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This manga is unfortunately one of the worst things a manga can be: a total waste of time.

The Promised Neverland generated quite a bit of hype when it was initially released because of its interesting premise. I will be the first to admit I was drawn in by this premise and the first arc was incredibly enjoyable. The characters are likable, the pacing is perfect, and the cat-and-mouse game that the characters have to play is so full of suspense I couldn't stop reading (it reminded me quite a bit of Death Note). "I can't wait to see what kind of trials and tribulations these ... characters have to face next!" said I, after finishing the first arc. Little did I realize that the characters would not have to face any trials and tribulations. In fact pretty much NOTHING happens for the last 15 volumes or so.

This is obviously an exaggeration, but the drop-off in quality after the first arc is significant. The psychological thriller aspect that made the first arc so good is essentially absent from the rest of the story. Characters don't go through any real character development. Sure they are likable at first glance, but as the story goes you eventually realize that it just boils down to Emma being plucky and optimistic, Ray being smart, and Norman being inconsistent. None of the characters actually have to face negative consequences or question their values, which is wild considering they live in such a brutal world.

I strongly believe the author just didn't have any ideas after the first arc. If you are truly curious about The Promised Neverland, give the first arc a read, you will probably like it quite a bit. But if you choose to read beyond that and you find yourself getting bored, just remember that it does not get better and the ending is honestly not that interesting. Just save yourself some time and read something else.

Devilman is one of the most important and compelling manga of all time and it is absolutely imperative that everyone reads it at some point. It has undeniable flaws, to the point that the story feels laughably silly at times, but this is part of Devilman's charm. Beyond its goofy exterior lies a beautiful and thoughtful story about the nature of humanity and the apocalypse.

Devilman is much more plot driven than character driven, illustrated by its small cast of characters. First is our protagonist, Devilman, a.k.a. Akira Fudou, a powerful half-demon with a human heart who wishes to protect humanity from the oncoming demon invasion. ... Second is Ryo Asuka, Akira's childhood friend who discovered the existence of demons and pushes Akira to help protect humanity. Third is Miki Makimura, a friend of Akira who has a not-subtle crush on him. That is essentially the entire cast. The tiny cast of characters contributes greatly to the feeling of isolation and powerlessness in Akira's journey.

This manga has an incredibly sporadic tone, which may take some getting used to. It has a cartoony art style with round, silly looking faces, only to have you turn the page and be met with gore and demon tits. At times, Devilman feels like a campy action comic, and at other times, it feels like one of the most brutal and depressing stories ever written. This juxtaposition is what makes Devilman so hard to rate, because it certainly feels like a flaw, but it is also what makes this manga so powerful. It will make you laugh, cry, and look on in horror in a matter of a few pages.

As this is a spoiler-free review, I can not say much about the plot, but it is incredibly engaging. It is relentlessly intense from start to finish. The ending is one of my favorite endings to any series, and I still think about it often, even years after reading it for the first time.

It is impossible to overstate just how influential Devilman is. Any story about people fusing with demons and the apocalypse can probably trace its roots back to this manga. If you are a fan of something like Shin Megami Tensei or Chainsaw Man (as I am) I think you are obligated to give Devilman a read.

Given its flaws, I give this manga a very high 7.

This manga is great. It is arguably the best yuri out there, and I would go as far as to say it might be the best romance manga period. Yagate Kimi ni Naru (or its English title "Bloom into You") is such a refreshing read, as it defies so many typical tropes and delves into serious topics that most romances are afraid to touch.

On its surface, there is nothing particularly eye-catching about this manga. It takes place in a high school. The protagonist is young and plucky, and the love interest is cool and mature. Most of the story moves incredibly slowly, and the most ... significant plot event is the student council putting on a play at the culture festival (not joking). To be blunt, it sounds boring and formulaic, and if I hadn't heard so many positive things about this manga, I probably wouldn't have even bothered reading it.

Fortunately though, I gave it a chance. Somehow, Yagate Kimi ni Naru makes all these tropes work. Yes, it moves slowly, but every character, every bit of dialogue is packed with so much charm and intrigue that I couldn't put it down. A slice-of-life lives and dies by the strength of its characters, and wow, this manga delivers in that regard.

The first thing that intrigued me about this manga was the protagonist, Yuu Koito. Yuu is your typical protagonist in some ways; she is caring and courageous and good at making friends. In some ways though, she is extremely atypical. She is stubborn and blunt and easily annoyed. She wants to experience love, but feels like she is unable to do so. Even when Touko begins to express interest in her, Yuu doesn't blush and get excited. She feels nothing.

Not to be outdone, the love interest, Touko Nanami, is just as likable and complex. She is in some ways the opposite of Yuu; she is the mature, calm, and flawless student council president. However, she is full of insecurities and self-loathing. Like Yuu, she also doesn't understand what it means to love. Despite her affection for Yuu, she is fearful of Yuu loving her in return.

Yuu and Touko make for a truly lovable pair. Instead of one character helping the other, they are both growing together, learning what love means for them. They are just so sweet and easy to root for.

In most romances, characters outside the main couple exist as little more than background noise, only good for moving the plot along or causing a love triangle. This is perhaps the most impressive part of Yagate Kimi ni Naru. Every character, and I mean every character, is multi-faceted and has their own independent motivations all while not taking any attention away from the main focus of the story. Amazingly, this manga is the first I have read that has a love triangle that isn't unbearably annoying, and it is a testament to how well-written that third character is.

Truly, I think Yagate Kimi ni Naru transcends the yuri genre. When was the last time a yuri tackled transitory homosexuality? Asexuality? This manga does all that and more. Often, I see people describe yuri as "pure". I despise this concept, as it feels vaguely misogynistic and not representative of how love truly is. Yagate Kimi ni Naru shows that a yuri can be largely wholesome and positive without trying too hard to be pure. The characters kiss, they have lustful feelings, they have temptations. They act like real people in love.

If I have one complaint, it is that the story did not show Yuu and Touko coming out to their friends and family members. It hinted at it, but ultimately this was a missed opportunity to dive into another serious and interesting topic. However, this is a minor criticism, and the story is paced so well that adding any more would ultimately be unnecessary.

It should also be mentioned that Nio Nakatani's artwork is incredible, full of gorgeous panels. She uses space beautifully.

Please read this manga. It is much more than just a yuri. It is a masterpiece deserving of that elusive 10/10 score.

JoJolion is the one JoJo part that I never seem to hear about. Which is a shame, because I consider it one of the most profound and interesting parts in this masterpiece of a series.

JoJolion has its flaws, no doubt. It abandons plot lines and sometimes things seem to come out of nowhere. The pacing is inconsistent as it feels quite slow throughout until it hits you with a fast-paced and convoluted ending. The main villain is not terribly interesting as a character and doesn't appear until late in the story.

Honestly though, the flaws are what make this part what it is, and I ... wouldn't want it any other way.

JoJolion is very different from the other parts in a lot of ways. The protagonist, Josuke Higashikata (the other one) is not looking to kill Dio, or become a gang-star, or win the Steel Ball Run race. He wakes up without any memories; he only wants to know who he is and what his life means. With the help of his friend Yasuho, who is easily one of my favorite characters in all of Jojo, Josuke goes on a journey to find his past.

It is hard to talk about JoJolion's plot without spoiling the experience, so I won't say too much, but it is full of amazing moments and lovable characters. Josuke and Yasuho have a beautiful friendship. The Higashikata family, despite their flaws, cares so much for each other and for Josuke. JoJolion is definitely a story about love between humans, and about the journey mattering more than the destination. People complain about the fast-paced ending, but this might be my favorite ending to any JoJo part. It ties together all the themes of this part so well, I couldn't imagine it ending any other way.

If you enjoy JoJo, please do not skip out on JoJolion. It is not perfect, but it doesn't need to be. If it weren't for the 10/10 masterpiece that is part 7, I would easily consider this my favorite JoJo part.

To date, I struggle to understand why Citrus is as popular as it is. There are so many better yuri. It is average at best and weirdly gross at worst.

In terms of positives, there are a few. Citrus has nice art, the character designs are extremely cute. Yuzu and Mei look cute together, at least aesthetically. Yuzu is an alright protagonist who is fun to root for.

That is about where the praise ends; everything else is pretty bad. Mei, in particular, is one of the worst written characters in recent memory. She treats Yuzu quite terribly and is rather abusive at times. The fact that ... they live together as sisters makes the relationship feel all the more weird and gross. The fact that I don't feel comfortable supporting the main couple is not a good sign considering this is a romance series.

The side characters are largely one-dimensional and not likable. Often they just cause drama for no reason. The love triangles that pop up are infuriating. Love triangles are annoying in pretty much any series, but they are incredibly unbearable in Citrus.

I admit there is quite a bit of personal bias in my review. I have somewhat of a personal vendetta against this manga. It was the first yuri I ever heard of and read, and it made me not want to read yuri for a number of years.

If you are looking to get into the yuri genre, I beg you to please read a different series, like Yagate Kimi ni Naru.

Persona is deservedly one of the most popular JRPG series of all time, but people often overlook its humble beginnings as a first-person dungeon crawler for the PS1. Megami Ibunroku Persona is an interesting video game with a brilliant atmosphere, but the gameplay has aged somewhat poorly and it is bound to be a frustrating experience for anyone except the most hardcore of JRPG fans. Fortunately, we have this stellar manga adaptation which will undoubtedly please both non-gamers unfamilar with Persona's story and fans of the game alike.

This manga takes a few creative liberties that differ from the game. Certain characters are given more screen ... time and the story of the optional Snow Queen Quest is condensed into the main plot. Most notable of the differences however, is the decision to give the protagonist, Naoya Toudou, his own character and backstory. In the game, Naoya is completely silent and no information is given about his personality and past. This is fine in the game, since he is intended to be a self-insert for the player, but his strong characterization in the manga makes it a unique experience compared to the game. Sometimes Naoya's plot with Kazuya feels "tacked-on" and weirdly unrelated to the main story, but it is still enjoyable on its own. Naoya is overall made to be a charming and cool protagonist who is fun to follow.

Let's talk more about the other characters. Persona has a large cast, but it is good at making its characters feel distinct and memorable, and the manga tries hard to give each character at least a little development. Persona as a series has always been character driven, and the Persona manga is no exception. Even if I forget the somewhat complicated plot of this manga, I will never forget characters like Maki, Nanjo, Brown, Mark, Reiji, and Yukino.

The story here, as I said, is complicated and fast-paced, and it can be difficult to follow at times. I played the game beforehand, so I didn't have too much trouble, but I could easily imagine a new reader feeling lost in the sea of characters, magic system, and plot points. That said, the characters carry the experience and bring an emotional depth to it that makes it all worthwhile.

In terms of art, I feel like this manga isn't talked about enough. I LOVE the art in this manga. It has so much style, and breathes life into the characters that just wasn't there in the game. Things like Brown making a goofy pose, or Maki brightly smiling, feel very in character and are beautifully drawn.

In summary, this manga suffers a little in pacing, but makes up for it with great art and fantastic characters. As a fan of the game, I thought this manga was a worthwhile and fantastic experience, but I think even someone who knows nothing about Persona would enjoy it. I highly recommend it.