Introduction:

Land of the Lustrous is just a brilliant piece of art. One of the best examples of fantasy that can only be delivered in the East. To sum it up, this is a post-apocalyptic buddha fantasy. You’ll notice this straight away from the designs and art of certain characters and just general concepts it explores concerning the afterlife, the cycle and so forth. This element is what makes worldbuilding so extraordinary, it’s just very innovative, especially in this medium.

The evolution of the author's craft is staggering from volume 1 to the latest chapter, with consistent improvements throughout (from an art and writing standpoint). Phosphophyllite (the main protagonist) exploration is genuinely fantastic. Initially, you think this is a standard air-headed protagonist who will overcome the odds, but that changes very fast till the latest chapter (currently chapter 97). The amount of depth and psychological exploration is much more than I expected honestly. The human emotions that are expressed are powerful and heart-wrenching.

Morality:

One of the best aspects of the series is the moral ambiguity, nothing is clear out and it’s just a ruthless world with consequences that last. The concept of following rock people does seem silly but what the author does with this premise is simply genius.

Craft- Psychology:

The author knows how to use her craft to the fullest, there’s hardly any exposition and mostly shown visually and it sticks with you. Like portraying psychological aspects of Phos's mindset later on in the series. The dreams are vivid, surreal and alive. This is where the art is flexed capturing the surreal nature of a mind basically in turmoil and that feeling of hopelessness and loss. The panel work in those sequences, in particular, is so deliberate and just in general the panelling is a highlight.

Translation:

The official translation I thought did a good job, in particular, the translation notes at the end of a volume. Explaining some of the nuances, like giving the reader a brief idea of Buddhist concepts being explored.

Characters:

Now characters, well, I talked about Phos’s being fantastic and what about the other characters? Well, they are also great. The author does a great job at developing a big cast of characters and not making them feel one-noted, most have a distinct personalities. Some of the best aspects of the series are the banter between the cast, it feels quite organic.

Mysteries:

The mysteries I thought were fantastic and with more answers, there are always more questions to be answered. It’s handled quite tastefully. I’m very excited to see how certain plot threads will be addressed as most of the mysteries so far have had a satisfying answer.

Conclusion:

In Conclusion, I will highly recommend giving this manga a go. It’s a very innovative series and it's probably the best time to start. As a big arc has just been concluded and the beginning of a new arc has begun which makes me very excited especially reading the beginning and the start of this new arc.