Description
Land of the Lustrous follows immortal, genderless gem people on a remote island in Earth’s distant future, long after humans have disappeared. Lunarians raid from the Moon, hunting the gems to turn them into decorations. Phosphophyllite, nicknamed Phos, wants to join the fighting but is too brittle. Their teacher, Master Kongo, instead assigns them to compile a natural history. The task brings Phos to Cinnabar, whose poisonous body forces them to live apart from the others. Phos promises to find Cinnabar a better role.
The gems’ shattered bodies can be repaired, but missing fragments can also mean lost memories. This ties Phos’s search for a purpose to questions of identity and change. Buddhist imagery runs through the mystery surrounding the war. The opening has playful humor, but the story grows sadder and psychologically heavier, with loneliness, obsession, and prolonged suffering. Battles show bodies shattering and losing limbs rather than ordinary human gore, though the violence can still be disturbing.
Pros
- Phos’s changing sense of self gives the story emotional weight.
- Bold black-and-white compositions make the gems feel both delicate and unsettling.
- The strange world and its mysteries reward close attention.
Cons
- Similar character designs and sparse panels can make battles hard to follow.
- The bleak turns and prolonged suffering can be emotionally exhausting.
Awards
Main characters
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Phosphophyllite (Phos)
フォスフォフィライト
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Cinnabar
シンシャ
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Diamond
ダイヤモンド
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Bort
ボルツ
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Master Kongo
金剛先生
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Rutile
ルチル
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Antarcticite
アンタークチサイト
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Cairngorm
カンゴーム
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Padparadscha
パパラチア
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Euclase
ユークレース