- Last OnlineDec 6, 10:13 AM
- JoinedJun 28, 2023
RSS Feeds
|
![]()
Sep 13, 2025
Despite the interesting premise of a post-apocalyptic frozen world inhabited by miserable people plagued with famine, violence, and the abuse of supernatural powers, I don't find this manga to be as great as most people have claimed it to be.
A lot of controversial concepts (that some sensitive people may be turned off to) can be observed as the chapters progress; consequently incest, famine, cannibalism, mass murder, bestiality, pedophilia, vulgarity, suicide, violence, with gore as garnish. The plot is filled to the brim with shock factors that make its readers go "Wow! This one's for the big boys". Religion, psychology, and morality also come into play
...
when you read between the lines of what message of the story is supposed to be interpreted by the readers fragmented into different parts of the story.
Now, what could be the issue so far on why I rated it lower than most people who enjoyed this series? Simply, it's the writing. The writing is all over the place and lacks structure or plot consistency while relying too much on the previously mentioned gimmicks to make it be perceived as "amazing". From start to end, you'd most likely ask at some point of the story "what's the point of writing this?", which is unironically what the supposed appeal of the manga is supposed to have; a mix of brutality and comedy turning into chaos. Personally, this wasn't executed greatly, but it has potential to improve (I heard CSM manages to polish what Fire Punch had).
Is it innovative? It definitely is, in fact it's so unique it should be avant-garde. Is it good? It's too fragmented and confusing to call it good. Those that claim otherwise and are pretending for it to be cohesive and deep are either one of three people:
1) A Fujimoto glazer who enjoyed Chainsaw Man and its unorthodoxical appeal, automatically becoming biased when reviewing this manga individually
2) An "intellectual" who has managed to "pick up on the concepts introduced" while interpreting them deeply (referencing philosophers) while relating to it.
3) A person who wants to get in on the hype while automatically rating it higher because it is unique and dark.
The art I would say is just okay for its time. I never really knew what artstyle Fujimoto had since I never read or watched his other works, but specifically the flames' visual on Agni felt indistinguishable with action scenes barely being recognizable, while the panelling wasn't anything special.
The excessive use of movie references such as well-known movie classics, in real life cinema icons, and theaters as a place of reflection also felt very out of place. In some works (like Goodbye Eri), it might be a hit especially since Fujimoto's way of using these as his signature narrative devices can work if the shoe fits seeing as he might as well have innovated it. But in this manga specifically, it felt like spamming Hadouken in Street Fighter and praying it works since most of his works have unnecessary movie references in it.
Overall, despite reviewing everything I've read from an objective point of view, it might look like subjective bias has heavily influenced this manga's rating than normal. With it being "dark, existential, innovative, fresh, or bold" encouraging those who read it to give exaggerated praise, it still lacks structure and direction for me to call it an "8/10" manga like the majority has done (let alone 10/10). Its individuality is definitely a 10/10 though, which might've netted CSM; its successor, the hype that it may or may not have deserved.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
What did you think of this review?
Nice
 0
Love it
 0
Funny
 0
Confusing
 0
Well-written
 0
Creative
 0Show all
![]()
Sep 2, 2025
About a decade ago, I watched this anime on Animax and thought it was a hidden gem that deserved praise. And a decade later from that time, I decided to put this on a bucket list and read the manga after being reminded that this series exists while (currently) grinding my hours away reading other works as pastime.
Reading the manga felt like eating a weird flavored junk food while growing towards craving it as you eat more. There are far better foods out there for you to try, yet eating this junk food seems to be much more enjoyable. The series is too complicated to
...
review in simpler words but to put it bluntly, the manga is trashy but in a good way. The humor used by the mangaka felt like you had to be a young Japanese adult native living the Otaku life to truly get the references casually being thrown around as fourth wall breaks. Basically, you had to be on the know or pretend to be within it to truly enjoy the series. Even the mangaka was self-aware on how inconsistent, incoherent, and trashy the manga was given that it broke a lot of writing taboos, yet the series' way of not taking itself seriously while also dishing out a few tidbits that's contributing to the main plot through the characters' dynamics is what's enjoyable about this piece of work.
Rating this objectively, it's safe to say that literary-wise, it's one of the worst you'll ever see on this medium. What's only saving this from being unironically garbage is that it is actually self-aware on how trashy it is also making sure not to take itself seriously (that being it's a gag manga). The manga wasn't good nor was it consistent, the artstyle felt clunky during the first few volumes before finally being refined (the later chapters finally nailed the artstyle's unique and polished qualities), the serious arcs and the filler chapters were oddly inserted in-between and lastly, plotlines and characters are not being brought to justice with the way they are randomly being introduced and forgotten as chapters progress.
So to answer the question, did I enjoy the manga? Yes. Reading the series was like giving myself a sweet treat after eating healthy food non-stop with the pacing I did of only reading Hayate the Combat Butler when I'm not in the mood to read more serious stuff. I can imagine the appeal of getting to wait weekly just to read this stuff is what allowed Hayate the Combat Butler to be published for over a decade despite its trashy writing.
Would I recommend this to most people? No (Mixed Feelings). This series I can tell isn't beginner-friendly, nor is it Westerner-friendly with its randomly placed late 2000's Otaku humor and inconsistent writing of alternating serious arcs and filler chapters. Unless I can tell the person is actually open towards reading anything without being turned off or bored easily, I would strongly not recommend this.
Despite the sentiment, I thought it would be fair to objectively rate this a 7 out of 10. Think of it as getting to eat a 10 out of 10 junk food or candy where in its own category it would dominate, but comparing it with more solid, more culturally nuanced, and more nutritious foods would deflate its value lower.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Aug 9, 2025
A really disappointing and very hard read to say the least. Watching the anime ten years ago, I remembered this series as a very unique and realistic take on fantasy with a sprinkle of romance and comedy in-between. And after reading the manga, I can certainly say how much effort was thrown into the anime to make it more palatable.
Visuals: Even considering the timeline of this manga's publication, looking at the visuals were very hard. Despite the very iconic artstyle for its time, it simultaneously showed how much it lacked detail and at the very same time, how unpolished and rough its visuals are.
...
The poor shading and indistinguishable "sketch-like" sequences especially during action scenes, accompanied by the dialogue-heavy nothing burger content allowed the potential it had to diminish quickly
Content: Considering how inspiring the message the manga has tried to convey, the execution failed to consider its consistency and what its endgame is to conclude the story. The manga starts with a very unique twist on fantasy with two destined archenemies starting to work together to make the world a better place. Besides the very "late 2000's ecchi humor" and slight delve on romance between the two, the manga's way of showing how politics, economics, strategies, and innovations play into fantasy was deceptively layered and nuanced at first, but as you read between the chapters, the concepts that were introduced are superficial at most.
Impact: The characters had no layers within them; personality-wise and character-wise. Literally their names are just placeholders to the roles they play into the story. It is a very odd way of entailing how we shouldn't focus on the characters but the supposedly "deep" context of economics and politics. Certain fetish-derived humor (self-deprecating big-boobed demon queen) was the only iconic thing about this series, but even then, it's a very niche appeal to add glitter into the very dull story.
Plot: The manga manages to turn a supposedly complex topic into this very flat piece of fiction. Without spoilers, the most I can say is that the premise of "making the world a better place" has been dragged too long in this manga. The dialogue is also full of nothing burger sentences that could've been conveyed with half, if not a quarter of its length. The supposed obstacles to the Demon Queen and Hero were poorly introduced while the ending is rushed.
To summarize, the manga is very forgettable and considering how arduous it is to read the manga, I felt like the read wasn't worth the time and effort especially since like I mentioned earlier, everything about it felt like walking on broken glass while baiting you into learning a life lesson that's shallow and ingenuine. The other manga adaptations might be more palatable, visually appealing, and condensed which should be better than this one (assuming those adaptations were also completed).
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Aug 5, 2025
As said before by many, "no man is an island", and this phrase may resonate very well for this work's readers, especially with how the series progresses between the two main characters and the minor characters that show up. The straightforward title of this manga manages to capture such an unusual premise of smoking and turn this frowned upon vice into this wholesome slow burn romance that starts off with the two adults (with a 20 year age gap) getting acquainted as they burn through their cigarettes and relish on the solace that they found with one another.
This nuance creates a melancholic undertone throughout the
...
story and allows the readers to emotionally be attached with the two as their introspective moments delve on what has kept them going throughout their mundane adult life. The contrast of the two's philosophical exchange and the excuse of "getting to smoke behind the supermarket" every so often as a way to continue "bumping into one another" is what sparks this unusual pair to lift each other up at their time of need, ultimately leading to this pseudo-romantic status quo of Salaryman Sasaki one-sidedly supporting Cashier Yamada from behind, while her alter-ego "Tayama" being aware; managing to express and vent herself freely about her appreciation to the former through teases and "hearsays".
Despite the seemingly linear plot, this minimalist take on adult romance is what allows the layers within their relationship to shine with authenticity. You get to enjoy the story while personally resonating with them, and it is because at some point of our feeble and miserable lives, we get to relate with them and their ways of escapism. Despite the number of ways us humans can cope amidst our problems, one thing that will genuinely help us get through the days is simply by talking to someone and connecting with one another, may it be as a way to seek comfort, validation, inspiration, or assistance.
Now for the objective quality of this work, the visuals are simple and have managed to reach the bare minimum of how readable and appealing a manga should be. The simple gestures between the two that progress their regard for one another is specially visualized with emotions seeping through. The minor characters aren't wasted with some of them playing a role on how human connection is indeed a necessity. Overall, it has been very consistent through pacing and quality where 50 chapters in, I can see when the status quo might start to climax.
Personally, I'd rate this a 10/10 but for now, a solid 8/10 is a fair enough rating for the consistent quality and refreshing premise it has maintained.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Aug 1, 2025
This manga is a figurative equivalent of someone calling a kids' picture book a "novel". This is truly one of the laziest works I've ever seen.
Now for an accurate (but lazy) review:
- Visuals were "lazy" and comparing it to other isekai works, this would be considered below average
- Writing is just pure narration and abrupt timeskips not allowing its readers to savor the progress
- Plot is your typical harem disguised as a farming simulator, except it devolved into a polygamy cult-like story with MC becoming a father of many for the sake of "preventing bloodline extinction" of many races
- "All tell, no show" ~ A
...
good manga is able to tell an easy to follow story without overwhelming you with dialogue or worse, narration.
- Introduction of innovational concepts were superficial
- Formulaic and repetitive progression before Chapter 100
- Basically everything was lazy. Lazy visuals, lazy writing, lazy chapter releases (5 to 10 pages each)
- It's supposed to be a manga adaptation, not a direct copy paste of a light novel
Now I'm a sucker for farming, cooking, and chill isekai/slice of life (check my other reviews), but this is one of those cases where I can very much tell how low this should be rated. It's trying to get away with its god awful pacing by applying a "slice of life" writing style with "slice of life" visuals and calling it a day despite it not fitting the story.
Did I enjoy it? It's definitely a fun read and it's entertaining to see someone build a village from the ground up. It's also a fast read considering how segmented and sped up its writing is.
Should I rate this higher? I rate things more objectively than your average reader and even if I enjoyed reading it, this piece of work shouldn't be treated as a "manga adaptation" since it's literally just a light novel summarized with images plastered like a 4-koma. It does get better on later chapters but its lazy "no effort" panelling makes it unfair to rate it higher than 6
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Jul 25, 2025
This anime adaptation specifically was my very first gateway drug towards the medium and like everyone else with my kind of childhood, they probably would've stumbled upon this show as a rerun in an anime cable channel. I am one of those people and looking back, I really enjoyed watching this show, so much so that I made sure I got to watch new episodes everyday by timing it with its air time.
Now for the review. Compared to other reboots or adaptations of this series (which I was just aware of a decade after watching this), I am very confident to say that this rendition
...
is probably the best one out of all the newer and older ones there. The series despite being about scary yokai, the production was able to maintain its goofiness and weirdness while keeping its suspense or vibe of the main plot with its refreshing rendition and effortful production (mind you this aired in 2007). I'm writing this with the assumption (based on first impressions) that the older adaptations lack refinement, while the newer one (2018) lacked effort which makes this adaptation the best one to date.
Like any other long running anime series (ex. Yokai Watch, Beyblade, Pokemon, Cardfight Vanguard, Sgt. Keroro), the show isn't meant to be enjoyed through bingewatching since it works best when playing it on TV while you multitask or take a break at a specific timeframe. The appeal of this adaptation specifically mainly comes from the nostalgia of those who have loved this franchise specifically, and of course the cable watchers who have found this hidden gem out of nowhere.
There is not much to review about the contents. Like the other adaptations, the cool thing about this series is both kids and adults would be able to enjoy the educational content that lies behind it with its way of balancing comedic entertainment and suspenseful plot progress, while introducing yokai with its influence to Japanese culture at the time. And with the touch of late 2000's production, we get the most accurate and refreshing interpretation of the originals.
Despite the glaze, I cannot say I have watched every episode of this show (missed airing episodes) nor do I remember every yokai, plot, or arc this show has introduced. But what I can say is that this anime has done what it was supposed to do, and it's to captivate its viewers to watch a very old classic about yokai, their lore, and their exaggerated impact on everyday life.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
Jul 21, 2025
I will keep my review concise and short based on my first impression of the few (currently released) chapters I've read.
The visuals, readability, and panelling were striking as it was able to convey everything without boring you. The plot or concept despite being a rehashed version of other works of its genre (revenge plot + reincarnation + fantasy) was refreshing to see. The pacing with its current chapter releases are still on the green zone so no comment on that. Its edginess was well executed and it wasn't forced nor was it lackluster.
Basically this fantasy manga is a cut above the rest. Ignoring the borderline
...
NSFW visuals and edgy content, it is very well made and it is a must read!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Jul 21, 2025
A great analogy to describe this piece of work is how you would feel when burning an A5 Wagyu steak while smearing it with cheap condiments. The manhwa had great potential. The visuals were promising (compared to other generic web novels), the concept was refreshing, the initial protagonists/antagonists had memorable character designs. Unfortunately, this is where the praises stop.
The writing midway starts to become blurry and inconsistent. Despite the very unique and inspired writing; notably some emotionally intense and gory scenes, the elements introduced always feel disconnected as if it was written by an elementary school kid doodling stickman wars during class time. When writing
...
stories, every element should be utilized while every sequence should happen for a reason, and yet the logic behind this story is just pulled out of someone's ass to call it a day which becomes more obvious as the chapters progress. The salt to the wound was during the final (Busan) arc where it is self-evident that they are rushing to end the story by relying on cheesy meta (4th wall break) writing. Considering how this manhwa was originally introduced, it felt as if the potential it once had was wasted.
Initially, I had rated this on my mind an 8 out of 10. I was glad to see a Korean web novel that wasn't a cookie cutter parody of other aurafarming or looksmaxxing slop, sadly like how other web novels start to degrade, the inconsistencies and poor introduction of elements led me to believe it should be rated lower. The visuals were its saving grace, but the way the story had dragged itself while rushing towards the finale, a 5 would be a fair way to score it (I'd rate it 4 personally if ignoring the visuals).
It would be an insult to other works (specifically from the manga medium) to rate this disconnected piece higher than this since I've seen better writing from generic isekai slop.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Jul 15, 2025
Watching this about ten years ago on cable as a teenager, it immediately piqued my interest and captured my attention from start to end with its mystique-filled plot, its mundane "slice of life/school" hook, its in-depth logic, and its outstanding production which led me to believe this was in fact one of the best anime you'll ever get to experience (which I still believe even a decade later, 10/10 for the anime!).
To recap, the appeal of this series is to focus on a very clever student (Oreki) that plans to live an asocial, introverted, and grey high school life with minimal effort and no energy
...
wasted. After being "encouraged" by his sister to join the Classic Literature club, he starts to stumble upon unique mysteries one after the other while getting acquainted with those around him, also pushing the genius to use his hidden wits in these kinds of situations. The problems laid out aren't exactly flashy detective-level cases but it's still enough to interest those who appreciate the logic behind solving superficial problems while connecting the dots to satisfy their curiosity in a mundane Japanese high school life.
Assuming the light novel's contents are the same (haven't read it), the manga should follow the same direction the anime also went through based on that. The problem with the manga is that comparing it with other adaptations forces it to be stuck at the middle of the extremes of what makes the series amazing.
The anime had managed to capture the magic of the story with its insane early 2010 production while supposedly doing the original justice of what took place. The feeling of that itching curiosity and solving everything piece by piece was visualized beautifully in contrast to the dullness and superficiality of the situation. Despite blueballing its viewers with an abrupt ending, it still had a satisfying feeling to it with every arc and mystery tackled flawlessly.
The light novel (assuming its contents) would showcase its very narration-heavy content leaving a better impression on how the MC (Oreki) uses the information around him to grasp the entire situation. The subtle hinting and niche literary wordplay I imagine would be better explored in this adaptation which would leave its readers to awe in amazement.
The manga doesn't allow you to experience the best of both worlds sadly. The visuals can't capture the magic found on the anime which set the bar too high, while the mystique and allure isn't felt with what I imagine the light novel has. Overall, the manga isn't exactly at its best and if you're new to the series, it would be better to watch its anime adaptation since it manages to express everything that makes it so wonderful. The manga chapter releases are still unfinished and it's been releasing once in a blue moon which is depressing for its fans but if you're "curious enough" to read its unanimated and progressing contents, it's definitely still worth it!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Jul 14, 2025
The perfect mix of close-up cooking, fantasy adventuring, and overpowered Isekai slop plot without overwhelming or ruining each other making it a perfect balance. It's also one of the best comfort reads you'll probably be able to do considering its usage of the tropes mentioned are well-balanced making it entertaining while insightful, its visuals or artstyle are above average may it be cooking or action sequences, its panelling is really good or not hard in the eyes making it easy to read, and its stereotypical plot is somehow refreshing given how its elements are simple and reused.
There's not much words to critique this other than
...
what's been said. Its appeal mostly comes from the fact that it's so simple and refreshing yet it can also subtly add details and gimmicks without overwhelming you with content. The visuals are also there to make it better compared to other works with the same gimmicks that lack consistency.
If I wanted to rate this with a biased point of view, I'd easily rate this a 10/10, but considering how simple it actually is with its contents lacking due to a once in a blue moon chapter release, an 8/10 would be a fair rating!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
|
