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Nov 27, 2020
This will be my review for 20th Century Boy, not including the mess that was 21st Century Boys.
!!-Slight spoilers included-!!
Art: 9.5/10
Let's knock this off first. Urasawa's art isn't breathtakingly amazing. It's simple and straightforward. It wavers between realism and cartoonish, which surprisingly fits the world and his storytelling method perfectly. However, the best aspect of his art style is- emotions. No matter the situation, Uraswa will convey a characters' subtle feelings, be it isolation, depression, anger, or pure joy, through his art alone.
Story: 10/10
I'm gonna keep this short. 20th-century boys starts off with a bang. The air of mystery and suspense hooks the
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reader immediately. In the first couple of chapters itself, you are introduced to a ton of characters both from the past, present, and the future. There is no plot set-up, back story, or guide, the reader is thrown into this world. A sense of uneasiness creeps up slowly, even though everyone is seemingly happy and leads a normal life. The introduction of the symbol and Friend kicks off the story. What follows is an unending search for the identity of Friend and a plot for his downfall, spanning decades. Where the story shines is in its realism and the indisputable effect it has on the world. The sense of fear and despair that the thought - 'this could really happen' never leaves you till the manga ends. And this feeling won't go away easily, it takes a long time for the characters and for the reader to reach a point where they are no longer bound by the shackles of the world that Friend built.
Characters: 10/10
This is it. The core, heart, and soul of the manga. Right from the get-go, we are introduced to an array of interesting characters. It might be a lot at first, but the constant shift between their past childhood and the present "grown-up" selves provides contrast and depth to these characters. The crux of the story deals with how the cast reacts and is affected by the plans of Friend. Every action they take against him has a massive consequence that defines their life for decades at a time.
Kenji in particular goes through one of the best character arcs ever written in any form of fiction. Seeing him go through his carefree rebellious attitude to realizing his undeniable loss to finding redemption and success through his own way left me in awe. Another character that resonated with me to a great extent was Yoshitsune. His hopelessness and grief of losing his friends were beautifully expressed. His awkward yet resolute leadership proved to be a nice polarity to his character.
Overall: 29.5/30
Despite leaving many plot holes unexplained and dragging on the story for a bit too far, 20th Century Boys ends up as a solid 10/10 reading experience. Urasawa proves once again, that few can even rival his style of storytelling, world-building, and character writing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Nov 1, 2020
Surprised this manga doesn't have more reviews.
Read this manga if you fall under one of these categories-
1. You like to explore weird stuff
2. If you like ero guro.
There is nothing else here, absolutely nothing. It is a weird, revolting, and horrifying story that hooks you in till the end. It left me traumatized, but man do I want to read more of this mangaka. Personally, I like exploring the works of controversial figures, so I'll definitely check out his other work.
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If you're like me go ahead and give this a read, but be sure to have r/eyebleach on the side. You're gonna need it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Nov 1, 2020
In a genre saturated with over the top action sequences and cliche plot points, Beastars is a breath of fresh air. A light-hearted romance/action/drama that effortlessly pulls you into its world and refuses to let go.
Art - 8/10
Most of the panels are breathtaking. Gorgeously detailed characters and intricately designed world bolster the story to new heights. Minute details like adding tiny doors for smaller sized animals or safety warnings around the city for herbivores; improve the world immersion exponentially. Some of the artwork might get too minimalistic or the characters are over-expressive (similar to Tezuka's artwork) which might be offputting to a few readers.
Story -
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10/10
This is where Itagaki shines the most and what I feel is the most heartwarming and genuine story I've read in years. The emotions or plot points don't feel forced or cliche. Seeing the characters stumble their way through love, failure, passion, and life itself feels so natural. The slice of life/romance elements are done perfectly. It is so pure and true to its characters that it leaves a smile on my face without fail. The shounen/action elements are a bit rushed but it's a nice change of pace compared to the slow build-up. The side stories act as a world building mechanism, but it is done so well that it doesn't even feel detached from the main story.
Characters - 9/10
Itagaki really cares about her characters. The detail to their emotions, behavior, reactions, and backstory leaves me in awe. Unlike an over powering righteous shounen protagonist, these characters are beautifully flawed. Legoshi and Haru's struggling love life feels so honest. Louis's haunting past and his relationship with various father figures is heart-wrenching. Even the supporting characters and one-off characters are so unique and interesting.
This is an oxymoron in itself but, they feel so human.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Nov 1, 2020
OK. I'm gonna keep this short.
Does the ending feel really really rushed?
YES. There is no denying that.
So, Does it suck?
Absolutely not! The story/plot isn't the strongest point of this manga. It is not intricate or deep. It won't leave you retrospecting about its characters or plot. What the author excels in is visual storytelling. Each chapter starts and ends with a bang, with amazing action, mystery, and artwork that complements it perfectly. The characters go through zombie hell without getting a break. At no point does it feel slow or dragged out. And this is where the author failed in my opinion. He failed
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to bank on this aspect of the story and continue to a satisfactory end. By the time you reach the end, you are ecstatic with joy and suspense. Wanting to read more, you rush through the chapters but are brought to a screeching halt. And the manga just ends.
TLDR:
The destination isn't gonna be the best, but strap yourself in for one heck of a wild journey.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Oct 28, 2020
Slight Spoilers, but nothing really.
TLDR - This is a piece of art. Probably one of the most unique reading experiences you'll ever get. Just read it!
Story - 10/10
There is little to no dialogue in a chapter. The story is in its world, journey, and characters. The reader is left to find their way through this world and understand the story on their own. It's almost as if we are living through the protagonist. The story does take a Satoshi Kon-Esque turn in the later chapters, as the lines between reality and fantasy are blurred. The concept of time and space, physical and virtual are almost
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non-existent at times. Sometimes, years pass by in just a few panels, locations change in an instant and the story progresses by leaps and bounds. This isn't to say that there is no story. Nihei keeps the reader captivated with beautiful sets and explosive action scenes while adding on layers of world-building and mystery with each chapter. While Nihei intended to tell a linear story, it does get pretty vague and the reader is left to add in their own thoughts, ideas, and interpretations.
Art - 10/10
This is a tough one. While the art in the first few chapters might look odd, Tsutomu Nihei really improves in the following chapters. The art style just fits the tone and setting of the story. No other art style would do justice to the bleak, vast, mind-bending world of Blame!. There's no rigidness or defined boundaries to the character art, rough around the edges, they bleed into each other. Whereas the background world is beautifully constructed and unique to each and every page, and this is where Blame! really shines - The small meticulous details, the vast infinite landscape, and the plethora of character-designs.
Characters - 10/10
There is barely any character backstory, inner monologues, or plot narrations in the entirety of this series. This adds another layer of vagueness to the story, which I personally really love.
Enjoyment - 10/10
There isn't even one page that didn't knock my socks off. There's constantly something new in terms of story, art, or even pure adrenaline-inducing action. A constant feeling of awe, excitement, and tension builds up to give the reader a journey of their lifetime. You won't regret reading it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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