DBZ, Yu Yu Hakusho, One Piece, Fairy Tale, Naruto, Bleach.......

What do all these great stories have in common? One simple word SHOUNEN.

While all stories are different, they are at their base the same. Introducing vast words and intricate powers that fill every fan boy out there with envy while at the same time introducing the idea of hard work and friendship.

Yet in this day and age, say something like ONE Piece is amazing or Naruto is overrated, whether it be online or in real life, and you pretty much going to get assaulted verbally , emotionally physically or some combination of the three.

Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of shounen and while I might have some nitpicks her and there with the series I mentioned before, I'd be lying if I didn't think they were ALL good in some way shape or form.

With that said, you’d think it would be rather difficult to come up with an original battle manga due to the fact that......well......THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS.

That’s where this series comes in.

Medaka box is a shounen manga that had been licensed in weekly shounen jump for just under 4 years with 192 chapters

The stories setting develops on a rather simple premise: The Medaka Box. The Medaka Box is a suggestion box established by the main character, Medaka Kurokami, who is the student council president of sandbox academy . She and the rest of the student council take the suggestions from this completely ordinary box, and try to help others with their problems etc, etc. Seems simple and cliché I know but keep watching.

After taking a few chapters to introduce the characters, I began realizing one of the main reasons why this manga seemed so different. That reason being that Medaka is probably the most annoying character I've ever had the displeasure of reading about EVER.

Sure there are a variety of different pain in the ass main character in other popular series that annoyed the ever living piss out of me. And i can easily go on a small petty rant about them. But I won't, because I'm to mature for that.

The point I'm trying to get at here is that the fact that Medaka is an annoying character is actually done on purpose. This series is not your standard shounen series whose main goal is to sway you with feeling of adventure and friendship. Nor is it there to draw you in with dark and often times repetitive themes. Medaka box my friends is a satire.

That means the sole purpose of this manga is to take the main elements of other shounen series, turn the dial all the way to eleven and watch the fireworks. Everything you can consider right or wrong with the entire shounen genre gets introduced in this series but the author presents it in such an over the top way that you can't help but laugh a little bit inside when you realize what going on. Take Medaka for example, she's beautiful, smart, knows how to give an inspirational speech about hard work and victory. She's OP as hell, never loses, is always right and claims to live for others. She's like Jesus Christ with breasts. Everyone looks week and powerless compared to her and that’s kind of the point.

Sure you could say there is a plot in this series but I'm not even going to try and describe it because that would be like trying to translate the disassociated ramblings of the special Olympics spelling bee. I mean one minute it's DBZ level child abuse and the next it's DBZ getting owned by some demonic loli. If you try to read this series for its plot than you are going to rage. A LOT.

This becomes more prevalent during the later few arcs of the series were overall plot consistency seems to catch on fire and jump out the window with the author introducing a variety of plot twists that despite being enjoyable, left me with this urge to flip a table. I swear there was one time were the author took 3/4 of a chapter to explain the mechanics of some awesome finishing move, only for it to MISS.

I mean honestly, if I were to meet this author in real life, I wouldn't know whether I should shake his hand or punch him in the face. You really need to keep an open mind while reading this series because literally anything can happen.

This series also shouldn't be noted for its action because while there are some fight scenes in the series, they are few and far in-between. After all, this series was written by NISIO ISIN, the same person who wrote the monogatari series which isn't exactly know for its action (insert toothbrush image here).

Rather, like the monogatari series, this manga shines in its dialogue and character development. As the series goes on, it's cast seems to get larger and larger. Introducing a variety of characters who have their own quirks and personalities. Sure some characters get far more development than others but I can guarantee that you'll find at least one character to fall in love with (*Cough* Kumagawa *Cough*).

Overall this series, while not perfect, was an enjoyable ride. Reading it made me feel a variety of different emotions including happiness, anger, confusion, sadness, anxiety, more confusion and that typical feeling we all get when we know the creator is just trying to fuck us over.

I'm looking at YOU Haruhi and Evangelion.

Despite all this, I can honestly say that I was never once bored reading each and every chapter of this series and even though it isn't licensed in the US, I almost feel tempted to order the Japanese volumes from overseas despite not being able to read or speak the language.

However, Medaka box is not a series for everyone and is definably more of an acquired taste than one that everyone will enjoy. But if you're in the mood to read something different, or just wanna read a series that intentionally pisses on itself and the whole shounen genre in general than defiantly give this series a try.

Just a warning though, this manga seems to take a page right out of Hitman Reborn and starts off rather slow before actually getting interesting. Just bear with the first 17 chapters and I promise you you’ll find it’s not like anything you’ve ever read before if I haven’t already made that point clear. =P