Jul 1, 2023
Warning: Long Review (which I tried to edit to shorten it + I'm really trying not to go into spoilers, so I hope it worked.)
This is such a mixed bag manga that I'm not sure where to start.
There are so many good and interesting aspects to The Max Level Hero Strikes Back, but it can get downright confusing, forgettable, and frustrating the rest of the time.
So, what makes this a mix bag?
Let me put it this way, for every point I can and will make, there is a "this is good, buuuuut..." phrase attached to it. It'll become clearer as I go through
...
each section down below, so please be patient with me.
~Story~
Let's start with the premise. What is this story about? The main plot is that the MC, Davey, has fallen into a coma from an assassination attempt and found himself in the hall of the greatest heroes across existence. There, they take him under their wing, and taught him everything they know. All which had taken 1000 years to accomplish, before he was deemed ready enough to send back. Now back in his old life, he must overcome the obstacles that come his way. That's... basically it. However, it can get interesting and makes it hard to put the manga down. I certainly have at least one favourite arc. The idea is certainly interesting in terms of how such a character would affect the world he’s going back to, and the immediate environment around himself.
However, there are issues. The rest are mini plots that both add and don't add anything to the story. They are important enough that if you take the event(s) out, then the story wouldn't make sense. /However/, the main, consistent issue that most of the arcs share is the inconsistent narrative pacing. There are times that it's too fast, while others it's too slow. For example, there is an arc that has to do with the dwarfs, which was way too short and fast, where you are only told that a certain time has passed and don’t get to witness much. Then you have the exact opposite in another arc about a secret organization about knights, where it gets dragged on for so long that you are wondering what's the point of being told and shown so much information when most of it is irrelevant for the longest time. This all comes to a head with one of the latest arcs, a civil war. Without going too deeply into the spoiler territory, let's just say that this arc was kind of expected, but it also felt like it came out of nowhere and was finished within too short of a time. This arc felt /way/ too big and important to be so short and fast paced, and yet, it was exactly that. Certainly disappointing, because it opened so many possibilities, but delved into only a few of them, but not too deeply. There was one possibility that has been hinted at about the current queen’s (of that arc) past, then thrown out of the window within the same chapter. I was so confused and angry, because it felt beyond relevant as it would explain a lot of the queen’s actions and behaviour, which would have in turn influenced the events that led up to the civil war. This hint of information didn’t even last 5-8 pages. It was there then gone, and never brought up again! Excuse my language, but WHAT THE F*CK!?
Another issue is that there are plot devices/points given, but either go ignored or abandoned altogether. My main beef, which lead me to writing this review, is twofold. One, Davey is given early on a basically holy tattoo that told everyone that he's chosen by the Gods. Sure, it is referred to all the time by people referring to him as "Saint" whenever he helped them in some way. The issue here is that Davey outright ignores the title, duties, opportunities, and more that gets attached to it. The only times he really acknowledges it is when he needs it during a fight or pull one over another person. And let me say, it happens only a couple of times and otherwise completely abandoned. Second, I am up to date with the chapters, and as a reader I have yet to be given a good explanation for why Davey was taken under the wing of so many heroes and for so long. It's only in recent chapters that the plot finally seems to remember that it needs to address this massive plot hole and has been dropping hints about Davey's past and circumstances, which should have been addressed earlier on.
Again, the story can get interesting, whether you like the tropes that come with this manga or not (ex: OP MC). But as discussed above, there are massive issues that can be fixed so easily if given the proper opportunity.
~Characters~
Davey al Rown, the main character. The same one that has been taught by so many masters that it could change the lives of the entire continent… and a Gary Sue. My God is he a Gary Sue. At first, it makes sense that he’s so knowledgeable and powerful in many divisions. He could do things that nobody else could have done. He has massive power in different branches that it doesn’t make sense and the rest of the characters are puzzled /why/ he’s able to do what he can. It kind of makes sense that he’s like this, because anyone would become OP if they trained for a millennium under the best masters out there. I can’t even get angry about any of this, because it makes far too much sense. He also has character flaws, which breathes a life to his character. Something that tends to be forgotten about in many other stories out there that have their own OP MC. He’s a greedy bastard. He loves money. He doesn’t do things without expecting something in return. He loves some of his siblings to death, and would do anything for them. He loves and protective over the family that he has created for himself. It helps to make his character more 3D, as he can get quite serious. All of this shows that he has many different sides, when he could have easily been another emotionless OP MC.
So, what makes him a Gary Sue? By the definition, he’s too perfect, and almost everyone around him just looooooves him or proclaim their loyalty to the end of time. Every time he goes to a location, he seems to solve the problems of the residence without even breaking a sweat. Thus, gaining their ever-loving trust and loyalty. Never mind the fact that he had 0 reason to poke his nose into their business. In fact, he never should have to begin with. It seems that every time he does so and solves their problem and gains new minions, he does two things. He either fucks off entirely, or he takes them with him and uses them to no end to his benefit. They all see it, and yet this never seems to bother anyone. Even those that were his enemies, for the most part, grudgingly accept and/or admire him in the end. He is handed such massive privileges and titles, that at some point it feels unearned and too much. What’s weird about this is that he keeps saying that he doesn’t want to be called a “Saint” or by any other title, and that he wants to live a quiet life and be lazy and do things from the shadows. Yet, he doesn’t do anything about any of this, and even steps into the limelight one too many times, with the excuse of him not having a choice. Sure, sometimes he truly doesn’t have a choice, but the rest he proved through words and action that he doesn’t care. He even has women (particularly princesses) fighting over his hand, and the readers are joking about him gaining a harem at some point because of it.
It doesn’t help that the characters around Davey are quite generic. In the beginning, when they are showed, they are quite different from each other and have personalities, goals, and values. However, as time goes on, they seem to slowly fade into the background until forgotten altogether. Half the time I can barely remember their names, because aside from a single unique trait that differentiates themselves from others, they’re quite similar. They also seem to be following Davey around like little ducklings, even though half of them are some of the most powerful people of their age group and positions. For example, let’s go with Princess Elena. She is among the strongest of her age group, to such a degree that she has earned herself a title of being strong enough to wield a weapon of God. Everyone respects her and basically bows down to her greatness. Her name is so recognizable that just a mention of it would have people gosh over her existence. When she shows up, you can feel the heaviness and importance that comes with her character, and you want to see more and more. Yet, overtime, she slowly fades into the background. The first hint of it is that she needed Davey’s help, because she’s either too weak and emotionally irrational (yes, really bc women amiright? /heavy sarcasm) against a vampire opponent. By halfway through the plot, she just become another background character that you can ignore the existence. She doesn’t bring anything interesting or important to the table, outside of this one arc. The rest of the time, she’s just… there. A pretty thing with a short temper and the most powerful against everyone in her age group and most other humans… with everyone else being an exception. And she seems to be fighting with another princess for the affection of Davey? It’s annoying and overdone.
Either way, the rest of the characters follow the same formula. It doesn’t matter if they are individuals or part of a group. The dwarfs are basically bowing down and kissing the ground that Davey walked upon, having forever lost their main characteristics once he helped them. The elves in his presence were interesting on their own, until they became part of his group to some degree, and thus are just brushed aside. His siblings, half of which hate him and the other adore him, seem to only have those traits to speak for them. Traits of either being good or evil, useful or useless, etc. Even though you have relationships that should be explored deeper due to their sheer class S of importance, they tend to be ignored. Only time when it wasn’t, was when Davey had to deal with his father, and yet it still flops to a big degree. Nothing makes sense anymore and I’m personally just done with all of this.
~Overall~
I don’t know what else to share without this being anymore of an essay that it is. Overall, still a mixed bag. It’s very much depending on your taste in genre and what you tolerate and don’t to determine if you would like this manga. Personally, the only thing that’s keeping me reading and not dropping this manga is because I’m a bookworm and need to have something to read. But unlike the other manga that I keep up with, this one is very half hearted and just /there/ to pass the time. I will continue to be disappointed and frustrated with it, especially concerning the plot holes and characters (mainly Davey), but it is what it is. You can’t win in everything, and this manga is just one of those things. Hope this review, albeit very long, has been helpful to someone out there. I can only recommend you try out the first few arcs to get a feel for it, and then make your judgement. This story deserves a chance, but it’s very understandable if you’re in my position (on the fence) or chose to hate/love it.
That’s all, peace out!
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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