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Apr 23, 2025
Mushinuyun is the riveting tale of a socially stupid manchild, Uehara, who has dreamt of becoming an entomologist all his life, but as his chances to get his dream job come crashing down after an awkward display, Uehara goes back to his home island, Yonase, which is celebrating a festival for the viewing of the Tango star cluster. Amid the party, Uehara reunites with his childhood sweetheart Shinjou, who's now married to the local resort owner, Nishihara, and gets to watch them get it on in the forest. Sunk to the depths of despair, Uehara comes across an insect who, after getting bitten by it,
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overwrites his DNA; however, unlike what the description on MAL says about it transforming his body 'including' his penis most of the story is centered 'exclusively' around his penis. Read as Uehara fails to do simple manual labor, lusts after women who are already in a relationship (at some point, even his very sister), gets a hard-on whenever he gets hungry, and has sex with actual insects. No anime sugarcoating, literal insects. Welcome to Mushinuyun! Get ready to witness as humanity struggles for survival against an "Evil God", with the only salvation being one guy who copulates with insects.
Mushinuyun starts off as a blue-balling simulator™ in which the protagonist threatens to commit "unsavory acts" upon his objects of desire (women in general) quickly escalates into a series about a country's government berating another about of the optics of how we should handle the lives of our dear alien visitors only for one of the world's powers to be completely decimated by a array of thin filaments killing its most important authority figures. As a reader, I encouraged the blue-balling since as the protagonist got more and more desperate to bump uglies with any unwilling participant the harder of a laugh it got out of me. You see, something MangaUpdates and MAL forgot was to add the "Comedy" tag to this manga. See how time and time again this guy fumbles any shot at a decent interaction with the opposite sex, each time more pathetic and unhinged than the last. "A woman I fancy wants me to talk about myself? Hmm, yes, how about I talk about my MUTANT PHALLUS?" Uehara reaches a level he calls "hyper-erect," wherein if he touches any part of the body with one of his protruding rods (don't ask), it makes said body part an erogenous zone. One woman suddenly has a G-spot in her ribs, another one in the tailbone, one on her hands, and the other one on her shoulder. Worry not, this is not a harem manga in disguise, but rather the chronicles of an inept sex pest getting cucked left and right until it isn't, and it becomes a "we have to have sex to save the Earth" narrative, what's the word to describe a work such as this... I know! Groundbreaking.
If I wanted to be honest with myself, I would recommend everyone to read this, just so more people can go through the life-changing experience that was Mushinuyun. Truly one of the only series where humanity is attacked by an "Evil God" who's trying to create the "spear of God" via the use of three neutron stars (Chaos, Nyx, and Erebos) whose trajectory imitates that of a spider wrapping its prey with string and molds the Earth into a spear-like form where countries go back to a pangea formation, the plan: make the sun into a black hole until everything is reduced to elemental particles with the only thing preserved being the genetic code of the "Evil God". Also, the same series that spends much of its pages on the protagonist trying to jerk off. Am I forgetting something? Oh, that's right! The insect-fucking. Once Uehara reaches his hyper-erect form, he transcends his lust for women and begins to lust after, you guessed it, insects. You can laugh all you want but this is the only provable way to get rid of insects in this series, people begin to gift food and porn mags to Uehara in an effort to get him in the mood to do it with insects, climaxing so hard the insects quite literally explode.
In the end, I know this series isn't for everyone, and I wouldn't call it "so bad it's good" but rather "good at being bad all the way through". It's very funny at times and manages to keep me reading despite my better judgment. Uehara becomes a despicable opportunist by the end of the series and takes Shinjou along for the ride, but it's not as if I liked him more in the beginning, so full marks in terms of character development in my book. I'm guessing he's supposed to be a character the reader sympathizes with, which is very difficult, and more so because the story is 80% him, 20% cosmic shenanigans, so the alternative of loving this character is to love to hate him whcih will help you get through this series because otherwise you'll be inflicting painful doses of "women amarite" commentary. It's something you have to take less seriously if you want to bask in its unfiltered degenerate glory. Character designs are nothing to write home about, but the facial expressions are hilarious, and the insect and cosmic designs are very detailed. If you are a fan of body horror and Cronenberg movies, then there's a chance you'll love this; it's like Crash except nobody wants to get it on with the protagonist, Seth Brundle from The Fly (still in human form but with his fly libido), only insects. I hope this review doesn't piss anyone off because I can't imagine living in a world where the insect-sex series is being hailed as a masterwork of high caliber. In all seriousness, "not engaging properly" and "ew, you actually read this?!" are two sides of the same coin, so for all intents and purposes: yes, I enjoyed my time reading this. No, I don't recommend it to MOST people, but it doesn't take away from the fact that it's an interesting manga. If you are interested in reading this after I recounted many of the events in this series (why would you?), well, there's no easy way of putting this, but get ready to learn Spanish buddy. As if the insect thing alone wasn't such a high barrier of entry already for some. Many thanks for making it to the bottom of the review, have a nice day:)))
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Apr 10, 2025
"Series Axed! Behind the Scenes of the Shonen Jump's Golden Age" is a rather upfront memoir of the author, Kouji Maki's, experience during one of the most profitable eras of Shonen Jump which started with the introduction of series such as Fist of The North Star, Captain Tsubasa, Kinnikuman, Jojo's Bizzare Adventure, and many others in the 80s and concluded following the end of both Dragon Ball's and Slam Dunk's run in the magazine in the mid-90s. The very first chapter puts us right at the very moment one of the author's works gets axed by the editorial department and then goes back to the
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very beginning of his manga career, to the time he submitted his very own one-shots for different manga award competitions and how he got invited to work on his first serialized series, however, life seems to throw him a curveball every time he starts to feel comfortable in the industry.
What I appreciate most about this short series is its honesty, especially regarding how Maki's ideas clashed with Jump's core ideals for what manga serialized in the magazine should be like. Maki was someone who was inspired by seinen manga and Hollywood movies (such as Rolling Thunder, Taxi Driver, and Mad Max 2, and directors like Sam Peckinpah), his works usually strayed away from the shonen archetype which represented values such as friendship and hard work (as stated by the author). When we think of manga sometimes we forget that the final product had to go through the editors' approval and chapters might have undergone serious changes for the better (like when Tetsuo Hara re-did FotNS's 2nd chapter, an occurrence we see in this manga) or for the worse (like when Maki got an editor who didn't click with him and thus was stuck in storyboarding hell for the remainder of his contract at Jump). It gets to the idea that whichever job you have if it conflicts with your sensibilities you can only suck it up so much before the frustration of doing what you really wanted to do catches up to you, it's a scary feeling the manga portrays through Maki's ever-wacky reactions to news surrounding his standing in Jump, he can go from being at the top of the world and proclaiming himself a genius only for his enthusiasm to drop down tremendously in just a few pages (the art capable of showing the wide arrange of emotions through cartoony and exaggerate expressions). It also puts great emphasis on getting the right fit when you work in a team, since as you'll soon realize while reading, Maki goes through a variety of editors in spans shorter than how long his manga pan out to be.
It's a very fun short read that'll keep your attention throughout its chapters and has some interesting tidbits of trivia concerning a few popular and successful Shonen Jump authors that make it all the more worthwhile to read especially if you are just curious to know more about them around the time they hit it big in the industry, not that it goes very in-depth, it's still a series about Maki's body of work, but it recounts some very amusing interactions between him and others. It also won't be a recap of the manga he's produced, there are references to them but it doesn't require much context other than the one stated in the 7 chapters and epilogue. I've only heard about "Miquiztli" in name only but seeing how it was licensed in English I'm looking forward to reading it to better understand how it was the manga Maki was aiming to create all along over the series that came before it. "Series Axed!" ends on a rather reflective note that looks at how other (Jump) authors became part of the bigger cultural conversation and "soared high in the air" while Maki carved his very own path the way he wanted, so in a sense both sides are winners. Check it out!
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 8, 2025
Kiichi VS continues the story of Kiichi, a once rowdy kid, who learned to live independently, has now become the leader of the "Kiichi Company" which is divided into its Kamakura and Roppongi offices, Kai, his lifelong friend and associate, at the helm of the latter. After help is requested for a case concerning the agro-food industry fraud, wherein disguised imported meat was bought by the government with public money under the guise of buying back stocks of local beef affected by BSE (Mad Cow Disease), Kiichi will shake up the world once again.
For me, Kiichi has always been about how a child, as spontaneous
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as he may be, can see past the conventions of the world and see its bare form for what it is, a society that's rotten to its very core when it doesn't have to be. It is here in VS where Kiichi is held back once more as an adult that all of the pent-up frustrations come to the surface and make Kiichi carry out his more daring scheme to date all the while Kiichi who never had that good of a childhood, and an adolescence that's skipped for this sequel, is experiencing more complicated emotions. He's a charismatic character to follow, especially if you've been there since the original series as you've watched a boy hit with tragedy after tragedy become a man able to put a stop to the flow of the world. The commentary is still as poignant as ever, even though by now after reading Kiichi!! and TWIM I've come to notice the frequent use of crowd reactions. I think the "speeches" are full of powerful messages that admittedly could feel like soapboxing on the author's behalf but still manage to make the reader reflect. In a sense, they cover sentiments that are timeless such as making the public responsible for the fulfillment of promises made by public officials and the feeling of thinking you are at the mercy of a higher power (with the U.S. being a major player in the story of VS). The sequel basks in the irony of statements made by its characters and creates an interesting narrative that has that raw feeling TWIM and the original Kiichi had where the story felt like it could go anywhere at any time (though it's less frenetic than the former), what feels like a small footnote/character/arc can make up for some of the most riveting parts of VS.
That isn't to say every component of the story is as enthralling. Maybe because I've read TWIM I came to expect more on the side of the opposing forces at play in Kiichi VS, such as a more fleshed-out backstory, and it could be a conscious decision by the author to gain more sympathy and goodwill for the main character who's definitely less villainous than the protagonists of TWIM but I couldn't help but feel like it was more forgiving and a bit indulgent, coupled by how the antagonists are portrayed which asks the reader to side with Kiichi and justify his actions. Yet at the same time, I think it's deserved for this kind of series since many of the conflicts hinge upon the fact bad people don't care who they step on to get their fill, as one of the quotes in VS says: "if you think life is a free-for-all you are the ugliest!".
It reaches very high highs but some of the things that connect certain story points can get a bit tedious especially because of the introduction of a group of characters who become highly relevant to the narrative. I care for a portion of the interactions they share with Kiichi but when you sideline characters as important as Kai in favor of the many introduced and ask me to feel for all of them it's going to be a bit jarring. The story has a few convenient and unrealistic things which in fairness the other Arai series I mentioned had, but they have different contexts and different levels of tradeoff for the exciting moments brought on.
In conclusion, if you've read the original series this is a must-read to see how Kiichi's journey full of spontaneity ends, it reaches many of the topmost peaks of the entire Kiichi franchise and its art never disappoints. It's not without its flaws and chooses to introduce some characters over some of the ones we came to know from Kiichi!!, who themselves at times feel written out of the story which felt amiss, especially with how well-constructed its previous entry managed to insert them into the story. It's a worthwhile read with a clear intent to speak to the masses in the context of VS instead of how TWIM goes out of its way to punish a lot of innocent and good people within the story, it certainly tries to be more inspiring than shocking without losing its provocative edge.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Mar 21, 2025
TWIM's structure is a little complicated to get into at first, as the series will jump around different events happening simultaneously or go back to retrace what happened in one of its many subplots. In essence, the story follows two constant narratives: one about two men, Toshi and Mon, wreaking havoc across Japan via a series of terrorist attacks and violent killings, and the other about the hunt for a Kaijuu-like creature named Higumadon. The manga is incessantly cruel usually having 'morally good' characters get the short end of the stick on more than one occasion as opposed to the main duo who constantly avert
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conviction or punishment. The initial situation presented in TWIM escalates from a game of cat and mouse to the questioning of the world's governments' structures and their futility to respond accordingly to international crises.
If I could describe the kind of work TWIM is in one word it would be a 'farce'. Farce in the sense that it retains some degree of realism but presents improbable plot situations and exaggerated characters who extenuate said occurrences. Throughout the whole manga, we'll see the absolute media circus that's formed around the terrorist attacks and Higumadon's rampages, both equally concerning matters that only take prevalence over one another when they create more sound than the other. It's then that the series points out some of the most ridiculous aspects of society and that is the cult of personality formed around heinous individuals as it sees ToshiMon-mania rise to unimaginable levels as people see the actions of these terrorists as meaningful when in reality they operate on purely destructive tendencies. But in a way, they are also treated like a "fad", we see people wearing the cloak and teddy combo Mon wears, and we even see Higumadon merchandise by the end of the series. At one point a character mentions how it's like Higumadon and ToshiMon are in a race for the world's attention but we often cut to panels of the reactions of people during important events and guess what: they are following their day-to-day lives as normal, not even something THAT serious can stop the world to a halt. Moreover, the government in the manga misses time and time again the chance to put a stop to the string of tragedies happening in Japan, they care more about keeping their positions and reputation so they'd rather wash their hand of any responsibility until detractors exercise their inalienable right to remain silent once the situation has grown too dangerous to exclaim about "rights!". You can feel the frustration the series wants to communicate as it progresses since it has this snowballing effect of things getting worse and worse, and the world's inaction weighing more and more.
The series gives you many character interactions and dialogue to chew on and some have certainly stuck with me ever since finishing the manga. At one point Toshi calls out another character's crying as "discriminatory" since he thinks the inherent compassion of human beings can only extend so much and questions if this person would even cry for crushed flowers or a ripped-up book which just tells you so much about him and the state of mind he's in. There's also Ijima, an important addition to the main cast since he's tasked with hunting down Higumadon, who says that the biggest weakness of human beings is being alive and describes killing as the struggle comprised of returning life to god. That is to say, the characterization is on point, every character has specific inner workings and convictions that make it so you get a sense of understanding what they are and aren't capable of doing.
The action is also great. It feels erratic and truly violent in a way that the "battle" series can't achieve. This is complemented by the art, which can look ugly at a glance but perfectly fits the tone of the series and the inherent ugly side these human characters display. The series also contains highly striking visuals. The typography of the title on the covers alone is excellent.
However, if I had to levy something against the series it would be that it can get pretty wordy at times which doesn't help if you already feel like it's soapboxing at you about the "real problems concerning the world". It's very cynical and can read as misanthropic at certain moments, what I said about how it punishes "morally good" characters extends to the lives of innocents on the hundreds. It's inherently fatalistic, coupled with the preachy nature of some of the "fate" and "destiny" dialogue present within the manga which I feel iffy about especially because it first established Mon as a force of nature that compelled a somewhat well-adjusted Toshi to abandon society and follow a destructive path to then elevate his status to a ridiculous degree by the end of the series, almost like a divine being. I could wrap my head around the ideas the story was throwing at me but it doesn't mean I don't think they could've been worked on better, especially regarding the conclusion given to Higumadon and Toshi. This is either something you are going to hate or like, just look at the MAL reviews, as of writing this there's not a single "Mixed Feelings" entry as of writing this.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Feb 25, 2025
Asura doesn't pull back any punches when it comes to portraying the cruelty of humans at full display, a complex time when people were capable of doing heinous stuff to survive. Our protagonist, Asura, is no different, as he has experienced firsthand since birth what it's like living in a world that embodies the phrase "survival of the fittest". However, despite having a pretty grim introduction the series has a good sense of humor complemented by its eye-catching art style that contrasts nicely with the amount of violence the manga contains.
Asura is a very fun character to follow not only because of his beastly antics
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and moments of slapstick but also because of the humanity he develops as the series goes on. He's constantly faced with personal dilemmas that put into doubt his way of living, as well as the grudge dwelling up inside him. You can't help but root for the little guy even if he does a bunch of terrible things throughout the manga. He is a being full of self-hatred who says "If only I had never been born" on more than one occasion, and yet he can put on a grin in front of his enemies (who might be attacking him in retaliation for one of his violent attacks).
The series as a whole can be pretty cruel to its characters, and often cynical for that matter as it creates scenarios you might be familiar with (from reading/watching other series such as 'forbidden love' and 'family reunion') and flips them on their head. No cliche cheap relief just a constant reminder that the most important thing in the world is surviving. This is rather alleviated by comedic moments which make it seem a bit tone-deaf on paper, especially if you've just read about a gory occurrence of Asura's animalistic wrath to then go to a goofy scene, but it honestly works better than how it sounds. At the end of the day, most of the characters are either kids or generally young which adds a level of shock to some of the more bloody scenes but also gives much-needed levity when they're cracking jokes or making funny faces.
The series does make a few weird decisions nearing its end, forgetting storylines and introducing characters out of nowhere, and I have to wonder if there's a mistake in the MAL database (as of writing this) with it saying there are 42 chapters as opposed to the 30 available or if I skipped something unintentionally, either way, one of these things happen mid-chapter. However this doesn't ruin the series, it still leaves you with an end of a cycle in Asura's life which serves as a pretty strong conclusion for the manga aside from some faltering at certain points during the series. I'd recommend you to check it out if you're in the mood for a series that appears to be purely grim dark but has a heart and a lot of charm.
BONUS: I read Asura before watching the Toei anime movie so the usual question pops up, which is better? And my answer to that is, both are good. The movie's depiction of Asura's journey is quite dissimilar from the manga and a few characters are framed in different ways (some outright not making an appearance) but it retains most of the tragedy present in the series, it has a great score and visuals (even if the CG can be a bit off-putting for some) but its biggest difference is that it plays in complete seriousness, without any of the comedy of the manga. It's up to you which one you choose to experience first but don't expect the other to be exactly the same.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jan 26, 2025
I think the description on MAL for this series does a disservice to some of the more strange elements at play in the world of Gekikou Kamen but also sets the tone for the kind of themes present in the manga. The story centers around a club called Tokubiken, a group of Tokusatsu fanatics dedicated to creating functional suits for their respective Tokusatsu heroes. In one of his other series, Shigurui, the author, Takayuki Yamaguchi, shows his exhaustive attention to detail regarding the techniques used by characters in that manga, this can also be seen in Gekikou Kamen through the use of narration and inner
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monologues that thoroughly explain the intricacies of the Tokusatsu heros' suits, weapons, and their history. In different instances, the series makes use of real-life figures under different names, such as the case of Takeshi Hongo and his accident while filming the original Kamen Rider series and Eiji Tsuburaya's involvement with war propaganda (special effects director for Godzilla and founder of Tsuburaya Productions responsible for Ultraman). The series' focus varies depending on each story arc but one thing that stays constant is the passing of time, not only in showing the change between seasons but also in how it affects the relationships of our characters.
While I think the most important character in the series is Otoya Jissouji, as he is the one who takes on the protagonist role for most of what constitutes the manga's serialization, each of the members of Tokubiken is denotably devoted to Tokusatsu even in their daily lives. They aren't just knowledgeable about their favorite films/series, they too follow the way their heroes act. This obsession is at times borderline fetishistic, coupled with the amount of nudity depicted in the manga. Nevertheless, it is the driving factor behind the vigilantism enacted by the characters. Take away some of the more strange and raunchy elements and Gekikou Kamen still works as a story of ordinary people becoming superheroes, yet it's the more bizarre elements the ones that give way to a rather unique series.
In essence, the manga is about growing out of something you once loved passionately, or rather fighting back against that notion as some of the characters' jobs are directly related to the Tokusatsu industry. Likewise, the root of the conflicts in the series revolves around the consequences of highly functional Tokusatsu suits, more often than not the law obfuscates the implementation of real-life suits in the series and serves as a frequent reminder to our characters. Not only that, it sometimes results in some very unsavory situations by way of others pitting the love they share for Tokusatsu against them.
Still, even if I appreciate many of the things Gekikou achieves it's far from flawless in execution. The art can have moments of brilliant detail and poses but sometimes throws you off with the occasional character that looks contrastingly out of place in relation to Yamaguchi's designs. I suspect it must be the work of an assistant, which isn't inherently bad in and of itself (it's good for authors to find help to reach deadlines and free heavy workloads, it's necessary for the industry) but if you put said characters in the forefront of a panel instead of just the background it creates some dissonance. Another issue I have with the way the story is presented is the narration, this was also an issue present in Shigurui that was alleviated by considerably cut-down narration in the anime adaptation, it's not that I don't want the required context being the Tokusatsu newbie I am, is just it sometimes lessens the effectiveness of the story. Speaking of which...
I only really have one point of comparison to another Yamaguchi work, and that is Shigurui. There the basic story was laid out in Norio Nanjo's novel, which was later adapted by Yamaguchi where he tweaked some of the details and extended the original 30 or so pages Mumyou Sakaranage's chapter takes up. There it felt like the story never deviated from the main plot aside from a particular story arc. Here, the flow of the story is never concise, it starts like a human drama series but then you begin to feel as if the manga is holding back its trump card and reach a point where it seems to be the case, a concrete turning point, but then it circles back to being human drama. It's a bit frustrating as a reader, nonetheless, I still feel compelled to read the next chapter.
In conclusion, Gekikou Kamen has an eccentric cast of characters to follow who all share a passionate love for a hobby and carry on living according to the values of their fictional heroes which lead them to encounter similarly peculiar foes. I wouldn't personally know if someone into Tokusatsu would like it but I think anyone who is interested in the topic or knows nothing about it will find it all the more amusing. I hope to have laid out my thoughts without giving away much of the surprises it has in store for new readers.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Oct 17, 2024
(Abu)Normal tells the story of Eiko Abu, a 29-year-old woman who has never been "normal", and as such, needs help from others to become her ideal "normal" self, but what if instead of achieving this goal she learned all the wrong lessons out of it?
It's a pretty solid premise that doesn't fully set in until after the 17-chapter mark. Don't get me wrong, it leaves a great first impression with chapter 1 but after that, it shifts focus to another character I didn't care as much for as I do with Abu since she's the stellar selling point for the series. However, after that specific
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story arc, I can say I'm pleasantly surprised with the rest of the manga, it manages to balance comical/ridiculous situations and serious suspenseful moments remarkably well.
The joy of reading this story comes from how Abu will react to certain social situations, such as being given a difficult task at her job, dealing with difficult co-workers, finding love, etc. Since it's never a straightforward answer. Sometimes Abu can be very gullible while other times she's extremely calculating and thorough in her problem-solving, some may say this on-and-off switch in intelligence leaves her character to feel inconsistent while I'd argue it's more about her inherent innocence and ignorance, she emanates an uncanny presence because of how weird she is and always comes back with unique solutions to her issues.
Another strong point of the series is its art. It makes great use of contrasting black and white colors to elevate the characters' emotional states and always renders their reactions sublimely, with lots of ugly faces! There's not a single boring chapter to look at. One thing to keep in consideration though, is that the world present in the manga is an exaggerated portrayal of our own, don't go in expecting it to be realistic since that's not the point, what the series does is heighten any and all situations through absurdity.
In conclusion, (Abu)Normal is a unique character study about someone who lacks what we'd consider normal attachments and sensibilities trying her best to adjust to society, and in a way that in which she wishes to fit in is just as weird as her. What anybody considers "normal" is purely subjective and Abu takes in all the wrong conclusions from others' teachings which makes for all the more hilarious and tense situations in the story. I recommend it but admittedly I find one of its initial arcs very weak in comparison to the rest of the series, it's not instantly engaging but sticking with it absolutely pays off.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Sep 22, 2024
Thunder 3 is every bit as strange as the synopsis on MAL makes it out to be, it seems to tell the story of our titular trio (Pyotaro, Tsubame, and Hiroshi) as they try to rescue Pyotaro's sister, Futaba, from aliens who govern the world they've traveled to all the while they discover just how strong they've become in comparison to normal humans living in this version of the universe. But, from the chapters I've read, three volumes in total, the story shifts perspective to a university student named Segumi who joins the rebellion against aliens occupying our planet.
It suffices as an action series with
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a great sense of pacing courtesy of its use of double-page spreads and the composition of elements taking space in said pages. One of its biggest pros is the scale of things as it lets you assimilate the danger befalling humanity just by showing you the sheer magnitude of alien ships or the stature of aliens themselves and while the incorporation of CG elements is a bit jarring at first it couples well with the contrast the series does between the cartoonish world and the realistically detailed world under alien control.
Now for the cons. It's a bit conflicting how people, in what we'd expect to be a world akin to our own (except for aliens of course), react quite indifferently to the cartoony trio (though it could be a commentary on current technology and social media, or just how accustomed they are to aliens at this point). Speaking of which, the trio, except for Pyotaro, don't have much character or motivation of their own. The series is juggling between being a Gantz-like set-up about people in battle suits fighting aliens with special weapons and powers, and a multiverse story about these odd cartoon characters entering a realistic world which felt more slapped in rather than something the story required, which feels incongruent with the hook the initial chapters had.
Overall there's much that could be ameliorated in future chapters I'm looking forward to reading, at the moment the series contains quality action, a unique style (uncannily similar to Hiroya Oku's works), and many mysteries surrounding the origin of the gateway opened between these two worlds and the intentions behind the aliens, that make it worth continuing to read for the time being.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jul 24, 2024
Casino Gui handles two kinds of stories, one is about the in-fighting found within two warring factions of the same yakuza clan, the Date Clan, and the other is about gambling through the perspective of Gen, our protagonist, who, after his plan to rob a dark casino is thwarted, gets used as a sacrificial pawn for one of the faction's interests, the Kuronomiya group. Gen needs to climb through the ranks of casino dealers before the return of Kuronomiya's leader, failing to do so spells demise for him and his loved ones.
I think it does a perfectly decent job of delivering exciting gambling matches as
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well as raising interesting questions about the underworld the clan operates in. As you slowly connect the dots the story becomes a clash of whose desire to come out on top is the strongest. Not all characters are as fleshed out as the others. Once we get to a certain point in the story the manga skips some interactions between characters I would've liked to see. Still, overall it does a serviceable job of making you understand where everyone stands in the two opposing sides of the clan.
Something that truly hit the nail on the head for me was the art, characters are rarely rendered in bizarre or outlandish visual metaphors or expressions but once they do they highlight the intensity of emotions the characters feel which is one of the most important aspects in gambling manga, to accentuate utter defeat or a seemingly implausible win.
It's not a long manga but it achieves what it promises in the first chapters, in particular, the last "arc"/match shows glimpses of what could've been an entertaining one-on-one style of gambling we didn't see our characters in, similar to other gambling manga peers, as most of the story centers on Gen's role as a dealer in different variations of games using a standard deck (but mostly Baccarat). Once they start bringing other casino game staples the manga ends. That lack of departure standard games is what is holding back a higher score in my book as it feels like it had potential for an extended narrative for different foes and gambles to enter but other than that it was an enjoyable read, which makes me want to check out Bakuchi Gui by the same duo behind this story, once it gets translated (hopefully).
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jun 18, 2024
Tateo Sone is an average pharmacist, he doesn't seem to have much going for his life except for his new marriage to Akane who brings him the exciting news that she's pregnant with his baby, however, this confuses Tateo as he's had ED (Erectile Dysfunction) for his whole life. Things take a turn as he meets Sumaoka, a sketchy man who talks him into taking an ED drug that could help even his case. With Tateo's newly found sensation, he partners up with Sumaoka to develop more of "Jumbo Max" but it seems as though his conviction to help people with the same problem as
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him will introduce Tateo to a dangerous world that'll make his life spiral out of control. (There was no synopsis on MAL as of writing this :P)
Jumbo Max is one of the most exciting reads I've had in recent memory, the story can take so many different twists and turns and always introduces new characters organically. What has really impressed me about the narrative is that from chapter 1 it doesn't miss a beat, it seamlessly moves around from character to character without ever losing me in the process. Its ensemble cast could be the leads in their own story but because everyone gets a role to do even if you know the outcome of certain scenes the execution is always top-notch. But what stands as the heart of this manga is Tateo himself, he's such an unconventional character, a well-meaning man constantly being at the forefront of hard decisions, and once a situation has reached its boiling point his true character shows up.
It's such an engrossing story that I even caught up to the translated chapters in a matter of 2 days. Art is perfectly fine for a series of this style, it never throws anything grotesque at you (but be aware of its adult themes). Character designs are undoubtedly charming, especially for the look of Tateo. And if I had to say something more it'd be that characters have more layers to them than what initially appears, making for an interesting question to pop up many times while you read: "What will happen when X meets Y?" And it always comes back with an amusing answer.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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