Never has the phrase "let them cook" had more relevance.
Undead Unluck is a series that flew under mine, as well as way too many other's radars, for way too long. And with the anime's release I gave it a shot, since I couldn't contain my excitement about seeing more of the story. I could not stop reading. Before I knew it it was tomorrow, and I was caught up.
As you may have heard, the beginning is admittedly very rocky, it takes a while for the ball to truly start rolling for the story, which happens at around chapter 40. But when I reached that point it was over for me.
As an avid shonen fanatic that consumes all from mid to peak shonen, I've come to gain a taste for what makes a shonen more enjoyable and consistent in it's enjoyment. Fights, characters and third is story. The better these three, the better the shonen. Undead Unluck's fights cut out a unique style of their own, in regards to the incredibly creative power system of the series, only chained down by the person's own perception of reality, as well as their own creative vision. This makes combat a crucible for new possibilities, where the reader can follow and try to imagine what will come next alongside the author, it's incredibly fun. The power-scaling and growth of the respective characters is also very well-paced and consistent, extremely satisfying.
Then, the characters. In many shonen I've read, there comes a point where the roster of characters lose relevance, some of them always fall off or lag behind as others excel due to their own narrative circumstances. In Undead Unluck, this doesn't happen. Every character is respected and given the time to be developed as people, fully with proper backstories and motivations for who they are as people and why they've become who they are. The author doesn't forget a single important point. And if a character hasn't had their time yet, then it's definitely coming in the future chapters of your read.
Most important is naturally the dynamic duo of the story, Andy and Fuuko, who have risen from characters I've left on the backburner to some of the most well-developed new-age shonen protagonists on the block, rising up to take the spot of Nr.1 in my eyes. Their development as characters to themselves and towards each other is incredible to read each step of the way and the catharsis is palpable.
And then, the story. Undead Unluck might have the most enjoyable story I've read in a shonen as of the recent years. The way the story is built up and designed has become one of my new favorite narrative angles to read. I will keep it spoiler-free, but the story twist that comes in Undead Unluck (you'll know what it is when you experience it, dear reader) solidifies itself as one of the most intense and investing hooks of my shonen reading life. And the story utterly soars after this point. If you can put down this story after this point, you are superhuman.
I also must mention, the world-building of Undead Unluck is stellar. The tools that characters use, the locations, the entire world and the rules that govern it, it all has an impact that flows throughout the entire world, far outside of exclusively where our characters are. If something happens, the effects of it possibly echo throughout the entire world, and the applications of powers and tools serve to enrich the world itself and how the characters approach it. Once again, the powers serve to become a tool where the reader can clearly follow and theorize the coming story while the author creates it, the participation as a reader is so much fun.
To summarize, this manga is incredibly slept on. It doesn't have a solid opener, but if you give it the time, and LET IT COOK, I can guarantee you that the time you've spent will be paid back to you multiple times over. If you keep reading through the opening bore, you'll be hooked. If you keep reading after that, you'll suddenly realize you will stay with this manga until the end, no matter what.