Personally I don't like the art style. It's an older style... but if you really look at the art, even if you don't like the style, you have to admit it's really good. Her use of contrast and the arrangement of panels is very well done. She's good at releasing emotion, not just through dialogue and story, but through her art as well. She obviously knows her tools and skills and so I must admit that it is good even if at times I dislike it. The manga was been in the making since 2001 so the art does change a bit and even improve. Keep that in mind when you start out. It doesn't change too much but the detail gets more complex.

This is the first and only manga that I have been able to like even when I initially really didn't like the art style. It is now my favorite manga.

If you're going to read this manga, know that, although it starts out like a sci-fi adventure, it does get very dark at times (not all the time though). Not just philosophical dark either.

The character development is absolutely gorgeous. The characters themselves are beautifully and carefully crafted and offer a wide range of perspectives. Though it may be confusing to keep track of so many people, it's definitely worth it. The writer does not hesitate to let you know her characters and will even make them hateable which I think is brave. She isn't reckless though, and it's all very believable.

The story is also well developed and well thought-out. I like that she didn't rush into it but took her time to craft the world and the people involved. She must have had a lot of trust between her and the people releasing her mangas. It has a really good pace, it's not too slow or too fast. She's great at giving her readers relief and making sure her story arcs don't have to escalate outrageously to be good. I like how creative she gets too.

If you couldn't tell already, I've really enjoyed this manga. I started reading this maybe five years ago? So it has gotten me pretty hooked. It took forever to catch up to the ongoing but it was so worth it. It's the only manga I really keep track of consistently now-a-days. I look forward to it every times it comes out. Just now I finished one of the chapters and was literally leaning forward at the edge of my seat reading it. Honestly, I highly recommend this manga.