Lost+Brain

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(To skip ranting and get to the point, head to overall c: )
So many reviews were dissing this manga because they were comparing it to Death Note and I can see why however I don't feel like comparing it to Death Note is fair at all. Sure, the main character has a Light personality however if I were to compare this I would much rather compare it to Code Geass (and Lelouch's MIND CONTROL Geass) or to Zennou no Noa.

Story:
The story was quite captivating. Of course the idea of hypnotizing people is quite silly but, then again, a Death Note is ridiculous and a ... Geass is just wtf. I read this series in half a day, it's quite short and quite captivating. I did, however, feel like the ending was slightly rushed however I'm grateful that the ending was not awful. Good endings are, in my opinion, the hardest thing you could achieve in any written piece so 7/10 (because, like with many manga, it does have it's flaws but it's quite the captivating story)

Art:
The art did not disappoint. It is quite fitting for the genre and the designs fit the mood as well. I did feel like Kouji was slightly out of place design-wise since his character seems like someone from out of a shoujo manga but nevertheless the art does its job well. 9/10

Character:
The protagonist was strong, but sadly he did not have a strong antagonist going up against him. Kouji did his role well however if he used his little brain of his, as well as his powers a bit more often, that would've been nice. Otherwise, no complaints 8/10

Enjoyment:
This kind of "rule the world and rid it of its evils" story is not that uncommon however I felt like the sheer use of hypnotism made it unique. The plot kept me turning pages and I had not realized that I had spent most of my day reading it until I glanced at the clock for some random reason. 9/10

Overall:
Those who like Death Note, don't expect a Death Note. Those who like Code Geass, this will seem quite similar (however our main protagonist isnt much of an antihero) and those from Zennou no Noa (which may be just a few), expect something to that level however, preferably, while reading this don't compare it to anything as it may ruin the experience. For those that are unfamiliar of this type of plot, I recommend you read it. Hopefully all those other reviews wont scare off readers ;n; 9/10

I remember seeing Lost+Brain a few years ago and bookmarking it because the plot summary was interesting. After reading it years later, the only thing I felt about it is that it had a lot of unfulfilled potential.

The main thing about this manga is the comparison to Death Note and they are plentiful to see like the art style, main characters being geniuses, some of the plot elements and motivations for why the main character does what he does, but it's done in a way less interesting way, by an inferior cast of characters. The characters were just bland with no charisma. The two sidekicks ... to Ren have almost no characterization to them except that one is smart (he almost never shows it) and the other was helped by Ren's hypnosis and becomes obsessed with him (Like Misa from Death Note). Ren on the other hand is just a genius that wants to control the world with his motivation being introduced half way though the manga. Our other main character Itsuki is less of a bland character but it's not by a lot. He tries to stop Ren, but is always one step behind and for most of the manga it feels like he is following him from behind, rather than stopping his plots. His niece Yuki is not anything to write home about either. The other characters are basically useless and do nothing.

The story at it's base is interesting with hypnosis and what power it has to control an individual, and a lot of techniques are explored which helps the reader understand hypnosis better. Also I have my personal feeling that there is a subplot with how television can brainwash into believing everything they say without questioning it, as it is the way Ren uses it to achieve his goals, but I may be reaching here. The main problem I have with the story is again with the characters, as without any interesting characters the story gets dragged down and I can't begin to care if either Ren or Itsuki succeeds in their goals.
The art is decent, but it not anything special. It does it's job, it's clean there isn't anything more to say about.
In the end the manga isn't a disaster and because of it's short length you can read it in a day. If you are a Death Note fan and want to read something that has a similar plot and similiar MC (or straight up rip-offs) you may find something good in it, but it won't be something that you will remember.

This is my first review, so if you have constructive criticism I would love to hear it.

Lost + Brain is a complete Death Note knockoff that is inferior in every conceivable way. That is all you need to know and it doesn't deserve much more to be written about it. The main character is less intelligent than Light and has even less depth. Death Note's art was one of it's best qualities. This has bad art and even the character designs are nothing but a pathetic imitation of Death Note. Kira's ability was interesting in its limitations. This MC's hypnotism is as interesting as watching a beige stick figure painting dry. Death Note went downhill halfway through. This started out bad, ... and got worse and worse, culminating in one of the worst endings I've ever seen. That's all I have to say about it. That is all there is to say about it. Avoid it. Especially if you are a Death Note fan.