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I imagine this manga is every vorarephile's fantasy because there's a lot of consensual cannibalism. Is consensual cannibalism even a thing? I don't know, I'm still trying to process what the hell I just read so I'm kind of at a loss right now and I'm getting really mixed feelings about this.

I guess I'll start by saying that, this manga excellently depicts body horror. The organic matter and mutating body parts of the characters give off such a raw and visceral feeling that I didn't expect at the start, mostly because the characters themselves aren't drawn that well. This was released in 2000 so I ... understand why the art style is reminiscent of early 90s proportions and character designs. But overall I'd say the art is fantastic because of the psychedelic effects and horrific monster designs that carry the visuals. The horror is even more emphasized because the detailed depictions of gore heavily contrast with the bare and simple backgrounds.

While the crazy art was visually stunning, it made the story itself feel like one giant acid trip. I can't confidently explain the story to anyone, and I won't even try to understand what the heck was going on in the later chapters. There were a lot of panels where I had no idea if it was actually even happening to the characters or if it was just some kind of weird fever dream. But I think I get the gist of what happens in the end. It's definitely more of a psychological/artsy horror that is more atmospheric and unsettling than it is terrifying.

I understand why this manga gets a lot of negative feedback. The implied incest mixed with the heavy sexual metaphors and undertones will just never be okay. But what is horror if not to make people feel disturbed? And while this manga didn't make a lot of sense, it definitely left me feeling pretty disturbed. The craziest thing about the story was how lightly the heavy themes were taken. I think the fact that the characters were so nonchalant about child abuse, cannibalism, and violence, made it all the more jarring to read. Not to mention, all the characters were tied together by either dark and sordid pasts or weird unresolved sexual tension. So this just made every interaction and relationship dynamic so convoluted. There was never a single moment while reading this where I was able to predict what would happen next. So I don't think it's fair to say the manga is shit just because of the incest or the biggest wtf factor which is that the brother gets off on his sister eating him alive. Sure that's messed up, but looking beyond those things, the premise actually had a lot of potential to be great, if the mangaka only focused more on the narrative rather than the perverse aspects.

I don't know how this manga managed to make it seem like people who disagreed with incest were the villains, but that's basically the entire plot.

I hated the first manga so I wasn't sure if I should even read this prequel but I'm glad I did because all the criticisms I had for Ousama Game were completely improved in this one. I feel like the author had this prequel in mind when he made Ousama Game because this just makes so much more sense and overall this just had better characters, writing, development, and gore.

In this manga, we get a lot more context and introduction ... to the characters. While again I didn't particularly like any of the characters, they were much more dynamic and developed in this prequel because the relationships were clearly outlined from the very beginning. The structure and rules of the game were executed much better too. Starting off with the younger villagers made sense in delaying the awareness about the game and if you know the ending, it really ties into who the Ousama is and who they could easily target at the start. The challenges were more creative too, but mostly at the beginning. Towards the end, it's the typical 'someone has to kill the other' type of situation which was pretty boring with how often it happened but I appreciate how some twists were added into the mix to make it more interesting. I also appreciate how so many more aspects were added like the police's involvement, researchers actually trying to identify the cause of the game, and the clearer depiction of the more supernatural elements that really drive the game. The explanation in this prequel made more sense than the first manga where they briefly explained that the game is powered by a program that relies on the "power of suggestion".

Looking back at it though, the ending of the first manga doesn't really tie into this prequel aside from the obvious which is that Kazunari, the protagonist, lives on to have Chiemi who is a character in the first manga. The first manga reveals that Chiemi's mom was researching/developing a virus that would use the power of suggestion to stop wars and create peace. But the name of the researcher who is Chiemi's mom was revealed to be "Honda, Natsuko". In this prequel, the end reveals that Kazunari marries a girl named Rie and actually has twin daughters Chiemi, and Natsuko whom he named after his lover/cousin. Maybe the sequel would make things clearer, I hope it does because the two endings don't really add up.

Aside from that, the prequel definitely surpassed the original in all aspects. I kind of wish I read this one first actually because Ousama Game made no sense at all while this prequel was an overall solid read.

I've read a lot of survival horror mangas and this one is pretty shitty. Mostly because the characters are weak, the art is messy, the premise is cliche, and the plot itself is poorly developed not to mention the stupid ending that didn't even seem like an ending.

To start with, I can barely distinguish the side characters from one another because they're drawn basically the same. None of the characters were compelling and we didn't really get any background or context for any of them either including the protagonist. Relationships were unclear too, at the start it seemed like Nobuaki and Chiemi were just childhood ... friends who secretly liked each other but at some point, people started referring to them as girlfriend and boyfriend. None of the other characters stood out either, I can barely remember their names except for Ria, who was probably the only character to have actual depth and personality aside from the protagonist, Nobuaki. In the end, I couldn't really empathize with any of the characters so none of the deaths were compelling or emotional at all.

The premise is a typical death game but the rules and structure of the game are so inconsistent and towards the end, it was annoying how random it became. The challenges also became repetitive and just plain boring, there was hardly any tension or fear factor. It started off with sexual challenges before moving on to violence and then the rules all of a sudden just become vague and senseless. The author doesn't really fully explore the premise, It definitely had more potential that wasn't tapped into. We never even get a believable explanation and the resolution is both unsatisfying and unclear. So the end is shitty because it was incredibly rushed and barely made any sense.

I would've rated this much lower but I can admit that some scenes took me by surprise, mainly the one with Nobuaki, Chiemi, and Naoya (you'll know what I mean if you've read it). But aside from that nothing else really stood out, none of the characters, none of the deaths, and I can't even explain what the game is really about because the manga doesn't do a good job of explaining it.

The moral of the story: kids can be real cunts sometimes. I'm not sure if this was their goal but the manga definitely tried to include every possible depravity out there. It has sexual assault, prostitution, pedophilia, and oh yeah lots of cannibalism—in case the title didn't already give that away, yes, they do in fact eat each other.

Aside from the cannibalism aspect, I'd say it has a very cliche high-school death game premise. If you've read Ousama Game, the structure of the games is pretty much the same but I think the sheer brutality and creativity of the challenges in this manga completely beat ... Ousama Game. In both manga, you get the usual protagonist who is fairly popular, righteous, and deadset on basically saving everyone, which is really the standard male protagonist trope for these types of stories. But unlike in Ousama Game, this manga's ending isn't actually half bad. For me, it at least managed to tie up all loose ends and uncover all the mysteries. It wasn't the most satisfying ending for sure because let's face it every likable character dies and we're left with the bland protagonist, Shouta, but it did make sense in the end. I also enjoyed the creepy open-ended panel we're left with in the last chapter that really cements the horror aspect of this manga.

I've been hating on the protagonist a lot but I do appreciate how the story doesn't end with him going into a spiral of insanity where he suddenly becomes a pro at the game. While Shouta does get understandably depressed, he at least doesn't suddenly improve and start killing off people for his own benefit. It was actually a nice touch that he stayed upright and true to his beliefs until the end, and it was those same values that led him to uncover the truth about the game. While the manga is fast-paced and some of the characters are severely underdeveloped, the writing and plot were pretty consistent. From the beginning, we were already given a few hints that tied into the mystery of the game and that's exactly what made the ending so believable. There are a few scenes and side stories that seemed really unnecessary to the plot, like the sex cult and just a lot of the sexual assault that seemed to happen almost every other chapter. But disregarding those really horrific visuals, it's a decent read that you can easily breeze through in one sitting. There's a good chance you'll be traumatized and disturbed by the end of it, but I personally think it's entertaining enough.

One word, UNHINGED. I'm still kind of haunted by that one really unnecessarily graphic r*pe scene because the visuals were all pretty tame since the first manga and then suddenly this one panel comes out of nowhere to give us all depression. I don't even know where to start because there's just so much to unpack. Honestly, I didn't have high expectations for this manga because I felt like the premise was getting a bit boring and repetitive at this point. But after reading it, I was pleasantly surprised.

In the beginning, I was severely disappointed that Nishina wasn't the protagonist, she wasn't even part of ... the story at all. I was really anticipating her next game to see how much she's changed, so I instantly disliked the new protagonist, Ayaka. She starts off as an airhead, but that impression quickly changes after the first few chapters as we learn just how unhinged she is. While we do get to know the identity of some of the werewolves from the very start, they spiced up the game structure just enough to still have so much mystery in the story.

This manga kind of goes completely off the rails in comparison to the first two and I think it worked. The first manga focused on the villagers so the identity of the werewolves and the fact that they'd played the game before were unknown. The second manga was from the view of the werewolves so it was really a guessing game about the roles of the residents instead. For Crazy Fox, everything is a bit misleading because we know who some of the wolves are (some not all, this tidbit plays a crucial role in the climax) and that Ayaka is the fox. Aside from the fox, there's also the prophet, the bodyguard, and a new role which is the spiritualist. All these new changes, along with so many experienced players in one game, made the whole thing so goddamn chaotic. Not to mention, we follow the story from the view of Ayaka most of the time and as you get to know her, you realize it's hard to trust anything she says/does/or even thinks because of how unstable she is. Ayaka was basically a wild card character that threw everyone off (both the characters and me as a reader). It was interesting to see how every scheme and tactic was rendered useless by the fact that Ayaka just does not think logically and that her actions are driven by her delusional whims.

What I appreciated the most about this manga in comparison to the first two is that this one probably showed us the most creativity in terms of how to play the game. Maybe because the characters this time had more shared history amongst each other, but the relationships were just so much more complex and in-depth. There wasn't even any grudge aspect but their dynamics were so convoluted and twisted that I could never really tell what they'd do and who they were working with. Overall, I'd say that despite the underwhelming premise, each manga of the series was executed uniquely enough to make each one interesting and entertaining in its own way. Definitely worth while because all three mangas would take less than a day to binge-read.

Finally, a manga shows not one but several powerful women who don't just fit the clumsy, innocent, and cute type. Here we get a variety of female characters who are much more complex and interesting than you'd ever expect from a typical horror manga.

In some ways, this was both better and worse than the first manga. Better because this felt more brutal and the gore elements really stood out. Worse because the plot was just messier and less cohesive this time around. The first manga had really cruel scenes that emphasized the brutality of personally killing the ones closest to you. I don't know if ... the artist just got better or if they were hesitant in the first one, but the art and gore in this one definitely improved.

I also appreciate the character development of the protagonist, Nishina. At the start of the series, she was just the typical damsel in distress type so it was interesting to see her sadistic side the longer the story played out. Even more so because she doesn't go through the usual spiral of moral dilemma or anything tedious like that. Instead, she sort of just gradually levels up into this quiet scheming character who's really adapted to that way of life. Not just Nishina, but all the other characters introduced here were much more interesting and dynamic. Their grudges against each other were highly convoluted and twisted, unlike the first manga where some of the backstories were just plain petty.

But while the backstories and characters here had so much more potential, a lot of it was glossed over and pretty much wasted. This manga felt rushed and all over the place as opposed to how concise and straightforward the first one was. Some characters were highlighted really well, while others were just briefly mentioned and their story never really gets explored. Not to mention how suddenly certain plot points are sprung in the middle of the story. I do appreciate how aspects of the game were altered to mix it up and make it more challenging both for readers and the players who are more experienced. Also, in terms of predictability, this definitely goes crazily unexpected. I just think the execution could've been smoother and less jarring than how it was done. But I will say, this was so much more fun and definitely a wilder experience than the first manga.

Survive with ̶t̶̶h̶̶e̶ ̶p̶̶o̶̶w̶̶e̶̶r̶ ̶o̶̶f̶ ̶l̶̶o̶̶v̶̶e̶ pussy power.

I really really reaaaally appreciate a manga that doesn't objectify or over-sexualize its female characters. In fact, the women in this story are integral characters that drive the plot and aren't used to just support the male characters or feed any fetishes.

If you're like me, who's into horror, but you're not really looking for anything too long and in-depth, then this is a really great manga. First of all, it's really short. I read this in less than 2 hours and it was interesting enough for me to finish it without pausing. Is it exceptional though? Not at ... all. It's a simple premise (we're all aware of how the werewolf game works) with mediocre art and writing. But I really appreciate low-stakes, and low-commitment reads like this series. Especially when I'm in between reading heavy mangas that are 100+ chapters. This is definitely more like a short story with how fast-paced it is and the author never gives you any time to really form attachments or empathize with any of the characters. So as a death game, you won't feel much tension or emotions either. Not to say that that's a bad thing though.

I wouldn't say it did well as a horror manga because there was hardly any fear factor and the gore was mid at best, it's definitely leaning more toward mystery. I think the plot only really works because while it may be a bit predictable, it's not long or drawn out enough for you to get tired of it. But, it's not the cheesy kind of predictable, some details were added that made the plot more interesting in my opinion. There definitely wasn't any big plot twist or mind-altering elements to the story, so I suggest going into this without much thought or expectations and you'll find that it's entertaining enough.

If you're like me, who came to read the manga after watching the anime then you're in luck because the manga is 100x better. While the shitty CGI of the anime didn't distract from the interesting premise, the art just didn't do the manga any justice. The manga is a cinematic experience in itself and it's refreshing to see art that doesn't try to maximize the panels but instead manages to draw suspense from the bareness of it. And when I say bare, I mean practical minimalism that emphasizes the grittier aspects of the story which are the gore, destruction, and monstrous figures of the ... IBM (Invisible Black Matter) that the demi-humans conjure.

The manga is drawn in such a way that makes it hard to take your eyes off those three things because it's really the only things that are rendered so darkly and with so much detail that the contrast is jarring. It wastes no panels or space, and everything from composition to rendering paints a picture of tension and quiet dread for what's to come. But I think what's really compelling are the characters and their writing. There's something so poetic about a story that is centered around immortal beings whose humanity is the main point of question, but the plot is driven by the very humanness of these beings called Ajin.

Ajin is an interesting psychological, character-driven, horror manga that plays with a simple enough premise but manages to creatively execute different aspects of it. What I appreciate the most about the storytelling, was that there were never any sudden power-ups and no new elements to Ajin's immortality that were added into the mix. It's a fast read, with easy-to-follow action sequences, and not to mention probably has one of the greatest villains ever written.

The story delves deep into philosophical and political debates regarding morality and discrimination but what I found most interesting was the contrast between the protagonist, Kei, and the antagonist, Sato. Both of them were painted to be psychopaths completely lacking in empathy. That disposition makes them the quintessential Ajin that humanity has learned to fear. While every other character in the story is fighting with a heroic goal in mind, Kei and Sato are motivated by their clashing egos. While fundamentally alike, it was interesting to see the disparity between the two. Both are highly intelligent, composed, and calculating, but while Kei is shackled by the need to adhere to societal standards, Sato shows no regard for norms at all. Instead, Sato's main objective was to seek entertainment.

Sato is such a well-developed antagonist because his motives are so frustratingly simple, but his actions are so unconventional and hard to predict. Although it's grating to see a powerful antagonist who caused so much chaos for absolutely no reason at all, I begrudgingly respect his ingenuity and sheer competence. Sato exhibits the full capacity of an Ajin because he's not limited by any humanistic restraints. In fact, Sato is shown to have not changed at all prior to being an Ajin. He well and truly is just a monster who just so happened to have been given the perfect tool to maximize his disposition.

On the other hand, Kei is very much held back by his human ties. Primarily his family and childhood friend. While there are moments where Kei contemplates his own morality, fundamentally he is driven by the need for a normal life. Throughout the series, Kei goes back and forth with this dilemma of whether or not to be involved in the ongoing chaos. But ultimately he's pulled into the Ajin/Human war because of a mix of some sense of human obligation and his selfish need to pursue his own comfort and security in the long run.

Overall, it's a unique story that's definitely worth reading and has a lot of potential to expand its world-building for possible spin-offs, sequels, or even a prequel honestly.