U.K.-based creator Kengo Kurimoto's graphic novel debut, Wildful, is visual storytelling perfection. The plot might seem simple: a girl and her dog meet a new friend on their daily walks. Close attention to Kurimoto's exquisitely detailed art, however, will reveal multiple layers of delightful transformation.
Wildful is divided into seven chapters, each of which begins with a similar scene of a girl walking her dog. She's utterly distracted in the first chapter but, when the dog sees a fox and barrels through the opening of a dilapidated fence, Poppy chases the pup. The first text appears: "Pepper!!" A wool-capped boy answers with "That way! He went that way!" before wrangling and returning Pepper to Poppy. "Mum, you won't believe what I just saw!" Poppy announces when she returns home, but her mother is asleep on the couch. As chapter two commences, Poppy is still distracted as she and Pepper set out, but she heads straight for the fence. This time, Poppy and the boy reunite for a wondrous birdwatching adventure. At home, Mum is awake to listen to Poppy's excitement about "the most magical place" she's just shared with her new friend, Rob. By chapter seven, the sidewalk holds four adventurers: Mum is ready to experience the healing enchantments.
Kurimoto uses pen and ink to produce his meticulous sepia-toned illustrations. He's an indisputable master of perspective, giving readers beautiful views. His insightful precision depicts Poppy's closed-eye appreciation of birdsong and the intricacies of a blooming wildflower as Rob's nostrils flare in olfactory delight. Kurimoto brilliantly manages to thread exploration, memory, renewal, and gratitude throughout his exact, ruler-straight panels. Wildful is a breathtaking, wildly welcoming achievement. --Terry Hong