Mismatched relationships, chance encounters, and unforeseen circumstances unravel in the short story collection of 
Toryumon Takeda’s One More Step, Come Stand by My Side as random twists of fate populate these intriguing tales of wonder, subterfuge, and duplicity.
A young princess, abducted, blindfolded, and held against her will, opens up the collection in “When the Time Comes.” Her pensive caretaker, a hulking sentinel whose silence surpasses his strength, guards her like a precious gem. They navigate through a delicate terrain of uncertainty and trust while fostering an unspoken harmony of mutual understanding. What might they be attempting to communicate?
In another story, the tenuous relationship between a woman and her tied-up stalker reveal shifting dynamics of gender and power in “Ten Minutes Later, The Cops Showed Up.” In a space of just ten minutes, unexpected connections form between the two shortly before the police arrive, detonating a series of flirtatious overtones in this unusual exchange.
In “Paradise,” misconstrued interpretations across cultural barriers arise between a pair of explorers and a tribe of natives in a secluded jungle. They behold their peculiar practices and experience discomforting silences that alienate them in this bizarre encounter.
What might they be attempting to communicate? In “The Wife Whom I Loved Dearly,” a devoted husband traverses the landscapes of grief with his increasingly distant, cancer-stricken wife as they grapple with impending mortality and the fragility of life. How does one cope with this inevitability in light of the fleeting moments threatening to sever their relationship?
Nuanced scenarios between characters gradually unfold across shifting yet skillfully crafted plots in the stories of Toryumon Takeda. Wordless panels capture subtle shades of meaning, emotion, and actions among characters, culminating in serendipitous plot twists that confound and surprise, dissecting the complicated wonders of human behavior and idiosyncrasies. From muted relational connections and deceptive lies exchanged not only between characters but also with readers, Takeda conveys unspoken interactions through wispy line character designs and subtle gestures and facial expressions whose facades belie their ulterior motives.
The ephemeral and protracted dimensions of time intersect these stories of human relationships, filling a niche in short fiction manga collections aimed at older teens and adults. The afterword contains anecdotal insights that inspired these intricately designed stories. Eschewing formulaic-driven plots, Takeda illuminates surprising sides of humanity with profound depth and care infused with a range of emotional resonance.
One More Step, Come Stand by My Side
By Toryumon Takeda
Yen Press, 2023
ISBN: 9781975376871
Publisher Age Rating: 16+
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18)
Creator Representation: Japanese,
