Wakusei Closet is very Lovecraft, very Junji Ito, very pure-type shoujo-ai, and very good. As other readers have formulated, it’s like Milk Closet or Coo’s World, but with a sensible plot. It is also very visually imaginative and not a small bit scary. You may notice tragedy listed for it in tags in some places - and it is not by chance. Lovecraft stands for cosmic horror. The distant world which our characters are whisked off to is diffferent and hostile, with plenty of life and almost none of it kind to humans. Expect tentacles and parasites, invading and consuming, things not being accessible to humanminds and death being the good fate. It seems like madness, but it has rules, just very cruel rules, not fully cogniscible to humans.

Ito is mentioned because of body horror, the freakish becoming painfully real, and the exploitation of vulnerabilities. Wakusei Closet attacks a whole set of human weaknesses – things we cannot control: sleep, infection, memory loss, unknown cosmos with other forms of life. But most of all the horror of the meat envelope we live in – the kids’ bodies here will be torn and distorted in many ways. It’s not indulgent, 98% not sexual (just some panties getting visible 2 times for the good reason of their wearer being eaten starting from their head), but terrible to behold because of the very primal disgust at seeing the familiar human form defiled.

And shoujo-ai happens because Tsubana likes to draw young pure plump girls in peril and love is the best motivator. All of the protagonists are kids and most of them are adorable girls, maybe even too honest and kind hearted. The main heroine feels affection towards the other schoolkid stuck on the titular alien planet and tries to save her – she has barely awakened to attraction though, so there isn't much in terms of romance. The strength of her feeling is conveyed through her actions and through the diary pages that appear once per chapter. It would be unrealistic for her to go to such lengths just out of humanitarian responisiblity, but an important love for a strong person in danger can move mountains. Through their relationship and a slow recovery of lost memories other kids enter the cast. Just don’t expect adults and don’t expect many of the kids having a chance to become ones.

Most surprisingly of all, there is a gripping plot with a mystery at its core, with clearly defined stakes, allies and enemies. There are moments of foreboding, as well as thrilling fighting scenes and heartfelt moments of reminiscence. I repeat: this here before you is a surrealistic bloody horror, but with a plot that is not only possible to follow but with one that will make you fidget at the edge of your seat. This deserves a badge. And it is what really makes it scary. Really, Tsubana’s writing is so strong. And what I like the most is that despite the many horrible events the core values behind the work are healthy human values, which makes immersion easier. The wrong events that happen are shown through writing as wrong, you don’t see the author savoring or gloating. (Though I am curious why Tsubana likes little girls for protagonists so much.)

The drawing style is peculiar and atmospheric. The weirder part is similar-looking almost symbolic girls with roundish features and very small feet. Alien landscapes, on the other hand, can hit very high levels of “realistic” detail. The art is methodical: there’s no hysteria to it, no dirty or torn lines – everything is clean, clearly readable, and very eery. Tsubana contrasts moe and horror expertly, is good with composition, and has a way with repetition of shapes. You see plants looking like weird tiny fractals around a road and know things are off. Going south. Very bad. Terrible. As some small eyes pop where they shouldn’t be and insect-like feelers emerge. I haven’t saved many pages, but consuming these drawings has been a delight.

Honestly, Wakusei Closet has so far been a rare treat, both thanks to the quality and because of the combination of themes I didn’t believe possible. The only reason I write about it in a restrained manner is because it’s scary to dive in. I am not a big fan of straight horror, y’see. But the main couple is gay here, and I, for once, am happy to encounter such a lovely nightmare fuel – so very fresh, engaging and well drawn. Thus I highly recommend Wakusei Closet to all who can handle horror.