Kenen.

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Let me start by saying something. I'm not a big fan of josei/shojo. I find the layout rather chaotic and not always readable. And to be honest, if my girlfriend hadn't bought me the complete Kenen series, I wouldn't be here today to express my love for it. But let's take things point by point.

Drawing: 8
Cutting: 7
As for the side, I'd say it's pretty clean. The drawings are really charming and perfectly embrace the Japanese folklore atmosphere that the author wanted to infuse into his story. The layout, while having the shortcomings of the genre, suits me perfectly.

Story: 9.5
Universe: 9
Characters: 10
Now, what counts ... most for me is undoubtedly the emotional side, particularly with regard to the story, the universe, but above all the characters and the relationship I have with them. The story touched me deeply, not least because of its similarity to the history between peoples today. As for the universe, it's very close to our world, especially in terms of ancestral rivalries, while incorporating fantastic elements in the purest Japanese style (Mononoke, Divinities, Dragons, everything). And it works really well. We have a very coherent universe with very solid foundations.

So I'm going to talk about the last, and I think, most important thing about this manga. The one that impressed me the most in this magnificent manga : the characters. I can't think of a single character in this story who hasn't contributed to the overall beauty of this manga. I'm not going to talk in detail about all the characters to avoid any spoilers, but I would nevertheless like to say a few words about 2 characters who made a deep impression on me in black ink: Mashira and Hayate. Characters whom everything opposed. Enemies who did nothing but quarrel all day long. A conflicted relationship, but one that gradually turned into a true friendship. A deeply sincere friendship, with no ulterior motives, that allowed our 2 protagonists to evolve throughout their journey. We've gone from a naive, impulsive little monkey with a visceral hatred of humans, to a character with a heart of gold, who doesn't hesitate to sacrifice himself for his goal: to unite humans and mononoke, while accepting his own nature. And on the other, Hayate. A cold-tempered character with no empathy whatsoever for his prey. But when he comes into contact with this kind-hearted kakuen, he'll finally understand his place in this world.

I'll end my review with this wish, which I'm passing on to you. Whatever your tastes, whatever your reading desires, give this manga a chance. My words aren't strong enough to express all the love I feel for this series. So don't be afraid to dive into this sumptuous universe, which I guarantee will leave a lasting impression on you.