Jun 11, 2019
I don't know why it bothered me that this doesn't have a review, but it did, so here goes:
I'm not going to tell anyone that this is an absolutely amazing manga that will change your life, but I do think it is worth a read if you are a certain kind of reader. The 7/10 it has right now on the site is probably what it deserves. If you enjoy works like Goodnight PunPun, or possibly Elfen Lied than you might get more mileage out of Alice in Hell than others. The author uses death, sex, gore, violence, and abuse to highlight a lot of
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fairly contemporary topics. The violence in this manga is not heroic or meaningful, the sex is not sexy, and you may find that your emotions are inverted or switched off during certain scenes. The entire work explores the consequences of violence, dehumanization, and alienation in society, while touching on personal issues such as escapism, god complex, isolation, and sexual dysfunction. The manga of course takes place in a fictional world, but it is easy to draw parallels to common trends in real modern societies. The story can be read as literal, or as allegorical, and works well either way. In fact, I think one of the hardest things to deal with while reading this manga, is that everything in it is not only plausible, but has happened in real life during times of war, or has been dreamt about or perpetrated by lone isolated individuals.
The art is good for the subject matter, and I think the artist highlights extreme material in a way that moves the story forward rather than just being gratuitous. Pacing is overall consistent, but is a weak point in some chapters. The timeline is compact and fast paced, but some major plot points are introduced in a really abrupt manner. Flashbacks and changes in perspective are generally well used, but there are times when it is jarring, or when it forces a theme about a character’s personality that is already obvious. The characters are well fleshed out, especially the main three (Shuu, Eliza, Kenji,) and Alice. There are two supporting characters I can think of that are completely stock and unrealistic, and who serve only to move the plot along, but for the most part the supporting cast (especially in major flashbacks) are either well done, or nameless cannon fodder.
A final note, which comes back to what I touched on about you the reader, is that this is definitely not for everyone. A lot of people seem to enjoy manga where you are supposed to relate with, root for, or self-insert into the role of the characters, and they get frustrated while reading stories with little, or no, resolution or closure. If this describes you than you might want to give this one a pass, but hey, who knows, maybe going into it prepared you might enjoy it regardless.
Solid 7/10, great story for kids O_O
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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