I feel like I’ll never be used to this, but another one of my favorite creators has left us. Kasai Sui, author of the historical fiction manga Giséle Alain, passed away on September 12. 

With a drawing style reminiscent of Mori Kaoru (A Bride’s Story, Emma) and Miura Kentaro (Berserk), Kasai’s art was stunningly gorgeous, and really captured that Harta Comix style. Giséle Alain follows a young and wealthy tomboy by the same name who opens her own “all trades” business taking care of odd jobs, and it is one of the best manga I’ve ever read. The art is simply gorgeous, with character expressive and lovingly rendered—particularly when it comes to Giséle herself. The period clothing, architecture, and little details are some of the best I’ve ever seen in manga. The story, told through the little adventures of our heroine and eventually her complex relationship with her own past, is something that drew me in deeper and deeper. 

Giséle Alain ran for five volumes before going on hiatus in 2014. I was looking through the archives of this blog, sure I had posted something about it over the years, and I was shocked to discover that I had not devoted a single post to this series. I think a part of me was still holding out hope that Giséle Alain would return, and that I would be able to write about Kasai’s work then. Alas, I guess this is my review now: Go read the manga if you can.

I didn’t follow Kasai closely, and I kind of regret that now. For one thing, I never quite realized that Giséle Alain stopped serialization because the author had become ill. Nor did I know that they had a wife who is also a manga artist. I also wasn’t aware that Kasai had opened a Pixiv Fanbox, and had been posting to it off and on for the past six years, and I wish I could have been supporting them this whole time. During this time, Kasai’s output fluctuated a lot (I assume due to health issues), but their art remained incredible. They even tabled at Comitia last year! A part of me wants to take up drawing again, being faced with the mortality of an artist whose work I adored, especially because they were close to my own age.

News articles have also revealed that an extra Giséle Alain story was actually in the works and close to completion before Kasai died. The author had tweeted innocuously just four days prior, and it seems like everyone assumed this was going to be her triumphant (albeit limited) return. I really hope we get to see this extra story, even if it’s in disorganized pieces. 

Kasai’s Fanbox is going to close paid subscriptions after October 31. Visiting it is a great and convenient way to see the work of a master. 

Rest in peace, Sensei.