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I have read a ton of shoujo historical manga in the past. Interestingly enough, I have found a good amount to be quite enjoyable. "Akatsuki no Yona" is one of them.

Story:

The story starts with our heroine, Princess Yona. Everything seems to be at peace until certain events happen and Yona ends up going on a journey away from what she is used to in the palace. It's quite typical, but it takes its form as one reads further. There are various challenges and conflicts that arise and it is all very interesting.

Art:

I like the character designs as well as the clothes of the characters. Mizuho Kusanagi does a good job in drawing expressions and its intensity. Though there are styles that I believe are better, I think her art in this work suits this series the most.

Characters

The characters in this series are such a joy. Although they are not the most original, they do have their own depth and charm to them. The pasts and construction leading to the reveal of the past is very good. I personally think this is especially true with a certain character. (He practically shatters my heart into a billion pieces and when I try to collect them, the pieces break again.) The heroine also experiences a lot of character development. The experiences, her encounters, and the things she learns through her journey make her into someone stronger and wiser. It's rare to see this kind of character growth in shoujo harems, so it's really nice to see Yona grow.

Enjoyment

I very much enjoy reading this manga and will continue reading it until its conclusion. There is darkness and light, a beginning and end, and seriousness and laughter.

Overall:

Overall, I really love reading Akatsuki no Yona. It's a great series to read and it is definitely worth a read.

REALLY fascinating manga.

Basically about the genius neurosurgeon Tenma who choose duty over hospital politics and decides to save a young child shot in the head over the famous celebrity. Tenma loses his job because of this and worse... the boy he saves grows up to be a crazed serial killer! WHAT.

Lots of twists and turns and increeeedibly addictive. Read all of it in about 2 days. Ending leaves a lot to interpretation, which was a nice touch for a manga that was so morally ambiguous throughout. Writing is very tight; sometimes some threads of the story seem unconnected and you forget about them until they come together so perfectly and you find yourself going back to reread stuff. Masterful.

One of the things I kept thinking about while reading was: Monsters are strong and they'll kill and kill, but a monster cannot kill a monster. Only a human can kill a monster. So the human cannot lose himself to his emotions and descend into his beastly/monstrous side if he wants to right the situation. It was fascinating watching Tenma struggle with this; he's such an awesome character.

Intense, psychological, deep-thinking manga.

Ahhhh, how I love stories that go against the flow of the river like a beautiful school of salmon. In a type of media that seems to be swarming with Harem, RPG SAO wannabes and bad attempts at making something different, HakoMari certainly comes as a nice a gem. If you are tired of those types of stories, and want something different, or if you like some nice mystery with romance and some suspense, then this is light novel for you.

However, I believe there is just too much hype over this one. It is good, yes, it is great! But I think there are too many people just jumping on the 10/10 wagon, so I wish to bring another point of view as well. Over the course of this review, I will state why I gave this a 9/10.

Story: 9/10

Firstly, as I have said before, HakoMari is different. It is also hard to describe because it is a story that would be hard if not impossible to adapt to other type of media other than a light novel (so we probably won't be seeing any manga or anime adaptation, and if they try, it will suck. I guarantee it). That means that a lot of the descriptions going on in the story is up to your imagination on how you picture it.

Thus, my first and best example of it is also the main theme of the story, the concept of "boxes". Right from the start, the author introduces us to the existence of these "boxes" that can grant wishes depending on the character personality and state of mind. That being said, these "boxes" alter the lives of the people that come in contact with them, and quite frequently, the persons around them as well.

Which sets the tone for our protagonist, Kazuki Hoshino, purpose. Kazuki is obsessed with what the author defines as his "everyday life", that is, the normal life of a male japanese high school student, meeting girls so that he may create his own Har.... I mean, having fun with his friends... Kidding aside, the very concept of "boxes" goes against his idea of "everyday life" as something abnormal, and it is his objective to destroy these "boxes".

The author also does a damn fine job at grabbing your attention right from the get go throwing the mystery right at your face and with the enigmatic words of our lovely main heroine Aya Otonashi.

The story also tries to question several concepts of society and can be considered realistic to a point, although I have some reservation which I will talk about soon. Every novel also has a different setting for the main characters, with a different writing styles all perfectly adequate for each of the volumes making each one unique.

Combine all that with a very well written and revised story with no plot holes that I noticed, and you have a must read.

Character: 7/10

So far, you might be wandering, if it is so good, why is the score a 9 out of 10? Indeed, and the reason is the characters, which for me also happen to lower a bit the score of the other aspects as well (hence I gave 9/10 to the story). Now, let me make this clear, the characters and very good, way better than the vast majority of your run-of-the-mill characters, however it is far from perfect.

Let me present the good aspects.

First, the characters are all not stupid. Which is already more than we can usually ask. But the author also tries to make them deep with dark pasts and real motives as to why they want something or the other. It also presents conflict between the beliefs of each one, which is one of the main driving aspects of the story.

Furthermore, every character that appears for some time has a purpose in the story and contributes significantly to it. The protagonist and main heroine also have personalities that makes the reader root for them. And unlike several stories, all characters develop with their actions and grow as an individual.
The relationship between the two main characters, is also a delight too see and one of the selling points of HakoMari.

However...... during the course of my reading, I always had a feeling, an itch if you will. I couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was at the begging, but in the later volumes it became clear.

The characters feel fake. All of them. And thus the story also suffers from it as well.

And that is why I said the story is realistic to a point. The author just tried too hard to make them realistic with dark pasts and beautiful motivations to the point that they don't feel real. Now before any white knight comes screaming at me that his is just a fantasy, the biggest selling point of the light novel is that it wants the reader to feel connected to the "realism" in it and think of all the the terrible things that happened with the characters so that you may think of all the hidden "messages" it is trying to pass. It wants us to believe that could also happen in a real world setting.

So, when you can't really connect with any of the characters, it doesn't really matter. There were several moments in the story that it was obvious the author was trying to get me connected with the sad moments (and happy parts as well) of the characters. But since they felt "fake", I just didn't really care. I was in more because it was written very well and of the mystery.

Maybe if it were adults in a adult setting or if the author didn't try so hard the, "I wish to change the world", it would be more believable. But, when we remember that all the characters are high school kids... hey, high school students just aren't like that. The "genius" concept is also just not good and overused in HakoMari. The thing is, Geniuses, doesn't actually exist. Well they do, but they are just so very rare, and even so, it doesn't mean they are bound to do great stuff or even want to. In fact, usually, it is quite the contrary. And when HakoMari presents us a school setting apparently full of them, well it is just not believable.

Furthermore, the way the MC likes to flail himself is quite annoying. Try to picture this. People are trying to destroy you, sometimes they are even your friends. You give what they deserve, what do you think:

a) Think that you acted in self-defense and they should apologize
b) Think what a horrible person you are for what you did, even though they started it, and you feel sick with yourself. So you want to beg for forgiveness

Yes I am sure it is option b, because that is certainly what our MC thinks as he always chooses that option. And apparently all the other characters thinks so, because nobody feels bad for what they did and accept his apologies.... the hypocrites.

Also, the way the author seems to just brush off some of the actions that some characters takes bothered me a little. Even if they did something horrible. "Hey I killed someone and manipulated a lot of people against their will. But I suffered in my past and it was all for my distorted sense of justice, so it is ok right?" Well apparently there is no consequence because the character is a good person deep down.

Ok rant over. Even though I said all that, it is way better than it sounded. Those complaints just appeared occasionally, otherwise the score wouldn't be 9/10 overall (which is very good).

If you can just shake off that feeling and apreciate the rest of the story you will enjoy it a lot more, that is what I did.

Art: 7/10:

Pretty good, nothing out of the ordinary, and it is a light novel, so who cares.

Enjoyment 9/10:

So even with that rant, HakoMari is still very enjoying to read, the writing is amazing. It truly is, and the story is fantastic, if it wasn't for the super try hard characters it would be an easy 10. So I enjoyed it not because of it's serious aspect and messages, but because of it is a interesting fantasy story.

I like my readings to be somewhat "smart", and HakoMari certainly fits that bill. Good atmosphere and interesting concept with some mystery some romance, good dialogue and monologue. Specially in the first 4 volumes where the mystery was more in force, it was very enjoyable and I would give a 10/10 for the first part. No overly complicated plot, just a nice read.

Overall 9/10:

I would most definitely recommend HakoMari to anyone and everyone. And I am sure most people will read it in a blaze.

SCI-FI / SURVIVAL
If you are disturbed by SEX SCENES or DEATH SCENES, this is not for you. HOWEVER!, if you are a Gantz fan, you gotta trust the process/manga progress and shouldn't be freak out with those inevitable scenes!

Minor Spoiler:
When I reach chapter 15 (potentially the true beginning point of this manga) today, I decided to check out myanimelist to see the score for this manga. Upon seeing the score and reviews, I feel that they don't do this piece of manga justice.

Ok let's get real. Sex is a part of life. Porn exists because of some men's personal need. BUT THE POINT OF THIS STORY ISN'T BUILD UPON PORN ITSELF. If you read closely and pay attention, there are hints suggesting that something else is happening (this starting style is kinda similar to "I am a Hero") I get that the main female character, Papico is an AV star, but it is just part of the story.

Honestly, I don't get why the rating is so low. Manga shouldn't be judged with only a few chapters. Rather, patience is the key for this kind of manga.

Do you think the legendary Mangaka, aka Hiroya Oku, will start the manga slow for no reason? Do you think his work, Gigant, will solely be based on sex and porn? Trust me... his work isn't that superficial (This statement is supported by the experience of rereading Gantz multiple times and Inuyashiki)



Story: 8-10

"anonymity" "sci-fi" "sex/love" "survival" are few words that come to my mind when I read this manga; however, this manga is pretty new in terms of its story length. Thus, the best range I can to this story is actually a range from 7-10. I give it a 9 because of I have faith that this quality of the manga has the potential to match up to that of Gantz (hopefully with a better ending though :x ). Let's go Hiroya <3


Art: 10

ok, for real though, this is not even an argument, like... background and characters are all on point... jeez... the details... I can't even... 10 10 10101010


Character: 9

There are still so many questions regarding the characters themselves, but we are only a few chapters in. There are definitely going to be more and more characters coming in and I am extremely curious about the character who controls the voting website. (-1 for potential oncoming mistakes)


Enjoyment: 10 (Biased, but with the trust of the author and personal patience)

When I first knew the manga, I read through the first 5 chapters without stopping. So far, I am still following and enjoying the updates.


Overall: 8-10
Again, with such few chapters, it is hard to land a score for this category



When I write this review, the rating was 6.04 from 616 users. I am placing my bet against the majority of these low scorers that this manga is going to blossom into a beautiful flower with time and patience.

Much like many other manga based on visual novels, they become mysterious beasts that become hard to define as to whether they can be considered 'good' or not.
I am writing this review as someone who has seen the anime adaptation and read the manga but not played the original source material, 11 Eyes the visual novel.

The manga follows a specific route of the visual novel, the Kusakabe Misuzu route.
As such certain plot points and characters are completely glossed over in the manga, as to understand the entire story one must play through all the routes of the visual novel.
The first chapter or two can be a real chore to get through, as it seems to throw concepts at you from the get go and you have to accept that things are happening blindly in order to enjoy it. However after struggling through them, you'll probably start to enjoy the weirdness of the situation and the characters involved with it.
Aside from the hurried beginnings, the story is more of a puzzle trying to work out why these characters have been thrust together into this situation, and what can they do to survive it. Almost nothing is explained until the last 2 chapters, where expositional dialogue will try and help you muddle through what exactly the hell is going on.

The artwork is above average in that for the most part in manga today i see little to no shading, vast amounts of white space and little to no detail. 11 Eyes will not disappoint with it's array of distinguishable characters, detailed fight scenes and a surprisingly heavy use of shading.

The characters are the real meat of the manga here, and in some parts this could be considered the best or possibly the worst part for other readers.
As previously mentioned, this follows the route for one character.
As such the character that you follow is well fleshed out, revealing backstory and seeing the emotions that she displays at any given time and her plights, hopes and dreams.
However the rest of the cast is left pretty much in the dust.
Aside from knowing who they are, the rest is left to either watching the anime or playing the game if you want to fill in the gaps.

Overall i'd say i enjoyed reading the manga, but mainly to get a different perspective than what the anime provided.
If you are already a fan of Kusakabe Misuzu's character, i'd definitely recommend reading it!
However for the rest of us i'd recommend watching the anime at least, to get a better understanding on what's going on with the rest of the characters and story. And for everyone else,including myself, 'id say play the game if you can and if you enjoyed that you'll probably enjoy this too.

The characters lack development and the story seemed like a half assed job. The ending didn't feel satisfying, like there's going to be more and everything else was rushed together. So in all, this is a story that the mangaka rushed together for the publisher! Well, it seems like one.

Final score: 8/10

This manga is truly thrilling, and it feels a lot like reading Eden no Ori, Bloody monday or Bokurano. The way the plot unfolds is riveting, and there is a lot of tension in the scenes since the mangaka does not shy away from showing gore or death. You actually feel invested in the characters and their mission; and that's great!

What spoils it for me overall is the ending. When the MC meets the eye and receives the explanation for what is happening (which I won't summarize, as it is a spoiler), I found myself unable to relate to the story anymore. The questions and themes being explored by the manga till then suddenly seem to become pointless in the face of the massive cost of this setup. What's worse, it is truly difficult to sympathize or understand the motivations of the 'villain' character. You're forced to accept it as it is, and it really ruins the immersion. Moreover, the resolution does not give sufficient closure to the characters we've known throughout the manga. Honestly, the chapters leading up to this reveal, up until the MC collects the necessary items, is great. The manga hits a peak around chapter 38 and then declines.

This manga raises questions about AI and humanity. Can AI become 'human?' Can humans get so invested in a virtual world they abandon their real one? What does it mean to live a fulfilling life in a fake world? And so on. It is fascinating, but none of these questions get explored in the depth they deserve. I hope the mangaka continues working and developing his ideas.

If you have some free time, this is worth reading. At 47 chapters it's not going to take more than 2 hours of your time. And most of the manga is thrilling. But, unfortunately, the ending virtually guarantees that this won't be something you remember and re-read in the future.

I can only judge on what is out thus far.

I clicked on it because my friend has a joke about wanting to be killed by a Japanese girl. I wasn't expecting much, just something to screenshot him for a laugh.

However, I really enjoy it as it is not as it seems on the surface. Every character has some time for development and the way the story is told helps interconnect the circumstances of this situation. I was expecting something less deep that lacked development when it really is doing a great job thus far on establishing characters and making a solid story line that keeps me guessing.

I really enjoy the art, I have begun to read other things by this author who draws women in a very beautiful and unique way.

I hope it updates soon. I really am looking forward to seeing where this goes.

So first off, I'd just like everyone to know, that this manga does not contain the ripping of any virgins, LOL. If you were looking for some horrible kinky hentay shit that involves ripping virgins, you're out of luck
But yeah, the title's a huge misnomer, because "reaper" is pronounced the same way (as ripper).

Anyhow, it's about some reaper, who's a virgin at reaping (reaping souls), probably because she gets ridiculously sidetracked instead. It's pretty average as far as manga goes; about as average as it gets I guess? Pretty typical shoujo-esque manga. The outfits actually kinda stand out as somewhat interesting, but yeah, average aside from that.

After a few chapters, you notice this series is an affectionate parody of high fantasy settings with OP MCs. Every cliché trope you can imagine will be referenced, and if one of the characters doesn't point the falls in logic said trope has, then be sure the narrator himself will.

Lloyd is your typical nice guy MC, but he's so extremely OP to the point that he can defeat demon lords with little difficulty - however, the catch with him is that he comes from a village of legendary heroes where he was raised by a god, so he was labelled as the weakest on that village, which led to his perception of power being so disturbed that he considers stuff like 10 meter tall monsters to be simple bugs. He's basically an anti-thesis to Saitama in that way, he defeats everyone effortlessly if not downright one-shot, but he doesn't even notice as much due to his weird upraising.

Every other main character also has a main joke to them: Marie has being hilariously abused by her master's magic, Riho is only in it for the money, Selen is a yandere stalker who can't think of anything but Lloyd, Alka is a 100+ years old loli who is a shotacon, and Phyllo is a girl of few words that has problems following the flow of normal conversations which leads her to wrong conclusions. Expect to see the author looking for ways to milk every one of those jokes for what's worth.

Overall, this is a fairly good comedy novel, but unless that mysterious villain working in the background manages to eventually shake the status quo, I can see this basically going the same route as One Punch Man of simply overusing their jokes as much as they can.