Reviews

20世紀少年 1: ともだち by Naoki Urasawa

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twist_up's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny hopeful mysterious sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

crucialxdave's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny inspiring mysterious medium-paced

4.25

mollika_m's review against another edition

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4.0

Rarely has a manga grabbed my attention so fully the way 20th CB did. I was constantly on the edge of my seat reading the entire series. I've just finished reading this and have volumes to write about the final arc and the ending, but man. This was an experience.

bruhbruh's review against another edition

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Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No

3.25

lunchlander's review against another edition

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4.0

After loving Monster, I was anxiously awaiting the two new Naoki Urasawa series from Viz. The first volume of 20th Century Boys doesn't disappoint. Like Monster, it's got a slow-burn opener, but it's full of potential, and I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

The easiest comparison is to a Stephen King story, with a tale of young boys having shared secrets and a made-up secret society, only to discover in their adult lives that those childlike playtime behaviors are having more sinister real-world effects. Urasawa builds a compelling cast of characters and really sells the creepiness of "The Friend's" cult.

Kudos also to Viz for giving this the deluxe treatment, with flaps and a slightly oversized printing.