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Apr 16, 2012
LIFE is a drama set in high school that deals with suicide, bullying, depression and self-mutliation.
I liked how LIFE took an interesting turn after the beginning of the story. But the twist in the plot is brutal, and this is not a happy story by far. It is a heavy drama, that deals with the emotional pain and suffering of a girl who has been betrayed by her closest friend (being rejected for having a higher exam score is pretty harsh), and only gets a worse hell after that.
The key reason why I gave my score of 7/10 for LIFE, despite how the author
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daringly took on writing an entire manga around bullying and self-harm, is because of the drama itself. At times the drama is very much contrived, or else something is compromised so the mangaka can put the heroine Ayumu, who is constantly bullied and sometimes cuts as a result, in any situation to move the plot along. I had some questions throughout the series that needed to be addressed but even by the 40th chapter I felt they'd never be answered.
1. Why in God's name does Ayumu's mother know nothing of her suffering and pain? Usually mothers are more receptive to these types of things, and although in one chapter she half-heartedly calls Ayumu crazy, her mom doesn't seem like a witchy woman who wouldn't notice what's going on with her daughter. Maybe Ayumu is extremely good at hiding this problem? I suppose it's that... but still. I also wonder why the hell Ayuuu doesn't attempt to transfer schools during the bullying. Even if she *tried* to do so and never could, it would have made the plot better. If I were ever in such a school I'd try to transfer out of there right away!
2. Why is Ayumu a target for danger wherever she goes? This is where the plot fails. And you can immediately sense the mangaka is forcing her character into beyond realistic situations so she can develop her character further. Even when Ayumu is hanging out with her first genuine friend since jr. high named Hatori, she /slips on a bottle/ near a group of rude teenage guys, which proceeds to them /eventually kidnapping her and putting her in an abandoned hospital which blows up/. Yes, for a shoujo the plot itself is pretty good and miraculously - I enjoyed it anyway. That's the weird part. I think the mangaka saved herself from failing with this story because Ayumu and Hatori are two strong characters with good character development. I loved Hatori especially. She's a wonderful friend to Ayumu and not typical for a shoujo story.
3. I hate how every. single. person in Ayumu's life save a few people seem to think she is delusional or psycho for being bullied, or hurt by someone, including her mom. Why does this happen? I'm relieved that eventually the mangaka added some minor characters who call out the psycho band of girls for bullying Ayumu. But God, the things that happen to her are beyond nightmarish, and if the school had a normal administration the girls who did such a thing would have been instantly expelled in just one instance. What bothers me about the bullying is that it seems near-constant to the point of ridiculousness, and it actually happens on school grounds, and in such a way where SOMEONE should have seen it first-hand. The mangaka sometimes sacrifices the quality of the story to provide incidences of bullying that should get the evil girls expelled, but they never do.
I'm half-way finished LIFE. I've enjoyed it despite a few of its pit falls, like how Ayumu got a one-way ticket to Psychoville just from graduating jr. high. It's a genuinely interesting manga that takes on an extremely heavy subject, which it can overdo sometimes, but nonetheless the art is pretty good and the characters will make you want to continue on.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 21, 2011
I heard about this series so frequently before actually having the desire to watch it; I almost never watched it because it seemed insanely popular, and I worried that the popularity indicated that there wasn't really something special or unique about it for *me* that would make me interested. Yet once I forgot about my preconceptions of the show, and observed where the plot was quickly heading past the few first episodes, I became very interested. This is an excellent series to watch for anyone interested in:
a. The darker side of human nature; the abuse of power and how power can corrupt us and
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change who we are consciously and subconsciously; and
b. The true intensity of the struggle between light and darkness, showed through the crafty, profoundly intelligent and sometimes manipulative actions of the characters.
A great series if you are into the concepts of darkness, injustice, the supernatural, and thrilling plot lines. As someone who is very interested in mysteries, shows that keep you on the edge, always wondering about the character's plan or motive or next move, this show captivated me and I was pleasantly surprised at how great it is.
*TL;DR Version*: A show perfect for anyone interested in how we battle our innermost fears and desires, the battle between light verses darkness, the evil of human nature when power is abused. A thriller with dark, edgy overtones, and excellent character development. This show holds a special appeal to those who enjoy shows with that 'disturbed' feel - there's something particularly dark, almost gothic about DN you won't be able to miss.
OVERALL: 10/10 :))
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Sep 21, 2011
Like other reviewers before me, I wonder why this is classified strictly as 'shounen' - this is actually a series that can appeal to male and female viewers. A lot of the elements in the show would actually be very appreciated by female viewers - the subtle comedic/romantic elements between characters, the style and the soundtrack, etc.
Black Butler stylishly blends fantasy with horror, comedy with action... the characters in the show are its major strong point. The protagonist is a cynical, dark little boy with a sharp wit and deep intellect who is assisted by his butler, who seems to be able to do
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anything - because he really can do anything, seeing as he's demonic. It is disturbing yet quite entertaining all at once.
Some great points about this show are: the comedic side characters, such as the incompetent house keepers who manage to do the exact opposite of what their jobs require; the twist on history by including major murders/criminal events in the storyline, like the Jack the Ripper scandal; and the old English and Victorian soundtrack and clothing for the characters.
*TL;DR Version*: For viewers interested in the supernatural and the occult without needing a huge amount of violence or heaviness this is the perfect series to watch. The concept of selling your soul to the devil to get what you desire or need is re-explored, when in this case, the devil actually comes to the protagonist's aid as the household help.
OVERALL: 9/10 :)
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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