Rosen Garten Saga

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I think even reading this review will take away from the experience you get if you were to read this blind, so I recommend you just stop and go read the first chapter. I hope that's enough to convince you to this series, but if not that's what a review is for.

Rosen Garten Saga truly takes everything that makes anime and manga so degenerate and condenses it something absolutely amazing and insane. When I read this, I experience something similar to when I read JoJo. The plot points that drive the story forward are relatively standard, but it’s from the characters and their interaction with ... each other that we truly see how insane and ridiculous this manga is. You really can't expect anyone in this series to be normal and just watching each person behave like an absolute degenerate is absolutely beautiful. What takes this manga to the next level is how clean and sharp the action and panels are. Even in panels that only show a single, simple action, the detail in the art provides so much subtle information that showcase the uniqueness of each character. For example, the weapons in this manga look ridiculous, but the artist still applies small details such as how the blade is held to demonstrate how even something that looks so stupid is actually incredibly badass. Everything about this manga is so stupid and epic at the same time and I truly love everything it represents.

I. Love. This. Manga.

This will be a short review, but for anyone that can stomach the absurdity of this manga it is genuinely the funniest things I've ever read. To start with the action in this manga is amazing, the characters in this manga are amazing, the art in this manga is amazing, the subplots are amazing, everything about this manga is amazing. This manga probably has better female representation than 99% of manga's out there, as all the support for the characters and the support for each woman being their own individual character is amazing, none of the woman are subject to being a ... damsel in distress that's only reason to be there is for something for the male gaze to be attracted to. Also, to go back to the art, it's phenomenel. It's arguably some of the best art i've read in a manga that is biweekly and quite frankly it's peak, it's my favorite manga right now.

Characters: The characters are the selling points of this manga, each team for the tournament in this manga has 3 characters that are all interesting (although I think there is 1 character that arguably had a character derailment and had an awful character arc). To start with, Beowulf, the guy from the legend, is amazing, he's funny, his sword is awesome, and I love how he has a mentor role for the younger characters throughout the series, same with the king of bern's mentor who I forgot the name of. Overall the characters are amazing and a great part of the story. Brunhilde has the best character arc I've ever seen, I love how her curse and blessing are revealed, and how we see that she hates it and wants to be free from all of it.

Plot: The main plot of the story I will not spoil as it's revealed in like, literally the first chapter. The only thing I will say is that as it's been developed more in the recent chapters, what bugs me is that some important story beats are only appearing in the side and bonus chapters, instead of being incorporated into the actual main selling point of the manga. Overall 9/10 plot.

I'd like to present my opinion, as a relatively normal manga reader:

This manga is trash.

Note that this is marketed as a "sex comedy," meaning the majority of events are meant to either turn you on or make you laugh. Unfortunately, the majority of the manga does neither. To say that it is "kinky" is an understatement, as quite a bit of it is plain illegal. Near the beginning of the story, the MC encounters two little girls (siblings) that make out with each other. Note that this isn't some tragic backstory or plot device, this is just played straight in an attempt to make you ... laugh (because incest and pedophilia is funny apparently). At least, I'm hoping this was a bad attempt at comedy, because the alternative (little kids kissing are supposed to arouse you) is just demented. The art is actually very good, which makes this even worse, as now you're watching *well-drawn* children make out. Of course, they join the MC's party so the readers can masturbate to them having sex with each other even more.

Let me summarize the prologue and inciting incident of this manga: a random village is invaded and raped by a group of mercenaries (I guess replacing the trope of murdering villagers with raping them is meant to be comedic), and one girl (the protagonist) is able to flee into the woods. In the forest, she finds a sword inhabited by the spirit of the prince, a relentless womanizer. At this point, some mercenaries find her and attack, but she allows the prince to possess her and fight them off. When she regains consciousness, she finds out the sword actually turned the mercenaries into attractive women. She then unconsciously manifests the prince's dick on her crotch, fully erect, and rapes them.

Yeah...

If you found that interesting, don't worry, it gets worse. This manga objectifies women very brazenly. Hell, a large motivation of that prince mentioned earlier is to turn his enemies into women and rape them.

I see people saying that this manga has a fantastic plot (aside from the *plot* we get when the MC sexually assaults women). I disagree. There are tens of characters introduced in as many chapters. Each character has a unique design and personality, aside from being a huge pervert. However, the "personalities" of these characters are just one or two traits. Take Beowulf, for example: he has two traits, being super honorable *and* having a massive dick he fights with. With just that information, you understand his entire character. The same goes for everyone else. If you want a good story that isn't just sex, this is not the manga for you.

The storyline itself is pretty generic: it's another battle royale/tournament manga. The only distinguishing factor is the aforementioned sex comedy.

Overall, I believe this manga is glorified incel bait. The treatment of women and casual rape jokes (as well as the sexualization of animals and *literal children*) will be incredibly off-putting or offensive to most new readers, and the plot only serves as a way to take a break from the gratuitous sex and keep the reader's attention long enough to get to the next character to sexualize. If you value your time, your morals, or your social standing in case anyone sees you viewing this: don't read this manga.