Back to junglepenguin's Profile junglepenguin's Profile

So I've noticed that a bunch of people have been giving this the grand and perfect score of 10. I don't doubt that these people have been impressed by this series any less than what would normally be indicated by a score of 10, but I did feel like there was a need to step in and say "calm down, kids".

Before you start picking on the wise guy who came to interrupt the party, I'd like to say that, as someone who had the sheer fortune of finding this gem from the release of its first translated chapter, I've enjoyed myself through and through reading ... this. I'm here to make sure people don't get the impression that this is the next piece of Shakespearean work, and also support it at the same time.

There's no real need to know what exactly the story of Molester Man is about, except that it displays in fittingly messy and unrefined art what romance and love are in reality: awkward, messy and quite the "troll" that plays with our lives. Any more than that and it'd take that much fun out of reading it. That's one reason why I was glad to have picked it up without any previous recommendations. I guess one other thing that will matter to the new reader is the fact that the whole scenario is based on a real life experience, and that somewhere on this wicked wild web will you find many of the people who contributed to the plot of this piece of art. It gives you a sense of satisfaction, knowing that you've read something that actually happened, rather than browsed through the fantasy of some writer.

On to the criticism(?). The story itself is entertaining and easily moves the reader to feel for the characters, especially our star, the molester. Remove the bird's eye view of the characters and the in-depth look into their lives and thoughts, however, and you find yourself with a rather plain set of events. Why is that? Because it's real life, and shi- uhh, stuff happens to these characters that happens to all of us without anything particularly different (Except, of course, the original series of circumstances that led to this whole thing).

As for art... Well, it's YOKO, and anyone who has read previous works will know what's coming, but honestly speaking, I don't think the art looks bad at all. I gave the art a "fair" rating only because the art is technically worth that score. There are no real aesthetically mind-blowing images within the whole series, only scratchy images barely clothed in detail. But lets put the technical aspect aside and focus on feeling: I can't get enough of it! It's wacky, and it fits! It also brings your more attention to the expressions of the characters, and it's easy on the eyes. Not to mention the parodies of countless series all over the place (I'll refrain from sharing, because I'd like readers to see them for themselves. Many good LOLs will be had). This series is far from being the prettiest, but that doesn't stop it from being a hell of an enjoyable visual ride.

Characters are where this series stands out. With any good drama comes a cast of personalities that can make even the most mundane of situations seem so interesting. We're talking about a chapter that has nothing but text messages between two people, and which still manages to get you all pumped up for the following chapters. These people grow on you quickly, and can change your impressions of them as quickly as their own impressions of each other change. You really feel like you've become a physical onlooker of the lives of these characters by the end of the whole series. Not to mention that molester brings exaggerated reactions and comedy to a whole new level.

So what this give us? A series that technically doesn't actually deserve a perfect score, and may not actually be a must-read for every manga enthusiast out there. It's not for people who are looking to be blown away by intricate art. It's not for people who want pure, lovey-dovey, perfect love stories. It certainly isn't for people who want something serious. But for those who are looking for something a little different than what seems to be the usual published manga series, this is a good series to look to. And unlucky my review, it's a pretty short 21 chapters, which makes it a good afternoon read (which I did today, and I've realized it's even more entertaining the second time around). This is by no means life-changing, but with what little it has to offer, it may just give you a little more confidence in life and love.