The stage for “Reiwa no Dara-san” is Ojin Town, a town surrounded by mountains. At first glance, it is a peaceful rural town, but in one corner of those mountains, there has long existed an “accursed land” that people never approach. There is a suspicious shrine there, and it is a place feared as somewhere you will be cursed if you set foot in it, and in some cases, even lose your life. Hinata and Kaoru, born into the Mizukiya family who has managed such a mountain for generations, step into the forbidden place on a stormy night, triggered by the breach of the barrier that had kept the accursed land sealed off. Waiting for the two there was Yamatagi Madara, an apparition with a giant snake-like body. An encounter with a cursing deity feared by the surrounding people since ancient times—normally, one would scream and run away. However, the word “normal” does not apply to these siblings.

Far from fearing Yamatagi Madara, Hinata and Kaoru easily accept its existence, and before long begin to affectionately call it “Dara-san.” Compared to Dara-san, who wants to show dignity as an object of fear, the two are strangely comfortable going at their own pace. Because they interact with it so naturally that you wouldn't think they are facing an apparition, Dara-san, who is supposed to be a terrifying cursing deity, ends up bewildered instead. The siblings' nerves are so unusually settled that you can easily understand Dara-san's feelings of wanting to say, “I am a cursing deity, you know!?” The apparition that was originally on the side of driving humans into terror is swung around by overly free humans, becoming the straight man before anyone realizes it. This reversal of positions is precisely what brings out the fun of this work all at once.

What I personally find particularly attractive about “Reiwa no Dara-san” is the gap between Dara-san's “appearance” and “inside.” If you just align the settings of an accursed land deep in the mountains, an old shrine, a giant snake body, and a cursing deity, there is an atmosphere where a fairly authentic ghost story seems about to begin. Despite that, as the story progresses, you come to feel a strange familiarity toward Dara-san, who should be scary. Hinata and Kaoru are so free that, as a result, there are even moments where Dara-san looks like the person with common sense. This structure of “being an apparition yet being the most sensible” is exquisite, and the fact that it changes that fear into laughter while leaving the fear intact, rather than breaking the horror worldview, was impressive.

However, this work is not just a comedy that treats apparitions in a funny way. Dara-san has a sad past, and parts such as why the existence called Yamatagi Madara came to be feared, and what kind of history existed between humans and apparitions, give a unique depth to the story. Precisely because the usual noisy interactions are fun, the loneliness and sadness glimpsed unexpectedly remain strongly in the heart. Even in an existence handed down as a “terrifying apparition,” there are circumstances and emotions that cannot be understood just by looking from the outside. As you get to know that background, the impression of Dara-san, who at first seemed like nothing more than a grotesque existence, gradually changes as well.

What I feel when reading “Reiwa no Dara-san” is that horror and comedy go together surprisingly well. Because there is a chilling apparition atmosphere, the laughter stands out, and because there is an enjoyable daily life, the sad past resonates in the heart. The relationship between Dara-san, Hinata, and Kaoru, too, despite being a dangerous combination of “human and cursing deity,” makes you feel a warmth somewhat like family or friends while watching them. Not to mention people who like apparition manga, it is a work easy to get into even for people who say “I am not good with overly scary horror, but I like stories where mysterious existences appear.” A cursing deity that was supposed to be a symbol of fear gradually becomes a familiar presence while being swung around by humans—I think such strange, noisy, yet somewhere gentle daily life is precisely the unique charm of “Reiwa no Dara-san.”