ib: Instant Bullet

Add to My List

Add to Favorites

Alternative Titles

Japanese: ib -インスタントバレット-

Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: 5

Chapters: 27

Status: Finished

Published: Jul 27, 2013 to Aug 27, 2015

Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Supernatural

Demographic: Seinen

Serialization: Dengeki Maoh

Authors: Akasaka, Aka (Story & Art)

Statistics

Score: 7.52¹ (scored by 10,168 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #2837²

² based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #691

Members: 27,167

Favorites: 646

Available At

Official Site

Resources

Wikipedia

7.52

Ranked #2837Popularity #691Members 27,167

MangaDengeki MaohAkasaka, Aka (Story & Art)

Add to My List

Volumes: /5

Chapters: /27

Edit
Synopsis

The psychologically destitute Kuro Fukase has been betrayed by the cruel world countless times. The only people who he could ever call family were Toiro and Iroha, the two Ayakura sisters living in an adjacent apartment, but even they would soon perish in a horrific act of arson. Now, the siblings exist as mere hallucinations in Kuro's mind as he continues to bear hatred for the world.

On one bitter Christmas Eve, Fukase's very purpose in life changes. Upon meeting the strange yet cheerful girl Sera Himeura, the dubious and alluring witch Yume Furusuna, and a strange black creature, Fukase learns that he is one of 20 "Instant Bullets": people who have been granted the power to destroy the world.

However, these living weapons do not share the same goal. Some wish to save the world, while others—including Fukase—are hell-bent on its obliteration. In a suspenseful tale of past trauma, faltering morals, and twisted romance, just what future does the world hold when the powerful Instant Bullets turn against each other?

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

More characters
Characters

Furusuna, Yume

Main

Himeura, Sera

Main

Fukase, Kuro

Main

Fujinami, Kokage

Main

Ayakura, Toiro

Supporting

Ayakura, Iroha

Supporting

Moroki, Ryouta

Supporting

Reviews

Mar 1, 2016

Trickyni

Recommended

Well, you might say I am a little bit generous here with the score, but this one did strike close to heart for me, enough to make every nine into a ten, keeping in mind I'm writing this fresh after finishing it up.

So, the story. It sure is something. You start with Mr. antihero being all NEET in his little room with his two imaginary friends, finding the most mundane excuse for a shut-in to get outta the house, meet the main girl, learn about supernatural setting, go fight a level 1 monster...

And that's where the similarities end. The author takes this story into a ... completely different direction, far beyond the realm of a "clever twist", and breaks all of these conceptions into pieces.

I do love it when smart authors break the rules. Not for the sake of art or anything, but for the sake of giving us some food for the thought. These authors have the great talent of asking "Why?" and doubting conceptions that are overused. not just following them to become mainstream or breaking them to be all artsy and edgy, but actually stopping and thinking about it for a moment.

Now, I don't want to spoil anything, I'll keep everything as vague as I can, but let's just say this quality shines in this manga.

Art: I don't know nothing 'bout art, but this thing was kinda pretty.

Characters: The bread and butter of instabullet is it's characters. You won't find no "tsunderes", no dense main character (but i guess you could jokingly say it's around 80% yanderes). Not kidding, nor am I complaining, Instabullet is all about those twisted characters. nothing yuno gasai/ everyone from tokyo ghoul sorta bullshit, but an actual, legit (though sometimes a bit over exaggerated , which is to be expected of a paraphrase of a battle manga) deciptions of characters with traumas, depressions, and psychopathic tendencies. Emotions, both negative and positive are presented in a honest, real, and even heartbreaking (if you're immersed enough, like I honestly was). Without spoiling anything, that's all I'll say in this regard.

As you can obviously see, enjoyment is through the roof. It was feast of keen observation of the human heart, a celebration of the beauty and ugliness of our specie. The author clearly knew what he was doing with this one, despite this being his first work, and despite him not having the name or resource to extend this to the length he wanted, it was still an amazing piece, all thing considered.

So overall, get there and read it. it's only 27 chapters, you can finish this in an afternoon or two. as I said earlier, i might have been a bit subjective and generous when i had to score this one, but I don't care. I stand behind this shameless row of tens without a single shred of regret. With that said, thank you for reading my review, and I hope you have a lovely day.

PS, keen yet obsessive fans of undertale might notice the similarities between a lazy skeleton and a boy who looks like he works in a ramen shop?

Open

Gift

Jan 4, 2016

SodiumChloride

Mixed Feelings

WOW .

No really wow .So this is actually given a 7.9 rating on this site .Pretty amazing if you ask me but I guess that's just other people's taste being different from mine .I don't think this was terrible but I think that it was a serious waste of potential .Mostly because it was so short .

Plot - 6
Not a very common story but not very interesting despite that .I think to many this will come off as a manga that just tries to be (yes I'm using the dreaded buzzword) "edgy" .Nothing is really good about it apart from its uniqueness .I feel like ...

Open

Gift

Apr 18, 2023

FEgelmot

Not Recommended

I don't really get what was the execution of the manga. Only way I could describe it is childish, as a premature, unscripted look in an ungrown mind of a loner.
I like works that have conflicted personas, but this just was not it...
It is one of AA's earliest works and it shows.

Story:2/10
Plot was rushed, but that is obvious considering it has 25 chapters. Still, there is no excuse for how badly framed the events are, just jumping from one event from another, inserting cliches and acting like acknowledging them makes the ordeal satire( it in fact does not, satire needs build-up). With the ending ... being tipped in without invitation, it leaves a sour taste behind the prior work, a kind of feeling that lowers the earlier opinion of the manga without much room for improvement. As the mangaka( really bad with Japanese names so we'll go with AA) explains himself in the post credits commentary, this can only be rebooted. Nothing to salvage of the plot.

art style:7-8/10
I am not an art guy and as such do not particularly care how a manga looks, but AA's work is competent, and just like his other works, the strongest point in his toolset.

characters:1/10
There is so much to say about AA's interpretation of "unfortunate" people in the world, from the 1 in 100 remark on which I could write a whole essay against to the backstories and general characterization, but let's be honest with ourselves, no one is here to see my rants.
My point is, that like in the intro, the way AA makes characters in this manga is childish.

The main character, Fukase, Kuro, is the victim of an interpretation of misfortune so exaggerated and outlandish that I had a hard time even reading about. It is not that the story is sad or heartbreaking, just.... pitiful? I do not mean pitiful as a way of meaning "feeling bad for the character", but simply that it is composed of surface limited puddle level deep traumas. It is not that they are light traumas, but that they are implemented in a way that actively takes away from their significance, in the end making the character also surface deep, the bare embodiment of... a teen who sees himself as meaningful and profound.

I do not like to use words such as "edgelord", but this is what he is...

I could also talk about the other characters and how only about 3 of them get any meaningful showtime, or even an actual backstory, but the problem is that all side characters, in a way or another, are an extension of Fukase, Kuro, be it "enemy?(seriosuly, a word used in poor taste too many times in the manga)", "illusion/ghost that is a part of him?", "fated/forced love interest?"... and the background assets( won't even mention the bunny girl, after her arc she is as irrelevant(to the story) as the other backstage mobs).

So yes, not good characters.

Overall:3/10
It is very clear that this story is carried by the art. For better or worse AA is a prodigy of his time in that regard, but the overall content( like his other works) lacks substance. The main problem is that he aims for subversion of expectations through satire. Mediocre writing and cliches can be carried by good art, but is this really what we should subject ourselves to?

Kaguya-sama, for all I care is a 7/10, Oshi no ko a 6/10 and this one a 3/10. It is clear that he has developed since cancelling this( a decision where unlike most other scenarios, I approve) and I can only wish AA to rework this manga( fully) when he has time, just as he had said in the post-credits page.

I do not hate any of his works despite how it might seem. It is just that due to my background, I try to find in mangas a certain type of character( those who read my other reviews( not that it matters...) will know. This just isn't my style, and above not being so, it is undeserving of the high score no doubt afforded only by newly-founded good reputation( on what if-s and mangaka respect) and good-looking art. It is because of that,
I wish AA good luck in making it deserve the ranking and apparent reputation.

Open

Gift

More stacks

Interest Stacks

Adaptations please pt 17

by Idk5008

50 Entries · 4 Restacks

Absurd manga

by Phanuel

50 Entries · 423 Restacks

Anime adaptations that possibly broke the internet (Part 2)

by Among--_1996

50 Entries · 112 Restacks

More recommendations
Recommendations

View All

More news
Recent News

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion

will we ever get to see a completed story? h1fum - Jun 30, 2024	5 replies	by h1fum »» Jul 8, 2024 4:09 PM
Does this end at chapter 25? notmycakedude - Dec 3, 2015	9 replies	by Newtrat »» Feb 11, 2024 2:07 PM
Poll: ib: Instant Bullet Chapter 25 Discussion Stark700 - Nov 21, 2015	30 replies	by Tennouji »» Aug 5, 2023 11:58 AM
Poll: ib: Instant Bullet Chapter 19 Discussion Stark700 - Oct 18, 2015	2 replies	by Fa1seShepherd »» Apr 27, 2023 1:13 AM
Questions regarding Toiro [SPOILERS!] XO2HKIM - Sep 1, 2021	3 replies	by zairaner »» Aug 2, 2022 5:18 AM

ib: Instant Bullet
Edit

What would you like to edit?

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

Available At

Resources

Edit
Synopsis

Visit MALxJapan
MALxJapan -More than just anime-

More characters
Characters

Reviews

Interest Stacks

More recommendations
Recommendations

More news
Recent News

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

ib: Instant Bullet Edit What would you like to edit? SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

Available At

Resources

EditSynopsis

Visit MALxJapan MALxJapan -More than just anime-

More charactersCharacters

Reviews

Interest Stacks

More recommendations Recommendations

More newsRecent News

More discussionsRecent Forum Discussion

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

ib: Instant Bullet
Edit

What would you like to edit?

Edit
Synopsis

Visit MALxJapan
MALxJapan -More than just anime-

More characters
Characters

More recommendations
Recommendations

More news
Recent News

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion