It's a rare thing for a manga to move me in the way that Arte has managed to in fewer than 40 chapters, so this seemed like a good place to write my first manga review.

The titular character Arte is really the only character who needs to be discussed in this format. While the supporting cast's stories range from fun to gut-wrenching to heartwarming, Arte herself is the real standout. Her role within the story is probably most comparable to a character like Paddington (from the film duology of the same name). She's a sort of ray of sunshine who causes major revelations in the minds of the people she meets. Where she differs from Paddington, though, is in her own growth. Where some authors might be content to have their pure do-gooder protagonist remain unchanged from start to end, Arte has a clear path forward to grow in a way that feels very natural and what we've seen of it so far has been very well-earned.

Of course, it's impossible to review a series like Arte without bringing up feminism and empowerment. This series is very unashamed with regard to its message and themes. However, to those who worry that a series so forward with its message could get a little overbearing, I'd have to say that it really didn't feel that way to me. At no point in my time reading this manga did I ever feel like it was beating me over the head with its message. It felt fully integrated into the story, and instead I found myself really feeling for the characters.

If I had one complaint with the way Arte discusses feminism and the oppression of women, I'd say that it points its finger a little too strongly at people, whose mind can be changed, rather than the institutions of power that are actually responsible for oppression. That said, this is very common in fiction, and focusing on institutions of power rather than the individuals would make the series a far less hopeful one and would likely take away from the idea of independence, which is at the core of Arte. So there's a strong argument to be made that Ookubo's decision here was the right one, and that making my preferred one regarding systems of power would have led to a less compelling story.

This has all been assisted by Ookubo's gorgeous illustrations. Besides just looking great, the artwork in this series is particularly skilled at showing emotion (most notably frustration, as you'd expect with these themes), and is really the perfect vessel for the story being told.

Beyond its fantastic character work, stunning art and themes of empowerment, Arte also has a surprising amount to offer in the way of information. I can't speak for other readers, but I'm not personally too familiar with Renaissance-era Italy, so the brief explanations of how some things worked or what certain terms meant lent themselves to a smoother reading experience. It's a small thing, but it's a nice touch, and it's done in a way that prevents the reader from feeling bogged down with exposition.

All things considered, Arte is a beautiful series about overcoming adversity and working hard to achieve one's dream. It's not exactly eye-catching or even particularly subtle or nuanced, but it's something special.