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Ever wondered what it's like to have no place to belong? Having no place where one is recognized as a human being? Having no one who actually cares for you? That is what Holyland explores first and foremost. It is the story of Kamishiro Yuu who has no place in society and is forced to come out to the night streets. This is where he makes a place for himself. A place where he belongs. A world of violence and lenient law.

Kamishiro Yuu was bullied at school and taken to the brink. This resulted in him shutting himself from the outside world and simply ... staying cooped up in his room. Even his family had given up on him and branded him as a failure. For what purpose was he to live then? For who's sake? He came to the conclusion that it's all worthless and just gave it all up. He wanted to end his life but, just as he was about to do so, he stopped. He did not have it in him to end his own life. He was too weak. He decided that it was an aimless struggle and came to terms with his worthlessness. He thought he would continue to live out his worthless life.

Then as fate would have it, circumstance leads him to pick up a book on boxing and he realizes that the reason that he was unable to stand up to the people who bullied him was due to his lack of strength. He starts to train and practice punches day in and day out. Strangely enough it gives him a sense of satisfaction. It gives him something to work at. Some semblance of purpose i.e. to become stronger. After he does this for over a year, he wanders into the streets at night and again due to circumstance, he defends himself from thugs who try to extort him. He builds a reputation for himself as the "Thug Hunter". As his reputation grows, he attracts bigger and stronger members of the street. They all want a piece of him.

This is where the story begins. It all starts here and things escalate. It's a battle against the world and more importantly, himself. Yuu strives to protect his precious place and those precious to him. His Holyland. A coming of age story where he is influenced and influences his Holyland. Where he becomes the fulcrum of attention. Where he fights the darkness welling up within him as he tries to discover the purpose and effects of his violent ways. As he meets more people who he respects, gains more people who he trusts, makes friends and enemies, he finds the meaning and value of strength. This is the basic gist of how the story sets itself up.

Having said all this, is that all the story is about? Not at all. This series' strength is without a shadow of doubt, its characters and how each and every one of them have a significant role to play. Judging by what I said earlier, it may seem like a one man story but thankfully, that isn't the case. Pretty much the entire core cast develops as a whole. It's not just Yuu. They all affect each other's growth. They act as foils to each other. They all have a common reason that has brought them out to the streets. It's because they have all been shunned by society and are battling for a reason to survive however twisted they may be.

I'll just briefly outline the main characters:-

Take Izawa Masaki for example. He literally mirrors Yuu. He is an expert fighter who used to be a boxing genius growing up and a character who Yuu looks upto. He's someone who acts as a guiding light to Yuu as he surges forth. Likewise, Yuu has as much of an impact on Masaki as the other way around.

Shougo Midorikawa is a Karate Fighter who duels Yuu multiple times. He goes on to become one of his very best friends and has incredible depth to his character. He is a multifaceted character however and throughout the story, we see many sides to him. By the end of it all, he is a changed man. One who is to be respected.

Shin is the best friend who anyone could ever have and it ain't an understatement. He is just a normal person with no fighting abilities whatsoever. He acts as a faithful friend to Yuu and he is his best friend. He knows all there is to know about Yuu. He accepts Yuu for who he is. He is always there for Yuu when Yuu needs a shoulder to lean on. They could go through brick walls together. It's not just Yuu either, he is there to support anyone close to him. He'll do everything in his power to act as a pillar of support to those close to him. I have nothing but respect for his character. Even when his life is in danger, he never shies away from making a stand. He is always there to offer advice to Yuu or Shougo or Mai. A true best friend character.

Finally the last of the Main Characters, Izawa Mai. She's Masaki's Sister, Yuu's love interest and friend to Shin. She sees her Older Brother in Yuu and cannot look away. She is inadvertently drawn to him. She initially meets him at school and does not know Yuu's other side. Her role lies in the fact that she comes to terms with who Yuu really is and thus acts as yet another important person to Yuu. She too grows significantly as the story goes on. As far as she's concerned, no stone is left unturned.

These are merely character outlines and I did not even get to mentioning a single character from the supporting cast. That being said, the supporting cast is excellent in their own right. Basically, it's a glorious character cast with diverse personalities, meaningful roles, development and growth as human beings.

A unique feature of this manga is how the mangaka, Mori Kouji has personal experience in martial arts and street fights to bank upon while inputting the same in his work. There are a variety of Martial Arts such as Karate, Judo, Kenpo, Kendo, Boxing, Kick-Boxing, Mixed Marital Arts, etc that are used in the series. There's ample amount of research that has gone into this and it can be seen and felt. Not a single action scene or sequence is just mindless. There's so much thought and subtlety to every single scene. The art is simply gorgeous when it come to action scenes and they all flow very very smoothly. Given that Martial Arts, Duels and Street Fights are the basic tools that the manga uses to tell its story, it is of utmost importance that it is well done. Every single fight is exciting, unpredictable, tactical, utilizes skill, technique and power. There are occasions where each and every move is analyzed as well. An explanation by the author is present to aid readers either in his own words or through the characters in the story. What impressed me the most is the unpredictability. One can't read what's going to happen the majority of the time and it keeps you on the edge to provide a thrilling experience. There's a diverse range of duels and characters which results in a different set of moves each time. The character designs are mature and realistic for the most part. There's nothing wrong with the backgrounds either. They are detailed and well drawn. The pacing is near perfect. Things are never too overblown. There's always adequate restraint shown, while presenting any action sequence or character moment. The ending also gives adequate closure and satisfaction. In fact, it comes full circle and I personally could not ask for much more.

Saying all this, does that mean that the story is without flaws? Nope. It has its fair share of misgivings too. Some of the explanations given by the author during the fight scenes may feel jarring at times and stop the flow of the action sequence. The way the fights are staged is repetitive at times (I say this but it's only nitpicking) and finally, it requires the reader to be interested in fights and action sequences if only a little. While there are numerous downtime moments as well, fundamentally the story revolves around duels and street fights. There's no going around this fact. It may actually affect the reader's enjoyment.

However, it's a superb work that deserves recognition and respect for the way it handles itself, grand execution, and characters that drive the story in brilliant fashion. It's more character-driven than it seems. It offers consistent enjoyment throughout its duration. It's a long manga but a very worthwhile investment provided you value anything that I described. It's mature in the way it handles itself as well. So it should strike a chord with the Seinen audience.

I'll end it there. It was a grand and fulfilling experience for me. I did not have high expectations going in but boy was I given something to savor.