The Color of the End, Manga Recommendation of the Week!

Article at a glance:
Usuzumi no Hate (The Color of the End) isn’t your usual post-apocalyptic manga—its intense atmosphere and character-driven story fully pull you into its bleak, desolate world.
Like Mushishi and Death Stranding, it’s about meeting people and surviving together. Saya, an artificial human, learns from each character she encounters, forming a unique bond with readers as you grow with her.
The stunning, detailed art doesn’t just look good—it builds the world. Every panel deepens the sense of ruin and helps bring this world to life in a way few other mangas manage.

I rarely get to shout out a truly rare manga. But when I do get the chance, I take it. I have not seen many people talk about Usuzumi no Hate/The Color of the End and they have no idea what they are missing out on. Stories set in a post-apocalyptic world are dime a dozen but not many of them feel this… intense. This manga will reel you in and completely immerse you in its world. Everything from the character-driven story to the art works to build the world one piece at a time. It is incredible.

So welcome back to another edition of our manga recommendation series. This week we are talking about Usuzumi no Hate or The Color of the End. I don’t think many of you have heard of this manga so let’s talk about it.

Introduction

The Color of the End is a relatively new manga. It is written and illustrated by Iwamune Haruo. It has been serialized in the Harta magazine since 15th March 2022. Of course, it is still ongoing. So far, it has 3 volumes and its official Engish serialization will be starting under Yen Press in January 2025 though you can read the unofficial translations online. Of course, it doesn’t have an anime adaptation or anything though I hope it does get one in the future.

Plot

I’ll be honest, the plot isn’t the deepest thing out there. This is mainly a character-driven story and the plot/setting is just there to support that. It is very similar to Mushishi where we experience the world together with the protagonist. So we follow Saya, an artificial human who is tasked with rescuing survivors in a post-apocalyptic world, 50 years in the future. The story is mostly episodic as Saya meets new people and learns more about the world and others.

Yes, there are story arcs but they are few and far between, at least so far. Another great comparison I’ve seen is Death Stranding. That game too revolves around helping and meeting new people. So that should give you a general idea of what to expect from the story in this manga. Don’t let the episodic nature of the plot put you off, it is still amazing what this manga manages to achieve.

Characters

So most characters you meet won’t be there for too long but they do leave an impact. Every character teaches something new to Saya and that is your hook. You as a reader grow and learn together with Saya, it feels like. It is a refreshing experience and it forms a deep connection between Saya and us, the readers. So whenever she’s in peril, we feel for her. It is a simple yet uncommon approach to character development and I like it.

Art

The art is fantastic. The art does an incredible job of immersing you in the world and portraying the destruction of everything. The art style is unique and the art is very detailed. It is damn impressive to look at. I won’t lie, the art does a lot of heavy lifting to make this manga what it is.