Monster by Naoki Urasawa stands out with an intriguing and unique premise. Unlike stories that rely heavily on sudden plot twists, this manga boldly lays out its narrative by clearly defining the protagonist, Dr. Kenzo Tenma, and the antagonist, the so-called “monster,” Johan Liebert. What makes this manga exceptional is its portrayal of Johan as a human being who embodies monstrous traits, seamlessly blending the lines between humanity and pure evil.
The story follows Dr. Tenma’s relentless journey as he pursues Johan across cities and even different countries, creating a gripping narrative filled with suspense and moral complexity. Urasawa skillfully showcases the characters' actions in intense
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Nov 1, 2024
21st Century Boys
(Manga)
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As the follow-up and conclusion to 20th Century Boys, this manga wraps up the story in a way that feels like a proper send-off. It dives deeper into who "Friend" really is and why he did what he did, which adds some satisfying answers to the long-standing questions. That said, the plot gets pretty wild with the introduction of time machine elements, making things a bit confusing at times. Still, even with all the twists and turns, I think the ending works well enough for such a complex tale. It might not resolve every single detail, but it brings the main threads to a close
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Nov 1, 2024
20th Century Boys
(Manga)
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Reading 20th Century Boys feels like diving into a shounen manga, even though it firmly belongs to the seinen genre. As expected from Naoki Urasawa, the story features a wide array of unique and intriguing characters. However, I feel that the antagonist, "Friend," is somewhat over-glorified in the internet. While his actions are portrayed as highly intelligent and manipulative, they aren't entirely convincing to me. It’s hard to believe that he could deceive the entire Japanese population, government, and even the world through the methods depicted in the story. The same logic applies to the portrayal of the protagonists.
Additionally, the final "fight" scene felt distinctly ... 
Sep 22, 2024
Kokou no Hito
(Manga)
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At first i thought the manga was about climbing sports, a story about an introverted teenager with social issues finding a new purpose in his life by climbing, making new friends along the way, and competing in tournament or some sort. There was one character that i think got forgotten, one of the climber athlete that's resembling his old friend who was trying to die by suicide. I think there are significant changes in the genre or in how the author envisions the direction of the story midway through.
Then after the tournament/competition event, the story changes only about his life and climbing, alone. Not about ... |
