Apr 28, 2023
First thing I want to make note of is that the artwork and paneling of this manga is consistently very detailed and striking. The action is easy to understand most of the time, despite the zany nature of all that’s depicted. The character designs are very creative for all of the supernatural beings, which are based on real-life yokai/folk tales/cryptids, as described at the end of each volume. The background artwork is photorealistic, with a great sense of depth and texture. Everything from foliage to buildings to vehicles and spacecraft have a high level of detail, especially for a weekly manga!
The characters all have fun
...
dynamics between each other, even as the cast grows throughout the series. The dialogue is snappy, which keeps the pacing fast and engaging. The story is non-serious most of the time, which makes for a laid-back vibe that keeps me focused on the spectacle and the unraveling mysteries that are well foreshadowed. Occasionally, the story will hit with an unexpectedly serious sad backstory. While initially jarring, it does the job of getting me to become emotionally invested in the characters.
While I have a lot of points of praise for this manga, it is ultimately a gag/sitcom type of manga. It’s enjoyable to read, but it hasn’t hooked me in for the long haul like my favorite stories do. The writing is very in-the-moment, which means that if any arc is a flop, I won’t feel like I’m missing out on the future of the story. The point where I felt the least engaged with the story was around chapter 30-35ish, when Momo and Okarun visit Jiji’s house to rid it of the evil spirits. It spends more time than previous arcs establishing the mystery without introducing any new creatures for a while (relatively speaking). The only conflict is between two groups of humans until it comes to a head and blows the case wide open. At which point, it picked right back up to the same level of wild as previous arcs get.
Overall, this manga met the expectations I had going into it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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