Spotlight#195: Of Aliens and Cacti

Have you ever wanted the heavens to be a little closer? If so, then Aliens and Catci by Joollychuu

Summary

In a world where Earth is an intergalactic one-stop shop for every alien this side of the Milky Way. Yet amongst all the billions of terrorists and aliens, two people who couldn't be more different find each other in detention. While Adan and Rin seemingly have nothing in common, the two still grow closer together through each other's daily lives.

Characters

Adan: The sun to Rin's moon. Adan is super excited, caring, and hardworking. Living with a single mom and an alien brother, Adan tries to help his family by working at a coffee shop. Due to having dyslexia, Adan does struggle with school. Beneath his smile, though, lies a pressing secret.

Rin: The moon to Adan's sun. Rin is the star student in his high school. He's highly observant, has a respectable moral code, and is studious. However, for all of his praises, he can sometimes be antisocial and tunnel-visioned. This has changed ever since meeting Adan, though.

Overview

This is another webtoon that a friend recommended to me. However, instead of crying like I did with Revelation of Eros Of Aliens and Cacti, it left me with a huge smile. This being one of the easier reads I've had in a minute doesn't hurt, either. Of Aliens and Catci is currently around 120 chapters, but each chapter is incredibly short, so it's easy to catch up. My speed readers could have a fun field day while having time to cook dinner.

While I wish we could hear more about how this world functions, the series provides a lot of background details and character bios to help people understand the assignment. Much like immigrants, aliens within Of Aliens and Cacti are beings with their own cultures, abilities, and appearances. Throughout the story, the world tries to accommodate them despite their cultural differences.

Adan and Rin are the beating heart of this story. The wide swath of characters, treasured family members, and dramatic moments are filtered through them. With that in mind, it makes their interactions and, by extension, their interactions hit so hard. They both accepted and pushed each other to be better and more confident people. While they haven't officially gotten together yet, I'm sure it will only be a matter of time after the fallout of the big reveal.

Of course, if none of the stories and characters put you in a vice grip, how about that art? Jollychu commands a cartoonish art style with sharp lines, simple shapes, loads of colored hair, and big eyes and mouths. These features help fit the various aliens in the series nicely with the humans.

Epilogue

All in all, Aliens and Cacti was a fun story. Much like Revelation of Eros, it's near the top of my list in recommending Canvas webtoons to people, and I think it serves well for the penultimate chapter of this cluster. Still, if you're looking for some fun antics and a couple of other webtoon recommendations, please check out Aliens and Catci. You won't regret it.