Kanzaki Nao, a foolishly honest college student, receives a package containing 100 million yen and a postcard that states, "Congratulations! You are 1 of the 100 000 people who have been entered in the Liar Game." This activates a series of events that will drive Kanzaki Nao in discovering the dark, hidden side of the human nature as well as to test her ability to "foolishly" trust other people. Will she be able to survive the Liar Game?
Story: 9/10
The Liar Game has both amused and disheartened me throughout my reading experience. For the most part, I enjoyed it. The manga has enough plot twists due to the numerous strategies coming from one of the series' protagonists, Akiyama Shinichi, and the antagonists in each arc. Expect to be on your toes for most of the time due to the sudden revelations of stratagems hidden throughout the story. Furthermore, the manga does not proceed on a slow pace, as implied earlier, and does not have any filler chapters. What disappointed me, albeit slightly, was that each arc followed a formulaic pattern in its progression. The formulaic pattern may tick off some readers but it has its own advantages. For one, it leaves the author more opportunities for character development, which will be discussed later. The author also has more opportunities presenting the different sides of the human nature and its tendencies when placed in certain situations. Due to this, the Liar Game can be said as a manga more focused on its characters rather than the story itself.
Art: 8/10
I have no qualms about the mangaka's art style for my own part. As a matter of fact, I applaud him for his ability to portray the dark side of the human nature in the facial expressions of the manga's antagonists. Ranging from creepy smiles to intimidating glares, these expressions can make one shiver either out of fear or anticipation for the next event. Though at times it bothered me that certain scenes lack detail, especially at the beginning, the art has gradually improved as the series went on. No need to worry, the bland art will not interfere one's amusement in reading the manga at its beginnings.
Characters 10/10
Character development is where the manga truly shines, aside from the numerous plot twists and creepy facial expressions that I have encountered. Remember, the characters in this manga have been pitted against each other with money at high stakes. This is enough for them to express their hidden true nature amidst the system of survival of the fittest presented in the Liar Game. Different people utilize different strategies to attain victory in the Liar Game and this adds more to the despondent atmosphere of the game's system. Additionally, it leaves the readers a few indications on what the purpose of the Liar Game is.
Here are few prominent characters presented in the manga though I will refrain from using spoilers. The first one is of course the protagonist herself, Kanzaki Nao. She initially starts out as a "foolishly" honest girl who accidentally gets pulled into the Liar Game. Due to her honesty and inclination to trust other people, she usually gets taken advantage of. She is a perfect example of the last person one would have in the Liar Game and this is a fact that has ticked off many readers. Gradually, as the manga progresses, readers will realize the importance of Kanzaki Nao's presence in the game. The second one is Kanzaki's partner for most of the time in the game, Akiyama Shinichi, a gruaduate student in psychology and also known as the legendary swindler. Akiyama is a logical, no-nonsense person unlike the honest Kanzaki. Being an expert in human psychology, he frequently is the one cooking up the numerous strategies found in the manga. Last but not the least is the series' main antagonist, Yokoya Norihiko. Yokoya is Kanzaki and Akiyama's enemy for most of the manga and unlike them, Yokoya employs more brutal and dominating tactics in order to seize victory. Each of these characters undergo a change in the course of the game as its purpose is slowly unfolded.
Enjoyment 10/10
Having an interest in the world of psychology, I have enjoyed this manga to the fullest, enough to pull up all-nighters just to finish all of the 203 chapters. This is the first manga ever since Shingeki no Kyojin to let me do that. At times, I would constantly debate with myself on the events that will happen in the next chapter. For now, I can only hope that this manga will be adapted as an anime series in the near future (though I am well aware that there is a drama series).
Overall 10/10
On the whole, I am very thankful for discovering this manga as it has helped me realize numerous phenomenon and trends in human psychology. Even though I am one of the people who prioritizes plot quality over character development, I still enjoyed it to the fullest. Overlooking a few deficiencies this manga has made, I give it a perfect 10.
