Birdmen

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THIS MANGA IS SO GOOD

It's one of those ones you want to reread as soon as you're done! I absolutely adored it! The writing is fantastic, and all the characters feel fleshed out. Everything is well above average but the writing in particular is absolutely dead on. There was not a single time I felt lost, bored or disappointed-- it really delivered. Even in things that trip up other writers. Like for example, sometimes when a manga adds a lot of new characters, things get confusing to follow. Not here! Holy crap, I was shocked. Not really a spoiler, there's this one part where ... they just keep adding all these new characters and I was like "oh no this is going to get so confusing" and then??? It didn't?? It all flowed together so well and it all just made sense. Like it's absolutely unreal how good the pacing and characterization is.

Some other nice points: There's no crazy fanservice, and there's a wide array of diversity in the cast too, with characters from all around the globe (more later on). Overall it feels more like a tweens/teens genre because of the lack of fanservice, but it still gets incredibly dark at points and may rip out your heart.
I really hope this gets an anime adaptation one day.

Birdmen is one of my new favorite manga.

Story: 7/10
There is a lot of time spent on how a child adapts to growing wings alongside his friends, and how to adjust to his new life. It is very practical and lighthearted, until the focus shifts from the main character and his friends to the evolution of the species itself. This is important to note for those who might not like science fiction.

Unfortunately, there were a lot of characters and plot lines that were not utilized to their fullest extent. Some of the series' biggest mysteries are not explained very well, and this can be unsatisfying when ... you expect to find answers for things teased the entire manga. All of this rushing is the reason why many people, myself included, suspect that this manga was axed (probably around 60 chapters in). Some of the unclear explanations may also be due to the poor translation of some chapters.

Despite this, I think the story was still overall fun and had a fine conclusion. The mangaka is able to highlight the struggles of being a child in a harsh world and how important it is to have people beside you to face such struggles.

Art: 7/10
The art is clean cut and good for the most part. Sometimes ears and side profiles are drawn strangely, or some character's faces are uncharacteristically harsh. As the story went on, some of the character designs became less and less distinct. Sometimes this is done on purpose for plot reasons, other times it is what it is.

The children, when in "birdmen" form, have great designs. The only gripe is that in the beginning, sometimes characters can be indistinguishable besides the little designs on their helmets which can lead to some confusion when reading.

The art is very charming overall, and really shines in emotional moments and double page spreads. Personally, my favorite aspect is the volume covers, especially the last one.

Character: 8/10
Some characters introduced were definitely supposed to play a bigger role but were forgotten by the end after the halfway point, and the original cast's development is ditched in favor of more important characters. Even so, the mangaka never fails to stress the important of friendship and bonds between the characters. This goes for pretty much everyone, especially the children. The concept of bonds between the birdmen, no matter who you are or where you're from, is something that is explored constantly and is heartwarming to read.

The main character (Eishi) undeniably goes through the most profound change. His development is slow and subtle, and is always tied with the character that turned him into a birdman (Takayama). Through Takayama, Eishi opens a new world and grows for the better by meeting new people and overcoming challenges. The road he takes to get there is one of the most enjoyable parts of the manga because of how well it is handled.

Enjoyment: 9/10
Despite not realizing its full potential, Birdmen is still a great read for its science fiction themes mixed with some lighthearted manga tropes. The plot is dramatic and ambitious, and it's fun to see where it will take you. The characters are very likeable, and help contrast against the dark mood of the manga. I strongly encourage those who enjoy science fiction or themes of evolution, those who like bird people, or those who want to see a main character grow and mature in a wonderful way to read this work!

I hate pushing excessive praise especially this early in a manga's life, but with Tanabe Yellow's Birdmen I feel safe to declare this an outstanding work. A story after my own heart, Birdmen explores the nuance of the typically coming-of-age, call-to-action hero stories with a unique sense of characterization, pacing, and tone. It's a story that reads like a book, careful in the narrative climb and intensely detail oriented. From the poignant reaction panels to the excessive walls of text in a character's thoughts, Tanabe-sensei spares no expense in making this story speak beyond its contemporaries' status as superficial entertainment.

The characters are by ... far its greatest triumph. Distinct and memorable, the main cast has a strong look as well as defining characteristics that excel them beyond lifeless tropes. The main protagonist is so intensely explored that you are relating and sympathizing with him before the end of the first prologue. The biggest take away is their realism. The protagonist will probably touch upon an anxiety you've had before or his friend will muse something from your most mundane of pleasures. They're given time to breathe and therefore they solidly drive the story to the point where the plot is a minor plus.

As you can glean, the pacing is noticeably slow. Tanabe-sensei takes the realistic approach to the exploration and discovery of the plots happenings. There's almost a Western comic-book vibe to the initial origin story of these characters that contrasts the convoluted supernatural plots of most modern shounen series. Despite this comfortable pace, the wit is dashingly sharp. The humor is on point and natural, providing a good laugh most every chapter... sometimes in excess.

Finally with such confident characterization and pace, the tone results in something rather peculiar. The premise is slightly ontological, placing the protagonists in a rather mysterious and unexplainable situation and exploring them from there. It makes for an intriguing mystery and an unpredictable air to what seems like a standard premise. There are concerns behind every corner and the potential in each plotline feels mounting and probable. It makes for a hard to place and curious tone.

If you like a lot of high paced action and intensity, this series might not satisfy, but if you’re interested in a heartfelt and intriguing, coming-of-age, supernatural/ sci-fi plot with realistic characters and amazing execution, this might just be the holy grail in the manga world. 10/10