Nov 8, 2023
Small spoilers regarding a scene in chapter 35.
After two and a half years of publication and 43 chapters, Choujin X has become one of my favorite ongoing manga, and is tracking to be Ishida's greatest work yet. Masterfully executed from head to toe, it's a work clearly borne out of genuine passion from an experienced and incredibly skilled author.
The story revolves around Tokio, an unmotivated kid who comfortably exists in the shadow of his talented best friend, Azuma. This all changes when circumstances result in Tokio becoming a choujin, a special being that manifests powers borne out of an individual's own insecurities and
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complexes, forever changing the nature of their relationship and forcing Tokio to be more independent. Although this setup may ring familiar, it never falls into the realm of cliché and the story quickly distinguishes itself as Ishida builds on the scope and intensity with stellar pacing.
There are so many subtle nuances that make Choujin X feel unique. The way it seamlessly transitions in tone, shifting from cartoonish chase sequence to tense psychological drama, all without a hint of dissonance. There's a beautiful minimalism to the story. You'll get a huge, character defining moment in a flashback, but just for a single page because it's all you really need to understand the character's state of mind. It continually expands on the setting and lore of the world in a way that feels so natural, never falling into the territory of dull, inconsequential exposition dump.
There's also that distinct Ishida style that fans will recognize, with grotesque body horror and character designs where all you can think is, "Uh, Ishida, everything going all right?" Artwise, Ishida is at the top of his game, sporting some of his greatest pages and spreads yet. This is a series that could exist purely off aesthetic. Like Tokyo Ghoul, fight sequences are secondary and mostly serve to advance the story and character development, rather than the story existing to introduce new action set pieces.
However, the greatest strength of Choujin X lies in its characters. You have so many wonderfully fleshed out characters with fascinating relationships that are constantly being recontextualized as Ishida introduces new information or expands on a previous flashback. The main trio in particular, Tokio, Azuma, and Ely, each beautifully complement one another as they continually evolve and elevate each other over the course of the story. The nature of choujin being the crystallization of a person's psyche lends well to the incredibly human feel of the characters.
One of my favorite scenes is towards the end of an arc in chapter 35, where Tokio is contemplating his future and struggling to decide what he wants to do with his life. In a quiet moment in an empty park near dusk, Tokio is having a conversation with Shiozaki, a character he helped in an earlier arc. While talking about aspirations, Shiozaki expresses his desire to live an ordinary life, a sentiment that Tokio initially echoes before falling silent and staring at the sky, a melancholy expression appearing as he slouches down and stares at the ground.
It's a small, poignant moment that I think truly encapsulates the manga. At its core, Choujin X is all about these character interactions, exploring its cast's insecurities, fears, hopes, and dreams. I really, really like this series. I think it's a modern classic in the making, and while there's so much to discuss and theorize over, for now, I just want more people in the west to give it a chance.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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