Liar Game

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Alternatives: Japanese: LIAR GAME
Author: Kaitani, Shinobu
Type: Manga
Volumes: 19
Chapters: 203
Status: Finished
Publish: 2005-02-17 to 2015-01-22
Serialization: Young Jump

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4.5
(49 Votes)
69.39%
20.41%
6.12%
2.04%
2.04%
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Alternatives: Japanese: LIAR GAME
Author: Kaitani, Shinobu
Type: Manga
Volumes: 19
Chapters: 203
Status: Finished
Publish: 2005-02-17 to 2015-01-22
Serialization: Young Jump
Score
4.5
49 Votes
69.39%
20.41%
6.12%
2.04%
2.04%
0 Reading
0 Want to read
0 Read
Summary
Wishing she would live up to the ideal, Kanzaki Nao's father named her thusly for "honesty." Nao has more than lived up to her father's wishes—even exceeding them and earning the label of "a foolishly honest girl." This makes Nao the least qualified candidate for the high stakes "Liar Game," where winning requires deceiving the opponent out of their money and losing means receiving massive debt; however, that doesn't stop a box containing a hundred million yen in cash and a card informing her of her participation in the game from arriving at her doorstep, nor does it stop her from being promptly tricked out of the entire sum of money. Upon hearing that a genius swindler, responsible for the bankruptcy of a major corporation, is being released from jail, Nao goes to the swindler, Shinichi Akiyama, to enlist his help. With that, the two are drawn into the dark, greed-filled, and deceptive world of the Liar Game.

Reviews (49)
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Liar Game review
by
Exill12
Mar 31, 2021
After I finished reading Death Note and watching Code Geass I was thirsting for more manga that involved strategies and battle of wits and boy am I glad that I started reading this after someone recommended this to me on a forum.

-Story- The main plot is that a girl gets involved in the Liar Game which you have to trick and deceive the opponent to meet your objective. It may sound simple but as the story progresses more twists and turns are thrown in and it is incredibly difficult to stop reading once you're in the middle of a game.
Score: 9/10

-Art- The art isn't to impressive but it doesn't matter too much since this manga concentrates more on dialogue then anything else.
Score: 7/10

-Characters- There are a wide variety of characters, the a-bit-too honest girl Nao, the quick thinker Akiyama, the manipulator Yokoya and last but not least, my definite favourite, the transvestite Fukunaga.
Score: 9/10

-Enjoyment- The games that are played in this manga are all very well taught out and you never feel cheated when someone wins the game with strategy. I was always on the edge of my seat while reading this manga and the story never loses momentum.
Score: 10/10

OVERALL: Aside from the Art, every about this is enjoyable. If you are looking for a manga that is similar to Kaiji, Tobaku Haouden Zero, Death Note or any other manga that involves using tricks and cunning to outsmart the opposition the this manga is definitely for you.

Overall score is a 9/10
Liar Game review
by
iridi12
Mar 31, 2021
Personal Rate: 7
Rate based on different characteristics: 7


I've been aware of the hype generated behind this manga for years now but it's only after watching the Korean tv series by channel tvN that my curiosity was raised enough to read it. I should mention that although it seems the Japanese dorama is relatively faithful to the manga, it is not so for the K drama. This being said, I've got to admit I loved the kdrama more than the manga, but the stakes were different and it does change fundamentally how the series should be regarded.

I initially gave it a rate of 8 but ended up giving it a 7... The brilliance of the many twists makes it easy to overlook the plot-holes but I feel that as enthusiastic as some readers have been, it is no justification to blatantly ignore some of the elephants in the room.

Now for the review:


Story: 8

Plot-wise, it's pretty straightforward. The whole point of the manga is in the many games, strategies, twists and turns and many reversals occurring. It's just completely unpredictable and it keeps you on the edge of your seat.

This being said, I've got to remove 1 point for the complexity of some of the games involved... There's just so much time spent on explanations, that I found my attention drifting away on several occasions and had to reread several times . What with the rules of the games, the demonstration of the games, the games itself with the explanations of the twists, you're in for A LOT OF READING. And ok I get it's the point of the manga but still, some of the games are so complicated, I got headaches trying to understand what was going on. After about a bit over half of the series, the games got easier to grasp and the explanations got more fluid but I bet some readers would have probably renounced understanding everything going on by that point.

The second minus point is Kanzaki Nao... But more on that later.

Art: 6

The first volumes are...ugly. No other way to put it. By the end of the series though, the art looks great although it may not be to everyone's taste. The use of photographies for the background at times is not smooth but again who reads this for the pretty pictures anyway?

Character: 6

Weakest point of the series as far as I'm concerned. In a nutshell, while some characters have interesting trajectories, the vast majority of them don't change a bit over the course of the series. They were scum at the beginning, they remain scum at the end. Now let's elaborate a bit for our main characters:

Kanzaki Nao: You'll need a whole lot of patience with this character. She'll let you experience the true meaning behind the word "exasperation". I'll bet some readers gave up this series just because she is such a retard. This being said, you have to give it to her that she sticks to her ideals through and through, a character trait that is particularly remarkable and praise-worthy in such a wicked game. The problem with Nao is that her stupidity at the beginning of the series is just out of this world.
She does grow on you by the end of the series though. At the core, she still can hardly hold a candle to Akiyama and Yokoya's brains, but she does learn to put her innocence, lack of animosity and ability to see the good in people to good use and develops an ability to read people and as such to know how to move them. Nevertheless, some of her decisions throughout the series are just plain irrational and are responsible for the biggest plot-holes you'll witness. STUPID just does not cut it at this point .

Akiyama Shinichi: A character whom I found difficult to read, so I won't talk much about about him. He's truly impressive and his sole motivation is to make sure that Nao's ideals stand true. Together they do form an impressive combination. Though it appears at the beginning that Nao is a dead weight he carries for some unknown reasons, by the end of the series, it's clear that Akiyama's plots which often rely on trust and tricks could never have been carried out without the apparently clueless Nao. He also has a tendency to self-sacrifice and put himself at risk for a bunch of trash people with no conscience whatsoever... That is what makes him such a puzzling character in my book. Nao's a philanthropist but it's clear that he is not, yet why does he accept to put his neck on the line for people who betrayed him and whom he could easily crush with that brain of his is beyond me. It's not like Nao would blame him if he ever did, after all they would have ripped what they sowed.

Fukunaga: A side character worth mentioning for his interesting arc. From despicably low to a savior, he's one character who redeemed himself as the story went on, changed by Akiyama and more importantly Nao.

Yokoya Norihiko: That guy's got Akiyama's brain but no conscience whatsoever... which makes his end trajectory pretty puzzling to me.


Liar Game is filled with characters whose levels on the moral spectrum varies a lot... While some characters do learn from their mistakes, most of them remain their selfish selves all throughout which is truly sad to see as a fellow human being. Are we that low I wonder? My personal belief is that faced with unbearable difficulties, most people would choose to support each other instead of saving their own skin at the cost of others. Unfortunately, looking at the players in this game, it seems I belong to the minority.


Enjoyment: 8

Apart from Nao's initial stupidity which made me roll my eyes for most of the first half of the series, I enjoyed reading Liar Game immensely: there was no way I could predict how things were going to turn out. Every chapter was always full of twists and turns, and I could only expect the unexpected, which made for an exciting read.


Overall: 7


WARNING: no spoilers ahead, but some comments on the message of the manga by the end of the series.


I mentioned it, but my biggest complain lies with the characters. Apart from Nao, Fukanaga and a couple of side characters, nobody changes radically. The saddest part is that we get some open ending with a morality speech on the power of trust when even in the very last game, that sorry bunch couldn't agree with each other and still wanted to win over the other. After all they'd been through, up to the last minute, only their distrust won over and they only managed to get to where they were because as usual, Akiyama tricked them hence rendering the trust speech empty.

It would have done wonders, if for once, they learned to work together instead of constantly try to get the best of the others. It is sad that Nao's ideals couldn't get through to most of them...

Also, we play games after games, there is no such thing as "rest period" in this series, it's fast paced but it doesn't give breathing room to get to know our characters more, which consequently given how rotten they all are makes it even more difficult to empathize with them.

We also get an open-ending which is a bit frustrating to be honest... Though the series stands on its own. No explanation is given about how the masked men managed to create the whole game and the logistics involved... It's not indispensable... but still. Finally... would it have hurt the author to give us a proper epilogue I wonder. The game's finished, end of story... OK. What happened to the players?

Would I recommend this? Sure, it's GREAT entertainment, but at the end of the day that's it. I don't feel like this story is going to leave me a lasting impression nor its characters... since we never took the time to know them properly and the whole point of the story wasn't properly handled. "Victory lies with those who learn to put their trust in the others" would have hit home if only that is what they'd have done by the end... but sadly not.

Liar Game review
by
SugarJane13
Mar 31, 2021
When I started reading this, I thought the main character was beyond stupid. I mean, hello... she receives an envelope inviting her to participate in what's called the "Liar Game," is now responsible for holding 100 million dollars, and must steal her opponent's 100 million. But because she's so stupidly honest, as people describe her, the opponent uses his history as her former high school student to trick her into giving him her 100 million for "safe keeping."

The thing about the plot, though, is that it develops well. Sure, Kanzaki Nao might have been a nice idiot in the beginning of the story, but after she manages to enlist the help of Akiyama Shinichi, an ex-convict who had swindled all the funds from a larger company, she begins to get the hang of the game and changes herself in the process.

The Liar Game consists of several rounds because the losers from the previous rounds are invited to play again in order to pay off their debts. Of course, if they lose yet again, their debts grow even larger and the cycle continues. Going to the police is not an option, because their initial agreement to play the game and use of the money that was given to them will count as theft. Later on, the players realize that unless they do whatever it takes to trick the other players out of their money and win the whole jackpot, they'll never escape the Liar Game.

I was excited to read this manga in the first place because the games seemed simple, but the players had to come up with complex ways to win them. It was not only a matter of protecting themselves, but also anticipating their opponents' next moves. Therefore, there was a good way to win the game, but it was not necessarily the best method all the time. The types of opponents that were introduced made each round a new challenge, especially since there was a different game every time.

It wasn't always exciting, though. As the games went on, the later ones became more complicated and lasted longer as the participants became smarter. Explanations for strategies to win the games became longer and a bit convoluted, and there was a lot of reading involved. Sometimes it became boring.

The ending stopped at a questionable note. I'm not sure if it means there will be a continuation or that's just it. But let me know what you thought about it if you get there.

While Kanzaki Nao was the main character, I think Akiyama Shinichi was the most interesting. I mean, come on, he was an ex-convict. I always think of that word meaning the person indicated committed some horrible crime, but it was really an amazing feat, swindling a large corporation of all its funds. It makes you wonder what kind of person he is. I thought of him as a brilliant genius and loved to hear his plans on how to win each game. It is also known that he graduated from a top university with a major in psychology, which helps him a lot in the Liar Game as he is able to predict the actions his opponents will take based on their demeanors and personality.

Kanzaki Nao, however, comes a long way from her stupidly honest personality. I have a bone to pick with the way she is described as "stupidly honest." While she is honest, almost honest to a fault when she plays the Liar Game, I think her greatest flaw is her absolute trust in strangers. She begins as a girl who believes everyone's word no matter what, and I seriously mean no matter what. It wouldn't occur to her that someone lied to her unless someone else pointed it out to her because she believes very much in human integrity.

Coupled with Akiyama, though, she possesses an ability to renew faith in the other players and change their outlook on the situation. Is it wrong to trust people? Absolutely not. She knows what good can come of it when everyone works together and forms team bonds. But of course, she experiences a lot of disappointment when things don't go according to plan, and she is repeatedly told that humans cannot be trusted. This is the Liar Game, after all. Can she turn things around even in the bleakest of situations? If you haven't read Liar Game yet, you will find that she can.

What I dislike most about Liar Game is the artwork. I found it bearable at the beginning, but once the mangaka began drawing characters with more emotional expressions, like those of shock and ridicule, I began to dislike it. At these points, the characters tend to have long mouths to express surprise and such, and they look like mocking caricatures to me rather than sincere feelings.

There are also a few issues with angles and viewpoints in the manga. Body proportions are a little off sometimes and in certain perspectives, the characters don't look like they fit in.

However, I appreciate the range of appearances. There are some characters with piercings, spiky haircuts, larger bodies, thin heads, facial hair, etc. In some manga, the main characters look similar to other people or something, but in this one everyone is pretty distinguishable.

I don't read a lot of seinen, so this was a good read for me. The Liar Game was an interesting concept, and I liked the way it started. With that in mind, though, the manga did seem to feel like it was drawn out near the end with longer games, and I wasn't super eager to read all the time. But when I did read again, I read a couple chapters at once. I liked Kanzaki Nao's character development and I also liked Akiyama Shinichi's personality. (I was also sort of shipping them, but nothing happened so much.) Overall, though, it wasn't bad.
Liar Game review
by
Ch1ngy15
Mar 31, 2021
I had found this manga a while back when it had only about 105 or so chapters, and after I revisted it and saw that the amount of chapters had sky rocketed to 152 I decided to reread the manga. This brought back to me how much I loved the manga, but also the fact that you cannot judge it by it's beginning.
Story- (10)This story is something that I picked up on whim, not expecting too much, I was just looking for a long-running manga. However, thoughout the whole series the plot has exceeded my expectations. From the beginnning it has accelerated into a full blown complex story that has so much going on constantly you are absorbed in it completely.
Art- (6)This is the reason why 99% readers of the manga Liar Game almost drop it in the beginning. The art at the beginning is very ameteurish, they figures are unpropotional, the expressions are overplayed, and so on. The author also employes personal art habits to the characters (such as previously stated in other reviews, the habit of drawing eyelashes on the side of the eyes) Although, granted, as the story goes on the art work does improve by miles. Therefore, if you can overlook the beginning art, you can even say the art is fairly good.
Character- (10) Now some other Reviews say that they dislike the main character, Kanzaki Nao's personality. Hey personality, being naive and honest to the core, is a crucial plot point. This aspect of Nao is what drives Akiyama to help Nao in the first place, because she so much reminds him of his own Honest and naive mother. Also, Nao gradually grows stronger throughout the manga, she picks up on things even Akiyama doesn't, she begins to devise her own stategies, solely based on "cooperating togther to fight the Liar Game Offices" which would only be able to be enforced by a character with her specific personality. The other Main character, Akiyama Shin'nichi is what saved the reviewers from their 'irritation' with Nao. Akiyama is brilliant, always catching on to the slightest things, and biting back when all seems lost. He's a genius that saves his whole teams butts thorughout the whole series. Basically, he is one of the most fascinating characters I've ever come across, I'm spell bound, constantly wondering how he pulls through the most dire situations like it's nothing. Not only Akiyama, but the stronger Nao who becomes suprisingly sly through the series, is what earned my "character" a 10.
Enjoyment- (10) This is a manga you can finish in under a week, I read the published 152 chapters in 3 days, considering the fact they are only 18-20 pages long. But once you start this series, you are bound to be hooked on it, it just captures you and keeps you up all night late reading until dawn. and although I've read 100+ manga in the last year, by far Liar game is my all-time favorite. I highly reccomend this manga.
Therefore, my overall ratign is a 10.
Liar Game review
by
animelancer12
Mar 31, 2021
I could've sworn that the author of Liar Game was the same as Death Note when I glanced at the front cover's style. It was not. And frankly, I'm glad because as much as I like psychology, I couldn't get through with Death Note because I disliked Light so much.
Liar Game was much more in tune with my likings. The story was pretty unique and was full of twists and turns. Usually I like to hypothesize and come up with a theory of how it's going to end on my own, but the characters' thought process is so far advanced that I just couldn't catch up at all and had to wait for the explanations. The manga completely tore down my confidence in guessing the outcome. Only thing I can say is that good thing I was not in the Liar Game or I would have lost with a debt that beats everyone else's debt in the manga.
The art was pretty meh, it's nothing glamorous but not the worst thing out there. And while I am not a fan of it, I admit that it gives the manga a nice psychological gothic feel.
I hated Nao Kanzaki at first, she was stupid, a crybaby, gullible to a fault, the type of girl that was detestable. However, she developed and good thing she did or I would have dropped it. She still is pretty naive in the end but is no longer a crybaby and is much stronger. The real star of the manga in my opinion though, was Akiyama. He is a boy genius with an IQ of over 9000 and manages to be comical at times with his nonchalance and constant trolling. Another honorable mention is one of my favorite characters in the manga, Fukunaga. Avoiding gender pronouns here, I will just say the name. Fukunaga started out selfish and money hungry and ended as a lovable character who also brings comedy to the table.
I enjoyed the manga a lot but there are two things which unsettled me, both which can be disagreeable. One, the ending, Im not going to spoil it but the ending seems kinda a letdown. I read 201 chapters and the ending was just like "wait...what....thats it?" It just seems like a not good enough excuse for the whole mess of the Liar Game and I find it hard to believe the players were not even angry. The second disappointment, and a disagreeable one to many is the wish for romance in it. I seriously wish for some romantic development between Aliyama and Kanzaki with Yokoya as a hinted love rival being the shoujo manga obsessed fool I was. However, there was hardly even a smidge of romance, only two times Akiyama made Nao blushed, and that was all. In the end i was left to produce mental fanfictions between the characters as I read.
Liar Game review
by
Vancomycin4
Mar 31, 2021
After reading a manga like 'Liar Game,' many people find different meaning in it. For some it's about the value of honesty, for others it reflects society or maybe some problem closer to home. For me, 'Liar Game' was about the bonds between people - be them friends or foes.

Art (8):

The art is a little disproportionate in the beginning and not entirely my style but the more I read, the more it improved. I also came to really like the realistic style as it fit the story perfectly. Do not be deceived by the cover (which is honestly why I didn't read this for so long).

Story (10):

Although 'Liar Game' can't be said to be completely flawless, it's story is deep and the plot incredibly engaging. I do believe that some of the earlier events are a little flimsy but by the first Revival Round, things solidify and events become all too believable.

The actual events and thought process behind many of the player's strategies can range from amazingly complex to weirdly simple and although in more than a few cases I found myself figuring things about before the big reveal, there always seemed to be another hidden move, a deeper meaning and a hundred clever actions played out by the characters. While you're busy smiling smugly for figuring out the game's answer, you may want to wait before jumping to any conclusions...

Characters (9):

Despite giving the characters one point lower, this is really where the heart and soul of the manga is. Not to mention the mind. Nao, Akiyama, Fukinaga and Yokoya each have their own wonderfully designed personalities, all different and important to establishing the themes for this story. Not to mention the huge supporting cast that really take the story to new heights.

Nao is really the base of this story and while I've seen many reviewers rave about Akiyama, I honestly don't believe anyone makes this story more than her. Although she can be extremely foolish, her simple charm really makes or breaks the bonds between all the characters. She is the element with the power to draw people together and although is often duped, still trusts in the good of humanity. For a pessimist like myself, this usually would annoy me but instead I found myself effected just like the other players in the game.

I'll try to keep things brief with the other characters. Akiyama is an intelligent, ex-con, fresh out of prison who I honestly believe really enjoys the liar game. I think it must be fun to test your skills, especially when you have the smarts like he does. The jaded Akiyama is indeed changed by Nao but it's refreshingly subtle and it's always exciting to see Akiyama's plans play out and try deducing the next move. On the flip side, Yokoya is a great villain and very similar to Akiyama save for his ideals and the pride he takes in being the best. Yokoya is a very interesting character and although it is easy to hate him, I think the point of the story is to try and understand him as 'doubt' and 'trust' are large themes of 'Liar Game.'

Enjoyment/Overall (10):

I'd read this again. And maybe five times after that. It's just a really fun read and although it's only been hours since I've finished, I already feel a bit sad that I'm not going to get to read it for the first time all over again.

The story's message is important but even if you ignore it, you'll still have a great time reading it. It's just incredibly enjoyable. It doesn't preach at you and the human actions aren't unbelievable, in many cases it was easy to sympathise with why a character was doing something even if you didn't approve of it. After all... in the Liar Game, would you really do any different?
Liar Game review
by
Profesor_Teto9
Mar 31, 2021
Story: 9

The story of Liar Game is primarily about these two main characters Nao and Akiyama taking part in different mind-heavy games where the players' greed is tested and they have to find a solution that would benefit all participants as much as possible. The main obstacle in their way being the human nature itself and other players inability to remain true to the same pure ideals.

Overall I would consider the story a very original premise that shows tons of creativity from the author. The rules behind the games are all well planned out in advance to benefit the complicated solutions the characters eventually find.

There's also a consistent sense of uncertainty on the readers' part since the POV changes between the characters at a pace that complements the eventual conclusion as much as possible.

In Liar Game there are still few moments where certain things are repeated unnecessarily or explained in too many words for the scene itself to have the right impact. Most of the time it's not an apparent problem though as I see it.

Characters: 8

A lot of the critique towards the manga is targeted towards the main character Nao. Her exaggerated honesty rubbed some people the wrong way because of the contrast it has with the story itself. The way I see it is it wouldn't really work any other way. If there was no one challenging the Liar Game's logic with their own morals there wouldn't be much conflict. And thanks to Akiyama there's still enough detail in the clashes between brains themselves.

Akiyama's beliefs towards doubting people and using psychology to read other people is the perfect combo to Nao's eagerness to save everyone. Even if the two don't agree on almost anything and don't even have the same objectives, the chemistry they have with each other keeps the story going and brings up interesting questions with no clear answers.

Aside from one or two most of them aren't that memorable and are mostly treated as masses than individuals. I kinda like this because it's more realistic and brings more tension but it' still a shame when characters like Fukunaga who are super entertaining are pushed to sidelines with their stories still left inconclusive.

Overall I'd say the characters that need to be relevant are done very well and the characters that are there just for exposition work for that too. It's better not to get too emotionally invested in them though since that's not really what the story focuses on aside from Akiyama, Nao and Yokoya.

Visuals: 7

The art-style is very simplistic in order to not deviate focus from the dialogue and they even use illustrations to demonstrate some of the more complicated elements to make following the story easier.

However there are times when the perspectives of manga panels are simply off in relation to each other and the assembly of pages ends up bit clunky as a result. It almost feels like the manga could have benefited most from being in novel form since while the visuals don't distract from the narrative they don't add much either in terms of style.

Ending: Brilliant

Liar Game finished with 201 chapters on a controversial ending that some consider genius, some just lazy. Some even interpreted it as a cliffhanger leading to a sequel series. Personally I found the ending very fitting to the message the author was going for and there aren't too many series that would have dared to take the same approach.

Overall: 8

I'd say it's definitely worth a read in terms of story and characters if the iffy visuals or the vast amount of dialogue aren't a problem. A lot of Liar Game focuses on exposition and diverting the focus from that on to actual mind games. This means there's a lot of text but the visual demonstration is used well to accompany that so it's not that challenging to read. Figuring out some of the twists beforehand isn't that hard but then again the story is built in a way where the readers are supposed to do that.

Liar Game is not the most intellectually provoking or visually appealing work but the effort put into the games themselves and their narratives is enough to make it a worthwhile experience. And a one that stands very much on it's own with a strong theme and message.
Liar Game review
by
Waffle_Empress14
Mar 31, 2021
I don't generally write reviews, but I guess I can't really help myself with this one. It honestly falls into the category of one of my favorite long-mangas, sidling up next to Death Note pretty closely. Although one can easily tie many similarities to Death Note, the differences are quite notable as well. So don't read it thinking it's a complete carbon-copy of Death Note because it totally isn't, and you'll regret it if you skim over this simply because your expectations were skewed.

For something a lot more underrated, this manga proves to be a good psychological seinen manga that keeps you riveted through its 160+ chapters. True, there were some dull moments (as all long mangas tend to have), but you will be thoroughly entertained for the most part from page to page.

If you aren't a fan of psychological mind games however, I advise you to stray away from this. But who doesn't love exciting plot turns? Not only that, but it explores human nature and our complex understanding of trust, mistrust, anxiety, and greed.

Story: 10/10

Given the same situation, how will different people react? Nao Kazaki is ridiculously honest -- it's a trait she has always harbored. One day a mysterious package containing 100 million yen appears, along with a note stating that she has been entered in the "Liar Game Tournament". It is just what the name implies. Basically, it's a contest to find out the best "liar", and the winner will receive an enormous amount of money. The losers, however, are faced with grief-inducing debts and misery. The game is exciting and unpredictable, and it's why you keep reading -- you just want to find out what's next. The characters and both likable and despicable; you can't help but fluctuate between the two emotions as you become exposed to their stories and witness what they'll do just to attain a "win" in the game.

Character: 9/10

Truth be told, the only reason I gave this rating a 9 is because I honestly didn't like the main female protagonist that much. Seeing as this is a seinen manga however, that can be forgiven. Its typical for a more helpless, innocent, useless female to be present in seinen mangas -- and although Nao Kanzaki wasn't totally useless, she only succeeded due Akiyama's scheming and prodding. Otherwise she just kind of helped to drag the story along. The true shining character is Akiyama, of course, who is uncannily similar to L's Death Note, but again totally different in his own way. Akiyama is more mellowed down; more rational. He's the one with all the answers, all the twists, and of course he's the one that saves the day. Some may argue that it gets cliche, but I found myself intrigued by all of them. Intrigued enough to stay, finish it, and love it. The rest of the characters are not fully fleshed out, but they're quirky and serve their purpose.


Art: 7/10

This is one of the reasons why it's such a huge turn-off for people, although that's perfectly understandable. Don't judge a book by it's cover (as cheesy at that sounds). They see the art, and they're afraid to give this a chance because it's a little rough around the corners. For a seinen manga the art here serves it's goal fairly well in depicting an exciting thriller manga; the characters expressions are funny but fitting, and it also molds the atmosphere well.

Enjoyment: 10/10

Not much to say here. I enjoyed it. It happens to fit the genres I like, and I gradually grew fond of the art.


OVERALL: 10/10
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