Ranked #59

Liar Game (Manga)

When I first started Liar Game, I had pretty low expectations, thinking it was probably some Death Note rip-off. Boy was I wrong. While at the the beginning, I seriously considered dropping this manga, for reasons I'll explain later,I am EXTREMELY glad I didn't! This is a manga that will leave you at the edge of your seat, begging for more.

Story ~10/10~
So, in a nutshell, a stupidly honest girl gets mixed up in a game where you must lie. The first thing she does is fall for a lie, and seeks help from an ex-scam artist.
All in all, it's pretty original. But if you consider reading this on just the plot alone, you may find it's completely different then what you'd expect. This story explores into the darkest parts of a human's heart; lies, deceit, greed, and selfishness, and one pure girl who looks beyond that.

Art ~7/10~
Ok, this is the first reason I almost dropped this. The art at the beginning is mediocre at best. Eyes that show no emotion, people with oddly shaped heads that triple in size with open mouths, and tiny arms, not to mention the drawing are highly disproportional. (Ex. When standing normally, Nao looks around average height, but when she falls on her knees and bends over to cry, she looks as if she'd be 8 feet tall standing.)
Notice though, I said at the beginning. The art noticeably gets better as the series progresses. The art style gets better, the bodies look proportional, the weird way of drawing lips the make the top one look like a mustache disappears, as does the strange habit the artist has of drawing the eyelashes at the side of the eyes. Although the art doesn't improve to something worthy of great praise, it becomes pretty good.

Character ~10/10~ -prepare for semi-long rant-
The heart and soul of this manga. And the second reason I almost dropped this. At the beginning, this story's major flaw was Kanzaki Nao. Stupid, naive, easy to fool, always relying on other people for help, and a total crybaby. Again, notice I said 'At the Beginning'. As the story goes on, she turns into a strong girl, yet still retains the honest purity she once had. Thanks to this, she's able to realize the "true" (air quotes because this has not yet been 100% confirmed) motive behind the liar game.
The thing that made keep going in this manga was Akiyama Shinichi, the genius swindler recruited by Nao. The word genius is an understatement for this man. Able to bring an entire MLM company to it's knees, not to mention he's only like, 24? I don't really want to go into detail, so I'll just say he's pretty similar to L of Death Note, even having the dark circles under his eyes. (The picture of him on his MAL profile does him no justice though, he's actually fairly good looking) The reasons behind the things he does and his abilities are a bit of a spoiler, so I won't go to much into detail on him.
This cast of characters is perfect for the story, each having their own reason for staying in the game, whether it be for wealth, domination, saving the other contestants, or finding the horrible person behind the Liar Game. Each has their flaws, some more then others, but each one has good in their heart, brought out by Nao and Akiyama, except for one. -*cough*Yokoya*cough*-

Enjoyment/Overall ~10/10~
I thoroughly enjoyed this manga, to the point where I finished 95 chapters in 2 days (Although each chapter is roughly 17-18 pages). It's a manga that will have you thinking about how on earth could Akiyama possibly beat the opponent, only to have a plan so complicated and thought-out that Einstein would be staring at the page with smoke coming out his ears. Truly an amazing manga.

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At the begining, Liar Game looked like anohter irrelevant thing, but when I started reading it, I was trapped untill today. This manga has a very good psichologycal style that explores the deepest parts of human ambition: seeing how each different character thinks and behave differently in the same situation keeps your attention drawn on every moment, allowing Liar Game to be an outstanding story.

Story: It has a very original idea, about a girl who sees herself trapped in this game, where she has to lie in order to live, Anyhow, she's got a problem: she is stupidly honest.

Art: The drawing in Liar Game is not the best drawing ever, but it meets it's duty.

Characters: a handful of very different characters lets one understand how each type off person would behave in extreme situations.

Enjoyment: Being completely unpredictable, it will keep you hooked and you won't even realize how many chapters have you read. read more

I randomly picked this manga simply because I liked the name and I was addicted to manags involving strategies at that time. I have never been disappointed with it. The characters are original, fresh, and new. They also seem so real and life-like that I can see people acting in just the same manner they do. I also love how it asks questions about human nature, greed, and the value of money. The way the minds of the main characters work are examined thoroughly and you can clearly see what motivates each one. The Art is unique as well. It just fits the series so well. The story just pulls you in and makes you want to read more. I read 40 chapters in about 2 hours today and I have my summer reading to do!!!! (Ask any of my friends how serious that is. I am a homework freak!!!) If I try to explain how amazing this manga anymore I'll give away major spoilers T-T So it's up to you to read this amazing manga!!! (Warning, not as amazing in the beginning, but just wait a little and then it gets good. Your patience will be rewarded). read more

Storyline: 10
The plot is simply original. In most mangas where there are sudden twists, Liar Game is full of them and, they are smartly planned out. Each challenge is psychologically related and also challenging. And they actually make sense. However, the main characters being able to solve each puzzles and use the,'actually, I had already figure that out' phrase does get kinda cheesy, but its still a good read as it keeps you on the edge to know how exactly will the mangaka pull it off.

Characters: 8
The characters are simply down to earth, they really portray just how rotten we humans are and how distrustful we've become of each other. One thing I like about this manga, is that the author made Nao a little smarter than when she first started out. Over the series, she improves and contributes to the series though you may find her to be extremely annoying. Akiyama makes us realise how stupid we, the reader are. New characters also have certain depths to their story but then, the story mainly focuses on solving and figuring out ways to deceive people that you honestly don't give a damn about the minor characters Other than the trio, Nao, Akiyama, Fukunaga and Yokoya not to mention the LGT office are the main focus of the manga. I love Fukunaga to the core. She ( I respect her wishes) is simply amazing as she makes up for Nao's stupidity.

Art:7
the art is nothing special although sometimes it may be a little off. But I give credit to the mangaka for making each character distinguishable from one another. ( I have problems with differentiating characters =_=)

Enjoyment: 9
I'm a sucker for mystery genre manga and I believe most people are too. I usually like mangas with strong female characters but Liar Game is an exception, because it never fails to disappoint me with its plot and not to mention puzzles.

Overall, Liar Game is simply one heck of a puzzle, its basically about humanities strive in trusting one another which is seriously lacking today.

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The Liar Game: Outwit your opponent. Use any means you find to be necessary in order to cheat and swindle your way into taking the money they are given by the mysterious people who run Liar Game. The loser will become rich beyond their wildest dreams, and the loser will fall into deeper debt then they have ever known.

Story: The story of Liar Game is pretty good. It's not quite up to the same standards as some other psychologically based manga in that the characters in the story have a tendancy to use very blunt and fairly standard traps and plans in an attempt to cheat their opponents out of their money. However, it very interesting to see multiple plans layered on top of one another and how everything comes together, the end results being rather surprising much of the time. This is not a manga that requires much thought to read. Its a manga about twists and turns, suspense in every page. Its not too deep, but sometimes that can be rather helpful to a manga, and it works well here. Think of the story as Death Note Lite.

Art: The art is where Liar Game takes the biggest hit. The character designs are okay. They don't look ugly in any respect, but they aren't eye catching either. There isn't much detail in them and they all look very plain. All the dark mysterious imagery like the Fleur de lis, the baby angels, and the cross feel kind of out of place here and make it seem even more of a death note rehash. The best compliment I can make towards the art is probably the eyes. They look a bit ugly sometimes, but they are very effective at conveying the emotions of the characters here.

Characters: The characters seem very flat, but hopefully this will change as the series goes along. They all fit very snuggly into some sort of stereotype or another. There is only one character thusfar into the manga that I have seen change at all in the long term. However, that's not to say that the characters are particularly bad. They're all rather mediocre by themselves, but as a group, there is a lot of potential chemistry here. The basis is there, its just up to the author to evolve and develop it more.

Enjoyment: I'm enjoying this series quite a bit. I'm not quite sure what I'll think of it by the end, because the main reason I'm still reading this series is its irresistible premise. I sincerely hope that the story and characters develop, because I really think there's a lot of potential that I'm not seeing.

Overall: If you're willing to take a chance and see how well the story plays out, then I suggest reading Liar Game. However, don't go in with high expectations, only with high hopes. read more

I haven't read much chapters so far but I am really looking forward to the next chapter.
The story itself is very original. You find yourself intrigued and surprised every time a lie is revealed and you end up going back in the pages and you are like" OH!! So that how he did it!!" .
The art is good, nothing special about it, it fit the story well.
The characters are interesting,have a lot of depth and humanity to them. Something is always revealed about their background , so they never bore you.
The story is very exciting and fun to read, I would recommend this manga to people who love trying to solve tactics or mysteries and who loves story with psychological games, maybe it wouldn't be much appealing to young audience but hey try it out just in case, you never know. Anyways , HAVE FUN READING!!! read more

I wish I could give this manga a 10. The story definitely deserves it. Kanzaki Nao ends up being dragged into a game that may leave her seriously indebted, and seeks help in a well known swindler: Shinichi Akiyama.

Story (10)
The game is called Liar Game, as it requires lying and deceiveng (something Kanzaki Nao is not feated for) in order not to loose ones money and obtain the money from the rivals. The story is exciting, It has mistery, quizes, lots of wit and imagination.

There is something that bothered me a little. Halfway the manga, many of the plans carried out by the characters are explained by the hosts of the games, who watch silently in a cabin and comment the game. I found this procedure a little too forced. Too much explanation, and they know too much for who know what reason. It wasn´t like that from the beginning, and I found it unnecesary... there are other ways to explain things, in action, with the main characters. I saw the dorama first, and they didn´t resort to that method as often as the author does in the manga.

But, apart from that, the story is really good, and It keeps you stuck to the manga, eager to know the outcome of each round.

Characters (7)
The characters are a little sterotyped, but you come to love them.
- The naive girl who wants to trust and help everybody. Kanzakis Nao´s naivite is such, that it gets on your nerves... but you end up liking her, and she eventually becomes stronger.
- The misterious and sharp male character who plays tough and indiferent but always comes to save her (although he has other unknown reasons to participate in the game).
- The "ultimate enemy", a really bad, bad guy with a history of bullying and manipulating people.
- Fukunaga is a very interesting character, you never know if you can trust him... in the beginning you don´t know whether to love him or hate him.
- And a bunch of other weird characters that come and go, depending on their success in each round... as the winners get to leave the game, but the loosers must stay and keep playing or pay the money they lost in whole (which is a lot of money).

Art (3)
Here comes the main reason why I cannot give this manga a 10. I don´t like the art at all. It becomes better at some point, but I seriously find it horrible. There is a problem with proportions, the heads are too big. The characters look like monsters, with their mouths wide open... I cannot even beggin to tell how wide they can open their mouths when they shout, or when they are surprised... and that happens very often. I seriously though one of them was going to come through the screen and eat me. And why do they they all have to sweat so much? The only one that does never look like an alien is Shinichi Akiyama, as he always keeps his composure.

Enjoyment (8)
The manga is very exciting, which makes it enjoyable and keeps you wanting more. In the beginning, the art bothered me so much I even considered dropping the manga, as I had already watched the dorama, and knew most of the games. But at some point, it becomes new even for those who havent seen the dorama, and as the manga hasn´t ended´yet, I suppose new games await. read more

Liar Game was pretty famous and I thought I'd try this manga. I thought I'd get bored, but after I started reading it I was extremely immersed in it. Despite the fact that the art may be average, the story is mind-blowing. I like the way that the author shows human greed and how people trick each other for themselves. It's something that almost all mangas don't show. The game that the author came up with is also very original and amazing - about how people have to lie to each other to obtain profit. Liar Game is a true psychological masterpiece that anyone should read. read more

Liar Game is about a honest girl who participates in a crazy tournement called the Liar Game. There is no violence allowed, only lying. The participants can gain a lot of money but they can also lose a lot and that's is whay they are afraid of.

At the beginning you might think this manga is just average but that isn't true. Things are really getting started from chapter 9.

Art:

The art isn't really good but that didn't bother me when I was reading it.

Characters:

The lead characters have got some nice development.
The difference between the characters leads to enjoyable discussions and a lot of arguing.

Enjoyment:

If you liked the mind games in Death Note you will surely like this manga. It can be very ingenious. It keeps you guessing how the hell they came to the solution to win a round.

Overall:

Liar game is an ingenious psycological manga which u can't simply put down. read more

Really addictive from the very beginning. Pretty simple plot but with extremely complex - and surprising - twists. The art is not outstanding but good enough. And anyway it's definetly not the point in this Manga. The story on the other hand is great. You just got to continue reading to find out what's behind it all. The Liar Game can be recommended for anyone who enjoys psychological games and addictive storytelling!