Quite a fun read to be honest. Also, I can see how this COULD HAVE inspired future Shounen mangas, such as Bleach and Jujutsu Kaisen for example. Highly recommended for those who are interested in "manga back then", or just a fun light hearted battle manga in general.
Fun fact: This version contains 15 volumes, and have been out of print for about 7+ years of I'm not mistaken.
Just finished reading Old Boy, and I must say it's a pretty entertaining manga with amazing art and vibes. I can see why the ending caused the reactions it did, but I have no issues with it. Overall a solid 8.5/10 for me.
Also, this is my first "deluxe" manga, and boy was it challenging to hold. However, once I got my seating/reading position sorted, reading on such huge pages was such a unique experience, akin to reading a movie. While I still prefer omnibuses, I might consider Deluxe Editions again, depending on the series/art.
This was a HEAVY read, and I'm usually not one to shy away from messed up humans doing messed up things. The first few volumes portray insecurities, bullying (extreme), fear, apathy, malice and other heavy emotions in ways I have not come across before, which caught me by surprise. The manga also effectively showcases the importance of friendship, communication, courage and other virtues as well. I don't know how realistic bullying in Japanese highschool was in this manga, but what's portrayed was much worse than what I have been through. Overall a great manga that will probably stay in my head for a big while. Highly recommended if this kind of manga is your cup of tea.
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Fun fact: This manga was published in Thailand in 2004, back when manga was still cheap (35-55 baht per volume), read left to right, and nudity heavily censored. I miss those prices. 😅
Old as this may be, I'd say this is one of the most enjoyable single volume manga I've read in a while. Great art, great plot, and great use of tension binding. I was very impressed by how the characters dealt with their own handicaps as well. If "realistic-ish" psychological thrillers are your thing, then this is one I'd highly recommend.
Quite an entertaining read, but far from the most logical or even the most coherent. I quite liked how smart some of the kids are, and at the some time how quickly stupidity takes over and the proverbial shit hits the fan. Overall a very enjoyable manga, even more so when you turn off your brain and just go along for the ride.
This was a wild ride, and a very enjoyable one at that. So not go in expecting perfect or even sensible plots, you'd do well to suspend your disbeliefs and enjoy the story as it takes you. Overall I'd give give it a solid 7.5/10 for pure entertainment and for a rather dark and interesting take on Magical Girls genre. But now I wonder, is it possible that a certain character from this manga inspire another certain character in Jujutsu Kaisen? 🤔
Another interesting work by Urasawa. Took me quite long to finish, as I am not a fan of episodic series as opposed to arc/plot driven stories such as Monster or 20th Century Boys. With that said, this is a very enjoyable series, and Volume 12 is one the best "final volumes" I have come across.
This was an interesting take on human psyche and the effects on unresolved trauma and insecurities. There are uncomfortable bits here and there, depending on how the reader interprets them, but overall I'd say this was an enjoyable manga. The mildly trippy nature in the storytelling was a welcome bonus as well.
Let's get the obvious out of the way - this is a parody manga with lots of references to other, more established works, among other things. It is nowhere near as good as other well established Shounen titles, but then again, it is not trying to be. Think Harry Potter meets One Punch Man but raised by Spy Family (my own subjective take). Overall a fun enough read to pass the time, but ultimately forgettable once you're done, so if you're looking some light but entertaining reading without much expectations, this might be for you.
I'd say this is easily goes towards my top 10 manga I've read, close to masterpieces like Monster or 20th Century Boys in terms of how plot points are connected. This is an enjoyable epic fantasy in it's own right, with great world building and human politics. Highly recommended.
Caveat: This is NOT a religion-accurate retelling of Buddha's lifetime, but it does a pretty good job of getting Buddha's simpler messages across.