Cacy & Kiara and the Curse of the Ki`i by Roy Chang 

The many fantastic stories and legends of Hawaiian culture find resonance in manga’s dynamic presentation style.

Cousins Cacy and Kiara are two young girls who are swept up in Hawaiian myths during a class trip to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.  Author and illustrator Roy Chang (b. 1968), who is of Native Hawaiian descent, spent over ten years writing and conducting research on Hawai‘i Island (Big Island) to create this story.

Chang was inspired by the anime film Spirited Away (2001), about a young girl unexpectedly thrown into the world of spirits. The film drew heavily from Japanese culture, cleverly interpreting old legends in a contemporary fashion.  Through his story, Chang accomplished a similar feat in a Hawaiian-inspired setting.  He re-interpreted several myths and set them in contemporary life.