It was recommended to me through several friends whom could be quoted with:
1) "You like Onepiece right you'll love this manga than"
2) "This might be the best shonen of the past 5 years"
3) "Erza is the best female role I've ever seen"
4) "Possibly one of the greatest starting arcs"
All of what my friends said were wrong. Upon Grey's development arc I quickly found a hatred for the main characters. Within 40 chapters I already lost count to how many times Lucy is used for fan service, and nothing else (Besides getting stomped and cries). Her legit reason of being written into the story is to be fan service. Something that Hiro Mashima himself admits through several character's commenting on this.
Natsu is by far the worse male protagonist I've seen too date. His first victory in the series is bullying a grunt whom Lucy could even defeat. (Please note, Lucy is PATHETIC). His second victory is won via anime physics. Which leads to the formula he uses to secure every kill afterwards. The infamous 'Nakama-punch' This punch is his closed fist chock full of the love he holds for his friends. This punch ALWAYS comes directly after some deus ex power-up. His goal since childhood is to find the dragon he calls father.. a goal he has done nothing about for 10+ years of his life, and for more than 140 chapters into the series. He literally doenst even look... He waits to be told a lead... Not only is that lazy but thats a horrible son. The only thing i even liked about Natsu was how ignorant a weakness he has. Which I won't ruin. It got me to laugh a couple times.
Erza Overrated Scarlet. Is an amazingly missed opportunity for Hiro Mashima's first good female role. "We don't die for our friends, we live for them." That is Erza quote before her character arc... were not on just one attemp. But several she tries to sacrifice her own life for her friends..... Hiro Mashima has written a female role as ignorant and deus ex as Natsu. She's basically Natsu..but smarter....
I've only written about three characters and im already mad again so I"ll just leave on this. Hiro Mashima doesnt respect women at all. He has yet to write a woman as something more than chattle. Overall this series is a 4/10. It isnt worth the read or the three weeks time spent on it. The only characters I ended up caring for are Grey, Gajeel, and Laxus.. dat it
