Story: 6
Much like Ito's other manga, the story isn't the tightest. This manga in particular, feels almost like a collection of short stories with a small thread connecting them together. With that said, these short stories are rather engaging and up there for me with some of my favorite Ito short stories. The connecting thread between the short stories is engaging enough, and has some very interesting ideas. Fans of cosmic horror will be pleased by the concepts presented. The story in typical Ito fashion, also includes some fantastic body horror. Unfortunately for my tastes, too much was left unexplained. It's all quite cool but some further delving into the concepts on display would have absolutely elevated the story.
Art: 10
You can really tell that Ito put a lot of work into the art of this series. It features some incredibly grotesque imagery, on par with Ito's best. The art has always been the main draw for me when it comes to Ito's manga, and Sensor delivers in spades.
Characters: 5
While the characters are beautifully designed, they are rather one dimensional. There are some interesting character moments however. Kyouka has one moment in particular in regards to her ability that is rather compelling, but for whatever reason this aspect of her character is never explored again. The reporter Wataru is fine as a narrator, but his motivation is rather flimsy. It's simply the classic horror trope of being compelled by something beyond his comprehension. It works of course, but needless to say nobody is going to be doing character studies on this manga.
Enjoyment: 8
Being a huge fan of cosmic horror made this manga a delight. The themes combined with the phenomenal art work made this a breezy read. I read the whole thing in one sitting, and found myself glued to the pages. I was rather intrigued and excited to see what would happen next. Some of the imagery in this manga is sure to stick with me for a very long time.
Overall: 7.25
I can easily recommend this manga for fans of Ito and for fans of cosmic and body horror. Even with it's shortcomings in terms of story and characters, the artwork still elevates it to a high level. The hardcover edition from Viz media is beautiful, and worth having in your library.
