Apr 9, 2011
Note: I included one spoiler, because it actually relates to one of my points in the review. I gave a fair warning, so don't complain if you spoil things for yourself! You've been warned! ;)
Currently at the time of this review, I've read 34 chapters of I am a Hero (only 35 -I believe- are currently released), so this is more of a review of the first "segment", if you will, rather than the entire series.
Story - 7 (good)
In a nutshell: We have our quirky, 35-year old, perhaps mentally unstable?, main character, Hideo trying to survive a zombie outbreak. It's as simple as that! I
...
don't want to get too into it, since I want to prevent spoilers of any kind. But I am going to warn you now; this manga is VERY slow. Nothing happens until probably ~15-20 chapters in, and these are fairly long chapters. There were several times I felt like dropping this manga, but I had heard lots of great things about it, many good reviews and praises, so I stuck with it. As slow as it is, give it time and wait til the outbreak occurs before you drop it, you may find it's worth your time.
Art - 7 (good)
It's either you love it, or you hate it. I enjoy realistic-anime styles occasionally, and I couldn't imagine this manga any other way. The images of monsters, hallucinations, and zombies can tend to be pretty darn graphic; They do their jobs extremely well! Let's just say, for those who are sensitive to graphic images or have weak stomachs, you might just sleep with your nightlight on again!
Needless to say, the artwork was the biggest payoff for me. It's what kept me from dropping this manga, because I always wanted to see what terrifying creature would turn up next.
Characters - 3 (poor)
Uuuuuuugggghh... Okay, I'm very bias on this and I know for a fact not everyone will agree with me here, but... I can't stand a single character in this manga. The only truly 'main character' is Hideo, and he's -okay-, but he tends to get on my nerves with just HOW awkward he is. To me, he just seems like a very unpleasant person to be around. (Warning: Spoilers up ahead!! Just skip down past the "END SPOILERS" line if you don't want, well, spoilers.)
---SPOILERS!!---
It really bothered me when, after his girlfriend had turned into a zombie and died, he hardly reacted at all. He apparently loved her so much, albeit getting into a fight with her right before she turned, but he didn't seem shocked, scared, devastated... nothing. It just seemed like a very underwhelming reaction for characters who are supposed to be portrayed as realistic. Yes, I know every human being reacts differently to trauma, stress, etc., but it really bothered me since he seemed very attached to her and in love. At least he cried for her once he was on the train, SEVERAL chapters later, but the initial reaction (or lack-there-of) very much bugged me.
---END SPOILERS!!!---
Otherwise, I never enjoyed or got attached to -any- character in the entire 34 chapters. They came off as completely bland to me. I might like the newest character to join Hideo in the latest chapters, but I'm not getting my hopes up.
Enjoyment - 6 (fair/okay)
This is tough for me, because I genuinely like this manga aside from me not strongly liking a single character, lol. It trudged on forever it seemed, but once the conflict arose and the zombies appeared, it sucked me in and nothing could draw away my attention. As I said, the artwork for the zombies/monsters is captivating and disturbing; just the way I like it! Another aspect I loved what that there were genuinely times where I felt the uneasiness and suspense of the situation (taxi scene, anyone?). It's definitely a manga that holds my interest enough to keep me asking for more! I just gave it a fairly low score because of the first 10-20 chapters and lack of character interest.
Overall - 7 (good)
This manga is unique, to say the least, but not too bizarre either. I would recommend checking it out, you know, if you're into that sort of thang.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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