MAN!!!! This Manga is just something else man..! I'll just say it off the bat, this manga gets a solid 10 from me.
Almost every aspect of this manga gets a 10 from me except characters. I'll explain that first.
Characters: 9
The reason why its not a 10 is simple; Not all characters are able to be fleshed out well enough, because of the short length of the manga. But, because the manga cuts short on focussing on the secondary characters, the main characters that the story focusses the most on, are outstanding. They are by far not the most complex or deep characters ever made, but they are compelling enough to get you very much invested in their story. The way Zera falls into a deep insanity trying to figure out who is the traitor, Jaibo confessing...you know.., Litchi falling in love with Kanon, and vice versa,,, you know the drill. Out of the four characters, all but Zera's ultimate drive is Love. And I find that so absolutely stunning, considering the plot and gore and every gut wrenching feeling you get after reading each chapter! I also love the contrast between Zera who is becoming less and less human by the minute, and Litchi, a robot, becoming more human and learning the importance of love and life.
(ALSO, One thing some people may find hard to understand, is that liking a character is different to condoning their actions!!! I hope the readers of this manga are intelligent enough to understand that Rape/Murder/Violence is bad, and also understanding that simply liking a character is different to thinking everything they did is okay!!)
Story: 10
This is no jolly fun tale of nine 13 year old boys and their secret little club, oh no no no. It's a Psychological drama falling more and more into insanity as the story progresses. I'd like to call this story a secret love child of "Lord of the flies' and "beauty and the beast"
As I said before, a lot of it focusses on the fact that Zera is losing his humanity, and Litchi gaining it. Its interesting seeing the boys in this cult-like Nazi club all worshipping Zera and trying to keep hold of their innocence aka beauty. Zera turning into a twisted monster each chapter and the mysterious sexual connection he has with Jaibo would be enough to be a stand alone interesting concept, but what makes this story So outstanding is the other story happening at the same time; the story of Litchi and Kanon. It is beautiful and heart-warming. I am somewhat of a sucker for the "beauty and the beast" genre of stories. The contrast between the two intertwining stories is what makes this story so mad but beautiful at the same time.
Art: 10
One look at the art, and its ingrained in to your mind forever. In a good way. An amazing way. The dark atmosphere, accentuated by the use of lots of beta/black, and the imagery of the dark and gloomy factories in the background. Sometimes you get just a panel depicting the factories, giving off even more of the depressing and dark tone of this manga. The atmosphere created by the art is what got me sold for this manga in the first place. Also, who could forget, the depictions of the characters. Each of their faces unique, and unforgettable. The way their movements are drawn, are human like, and their facial expressions are telling and so so powerful.
The art probably is the selling point of this manga, and I get it. This manga wouldn't be as perfect and loved without this unique art style and the atmosphere it brings with it.
Enjoyment: 10
So yeah, I loved it, as you can tell by now. Some people might get thrown by people calling it a BL or Yaoi. I mean, there is depiction of a sexual relationship between two boys, but its important to the story. Its not some kind of useless fan service they throw at you. The story would be incomplete with this relationship. Please do not shake this manga off because someone called it a Yaoi. It's not. It's really not. Even if you dislike Yaoi, I assure you you'll get a kick out of this manga.
Overall: 10
Do I even need to explain myself even more?? I recommend this manga from the bottom of my heart to anyone ready for this Psychological madness of a manga with lots of gore. It only took me an hour and a half to read, so if its cold and dark out, and you're craving some horror and drama, and you have some spare time THIS is the manga for you. I'm sure this manga will suck you in with its unique atmosphere and unique story telling, just by the first chapter. Oh, and I'm gonna warn you, It sure is gonna be hard to stop turning the pages.
(I'd also like to add that I think its the best if you read through the whole thing in one shot. :)
EDIT: Honestly though looking back at this review, I make it sound like this is the most incredible one-of-a-kind mind-blowing manga, but it's kind of more like a manga you blast through in an hour and a half and get a huge kick out of it and thats it. It's like a roller-coster. It's short, and not that deep, you could even say it's been already done a million times over, but just sit back and enjoy the ride. And you know what, I still love it lots and def recommend it to anyone looking for amazing art, an intriguing but short story and great gore.
