Ranked #388

D.Gray-man: Reverse (Novel)

For just a quick update, I tend to score harsher than some people, so 7 is good score for me to rate.

Each chapter has a different story involving different characters, such as Allen, Lavi, Kanda, the Millennium Earl, Bak, and Komui with the Black Order. They are presented in different points of the manga's timeline, towards the beginning, though, and you get to hear more of the main character's thoughts. Some of them are more on the serious side, while two of them are pretty funny. Only one of them is mention in the manga while the stories involving Allen and Kanda are involved in the anime, so it's mostly new material to read.

Due to me reading the translations online, I've only seen a couple of pictures in the light novels. I'll leave the score at 7, for the pictures I saw were okay, nothing amazing, until I can find the rest of the images somewhere.

The character's is what truly makes this great. In each story, it gives a better perspective of the characters; you hear more of their thoughts and their feelings on what's happening. I can honestly say that I've learned even more about the characters that are presented in these light novels that what was just in the manga. However, the character's still had their normal traits about them, such as Komui's overly obsessive sibling love for his sister, Lenalee. It just goes deeper into their thoughts.

In my opinion, I found it to be a good read and would recommend it to any D.Gray-Man fans looking for more material. read more

D.Gray-man Reverse is a novel written by another author, kaya kizaki, with the permission of Hoshino Katsura, the original mangaka. Reverse focuses on each major character's past, a portion of it, before they actually met up in the series. Some portions of the novels were simply for humor's sake and others were just the ideas of kaya kizaki as to what might have happened. These spinoffs could be taken together with the original running of both manga and anime as they can clarify certain parts left unanswered by Hoshino-sensei.

Though finding translations online can be difficult, the reading experience is worthwhile. Chapter 1 is actually episode 29-30 of the anime, while Chapter 2 is episode 33-34. Chapter 3 is about Bak Chan and his aspirations and frustrations. Chapter 4 shows how the earl's influence really moves. Chapter 5 is about Lavi before episode 13. One can see a different side of Lavi in this chapter. Chapter 6 is just a comic relief to lighten up all the serious chapters previously, it is simply read for laughs with lots of imagination. Chapter 7 is Lou Fa's episode and her thoughts, occurs as a side story after episode 95. Chapter 8 can be considered as the most tragic since it centers on Allen before meeting Mana and how Allen ended up being with him.

The chapters all wrap up to create a good story that amplified a reader's interest in DGM. despite lacking in pictures because it is a novel, the small snapshots of pictures by Hoshino sensei can give one a clear picture of what the chapters are about. I liked the stories because they are really told in character. The emotions can be felt and the thoughts are told in perspective. Instead of simply reading/watching from only one angle as in the manga and anime, the novel makes you feel that you are the main character of the chapter. This adds to the reader's excitement in seeing the story to the end.

Overall, I gave it an 8 because there is nothing exceptionally great about how it was told, it only served to clarify things and complemented Hoshino-sensei's work. The novel could be overlooked and still make DGM a good series altogether. read more