Reviews

Feb 13, 2022
Preliminary (6/46 chp)
This is my first review, so please forgive the rookieness.

Now then, with the excuses out of the way, Rokka no Yuusha--a story about a merry band of heroes going out to defeat an evil god(dess?), courageously beating up monsters along the way.

Except one of them is an imposter.

Story (minor spoilers for volume 1): 10/10
At first, Rokka no Yuusha's story doesn't seem like anything out of the ordinary. Underdog protagonist goes out into the fantasy-like world, beats up some people, meets a cute girl with high authority, becomes one of the chosen ones (braves), and then starts his journey with the cute girl from before to go out and prevent the terrible evil god(dess?) from reviving.

However, the twist comes when the braves reach their meetup point. While the are only supposed to be 6 braves at a time, hence the title (The Six Braves of the Flower), seven people arrive. Not only that, but the braves' trap for the monsters, or more accurately demons, was activated too early, trapping them. Why would the imposter trap them in? Simple. Because they can use the confusion to kill off the braves one by one, and thus allow the evil god(dess?) to revive and destroy the world.

So what do the braves do? Obviously, find the imposter, and kill them.

The story quickly goes from a happy fantasy adventure to a dark mystery, where the braves scout each other out, trying to find the imposter while also moving ahead to where the evil god(dess?) is to defeat it, while ALSO defeating the evil god(dess)'s demon army. As you might predict, the mystery of the 7th brave constantly keeps the tension high, with alliances, truces, betrayals, misunderstandings, and more. The story also keeps that tension by making the reader rethink who the 7th is each volume by trickling information little by little through character backstories and the like.

I would mention the romance subplot here but because those are important story spoilers and also because this is already getting a bit too long, I'll just leave you to read the story for yourself and be wowed by it.

Overall, it's really easy to get sucked into the plot, and the constant tension and thinking can be really enjoyable. Of course, turning off your brain and enjoying the reveals is also fine.

Art: 8/10
The artstyle is...unique. Sometimes, it's hard to understand the finer details of it, since there's so many lines and colors (just look at that cover!), but it fits well. Not much else to say about the art. It's just solid.

Character: 9/10
For the most part, the seven braves are a unique and quirky bunch, which is to be expected when they're only chosen based on their strength in combat. Each volume gives more and more hints on their reasons for fighting, and combined with their consistent personalities, makes them feel more like people than characters.

Though, while I say all that fancy stuff, the main reason why I rate this section so high is simply because the characters are entertaining. Seeing how they react to the unexpected situations they're tossed into and how their personalities bounce off one another, whether it'd be joking around, or finding the imposter, is never boring. The dynamic changes in relationships between all of them and the trust that's gained each time also help with the enjoyment.

Moving on, the villains.

If I were to sum up the villain of the first 6 volumes in a few words, they would be "terrifying," "twisted," and "dedicated." The villain of the first part of Rokka no Yuusha is a demon who, like the braves, has a proper reason for being the antagonist. He's an interesting character who does nothing but make sure his elaborate plans succeed, and honestly, kind of a freak. But that's what makes him so entertaining. Both he and the twisted plan he uses to inflict pain on the braves are unpredictable and cautious. Essentially, he just feels like a villain. Not a character that could be redeemed, not someone that you could bargain with on their final goal, just a smart, cautious villain, giving a sense of foreboding each time he enters the story, which is perfect.

Enjoyment: 10/10
Rokka no Yuusha is very enjoyable. It's mysterious at times, funny at others, and sad at others. The range of emotions that the series gives you feels fresh, while also not being too confusing and sudden. The thinking that comes with who the 7th is keeps each bit of the plot uncertain, because even if the braves come up with the perfect plan, you never know who could be the traitor and mess everything up. And of course, even if no one messes up the plan, you never know if the plan has already been incorperated into the villain's predictions. The characters' relations with each other, constantly changing as time goes on and context is given; the suspense at the end of each mini arc; everything is just fun to read.

If there was one downside...it'd be that it's on hiatus, for nearly 7 years now, as of writing this. We can only hope that the author will continue writing this story, but since there are already 6 volumes out right now, what are you waiting for? Go read!!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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