How far is too far? [SPOILER ALERT]
Philosophy, eternal debate, the battle between good and evil, Akumetsu is just one in a series of formats that covers this topic, which gives itself the right to play with the principles of what we call humanity. Does the pain we suffer, the injustice we see, that we know, give us the right to judge those who commit this injustice? We all know of a similar title that also dealt with this topic, which is Death Note, but Akumetsu presents it much more thoroughly and maturely.

The story begins with the portrayal of a protagonist named Shou Hazama, at first glance quite the usual high school student who is basically a clown in his class. One day, his classmate and close friend, Shina Nagasawa, say good-bye to him, and behind it lies the truth that her family has fallen into financial debt and to pay for it, she sells her body to a group of political elites in a secret rally. During this secret party, a masked young man appears carrying a gun and an ax with him. Shina recognizes the masked man as Shou, who identifies himself as "Akumetsu" and faces one of the highest bureaucrats out there. The masked young man forces the man to confess his actions before stabbing ax deep inside his brain. Akumetsu then pulls the corpse out, where he is met by police, who mercilessly shoots him with bullets, after which an explosive device in the mask blows his head. The next day, Shina returns to school where she finds Shou, alive and well. Shou promises Shina that he will protect her and that he will change Japan for the better. That night Akumetsu reappears.

As far as the story itself is concerned, it is enough for you to understand in which direction it is going and how it will develop. Akumetsu is a manga that makes us think hard and wants to get rid of corrupt rich people, but it also touches on issues that are very important to our society, including sovereign debt and uncontrolled corruption like many other social problems. Many of the characters that appear are based on real people, the names are only slightly altered, which can make their death comical at some point. Although the manga is quite morbid and nasty, every page is outlined with a very meaningful theme behind it. The manga specifically notes that Akumetsu's character is not a hero and that readers should constantly look at his words with a healthy dose of suspicion. Nevertheless, something is satisfying and genuine about the fact that people who have made their fortune by playing the system through their greed receive punishment for their arrogance. Moments that at least all of us once wished we had the opportunity to see. This is where the moral principles and the readers themselves are violated, we are warned, we know that it is bad to enjoy and exult in what we read, what we hoped for as the story went on, but again, we enjoy to some extent the cruel killings of those who have sinned. In addition to its seriousness, Akumetsu also has a healthy dose of comedy and parody to keep things a little relaxed. Some of the jokes are from their time, though, and it's hard to understand if you haven't followed the trends and social status of Japan in the 2000s. This is where one of the flaws of this manga often comes up, which is not so noticeable to the weaker storytellers. The story covers all the exits, providing a pretty solid and fun ride through the series itself. What is more important, what sets Akumetsu apart from other works with a similar theme, is the recognition of the protagonist and his view of the things he does. He knows that what he has chosen is wrong and will bear the consequences. Expect to catch yourself thinking about many life and moral issues, days and months after reading this manga. Akumetsu is not a title intended for education, but for a real and cruel confrontation with the truth that bothers each of us, which must be on our minds as far as the world of today has come. Could one fool, ready for anything, even to sell his peace, be able to save a mass of innocent people? Is this at all a job for someone like that, and what will the consequences be for those who choose to take justice into their own hands? Read Akumetsu and find out what people are ready for.