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Gleipnir
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Alternative Titles

Japanese: グレイプニル

Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: 14

Chapters: 88

Status: Finished

Published: Oct 6, 2015 to Apr 20, 2023

Genres: Action, Mystery, Supernatural

Demographic: Seinen

Serialization: Young Magazine (Monthly)

Authors: Takeda, Sun (Story & Art)

Statistics

Score: 6.93¹ (scored by 15,264 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #9788²

² based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #381

Members: 44,495

Favorites: 506

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Reviews

Filtered Results: 15 / 17

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Oct 7, 2017

SovietWeeb

Mixed Feelings

Preliminary (22/88 chp)

A very eh story with an interesting idea. That fails on multiple levels of some of the most basic stuff.

~~GOOD~~
Monster designs tend to be creative and interesting.
First couple chapters are fairly interesting.
Some decent comedy.

~~ BAD~~
Characters don't act like regular people.
...

Dec 4, 2018

Akride

Recommended

Preliminary (30/88 chp)

I see a lot of people being mad about the ambiance, the pantyshots, the "hentaiborder", Claire's weird character etc...
But in the end, the manga is all about that uneasy feeling. You can either accept it and love it, or hate it. You can't rate a manga based on your preferences only. The art is great the synopsis is good (a little cliché i'll give you that) and the writing sometimes gets out of control but it's weird. Most masterpieces are weird. The mainstream ones sure are familyfriendly, but evangelion, made in abyss, ergo proxy etc... it's their aura that made them so good.

"It just works"
...

Sep 16, 2016

deadoptimist

Not Recommended

Preliminary (12/88 chp)

In the short span of 12 chapters this manga got my hopes up and died in my eyes, both at the hands of its fanservice. Where I once believed there isn’t a way this can flop, I am left to wonder what I liked in the first place.

Thinking back, it was probably the tension, the ambitious idea, the body horror, the nice reversal of gender tropes and shounen tropes: Gleipnir is structured as shounen, but it’s darker and more cynical, focused on the street brawl “by what means we have” philosophy. I was on board with the raunchy, sketchy art. I even enjoyed the weird ... fanservice, slightly scary, slightly ugly, more sweaty bodies and flapping meat than the usual abstract balloon tits. And all of it was wrapped in a delicious urban legend setting, something with the logic of, say - you find an artifact on a scrapyard, and it works, it’s miraculous, but you probably should not pick it up. *sigh* …yeah, I guess it was a tall task to juggle so much.

So it fell – an overflow of fanservice washed away the magic. In addition to the unusual pandering, and partly instead of it, the author also added the usual type. It is baffling that the scenes, when female protagonist wears the male one (he is a living suit after all, look at the synopsis) are left out, but readers are fed simple pantsu-shots instead. Not to mention that with a girl who is the dick of the relationship in any possible sense and goes around naked a lot, pantsu-shots don’t feel like any sort of arousing transgression. Then there is also purely mindless fanservice, best demonstrated by a reoccurring frame, where they talk about something and suddenly a panel shows the female character’s giant thigh gap with visible vagina outlines, her word bubbles on top, just pointing upward. It doesn’t follow the male MC's pov, and nothing happens with the aforementioned vagina, aside from the fact that it’s suddenly more important than the conversation, so I am not sure why I should bother reading it. It’s heavy stuff too, with nipples always outlined and clitoris hinted through panties.

The incessant need for titillating material has already brought the female MC’s character to ruin, she’s been reduced to a psychotic nymphomaniac (acting crazy for the sake of crazy), which doesn’t bode well for the manga progression: the male MC is yet a non-character (he’s just got to the brooding part), and it’s her motivation which had to be the focus of the first part of the story.

The oft unnecessary fanservice is stalling, robbing the series of its momentum. By the 12th chapter there’s been plenty of sexual teasing, but we know nothing of the characters’ living conditions or interests. The world of monsters is being built bit by bit, but because of the padding the process is slow.

I am not sure about the supposed tactical approach to fighting, it doesn’t seem so clever lately. To be frank, even my positive stance on the art changed, I am perfectly fine with impressionist and untidy manga styles, but human anatomy here gets seriously messed up, and I am getting increasingly disappointed by how boring the unusual is portrayed. The art is not so good from the fanservice point of view as well – it’s not conventionally pretty, it displays a strange fascination with saggy tits, and the heroine’s bust size shifts from frame to frame (would be confusing to fap to, I suppose).

I’ve wanted to review this manga for a while, but in the end I have to write not what I hoped for. I guess, I am venting, sorry. Let’s wrap it up. So:
can I recommend this manga currently? It can be useful for those looking for very specific fetishes – living fursuit, girl entering her male partner, abusive teasing from female partner, saggy tits. But to a broad reader – no, it's borderline readable, but currently a mess. I allow for the possibility that it may improve to some degree, but I am hard pressed to imagine how the damage could be undone.

Jul 2, 2018

FeelsBad

Recommended

Preliminary (28/88 chp)

When I first started reading this, I was reminded a little bit of Double Arts. Much like Double Arts, Gleipnir is a breath of fresh air in the sense that it lets more than just the main character shine. The story is really about Shuuichi, Claire, and their teamwork. I'm excited to keep reading to see how they improve over time.

In general, I'm always pretty happy with the art in manga. But, there is something about Gleipnir that goes above and beyond for me. I feel that the art style carries across more emotion and really fits the vibes that the author is going for.

I ...

Feb 26, 2022

OrangeJuice02

Recommended

Preliminary (72/88 chp)

Gleipnir is a really good manga. It is honestly the most underrated manga I have read. Amidst all of the internet arguments over it being "borderline-hentai" what has been lost is the fact that it has an intriguing mystery, solid characters, and great art. Most of the reviews that have been made about Gleipnir haven't been made with the perspective of where the story is now, 72 chapters in, so I felt like I should write my very first review about it. I'm not going to get into specific details about many elements, but I highly recommend more people read this manga.

Story: 8
Yes, Gleipnir is ... weird. It is very weird. But that is a part of what makes it great. Its strangeness sets it apart from other stories. And, while at first certain elements seem designed only for fan service, as the story progresses you learn that they have thematic significance. Of course I'm not trying to say that Gleipnir is an incredibly deep story on the level of Vagabond or Berserk, but it has more substance than most people give it credit for. For me, the mystery is the best aspect of the story. I was compelled by every twist and development in the plot and was impressed by how much deeper the mystery went than I originally thought it would. Another great aspect of the story is seeing how each characters' desires and self-image shape the way their abilities manifest. This plot device makes the powers in the story very unique and engaging and furthers the depth of its characters. Lastly, to address the "borderline-hentai" claims. Yes, Gleipnir has nudity. Yes, it is used for fan service. No, it is not unnecessary. As the story progresses it becomes clear that the author didn't choose to include this element simply to attract 13 year old boys and that from a story telling perspective the nude scenes involving certain characters forces them to be vulnerable and intimate. This is one of the main driving themes of the story and the relationship between the two main characters. This element of the writing isn't trashy or distasteful, it is intentional and important to the development of the characters. Ultimately, the story is very good.

Art: 9
There's not too much to say about the art other than it's great. The overall style is pretty simple but looks good nonetheless. The character designs are unique and cool, the action is exciting and flows well, and the author can put together an incredible spread when the moment calls for it.

Character: 8
Gleipnir has really good characters and character development. Yes, the protagonist starts out pretty standard but has a uniqueness and realness to his character than makes his development over the story quite compelling. Claire, the female lead, may at first appear to just be yandere fan service but also has good development herself. The interactions between all of the characters are unique and enjoyable to read as well. The side characters and the antagonists are well written. Once their backstories are revealed they only get more tragic and more compelling. In spite of the exaggerated nature of some characters, there is a realness to many of their struggles that makes them compelling to the reader. So while the characters at first may seem strange or simple, as the story progresses they achieve a good level of depth and intricacy thanks to solid character writing.

Enjoyment: 9
I have enjoyed every chapter of Gleipnir thus far. It's a great ride and I'm glad I stumbled upon this manga.

Overall: 8
Gleipnir is a strong 8/10 manga. Its average rating on MAL should honestly be at least 0.7 higher. Definitely give it a try if you want to uncover an underrated gem.

Mar 24, 2019

Dragonrusher21

Recommended

Preliminary (36/88 chp)

TL;DR

The Good:
-I've seen worse art
-the story is mildly interesting
-despite being ecchi not a harem
-interesting characters
-the mascot suit is really cute

The Bad:
...

Dec 12, 2017

bullhugger

Recommended

Preliminary (23/88 chp)

This is a good series to checkout on if you like action thriller, with a lot of nudity. I really admire the art and design of characters and monster so far, background art is also on point.

That being said, I feel the story could use faster pacing to move things along. The characters are uninteresting at this point other than the female protagonist. She is one hell of a fan service and I don't mind it as long as it doesn't stray too far from the meat of the story.

I'm enjoying this series for trying something different (albeit still in high school setting) when ...

Apr 6, 2020

Dupex_Xardasa

Recommended

Preliminary (47/88 chp)

This is a really good title with very interesting characters and fantastic story with interesting twists and turns,

I saw that someone was complaining terribly about "fanserwis", which I didn't pay attention to, not to mention that this "fanserwis" adds atmosphere to the whole experience with this manga. (this person devoted a quarter of the review to the "sagging" breasts that are naturally drawn not like in other titles, and the close-ups per step and beloved of the reviewer's beloved vagina appear only 5 or 6 times in 47 chapters [not to mention about the fact that every girl's crotch is flat in this anime])

Not to ...

Apr 12, 2020

thriller57

Recommended

Preliminary (52/88 chp)

Since the manag got an adaptation and I am up to date with the manga I wanted to leave my opinion on how it has improved. I have not read a lot of older maga so their could be one with a similar premise but of course it started out with a wimpy MC and a strong female supporting character which is cliche. But it keep growing and created a new lane for itself the MC outgrew whatever fears he had and new things are still being learnt about the story which keeps it interesting. I think it could finish as a solid 8 depending ...

May 2, 2019

Nahte123456

Recommended

Preliminary (39/88 chp)

This story has a pretty strong set up, MC is a monster fur-suit, doesn't know why, has to collect 100 coins, Female lead wears him for more power. Simple, lots of potential.

However despite being near 40 chapters in and nothing feels different, the MC is slightly harder after fighting, the female cares for MC, and we know where the coins come from.
MC isn't really stronger, the plot is still mostly just "People want coins for ___", no mysteries are solved, and despite a clear goal being given and the protagonists going to the goal nothing FEELS different.

Art is goo, the designs are interesting, the ideas ...

Feb 11, 2021

TheLaw1

Recommended

Preliminary (61/88 chp)

Even though the story isn't finished yet, this is quality. The backstory within this anime is probably the best backstory I've seen within anime, very detailed and it explores why the main antagonist became the way he did. The backstory paves a way as a challenge towards morality, which is interesting and how reckless we can be as humans, jumping to conclusions and how we can behave like monsters.

The story nicely ties in the idea of duality, with our main character developing because of his other half, Claire, as he's forced to submit to his environment and drop the morals he long wished to hold ...

Oct 29, 2021

Serupiko

Mixed Feelings

Preliminary (70/88 chp)

This manga starts really good, an interesting premise, cool power concept, and the fights can be really nice. The art, despite not being anything extraordinary, flows really well, and the story starts strong but has its ups and downs.

On the other hand, the characters are unbearable, we have the hot girl + loser dudo, a group of generic, barely relevant friends, a villain with a cool power but very convoluted story, and some side baddies on the way. The story could do with some filler, so to speak, more slice of life moments, and probably less exposition and flashbacks to compensate. Id love more side ...

Jun 14, 2020

Darksand1

Mixed Feelings

Preliminary (5/88 chp)

So far as of Vol 1, I have found that visually, the art is great, the paneling and layout is par for the course, and the word balloons and text are easy to read and fully engaging.

The story itself is interesting, and by the end of vol 1, does leave the reader with a nice hook for the next vol.

The story falls apart in two area's

1. Characters, the male MC is just a whinny goody two shoes, that is being dragged along by the plot. He is as cookie cutter as they come, the female MC to me was interesting, and falls well within ...

Dec 22, 2021

Bitchy_Switchy

Not Recommended

Preliminary (4/88 chp)

The plot had great potential and the art is outstanding but I must say there is just so much bad about the first volume I don't even think I can stand the thought of keeping it. Subjects such as sexual assault and harrassment is very normalized in manga and I'm used to overseeing them, but there's just too much this time. If we overlook the fact that women are sexualized in ways such as their underwear being unnecessarily exposed at every possible chance in the manga, [spoiler ahead] we can focus on how the main character almost rapes a girl after saving her from a ...

Dec 31, 2022

assfan

Not Recommended

Preliminary (84/88 chp)

Usually, I have to go out of my way to find faults in whatever material I read/watch, but this one reveals it all by itself.

The plot has a good concept, but the problem is the delivery. It was interesting for the first 30 chapters, which I had been binging at that point, but it *seriously* fell off after that, which lead to lower motivation to finish reading, but I finished reading for the sake of finishing anyway, which is only chapt. 84 as it stopped updating. For a manga tagged as mystery, it reveals itself too fast, leaving little room for speculation, which is supposedly ...