Ranked #355

Goth (Manga)

Goth is a manga based of the novel of the same name, and is something I had been wanting to read for a long, long while. I also went into it with high expectations, usually a recipe for disappointment... something this manga most definitely did not do. I will say this manga can be violent, and the sheer subject matter may scare off some of the squeamish.

Story- The story is mostly episodic, with each chapter focusing on a different case. The main plot is two sociopathic high school kids, a boy named Itsuki Kamiyama and a young girl named Yoru Morino, who stumble upon various murders, and decide to solve them not out of justice, but simply their own fascination with the killers and their motives. Despite being short, the stories unfold at a very nice pace, with the protagonists slowly unraveling the mystery behind each of the murderers. Each little story follows a basic formula... at least in the beginning. Eventually, the plot gets quite personal to the heroine of the story, Yoru, as the plot builds up to it's final climax. It's at this point that the plot picks up, going from simply "good" to... well, the reason I gave it a nine. I won't say it, but Yoru's backstory and the entire final chapter was easily one of the most interesting things I've read in a manga. Everything came together very well without spoon feeding the reader, and the end leaves you wanting more. Now, the story can become quite confusing if you don't pay close attention, but it's quite a satisfying payoff.

Art- The art is done by Kenda Oiwa, best known for his work on Welcome to the NHK. The art is fitting of the story, dark, gothic, and somber. Oiwa mostly avoids typical manga cliches such as exaggerated expressions, adding to the tone of the art, though there are some exceptions.

Characters- Ah, the strongest part of this manga, easily. The two protagonists are sociopaths to the nth degree, and possibly the best representation of sociopaths in manga. These two kids are ruthless, cold, manipulative, uncaring of others, intelligent, and asexual. Most manga and anime that feature sociopaths usually show them giving up their ways by falling in love, showing them feeling remorse, or just portraying them as stereotypical bad guys. Not Goth, though. These two kids hide behind a mask of normalcy, interacting with other kids as others would, though Yoru has trouble with this, showing her social awkwardness when boys approach her. However, when their intermingling among classmates is done, they show their true colors. The way Yoru and Itsuki act is very refreshing in light of the awful portrayal of sociopaths in most other anime and manga. Another thing that's done well is the way Yoru and Itsuki interact. Rather than forcing some awful love story in the mix, the writer makes Yoru and Itsuki's relation tense, as it's clearly shown Itsuki would love to see Yoru dead, yet he wants her death done in the absolute perfect way. Even the way they're introduced shows this, as the first thing Itsuki notices about Yoru is her hands... and how much he wants them for himself. There are often times when Yoru is kidnapped and/or about to be killed, yet Itsuki steps in to save her. Why would he do this? Because he wants to wait for a better opportunity, perhaps one where he can do the act himself. It's quite a chilling relationship that's always fascinating to watch. The antagonists, though not as developed, still remain interesting and fresh. Many of them aren't total sociopaths, but rather eccentric in a very dangerous way, making them commit acts and develop habits that may spiral out of control.

Overall, Goth is quick read that will keep you turning the page until the end. Highly recommended, and easily worthy of one of the few 10/10s I give. read more

Goth - short, mystery, psychological, horror manga. The title alone sounds pretty intriguing.

Goth is a story about two students who are basically obsessed with death and murder cases. These students, Yoru Morino and Itsuki Kamiyama, don't initially talk to each other in school. After a brief encounter, they realize how much they have in common. Yoru usually ends up getting involved with some murderer and Kamiyama ends up either solving the case or making a fool of the criminal.

Art - I actually really liked the art. It was straight-forward and very easy to interpret, and I think that type of style was a good choice for this type of series. Some of the artwork for the more "horror" scenes were pretty interesting to see as well. Overall, I think the style of drawing fit well with the concept.

Character - Well, you only have the two main characters. In such a short length, we do get background on one of them (Yoru). As the manga reaches it's end, Yoru's background could become confusing if you don't pay attention, but overall it was good.

Enjoyment - 9/10. I'm typically a fan of mystery cases and considering Goth was about a bunch of murder mysteries, I really enjoyed it. If you enjoy a series that'll get you to think, then this series would be a good pick for you. Overall, Goth was a good manga series. ^_^ read more