Rave

Rave, the anime was the reason of my anime addiction. I was disappointed when it was left at episode 50(around volume12 I think). And so, I picked it up from where the anime left off meaning that I, until today have not read the first few volumes.

Story:
Its so cliche but since it was my first manga, I didn't feel so then and was completely engrossed in it. There are many twists, some are brilliant, some are dumb. I consider myself as a sadist because my most enjoyable part throughout the anime/manga was when Elie got tortured (it happened 3 times). :D
I found it very arousing... =_=
The fight scenes are hard to tell from one another, are short and they follow the same formula, which is the hero loses and he dramatically recovers and starts kicking ass. And the blood is black. The end was also quite rushed though the story up til then was well paced.

Art: 7
Nothing special about the art though it has its own style. Everyone would look the same if it weren't for their hair basically. There isn't much to the scenery as the story doesn't cover much regions and every where is an empty plane.

Character: 8
A typical shounen manga with strong supporting characters and rather weak main characters. Many find Elie annoying but she's my favourite. She's very weak and I am disappointed that her powers weren't exploited btu I still love her, maybe its because of the sadist within me. Haru depends on a sword, so imagine if he didn't have his sword and high stamina, he would be left as a useless wimp and his techniques are just slash and run and jump and slash, he doesn't uses any special strategy whatsoever. The relationship between Haru and Elie is more of a brother and sister, not that of lovers, I choose Seighart over Haru anytime.
Musica is one character who undergoes a make over which is definitely a good thing. the characters basically are the parents of the cast of Fairtail. And also there's the manag's mascot Plue whom isn't decided on what species it actually is. Another memorable character is Reina and I give the author credit for her character's plot. I hate Ruby the retard and Julia the whore.

Enjoyment: 8
Aside from the sadism part of mine, I enjoyed this manga because I wanted to know since the beginning the mysteries the author had laid out. And I am not one bit disappointed at the unfolded stories. However, I hate the ending. It was shit. I wished the author had taken a bold step in destroying the shounen stereotype outcomes. It really ruined my reason of loving Rave.

Overall: 8
Rave was my first love and will always be my first love. I give it an '8' because of Elie and also the twists throughout the manga.
I honestly don't understand why people would rather read Fairytail than Rave because they both are dry out of ideas, at least Rave has an amnesia suffering chick :D



I know I sound very biased, but I feel that Rave is very much left in the closet, compared to Fairytail.

TL;DR? While not amazingly perfect or objectively brilliant, Rave Master is one of the best shonen I’ve read that combines the most lovable shonen ideals together into a well-paced, heartfelt adventure story.

L;DR:
You know, one of the last things I ever expected was to become a fan of Hiro Mashima. I only watched a bit of Fairy Tail back in the day and declared it so-so at the time. But after completing Rave Master, it would be a lie to say that I am not, at the very least, impressed. Because Rave Master… crap, it was really, really, good.

Fresh off the high of his newest series, Edens Zero, I thought I’d check out his original manga, Rave Master. My expectations were immensely low, the bar was practically on the floor. I mean… “Rave Master”? I wasn’t exactly sold on the premise, either. But I had nothing to lose, and decided to just give the damn thing a shot.

Rave Master’s start is rough. The art is crude, the story is mostly unexplained, and I felt like I was floundering in plot. I was prepared to drop it at any moment. I did not expect to become attached at all.

But, something about Rave Master—it has some grit to it, a roughness in quality that complements all of the heart that I can tell has been put into it. Now I know that, by all means, it is simply shonen trash. “Because we’re friends!” “I’ll protect you!” and so on. But this grit, this personality that seemed to come from the manga, is what kept me reading. And reading. For three days straight, I thought of nothing but Rave Master. I was reading it during class, reading during dinner, it even infiltrated my dreams. I started out by scoring it a 7. When I got into more chapters, I bumped that up to an 8. At the beginning of the last arc, I gave it a 9. And when I finally finished that last page… I simply had to give it a 10.

Now, objectively, I doubt it deserves such high praise. Rave Master is a manga of many flaws, too many for me to list here. But I still believe that a manga’s rating depends on my personal experience, and I don’t know the last time I ever felt so emotional when reading a manga.

I simply… loved reading it. It’s a shame that the manga is no longer in print in English (RIP, Tokyopop). It’s also a shame that the anime adaptation is such low quality. If Rave got a Hunter x Hunter-style reboot, I can guarantee that it would be greatly received, both by the thousands of remaining Rave Master fans and by a new, fresh audience. Because Rave Master does not seem dated, not at all.

Sure, it’s reminiscent of the tropes and themes of early 2000s shonen, but as I read more, I realized that this was the kind of shonen I missed consuming. Nowadays shonen is so streamlined, so perfectly aligned with years worth of tropes and cliches that it’s hard to feel as if I’m being offered something new. Of course, I still love that kind of shonen, but reading Rave Master reminded me what drew me towards the genre in the first place. The boyish charm of an unlikely hero setting out to take on the world, that… that is what I loved.

The character writing was pretty decent for his first manga, although I think he much improved in later works. That being said, I enjoyed how Mashima did not fall victim to the disease we call “bad female character writing.” Elie was fun and fresh, and she complimented Haru’s character well. Musica started off typical, but his character arc was satisfying. Plue… was Plue. We all like Plue. Most of the other characters were enjoyable to read about too, even the minor characters (the jiggle-butt gang always had me giggling).

Now, Rave Master isn’t really THAT long, but I found the pacing to be done perfectly. From Mashima’s other works, I thought Fairy Tail to be a little slow or stretched-out, and Edens Zero moved much faster than I expected. Rave Master rests in that perfect, consumable, easily-paced median. Every once in a while, Mashima would throw in a “filler” chapter, but those were the chapters that would quickly become my favorites. Hell, he created a meta-version of himself in his own universe in one of them… it was fun! It helped to balance out all the other serious elements.

When I finally reached Rave Master’s conclusion, I was sad, of course, to have finished it, but the ending crafted was one of the most satisfying that I had read. Most loose plot threads were wrapped up, and the tie-back to Levin from the side comics brought a tear to eye. Everything made sense. All the chapters I had read to lead up to that moment were worth it.

And the moment I finished the last page, I went right back to the beginning again. And then I started to reread.

So. I loved Rave Master. If you’re on the fence about the series, just give it a shot. Try the first five chapters. And who knows? Maybe you’ll love it as much as I did.

EPICNESS!!! The story, the characers, AWESOMENESS!!! It's a tale about a boy, Haru Glory, who stumbled upon destiny when a weird old war-veteran and his weird, white creature came to his island and gave him the key to stopping the well renowned Demon Card, the first of five artifacts called Rave, his creature named Plue, and a sword called the Ten Commandments (I know they cencored the name for it in the anime due to obvious religious references but this name DOES sound EPIC). He meets an amnesiac girl with a weird way of seeing things and a boy who can shape-shift silver for fighting and WAY too many more strange people to get down; they're all weird in their own way but it's the kind of weird that you see naturally in a person and you can't help but laugh at it. This manga switches back and forth between serious and wtf funny - the seriousness ranging from intense to end of existance (literally) and the funny from quirky to can't breath and tears for several minutes and the more you think about it, ther worse it is. The plot twist are the best I've seen in manga, anime, famous novels, anything and these characters strive through with the intent to die for it everytime. Their die-hard passion is unreal and inspiring and it makes the best of us cry at times seeing them constanly fighting for what they believe in. There are times when they'll get discouraged but to see them get back up and evolve is so heartwarming. As for the art, the funny moments look alot like One Piece and the detail of the serios moments is exceptionally superb. I Love this manga and if you take the time to read it, so will you.

This is my first review, updated from when I read only 216 chapters of it.

The story of Rave Master, up until chapter 240 or so, is not that special. Haru Glory, the main character, has to save the world from Demon Card (DC) by collecting all the rave stones and defeating them. Without getting into story details, there are several interesting plot twists near the end, but aside from that, the story moves very straightforward in a somewhat boring way. All the villains, and I mean every single one of them, are unlikeable. They all want to destroy the world for pointless reasons, with an explanation provided in the last chapters, cheap one at that. To top this all of, there is an unbelievable amount of plot armor in every single fight of the series coupled with the already familiar nakama powers from Fairy Tail. If this wasn't enough, the series suffers from quite a lot of fanservice, especially towards the end, although it is not as much as in FT or EZ.

The art is good, although the battle choreographies are quite mediocre. The majority of the main cast is likeable and entertaining, with a lot of interesting side characters. Unfortunately, like I said previously, the villains are terribly written.

Rave Master could have been a great shonen. It showed up around Naruto and One Piece's time frame, but unfortunately its potential was overshadowed by its many faults. Hopefully Mashima learns from his mistakes and provides us with a better, more engaging story with Edens Zero

Rave Master was a series I stumbled upon back in my middle school days. It was one of my first manga I’d ever read - I was enthralled with how drastically different it was from American comics. The series oozed with style; it incorporated musical themes into different story elements and naming conventions, character design was on point, and the initial cast was likable enough that I grew attached very quickly. I was young enough at that point that I couldn't afford to buy the volumes, and my lack of resources made me lose track of the series.

Years later, with Hiro Mashima currently writing several ongoing titles (as of the beginning of 2020), I decided to finally reread Rave Master to completion. My manga knowledge has increased significantly since my last read, and I was curious to give it another go.

It's fun to watch an artist's work evolve over time, and Mashima is no exception, especially since the first few volumes of Rave Master can be a bit rough. Near the end, my attachment to the characters and the artwork was one of the main reasons I ended up completing the story.

The story contains a lot of textbook shonen tropes; power of friendship overcomes (quite literally) anything, MC wins fights because he is the MC, coming-of-age story elements, etc. Unfortunately, this is also the manga's biggest issue. Numerous times, characters will survive their battles out of plot convenience (Let and Haru being the biggest examples), and despite having lethal damage or sacrificing themselves for their friends, by some miracle they all survive. Moments with emotional weight are sadly negated later because the author was too afraid to kill off fan favorites, yet other characters are killed nearly at whim.

My other big gripe with the story is the inconsistent pacing following the King/Demon Card arc. Pumpkin Doryu, a big side villain, has a multi-volume (and the least interesting, in my opinion) storyline, yet the final enemies take only a few chapters for their battles. I’m not sure if this was a publication issue or the story was naturally going to end this way, but the last storyline felt a bit rushed, introducing a number of incredibly powerful characters, only to have them lose within 2-3 chapters.

All gripes aside, this is a great shonen read. You’ll quickly grow attached to the colorful, diverse cast and the world of Rave, and the length is doesn’t require too much of a time commitment.

The manga Rave Master was actaully one of the first anime i've watched as a child. Back then, it was so awesome that i basically counted down the minutes(as best as i could) until it would come back on. Now that i've matured to a certain extent, i rewatched and read the anime and manga and i believe that rave master is one of the BEST anime out there. It is for most ages, an awesome story, great character development, the art could do with a bit improving but it is still easily awesome. the main characters, haru and ellie, together grow not only stronger, but they mature up until the climax of the seires. it has great comedy, action a bit of romance but overall, it, in my opinion, is one of the best anime ive watched. the manga needs a better translator, because the version i read was horribly translated. I reccommend this anime or the maga to any first time reader or newbe at anime watching.

Hiro Mashima had already fully realized his ideal shonen in his debut manga, Rave Master. Although I was never fond of Mashima’s brand of shonen, I gained newfound appreciation of his style through Rave. What made this manga distinct from other generic shonen is the emphasis and love for friendship. This, first and foremost, is the defining characteristic of Mashima’s stories. And like any other Mashima work, this essential feature is both a strength and a flaw. His obsession in friendship gets in the way of meaningful character writing and consequential conflict. The characters never go beyond their archetypal models. It fails to sell big battles because the main antagonists aren’t simply compelling. It doesn’t help that Mashima doesn’t tweak the formula for each arc, making the entire trajectory of the series look like a sine wave.

Even though Mashima’s fixation on friendship is the heart of the series' flaws, it is also the reason why it does some things better than other battle shonen, even the greatest like One Piece and Hunter x Hunter. Friendship will always be a part of the shonen vernacular and it’s played out in different ways. In One Piece, camaraderie is found and strengthened as the characters embark on their grand adventure. Meanwhile, Hunter x Hunter explores friendship in all kinds of morality whether it be a twisted friendship between its heroes or wholesome fellowship between its villains. Rave is different as it focuses on the use of plot irrelevant adventures and slice-of-life elements. It shows us that friendship is formed in small detours and inconsequential adventures. It is strengthened by the little familial moments the heroes share together. And these bonds are simply affirmed in the battles they fought. Other battle shonen simply lack this element because they are plot-heavy. In comparison, Rave is never afraid to frequently indulge in its downtime where there is little conflict to build rapport between its bountiful cast. Even if the characters are walking cliches, their friendship is undoubtedly real and compelling.

Perhaps the lack of meaningful rapport between its heroes is the reason why Fairy Tail failed to reach the level of its predecessor even if they made the same blunders. Nonetheless, Rave is a fascinating experience and an entertaining read. Its strengths also caused its faults, but if there is any consolation, it is the fact that Mashima’s brand of shonen is worth considering.

Today, I am going to write a review on Groove Adventure Rave, otherwise known as Rave Master. I am going to try a different format today. We will dissect this manga in slightly different aspects.

~ Exemplary Shounen-ness ~

First of all, Rave Master is Shounen. There is no dispute about it. It is also a good Shounen, and that means that every once in a while, readers starts to feel blood rushing into their heads. Or, as I would like to put it, it is epic. In this regard, it is on par with Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, etc. As we will soon see, though, Shounen is definitely not the only strength it possesses.

~ Amalgam of Genres ~

Another noteworthy trait about Rave Master is that expands its territories to encompass more elements than what a standard battle Shounen would include. Of course, all topnotch (popular) Shounen has shown this characteristic to some extent, but rave master has done this especially well. Other than action, fantasy, and comedy, RM puts a heavy emphasis on adventure (much like One Piece), drama, and even romance. Granted, the romance aspect is nowhere as explored as it is in romance-oriented manga. It is still a respectable amount of other elements added to this epic Shounen saga without ruining the Shounen aspect of it.

Moreover, while RM has more in variety, it cuts down on fan-service. This is a fantastic news to most of the readers who are tired of freakishly common occurrence of boobs on manga pages, but maybe bad news for those of you who find an excessive fan-service enjoyable. Nevertheless, the romance in RM makes up for a lack of fan-service.

~ World Construction ~

It is among some of the best world construction pieces ever found in fantasy manga, probably because the mangaka is a huge fan of Eiichiro Oda, creator of One Piece. Readers who appreciate a frequent change of setting throughout the narration of a story will surely love this.

~ Art ~

Depending on how much the readers like the art in One Piece, or a more direct comparison, Fairy Tail, there will be different opinions on the quality of art. Personally, I found this kind of a style quite different from a majority of other manga, in a refreshing and enjoyable way.

~ Character ~

Instead of talking about the entire character cast, I will only talk about the male lead, Haru Glory, which is, again, what sets this manga apart from all other Shounen.

Typically, male lead (in Shounen) is a bold, determined, adventurous, righteous individual in the manliest way. Obviously, there is an underlying flaw to this setup. It requires the male lead to be also a bit slow in the head and sometimes an EQ way below that of an average person. If I have to state one reason that a lot of people hate Shounen, this is why.

Fortunately, Haru Glory defies this rule. Sure, he has the typical boldness, an adventurous spirit, and determination, but in moderation. On the other hand, he is thoughtful, sensitive, and knows when to give up. Somehow, he seems like more like a person one can relate to instead of just an icon of justice (like Naruto).

~ Story ~

Where this manga truly shines. I said in previous posts that Psyren is a case of good brain-storming. Then, RM must be an incidence of phenomenal overall planning.

Let me remind you of another illness that befall most popular Shounen, the story will slow down between different arcs, and will almost come to a halt before the grand finale. For the most parts, this doesn’t apply to RM.

I will give you a succinct flow chart summary of my experience reading this manga:



Slow Start –> Gradual intensifying plot –> Epicness –> building up intensity –> Epicness

… … (repeats cycle)

(A few slowdown in between)

… … (repeats cycle)

FLASHBACK -> MIND-FUCKED in an amazing way
--> Grand Finale Battle --> Epic Ending!

Overall, Rave Master is a manga that contain most of the shounen epicness as well as tropes and cliches, but also worked around it so that these cliches are not so annoying anymore. It has a typical yet more likable male lead. Its story does not feel disjointed with the construction of different arcs. It has a good balance of different categories, and a comfortable pacing. Ultimately, perhaps most importantly of all, it is completed, so that readers will not agonize over one chapter per week.

Story: 10/10
Art: 8/10
Character: 9/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 10/10

Mashima-sensei's first manga, Rave Master (Or RAVE, or The Groove Adventure). The story is not new for sure. But once you start reading. You will get hooked. The art drastically improves throughout the lifespan of the series.

The one thing that stood out the most was the Characters, some good-hearted, some wicked, and some just downright strange. I highly recommend this for fans of Fairy Tail. An alternative world(s) filled with magic, curiosities, and monsters is much like Fairy Tail. Who couldn't resist that?

Overall I give Rave Master/RAVE/The Groove Adventure a 9 out of 10. It is an excellent debut-manga by Mashima-sensei.

Ok so first of all, overall, I give Rave Master a 10. To me, it's really the most outstanding thing I've read. I believe Mashima sensei did a great job writing this story out. It's filled with PLENTY of humor so it keeps the reader entertained. Not only that but he manages to delve deep into the roots of the characters. Even the bad guys seem likable in some way. Not only that but he makes sure to give reason behind the villains going down the wrong path. It's really incredible. I cried when reading the manga and got attached to so many characters. His art improved, as most mangakas do, throughout the story. But even so, from start to finish, the characters were all beautiful and their personalities were likable. I believe the story became more engrossing as I read.

Mashima sensei's Fairy Tail is pretty great but to be honest, I believe Rave Master is more incredible. The battles are like...I don't know how to explain but filled with more action and it's just amazing. The abilities the characters have and the fighting styles are all pretty different so it can really entertain any type of fighting style the reader likes.

Basically, 10 out of 10. No wait, 100 out of 10. It's still my favorite manga and this is what got me into the whole anime/manga fandom anyway. I definitely recommend anyone to read this manga.