Based on the cute character designs, I didn't expect this comic to get so dark so fast. Between Kyonosuke's past trauma, trouble at school, and zero support at home, Scars is a story about the world's worst coming-of-age. The title refers to Scars both physical and psychological, both of which the main character acquires in spades. The contrast between the cartoonish character designs and detailed, hyperreal background art gives Scars' first volume a look all its own. The debut creation of Brandon Arias, an up-and-coming Chilean manga artist, it's a heavy read but still heartfelt and hopeful.

When I saw Kyonosuke's character design with its exaggerated, cartoony facial scar, I was reminded of the amiable Franken Stein from Soul Eater. Indeed, other characters refer to this protagonist as “Frank” but not in a kind way. Instead, he is treated as a pariah at school, and only a single kind girl, Akira, treats him like a person. Kyonosuke and Akira grow closer while they dodge bullies, but Akira has a secret: she's transgender, and her parents don't approve. When shit hits the fan, it turns out Kyonosuke's parents don't exactly harbor unconditional love for him, either. In fact, Kyonosuke's father is portrayed as even less sympathetic than Kenta, the school bully, whom, the manga explains, beats other kids up for money because that's what his dad does to him. In short, all the adults in this manga are garbage, and all of the teens are fighting hard for their physical and mental survival. It's heavy stuff for such cute, young-looking character designs.

One of the most devastating scenes in the book is when Kyonosuke finally decides to come clean to his parents about everything going on: his trouble at school, the bullying, and his relationship with Akira. “You can trust us,” Kyonosuke's dad tells him, moments before rejecting him completely. “No matter what… we're here to support you,” he adds, a single page before proving the exact opposite. Following the scene in which Kenta's dad physically beats Kenta into the ground for failing to steal him some beer money, it's even more insidious to see the different types of abuse that various characters receive from their parents. Don't trust adults, no matter how kind they seem, is what this manga seems to be expressing, and it's so successful at ingraining this message that even when Akira and Kyonosuke eventually find adults who are willing to stand in their corner, it's an uneasy peace. I spent the rest of the volume waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it didn't. The manga ends with a happy scene, and the ominous words “nothing lasts forever” all but confirm my fears.

The brief scenes in which Kyonosuke and Akira are able to find solace in each other are the manga's beating heart. Even though they're constantly under attack from all angles, they're able to find respite in their own little world, no matter how fragile—enjoying the same anime, eating ice cream, and sitting together on the riverbank, that iconic spot of Japanese suburbia. When they're having fun, their eyes crinkled into little “n” shapes, Kyosuke and Akira seem even younger than usual. How could anyone see these precious cinnamon rolls and not want to protect them? It's even worse that the bulk of the abuse comes from the very people who are supposed to love them the most. If these kids are going to make it in the harsh world adults have set up for them, they're going to have to rely on each other. The most redemptive moment for bully Kenta is when Akira's secret is out, and he defends her anyway. Despite this manga's darkness, the way that other main characters accept Akira's identity offers a hopeful lining and a welcome dose of kindness in a narrative where both are scarce. To be clear, this is not a feel-good read. Most of the time, I was horrified.

Arias' afterward says it best: “I wanted a story that was brutal, and nothing is more brutal than reality.” The topic is harsh, but the detailed and realistic background art means there is beauty even in this manga's darkest corners. There are even a couple of full-color panels at the start that gorgeously portray this manga's suburban Japanese setting. I was surprised to learn that Arias is from Chile, considering the extreme realism with which he sketches out this Japanese neighborhood. Scars is Arias's debut piece, so it was difficult for me to find much information about him besides what he shares in the volume's bonus afterward. There, Arias reveals that Inio Asano, the author of Goodnight Punpun, is the main influence on him as a manga artist. Considering Scars is also a dark coming-of-age story, it's not difficult to connect those dots. It's a story as raw and painful as a fresh wound, but its hopeful outlook is why I'll stick around for the concluding volumes two and three.