Jun 10, 2023
Jigokuraku is a highly entertaining manga series that, despite a lack of ambition, executes on it's premise with incredible consistency.
As far as the desire "I want to read a battle manga with high stakes, fun characters, and an intriguing premise" goes, Jigokuraku is pretty much all killer, no filler. If you enjoy escapism, this mystical and bizarre world is the perfect kind to get immersed in.
This series also works in a lot of sexual themes, whether it's comedic fanservice or actual serious plot elements, so that can be a plus or minus depending on the reader. I found myself laughing out loud at the absurdity
...
of certain moments.
As far as the artwork is concerned, Kaku Yuji's art is often far more practical than breathtaking, though that's not to say there isn't the occasional striking scenery. Compared to a number of other battle manga, Yuji's panels are very readable, with action and comedy impacts hitting home very well despite some shaky line work.
The series' weakest point is that it can feel scattered at times in terms of theme. Each character seems to revolve around an individual theme with no specific idea that ties them all together. Some moments of the story focus far more on the (fairly run-of-the mill) battle mechanics than drawing the reader in with emotion and substance.
Still, it can't be overlooked that nearly every chapter is stuffed with unique scenery, memorable characterization, nail-biting action sequences, fascinating lore, and shocking plot twists.
Though the high points of Jikgokuraku may not match the peak moments of some of our favorite series, the mere fact that the quality of this series is so similar from start to end is very impressive. I hope Kaku Yuji remembers the secret to making such a solid series and continues to make bangers like this!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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