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Feb 8, 2016
I found this series while looking for action/shounen Manhua that ISN'T Xianxia. Although, there are arguably some Xianxia elements there, it is, at the very least, a story that takes place in modern day and deals with the supernatural.
This is also a review based on the 16 chapters that have currently been translated to English so this may be edited later when more have been released.
Story- 7/10
At first glance, the synopsis seems very cliched. And for the most part... it is. Main character was born with special powers, gets bullied for odd appearance as a child, learns that there's a school where he
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could refine his powers, joins school, has adventures. Honestly, reading these first 16 chapters made me feel like I was reading the beginning of Naruto again.
Not that this is a bad thing. It gives a very refreshing and nostalgic feeling of a shounen series. Most of the twists have been fairly predictable, the author has yet to surprise me. However, this is only the beginning. The setting and world building promises a very interesting concept for the future.
Art- 7/10
The art doesn't strike me as anything special. It's not terrible, but it's nothing special either. Most of the characters have large eyes and round faces. They're also not particularly detailed, but you can definitely see a growth in the author's art. The character designs start getting more extravagant and creative in a short amount of time.
The background drawings are also interesting to look at. The scenery is always heavily detailed with a lot of reference to Chinese culture (the architecture, lanterns, etc).
Character- 6/10
While they have good character designs, a lot of the characters fall flat at the moment. They have yet to impress me, most of them fill common shounen archtypes and doesn't bring anything new to the table. The main character is your typical hothead that is motivated by money. The heroine is a model student and is acknowledged for being powerful, therefore causing the main character to make enemies for hanging around her.
However, this is the beginning of the story and they do have promise for character development in the future. In particular, the villains that have appeared seem to deviate from your typical bad guy.
Enjoyment- 8/10
Like I said earlier, if you enjoy Shounen, you will enjoy this series. It's pretty straightforward and a simple read.
Overall- 7/10
It's a story that has a lot of cliches, but cut it some slack! It's still the beginning! The story does have promise and there will definitely be more to see in the future.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 28, 2015
The story of clones brought up in a clone academy, Afterschool Charisma (Houkago no Charisma) revisits the message of nature vs. nurture. Do they become who they are because of their genes? Or is it the environment that creates them? Both sides of this argument are tackled in interesting ways throughout the story without truly saying either side is correct.
Story- 9/10
Taking place in a boarding school, the first scene of this series gives a lighthearted tone. The story itself, however, quickly grows to be a lot darker. The question of nature vs. nurture and the ethical aspects of cloning come to play. The story
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itself has a very logical progression, with major reveals, but nothing coming completely out of left field. The pacing can be a little slow at times, especially coming into the later volumes where the author explores the few non-clone characters' backstories. However, if you enjoy political fights in the middle of the action, this would be a particularly splendid read for you.
The story ultimately loses out on a point from me because it isn't something particularly new. The concept has been compared to Clone High and some of the advancement in plot reminds me of Gakuen Alice. Nevertheless, Afterschool Charisma is well done and thought provoking at times (really, fandom?! Your favorite character is Hitler of all people??).
Art- 10/10
Not much to say here, the art is amazing. Everything is very clean and the author's way of drawing characters serves the story's purpose very well. The clones look alike and characters related to each other have subtle similarities.
Character- 9/10
Wow, the characters may very well be what makes this series unique. The author has certainly taken to designing these characters to her own liking. Despite having a historical figure as the base, the author still gives her characters their own flare and her own take on their personalities. This, however, could also be seen as her own spin on the nature vs. nurture theme. It isn't so strange that, brought up in a different environment, these characters would act differently from the way they were perceived in history. (Ex: Ikkyu being laid back and always trying to have fun.)
The psychological development of these characters are amazing as well. Each character changes immensely from the beginning of the series-- in understandable ways as well. The situations they face force them to think carefully about their place in society as clones as well as the people they're meant to be and each character ultimately comes to their own conclusions.
The author doesn't shy away from creating controversial characters as well. Clone Hitler. I mean, way to make a character that everyone is sure to dislike... wait what?? He's actually quite well liked! I suppose it's no surprise that everyone likes this character (to some extent). He is the underdog, the small and shy kid in the corner... The occasional yandere... However, whether or not the character is well liked, it doesn't change the fact that his character serves as an important plot point in the story. And the author certainly gets a few points for her creative way of using a character like Clone Hitler to move the plot along. So in a way, this serves as a warning: there is Clone Hitler in this series and if that bothers you, maybe you should stay away from this series after all.
Enjoyment- 9/10
A very fantastic read in terms of plot and character development. It may be cliched here and there, but a very intriguing series so far.
Overall- 9/10
(See above in Enjoyment!)
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Dec 23, 2015
Apocalypse no Toride (Fort of Apocalypse) is definitely one of the best manga series I've read. It's packed with action, gore, interesting characters, a bit of fan dis-service, a bit of fan service, and a good storyline.
Story- 8/10
A good old zombie thriller. The zombie apocalypse starts and the characters have to find a way to survive. The setting starts at a juvenile detention center, but travels across different parts of Japan, giving glimpses of how the world has changed due to the apocalypse.
The plot progression is pretty good, too. It goes at a steady, but quick pace, bringing new information to the reader
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with each arc. The only complaint would be how each arc is so conveniently timed. The moment they solve one problem, the next one pops up. Realistically, I would think that these problems crop up in the middle of each other... But I give in to the suspension of belief.
The plot gets rather creative as the story goes on as well. It's a zombie series so it's a matter of shooting the undead and trying to survive, but this series gives a number of nice twists and turns as it goes.
The characters' decisions are believable as well. They match realistically with their personalities. "That is such an idiotic thing to do during an apocalypse!" ...well, he's an impulsive character who likes getting the last laugh so that makes sense.
Art- 10/10
How do you know that this is a main character??! Well, if they are good looking...
Inabe Kuze's art is gorgeous. From the characters to the scenery to the zombies to the weapons, all of it is amazing. The pretty boys and the pretty girl are all eye candy. The action scenes are smooth and the gore is well done. Occasionally, I question if someone with a snapped neck would move like that, but I imagine there are very few references for that out there.
But yea, the fanservice- pretty boys and girl
The fan dis-service- the zombies. ...The wonderfully terrifying abominations that will haunt me in my sleep.
Character- 9/10
The four main characters are well done. They're well fleshed out and hints of their hidden sides are shown early on. Unfortunately, what the author seemed to have traded in for character exploration was character development. There's not much of it throughout the series. It was, understandably, more of an action series than a psychological one. However, we do get to see how the main character goes from wimpy to badass.
Also included in my character rating are the zombies. The designs are creative, unlike the average slow moving, grunting zombies seen in movies. For a particular group of zombies, it was so terrifying that I simply stared at it in shock for several minutes. Maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but the shock was definitely there.
Enjoyment- 9/10
This was ultimately a very enjoyable series. There were heartbreaking and hilarious moments alike. And, of course, the terrifying zombie apocalypse moments! It ultimately loses out on a point from me simply because the story as a whole didn't feel complete. It felt like there was a lot more left to explore, but the author chose to end it where it was.
Overall- 9/10
Repeat from above on enjoyment.
It felt like a roller coaster ride of a story, but the rest of the amusement park was left unexplored.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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