Nanbaka

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I enjoyed this story quite a lot. Comedy and Shounen mix together nicely. Very fun and exciting with a hint of mystery as well. My only real complaint about the manga is the ending or lack there of. I do like the route it was headed towards, but then it makes an abrupt stop. I can only assume that it was cancelled and the mangaka had to quickly give it some sort of ending, because there are a whole lot of unanswered questions. I really would love some sort of sequel to this story so I can know where and how a lot of the ... set ups were going to be payed off. I definitely enjoyed the journey even if I still feel like I never arrived at a destination.

Warning: this manga is ridiculous and silly but also deceiving so if you’re looking for pure comedy this series is not for you. I would also recommend looking at the art style before diving into this series as it very over-the-top and some may find it to be too much.

The main draws to this manga are the characters and art style. The characters are almost entirely loveable, especially the main 4. The gloomy, depressed and “empty” Jyuugo finally starts to feel happiness for the first time in his life in this over-the-top super-max prison because of the 3 others despite his horrific past which is ... so heartwarming to see. The playboy gambler Uno (who is the “mom” of the group) doesn’t change much is dedicated entirely to helping his friends find happiness. Rock, who was previously highly aggressive and violent starts to become mellow and laid-back after finding passions that exceed his love of fighting. Finally, the sweet, childish Nico finds happiness in anime, manga and video games. Previously, he had lived in non-stop fear, pain and hopelessness but after being rescued initially by Jyuugo and later the other 3, he is finally able to feel joy and live the childhood he was deprived of. Watching these often ridiculous and over-the-top characters finally achieve happiness despite their pasts is so heartwarming and you can’t help but feel happy for their friendship.

The art is so extra but that’s what makes it fun. The constant sparkles, bright colors and over-the-top patterns were initially jarring to me but I really grew to love it. It really helps show the silly comedy that this show is based around. It also makes it all the more powerful when the color pallet turns bleak during the more serious scenes. It also receives bonus points for Jyuugo’s ridiculously pretty eyes. They are both different colors and change colors from panel to panel to counter his unusually dull color palette.

The comedy in this show is equally silly and over-the-top but this manga is definitely not entirely a comedy. It gets pretty serious and depressing but the tone shifts are never jarring as one might expect. They pretty seamlessly flow from a lighthearted comedy to a pretty dark drama and back very quickly which tends to be hard to find in similar manga. The comedic stories and premise are often pretty unrealistic and at times make no sense but when it comes to the serious storylines the tend to hold back but let me be be clear: this manga is not realistic at all so if you’re looking for something realistic this manga is not for you. I find that makes it fun but others may not agree.

Overall, it might not be the highest quality story-wise (though it’s not bad either) but instead the enjoyment factor comes from the characters and art style. I absolutely love this manga and recommend it to anyone looking for something simultaneously silly and dark.

Imagine a battle manga with Ziggy Stardust as a main character. Wait! You don't actually have to do that. We already have Nanbaka, where everyone is a glam rocker.

*A spoiler free preview*

Oh, those Idiots with numbers. An oddball among oddballs, Nanbaka has become a series I'm faithfully following despite finding it a bit boring and awfully paced from time to time. I'm fond of the characters, love all the colors and sparkle and totally adore the art.

Nanbaka both is and is not what it looks like. If you come for the comedy, you won't be disappointed, but that's not all you will get. Be ready ... for whirlwind of emotions, because this gig will be long and full of surprises; even a wacko comedy can be incredibly dark.

The characters are dazzling, hot and interesting and everyone is a badass in their own way. The Nanba prison is full of individuals with different motives, skills and stories we get to unfold one by one. The story arcs can become incredibly dragging with all those characters whose backgrounds we're going to have to discover on the way, bu there's always something interesting enough to keep you reading. While Nanbaka might not be the best at creating a harmony between comedy and drama, those parts sometimes work incredibly well while solo.

The art is dynamic and just phenomenal. Character designs are gorgeous and everyone is clearly familiar with both their masculine and feminine sides. The full-color format is fully utilized and shows the author's skills with coloring; be prepared to put your sunglasses on while reading. The characters are expressive and the best part of the whole series must be Jyugo's eyes; they change color from panel to panel, something the anime version couldn't bring to life.

Dazzling, odd and idiotic, Nanbaka is a series that does everything with style. Battle shounen with boarding school vibes, colorful characters and even more colorful art, stupid comedy and tearjerkers, it's definitely something worth checking out, like it or not.