manga, despite the king being dead with no presumed heir, the Outsiders note that the Insiders are no longer as agitated, but are now building a new set of walls to keep them out.
- Crystal Dragon Jesus: The religion of the Insiders is basically Christianity in all but name, with just a few details tweaked to make it more vague. There's praying, churches, a religious leader called Father dressed in black, divine revelations; even the God of Light is referred to as "Lord" and "Heavenly Father".
- Curse: When an Outsider or a Strange Black Child touches a human, they will eventually transform into another Strange Black Child. Insiders believe this is a Fate Worse than Death since Outsiders live forever and can't be killed, this is only partly correct. Outsiders can be mauled to the point they cease existing, and all have a set "lifespan" and will return their bodies to Mother. In the case of Insiders turned into Outsiders, the curse will rot away their souls until they lose all memories, emotions and turn into trees. The irony is that the curse cuts both ways and was originally created by the Insiders. The curse itself washes away an Outsider's memories and purpose until they are undone.
- Dark Is Not Evil: Teacher is black-furred and has a head like a goat's skull, complete with horns. Despite looking like what most people would describe as a demon, he is nothing but protective of Shiva.
- Zigzagged with the other Outsiders; they don't necessarily mean Shiva or the Insiders harm but have a cryptic agenda that comes across as sketchy.
- Desperately Craves Affection: Ever since Shiva was abandoned Outside, she has had absolutely zero physical contact and only one person she can talk to. There are many times where she asks or tries to touch Teacher - or her aunt after she turned - only for them to tell her not to to avoid infecting her with the curse. Teacher describes her as being lonely early on.
- By the time Teacher finally relents and gives Shiva an Affectionate Gesture to the Head, she begins to cry.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: The Outside's curse has effects similar to conditions like Alzheimer's or dementia, particularly with the affected slowly losing their memories and struggling to recall even family members or friends.
- Don't Go Into the Woods: Because the woods is Outside. Once you go Out, you can never go back In.
- Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": Teacher (Sensei), justified in that he can't remember his name.
- Auntie is played more straight, as Shiva doesn't seem to know her actual name and she never tells Teacher what it is, so he also just refers to her as "Shiva's aunt".
- Fate Worse than Death: How the Insiders view the curse of the Outside. Outsiders can't be killed and don't die conventionally. This denies people the final dignity of death and bars their soul from heaven. So while the infected retain human shape, they must be killed.
- Five Stages of Grief: At first, Shiva doesn't believe that Auntie "died". It takes quite a bit of convincing, to her and Teacher both, from the headless Outsider (denial). Then she gets angry at Teacher for not telling her, which bleeds into "bargaining" when she argues there may have been a way to save Auntie despite what he says. Afterwards, she becomes "out of sorts" (depression) before coming to terms that she'll never see her aunt again and finally cries (acceptance).
- Forgotten First Meeting: Downplayed and subverted. Shiva obviously remembers when she first met Teacher, as does he since he thinks of that moment as very important. It's just that, what with the effects of the curse, there are certain details he doesn't remember. Like telling Shiva to call him Teacher because he was purportedly a doctor.
- Grey-and-Gray Morality: On the one hand, the Outsiders are monsters that perpetuate The Corruption. But many are just really unfortunate, innocent civilians. The Outsiders that follow Mother are only trying to recover what they feel the Insiders misappropriated, even if that means harm to those Inside. On the other hand, the Insiders live in constant fear of the curse, not just because of what it'll do to them but anyone suspected of even so much as breathing in the same space as an infected are killed. But with how quickly the curse can spread, there's nothing else they can do and they're so desperate that sacrificing a child might be their only hope of surviving.
- Heroic BSoD: After Auntie becomes an Outsider and vanishes into the night, Shiva barely manages to escape the slaughter and burning of the village she was in. Afterwards, it's all she can do to cling to Teacher and follow him home. Once home, she has to lay down in the middle of the hallway and ends up falling asleep there, unable to move until the next day.
- I Did What I Had to Do: Even if there's no way for sure to know if someone's been infected before they turn, anyone under the suspicion must be put to death right away. Innocent civilians, children, it doesn't matter. In order to protect themselves from the curse, that's what Insiders have to do."We're merely soldiers. Our job is to protect people. That's all we can do."
"This is the only way." - I Have a Family: An odd example used by one of the cursed soldiers. He's hellbent on capturing Shiva since she's the only way he'll ever see his wife, child and friends again. It's both an indirect plea for mercy for Teacher to give her up and a justification.
- The Immune: Shiva's soul is totally immune to the taint; her body succumbs to it, although much slower than a normal person's would.
- Improvised Weapon User: Whenever trouble comes, Teacher tends to reach for the nearest wood ax.
- Incorruptible Pure Pureness: Shiva is a kind and sweet little girl who seems immune to The Corruption and grounds Teacher when he becomes excessively violent. Even the other Outsiders call her a "pure soul" and have taken a particular interest in her. The Insiders are also interested in her because of this.
- Inexplicably Awesome: Teacher is the only Outsider known who has managed to retain a consistent sense of self, and no one in-universe knows why.
- Inner Monologue: In most of his appearances, Teacher is seen showing guilt and regret for his actions, thinking about what this may bring upon other characters. While doing this, he rambles on to himself.
- It's All My Fault:
- Shiva blames herself for her aunt and neighbours turning into Outsiders, which in turn made soldiers eradicate the village to stem the curse, because she lied about being touched by an Outsider.
- Later, Teacher blames himself when Shiva's curse starts physically manifesting, thinking that it wouldn't have accelerated if he didn't allow her the physical comfort she desperately craved. He appears to see it as a moment of personal weakness as well, since he himself was lonely.
- Jerkass Gods: The God of Light or Heavenly Father is at best morally gray. He constantly stole things from the Mother or God of Darkness, including her soul, which he uses to create Insiders/Humans. Notably, in his efforts to gain an Outsider's body in order to have a physical vessel, he summoned the Outside that would become Shiva into the castle town, causing a mass curse event and forcing the King to have it quarantined and burned. This became the "hole in the map" and cost thousands of lives. For her part, "Mother" or the god of Darkness was just as much a party to the constant divine theft, stealing the Heavenly Father's body, and more directly having the Black Children try to steal back the soul inside humans or Insiders that was once hers. The fact the Outsiders spread the curse, and none really seem to know how to steal a soul, means it creates a vicious cycle where Insiders are constantly living in terror and on the decline.
- Laser-Guided Amnesia: Outsiders forget everything about who they used to be, loved ones included.
- Lethal Chef: Teacher is a terrible cook, though it's justified in that he doesn't need to eat and likely no longer has a sense of taste. His attempt at making a pie has it come out burnt all the way through. Shiva still ate it because she thought it was funny.
- Locked Out of the Loop: Nobody tells Shiva anything, because they want to preserve her innocence- for themselves as much as for her.
- Loss of Identity: The fate of all Outsiders. They progressively forget more about themselves, the people they knew and the life they had led. Their sense of touch dulls, as does feelings of hunger or sleepiness. Once the corruption progresses to a critical point, they will know nothing and be nothing, becoming a tree.
- Multiple Head Case: There's a certain Outsider that looks like a two-headed bird-thing. Each head seems to have a degree of individuality from the other, as each head can say different things but speak at the same time.
- My Greatest Failure: Auntie's view on being forced to abandon Shiva Outside before the story began. She had to or else the soldiers would've killed Shiva on the spot. But she still feels she failed Shiva as a parent and that she must do everything possible to ensure Shiva's safety to atone for her "sin".
- Mysterious Waif: In Universe. Since Shiva was adopted by Auntie, no one really knows where she came from or what happened for her to be left Outside. Whether she's truly human or not is also debatable. Whatever she is, both the Insiders and Outsiders want her for their own ends.
- Nameless Narrative: There are only 2 named people throughout the Manga. Shiva and Albert, the name of Teacher before his soul got stolen. Everyone else has an epithet such as Auntie, Teacher, His Holiness, the King, or even just "the soldiers". The fact that Shiva came from Albert's soul means technically only one person is named!
- Nightmare Sequence: Shiva has several which feature her being menaced by one of the Outsiders that follow Mother and turning black from the curse. Later, after her auntie turns into a tree, she describes one to Teacher that she had offscreen, where everyone but her succumbed to the curse and she was left all alone.
- Non-Human Head: Outsiders retain a humanoid physiology after they turn but gain a head like an animal skull, sometimes complete with complementary hair (fur?), horns and ears. As well, there are the turned soldiers, which have crow's heads. One outsider has thorns where the head should be, while the face itself is part of the torso.
- Off with His Head!: One Outsider carries its head around after having it chopped off.
- Orange And Blue Morality: The Outsiders that follow "Mother" aren't consciously malicious. They lack understanding of things like lying, the concept of a soul belonging to the person it inhabits, emotions, certain phrases, etc. They have a very different viewpoint on the division between Inside and Outside and what the curse is. They have a comprehension of things and way of working that's rather alien to human understanding.
- Orphan's Ordeal: Shiva's family either became Outsiders or abandoned her to flee behind the Wall; Auntie did the latter. The Insiders' fear is so great that they refuse to let Shiva herself in, regardless of how healthy she looks, because she could have been corrupted. So for the past few months, Teacher has been the only person in Shiva's life.
- Perpetual-Motion Monster: Outsiders don't need to eat, drink or sleep, don't age and can't be killed through physical harm. What prevents this from counting as Complete Immortality is that Outsiders do "die" eventually, becoming trees after enough time has passed. One instance also shows that even Outsiders can't survive past being literally torn to shreds.
- Please, Don't Leave Me: No matter how he tries to rationalize it, Teacher is deathly afraid of Shiva leaving him. He begs for her not to go when the Insiders kidnap her and is rather brusque when Auntie tries to monopolize her time with him. It's highly likely that looking after Shiva helps him retain his identity and restores a purpose to his life.
- The Pollyanna: No matter what happens, Shiva manages to stay optimistic and cheerful and tries her best to shake Teacher out of his blue funk. He calls her a strong person for this.
- The Prophecy: The Insiders have received a "divine revelation" stating that a child shall be the salvation of the people and the only way to purge the Outside's curse. They believe this child is Shiva, making her a shaky kind of Chosen One.
- Raised by the Supernatural: The book centers around Teacher, an Outsider, trying to raise what appears to be a girl from the Inside.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Shiva, in a childlike way, gives one to Teacher after Auntie "dies", taking him to task for lying to her to protect her from knowing her situation, before kicking him out of her room.
- Sequencing Deception: When Teacher and Shiva are hiding from the cursed soldiers in a new house, it seems in one chapter that they've caught up with them—the soldiers are shown approaching a door, discussing their plans to attack, while Teacher and Shiva hear someone outside and Teacher prepares to defend Shiva as well. It's then revealed that the person outside their door was just another Outsider, while the cursed soldiers have only just found Teacher's original house.
- Snowball Fight: Shiva and Teacher have one when it snows one day.
- The Soulless: All Outsiders lack souls, and their primary purpose is stealing those found within Insiders. They have the magical power to steal and hold the soul, however How Do I Shot Web? is in effect, and only one is known to have ever succeeded.
- Stepford Smiler: For all that Shiva is The Pollyanna and a Cheerful Child, she's not immune to her circumstances and the grief it entails.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Teacher keeping things from Shiva, lying to her and generally being bad at communicating, well, anything, deteriorates her trust in him, leading to a fight between them. It has even gotten to the point where Shiva blots out Teacher's face in a drawing she made with her, Auntie, and Teacher together.
- Tempting Fate: As he's attacked by the crow-shaped Outsiders, the cursed soldier attacking Teacher dares him to cut off his other arm as he boasts about finally having his revenge on the crow-shaped Outsiders that cursed him. Unfortunately, the crow-shaped Outsiders have finally learned how to use their teeth, and the first thing they do is chomp his arm off.
- Title Drop"Find the girl from the other side. Remove her soul from her vessel. Consecrate it in my [the God of Light's] name. Then take it unto thyself, that it may guard you from darkness and misfortune."
- Titled After the Song: The series' subtitle, Siúil, a Rún, alludes to a traditional Irish song of the same name.
- Tragic Keepsake: Teacher has a locket that has a family portrait in it. He says it to be of his wife, child and himself from when he was human, though his face is scratched out in the picture. However, he's not even sure if the people in the locket were really his family or if what he thought happened really happened at all.
- Transflormation: A notable difference between natural Outsides like Mother's Children and cursed humans is that former humans inevitably at some point grow roots and become trees.
- Typhoid Mary: After being touched by an Outsider, Shiva becomes this, while remaining unaffected herself. Or so everyone thought. In reality, she was always a carrier due to being a human soul in an outsider body, and since said body was incomplete slowly succumbed to the curse herself.
- Ungrateful Bastard: Auntie, with a touch of Hypocrite. After she turns into an Outsider through touching Shiva, she follows behind dejectedly after Teacher comes to rescue Shiva. After making sure Shiva is fine, he explains the situation to her and allows her to stay with them. Auntie for her part blames him for the hardships in Shiva's life, and says she'd be better off if he left. Later on she tries to convince Shiva to run away from Teacher with her. This is especially heartwrenching and enraging since she both abandoned Shiva alone in the wild, and the only reason Shiva is alive after said abandoning is Teacher's protection. She gets better after Shiva talks sense into her.
- Volleying Insults: An argument between Shiva and Teacher devolve into this, with Shiva being a young kid and Teacher still as polite as usual. It further devolves into No, You before they run out of words to use, which results in Lame Comeback and Actually Pretty Funny.
- Where I Was Born and Razed: The village Shiva and her aunt lived in gets cursed. The soldiers arrive soon afterward to kill everyone there, whether they look corrupted or not, and burn the village.
- Yin-Yang Clash: What starts all of the conflicts in this story. The Deities of Light and Darkness get in a fight, and take pieces of each other in order to create Insiders and Outsiders. At the end, both Teacher and Shiva come to realize that the only way to cure the curse is to let both worlds coexist, despite the pain they both brought to each another.
