There are those born on a date that occurs only once every four years. These people are called "leapers" -- individuals who age biologically at a rate four times slower than that of normal people and go on to live for over 300 years. Mio Aono is one such person and she, like many other leapers, experiences and sees life through all its mortal limitations.
From the author of "Mine-Kun is Asexual", Isaki Uta originally released "Leaper" in 2008 as a one-shot submission to the Monthly Afternoon Magazine Manga Competition where it not only went on to win an honorable mention, but also jumpstarted their career as both a serial manga and doujinshi artist. Ten years later, this landmark work has now been updated and re-released as a doujinshi and, for the first time, localized into English for fans to enjoy. Experience a comic tour de force in a work that would go on to define the author's style for years to come.
The life of a leaper is one of continual loss
Although being a Leaper seems excellent on the surface – after all, this is the closest humanity has ever come to immortality. However, it comes with a massive cost. That cost is loneliness, as childhood friends grow into adults and parents grow old and die while the seemingly ageless child goes from one leap year to another...
Lovely Story of Grief and Hope
This is an absolutely gorgeous work. I wish I could hand it around to everyone I know. It's a thoughtful, quiet, slow story, as Mio's age inches along over the years, while those around her speed through it. The grief of seeing her loved ones age and die, the feeling of being left behind as her peers quickly become her seniors only for them too to pass, and the wonderful, beautiful hope of human connection, ingenuity, and passion all mix together in a way that made my heart ache beautifully. It's just an absolutely gorgeous gem of a story.
Leaper is a compelling, emotional artistic statement from an artist that began their career with a fully formed ethos they’ve only refined over time. Mio’s story is one of bittersweet encounters, a welcome reminder to treasure those you’ve loved and keep your memories of them close to your heart. Irodori’s localization is poetically written, expressively lettered, and lovingly polished. Uta’s hard on their art and the quality of the work in their afterward, but I respectfully couldn’t disagree more. It’s a gorgeously drawn story with a fascinating premise, sharing a compelling message that’s aged beautifully. Leap at the chance to read it; Leaper stands the test of time.
Read the full review here: all-comic.com/2021/leaper/
BENEATH THE TANGLES' Review of Leaper
Score: 4.5/5
This is one of Isaki Uta’s earlier works and when compared to more recent ones like Mermaid in the Bottle, the artwork is a little rougher; however, it is still very expressive and captures the emotional heft of the story page after page. Everything from the art, to the well-spaced lettering, to the solid translations worked for me. When I picked this doujinshi up, I absolutely could not put it down until I finished it. It’s a wonderful work and an easily accessible one for those looking to get into the world of self-published manga (doujinshi).
Playing with Time: Reviewing Isaki Uta’s “Leaper”! (ADVANCED REVIEW)
Leaper is really just the story of a girl’s entanglement with time: with its progression, it’s passing, it’s kinda sorta infinity. It’s the story of a girl who gets bullied for being different. It’s the story of a girl who has to watch time go by so fast when her own time is as slow as molasses.
It’s the story of a girl who desperately wishes the world was a place for her.
