Finding inspiration
Parallel to Kabi’s story of physical recovery is a creative one that ultimately terminates in the manga we’re looking at now. Throughout, Kabi makes technical choices to signal her emotional state at different points in the narrative. Dark shading amplifies moments of relapse and creative doubt. Kabi uses radiating lines to reflect the generative effect of reading inspiring work, a pastime that sparks her own creativity and carries her through some dark moments. Reading other mangas propels her to her writing desk, where she finds solace and respite. Ultimately, it is these moments of restoration that lead her to trace her own journey in line and in ink.