Gangsta.

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Okay, let me just get this started. I just read it couple weeks ago, and I fell in love instantly.

Story : Gangsta tells you about two 'handymen' who lives in dysfunctional city of Ergastulum where crimes, thieves, prostitutes, mobsters, and corrupted cops are everywhere. Worrick, an easy-going freelance gangster and Nic, a deaf, aloof also a freelance gangster, together they sometimes got hired for doing 'dirty' work people normally won't do. And then the plot develops. From Worrick and Nic's daily life as 'handymen', some big problems began to show up. The story caught my interest, and I was surprised how interesting the story is ... and I'm looking forward how the story will be. So far, the story was an 8/10.

Art : The art was seinen-typical. But sometimes, it also has the comedic vibe that would made you giggles sometimes. (it works on me though). So, the art was an 8/10.

Character : The character was superb. As I said earlier, you have the easy going freelance gangster, Worrick and his deaf, aloof partner, Nic who do 'dirty' jobs that the police or other people wouldn't want to. Then, there's Alex, a former prostitute they met who then works as their secretary. There's also, the doctor, Nina, the police officers, the mobs who will be introduced later and I must refrained myself from telling you guys. The characters was a 9/10.

Enjoyment : So far, I enjoyed reading Gangsta. The fight scenes, the dramas, the story and the characters interactions were all interesting. I can't believe that this drama successfully made me almost teared up when I read one of the fight scene. So, the enjoyment was a 9/10.

Overall : 8/10. Overall, Gangsta was one of my favorite Seinen manga and I looked forward for the anime. You want a manga with gangster? mafias? dirty cops? fight scenes? dramas? with a little bit explicit content? Then Gangsta is your choice. Please do read it.

It´s a shame that the last chapter came out nearly 5 years ago with no continuation in sight.

Gangsta was the first manga I consciously bought. I watched anime growing up and even had some volumes of Shaman King, but I never gave it much thought as a medium. But sometime in the early 2010s I really got into anime and wanted to read some of its source material. When I went to get some volumes, Gangsta kinda fell into my lap and since then it holds a dear place in my heart.

I still think Volume 1 is phenomenal. Gangsta looks stylish, the main ... characters seem interesting and it just has an edge to it. It doesn´t feel edgy but rather rough I´d say. Having a hooker, a deaf guy, and a gigolo as main characters also is something way out of the norm. And while I mostly enjoyed it till its hiatus I have to admit that the narrative kinda falls apart after the first 4 volumes.
It´s just too many characters pressed into little space. This feels especially egregious when you think about Marco Adriano becoming a full story while the main characters didn´t even have one full arc focused on them. Alex feels pushed far to the side after a short while and while Worick becomes more involved in the main plot during the ending, we will probably never see how that pans out. Also, the roughness switches more to edge and shonen tropes when the destroyers get introduced. This isn´t necessarily bad, but it wasn´t nearly as engaging as it had been before. Also the concept of twilights never made that much sense. Why do people hate them? Yes, they are stronger and dangerous but it is never shown how bad they are on a moral level. Also invoking Asimov´s three rules just seems out of place for them.

When I reread this now over a decade since I started it I have to admit that Gangsta isn´t this forgotten gem, but rather a roughly shaped one. There are great ideas, I love the vibe of Ergastulum and want to know how the story ends, but there are clear problems in many of the narrative aspects. Be it the clear lack of a focus for the story, too many characters, or the world-building. Despite that I still wish that Gangsta at least had gotten an ending and not just vanished into nothingness after a mere 8 volumes.

- Unbearably cliché and boring.
- Feels like it was written by a teenager by the way it treats sex and violence.
- Extremely inappropriate clashing of tones between violence and humor.
- A chore to read.

★☆☆☆

I saw a promotional image for the upcoming anime. It showed two tough guys and an attractive woman. Then I read up a description and thought it sounded kinda cool. But it turns out to be just so fucking cliché and boring.

I gave it 3 chapters. I know first episodes, first scenes, or first chapters can be shaky because the creator is trying to find their pace. But I ... wasn’t even finished with chapter 1 before it felt like a chore to read. I held out hope for the other 2 chapters, but they were just as boring.

What’s wrong with it? Honestly, the story so far seriously feels like it’s written by a teenager. It comes off as trying so hard to be cool and slick with its violence and mature nature. But then you have an ENORMOUS clash of tone with its extremely inappropriate humor and goofy characters.

The characters are so one-dimensional it hurts. The only interesting guy was Nick the swordsman because he talks with sign language. That was kinda cool. But everyone else is so cardboard. The way they talk and the dialogue is so dry. The writer clearly never had the script vetted by another critic. He obviously didn’t have anyone straight up tell him, “Dude, this is fucking boring.”

The art is fine. Backgrounds are very minimal. The details are in the character designs and props. I was expecting it to be more serious. If you’re going for mature themes then actually treat your material seriously. Don’t have one moment a guy getting his head cut off then the next panel one of your characters goofing off and making faces. It absolutely destroys the tone.

Aside from the guy that talks in sign language, not ONCE did I feel this manga was bringing anything new. Seen it all before.