To be honest, was this book as good as the first. No. However, it was a very satisfying read, and a great ending to the story. There is a little heart break, a little just deserts, but it works out as it should in the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the conclusion to this story, and will be recommending the duology for years to come. ( )

I really liked how weird this book was. The art matched beautifully with the strangeness, and as a reader who never sees anything coming I loved the ending. ( )

To add to this book's creepy atmosphere, I highly recommend reading it while waiting out a thunderstorm in a grimy pedestrian underpass with dim, flickering lights and water running underfoot. Just saying.

Revoy expertly mixes manga, horror, missing persons, serial killers, and fantasy to create a most awesome yet terrifying playground in Kyoto, Japan, inhabited by a supernatural figure in a scary mask. Two little kids explore the powers and mysteries of the playground and are forever changed by it.

I only wish I fully understood the ending. I get the bits about the little girl, but I don't understand what the boy in the mask has to do with combs and moths. ( )

This was a decent book that drew me into the story more than I expected. My son and I picked this up at the library on a whim and both enjoyed it. The premise is a bit creepy but does pull you in.

Kids have been going missing and a couple of young children end up at a mysterious playground with a mysterious boy. The mysterious boy introduces these children to the strange and magical properties of the playground.

I thought the idea of a playground with supernatural powers was cool and the effects the playground had were both eerie and intriguing. The illustration was pretty typical manga style and didn’t really stand out for me.

The ending left me really confused and I felt like a lot of things were left unresolved. I don’t think this is the first book in a series, but it could be. I discussed the ending with my son and we were both confused about what was going on. The mystery behind the huge number of missing children didn’t really seem to be solved either (kind of but not really).

Overall this was an intriguing graphic novel that had some neat ideas but left me a bit confused. I would tentatively recommend if you enjoy strange supernatural stories that are a bit creepy. ( )

Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Good
Level: Grades 9-12
Recommended: For larger collections

In Animus, two friends stumble upon a playground that has supernatural elements to it. A strange kid who wears a mask explains the various parts of the playground: the swing set allows the rider to see into others' dreams, the sandpit can sense (and create) one's deepest fear, and the slide makes the user grow older or younger depending on the direction one moves. The origin story of why this masked kid is residing in the playground is the motivating factor in this story. The two friends attempt to figure out why this character is trapped and if they can do anything to help it.

This graphic novel, for the most part, was enjoyable. The supernatural aspects of the playground are intriguing and unsettling at the same time. There is a sub-line investigation that adds depth to the overall story.

My only disappointment with this story is the ending. The events that happen at the end of this story do not make sense; there does not seem to be rational behind what happens.

Recommended with reservations. ( )