The Fable

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It's funny how this works. The Fable's subject matter is something that'd be par for the course in Japanese pop culture of the 60s, the 70s, or even the 80s. But today, in 2022, it feels so out of place it once again becomes a breath of fresh air. There's nothing quite like it in the current media landscape, making any meaningful comparison extremely challenging—and, frankly, unneeded: its storytelling accomplishments stand firmly on their own legs.

The Fable's premise and narrative style occupy an unlikely middle ground between a classic sitcom and a dead-serious film noir. It tells a story of a pair of elite hitmen ... ordered by their boss to retire and try living a normal life as fake brother and sister, strictly forbidden to kill again. Given the obvious difficulties with reintegrating harshly conditioned human weapons back into society, a local yakuza group with ties to their organization is tasked with providing assistance so that the two can kick-start something resembling regular day-to-day life. The operative word there is "resembling", because *of course* it's not going to work out so easily—both because deeply ingrained habits and mindsets don't simply go away in a different environment, and also because circumstances calling for those habits constantly catch up to our heroes. It's an ongoing fake-it-till-you-make-it endeavor.

The manga treats this conflict with an astounding amount of thought and respect for its characters' unusual tribulations. As the result, The Fable's comedic writing is viciously funny but almost entirely deadpan in its delivery. There is virtually no witty dialogue or silly gags, no tired pop-culture references or any fan service at all; almost all the laughs are the result of characters so far removed from the norm being exposed to said norm and its vessels—regular people like us. The compelling and occasionally hysterical nature of these social interactions demonstrate truly smart writing in a premise almost completely devoid of complex plot movement, which is a rare but welcome occurrence. Fittingly, it is accompanied by hyper-realistic art that portrays characters to the finest detail of their body language, giving further credibility to visual storytelling. There is a lot of nuance—something I particularly appreciate—but no edginess or pathos commonly plaguing similarly set stories. It's remarkably down-to-earth in all the right ways.

Needless to say, the characters themselves are the bread and butter of this story, and it's very impressive just how likable they are for how unseemly their background is. Especially considering more than half of the recurring cast are either yakuza or assassins—and make no mistake, they aren't some "heart of gold" type exceptions that conveniently dodge the associated stigma. They are true to form and function, and the reason they're so relatable and fun to follow despite that is a testament to the author's ability to give them depth and humanity. They aren't "good" people by most measures, but they're complex, conflicted, and interesting. In a series where morality is largely expressed in the darker shades of grey, this is relayed in a surprisingly comfortable manner, and as I was reading I never felt like I was urged to sympathize with scum or hate the righteous. The characters navigate on their own moral compasses, but it doesn't lead to contradictions or confused allegiance. Again, good writing right there.

The Fable, much like its protagonists, appears to be a vestige of a bygone era of romanticizing organized crime and hard-boiled protagonists, an artifact out of time. But under its hood lies a funny and heartwarming tale about people on the dark side of our society dealing with their own weird troubles and trying to keep up with the times; it has a lovable cast, it nails a satisfying ending. If there's one point of (perhaps, unfair) criticism I could make, it would be for the manga's overall lack of storytelling ambition: this is not the kind of story that you'll carry in your heart and mind for years, nor it is likely to affect how you think about the world or your own self. It's fully content being only where it wants to be and achieving only what it wants to achieve—but it does so with the skill and integrity of a professional hitman.

With the fan translation of this manga finally complete, I can write a full review of this series with my complete thoughts on the manga as a whole.

Story: 10.

The story of Akira Satou's assignment to leave his assassin ways behind him takes us through several dark and dangerous situations passed on as completely mundane annoyances or inconveniences. Conflicts are constantly born out of the simple desires of the antagonists, who treat their actions with careful planning and calm cruelty. The story works because of this. The seeming banal response of the characters and even the story itself to what is normally considered tense and suspenseful ... in any other manga draws you in, buttering you up with its black but lighthearted comedy. Then the story will slowly transition to an actual tense and thrilling climax, as both the protagonists and antagonists meet to duke it out. This plays out multiple times, and yet each time a new twist or subversion is added, preventing the arc from becoming stale.

Art: 9.

This manga is incredibly detailed, most likely using a lot of sketching over actual photographs for its backgrounds. But unlike a manga like Dr. Stone, where the backgrounds feel more like a compressed and photoshopped image, the backgrounds in The Fable look like they were drawn manually. I have no understanding of digital art, so I have no clue how this was done, but it is impressive all the same. Meanwhile, the characters are drawn very realistically, with every detail in their face and clothing in view at all times. Because of this, there are very few times where the characters themselves emote or express themselves in a unique way, but when they do it's meant for comedic effect, and it always lands. However, there is sometimes a lack of variety in both panel composition and layout. Sometimes the panels can start to blend together and get a bit samey. This is a dialogue-driven series, so other than the full page and double spreads, don't expect a whole lot of creative shots or interesting angles.

Characters: 10

The seeming mundanity of fighting and killing can only be expressed when the characters themselves treat it as such. But there needs to be a way to express a difference between emotionless and cold-blooded killers, and assassins who have adapted to and understand their way of life. This is what makes Satou, Youko and many of the other assassins such good characters. They have been raised in their ways since they were young, and while characters like Youko have not completely separated themselves from their humanity, characters like Satou have in a way that has not made them callous or sociopathic. It is this that gravitates these characters above edgy overpowered Saitama-esque jokes into well rounded, and very complex characters. Meanwhile, the more normal characters, such as the lowly yakuza henchmen, Misaki, or Satou's new boss, are both incredibly funny and genuine at heart, which helps display Satou's growing humanity in a subtle yet beautiful way.

Enjoyment/Overall: 10

The Fable manages to do all which it seeks to accomplish. When it tried to be funny I laughed, when it tried to be tense I was worried, and when it tried to be grounded and sad I felt the pit in my stomach sink ever so slightly. There is nothing quite like this manga, both in style and substance, and it's probably in my top 10 manga of all time. So if you got the hours to put away pick up this manga, it's a long ride but it is well worth it.

A professional hitman having to live as a normal person for 1 year, already original. My first impression was quite good, interesting story and introduction of the main character Fable, who is quite the badass. This is going to be a simple review as not much is currently out for The Fable in English.

Story: 9
The story struck me before I had even read because of its originality and it's a seinen which makes it semi-serious and appealing to the older demographic but still has its satire going with the story.

Art: 7
The art varies to me as at some points it is very well drawn and ... human-like but also seems to be traced or looks like it was made with Clip Studio Paint. (not entirely a bad thing.) Heard Gantz did something similar.

Characters: 9
Fable being introduced was already cool but he's also hilarious in his own way with his mistakes as a normal person and how he solves certain situations and issues and is of course as explained in the manga, a genius.

Enjoyment: 9
Overall a really great manga and has good comedy to back up the seinen genre with a great main character and an original story made me really enjoy this underrated and mostly unknown manga.

Overall: 9

10/10 honestly just because I can't think of anything that really detracts from it.

Perfect balance of comedy and hard boiled plot. The funny parts had me laughing out loud, and the serious parts are compelling. Solid pace and plot. Well rounded and pretty satisfying ending, which I find to be super rare.

Great, interesting, likeable characters; it doesn't dive deep into their past and psyche, but they're all well rounded with consistent personalities/development.

Well drawn realistic style that you don't see as much these days (or maybe I'm just reading the wrong things.) Sure, the backgrounds look kinda clip studio paint-ish, but this is a more ... story and character driven manga anyway. I was usually too absorbed in the story to notice or care.

Overall a personal favourite, and I think my first 10/10 rating.

It's hard not to oversell something I consider perfect.

Hitmen. The concept of being employed to kill a human being. Money for a life, violence, done by any means. Intelligence in the art of killing. I love the exploration on what hitmen do from a variation standpoint. I've seen many iterations of the concept in tragedy movies with their tragic hitman. The funny one, the unflinching one, the absolutely horrific one. However, there are two hitmen in fiction that explore something way more profound, while dressing themselves as a some of the funniest comedies I've ever seen. “Barry”, and “The Fable” are about artists at their ... work, killing, but now trying something new, while their previous lives call for them; like a plague they can't get rid of.

This one begins with a legend in the underground. The Fable, a man that if you encountered him, and survived, you just weren't their target. An unbridled force of nature, who doesn't consider anything to do with killing as something difficult. 6 seconds to kill in hand to hand, and mere minutes to kill an entire criminal, trained battalion. How about telling this absolute carnage-capable human being to live a quiet life, have a job, enjoy a drink, or a good restaurant for an entire year? His answer is asking his personal driver to blow on his cooked fish because it's too hot.

It turns the whole concept of criminals into that of a comedy that attempts to remain wholesome while everything pushes it towards constant destruction. It's a story about giving a killing machine the ability to become a human being once and for all, even if he was just the same as you or me before that. He's good a what he does, and is proud to call himself a pro, but then he proceeds to laugh at a third rate comedian in the radio. Everything casual that's done by the newly named Satou feels like a paradox you can't help but laugh at. An absurdist comedy, that frames a murderer in the most mundane of worlds. He makes stupid faces, he draws like a toddler, can't stand hot food, and it makes me feel happy inside.

Not many times do I feel like something's profound while still being a simple and fun story. There are scenes where Satou pretends to cry after being purposefully hit in the face to look normal. His entire thought process on hilarious display, and yet, there are other quiet scenes, where the main duo talk like brother and sister. They have the most normal conversations, while now they can ask themselves about tomorrow. They weren't ever assured there'd be a tomorrow, hell even in the same day their lives could end. Instead of exploring the level of guilt that killing can cause like “Barry”, this is a series hell-bent in telling you about the hope of a human heart to remain positive.

The past can't always define us, for as tragic and unforgivable as it may be, and experiencing the silliness of life can change us in ways we can't even fathom. The human connections we make, the times we forget to call home to get a meal in time, or the other moments where a job allows a fun conversation to happen. The world may push us towards violence, but even the most experienced killer can choose.

Now sure, it's all cool as a message and all, but this is mainly a story about the fights, the power, the struggle, the display of skill, and Jesus Christ the action is beautiful. The realistic art style immediately sells the punches with raw brutality, even if fights are incredibly short. It's not a struggle, but a simple, small strategy that instantly reigns fruits, or fails, after which it's time for another one. As I said, 6 seconds to kill a person. All while NOT killing anybody.

Characters are in a league of their own. Not only is it hitmen, but a depiction of the Yakuza like nothing I've seen before. Humanized, but not disrespected. Oh, they're criminals alright, and this isn't a story that lets you forget. These people kill others, and their code of morals stand tall against those who dare defy it. There's the past Yakuza, always clashing with the new one. Crazy bastards that try to drag Satou and his code-named sister into killing. Everybody they meet in their newly appointed normal life is dragged into every conflict, and nobody is wasted at any point.

The villains are despicable, the heroes are lovable, even with all their flaws. I love the art, I adore the characters, I awed at the fight scenes, and couldn't stop reading until I finished it in record time.

10/10. An incomparable masterpiece of story, characters, art, comedy. It made me tense, clench my ass, as much as I was laughing out loud at other scenes. It's one of the greatest dark comedies, one of the best manga, hell one of the most incredible pieces of fiction I've ever consumed.

You need to read this one. Hyped for the anime, but I don't think it can top the manga.

The Fable uses a well-rounded way of building up the action and letting it flow from panel to panel without any hiccups. I never felt lost and always knew what was going on. The mangaka's approach to building suspense must be highlighted. Letting the reader experience memorable moments in thoughtfully spaced intervals, giving hints of what might happen next, and then it all comes together until you reach the peak of the current arc and it feels quite rewarding.

The story is full of sensitive topics like exploitative prostitution, abuse, stalking, even attempted rape is used to drive the plot. Quite a lot of heavy topics, ... but they were handled carefully. I did not get the feeling that the author threw all these topics in just to achieve a certain level of shock value. Their introduction and purpose for the plot were well-planned and felt controlled.
A big thumbs up to the author for not romanticizing organized crime and actually showing the ugly face of the yakuza underworld.

At first, I was a bit skeptical about the tone of this manga, since it had the comedy label stamped on it. There were elements of comedy scattered throughout the volumes, but it was only a timid amount and it added a lot to the atmosphere.
There was a moment where the writer focused heavily on comedy after a big action-packed arc, and it just felt right. It wasn't forced into the story, it didn't feel like a gimmick. The jokes were just part of a cohesive storytelling mix.
In retrospect, there is a lot of slow-burning comedy in the manga, mainly due to the somewhat warped perception of Akira, the main character. He tries to fit in with everyday society and the average adult, but he goes way off the rails from time to time.

I also love how The Fable stays within the confines of reality. No magic, no teenage superheroes, no glorifying of crime. Akira is a professional assassin of the highest caliber, but he still feels human and not like an unstoppable terminator without any sense of humanity.
For example, Akira never goes up against 50 yakuza at once. His fights are kept on a smaller scale. It is also shown that he puts a lot of effort into honing his skills. This helps a lot to make him more interesting and not alienate Akira from the reader.

I would like to mention one thing about the art. Especially in the early chapters, it has a similar feel to rotoscope animation.
The drawings were never bad, but with each volume they improve, getting cleaner and more detailed, but also keeping influences of the original style.

After giving this manga so much praise, I want to talk about its flaws. My biggest complaint about The Fable is how the author tied everything up and ended the story.
It didn't feel completely disappointing or leave any other kind of long lingering bad feeling, but you could tell that it was rushed and a bit indecisive. The team behind the manga was probably already planning on releasing a sequel, so I guess that's the reason.
Although it contradicts my earlier point about not romanticizing the yakuza, some characters definitely get special treatment and are not as bad as others. For example, Akira is an assassin with a long list of kills, but we never learn who he killed. He could have been sent after the worst scum of the earth, or it could have been scientists who almost found a cure for cancer. I mean, it makes it easier to root for him, so I understand why the mangaka did it.

All in all, one of my favorite mangas and an easy recommendation for anyone who likes organized crime stories or action stories in general.

“Forget number there’s no rating high enough for him.”
- Yamaoka, The Fable.

Just as the word from one of the antagonists in this series, these words alone sum up the whole Manga.
The Fable has been one of the best Manga ever created on my list. I still remember that night in the cinema hall of the Japanese Film Festival in India in 2020 where I first watched The Fable ( Live Action ). It was the best night of all and after some months I found out that this movie was a Manga adaptation that completely changed my life and now here I am.
The Fable is ... a story of Two Underground Assassins who are truly a Pro in their job and their Boss has tasked them a job to live a 'Normal' life for one year, a kind of rehabilitation because from childhood they are trained to be professional Killers. Their organization is called 'Fable' because as the name suggests there is as good as the fairy tail, not easy to comprehend, as good they are.
So this duo is handed over to the Yakuza gang called Maguro to manage their stay and look after them as they live their lives in this small town. An alias is given to them, Akira Satou and Youko Satou and they have to live as siblings.

The author, Katsuhisa Minami did an amazing job for this Manga. The character-building, storyline, plot and action, and mostly comedic puns made this manga as one of the masterpieces of all time. At first overlook, everyone will think that it's a cliche plot used in most of the works but what differentiates The Fable from all of the existing ones is the character of Akira Satou. He is, in a total sense, a professional and he is the strongest character in this whole series. Still, he is trying to learn how to be normal so whenever he gets rolled into the conflicts of gang and crime, he doesn't resolve to finish the work with just killings but he tries to find solutions that don't have to do with killing at all. In most cases, he is portrayed as a dumb person who doesn't understand the norms of the society but he is learning this process and trying to live a peaceful life.
Youko Satou is the drama queen in this series who is a drunkard, who holds her alcohol and makes fun of men in drinking competitions but as an assassin, she has a great memory and she is tasked to look after Akira, kind of like a babysitter.

This manga has already received two live-action movies The Fable (2019) and The Fable: The Killer Who Doesn’t Kill (2021) till now but no anime. The people who are crying out loud for Anima Adaptation need to know this manga is not for Animation at all because when it's adapted, it will not be able to manage the magnitude of the manga and its storyline at all. I just hoping for the third installment of the movie, completed in two parts to finish the story of Part 1 of The Manga.
To you, whoever may be reading this, I want you to know that this manga genuinely deserves your time so give it a go and immerse yourself in the world of Crime with Comedy because it will not disappoint you.

This right here boys and girls is a masterpiece and those who say otherwise or compare it to the similarities in western culture movies about hit mans staying low, don`t really see the beauty of this work and don`t really get deep enough to the story and how it is written.
This is by no means simple manga. This has many many layers of complexity going on and a reader just go through those layers, some do notice that, others don`t and only concentrate on shallow bits of the story.

I am not gonna write much about the story line, because you can ... read the intro yourselves. I want to address the style of the whole manga and those different layers of story that I mentioned.

Personally I haven`t read a better manga than this one, so this manga is very well executed its not for very young audience there are some sex explicit scenes, some gore, some dead bodies etc..

Lets start with The ART is really good, might not be to the standards of those very detailed artistic manga`s where each page is an artwork, this one is normal manga made for people to read it not enjoy the art. Some say it lacks details. But that`s the good part, because the author use this trait to emphasize whats important in the manga and what is not. Some people and some panels are drawn in less detailed way, while others are quite detailed and really well executed, for example people expressions, weapons, cars, environments, there are even some pages that have a very unique cinematic execution to them for example chapter 48 page 120, when he leaves the garage in the car, there is an emphasize on a reflection from the lights on the window of the car, that is a very cinematic drawing right there and it add the feel for the reader, it connects very well to the readers personal experience and it add that emotion to the whole scene. Bit like these are hidden all over the story in various topics and scenes. It is really something I haven`t seen a lot practically in any manga`s it is executed on a different level.
The STORY - well the story might be typical, but the execution is not. It actually feels very real to the point where you could imagine yourself being there right next to those characters. The story is set in ~2015 or something like that, once again due to the realistic approach to the art, we see a lot of stuff that we can associate, stating with the way characters dress, to the many different items that the characters use, we can almost tell their brands. This create a very well executed world view and it feels very realistic.
Another thing to note is that in this story there are no good or bad people. The reader is fallowing a characters who live in an underground world. And it is very interesting to see them incorporated in a normal to us world, you fallow these bad guys that are totally right there living among the whole citizens who really don`t know nothing about their background. And these guys are there lurking in the shadows of a normal life, waiting for their pray to come to them for example to get a loan, or to get any other service, and that is how they get hooked by the yakuza, loan sharks etc.. and get entangled in that shady world where they got no ways of escaping, because yakuza really got their contacts in police and higher places. I really do like that there is this reality approach of how the criminals work, how they get by in the society.
Another layer of the story spins around the MC and his unique character, humor and at some point author incorporates some absurd moments and actions in the story, making it look like its silly at some points. As if the story is not real, and as if the main character and the whole organisation he belongs to is some sort of urban myth. So while reading you get both, a laid back story with silly moments and almost absurd ideas. And at the same time, cold seriousness when the character can smile and shot another in the head. Author play around with these two opposing approaches very well. In some situations this brings in very good humor in some situations it brings in seriousness.
The story feels very real but it is important to note that the name of this manga is Fable, which means "urban myth", unrealistic story etc.. So this is were another layer of things reside in because in the story there are stuff that is unrealistic and made up, or should be made up. For example the "best of the best hit man", or such things as MC trying to stay low but he drives in 1970 Nissan Skyline it like screams of attention from everyone etc... So the whole story is like an urban myth about a person whom is real but did something unrealistic and made up. I feel that the author is trying to make this story look like the stories you get from someone you know about some guy who did some unreal things back in some time...
This story feels like something you would hear from your pal about events that happened some time ago not to far away from your home. The reader is constantly seeing the story from 3rd perspective so he gets bits about the event from different opposing sides. There are no such moments where in the middle of some action, some sort of unknown character steps in and turn the tides around. The readers get all the information needed and he sees everything before the even happens. very well written and executed story.

CHARACTERS - Executed very well. Their ways and actions are very well shown. The MC is kind of autistic in a way he has awkward humor sense, he is very unique physically individual with nearly godly ability to kill people. He is also awkward around people because he never was a social person. So this whole situation is very new to him and he is learning to live a normal life.
The yakuza characters are executed very well. They feel like the normal people, but once the business matters appear, they become cold blooded killers. There are some characters executed particularly well, for example Kojima - a cold blooded maniac, who is very hard to predict and his actions are very dangerous. Each of the main characters have their own circumstances that puts them in the same boat and we get to know them little by little as the story goes.

ENJOYMENT - Well, I can tell you, that this manga is written for a lot of different readers, because you will find many things in this piece. Be it a humor, a story, a realistic approach. There is a lot to see here and I really do recommend this to anyone.

OVERALL - I haven`t seen any other manga`s that felt as realistic as this one. There are some good works out there I agree on that, some with unique world building, some with very good art, some with really interesting stories. But they all have one thing in common - you read them and you realize that its fantasy, so everything that doesn`t make sense in reality suddenly becomes OK for you as you read those stories and when you put yourself in that reference point and that unrealistic world everything starts to make sense.
This however is purely realistic, to the point where it could be a story about a real person, maybe not as good as this one right here, maybe not as special, but a real person that happened to be staying low for a while because he did many dirty jobs and got too much attention on him... Like I said before, a story like an urban myth stories, about some persons past, about some events that happened some time ago...

WOW! The Fable! This manga packs a bunch of action, humor, and suspense. Meet 'Fable,' a legendary assassin living a dull life in witness protection. But don't let the boredom fool you – when the action kicks in, it's non-stop adrenaline.

What makes 'The Fable' awesome? It's got a hero you'll root for, epic fights, and moments that tug at your heartstrings. Plus, the cast is full of interesting characters, from Fable's sidekick Moko to the mega criminals he faces off against.

If you're into manga that keeps you on the edge of your seat, 'The Fable' is a must-read. It's got amazing and very unique style, ... cool characters, and enough thrills to keep you hooked from start to finish. Trust me, once you dive in, you won't want to put it down!

This manga has me debating whether or not I should read the raws and start to learn Japanese lol. 91 Chapters in and I'm definitely going to finish when it's all translated. The Fable takes no time in getting you hooked on Satou's dark and somewhat innocent existence.

Story: 8
The initial hook of the story is extremely strong, it's a very original take on hitman/gangster manga that leaves a lot of room for great comedy as well as thrilling Yakuza fighting. The B plots are generally not as entertaining as whatever Fable is up to, but it's a necessary exposition to get the story where it ... needs to go. All in all very little to complain about

Art: 8
The art for me is a huge plus, but I could see the crudeness of it being hard to get into for a larger audience. There's something about the character faces specifically that just evoke such a wide range of emotions. The backgrounds are sparse, but the characters hold your attention plenty.

Character: 9
Satou (Fable)'s design and story are the main draw for the manga and the driver/sister offers a great addition to Fables straight man architype. The Okinawa Yakuza offer an endless cast of sopranos esque characters and the mysterious organization that hires Fable is a great mystery box cherry on top.

Enjoyment: 10
I'm a sucker for Seinen and I.E. Berserk and Vagabond, so Fable's darker subjects really keep me engaged enough to genuinely enjoy the humorous side of it. I find myself cackling so loud that I'm worried I'll wake my roommates. I think I blew through the currently 91 translated chapters of it in under 2 days.

Overall: 9
The Fable is something I'm recommending to all of my friends and to the people of Myanimelist as well. Manga like this, that are only now getting fully translated, make me so curious about what else has yet to transition to an english reading audience.

the best manga i have read so far.

story is gripping, some might think its cliche, but personally i had no gripes with it and everything happened for a reason.

the characters are excellent, very well written and very believable. 10/10

art style MIGHT be hard for some people to get into, but once you start reading it enhances the experience. the body language, realistic look and just the sheer cleanness of the art makes it top tier in my books. 10/10

pacing is just right, i never got bored once i started reading. didn't have any parts where i felt like i was wasting time or felt frustrated. ... 10/10

read it, please

This manga starts off with an original, but cliche concept of a professional hitman trying to lay low in society for a year and become a "normal" citizen. While this trope is cliche in Western culture, what particularity drew me in was its Japanese perspective of a pro hitman trying to become normal.

Story: 6
In Western culture, the whole hitman concept of trying to live a normal life has been done numerous times. The only real enjoyment I got from this series was its Japanese perspective on criminal syndicates and how crime culture of Japan was portrayed in manga form.

Art: 8
Backgrounds look dull and boring, ... but the human-like facial expressions are truly impressive to look at considering the used Clip Studio Paint just like in Gantz. There are some panels that look brutal and realistic regarding gun wounds and murders.

Characters: 9
Because most of the characters are involved in the criminal world, the manga makes interesting discussions that make the series worth reading and interesting.

Overall: 7
This manga is great for those into crime plots and art that looks great to accompany a brutal them of professional hitmen.

I don't give 10's (and never will again).

This is a 10.

Each chapters makes you laugh to no end while also being with cool art, action and overall a good story.

The hit-team duo is made up of the most eccentric people possible and watching them overcome any problems or daily situations is simply a treat for itself, and the way they're written makes it clear as day who they are and how it shapes them in every way possible

The art had a distinct and almost realistic look; almost as if it were photographed and traced over (plus stylistic takes). The shadings and facial expressions ... simply are GORGEOUS.

Intro -
In the realm of manga where annoying characters exist (Shinji Ikari) and chapters where it is just battle after battle after battle; things become very exhausting where it is the same piss willy character who is way too kind and I constantly face-palm through my brain. This is where "The Fable" truly shines with its unique cast, art, and story. A seinen slice-of-life type of manga which is pretty damn rare when you look at the amount of manga in this garbage website. It has a certain absurdist feel to it which makes me relate to it to some degree; a type which Quentin ... Tarantino would think "damn, manga can actually be good?". We start with our MC, who is an assassin, killing a bunch of fuckos and running away with a real fine beauty to their small HQ where their boss tells them "You two motherfuckers, are going back to colleg-" wait wrong one. Anyways something akin to that, where they have to stay at some place for a year because they killed too many people in one year.

Story -
People usually complain about this part being the weakest, but I cannot really understand them in the slightest. We usually judge a story based on how well-paced it is, and how the author uses the characters to his advantage according to its setting, interaction, and atmosphere through the flow and path of the story. It is not too difficult to draw and map out a slice-of-life seinen due to the nature of slice-of-life being a little slow. Coupled with some mystery on the background of the characters which gives an air of suspense and making you want to know more about them. The world itself is slightly lack-luster due to its neutral nature which could at time make you wonder if the author could have spiced it up a bit. 8

Character -
This is perhaps the best part while still being dragged by its slight weaker side characters. Our cast actually exude a sense of realism in the way the act and behave along with their elements of chaos which proves to be entertaining unlike most manga where you have your protag getting smothered by women "accidentally" drop on him from the sky with their tits and ass (not that I have a problem with that but I read manga for the story not the porn). Along with great translations which makes it feel like you are watching a mobster film. Our MC is fucking great. A guy who chills in his house naked and sleeps in his bath tub every night He is a pretty laid-back chill type of guy. His (fake)sister is probably the best where she likes to use her free time in doing stupid shit (you will find out i do not want to spoil it). A very unconventional cast which proves to be very entertaining. This is as far as I go with characters to avoid spoilers. 8

Art -
This is coming from someone who has read hundreds of manga, and I consider this to be perhaps one of my favorite art styles I have seen. A very unique art style with the body positions and postures of our characters being great as well; it feels like they are actual human beings. Granted, it is not any Murata Yusuke, but the art is still great when it comes to fighting. Wait a second, our characters actually look like human beings and actually look Japanese/Asian?... huh. 10

Enjoyment -
I smashed 90 fucking chapters in one day. 10

Overall -
If you like Yakuza type seinen manga with some slice-of-life elements mixed into it I recommend this wholeheartedly. 10

A hidden gem driven by incredible characters, refreshing artwork, and a compelling story.

The Fable is a must read because it manages to humanize the criminal underworld, creating a beautiful juxtaposition between good and evil that ultimately has the reader emotionally, physically, and mentally attached to morally gray yet relatable characters.

While overall a serious manga, The Fable is surprisingly funny at times and will surely elicit a wide range of emotions from readers. If anything, read The Fable because it makes the transformation of the main character from the most deadly and emotionless professional hitmen into a freelance children's book illustrator believable.

10/10 would ... recommend fablin time.

A breath of fresh air.

I started reading this manga around 2/3 years ago. It was missing more than half of the characters so when I reached the last available one I dropped it (like I always do). But I was sure I was going to come back and finish it.
Now that I was able to read though the entire thing I can say that I couldn't be more happy to have kept my promise. This manga was amazing and I loved every single chapter of it. The artwork, the characters, and above all else the concept.

There's a sequel already and I'm probably doing the same ... thing.

I'm thinking of a way how to describe my experience, the only thing that's coming up to my mind is that this manga brought me to a WHOLESOME experience. You may wonder how a manga about a hitman can be described as WHOLESOME but honestly that is how this manga made me felt. The characters are very well written, the antagonists are unique and interesting as well. Every side characters had their fair share of good times too! (Especially Kuro! And the Boss at Octopass).

You know it's a good manga when you gets sad as you count the last remaining chapters

Thank you for ... every person that worked for the creation of this manga, I had fun!

10/10

Its rare to see a manga that writes characters passably, let alone well. For the average manga you have to suspend your disbelief and pretend that the anime world with all its tropes is actually a real alternate dimension in order to tolerate it. However, the author of the fable actually can write people. Yes, the cold blooded killer main character is leagues more human than your average protag, and the character writing quality is not even close. The art is fantastic, the story is fantastic, and the characters and relationships are phenomenal, not just for a manga or anime, but in general. You won't ... regret reading this even if you're not into assassins.

I said before that this manga was interested in the outcasts, that it looked at ordinary Japan, but this is not its only strength, in truth, this manga has in addition to the qualities previously stated a strength of line, a dynamism, a humor almost without equal, The Fable is like a girl who makes us tremble without really knowing why, this girl at the antipode of what we would normally appreciate, but to whom we can't help thinking. It is a warm manga, but sometimes extremely cold in its relationships and in its features, its sketch. It is a total success and a very ... well done parody of the slash of life genre. The ordinary life of a hitman....

(PS: The fight scenes and the characters like the boss are way too badass, PS + The review of bedridden)

TL:DR
Unexpectedly light-hearted tale of the a hitman trying to become a normal person - but he needs to escape the past first. This is more of a slice of life (albeit a slice of a very strange life) than action or comedy. However, this is very compelling for a certain kind of person.

Description
Fable is a legendary hitman who has completed numerous jobs for a variety of clients. After concluding his latest assignment, the number of people he has recently killed becomes too high, and Fable is ordered by his boss to lay low for a year. He is suggested that having to adapt to life ... as an ordinary citizen might prove a valuable experience for his future work. 

Fable is to be accompanied by the woman who acts as his driver, and the two will assume new identities as siblings. However, their boss warns them that they will both face a deadly punishment if Fable kills anyone during his time off. Thus begins Akira and Youko Satou's joint one-year sabbatical from the underworld.

Story: 6/10
The manga is very light-hearted. Despite the characters professions (hitmen and yakuza) or the seriousness of the situation, the manga manages to retain that fun atmosphere with a well-placed joke or just by the nonchalant behaviour of the characters themselves. It avoids the edginess that bogs down similar manga. This is portrayed with the characters too, it's always so casual that it never really enters the readers mind that the situation is serious and it keeps the fun atmosphere going.

I can't tell if this is supposed to be a comedy or action. The manga does very well on the build up actually, creating tension and a sense of the stakes while building to a satisfying climax. And then it fumbles at the end. The fights are just bad. Satou is an uber-badass who does everything without effort. Somehow the manga get's less tense when guns are drawn, because we know exactly how it will play out. The fist fights are also terrible (and I speak more on this in the art section). Keeping in mind that comedy is even more subjective than other tastes, I just did not find the manga funny. Most of the jokes are very basic: look he made a funny face, he admires this guy a lot wow, etc. They're all very basic jokes repeated ad nauseum.

Honestly though? I don't think it matters. This manga isn't comedy nor action, it's a slice of life in a truest sense. Following these strange people along their lives is so interesting. Even if the destination never lives up to expectations, the journey is worth it.

Character 8/10
The author really sell the fact that the characters are hitmen, they treat the scenarios they're thrust into so nonchalantly that it becomes obvious that these are everyday occurrences for them. It's a very compelling characterisation that rises above the typical over-the-top angst you may expect from the premise. The alien way they approach mundane occurrences is what makes this manga enjoyable.

The author refuses to soften or romantise the characters either, showing you exactly what a yakuza or hitman gets up to. Despite their profession, they are still very endearing and just so human, they have concerns and interests and relationships. Even the antagonists aren't just cackling villains, they make sensible decisions and they miscalculate. The writing is so good that the enjoyment comes from following their lives and the interactions of the cast.

Honestly, my least favourite was Satou, he's too stoic and barely reacts to anything happening. This makes sense considering his profession but it leads his character to be a little bland. Another thing is that he's too nice, he's supposed to be this cold killer, but he already behaves like an overprotective older brother. Would have been nice for him to be able to grow during the manga.

The rest of the cast is best experienced than talked about, it's hard to capture what makes them so compelling in words.

Art
The art is fantastic and gets you immersed in the manga. The artist goes for high amount of realism, with lots of detail in each character making. Despite avoiding exaggerated character designs, the characters are all very recognisable.

The backgrounds are extremely detailed, it makes the world feel very “lived in”. They look more like photos than drawn art.

The characters are not very visually expressive however, rarely showing emotion visually and only then for comedic effect.

Combat is disappointing, fist fights are just blurs on the page - literally, the arms are just a blur, I looked at these panels closely and I struggle to say what is actually happening in the fights. There aren't any schematic shots or dramatic running fights. People primarily just stand there and either wave there arms around or point guns. The characters are completely static and it's dreadfully dull. The final, climactic showdown at the end of the manga is ruined by the fact that it looks so bloody stupid that I can't take it seriously. It's very disappointing for an artist that clearly pays great attention to detail.

Overall 7/10
From the reviews I was expecting a riotous comedy and I was disappointed but I kept reading and I'm glad I did. The character writing on the manga is great and so the plot is good to, even if the author always fumbles the climaxes.

I don't think this manga is for everyone, it's a very character driven manga without much action and the comedy isn't top quality. However, if you just want to follow the short story of some interesting people, this is the manga for you.