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rnbhargava's reviews
408 reviews
20th Century Boys: The Perfect Edition, Vol. 1 by Naoki Urasawa
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I see why people love this book. I’ve read others of Urusawa’s works before this but man, it’s a journey. I kind of like that he remixes aspects of his plots and even character designs in his different works. The plot here has to do with uncovering the present day mysteries surrounding people that the protagonist, a convenience store owner, knew as a child. The twists and turns are great.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
The violence is a mixed bag but then it’s interconnected with something to do with a cult that’s central to the overall story. The sexual content mostly has to do with coming of age, discovering skin flicks and things of that nature. The I would only recommend to an older teen or older before reading Urasawa.
Kaiju No. 8, Vol. 5 by Naoya Matsumoto
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This volume does a lot of action and world building given that Kafka ends up around a slightly different set of characters, all who under certain circumstances would not hesitate to put him down. It creates wonderful banter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Several characters in the book dehumanize the main character. Further, these other characters also don’t take Kafka seriously. He has to prove he isn’t just a monster. All the characters get time to shine in this volume.
Kaiju No. 8, Vol. 4 by Naoya Matsumoto
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This volume is nonstop action and intrigue. The supporting character on the volume cover really gets to shine. Also, the direction this volume went is somewhere the story had to get to pretty quickly but it still remained surprising with some added folds and repercussions going into the next volume.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Some of the Kaiju action could be grotesque to some. Everyone acts with huge emotions which could read melodramatic. Further, their decisions about what moves to do are all huge. That could lead to all sorts of potential questionable read too much into the text moments. That’s about all I can think of.
Kaiju No. 8, Vol. 3 by Naoya Matsumoto
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It’s a strong, action heavy volume. The comedy of who knows, who doesn’t know, does the villain know, and interpersonal bonding between team members really keeps this volume going swiftly with a lot of engagement.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
There’s blade or sword based violence too, all the violence is large and over the top. They’re fighting Kaiju. It’s like superheroics or light Dragonball Z but with decapitations and slicing alongside gun violence with supercharged weapons.
Summertime Rendering Volume 6 by Yasuki Tanaka
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This final volume does deliver a good ending for this incredible series. The extended fight scenes will possibly leave something to be desired for those that might have preferred the character and action twists of most of the other volumes. It makes sense though it’s the way it is, everything is out on the the table for a finale.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
This volume is heavy on bodily gruesomeness with horror elements. It’s very action driven in this concluding volume.
Asadora!, Vol. 6 by Naoki Urasawa
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I really liked the character development and progression in this volume, particularly with the younger characters. That said, this is a well done transitory volume that’s clearly building up to future bigger events. I gotta low ball it a bit to 4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Gaslighting, and Classism
There’s suggestion of potential inappropriate conduct with teen female who wants to be a singer but nothing shown specifically. A teen male character who wants to be a competitive runner is offered performance enhancing substances. There is a verbal suggestion that an unseen incidental character is committing adultery.
Noragami Omnibus 3 (Vol. 7-9): Stray God by Adachitoka
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
There’s plenty violence and some horror tinged with sexualizing a female character. There are story sections where a male character switches places with a female character, possibly making aspects of her reputation in high school look potentially risqué or disreputable.
The story though is very fast in this volume. Everyone is busy in this volume, trying not to lose each other. The main storyline is tension filled and full of action.
The story though is very fast in this volume. Everyone is busy in this volume, trying not to lose each other. The main storyline is tension filled and full of action.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Slavery, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
There is a complicated relationship with a parent that is the main action through most of the volume. See the description box above about other triggers, involving a male character body switching with a female character and the implications of it being potentially reputation destroying. It also goes into teen dating a bit. There’s a bit of sexuality mixed with horror aspects in a part of the book. There is gaslighting and coercion to varying degrees throughout.
Noragami Omnibus 2 (Vol. 4-6): Stray God by Adachitoka
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
This volume is pretty action packed. We’re introduced to a new antagonist. We learn histories between characters. We see the fight and other thrilling and tense developments. I’m really only vaguely lowballing this from perfect in case the next arc is even better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
The storyline in this is about ultimately violent manipulations. Characters get hurt badly. There is also occasional, silhouetted nudity of some of the godly characters. It doesn’t go anatomically correct, omitting parts but does that really stop anyone. The deaths in this volume include characters that could be described as children aged in their younger teens so be forewarned about that.
Noragami Omnibus 1 (Vol. 1-3) by Adachitoka
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a really strong start to a series in this 3 in 1 Omnibus. If anything, some of the information dumps explaining the rules and structure of the spirit world can be a bit convoluted at times. However, the action and character interactions keep things moving swiftly through plot points even when it’s clear certain parts are episodic. This book really impresses me with its visuals and its efficient world building and characterizations. High hopes for Omnibus 2 & 3.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Gore, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Violence, Stalking, Car accident, Abandonment, and Classism
There’s a good amount of situations depicting bullying and manipulative behaviour. There is technically brief nudity at a point but it’s drawn like body outlines so make your own judgement call. Most of the content feels like something a teen at the youngest would enjoy.
Nimona by ND Stevenson
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Nimona is a fun fantasy comic read. The characters are quite good. The world is inventive and specific. The web comic strip origin is quite apparent. Some chapters feel too slight but then others feel loaded with twists and turns. I liked the story, I get the appeal. It felt a bit thin. At points it could have used further panels expanding on what certain characters were doing. I liked it. I wouldn’t say it’s my new favorite standalone comic but I’m glad I read it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
The themes can be heavy but the depictions in the art is all of moderate to light. Maybe only give this at youngest to a tween-younger teen.