After God

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After God is a genuine unique horror delight. It's a story of how grief can haunt you, mixed with the theme of how only a human can truly feel human but then again, what IS humanity? What separates a god from a mortal? Is it their power, or their ability to connect with others, or their age? When suffering is almost beyond them, it can paint a deity in a childlishly curious light as they live beyond consequences. But what happens when a deity comes face to face with consequences and worldly attachments for the very first time? What happens when a god is hungry, ... when a god loves, when a god grieves or feels guilt?

After God aims to tackle the themes of loss and loneliness, shame and twisted self perception, and hunger for connection in very curious ways that I'm excited to see more of going forward. I especially adore the complicated and messy ways the 3 main characters are intertwined and how they all have differing views of each other. I really have to give it props for treating its 18 year old main character as overall, someone still growing and in need of mentorship and guidance and healthy boundaries with the older adults.

As a bonus, the art is an absolute banquet for the eyes. The use of intricate lines and expression work is really stunning and I adore how the character designs are simple yet iconic and easily distinguishable from each other, as well as the grand and otherworldly feel the gods have!

"After God" is truly a hidden gem manga that impresses in many ways, particularly with its art style and setting. The artwork is detailed and atmospheric, making the world feel vivid and immersive. The setting is well-crafted and captivating, drawing readers in from the very first page.

The story itself is good, though relatively average. However, it is executed well enough to keep readers engaged and eager for more. The pacing and narrative structure maintain a steady level of excitement, allowing readers to connect with the characters and their journeys. The portrayal of the gods is especially noteworthy; they come across as menacing and are depicted ... with great intensity, adding to the dark and intriguing atmosphere of the manga.

One drawback is the inclusion of a chosen one trope, which feels somewhat clichéd. Despite this, "After God" remains a solid manga that can be easily recommended. It may not be a masterpiece, but it offers good entertainment and is perfect for a casual read.

I only made it to chapter 12.

After God was a series I picked up after looking through the MAL suggestions that were up a couple months ago. The blurb plus the art style really compelled me to give it a try. The style lives up to the hype it got, the anatomy was really amazing and the linework was a testament to the skill of the mangaka - however mangaka are artists first for a reason.

A lot of my reviews have begun following this rule; if I'm spending more time questioning "why" rather than reading then I'm not enjoying it.
During the 12 chapters I ... read through I found myself often pausing to give me eyes a break from essays of "worldbuilding"/exposition and staring in shock at my screen as a random plot point barrelled onto my page. I never felt like I had enough time to fully digest what was being conveyed through clunky dialogue, and speech heavy scenes. Even when the action happened it was over as fast as it started and really left too many spots where a break to just look at art would've helped slow the pacing.

To top all of that off, the thing that made me really just give up was the "gotcha's" the manga really liked using. Twists and turns that had no build up, no real answer besides "drama!" that felt like the ending of game of thrones where the crazy queen plot literally plops itself down and demands to be taken seriously. In the case of 'After God' I too couldn't take these plot twists seriously.

I think if you're into fast pacing, non-stop on the go ADHD on drugs style manga this is the perfect one for you, the story itself pretty good when it manages to get points across - but it didn't do it enough to keep me hooked.