Shamo

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Alternative Titles

Japanese: 軍鶏

Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: 34

Chapters: 338

Status: Finished

Published: 1998 to Jan 13, 2015

Genres: Action, Drama

Themes: Martial Arts, Psychological

Demographic: Seinen

Serialization: Evening

Authors: Tanaka, Akio (Story & Art), Hashimoto, Izou (Story)

Statistics

Score: 7.58¹ (scored by 11,938 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #2370²

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

Popularity: #493

Members: 36,514

Favorites: 924

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Wikipedia

7.58

Ranked #2370Popularity #493Members 36,514

MangaEveningTanaka, Akio (Story & Art), Hashimoto, Izou (Story)

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Volumes: /34

Chapters: /338

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Synopsis

At the age of sixteen Ryo Narushima was a genius and looked to have no trouble of getting into Tokyo University and joining the elite of society. However, that summer something cracked inside Ryo's head. With a small knife he brutally murdered both of his parents only leaving his sister alive and cowering in a corner. It is at this grotesque incident that our story begins.

(Source: MU)

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Background

In 2004 the series moved from Manga Action to Evening, resetting the chapter count starting at volume 20. It was discontinued in 2007 due to authors creative differences but returned in 2011.

Starting from volume 26, the first volume from when the series returned from a long hiatus, the series has been completely written and drawn by Akio Tanaka. While Izou Hashimoto did write the series in the beginning, he had been doing less and less work starting from volume 4. Tanaka and Hashimoto reached a settlement and Shamo continued.

The series' first thirteen volumes were published in Spanish by Otakuland between 2003 and 2005.

More characters
Characters

Narushima, Ryou

Main

Sugawara, Naoto

Supporting

Takahara, Toma

Supporting

Kurokawa, Kenji

Supporting

Sanshiro, Fabio Marcos

Supporting

Wukong, Sun

Supporting

Fujiyoshi, Kouhei

Supporting

Tengenji, Gosaku

Supporting

Yan

Supporting

Funato, Moemi

Supporting

Reviews

Jul 26, 2024

PickleTokyo

Recommended

Shamo” is an intense manga series that pushes boundaries and explores the darkest corners of human nature. From its gripping storyline to its evocative artwork, this manga will leave a mark on you.

1. Story and Writing: ★★★★★ “Shamo” doesn’t shy away from controversial themes. It delves into rape, murder, and prostitution, presenting a raw and unfiltered view of society’s underbelly. The writing is both brutal and captivating, drawing readers into the twisted world of its protagonist. The character development is exceptional, making us question our own morality as we follow his journey.

2. Artwork: ★★★★★ The art in “Shamo” is nothing short of breathtaking. The illustrations ...

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Feb 24, 2023

RJHex

Mixed Feelings

To be honest, I have mixed feelings about Shamo. At first, i wasn't very sure about reading this manga but I decided to do anyway , hoping it would turn out to be something like Holyland. But I really couldn't connect with it, specially witht the main character Ryo. Despite that I realized how good it is while I figured that the story was not about redemption of a hero but rise of a villain. It started to remind me of a classic movie named Raging Bull whitch also featured the same main character. I started to enjoy the story and everything was going great ...

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Mar 28, 2022

exoticismisgross

Not Recommended

Shamo is a really hard sell for me. You get this duality in story writing where, on one side, you feel like he's meant to be completely ostracized and despised as a human being, where even the possibility of pitying Ryo is depreciated. He's shown to be self-righteous and delusional in his mental gymnastics of having murdered his parents, yet, on the other side, the author wants us to feel for Ryo even if he shows no real emotional evolution in his character arc, there is no progress in repentance or his internal processing of guilt. The reader is served fac-simile redemption moments with no ... substance behind them. The manga lacks, overall, real realism (forgive the oxymoron) and offers fake realism: for a manga that wants to present a really difficult character with very adult themes and alleged gray POVs, it sticks an awful lot to black and white perspectives with very little to attenuate the abrasive shallowness of its takes. It reads like a straightedge straight-A student's fantasy of what living a morally challenging life is like.
It's funny because Shamo references 2 other works that own up to their concepts better than it does:
- Musashi/Vagabond: more nuanced and detailed about the guilt and mental struggle to live with murder in pursuit of strength and ego.
- Baki: more bonkers and nutso ridiculous macho power-creeping villainous characters, committed to the silliness and the exaggeration.

It may be why it's so frustrating since it tries to tackle a lot and comes close to developing interesting story points, however it do so very mildly or 180s the wrong way.

[light spoilers]
The series is reset completely at random intervals, with the last arcs being ridiculously uninteresting, out of place and mis-paced. You forget Ryo's presence in the story, following either a DBZ-trope shonen villain OR an infuriatingly "lore invalidating" duo, reminiscent of a bad Ichi the Killer ripoff, as they negate any pre-established boundary in the series and are allowed to pull the dumbest manoeuvres unchecked by the reality of Shamo's universe.
The Toma arc is set up with a nice premise and its "ruining a hero" mandate is enticing for a story about a tormented villain archetype, however I feel like it didn't pay out as it should have -- we're left with an abrupt end without a real grasp on the consequences of the arc, its lacking the fallen saviour complex POV.
The end scene as a concept is good in my opinion for its mundane qualities, it solidifies this "realist" aspect the manga had been struggling to bring forth the whole time.

Art's good for the most part.

Still enjoyed the first half because I have goblin brain syndrome and fighting scenes tickle its fancy + it happens in a restrained environment and that also hits my special spot.

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Poll: Shamo Chapter 338 Discussion Rance-sama - May 31, 2015	19 replies	by YamiBoy »» Sep 7, 9:36 AM
Poll: Shamo Chapter 248 Discussion Tengai - Sep 30, 2015	1 replies	by YamiBoy »» Sep 7, 4:42 AM
Poll: Shamo Chapter 208 Discussion haydocc - Jun 23, 2014	2 replies	by YamiBoy »» Sep 5, 3:26 PM
Poll: Shamo Chapter 150 Discussion haydocc - Jun 22, 2014	2 replies	by YamiBoy »» Sep 5, 3:19 AM
Poll: Shamo Chapter 327 Discussion Tengai - Oct 1, 2015	1 replies	by NaughtyNoddy »» Apr 11, 12:12 PM

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