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Aug 18, 2018
This is my review for Citrus. I'll be referring to the characters by what they are most commonly called in the manga. Please note that this review is structured around how I personally felt about the manga; objectively, it deserves an overall rating of 6 (individual ratings being 5/10/4 for story, art, and character, respectively), but subjectively, I give it a 7.
Story: 5/10
Citrus does not have a very extravagant plot. However, due to the fact it falls in the yuri genre, it doesn't need to have one. This isn't to say that every yuri manga does not have a great plot; a reader does not
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typically read yuri for the story, and they know this. Anyway, Citrus is centered around a high school girl named Yuzu, who has transferred, for the first time, to an all girl's school. Due to some circumstances, she ends up becoming the older stepsister of the president of that very school: her name is Mei. A certain event between these two kickstarts everything. The story is mostly told from Yuzu's point of view, making her the main protagonist, and Mei the supporting protagonist. This is the canon shipping for the manga, and it's obvious that the yuri, for the most part, will occur between these two girls. Up until the current chapter, the manga has been developing the relationship between Yuzu and Mei, and how they got to where they are now was a very bumpy road. Many problems, including a love triangle and childhood friend have been presented to the pair. However, these are very typical problems that people come across all the time, but since Citrus has attempted to rise above other yuri manga by actually trying to have a decent plot, it is deserving of the score I gave it for its story. For literary lovers, Citrus has deus ex machina, but this is done in such a way that the reader will appreciate it for being there.
Art: 10/10
If you've ever been to an amusement park, you should be familiar with the term "main attraction". That's what the art is: the best aspect of this manga. The mangaka has managed to draw very beautiful and clean art that it is simply a feast for the eyes to gaze on. The background is not drawn very complicated, but has just enough detail to provide the reader with context clues as to where the characters are at or are currently doing. Speaking of characters, Saburouta really, really deserves some kind of award for her impressive character designs. One can spend hours along just observing the art for this manga, and because of this, it helps to enhance the simple story presented. Simply perfection.
Character: 6/10
The characters, while seemingly generic and typical, are not bad at all. As aforementioned, Yuzu and Mei are the main characters, and also the main couple. Mei is like a foil to Yuzu in the sense that she is everything that Yuzu isn't. While Yuzu is the more energetic and cheerful of the two, Mei is more quiet, reserved, and intelligent. Their interactions are something to look forward to, as despite how strong Mei seems or how Yuzu looks so happy-go-lucky, they come to trust and depend on each other a lot more. Harumi is Yuzu's best friend, and she, of course, falls into the role of the protagonist's best friend. Personally, I think she is a great character because of how sensible she is and really just how she demonstrates the qualities of a true friend to Yuzu. The only other characters worth mentioning are Matsuri, who is the sly, manipulative childhood friend of Yuzu, Himeko, the vice president who works under Mei, and the Tachibana sisters Sara and Nina. The last three characters don't receive as much screen time as the first four, but they are certainly essential to the manga.
Enjoyment: 9/10
Amazing artwork, coupled with a decent story and characters are what define Citrus. I truly enjoyed reading every page and panel, and it's saddening that each chapter was so short. Many people do not like yuri for various reasons, and that included myself for a very long time. However, Citrus, my first introduction into the yuri world really positively changed my perception of the genre, and taught me to give everything a chance before I judge them. Just like it did for me, I hope that you, the reader, will give this manga a try, regardless of what your first impressions of it may be.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Aug 18, 2018
This is my review for Grand Blue. I’ll be referring to the characters by what they are most commonly called in the manga. Please note that this review is structured around how I personally felt about the manga: objectively, it deserves an overall rating of 9. (individual ratings of 6/9/10 for story, art, and character, respectively), and subjectively, I give it a 9 as well.
Story: 6/10
Before we start things off, I'd like to say that there is little to no story in Grand Blue. Sure, the beginning few chapters set up the basic storyline, but that's about it. To sum things up, the main character,
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Iori, joins a diving club, and proceeds to have all sorts of wacky interactions and adventures with the other characters. However, Grand Blue does deserve credit in the sense that it doesn't completely devolve into comedy, as most events take place in a ocean setting, staying true to the foundation that it lay down. The chapters are also loosely tied together, meaning that there is some degree of continuation. As the characters are in college, there is the presence of drinking, although it's most played for laughs.
Art: 10/10
Just like any seinen manga, the artwork is very crisp and sharply drawn. The main attraction here are the way the characters are presented, specifically their facial expressions. Grand Blue utilizes what I describe as a face shadow very often, which often indicates that said character is about to suggest a totally ridiculous idea or have a complete misunderstanding of the situation. The great thing about the artwork is that in my opinion, you can get a general understanding of what a chapter is about even without a translation just by reading the faces of the characters and any supporting details provided. It's also worth mentioning that during scenes where the characters are actually diving, the scenery is very pleasing to gaze over, although the same can be said about all the background.
Character: 10/10
Despite having quite a large cast of characters, the individual quirks of each one make them all unique from each other. Iori, the main character, forms somewhat of an idiot duo tandem along with Kouhei, but can actually be surprisingly caring when it really matters, unlike the latter. Speaking of Kouhei, he is the other half of the idiot duo, and loves anime and little sisters. Iori and Kouhei are actually close friends as they often suffer the same fate, but both refuse to acknowledge this. On the flip side, the female main character, Chisa is a mirror of her male counterparts, as she is usually no nonsense and lives for diving. Her older sister, Nanaka, has a huge sister complex and is probably the scariest character whenever she finds out that something unpleasant has happened to Chisa. Aina, aka Cakey, is another first year member of the diving club, although her backstory in explaining how she eventually joins it is very interesting and engaging. Kotobuki, Tokita, and Azusa are the senior figures, and are often seen together, and these three are probably the most shameless out of the whole cast. Also lumped together are Naomi and Busujima, who are Iori's admirer and enemy, respectively. The last notable character is Iori's little sister Shiori, and she's one of those characters who puts up a front making them seem almost incompetent, but is actually extremely cunning and skilled. Did I mention that the characters, paired along with overly exaggerated facial expressions is Grand Blue's selling point?
Enjoyment: 10/10
Although I have read many comedy manga, Grand Blue has cemented itself as my favourite out of the bunch. Some people might think that there are only so many jokes that can be made before it gets boring, but this is not the case. With the exception of a handful of serious chapters, I wouldn't be surprised if the reader laughs their head off, because I sure did. The endless amount of comedy that seems to come from this manga ensures that there never is a dull moment.
That's all I have to say. Thanks for reading!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jul 22, 2018
This is my review for D-Frag. I’ll be referring to the characters by what they are most commonly called in the manga. Please note that this review is structured around how I personally felt about the manga: objectively, it deserves an overall rating of 7. (individual ratings of 5/6/9 for story, art, and character, respectively), and subjectively, I give it a 7 as well.
Story: 5/10
The main attraction to D-Frag is the comedy. More specifically, it utilizes a style called manzai, which, in short, is where there is a character(s) creating funny situations (the boke), and another character retorting them as the straight man (the tsukkomi).
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With this being said, when considering only the main cast, the tsukkomi is Kenji (and sometimes Takao) while the bokes are the rest of main characters. It is also important to know that while she isn’t a main character, Noe, who is Kenji’s little sister, is also a tsukkomi. Since D-Frag is complete comedy, there is little to no story, with the closest being at the beginning when Kenji is roped into (and against his will) joining a school club. From there on, most of the chapters are episodic (although there are some arcs that extend for multiple chapters) and he reader proceeds to read about the wacky adventures of the main characters. Although MAL gives this manga the romance tag, it is very, very subtle, and not the main point of this work. Therefore, read D-Frag for the comedy and slice of life, not for the romance. Since there is no story, (it isn’t needed, anyway) it deserves the standard 5 rating.
Art: 6/10
The artwork here is very standard. The illustrations are not super detailed, but the faces of the characters when they react are drawn nicely. This is probably the most important factor to consider when grading the art for a manga such as D-Frag, since the reader would be expecting funny and/or exaggerated reactions. The visuals do not detract from the original humour given in the words, and actually enhances them.
Character: 10/10
D-Frag relies on having quirky and lovable characters to be its selling point, and it does this very well. It is like other manga with similar premises, as without a particularly strong story or art to keep the reader engaged, the characters must be strong enough to “carry” the load. Subsequently, D-Frag does this very well with the cast that is put on paper. The characters here do not fall under certain tropes, (asides from the manzai theme) making them unique and memorable. We have some very interesting dynamics here, such as Kenji x The Kazama Family, Kenji x Roka x Takao, Noe x Sakura, and Chitose x Tama. These are some of the most prevalent relationships between the characters, as a good amount of the comedy is from those pairings. The supporting characters, while appearing far and in between (often for only for a few panels) are humourous when they do appear. You have every boy’s dream girlfriend, Funabori, a super cool teacher in Conecone-sensei, and Kenji’s little sister, Noe. All around an excellent cast of both main and supporting characters.
Enjoyment: 9/10
D-Frag successfully managed to not only capture my attention, but hold it ever since the opening chapter. It has nearly everything anyone could possibly ask for in a work of comedy , and most importantly, excels in the area most important in the category of manga that it falls under: the characters. Although over 100 chapters (in English) have been released at the time of my writing this review, each chapter is approximately 15 pages in length. For anyone looking to laugh out loud, and especially to lovers of the manzai setup, D-Frag is the manga for you.
That’s all I have to say. Thanks for reading!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 19, 2018
This is my review for Alive: Saishuu Shinkateki Shounen. I’ll be referring to the characters by what they are most commonly called in the manga. Please note that this review is structured around how I personally felt about the manga: objectively, it deserves an overall rating of 8 (individual ratings of 7/8/9 for story, art, and character, respectively), but subjectively, I give it a 5.
Story: 4/10
One of the most common type of shounen story is when the main character, often a boy (Taisuke), has to go through and overcome a variety of obstacles, such as beating the antagonist (Hirose) in order to save the girl
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(Megumi). It’s no surprise that because of this, Alive: Saishuu Shinkateki Shounen has the ‘shounen’ tag to it. Although the synopsis makes it sound extremely complicated (such as, what are “comrades”?), that is really the basic plot in a nutshell.The story progresses rather predictably, as Taisuke sets off on a quest to save Megumi, while he meets new friends along the way that (reluctantly at first) join forces with him, all the while dealing with the antagonist, among other villains. As this is a futuristic and scientific manga, we have “comrades”, who, to put simply, are people with superpowers that are often using them for bad purposes. This concept was utilized very nicely and the way it is incorporated is what saves the story from falling into a bland “boy saves girl” type of story. Another part that was well done was with how the story progressed rather smoothly, with little to no forced parts. However, one small problem is that these good points are really all the manga has going for it. As a small warning, there is fighting, and some of the scenes can be quite graphic, so be careful about that.
You might be wondering why I only gave the story a 4 after having seemingly nothing truly negative to say about it. The answer is the ending (keep in mind that this section is completely subjective). Even if everything else is great, the story can still be ruined if the ending is terrible. Without going into spoilers, the main character (in my opinion) makes the wrong choice near the end of the manga, as most if not all other readers can attest to. This is one of those cases where I think that the author should’ve gave the audience what they wanted. I still salute Tadashi Kawashima for staying true to the story and being consistent with the choice that the protagonist has to make, though.
Art: 7/10
Nothing really to complain about here, as there was more good than bad to the art. It is quite obvious that as more and more chapters came out, the artwork steadily improved. For example, some of the scenery and graphic scenes were a treat for the eyes to gaze upon as they were quite detailed. It is also worth mentioning that the character designs are solid as well, considering how none of them looked awkward or out of place.
Character: 9/10
The best aspect of the manga, as most of the characters are different compared with each other. The male protagonist, Taisuke, is the same though, as he is your typical “shy boy” who somehow acquires powers and slowly becomes more powerful. Yuta can be considered as Taisuke’s sidekick, and I find many similarities between him and Yukine from Noragami (ironically, Adachitoka, the duo behind Noragami, did the artwork for Alive: Saishuu Shinkateki Shounen, so I suspect there was some inspiration to Yukine’s design). The antagonist, Hirose starts out much like Taisuke, but becomes less and less human as the plot progresses. It is interesting to note that you can view Taisuke, Hirose, and Megumi’s relationship as a sort of love triangle. Speaking of Megumi, she doesn’t have any quirks to her, and can essentially be viewed as the female version of Taisuke. Nami, the other main female character, is introduced a little later on and along with Yuta, eventually joins Taisuke in his quest to save Megumi. She is one of those girls where you can’t help but root for her in whatever she does once you learn of her backstory. The supporting characters do well in their specified roles, but the focus is still mostly on the main characters.
Enjoyment: 2/10
I really did enjoy this manga from the beginning all the way until the last few chapters, where Taisuke makes that wrong choice. One may argue that I was too harsh with just letting that drop my rating so much, and that may be true. However, I am a firm believer in that the ending to any kind of work has to be the strongest point, and because how I was left with a bad taste in my mouth, that is how I justify this rating. For those who don’t mind that kind of thing, I still highly recommend this manga as it is still very, very solid.
That’s all I have to say. Thanks for reading!
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Apr 15, 2018
This is my review for Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunousen. I'll be referring to the characters by what they are most commonly called in the manga. Please note that this review is structured around how I personally felt about the manga: objectively, it deserves an overall rating of 10, and subjectively, I give it a 10 as well.
Story: 9/10
Quite simply, this manga revolves around the two main characters, Miyuki Shirogane and Kaguya Shinomiya trying to make the other confess their love. The way this is executed is what helps this work cement itself at the top of a bunch of other manga that
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have a very similar premise. Instead of the usual cliches in romances, our two main characters not only are aware of their attraction to each other, but also know that their counterpart harbours the same feelings. This is already starting off on the right foot. One thing to note here is that most chapters are episodic, although there are some instances where a certain part is stretched into more than one chapter. I like to think that this manga is split up into two parts: part 1, where the entire focus is on Miyuki and Kaguya, and part 2, where we get to see some more screen time for our other characters. Part 1 is why this manga has the psychological tag: Miyuki and Kaguya are constantly playing mind games on each other, often resulting in humourous situations. In the mix, we have the other two main characters, Chika Fujiwara and Yu Ishigami each with their own moments, as well as supporting characters such as Nagisa Kashiwagi and Miko Iino. The mangaka, Aka Akasaka is simply a genius because of his ability to come up with these unique mind games. In part 2, the psychological part settles down a little bit and the slice of life comedy tags kick in (although there are still mind games from time to time). Given that, the story is great.
Art: 8/10
Kaguya-sama is a great example of why the common saying “don’t judge a book by its cover’ is true. When first looking at the cover, I’m sure you, the reader, thought that Kaguya looked kind of scary. The artwork in the actual manga is different from what your first opinion might be. It doesn’t have absolutely gorgeous art, but it doesn’t need to as this aspect isn’t the manga’s strong point. Nothing much to say here, as the visuals compliment the writing well enough to get the job done. Each main character has their own signature facial expression, try figuring out what they are as you’re reading. Kaguya’s in particular should be very, very easy to see.
Character: 10/10
Definitely the strongest part of the whole manga. The character personalities themselves may not strike you as being the most unique, but they are all still lovable in each of their own ways: here is a quick breakdown. We have Miyuki Shirogane, president of the student council and the top of his grade. What separates him from most other male characters in romances is his lack of denseness. Given his background, it’s hard not to cheer for him as his pursues his love interest. I can see why Kaguya loves him so much, and if I were a girl, I would feel the same. Speaking of Kaguya, she’s the vice president, and second only to Miyuki, and I believe her personality is just really, really sweet. Chika is the airheaded secretary and is often the comic relief character in the series, while Ishigami is the treasurer with a mysterious past. Later on, we have a new character in Miko as well. And then there's Ai Hayasaka, valet for Kaguya. She is the master of snarking, and is an amazing and quirky character. The best part here is the fact that because of the limited cast size, each character is extremely well developed. This is especially the case with Kaguya and Ishigami. With these two, you can clearly see how Kaguya changed from being an ice princess to her current state, and how our fellow treasurer has started to come out of his shell a little. Definitely a great set of characters, so more props to Aka.
Enjoyment: 10/10
With all the praise that I gave, it’s no surprise that both my enjoyment and overall ratings for this manga were the highest possible. New chapters are released weekly, and Kaguya-sama is one of the few manga where I look forward to reading to see what happens next. It has been excellent up to this point, and I know it will be excellent all the way up to its final chapter.
That’s all I have to say. Thanks for reading!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Apr 2, 2018
This is my review for SKET Dance. I'll be referring to the characters by what they are most commonly called in the manga. Please note that this review is structured around how I personally felt about the manga: objectively, it deserves an overall rating of 9 (individual ratings being 8/8/10 for story, art, and character, respectively), but subjectively, I give it a 10.
Story: 9/10
As this is a mostly a comedy shounen series, it does not have much of a plot. We get chapter and chapter of hilarious moment by the SKET Dan. So why did I give the story a 9? That's because of the
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drama in this series, which many people tend to overlook because it is mainly just comedy. Sprinkled throughout the chapters are the backstories of our three main characters, Bossun, Himeko, and Switch. These arcs are extremely well done, and they serve to remind the reader that the manga isn't all light hearted fun and games. As you might've figured out by now, these sections are all extremely sad, but we get to see their emotional development as they battle through their problems; these backstories explain how each of our three main characters came to be the way they are presently. They are also not one and done, as all the backstories are only explained halfway, only for them to pop up later on when the reader probably forgot about them. The manga wraps up all the problems presented in an excellent fashion, as all of them are resolved, except for one of them, which will become obvious as you are nearing the end. The characters tend to break the fourth wall very, very, often, so be on the look out for this as you're reading!
Art: 8/10
Another great aspect is the art. There is nothing much to say here, as it is very cleanly drawn. All the characters are distinct from each other, so it's not hard to tell who is who. We also have art shifts very often, as they are used to enhance the joke or comedy in that particular chapter. Character expressions are also gold as well, especially with Bossun's faces.
Character: 10/10
Hands down SKET Dance's strongest point. The mangaka has somehow managed to create three characters that compliment each other terrifically. These characters in question, of course, are Bossun, Himeko, and Switch. They are all so different that it's a miracle that they can get along, but each individual's qualities make them seem real. All of them tend to have over exaggerated reactions towards the simplest things, and the way they talk and act make them very likable. The supporting characters are nothing to sneeze at either. Although there are tons of them, each one has his or her own eccentricity that even if they don't appear for multiple chapters in a row, you will probably still remember their name once they do appear. A certain someone often makes comments regarding this! I doubt anyone can dislike any of the main characters, despite how seemingly ridiculous and over the top they may seem.
Enjoyment: 10/10
It took me a full 3 months to go from the first chapter to the last chapter, mostly because of my lack of time. SKET Dance's length is a good thing, as there are always new jokes being introduced, and some of the chapters had me laughing like a maniac. If you like comedy, especially the tsukkomi and boke routine, this is the manga for you. After reading the last chapter, it made me stop and reflect on my life, and how blessed and lucky I was to be able to read about the SKET Dan's adventures. It was an awesome ride all the way to the finish, and SKET Dance will always have a place in my heart.
That's all I have to say. Thanks for reading!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jul 7, 2017
This is my review for Noragami. I'll be referring to the characters by what they are most commonly called in the manga. Please note that this review is structured around how I personally felt about the manga: objectively, it deserves an overall rating of 10, and subjectively, I give it a 10 as well.
Story: 9/10
The premise of Noragami sounds interesting enough, and is completely original. You wouldn't find many other manga out there that is related to Gods and Japanese mythology with some twists, now would you? The basic plot is that the minor God, Yato, is constantly trying to gain recognition in order to
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gain worshipers that acknowledge his existence, and ultimately, to receive at least one shrine dedicated to him. Unfortunately, he is out of options since his sole helper has left him and his is forced to do jobs for next to nothing. By a twist of fate, Lady Luck is on his side for once and he comes into contact with two people that believe in him, for the most part. They are Hiyori and Yukine, the former being a normal school girl who gets caught up in the mess and the latter being Yato's helper. Their lives, especially Hiyori's, changes forever and dramatically. Noragami tells the story of the struggles between the real world and the "other" world, and Yato's quest for recognition. From chapter to chapter, the general plot isn't too hard to follow and they are related to each other. Every chapter provides the reader with a little bit more of the adventure that these three characters go through to try and achieve their goals, although there are some chapters that are more relaxed. The elements of the story were blended beautifully, and the genre tags certainly all apply to Noragami, but the romance is more subtle and a subplot to the main story. It is there though; there is definitely romantic tension. The first chapter may not seem very appealing, but it's a given that it certainly gets better from there. Very deserving of a 9/10.
Art: 9/10
The artwork is pleasing to the eye. Both the characters and background work are done very nicely and with careful attention to detail. The author, Adachitoka actually contains of two people, with one of them working on the foreground characters and the other on the background. With their work split up like that, it makes sense that the quality of both aspects is superb. Credits to where they're due, the character designs are fantastic. Yato has the appearance of a homeless person that is trying to get by, and also has that mischievous look in his eyes. Hiyori is drawn like the normal teenager sh e is, but that pink tail of hers whenever she "wanders off" is a nice addition, and Yukine's clothes and appearance match his slightly childish attitude and behaviour. The supporting cast are also drawn uniquely so that you can instantly tell them apart from each other. The background is nothing to scoff at, either, because it isn't overly simple as some art for other manga might be. There is conscious attention to detail in the background so that it really enhances the reader's understand of what's going on. The artwork shifts slightly at times to match the situation, such as showing the reactions of the characters and their faces. There is a little bit of fanservice here and there, but most manga will have a little of it and this doesn't really detract too much as a whole. Overall, the art for Noragami stays consistent from the beginning all the wall to the current chapter. For all the positives mentioned above, this section is a 9/10.
Characters: 9/10
Noragami has a fairly strong cast in terms of diversity. Among some of the characters there is one who's a bit of a clown at times but still lovable, another that is very caring and motherlike, and one that's always causing trouble for others but doesn't mean any harm. Although the descriptions are a bit vague, see if you can identify the characters in Noragami that match. Each of the characters had their flaws and quirks, which is why it made Noragami so interesting to read. There is character development involved, such as Yukine being much more mature than he was when he first met Yato, albeit he's still a bit childish, which is to be expected. Many of the characters also become stronger mentally as the chapters go on, although they are sometimes weakened at points due to traumatic pasts, as is the case with Bishamon being an example. The story is told from a third person perspective, so there is jumping around from character to character during the interactions instead of getting a detailed outline of a specific character's thought process. Most of the characters are lovable, although there are some that are not, because they serve as villains, which is normal. For example, I doubt many people will like Yato's father that much for all that he has done to his son. A job well done here too, 9/10.
Enjoyment: 10/10
Time for some personal opinion! A little information first: I really, really, loved Noragami and was a bit sad when I learned that it seemed to be on some sort of hiatus because it has been a while since chapter 74 was released, the current chapter at the time of this writing. I really thought that many of the elements in a good manga, were present, such as an interesting plot, pleasing artwork, and lovable characters. That's why my enjoyment of the manga was so high. Personal bias here, I really loved Hiyori and think she would make a great girlfriend, with her character design, her personality, ability to act like a normal girl, and all those times she puts up with Yato's antics. There's a reason why she's my profile picture on this website, and so many more other sites on top of that. Some people might prefer the more popular girls like Asuna from Sword Art Online or Kurisu from Steins;Gate, but for me, Hiyori outranks them all. Now, with that out of the way, here's the last little bit of the review. I definitely would recommend this manga to anyone, even if they don't read or enjoy the genre tags for Noragami as much. Definitely a memorable series for me, and a sure top 3 on my all time favourites. I hope that I have sparked you, the reader, into picking up Noragami and giving it a go! The sky's the limit, go ahead and start that first chapter if you haven't already!
That's all I have to say. Thanks for reading!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Jun 28, 2017
This is my review for Horimiya. I'll be referring to the characters by what they are most commonly called in the manga. Please note that this review is structured around how I personally felt about the manga: objectively, it deserves an overall rating of 8 (individual ratings being 6/9/8 for story, art, and character, respectively), but subjectively, I give it a 9.
Story: 8/10
Horimiya is a high school romance that revolves around Kyouko Hori and Izumi Miyamura. You can tell because the title is a combination of the last names of these two characters. As I'm accustomed to Western culture and habits, I'll be referring to
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the characters by their first names. The beginning is nothing that really catches your attention as being different, as it's set as boy meets girl. Pretty cliche. Both have secrets that they don't want to reveal to others, and they try to hide it as best they can. A bit less common, but still fairly cliche. However, Horimiya deviates from the classic high school romantic comedy from there, as it does something that you wouldn't find everywhere: progress in a relationship. This manga focuses on the relationship between Kyouko and Izumi, but the other characters also receive development. Their relationship is realistic as it shows that a relationship cannot be perfect in every way, and that there are obstacles and insecurities that need to be overcome. It is not idealized like many people hope their relationships will be, just like how it is in real life. Horimiya does this very well, as it successfully portrays the kind of thoughts and situations normal high school students experience all the time. There is also progress in their relationship, and it's easy to tell that their love for each other is natural and not forced for the sake of anything. It goes so much beyond the confession scene that a lot of romance manga seem to even have trouble achieving, let alone advancing the actual relationship. The interactions between the characters are very light hearted and certain to put a smile on the reader's face. Full respect and admiration to the author.
Art: 9/10
The art in Horimiya is amazing. Each character is designed differently so that the reader can easily tell which character is which, with no confusion. The artwork is very soothing to look at, which is completely appropriate for the light hearted setting that is Horimiya. This is actually a manga meant for boys, but it's not surprising that some readers initially think this is for girls, as there isn't any fighting or dark shading that is so common in the former. However, no matter what gender, boys and girls alike will enjoy this. The artist draws much more gentler and softer than what others might expect, but that just adds to how outstanding the artwork is. You won't find much art that has characters as wonderfully drawn as this. On the flip side, the background aside from the character designs is fairly simple. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as the focus is obviously on the foreground instead of the background. Most of the panels consist of just the characters, but the background art is well done when needed, with the objects appropriate to the setting and situation. The art is consistent throughout each and every chapter, props to the artist on this one.
Characters: 9/10
While some of the characters do fall under categories that you come to expect from a work of this genre, they are still very memorable. Izumi does resemble the shy male protagonist, but you still can't help but cheer for him. Kyouko resembles the girl that is perfect at everything, but she is likable as well. Yuki and Tohru are the dizty best friend and person who has known the main character for a long time, respectively. Despite the fairly usual archetypes, their personalities are not plain and generic that one might be expecting. All of them have some kind of twist in their personalities so that the reader can't always tell how a character might react in a situation they find themselves in. Other characters, such as Kakeru, Remi, Shuu, and Kyouko's family members are interesting as well, especially the way Kyouko's family is like. The supporting characters go along very well with the main characters of the story. A very solid area of Horimiya.
Enjoyment: 9/10
As a boy who likes to read romance way more than action and super power manga, I was absolutely blown away by Horimiya. (Yes, there are boys that like romance. It's not only a girl's thing) I loved each and every chapter of it, and it is one on going manga that I always eagerly await for the next monthly release. This manga is targeted at a male demographic, but female readers will no doubt fall in love with it as well. The story is interesting, the artwork is amazing, and the characters are wonderful. It's not big surprise that my enjoyment rating is the maximum score. I recommend Horimiya even for non fans of the romance genre, because this is something that you should definitely read. My favourite romance manga of all time. I hope that you will enjoy it as much as thousands of others have.
That's all I have to say. Thanks for reading!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jun 24, 2017
This is my review for Aria. I'll be referring to the characters by what they are most commonly called in the manga. Please note that this review is structured around how I personally felt about the manga: objectively, it deserves an overall rating of 9 (individual ratings being 7/10/9 for story, art, and character, respectively), but subjectively, I give it a 10.
Story: 8/10
The story is quite simple. Sometimes, the simpler something is, the better it is; Aria proves this wonderfully. The setting is on a planet named Aqua, (aka Mars) in the town of Neo-Venezia. Although there are many main characters in this manga, the
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plot revolves around a young girl named Akari and the relationship with her senior Alicia, and her two friends Aika and Alice. Their goal is to become prima undines, which are the equivalent to gondoliers that you can see so often in Venice. Akari joins the small company Aria, with Aika and Alice being part of Himeya and Orange Planet, respectively. These three companies are considered rivals because they all are in the same business, but that doesn't stop these three girls from becoming close friends. Since the genres of this series do not necessarily call for a complex plot, the chapters are mostly episodic, loosely connected by what the characters go through in daily life on their way to becoming prima undines. The central narrator of the manga is Akari herself, and most chapters start off with a panel of her writing to a penpal. (You'll discover who she's writing to near the end) The adventures they go through are super realistic, and are things that anyone can experience in their lives, such as attending a festival or eating together at a cafe. However, there are a few supernatural elements at play here, and a lot of them involve folklore and the meeting of a certain animal. (Note: The mangaka, Kozue Amano, loves cats) This manga does well regarding what it set out for: providing a great blend of comedy, slice of life, drama, and a sprinkle of adventure and supernatural. The pacing is slow yet enjoyable, a very common occurrence for successful slice of life anime or manga. However, the way that Kozue Amano decided to end it was really something else.The ending felt natural and was a realistic way to end the story. As I'm not allowed to write spoilers about exactly what the ending was here, all I can say is, Akari, Aika, and Alice really grew up. What I mean by that is up to you to find out.
Art: 10/10
The artwork is one of the highlights in Aria. For those who have seen or read Shokugeki no Souma, the visuals in Aria, in my opinion are as high quality as the aforementioned title. I feel that the artwork style is pretty modern, as in, the way the characters and background are drawn isn't too different from entries dating back a few years to this date. If you haven't seen the published date of Aria, read a few chapters and see if you can guess what year it's from; you'll probably be surprised! I'll be talking about both background art and characters here. Each page provides us with another wonderful view of what Aqua really looks like, no matter if that is how the buildings are like while submerged in water or what a starry night in Aqua is like. The artwork here is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and really fits the relaxing feel that is trying to be achieved. The way the characters are drawn is very good as well, especially the way some of the faces are drawn. What I mean by this is the unique way in which Akari, Aika, and Alice's faces are drawn. They deviate from the norm as Akari has a curious face, Aika has a surprised face, and Alice has a annoyed and grumpy face. This isn't to say that their faces aren't drawn normally at all; it's just the faces these girls make was one of the most memorable moments in the manga for me. The art of the other characters, such as Alicia (Aria's mentor), Akira (Aika's mentor), and Athena (Alice's mentor) are done just as well in which their appearances are different from each other so you can tell them apart. Once again, the way the cats are drawn is something else to look out for, in a good way. The quality always had the same greatness to it from beginning to end, so there is no need to worry about rushed or subpar drawings here. Putting all the combined elements together, the artwork deserves nothing less of a 10 for me.
Characters: 9/10
The other part of Aria that really brought up my enjoyment and love for Aria was the characters. I realized that I've mentioned a lot of characters earlier in the review without really explaining who they were, so I'll clear it up now. The cast of characters are very diverse and likable, with the airheaded and optimistic Akari, the motherlike Alicia, the reserved and serious Alice as a few examples. The president of Akari's company, Aria, is a cat and he often accompanies Akari as she is training and some of his reactions are both hilarious and adorable. They each have their strengths and weaknesses, with none of them being perfect in every way (although I would argue Alicia is pretty close to that). The way the characters react to situations they are put in is genuinely relatable to the reader, and I'm sure many people including myself found themselves growing attached to them as they continued reading about their antics. There was also some character development in Aria regarding the three young prima undines to be, as they do change from what they started out as. Because of this, I feel that their characters were more fleshed out than the others. In this type of manga, it's really hard to hate, or to not like every single one of the characters, and that includes the small cast of boys as well. Most of the people that appear multiple times are either in their teens or young adults, so the way their characters are set up is perfectly understandable. The supporting characters complimented the main characters really well, and while there were more than just one or two, their individuality makes you remember each and every one of them. I really think that for as long as I live, the memories of the lovable characters here will stay with me forever. For a job well done, this section deserves a 10/10 as well.
Enjoyment: 10/10
It's really a shame that I couldn't give a score higher than 10, because I would if I could. I think that anyone, including those that don't really watch or read slice of life (including myself) will enjoy this. There are no inappropriate or risque scenes here, and because of that, anyone of any age can enjoy this like I have, provided that they are able to read. Aria is truly one of those manga that children will enjoy, and adults will also enjoy nonetheless. For the math lovers out there, I would describe my enjoyment of Aria as an exponential function. At first, I only read a chapter every few days or so, but as I continued on reading, I started to grow in love with it and my enjoyment skyrocketed, reading it daily and even having to limit myself to reading a couple chapters each day. I would definitely re-read this if I have the chance to in the future and want some nostalgia for the manga that sparked me to write my first ever review. Aria is a manga that is magical, and will heal you if you're having a hard day and make you see the world in a much more positive light. It did for me, and I hope it will do the same for you.
That's all I have to say. Thanks for reading!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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