Harshit's reviews

Featured

My First Blog Post

This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more.Hello everyone I am Harshit Sagar a teen with a passion for writing since this is why first post I would like to talk about what inspired me to start this blog. I really loved the content put out by the Entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk and dreamed of starting something of my own like him since the first day I followed his content but didn’t do anything about it and one day on one of his interviews he said and I quote “Ideas are shit execution is the game” and that hit me and since then I began an Instagram page to post quotes I would write but I always wanted to write in long form and so I had been developing this site and now finally it is launched and I’m grateful for each and everyone of you who took time out of their day to read my blog that’s it for now but stay tuned for more and contact me if you have any questions or want to connect with me .Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.

GO GO LOSER RANGER – The chaotic story of an anti-hero

This season was filled with some really good anime, I mostly watched season 2s or anime that I already have read the manga of but this seemed interesting to me and I’ll say it outright, it’s a mess but it’s a mess with potential. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

Power Rangers but the Rangers are in a deal with the monsters to put on a farce so that the Rangers aren’t discarded as unnecessary. The monsters are forced to cooperate. One of these monsters, Fighter D however awakens the flame of rebellion and decides to fight against the rangers and expose their farce to the world and achieve the monster’s one true goal ‘World Domination’.

Fighter D is a really good character, he is not a typical out-for-revenge character, he’s weak in a typical fight and he aims to take out the strongest for that he uses his brains and other skills, what really sets him apart is how his ideology changes throughout the series, he begins by setting out to destroy the rangers but the moral greyness of the situation he finds himself in leads him to set out on a mission that follows the same path but has a very different objective and the moments that ‘humanize’ D serve the plot really well because this is a plot with a twist on a typical story but the story becomes wild later on. Suzukiri is also my fav character because she’s the one that has the most mystery surrounding her and she’s also driving the overarching plot forward. Sakurama is also a good character though his lack of screentime works against him. I would love a side story based solely on him too. There are other characters that are developed as much as they can be considering they are introduced almost halfway through the season.

The chaos of Loser Ranger comes from the fact that there’s no formulaic approach, D isn’t taking down the rangers one by one, he actually doesn’t even know what he’s doing and how he’s going to do it most of the time. He is taking things one step at a time and that can really confuse an audience because there’s no approach to things, D is just following the randomness that comes his way and he manages to make the most out of it. The animation quality stands quite good considering this was the first season but I expect more considering the second season was announced. The world building is also quite good here because you can see that there are multiple organization in the shadows working and it is not just the Ranger and the monsters that are putting on the farce, the next season can show conflicts with multiple different groups and the clash of multiple ideologies where D will have to reign supreme. The pacing being all over the place is the only thing that’s wrong with the show but I think I”ll check out the manga to see if that’s an adaptation issue or that’s just how the story was written because some episodes you just had to hold you head and think about the 3 different encounters which started 2 episodes ago and one of them hasn’t been shown for 2 episodes, the pace was surely an issue.

12 episodes culminate in a battle that moves D’s mission forward so that’s a good point however there is so much lef to do and so many plot points that are still open, I want to know Pink Ranger’s story (you’ll know what I’m talking about when you watch). However despite the issues, Loser Ranger is watchable, I’ll give it a 7/10.

So that is it for this post guys hope you got some value from this. Thank you guys for reading to the end hit me up on Instagram and Twitter with your thoughts and if you have any ideas on what I should write about. Stay safe. Thank you again and I’ll see you all next week.

BUCCHIGIRI – Waiting for it to get good.

The potential of every delinquent story remains the same often, the main character may develop and become a top dog or he may simply just develop. When you mix in fantasy elements the potential skyrockets in this case it crashes deep into the ground. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

Arajin returns to his hometown and attends a high school of delinquents. Estranged from his childhood friend Matakara who wants to reconnect, he visits an old temple where he gets wrapped up with a genie Senya who has his own goals to fulfill. Though unwilling, Arajin gets involved with the fights of his town.

Arajin is one of the worst attempts at copying Denji that I have ever seen. Arajin’s main motivation throughout the series is to lose his virginity and it’s for that goal that he gets wrapped up in things until the end of the series. He isn’t a character that is made to be hated but rather a character who is so poorly written in a frenzied plot that he just never connects with the audience except for his cool moments which are few and far between and the connect itself is temporary. Matakara, Kenichiro and every other character serve only for their gimmicks and plot convenience.

The plot of Bucchigiri is eccentric in a bad way, it’s haphazardous and doesn’t know what it wants to be at any point throughout the 12 episode run except having the end goal of and achieving making the ending a climatic battle. The humor could have been something that complemented the story but instead it only serves to make things worse, a gimmick even serves to ruin the only best moment in the show which is the final battle. The animation carries the battles which are the only reason you may want to keep watching waiting for it to get good.

12 episodes do culminate in a nice final battle however the fact that it takes the climax to actually make the story enjoyable makes me think that Bucchigiri isn’t even worth rating and is unwatchable.

The Witch and the Beast – A masterfully crafted fantasy

Seeing the glowing reviews that this one got I really feel it’s futile to even write something however habit forces me and it is an opportunity to analyze what made it so great. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

In a fictional magical world consisting of 8 continents, there exists an organization known as the Global Holy Church. The story sees an agent of the church Ashaf and his partner Guideau hunt down witches and other magical disturbances throughout the continents in order to find a powerful witch that has cursed Guideau and poses a threat to the entirety of society.

Ashaf is the kind of character that makes people intrigued in him from the first interaction, he’s a mysterious mage with a coffin on his back that is calm and cool headed. Guideau serves as the contrast to him being the feral and aggressive hand to hand fighter who is helping Ashaf for her own motives. The two main characters complement each other well with their dynamic and it makes their conversations as fun as their hunts. There are other characters like Phanora and Johan however the main show is always Guideau and Ashaf who catch your attention in the first encounter and hold it as they grow on you.

The animation of The Witch and the Beast isn’t something that will blow your mind but it’s good when it counts and makes the battles much more exhilarating to watch. The lore of the world itself is deep and getting fed small bits through conversations instead of a full dump makes the conversations of the characters feel much more natural and also keeps the audience informed. The themes that each case of Ashaf and Guideau tackle also serves to make us understand the state of the magical world that the story is set in such as the opinion of the public and the lifestyle that each of the continents have.

Differences have always led to conflict in humanity’s history. The formation of groups, the distinction between the magical and the non magical and the discrimination that comes with it is shown throughout The Witch and the Beast and it makes the world feel alive as if the people in it are real people who are fearful of the strong, of change and of those who are different. While the entire series does not revolve around it, the theme is masterfully blended into the story without being explicitly stated out.

12 episodes and hopefully a season 2 approaching soon, The Witch and the Beast is a short watch which opens up new things towards the end and increases the scope of the plot significantly while also setting up a battle that we’re all itching to see.

Claymore – The Weight of Life in a Cruel World

The mixed reviews left me very skeptical while starting and I understand why the views on this manga are so polarized however I fall in the category that liked the entire manga despite the shortcomings. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

On an island known simply as the Continent, monsters known as Yoma prey on humans, driven by a desire to consume human guts, they can hide amongst people. To counter these deadly beasts, an organization put together warriors who were half human and half Yoma, silver-eyed warriors that the general population dubbed Claymores. The story is about Clare, a claymore who acts as the interjection between two beings that reshape the state of the Continent and reveal many great secrets about it.

Clare is a main character who is initially shown to be unemotional due to her unique nature however we later on discover that she has simply closed herself off to emotions due to how she is treated by the general populace. The kindness she holds makes her words and actions contradict at many points throughout the story and her emotions act as the centerpiece for the showdowns at the finale of the story. All in all, she is crafted well however she alone does not carry the story, there are other characters, humans and claymores alike who all come together to make the story go forward even when Clare isn’t taking the spotlight. The story manages a lot of different characters, some get killed off soon, some later and you can only truly get attached to a few of them however the fact that their screen time doesn’t play a role in deciding their likability is good.

Let’s get the general art question out of the way, yes the art is good, the characters’ emotions are shown well, and the action also greatly benefits from the art as when we move to greater fights, every blow, every attack, every clash has consequences on the environment that we see because of the art which makes the fights all the more exciting. The differing characters give differing viewpoints on the same cruel world, their similar conditions yet different ideologies on fighting Yoma make them all worth keeping an eye on to see their development. The world of Claymore is dark and gritty, there’s endless violence, pain, and suffering and the price of the strength that the silver-eyed warriors have in this world is also great and is something that is explored till the end of the series itself, the price of great strength. Now the main concern that many people have is that the manga introduces a big idea halfway through the story and many expect that plot line to be tapped and see an even greater story unfold however like I said with Slam Dunk, this is the story of three people, Clare, Teresa and Priscilla, their interjecting stories and how they grow so much that they impact the entire Continent, however, the other big idea is left unexplored simply because Clare’s journey comes to an end there. When she’s completed her goal we come to the end of the story which was her story, yes there was lots of missed potential that could have been massive however keeping the story character focused was a good decision from my point of view because of how well everything is tied up and how at the end it leaves you satisfied.

The world of Claymore shows that the warriors are ready for sacrifice, the sacrifice of their lives at any time when fighting Yoma however the heavy weight of life in such a cruel world is explored through these individuals who are ready to give up their lives for a greater cause. Each person’s life has near limitless potential however the choices they make cannot be seen as them wasting their potential if they cut their life short provided that in the end, they did fulfill the purpose they set out to achieve.

27 volumes that span 155 chapters make Claymore something that is fast-paced and a story that will make you feel that you shouldn’t put it down just yet even when a volume ends you feel like jumping into another soon after that because of how the story flows so well, each encounter leads to the next naturally, each new piece of evidence leads to a new situation and it all flows naturally. With the one major flaw noted above, the rest of Claymore is really well written however some people may not like the ending as such from a general point of view I rate Claymore a solid 8/10.

Loving Yamada at level 999 – Classic romance with a sprinkle of gaming

It was time for a break after all the suspense thrillers I’ve been watching so I picked up something I couldn’t watch back when it was airing but I was intrigued so here we are. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

Akane Kinoshita, a college student is dumped by her boyfriend. She continues the MMORPG Forest of Savior (FoS) they once played together and attends an offline event of the game. There she encounters a seemingly emotionless and handsome high school student named Akito Yamada. Yamada is in the same guild as Akane in FoS but she is unaware of the fact. This encounter leads to hilarious interactions with the other members of the guild and a budding romance between Yamada and Akane.

Akane is a caring woman from the start of the show, she shows introspection on why she was dumped before jumping into another relationship and even in her heartbroken state she has moments where she is highly empathetic. Yamada on the other hand is a character that is much harder to read due to his docile nature, he is seemingly emotionless but his story shows that he is actually kind and caring which leads to him thinking about every action and words, leading to a lack of picking up on social cues and becoming seemingly emotionless. There are other guild members however some of their identities cause drama which is why I will simply say that they serve as good plot devices, pushing forward the romance while also being unique and irreplaceable in their roles.

Like any other normal romance, this one has its funny moments and they are set well at parts through confusion but sometimes the characters just seem plain dumb and that serves to ruin the humor rather than make it better. In short, some options should not have been explored with the set of characters that we had. The drama in some parts however is good enough to show the complexity of the various characters, these are situations only possible because of the exact set of characters and their quirks which the series takes good advantage of.

Akane shows a very healthy approach to relationships, the way she introspects in order to not have any major flaws from her previous relationship carry on into her next one shows her caring nature much more. Yamada’s caring nature serves to compliment her in this regard because with the age gap a certain dynamic is expected but the series breaks those expectations.

13 episodes with a finale that won’t leave you unsatisfied like Rent a girlfriend makes Loving Yamada at level 999 a perfect break form your usual shonen battle series however for romance fans I do think that there are better series out there, it’s not bad but it’s not the best quality romance out there. A 7/10 rating from my side.

ID Invaded – The greyness of justice

One of the best mystery, sci-fi stories that I have seen, it’s the way that they managed to blend things that made it work though there are still some issues as well. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

Akihito Narihisago is a detective who is in prison however he is still working cases by using the Mizuhanome, a device that allows specific individuals to dive into the subconsciousness of killers and look for clues that will help crack the case. Inside the well, Narihisago becomes Sakaido, a brilliant detective who has to solve a murder which brings forth clues about the serial killer being investigated in the real world. The truth about Narihisago’s past, a shadowy figure that is creating serial killers, and the truth about the supernatural ability of the Mizuhanome, all come to a clash in one big case that Narihisago must investigate.

The very first thing that we notice when we actually find out that Sakaido and Narihisago are different is the difference in their demeanor, Sakaido is calm, collected and confident while Narihisagho is emotionally driven and brash. This contrast between characters comes a number of times such as when we see Momoki, a character who used to work with Narihisago and their interesting dynamic. There are many other characters however only a few characters like Matsuoka and Hondomachi really stand out the rest of them while do help the plot, never actually get any exciting moments or any real development at any point in the story.

The unique plot is the first strength of ID Invaded, it’s a detective mystery but it comes with a sci-fi twist that allows the story to go to places and do things that a normal story would not be able to. This creates plot points that grab your attention and keep you there because every new piece of evidence is mind-blowing and at the same time, also keeps you guessing. There isn’t a new case in every episode type approach rather all the cases tie together beautifully to catch the serial killer maker John Walker. The animation is fluid and while it isn’t always good, it is good where it counts, there’s nice music as well and these two factors combine to give us amazing setpiece moments. ID Invaded also touches upon the minds of the killers that it features, giving them motivations and diving a little into their psychologies which makes each arrest and each case solved feel rewarding.

The greyness of morality is the obvious theme even in the finale. Do the ends justify the means? Was there actually any right answer in the finale moment decision that Momoki had to make? There wasn’t. What we see in the world of ID Invaded is characters making decisions based on their own ideologies, even the villain which ultimately points to the hypocrisy of having a simple black-and-white morality system because should a killer be used to solve a case if they’re the only person who can do it? Or should the case be left hanging because the law shouldn’t take help from the very perpetrators that they catch?

A short 13-episode watch makes ID Invaded fun and exciting, while there are things that I have qualms with such as not getting proper evidence of John Walker’s manipulations and instead being led straight into the finale, this one thing is what makes the finale feel like a downgrade because in the end while we do know why it was done and what was done, we never get to the how and the how is always a major part of a detective story. All in all, a decent 7/10 makes ID Invaded a good watch.

Usogui – Gambling, Lies and a lot of plot twists

This was one crazy ride. It’s just how it can grab you and make you always keep the pages turning and wanting more. I like this one quite a lot even though it was confusing at times. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

Kaji Takaomi, a down-on-his-luck debtor runs into Madarame Baku, a man who shows him how to make money through gambling however Baku is different when he gambles, he is calculated, ready to take risks and he never loses his bets. Kaji however soon discovers that Baku is well known in the gambling underworld as Usogui, the Lie Eater. He also comes to know about Club Kakerou, an organization that solely oversees gambles and makes sure that the loser pays up their ante no matter who they are. Kaji is pulled into this twisted world of gambling by Baku who makes moves that no one understands until he has already won.

Madarame Baku is a kind of main character that is difficult to write because this story is about gambling, there is no one ‘good’ here in the first place however the author still manages to make Baku into a character that you will be rooting for despite knowing that he is a thrill addicted, calculating, sadistic gambler who at his core is simply playing for the thrill and nothing more. To come to love such a character is truly a feat from the author however I also believe that the props have to be given for writing Kaji who starts off from a foolish person who idolizes Baku to a man who grows to gain a sense of self worth and becomes a useful ally to Baku, his growth come to be some of the best moments of the series. I also loved the development of a very specific character who everyone will come to know once they get into the story, the Prince Bee. There are also other characters who establish themselves well through their gambling or fights, these characters are also important because when the truly spectacular gambles are taking place, their thoughts mirror the reader’s and they can be the reader’s window into the world of Usogui while also maintaining their individual identities and taking actions that correspond to their personalities.

The early art of the manga is bad I’ll accept that however, it’s the story that uplifts Usogui, the intense gambles that take place with simple games like poker or highly complex ones. This mixture makes every gamble unique because special rules give loopholes for both gamblers to use and prepare hard-hitting surprises for the readers. Apart from the gamblers, another party is highly active in the world of Usogui and that is the referees of Kakekrou who oversee matches, these referees are not gamblers themselves however you will see every referee make a special place in your mind and that is because they provide the bulk of the fighting action that takes place and it lets them shine brightly in a story that primarily focuses on gambling and the mind games that come with it. There’s also the fact that the expert paneling of the story brings forward the foreshadowings and the interconnectedness that span the entire more than 500 chapters of Usogui and they are all incredible when you spot them.

The futility of gambling is something that can be drawn from the series because, towards the end of the series, even Baku accepts that no one can keep on winning forever, while there are positive themes of impacting people’s lives with one’s actions, friendships, and bonds, at the very core one can see how rotten and frankly destructive gambling truly is.

With 539 chapters released, complied in a nice 43 volumes, Usogui is a must-read for fans of the mystery genre who really like mind games, characters outsmarting each other, and some nice action. Usogui is confusing for some readers and it takes patience however it has an epic finale that is a huge payoff to the entire more than 500-chapter journey that brings all things to a conclusion and even sets us up for a nice little sequel if that day ever comes but it is not perfect so I’ll rate it a 9/10.

Forbidden Deductions – Crime cases and one epic detective

This starts off things simple enough but the final few episodes turned things up a notch in so many ways that I’m excited for season 2. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

Totomaru Isshiki is an unskilled police officer who is at the bottom rung of his unit and gets the worst cases that come in. He teams up with Kamonohashi Ron, a brilliant detective who despite his eccentricities always solves the cases that he takes on. However Ron has a reason to not take on any cases but the desire to solve mysteries doesn’t sleep for long inside him and he takes up Isshiki’s offer. Together they solve cases that come their way only to discover that Ron’s past is much more complicated than even he himself ever thought.

The bond between Ron and Totomaru is the best thing in this show aside from the mysteries. It’s because these are such unique characters, Ron and his unique quirks prove to make the show interesting even if his introduction is one that doesn’t leave a very positive impression. The fact that this anime focuses on a case specific format that is new cases every two episodes or so makes it so that other characters are always changing but it keeps things interesting as a breath of fresh air.

The animation is good, it’s not Demon Slayer level of course but it still is pleasant on the eyes every step of the way. The mysteries of each episode are interesting, unique setups of crimes and you are left guessing till the end about who is the real culprit but that is just the basic for a detective story what makes Forbidden Deductions better is the constant humor that comes from Ron’s quirks which doesn’t break the pace of the show but rather compliments it.

Knowing one’s own self well and while there aren’t many times when the show specifically touches on this theme early on, in the later half of the show we can clearly see this shine out from amongst the rest, it comes from the past of Kamonohashi Ron, why he’s reluctant to team up with Totomaru, his true identity and aspects of him that are revealed to the viewers but even he doesn’t know. These are things that will be explored much better in the second season or so I hope.

13 episodes and a second season in the works makes now the perfect time to watch Forbidden Deductions or Deranged Detective as it’s translated in some places. The overall quality of the show is good and I expect great things from season 2. A good 8/10 rating fits here.

Reborn Rich – An actually good Isekai.

Isekais generally have overpowered protagonists who have all the knowledge of their previous lives however what happens when even with all that knowledge, there are gaps in a main character that give him real depth. Well that makes the MC of this manhwa. Let’s get to it, MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

For 13 years, Yoon Hyunwoo, lived like a servant to the Sooyang Group, cleaning up as a fixer and knowing their deep secrets however his knowledge caused him to be betrayed and abandoned however his death leads to him waking up in the young body of Jin Dojun, the grandson of Sooyang Group’s Chairman, Jin Yangcheol. Dojun is the youngest son of the chaebol family and no claim to the throne of Sooyang however armed with his knowledge of the past, Hyunwoo/Dojun will work to be powerful enough to fight against his family, survive the dirty politics and swallow Sooyang itself.

Usually you would expect a drama like this to be systematic with Dojun taking down his family members one by one to reach the lion that is Jin Yangcheol however it doesn’t happen that way, instead Dojun is always seen interacting with Yangcheol since the start showing how fierce the fire of revenge burns in him. Their dynamic as grandfather and grandson is nice to see as slowly Dojun becomes powerful enough to even negotiate with his grandfather. Dojun’s character is best brought out when he thinks of his past life and draws contrast to his current life showing how he never forgets his revenge no matter how it may seem. Yangcheol on the other hand is the number 2 character of his manhwa because this old man is fierce and is a menace for Dojun to deal with at times however he is interesting as we see his thoughts on the family politics and his mentality on the inheritance of the group. There’s a lot of interesting characters but I guarantee you’ll be falling in love with these two.

This manhwa is mostly a political drama of Dojun using his past knowledge to earn money, build businesses and overall just be a cool headed guy that takes on family politics, mostly his grandfather. There’s the mystery of Dojun’s death in his previous life and why exactly he was killed. There’s scenes about Korean politics and the influence of big business groups on the government. I like Dojun’s intense discussions, his business tactics to make great deals that favor him. The series is intense in all aspects and it does that well.

The mentality difference between the king and the servant which Yangcheol points out is one of the best conversations in the manhwa. The way Yangcheol shows how a servant would want to live comfortably with just a little money however a king would desire more and more. Yangcheol’s power that comes from his long life’s work while Dojun’s money that comes from only his past life knowledge shows the contrast between them.

With 60 chapters released, Reborn Rich has proved itself to be a solid political drama that has intense scenes, emotional ones and has you desperately waiting for the next big move from Dojun or Yangcheol. I’ll rate it a 9/10 currently.

Pluto – Robots and Revenge

Naoki Urasawa never disappoints with his stories, the mystery, the themes, and the characters most of all, it gives you an experience that is special to only his works. I was going to read PLUTO however Netflix made it easier and who doesn’t prefer an anime adaptation. Netflix didn’t mess up this time either. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

A legendary robot, Montblanc who served in the 39th Central Asian War, is violently murdered. A funeral is held in which humans and robots worldwide take part in mourning. Europol detective Gesicht is assigned to the case of the robot’s murder. At the same time, Gesicht also works on the case of the murder of a Robot Rights activist and finds similarities in the cases. The case leads him to uncover a plot to assassinate the greatest robots on earth and the reasons teach him of the fragile coexistence between robots and humans, a case that gets as personal as it matters to the world.

Urasawa’s stories rely on his characters, their stories when interconnected are what form his plots and it is his genius to take us through the journey of these characters simultaneously and slowly unveil the greater plot to us. The Europol agent Gesicht who we first right off as emotionless due to being a robot, shows emotion in lots of different things and towards the end of the show is the driving factor of the finale. The other characters like Atom, Hercules, and Brando, all robots show both the advanced world of the story, and their emotions also blurs the line between humans and robot which makes an epic reveal at the finale all the more hard-hitting. These amazing characters are what make the story special and no character in the end is left unexplored or unfinished in their character arcs.

Let’s clear out the part where Netflix did great, the visuals and the voice acting. I watched most of the series in dub and one episode in Japanese and I liked them both, either can be a great way to experience the show. The series works well to show how futuristic the world of Pluto is, the environment, the cars, the basic day-to-day life of people, everything is not thrown in the face of the audience however it is very noticeable that the story takes place in the future which drives the theme of this being a story that could take place in the real world in the future. There’s clear hostility of some humans towards robots, clear exploitation, and that affects the story but is also shown in many subtle ways. The way the story unveils, through the introduction of new characters, their stories, their emotions, and thoughts that drive present or past actions all follow the typical Urasawa style, it is a bit confusing at first but once it has its grasp on you, you begin to notice the pleasant subtleties the story has that hints towards the revelations that occur in the final episode. In his usual Naoki Urasawa fashion, even when the real identity of the final villain is revealed many plot twists occur and the finale as usual leaves every watcher in awe.

The cycle of hatred, which is represented through events in the series that one can see mirrors real-world events quite evidently to get the message across to the viewer is the real and most showed theme of the story. The way simple characters whose lives are altered by powers that are beyond them turn into killers filled with hatred for the greater powers and take actions that again threaten simple people like them to start the cycle all over again is a journey beautifully explained by Urasawa in the show and in the end, the viewer clearly gets the message of what revenge leads to. the way this complex detective story gets the message across so clearly is what people call Urasawa’s genius.

8 episodes of an hour each which cover one volume of the 8 volumes manga, makes Pluto a relatively short watch for a weekend however the themes that it drives home are something that one may think about beyond the weekend. I had one little thing I didn’t like about the finale and I found out that it was answered cleanly in the manga (I do think that when you encounter that point, you will also feel that it is quite ironic) so I will give the perfect rating to Urasawa’s work, Pluto a solid 10/10.

Juvenile Offender – An emotionally charged revenge story

I wanted to knock out another PTJ manhwa while I was at it and man they do not disappoint , this one is even in the Lookism verse. It’s good how they can make so different stories be set in the same verse. Let’s get to it, MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

In the words of Lee Yoonsung, “South Korea is filled with various shitty laws.” Since Juveniles get little to no punishment, it leads to a group of kids severely bullying and destroying the life of Lee Yoonsung. Now having spent time training and learning how to fight, Yoonsung begins his revenge against his bullies who have moved on with their lives but he swears to remind them of the pain they caused him, one by one.

Lee Yoonsung is our main character and while initially he seems like just another delinquent with an attitude problem, slowly as we see his story we see that beneath the brutal fighter using dirty tricks lies a child traumatized by the events of his middle school. Yoonsung is a character that we see at his lowest point in life, the pain and anguish that he feels, that fuels the hatred towards his bullies. Yoonsung is a good character that shows emotions and isn’t a cold blooded murder machine like many revenge stories. The characters that are his bullies are also good characters in that you really come to hate them because of their crimes and mentality.

This manhwa is much more brutal and bloody than other PTJ company manhwas, you see the hatred that Yoonsung has for his enemies in how he fights without holding back. The revenge story also plays out nicely, it feels thrilling to see Yoonsung execute his plans, if I were to describe it I would say that it gives me True Education vibes. There are also few chapters so I can’t judge much but there are things that could go wrong pretty fast with a revenge story and I hope that it won’t affect this story.

Yoosung’s morality in dealing with his opponents is also something good that the manhwa shows. He always states how he’s glad that the victims haven’t changed because he can cause them pain without having any guilt however we also see that he’s unstoppable in his quest for revenge, he won’t back down, no matter what, he will cause pain to all who support his enemies as well if they stop him showing a twisted sense of morality that was caused by the trauma of his past.

Juvenile Offender has 24 chapters currently, it’s a short but enjoyable read and I appreciate how the author has shown so many different layers of Yoosung’s character as well as such good action in such a short amount of time. For now Juvenile Offender is an 8/10 simply because there’s nothing much that differentiates it from most other good revenge stories.

The Ichinose Family’s Deadly Sins – Psychological and Thoughtful.

I got around to reading this one finally and believe me it was a struggle but it was well worth it. The twists each chapter, the mystery, the buildup, the characters, there’s so much to talk about and also, so much to spoil but as always with me, MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

We start off by seeing Tsubasa Ichinose awaken in a hospital surrounded by family members. After finding out that he has amnesia, Tsubasa is hit with the revelation that his entire family has amnesia. Only knowing their names because of their identity cards in their pockets the family decides to spend time together and create new memories to try to remember who they are however dark secrets are hidden within the Ichinose family. Tsubasa must go on a journey to know himself and the secrets of his family and what is truly going on in his house.

The cast of characters is decently sized in the manga, there’s the 6 of the Ichinose family. Tsubasa who wants to have fun making new memories with his family. His little sister Shiori who desperately wants her memories back. Their mother Minako and father Kakeru along with grandmother Sachie and grandfather Kozo. Now there’s a lot to discuss about these characters but I won’t because each of their personalities and arcs add to the mystery of the story and the overall bigger mystery that Tsubasa must solve. I will say that these characters are fun to be with, you understand them well and each of them has well crafted dark secrets to fit their personalities.

The manga has an art style that I like because it works in enhancing some of the emotional and psychological scenes of the characters. The manga deals with heavy themes like loss and acceptance of reality, denial, grief, most of all family as well as healing old wounds, all topics that aren’t simply touched upon but are explored through different characters, the different reactions they all have to it and how they deal with it differently. The series has it’s main strength in the twists that aren’t there just for the shock factor but each revelation makes you question if you even know the bigger picture of the story because a new chapter may make you question if everything that has happened in the previous chapters was real or not. The twists are good and the author definitely knows how to make them hit perfectly. The psychological scenes hit hard and the emotions of characters, their thoughts, they’re all shown so very vividly I would say, it makes you stop after every chapter to process what happened.

Dreams and reality is also one of the major themes of the story specifically escaping from cruel reality through dreams though dreams as in aspirations and goals while reality being the challenges that come in achieving those goals is also something the manga goes towards. Overall the manga really doesn’t hold back with its themes but showing the different characters all dealing with their emotions in troubled times can make you thoughtful quite a many times.

48 chapters brings the story to a conclusion that fits the themes of the story. It had a great run with the classic the mystery seems to be solved but then again this manga makes you feel that way every few chapters and then drops a bigger bomb without ever feeling dragged out. With a short but near run, I’ll rate the manga a solid 10/10 with the ending being the only thing that can ruin it now.

Baek XX – Gangs, Special Forces and Politics

I was waiting for a few chapters to build up for me to read this one and I have to say that the PTJ company doesn’t disappoint at all. The story, the action, the characters most of all, it’s upto the level of other PTJ comics. Let’s get to it, MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

Federal Informant ‘Baek Yisoo’ is twins with ‘Baek Dogyeong’ a criminal gang Taesan’s boss. Both brothers have lived significantly different lives however Yisoo and his team is betrayed by his superiors. After a series of events, Dogyeong is killed and the world beleives that Yisoo is the one that is dead. Yisoo decides to go for revenge against his former superiors and becomes Dogyeong himself, taking control of Taesan in order to take down the men who murdered his sole family member, finding that the reason his team was betrayed had ties to Korean politics as well as the Korean underworld.

If you’ve read a PTJ manhwa you would know by now that the characters are the strong point of the manhwa and the tradition is well upkept. Yisoo is shown as a cold man who desires revenge but revenge is not the only thing that is on his mind, we see him struggle with his brother’s death and even ponder on how he feels like he’s losing himself by pretending to be his brother. Dogyeong similarly is also given depth and the relationship of these brothers is potrayed in a way that makes you feel the rage that Yisoo feels when he faces the men who killed his brother. Further talk would be spoilers however there is one character that I like the most and that was Lee Sungmin, the leader of gang Ilhak. Sungmin is a character that faces his development in the short span of the story that is currently out and turns out to become a really great character, I have always liked the ‘fallen prince’ type of characters and Sungmin goes on to prove himself in a very notable way in the story.

Let’s get it out of the way, the action is good in Baek XX and I mean really good like other PTJ company comics, it’s got fist fights, weapon fights and a lot of blood when the weapons come out. The manhwa touches upon the Korean politics being tied to the underworld and I like that part a lot, it’s the real driving force of the story and yet not much has been revealed about it till now. The clash of ideologies of Yisoo who is a military man and the other characters of the Korean underworld who are gangsters, military pros vs amateur gangsters is another part where the manhwa shines where Yisoo learns of the world that his brother lived in and how to operate in it with their laws and ways.

I very well loved the loyalty of Taesan to Dogyeong. It made for some exceptional moments in the story where they were convinced that Taesan belonged to Dogyeong and that Yisoo if he wantd dto run it had to become his brother leading to further depth to his character as well as Dogyeong’s. The relationship of the military to their superiors which is one of following orders and the relationship of a gang to a boss based on trust turns poetic as Yisoo following orders unquestioningly is betrayed but Dogyeong who is dead is not abandoned by his gang.

Baek XX currentlty has 33 chapters and it’s going strong for the time being. The action is good, a lot of the story is unexplored and there are also many twists in the story. Currently I think that Baek XX will have a 9/10 rating solely because of one very specific plot point which if unexplaied could bring down the rating further.

Eleceed – A slow start but great growth.

Hey guys what is up welcome back to my blog I’m so thankful that you guys took the time out of your day to read my blog post. Hope you all are safe and healthy. A friend bugged me to read this and I am glad I did because even though the beginning of this story is like trashy fanfiction the way it builds up is actually amazing much like the main character develops his power. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

The story shows Kayden Break an awakened one who can use mysterious superpower-like abilities, gravely injured and transforming into a cat to hide and recover. Jiwoo Seo is a kind-hearted boy who has the ability of superspeed which he hides from the world in order to not be an outcast and for his safety. Having a deep love for cats, even taking in street cats and feeding them Jiwoo takes in Kayden who he thinks is just a normal cat but soon finds out about who Kayden really is. Kayden tells Jiwoo that he is an awakened one and guides Jiwoo to strengthen his powers and help him navigate the cruel world of awakened ones.

Kayden Break is a powerful and proud character and frankly, some might consider his arrogance to be annoying. However when his past is revealed and how he was always used for his power we get to see a deeper side of him beneath the mask. Jiwoo Seo, the cat lover can be defined as emotional and kind. At first, he is shown to be afraid of his power and a person who pushes others away because he couldn’t build attachment, we see him grow into a self-loving person who changes himself and the world around him because of his power. Wooin is a character that speaks less and can be described in even fewer words, he shows another dark side of the awakened world with his past. Inhyuk Goo is a diplomatic person working under Shinhwa a clan of awakened ones. He works under Jiyoung Yoo, a powerful wind ability user who you will grow to absolutely love. Jisuk Yoo is the prideful younger brother of Jiyoung who understands friendship after having been brought up in the harsh world of awakened ones. we have tons of more characters but any more would certainly not be mild spoilers and I want you to experience the characters yourself and see them turn from one-dimensional beings to layered characters.

The series starts off like cheap fanfiction, failing to find the balance between the action and being cute however we slowly see the series find its rhythm and the starting feels like a long time ago. The action is amazing, not just decent but amazing because every fight sees users of different awakened powers go against each other and the fights have strategies and tactics which make for interesting fights each time. Though the story feels unstructured at first, as in we cannot see the plot really going anywhere, the visuals are nice from the start and when the really amazing moments come in the later chapters they look amazing. The story builds really slowly with a few highs but the highs are absolutely worth it and like I said before the pacing gets good as the story goes on. The characters are also one of the strong points of the series with their depth. The series also shows politics in the world of the awakened ones on a national and global level and frankly, I think it shows human nature and the nature of organizations as well as countries extremely well. Besides the pacing and the unstructured story, there are really no flaws with Eleceed however these two issues are enough to make some people drop it so they are by no means small and ignorable.

While Eleceed may sell itself as a fantasy action-based series it actually has some deep themes such as the world politics that I mentioned. At the very core the world of the awakened ones in Eleceed shows that power and prestige come with responsibility. We see how different organizations of awakened ones handle these responsibilities differently however they still have to handle these responsibilities regardless. The clash of ideologies, an example being caring about organizations vs caring about individuals, is what is always going on in Eleceed.

Eleceed has 226 chapters at the time of writing and the story is in a very interesting place at the moment, I still don’t know if the story is close to the end or not but I do know that the scale is huge and the story can do some great things. After considering the visuals, the story, and the major flaws I think that Eleceed deserves an 8/10.

Freesia – Killing, Reality and Lies

Hey guys what is up welcome back to my blog I’m so thankful that you guys took the time out of your day to read my blog post. Hope you all are safe and healthy. This one really took a lot out of me and I still wasn’t really sure how I felt about it because the best I could do was 1 volume a day somedays even less and it took me sitting down and processing it all to actually piece together parts of what I think happened.

The story follows Kano Hiroshi in an alternate-reality Japan which is engaged in a war and is going through a recession. This Japan not being able to keep prisons running decides to create a Vengence Act which allows the families of victims to arrange hits on criminals. This leads to Vengeance Proxy Enforcer agencies being created to supply hitmen for hire to kill criminals. Working for one such agency we follow Kano in a story that is more of a commentary on the world and its people than anything else.

The characters in this manga are all morally grey which means that they are put into situations where they often choose the lesser of two evils and that doesn’t make you hate the characters however it will make you analyze them by being a little detached. Kano Hiroshi is our mentally ill protagonist, his mental state is revealed throughout the story and serves to become the main point of the story once we know him enough. However, his ex-military background makes this seemingly docile man a cold killer and that is just a skin-deep understanding of him. Higuchi is a character who is the most mysterious in the entire series, she shows a lot of things that when discussed spoil the story. Mizoguchi is another interesting character who has a predator and prey mindset in real life believing himself to be the predator and his story itself reflects that mindset. His breakdown when he faces things he doesn’t understand shows a very human side of him and a mirror to the audience. There are more characters since all the characters get decent backstories however talking about any of them just ruins the experience of the manga.

The manga in two words is (forgive my language) fucked up. It has gore, nudity all sorts of things, and at the very start it’s so confusing that you will definitely think about dropping it however the messed up world and its political situation makes for an interesting plot that builds up highly tense situations and touches on morality all the time. The manga shows survivor’s guilt, escapism, the morality of punishing criminals with death when they have repented, childhood trauma, its effects on relationships, and a lot more things. The manga touches on lots of themes and that is the strong point of this manga because along with being confusing the manga also has bad art and pacing that feels off almost all the time, it feels like a story that you read all at once.

A very basic understanding of Freesia would tell people that it talks about dealing with loss and whether it is right to punish a victim after they’ve been in society and started to turn a new leaf and whether it is wrong to leave a criminal into the world if they aren’t reformed but have served a specific number of years. However this is again a skin deep understanding, a deeper analysis of the manga tells that in the end the story speaks of the search for “something” in life, a purpose and the lies that the people of the world tell themselves to live comfortably. The manga shines a mirror onto the audience itself towards the end and asks the question on whether or not they could see themselves in the sins any of the characters.

82 chapters makes Freesia a short read but that in no way means that it is a light read because Freesia is a manga that is set in a messed up world touches on topics that might be trauma triggering for many people and also some people might just genuinely not find it interesting at all. So while I very much like what I think was the overall message of the manga I think that it sits at a 6/10.

Clover – Friendship and fighting

Hey guys what is up welcome back to my blog I’m so thankful that you guys took the time out of your day to read my blog post. Hope you all are safe and healthy. Another delinquent manga to the collection, I can’t get enough of them, and this one proved that the genre never gets stale.

Nara Tomoki, is a loner in a delinquent school, Momohama High who keeps to himself and works on his bike. In his freshman year in high school he is paid a visit by Misaki Hayato, a childhood friend of Tomoki and an extremely strong fighter. Misaki takes care of Tomoki’s problems and decides to visit Hanayama Kenji, the huge but gentle third friend of their childhood trio. Reconnecting with his old friends Misaki finds his craziness and arrogance combined with the school he goes to and his compassionate drawing him into new fights every time as he spends his high school days. The journey of starting out from a freshman to a legendary senior is filled with emotions and friendship and most of all, lots of fighting.

The main trio of the story consists on Misaki Hayato, an extremely strong, compassionate and battle smart high schooler. His quirky behaviour especially “needing to get even with everyone” makes for funny situations while his morals as a delinquent put him into difficult situations. Nara Tomoki, the loner with his bike and Hanayama Kenji, the gentle but large built guy. The trio is mostly the main focus of the story but even then Misaki is the more major focus however there are plenty of interesting characters to keep you entertained. There’s Akai Itta, the head of the school that the trio goes to who wants to show the way to his juniors and guide them despite treading on thin ice with the school. He cares for Yunome Mai, a childhood friend of his. There’s also Kikuchi and Sanada, freshmen from the Suzuran like school Hanasaki who are lone wolves. Sanada was also my fav character at the beginning of the series, my current fav however cannot be revealed due to spoilers. There’s tons of more characters in the series with each arc introducing new characters and new problems and nearly all of them are interesting and given a personality instead of being strong dudes looking for a fight.

The story of Clover is all about friendship, the relationship between characters and how they develop. The character struggles are also all pretty serious such as owing debts, being betrayed and what some people might consider lame but I do not, honor. However it’s not all serious because most of Clover is extremely funny, the jokes all land well and the characters are quirk enough to keep things fresh. The battles, the main part of any delinquent manga are all extremely hype, I wouldn’t say that rhe fights are extremely well dome but they are still good. Wars between groups also happen and you get to see some actual tactics instead of an all out brawl. The characters are also interested enough so that Misaki Hayato doesn’t have to completely carry the plot, other characters can take centre stage and the story will progress just fine. The manga also has a little slice of life feel at times with the characters growing and changing and that overall enhances the experience. The manga doesn’t have anything noticably bad, it’s just that not everything is top class.

The story tells of placing faith in friendships, a beautiful theme that was present in many arcs and I know some people will go “power of friendship is nothing new in media” and it’s true that it’s not anything new but it doesn’t change the fact that Clover does friendships really well. The manga deals with characters maturing a prime example that stood out to me being, not knowing what’s going on in others’ minds, that is something that I find quite a few people struggle with.

With 402 chapters, 401 chapters and one extra chapter, Clover is a crazy ride, if you like delinquent manga then you definitely will check it out because it will scratch that itch just right. The finale, reaffirms the value of friends and sees all our characters with endings that they desrrve giving them proper conclusions and of course offers some good action. With good action, humor and a nice plot that never feels boring, I rate Clover a nice 8/10.

Berserk – Amazing characters in a chaotic world

Hey guys what is up welcome back to my blog I’m so thankful that you guys took the time out of your day to read my blog post. Hope you all are safe and healthy. I took my time getting to this and Berserk was one amazing ride, emotions, hype moments, crying for/with the characters, truly amazing. I’ll like to talk about Guts and Griffith a little here so this one will have more spoilers than my usual posts but I’ll try to keep them minimal.

In a medieval Europe like land, Guts, known as the Black Swordsman, searches for and fights against demons knows as Apostoles in search for a man who branded him as a sacrifice for demons in a ritual. Carrying a giant sword, having experience from being a mercenary since his childhood and a prosthetic left arm Guts struggles against destiny for revenge and to save a woman close to him all the while sinking deeper into rage and fury which will either breathe life into him or drive him to madness.

Berserk has quite a wide cast spread across its 387 chapters however the 3 that matter most to the story are also the best written characters, there’s the protagonist Guts, a man with a very dark past that taught him to rely on his own strength and no one else. His goal is a noble one and yet his actions sometimes don’t make him seem ‘good’ to put it plainly. His goal shifting from revenge to protection but his form only getting more demonic with it, is some good storytelling that you will love. There is Griffith, the main antagonist character who has yhe virtues and qualities of a good man and yet we know that he is not a good man. Charismatic, calculating and cunning, Griffith is a character that will hold your attention for every panel that he is in. Then there is Casca, a splendid warrior and the woman Guts loves who owes a lot to Griffith and practically worships him however what happens between these 3 and thw dynamics they share is the main driving factor of the story. There are many other characters, all representing something, all growing and dynamic but there isn’t much to say without spoiling the story to an extent.

Berserk from the very start is brutal, gory and really dark, it is no fairytale of a hero defeating a villan and yet it is also a story of hope, of struggling against destiny, showing both the darkness and the godness in humanity all through different characters to give a view of the mixed bag that is the world. However not all is philosophical with Berserk because most of it is incredible action that isn’t just clashing of swords but battle tactics whether they be in a fight against monsters or a war against men that make the story interesting. The world building is also very well done with politics between nations and nobles playing a major part in the story and making for plot twists that will keep you on your toes. There are also very emotional moments throughout the story that will fill you with sadness, rage and anger. The art is also one of the strong points of Berserk since Miura draws amazing battle scenes, impressive forms of different beasts and birds eye views of landscapes. The story isn’t carried by Guts since we get to see what is going on in a different part of the world while he is on his journey and it is still very enjoyable. There are no major flaws in Berserk, not any that I could see and the minor ones are far outweighed by the amazing story of Berserk. As you may also know, Berserk’s author Kentaro Miura passed away before completing his work and it is currently being continued by his childhood friend Kouji Mori and if you have any doubts then expell them because if you don’t specifically know that the story transitioned to a different author you would never even notice the difference, that is how faithfully Berserk is being worked on and it has been great so far.

Berserk really blurs the line between good and evil throughout its story even though we know that Griffith is an evil person we still see that the people of the world of Berserk see him as a savior due to his charisma and virtues and even in appereance he is like an angel whereas Guts who pursues a noble goal, even selfless in comparsion to Griffith is often called demonic and even gets a more demonic form as time goes on. In the world of Berserk there are no good people, only people who are looking out for themselves and their own interests, a world that we as a people must never let exist. Berserk is also a story of a struggle against destiny, a fight against what has been predetermined and that is something inspiring to say the least.

With a total 387 chapters including 16 chapters of a prologue (which you absolutely must not skip no matter what anyone says) Berserk is an action filled story, that has amazing characters, beautiful art and most of all an incomplete yet intriguing story that you will want to see the ending of. Berserk will make it to my top 5 manga because this is getting a solid 10/10 from me.

Tomahawk Angel – Action, Mystery and more action.

Instagram recommendations are usually not up topto the mark or are series that I have already read. This time however things were different since a random reel popping onto my account led to me starting this manga. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

An 18 year-old amnesiac woman wakes up to a dystopian world that is overrun by monsters. It is the year 2050 and a scientist who once released these monsters on earth now claims to want to save humanity through his Cortex corporation and his creation, the Angel Wings, soldiers who fight against the monsters with our main character being one of them and so much more than she remembers.

Valerie, that’s the name of our 18 year old amnesiac and her character has been amazing. From the start we feel as if she’s a survivor through sheer luck but slowly the mystery surrounding her reveals that she is the very heart of humanity’s survival. Her suppression of the monster inside, dealing with her past self, a person she doesn’t recognize. The inner monologues that she has are the absolute best and complimented by the art style. While Valerie remains the main focus of the series with the other characters building around her, they all are also interesting characters like Koshiro and his brother Hiroki and the main antagonist like mad scientist Dr. Utah who seems to have a God complex and is shrouded in mystery.

The manga has unique art since it is more of a comic than an actual manga but I call it a manga because the author calls it that. The colour is all in the background and not in the characters however the background does well to show the emotions of the characters and some of the environments are also beautiful to just look at. On that note the potential of the world building is good enough even in a dystopian world with all the mystery that is yet to be solved. The series has good action and it is bloody, the fight scenes are hype and truly a delight. There’s also the humor and romance which serves to compliment the story and doesn’t disrupt the flow. There’s the mystery aspect and the best being the psychological aspects of the story which are seen in Valerie and her internal monologues. The series also shines in showing from different viewpoints the cruel dystopian world. The series will give you AOT vibes and that is because the author accepts the inspiration from AOT however it manages to make itself unique in quite a lot of different ways.

The series touches upon how even before the monsters showed up, the world was destroyed by global warming which was caused by humans. The series always manages to hit the mark when painting the picture of humans being the bigger monsters as compared to the monsters in the world.

With 79 chapters, Tomahawk Angel is getting good with all the twists and revelations about the world coming about. The story is at a critical point currently and it’s a good time to catch up currently. I am giving Tomahawk Angel a solid 9/10.

AI no Idenshi – The Future and its consequences.

I picked up this anime thinking it was going to be very different from what it turned out to be but that doesn’t mean that what it is, is not good and I’ll show you just why. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

Hikaru Sudo a doctor who treats robot and humanoid problems in a near future world where a super AI named Michi overlooks everything. Sudo, also has the undercover name Mogadeet, under which he secretly takes on illegal medical procedures that are prohibited by the government for cases where his inner morality wins out over the sense of right and wrong that the AI has set for the world. Sudo deals with multiple cases of insecurities, problems and multiple other things from Humanoids all of whom through these problems seem human even though their problems can be seen as not human.

Hikaru Sudo is a doctor that treats humanoids that treats them using illegal methods when he deems necessary under the illegal name Mogadeet. Risa is an upbeat assistant to Sudo who crushes on him hard but never confesses. The important thing about the characters is that they change each episode as we see different cases however how quickly they manage to make us connect with these patients and sympathize with their issues is the strong point of the anime showing how well each character is handcrafted.

The animation is pretty good it’s nnot unwatchable however that’s not where the anime shines at all. It shines at how well it manages to touch sensitive topics and show us a fictional future that could very well be real and how amusing and yet how horrifying that future can be.

Identity as a humanoid with a bunch of stored data is something that the anime sees too more than one time. The very fact that it challenges the fact that people are not data while at the same time theoretically creating a world where people are data is very fascinating to me.

A total of 12 episodes makes AI no Idenshi a short watch but a good watch. Don’t expect it to go all in with the setup that’s made in the first two episodes, the anime takes a very different route than what one would think it takes but that too is fun in its own way. A 6/10 seems just right for this one.

ZOM 100: Production issues affecting a great anime

You’ve probably heard about this one by now. The anime with the great visuals, the good story, the fun cast and the production issues. Let’s talk about it all down below. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

Akira Tendo starts a new job at a production company, something he’s always wanted to do. However after his first day at work he realizes that his company isn’t as roses and sunshine as he expected. Akira is exploited by his company for 3 full years leading him into a depressed state that makes him a tired, robotic working machine. However one day, a zombie outbreak occurs in Japan and it leads to Akira realizing that he is free. He makes, a list of 100 things to do before he becomes a zombie and we’re along with him for the fun of it all.

The cast is absolutely lovely in this anime. They’re all fun characters that you connect with, understand and come to love. Our main character Akira Tendo is an overworked office worker until the outbreak starts which leads him to becoming an energetic and fun filled individual who is truly living his ‘you only live once’ life. We have his best friend Kencho the comedian alongwith love interest, Shizuka who is highly rational and calculating about everything. Other characters also join in, in parallel or in contrast to Akira, making the show exciting and showing the zombie outbreak from many different perspectives.

The incredible animation is what made this anime stand out in the first place. It was beautiful and stunning with amazing use of tones and colours to potray different scenarios and character emotions. This animation isn’t just restricted to showing emotions though because it comes into play in the action set pieces as well and they are a delight to watch when combined with the music of the anime. Overall every episode is of the highest quality however the cost to achieve this quality is also high which was the constant production delays. Till now only 8 episodes of the anime have been released because of multiple 1-day and a couple of 1-week delays by the production house. At this point we must really try to think about why such production issues affect such great shows all the time, the root cause is what must be understood while at the same time I also wonder what a production house should focus on, putting out the episode with the highest quality or putting out the episode on time?

The series has many characters to parallel Akira. Shizuka being one such character that goes into the “Survival VS Fun” dymamic. While Akira is someone who wants to have fun with his life after the outbreak, Shizuka is constantly thinking of survival making them complimentary to each other even though their ideologies contrast highly. Another character was revealed who also parallels Akira but we don’t know a lot about him yet.

Only having 8 episodes due to the production delays and going on an indefinite hiatus for the time being. I’d say that it’s better to hold off watching Zom 100 for the time being because while the ending of the 8th episode can be seen as a nice cliffhanger to end on, the place where the anime was meant to end on should be better. If you can wait it out then do but if you can’t then this fun comedy set in a zombie world is worth jumping into. Even with all these issues, Zom 100 is a solid 9/10 with the only point cut being that I want to see the finale episode before giving my complete judgement.