Aito sworn of love due to a centuries old curse and he is doing just fine with that until he meets a guy who makes him rethink it all…
About Voices in the Sea Foam
Voices in the Sea Foam is a BL manga by Kotaro, published in English by Kodansha. It takes inspiration from The Little Mermaid but takes place in modern times. The story centers on Aito, a college student that carries a curse from his past life. Whenever he falls in love, he cannot speak and feels an unbearable pain in his legs. As a result, Aito has sworn off love, never wanting to get his hopes up.
Enter Toru, a fellow college student who takes an interest in Aito and can’t seem to leave him alone. Initially, Aito tries to pay him no mind, knowing he can’t escape his fate as the doomed mermaid. But as Toru’s persistence starts to wear him down, Aito starts hoping there is a way to free himself from this curse.
My Thoughts
As a millennial, I’ve come across many retellings of The Little Mermaid, but this one may be my favorite one yet. Korato’s version of the story is a much darker approach, closer to the Hans Christian Andersen’s original, but deviating from the source with a much happier ending. In this world, Aito is a human but was a mermaid in his past life. This makes his “curse” something completely out of his control, and he sees no reason to fight it. While he’s resigned to never fall in love, Aito is living a pretty fulfilling life. He attends school, has a best friend Mizuki (who is amazing!!) , and enjoys himself singing. I loved this realistic approach to someone who is still carrying a big burden, because life does go on no matter what you’re going through.
Then Aito meets Toru. This guy is cute and wants to get to know him. While everything in his mind and body is screaming “No! Runaway!” Aito makes the decision to move forward. This decision isn’t one to be taken lightly and that’s what really stands out to me with this story. Aito is so afraid of love and pain, he doesn’t believe it’s worth even trying. But Toru changes that. Voices in the Sea Foam hones in how much the act of loving someone is an act of bravery. It’s a choice to follow the unknown and accept the risks of love, against all fears. Voices in the Sea Foam is a beautiful take on this tale, with a message about love that is sure to last.
Where to Buy Voices in the Sea Foam
Voices in the Sea Foam
Mangaka: Kotaro
Translating: Cat Anderson
Letterering: Elena Pizarro Lanzas
Editing: Alexandra McCullough-Garcia
Publisher: Kodansha
Voices in the Sea Foam is available for preorder now and will be released on May 5.
Thank you to Kodansha and NetGalley for the ARC!
