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Dec 17, 2025
TL:DR
Decent comedy that tries way to hard to be a serious shounen battle manga to it's great detriment
Story: 4/10
It's a shame that this manga tries so hard to be taken seriously as a shounen battle manga because it's just not good at that. It really can't decide whether it wants to be primarily comedy or primarily action. The jokes sort of fall flat when the world is ending, it makes the characters seem stupid or crazy. The manga really tries to make a serious plot but the action has no tension as the main character refuses to take the fight seriously, so why should I?
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Not exactly a great thing when the author is trying to make the reader care about the stakes of the story.
Speaking of the story, there are attempts at having a message. Namely, the classic “having friends is good” (friendship) and “obviously unjust magic racism is bad actually” (don't underestimating people, people can change, etc) but it's all very superficial and feels forced. The messages about friendship fall flat when the characters barely interact or have much chemistry together, they just don't feel like friends. It also tries to push the power of kindness but when multiple super evil, cruel, sadistic characters who have been steeped in an ideology from childhood suddenly change their whole personalities because Mash punched them in the face, it's super unrealistic and silly. The prejudice against non-magic users is also seriously undermined by the fact that Mash is clearly capable of essentially magical feats of superhuman strength, speed, reaction times, endurance and just plain physics-breaking nonsense. He is obviously not a normal person and even the mages aren't capable of doing the things he does so the message is that if he were weak then prejudice would be ok I guess? It's not shown that he deserves rights intrinsically for being a human being, rather he deserves it for being superhuman - just like the mages ironically.
The world building is pretty lazy, exposition comes via text box at the start of the chapter that just spells out whatever part of the setting is relevant to the plot at that time or a character just monologues about it for a while when needed. World building feels like an afterthought or a cheap justification for whatever idea the author just came up with. Hell, Mash spends part of the manga trying to become a “Divine Visionary” but what the heck does one of those even do??? It seems like they end up becoming ministers in magic ministries but all those guys seem to do is fight and they're all great fighters for some reason.
There is also that annoying shounen trope where characters who are out of the fight comment on and explain every move the main character makes. It's distracting and breaks the flow of the combat when it cuts to a guy on the floor to exposit for a while. I guess the author couldn't think of a better way to get their point across.
There is very little tension in the battle parts of the manga, both because no one takes it seriously as mentioned above but also because Mash is not just too strong, his strength is simply undefined. He is capable of doing whatever is necessary for the plot to advance. I don't think he ever actually loses a fight. The specific things he does are funny in how absurd they are but it's fairly entertaining but the absurdist comedy is also mixed up with the parts of the fights we're supposed to be taking seriously. The final conflict of the manga is resolved by Mash getting a deus ex machina from a character who is never seen before or after and then he's just capable of winning now. This is a scene that's portrayed entirely as a joke and yet it is this that allows for the defeat of the primary villain of the manga. Hell, this isn't even the first time that a character gets an off-screen training session that powers them up!
Character: 5/10
Mash has precisely three character traits: he is strong, he is nice and he's stupid. His only interests are exercise and cream puffs. He flips-flops between “dumb funny man” mode and “serious bad-ass mode” repeatedly mid-fight and the tone of the manga is just all over the place. It really can't decide whether it wants us to be laughing or to take this seriously.
Each of Mash's friends are defined by about one trait, one is a punk, the other is obsessed with his sister (ugh), one is obsessed with Mash and the last is the straight man of the cast. They're not very interesting and they don't really feel like friends.
The villains aren't that interesting either. At least the main bad guy is portrayed to be a real threat. At least he would be, it Mash wasn't so brazenly over powered.
I'm writing this review the day I finished reading the manga and I'm already struggling to remember the names of most of these characters. That's how bland they are.
Art
The art is really good. I know I just spent ages crapping on the manga but this is the one aspect that I can't fault. The depictions of the gods (yeah the mages summon gods, don't worry about it, the implications of this are never explored) and the final villain are especially cool.
Overall: 5/10
Torn between trying to be a serious shounen battle manga and a comedy at the same time, it manages to please no one. And I still don't know what ‘Mashle’ is supposed to mean.
I don't recommend reading this.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Nov 30, 2025
TL:DR
This is peak shounen battle manga. Excellent characters, fantastic plot that lands the ending, it more than earns all 42 volumes. Go read this.
Story: 8/10
I know 42 volumes seems a lot but I didn't feel like I was wasting my time at any point reading this and I binge read it! I promise, all 42 volumes are absolutely necessary for the manga to give each plot thread enough time to breath while allowing each character of the extensive cast to shine.
The story is really good. There are many different story arcs, some about overcoming a personal problem, some about learning to be a hero
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and some about defeating a villain (or multiple at once). The variety in the short-term goals and overall vibe of each arc keeps the manga fresh and gives us the right mix of tense action, drama and comic relief that stops the heavier stuff from becoming overwhelming. And all throughout there's a constant escalation of stakes to keep it interesting, and the creeping threat of the villains slowly building their strength in parallel with the heroes.
Of course, it's not just the villains who are powering up. Deku, our protagonist, begins with a weak and barely controlled power that takes time to build up into the world-changing power that he ends up with. It's not just him that grows but rather the whole of class 1-A, who all come into their own by the end of the manga.
There's also a really satisfying sense of progression from beginning to end, with the characters really feeling like they've grown. Everything the kids do are important but they are, very reasonably, kept on the side-lines while the pros deal with the serious business when they're still inexperience. Of course, it doesn't always go to plan so don't worry, there's still plenty of tension. At first, they only fight when they're forced to as they're being attacked. Then they get some measure of responsibility and we get to see how much they've grown and how much further they have to go whilst also escalating the threat level and stakes. Finally, they get put on the front-lines as serious combatants, both to underscore how desperate the situation at the last act of the manga while showing off how far they've come since the manga began. This structure gives the reader perspective on just how dramatically the characters have grown as characters and as heroes.
The manga also uses its characters to establish a well-realised world that feels as big as the super-hero setting promises. There are so many characters, of varying importance, but always visible. So many heroes and other students and non-heroes are directly involved in the plot or are seen in the background helping out that it truly feels like there's a community that people are fighting to preserve instead of the world revolving around the protagonists. Some of these side-characters are even involved in some plot critical moments, making the world feel large but without eclipsing Deku and his fellow classmates. It's a difficult balancing that the author pulls off while making it seem easy.
All of this leads us to the end, and what an end it is! Taking all the lessons our characters have learned, all the allies they've made and pitting it against a foe that's almost eldritch in its power and scale. The final arc takes on this apocalyptic threat and all the villains they've gathered and gives us an epic conflict that really takes us to the peak of what an action series can be.
Characters: 8/10
I'd say there are actually three main characters in this manga and they each embody a type of shounen manga protagonist.
Deku is the main character and, unfortunately, one of the weaker characters in his own manga. I wouldn't say he's bad, but it probably says something that he consistently places second on the character polls. Not a bad spot, but not great for our main lead. The issue is that he's mostly a one note “I'm a hero and I do good” type shounen protagonist. All his character growth revolves around him being a better hero and not a different person. And that's pretty damn entertaining, I do think he's pretty fun to read, especially in fights, because he's clever and motivated but not a perfect Mary Sue. So, while he is a decent main character, the emotional core of the manga is carried by the rest of the cast (I'll get to them). I also think that Deku has the least interesting power initially, super-strength just isn't that interesting, especially compared to the rest of the cast. The mangaka does their best to make it interesting, and actually succeeds for the most part by switching it up often enough in terms of how the power is used and the trade-offs that it never gets boring. The fights Deku is in are also well written and visually interesting so it never feels like the manga is narratively hamstrung by the simplistic nature of his power. Deku also powers up later in the manga with some more unique abilities which makes the fights even more interesting.
Bakugo is the character that consistently placed first on the character polls and for good reason. He's a more complex character that has an antagonistic relationship with Deku (and everyone in general), progressing to more friendly by the end. Bakugo is a sort of darker mirror to Deku, being less of a polished shounen hero and more of a hot-headed, edgier and selfish character. He's still a hero and very motivated to be the best of them. Bakugo a fantastic rival and fold to Deku's squeaky-clean naivety that pushes both of them to be better while still being endearing and fun to read. He's also the star of some of the coolest scenes in the manga.
Shoto, the last of what I'd say are the three main leads, is a moodier character that brings more drama. Slowly we get the sense that there's more to him than his cool exterior and eventually we get to his struggles with his powers and his family situation. These struggles make up one of the strongest B-plots throughout the manga and has a great pay-off. I don't want to spoil anything so I won't say anything more about that topic.
All Might is the standard by which all other characters are measured in the manga. He's a hero in the truest sense of the word and the manga expresses this brilliantly, from the beginning to the end. This isn't something we're just told, All Might lives up to his reputation through his actions throughout the manga. Through him, we see how dangerous the world our main characters are entering is and the magnitude of the threats they'll face, while also bringing hope that it can be overcome. The character journey of Deku, and the rest of class 1-A, can be set against All Might. At the beginning, they're chasing his coattails until they can finally match and then, ultimately, surpass him in the finale.
The rest of class 1-A get their moments too woven throughout the manga. I'd say they get their time in the spotlights but that undersells how well-developed as characters they are and how their own arcs are organically woven into the plot, all of them being important to some extent. The manga also gives the sense that these characters are people in their own right outside the main characters, with their own interests and motivations and friendships with the others. Not all of them are as important or well-developed as the others but they're all pretty good.
Rounding out the cast of heroes, are teachers, the other classes, other hero schools and the professional heroes. That's a lot of characters! Too many to discuss individually, but they're all pretty good.
The main villains of each story arc, including the overarching big bad, are a delight to read. They manage to be intimidating, omni-present threats that instil a constant dread in even the more light-hearted chapters without smothering the manga or resorting to excessive edginess.
Many of the secondary villains are also characters in their own right, there are a few stand out personalities and some get their own character arcs. While there are some one-note villain-of-the-weak types, but not too many and they usually have fun enough fights or assist in another character's arc so it's not a problem. In fact, many villains come back later in the manga with new roles. This is great because it shows how much our heroes have grown compared to when they faced these villains down the first-time but it also makes the world feel alive, these aren't just villain-of-the-week characters who just disappear.
With a cast as large as this, some characters are bound to get less development but I'd say there are very few throw-away characters and many of them come back repeatedly. A surprising amount of them are important to the plot and other characters arcs and some just show up a few times here and there but they really make the world feel alive and lets the author flex those creative muscles by showing us some interesting quirks at work
Now, take every nice thing I've said about the characters and mentally add “except for Mineta”, whose entire character is being a pervert and also does basically nothing plot-wise. I hate him, I hate him so much. He never has an arc, he never learns everything, he accomplishes nothing of importance, he's always annoying. It kind of seems like the author doesn't even like him considering he never gets to do anything and is often the buts of jokes. His nonsense doesn't take up too much space at least but he's a constant, little thorn in the reader's side. Why couldn't he just have been removed and use that time for the other characters? Easily the worst part of the manga.
Art
The art is fantastic. The faces are so expressive and even characters that show up only in the background receive unique, distinct designs.
The battles are so vividly rendered and the art really sells the magnitude of the threat our characters face and how desperate yet determined they are in the face of that.
The writing makes a manga but the art elevates it on every level.
Overall: 8/10
My Hero Academia is the peak of shounen battle manga. With an ambition plot, an extensive cast of characters and a well-realised world to put it in, this manga is the platonic ideal of a shounen manga.
If you like shounen battle manga, you'll like this.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Oct 27, 2025
TL:DR
Tense military action in a grounded medieval/renaissance era world with genius tactics and riveting plot backed up with art to match. If you like military fiction, then please read this masterpiece.
Description
For generations the Turkiye Devleti and the Balt-Rhein Empire have stood in stern opposition to each other. Then one night, when an imperial minister is found assassinated, the two nations are plunged into a potentially explosive situation. As the generals of Turkiye's council cry for war, Mahmut comes to discover the devious truth behind the assassination. Thus the young pasha's battle for his country, peace, and trust in his fellow man begins!
Story: 9/10
Lots of media
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tell you their characters are smart but this manga is one of the few where they're genuinely as clever as the reader is told they are. There are lots of ingenious tactics employed by both protagonists and antagonists, taking advantage of geography, politics, troop composition, weather, and any other factors you can think of, that will have you in awe at their genius. However, they're not superhuman. They still make mistakes, overlook things, are outmanoeuvred or foiled by an unexpected event. When carrying out their plans there's the anticipation of learning what they're scheming and the tension of discovering whether it succeeds or not. Often the characters will think up a way to make a comeback from the brink of defeat or trick their foe into thinking they've won only to reveal they've fallen into a trap - this means that it's always up in the air whether protagonists are actually winning or it's all about to turn around on them. The sheer ingenuity in the tactics employed is amazing while still being grounded and realistic, with characters that feel like real people rather than over dramatic cackling anime masterminds. The warfare is absolutely the manga's strongest point, which is a god-send for a military fiction manga.
The politics is really interesting, there are very few true friends in this manga, with most characters only working together due to political expedience and happy to betray each other when necessary - trust is scarce and enemies are plenty. While we see the internal conflicts of numerous countries, there is naturally a focus on the internal politics of Mahmut's home nation of the Torqye Pashalu. In fact, I think the true conflict that runs throughout the manga is the conflict between the protagonist's faction and that of his rival, Zaganos. Which means that even if Mahmut scores a crushing victory against his military enemy, he's not necessarily won the true war to decide the fate of his nation.
Another thing that makes this manga unique is how it portrays types of countries other than generic medieval kingdoms. Our main character, Mahmut, comes from a Turkish inspired country of equestrian nomads, other countries include a maritime merchant republic, Italian renaissance style city-states and landsknecht-like mercenaries - all facing off against roman-empire style legions, mountaineers, military engineers and, yes, medieval armoured knights are included too. By taking these concepts that are underexplored in other historical manga and integrating it into the plot, the unique blend of cultures and civilisations create a style of warfare distinctly different from other military ficton that usually focuses on medieval-era European warfare. I'm sure I don't have to tell you how all of this mixes to create some really interesting tactical decisions and schemes.
The pacing of the plot is really solid. This manga is all killer, no filler and I don't feel there was a single wasted chapter. We start off with a few strong initial conflicts and then Mahmut goes on a smaller scale adventure so the reader can get to know him and experience some world building with lower stakes. Of course, the events that transpire are still very important to the future plot, crucial set up for the manga's latter half. Then we get to the slow build up to the central conflict of the manga - the fight between Torqye and the Balt-Rhein Empire - as it escalates with scheming to gain allies, neutralise enemies and fight proxy wars before the final struggle really begins. Eventually it grows into an international, transcontinental affair that builds and fractures alliances and consumes nations in an existential conflict to decide the fate of the world for centuries to come.
The official translation is really good, no awkward wording of turns of phrase, it conveys the characters emotions well. I have no complaints with the translation itself but there are a few issues I must mention. Keep in mind that this might be fixed by the publisher by the time you're reading this! Firstly, there are a few has a few obvious spelling or word duplication errors dotted around. Most of these are of no consequence but a few can really take you out of the moment, the last thing you want while reading an epic battle is running into a literary brick wall trying to parse a nonsensical phrase that's clearly had words deleted. In addition, the translation of some names change at points. This thankfully doesn't affect character names, but the main country the protagonist is from changes name after the first volume and there's one relatively important organisation that has its name translated three different ways - which is confusing to say the least. Now, these issues obviously didn't impact my enjoyment of the manga too much as this glowing review clearly shows but it's disappointing to have such a great manga be let down by the translation/proofreading team like this.
Characters: 7/10
While young, our protagonist Mahmut is not a child that needs to be led around the nose by other characters. He's proactive, intelligent and driven to change his nation's fate. However, as noted above, he's not perfect. He doesn't always make the best possible choice, he gets beaten and, while he makes a comeback as you'd expect, he faces real set-backs that have to be worked around and set the course of the plot.
There are lots of characters and they each have their part to play, very few characters are one-and-done used and then forgotten, they always come back later and have their own ambitions and loyalties. I would say most characters in the manga go through some sort of character arc. The characters are introduced gradually for the most part, in their own arcs, so don't worry about being overwhelmed and not remembering who is who. They're pretty memorable so that's not a worry anyway.
The antagonists are genuinely quite threatening, in their every appearance the reader is forced to wonder what they're plotting and how they're going to turn it around on Mahmut. As mentioned above, they are smart characters who are serious threats while feeling like real human beings who aren't always in perfect control of the situation. They also have sensible motivations that go beyond what you'd expect from the stereotypical, one-note ‘evil empire'. We also see that they're not a monolith, sometimes acting against each other, they act on their own initiative and makes their own plans and alliances and mess up our protagonist's best laid plans independent of each other.
However, the characters are still the weakest point of the manga. The author is not interested in doing a deep dive into their personalities or backstory. Few characters get much depth, or strong characters arcs. I understand that his is a difficult thing to include manga with so many moving parts (characters, countries, conflicts, etc) and still keep it to a reasonable length without it feeling drawn out. As the manga is strongly driven by politics and military conflict rather than characters, I believe they're good enough that I wasn't upset by the lack of character exploration. Their backstories are, for the most part, not that important to the plot as a whole and they're ambition and skill are what matters most for this manga. So, while I was a little disappointed by how shallow some of the characters were, I don't think it's a major flaw and they work well enough that it won't affect your enjoyment of the manga.
Art
Good characters designs that make every one look distinct while keeping to the grounded, more realistic vibe the manga is aiming for. The backgrounds are detailed and the fight scenes, of which there are many, are beautifully illustrated. No complaints here!
Overall: 9/10
If you enjoy military fiction then you need to read this!
It's a real hidden gem, I didn't not expect to be so impressed when I started reading this. The start was slower than expected but I do not regret reading on, 27 volumes sounds long but I devoured this manga because I enjoyed it so much and I had to know what happened next - I was not disappointed.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 24, 2025
TL:DR
Excellent parody of fantasy media with fun characters rooted in medieval history and a surprisingly hype finale
Story: 8/10
A gut-busting send up of fantasy games, seen through the lenses of a simple courier.
Very funny, the comedy comes both from parodying standard fantasy tropes and from the characters. For example, there's a reoccurring segment detailing the herculean (and absurd) efforts of a government office dedicated to ensuring the world staying in medieval fantasy world stasis. The author gets really creative with how generic fantasy tropes might actually come to be ("why is there a dungeon in the middle of the city?") and it's damn funny. Obviously, all
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comedy is subjective but if you like a little whimsy then this manga will work for you.
The plot is mostly episodic with reoccurring characters. The author's knowledge of medieval history is a strong influence on the episodic plots. For example, one chapter uses the topic medieval forest usage rights to mix with fantasy RPG mechanics as a legal XP farming location (with a malevolent forest warden). This leads to my next point: the worldbuilding is surprisingly in depth. Despite being a parody, the author takes the time to really dive into how an JRPG-style fantasy world would actually work.
However, there is an overarching plot that is woven through most of the latter half other manga, including a genuinely epic finale volume with a continuous plot that brings together everything laid down in the previous chapters. It's unexpectedly good, and makes for a satisfying finale. Despite the more serious tone, there is more than enough build up (and comedic relief) that is works without tonal whiplash. You know what's even more impressive about all this? The manga was actually cancelled by volume 6. The author managed to cram an action-packed, tightly written and genuinely emotionally compelling and thought provoking final arc with build up in whatever number chapter the publisher let him have less and I didn't feel it was rushed at all. Whether this reflects generosity on the part of the publisher to give the author as many chapters as needed or they really are just that good, it's a good sign when literally being cancelled doesn't slow the manga down a single bit!
The manga includes a segment most chapters going over the real medieval history that inspired that chapter, which I found rather interesting. The author is clearly knowledgeable and passionate about medieval history.
Character: 7/10
Yoshida is our main character and she's a good protagonist, a half-elf outsider with a good excuse to ask questions about the world and the owner of a strong work ethic and a short temper.
There are a few other major characters. They each have their respective quirks that make them fun to watch. Oddly the main character has the least amount of development, though she's still fun. Mostly it's the other major side characters, like a certain hapless criminal wizard or a cleaver-wielding knight who's fond of kids and violence. However, many characters often show up again, either in minor roles or just in the background. In fact, these little background appearances might be advancing a minor side-story of it's own, like a romance between two characters that develops in their background appearances. It also helps to make the world feel alive, as this manga is primarily set in one small (by modern standards) city, to have people show up again every now and then.
Art
The art is quite good with simple but charming character designs that all feel distinct. The backgrounds are details and the action is well drawn and can feel quite epic. The art is a benefit to the comedy, with expressive characters.
Overall: 8/10
Brilliant satire, enjoyable characters and a surprisingly good plot. I definitely recommend this for any fan of fantasy or even just medieval history due to the strong influence.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Aug 30, 2025
TL:DR
Generic characters and a muddled plot that feels like the author couldn't decide what the manga was supposed to be about. Not recommended.
Story: 4/10
The story starts off pretty strong with the mysterious Kakuri showing up alone declaring he will defend a city. While the characters are pretty generic, this continues with Kakuri using smart tactics to lead a group of dramatically outnumbered and untrained peasants and a small number soldiers to defend a city against the Shin Empire. He cleverly roots out spies, shores up the defences and bolsters morale while fending off the superior shin soldiers in a battle of wits against the enemy
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general, even working in the background when he loses the favour of the cities elite. It even seems like the author is making a point about the horror of war. Not super gripping so far, but entertaining and I definitely wanted to know what would come next.
The author had different ideas. Abruptly, the focus of the manga changes and Kakuri goes on a journey and the manga becomes a generic shounen battle manga, making friends and complete with a squad of gimmicky enemies (well we're shown several but there's only one that actually does anything). They don't actually matter all that much other than inexplicably helping at some point - it's literally just left at “we'll never know why he did this”, as a bad deus ex machina. Oh and the ‘horrors of war’ thing doesn't really come up a lot despite the fact that Kakuri's whole backstory is about being in a clan that wants to end war.
After Kakuri goes and plays at guerrilla war for a while, the author decides to go back to the original premise of the manga. Which is a shame as the guerrilla was arc was pretty good until we discover that Kakuri just happens to have access to gunpowder due to a friend from his past who was never mentioned before or after. Another deus ex machina, wonderful.
In the final arc, the group goes to defend a city at the request of the enemy who plans to invade it. The evil mastermind who's supposed to be the overarching villain literally frustrates their own plans for no apparent reason other than the author needs Kakuri to be in a certain place. If I haven't mentioned an overarching villain previously it's because the author thinks he matters so little that he's defeated off-screen by a character we've seen maybe three times. Why even bother at this point? The second city isn't as interesting as the first and we've lost all the characters from the first one, as generic as they were, so now it's doing much the same thing over just with different faces and worse motivations.
The final chapters of the manga are terribly rushed going through events in a few panels where each really should have been plot arc of its own. Then there's supposed to be a dramatic and heartfelt ending but these characters barely feel like friends so it just falls flat.
City defender, wandering warrior, guerrilla war and finally city defence again. Each of these ideas could make for entertaining manga in their own right. Instead the author meanders across different ideas with none reaching their potential as they're all dropped as soon as something else strikes the author's fancy. This is exemplified by the fact that the author sometimes chucks in random self-contained plots in a chapter, like Griffin the weird perverted monster child who shows up and disappears just as promptly (it is as weird as it sounds). The author needs to pick a lane and stick to it.
Characters: 4/10
All the characters are generic archetypes, they’re shallow and essentially have one defining trait.
Kakuri is just a Mary Sue. He's never defeated and if it is, it somehow ends up in his benefit or because he chooses to be in this position. He always has the answers and can solve every problem.
Yujin… I have no idea who this guy is. He just sort of comes along and decides to risk his life repeatedly for this guy he barely knows for no apparent reason.
Kobu has better reasons to follow Kakuri but he also doesn't have much personality beyond being friendly and being fond of kids.
Nimae, the only important female character, immediately likes Kakuri and I could feel the terrible romance subplot coming a mile away. I was fortunately wrong about this, it's unobtrusive until… a truly surreal event occurs. The climax of this romance 'subplot' came out of nowhere and is so forced but also completely hilarious. I cannot believe the author drew it and thought it was a good idea.
The main villain of the manga is a generic cackling supervillain complete with an evil masterplan to take over all of china. He has no motivations, it's actually never said if he just likes power - his character is never explored at all.
There are some other minor characters but they don't really matter.
Art
The art is, fighting is appropriately gory. I like the way the artist draws faces. There is a little problem with characters looking similar but usually they're easy to recognise.
Overall: 4/10
The manga has no idea what it wants to be, never sticking with an idea long enough for it to reach its full potential and rushing through everything with shallow characters who lack sensible motivations. Not a recipe for a masterpiece to say the least.
I don't recommend this, the only redeeming factor is that the tactics Kakuri uses are actually pretty clever and interesting. However, there's too much pulling stuff out of nowhere and he's too much of a Mary Sue for there to really be any tension.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Jul 18, 2025
TL:DR
Simple feel-good manga that's nothing special.
Review
A cute fluff manga of a shy girl learning to make friends with the help of an angel. The main character (the aforementioned girl) is pretty much the stereotype of a comically exaggerated shy anime girl, the angel doesn't speak and is mostly just plot device. Obviously with the length of the manga, 70 pages with little dialogue, there is no chance write deep characters or intricate plot points so it's a very simple manga with simple characters. The ending, where the angel's halo is finally found, is kind of confusing and I don't think I really understood what its
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location (which will go unspoiled) is supposed to mean. The art is decent and the angel's design is cute.
The manga doesn't do anything special, but it's a pleasant feel-good experience and a very short read. I recommend reading it if you need a little pick-me-up.
Overall: 5/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Jun 19, 2025
TL:DR
So damn cute and funny to boot. It's more Takagi-san except they have a kid, what more do you want?
Story: 8/10
Adorable and funny. Takagi-san and Nishikata are a family and they've got a young daughter.
It's slice-of-life so no overall narrative, except Chii growing. As the main pair are now married, there's no slow-burn romance like the first manga so this one focuses mostly on the games the characters play with each other and Chii's antics.
While many chapters are the slice-of-life family comedy, some chapter are slightly more serious (though still fun) explorations of the two adult characters actually parenting their kid. Seeing these two as
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parents is quite interesting and it forms the emotional core of the series, as the romance did in the prequel.
Characters: 9/10
The old characters are as endearing as they were in the first ones.
The (former) Takagi-san is an adult now and she's definitely more mature, though just as mischievous as ever.
Nishikata is unfortunately a weaker character. He's definitely more mature compared to the prequel but not nearly enough - he had a child, how is he embarrassed to hold his wife's hand??? The amount of times he's embarrased about something that should be utterly mundane for an adult man who's married with a daughter is crazy, it's a bit cringeworthy and can take you out of the manga at times. Still his interactions with his family are entertaining and it's fun seeing a new fatherly side of him - including all new reasons for him to freak out.
Chii is a very well-written child character, realistic (though of course with some comedic exaggeration). She's so precious. I would die for this fictional child.
Art
I actually didn't notice this spin-off was written/drawn by a different person until after I finished it, so if you liked the art in the prequel, you'll like the sequel. Good reaction panels, cute when it wants to be. Very good overall.
Overall: 9/10
This is some of the best slice-of-life I've read. Like the first one, it has comedy and emotional aspects, though with familial love instead of romantic. What more do you want me to say? If you've read ‘Teasing Master Takagi-san’ then you won't be disappointed reading this, I enjoyed this manga about as much as the other - I have to give props to Inaba-sensei for being able to capture the vibe and characters of the original so well.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Jun 19, 2025
TL:DR
A decent send off to the Takagi-san franchise. Not amazing in it's own right but it will be great for anyone who loved the previous two series.
Story: 6/10
The bittersweet send off of the Takagi-san franchise!
Unlike the previous two manga that were mostly comedy centred on teasing with the romantic moments sprinkled in, this focuses entirely on the relationship between the two main characters and the connection to what happened in the prequel, ‘Karakai Jouzu no (Moto) Takagi-san’. While the teasing is still present, it feels a lot more like a straightforward romance.
Being short, the manga doesn't have a long build up to get you invested
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in the characters and let their relationship or feeling grow organically nor is there really any character development. Due to this, and the fact that the characters are obviously mutually in love from the very start means that I wasn't nearly as interested in the relationship as I was in 'Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san'.
The teasing games weren't as clever or as entertaining as the other manga. However, seeing how the characters react in situations that parallel the parent series is entertaining and gives you a bit of a feel of how they differ from their predecessors. The problem is that without the characters that let it work the first time nor the time it let it grow into something new, it's not as cute or as clever or as entertaining as the other series, just decent.
While the ending wasn't particularly satisfying, I do appreciate that the author decided to end it quickly rather than milking the series by rehashing the same thing with slightly different characters, even if I would have liked a bit more.
All that said, while it never reached the heights of it's prequels, I enjoyed my time reading this and it was cute in it's own way.
Characters: 5/10
It's interesting to see Chii Nishikata what traits she gets from Nishikata (her father and protagonist of the first series) and which from Takagi-san. Ooshiro is just a less endearing Takagi-san. Unfortunately the combination is just not as interesting or charming as the characters in the prequels. Having the dynamic be slightly different by having the person doing the teasing being bad at it is entertaining but there's not enough time for us to get invested in the manga nor is it as clever as the prequels.
Art
Same as the other series, adorable as always. Also got to appreciate any artist that puts efforts into the backgrounds even in a simple romance manga.
Overall: 6/10
Regardless of what negative things I have to say, I did enjoy my time reading this and it felt like a proper conclusion to the tale of Takagi-san and co.
I recommend this manga to anyone who read the first two in the series. They're not really the type of series that need a definitive end, but it's nice to have this little celebration of this universe.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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May 18, 2025
TL:DR
A unique action manga, great plot and a big cast of charming characters. Look I know you saw the manga's cover, but it isn't creepy or pervy at all despite the cover character being half-naked. I definitely recommend reading this manga.
Story: 8/10
The setting is interesting, mixing the dream and real worlds while putting normal human and personified dream character together. It's feels different than the usual shounen battle fare.
It's a very dynamic manga, constantly shifting the status quo to keep things fresh.
For example, new characters are steadily introduced, allies and villains and some who switch between. It feels like, even near the finale, we're meeting
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new and interesting characters. Yet despite the large cast, there are very few throw away characters. Nearly all of them turn up again later and many seemingly one-off characters end up playing important roles in the future, which really makes the world feel alive. It also means that many of the typical ‘monster of the week’ filler chapters don't feel like a waste of time because, aside from being fun, they introduce new characters that reappear throughout the manga.
In terms of plot, the steady escalation of power and danger expected of a shounen battle manga is also present but, given the nature of the battles and power system, it goes in the some unique directions with the dream world impacting the real world more and more as the manga goes on. This also introduces a sense of urgency into the manga, it actually feels like there's a creeping threat that the characters are racing to defeat.
All the strengths of the ‘Yumekui Merry’ are exemplified by it's fantastic ending, which ratchets up the threat level to 11 while giving every character we've met so far a role to fill. It manages to tie everything together while being a real nail biter of an final arc - culminating the the ultimate battle to save both the real and dream world along side the inevitable but bittersweet parting of human and dream characters.
It even manages to avoid the typical annoying shounen tropes, apart from the first few chapter. In fact, the manga is refreshingly respectful of it's female cast. Merry, despite being being dressed like… that, is not sexualised at all. In fact, there are several, prominent female characters in the manga and the author is never creepy about this at all. Shame that this is something that praise worthy but it's common enough in manga that you just get numb to it for the most part, so it really stands out when an author bucks the trend.
Characters: 9/10
The writing oozes personality, the main characters are charming and even the side cast are all distinct individuals.
Fujiwara is a little like your typical “power of hope!” shounen protagonist but he does it with such style and charm that I don't mind. He's a pretty good main character and he comes in to his own as the manga progresses.
Merry is adorable, badass and funny. She's my favourite character in the manga, even with this stacked cast.
Unfortunately I can't talk about the other characters without spoiling things but rest assured that they feel like unique individuals from their first appearances and are enjoyable in their own right.
Art
The art is impressive, the character designs are fantastic - the dream monsters all feel properly inhuman and the humans have their own characteristic looks too.
The art is also incredibly expressive, with many different facial expressions to convey the mood and shifts in the style of art to support comedic or action oriented scenes. Merry herself is does this the best, and it really adds to her character that her character can express herself so much without or in support of the dialogue.
My only complaint, and the only real complaint I have about the manga, is that the fight scenes can be a bit hard to follow sometimes but I don't think it detracts from the enjoyment too much.
Overall: 8/10
‘Yumekui Merry' is a hidden gem of a manga, with a enjoyable plot that never contents itself with sticking to the status quo, an vast cast of likeable characters, top-notch art and a pair endearing protagonists to tie it together. I wholeheartedly recommend reading this manga!
I think this is an author to keep an eye on. If they can continue to bring this level of quality (or better!) to their next work, then I'll be looking forward to it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Apr 27, 2025
TL:DR
Good comedy with fun characters but a weirdly serious ending that it a major departure from the tone of the rest of the serious that sours the end of the manga. I recommend this if you can ignore that - you don't come to gag manga for a great plot anyway.
Story: 6/10
The manga is mostly episodic with each chapter being centred around a funny situation. There is some continuity with scenarios influenced by previous events. The manga slowly adds more characters and shows different sides of other characters so it never feels stale. Overall, it's a good comedy.
Despite being tagged as romance on MAL, it's
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not a particularly sappy manga, they don't expect any emotional scenes.
There is a mystery around Nino that stays in the background for the most part until the end of the manga. After hundreds of chapters of being dumb fun, it decides to really dig into the mystery. The last 10% of the manga tries to be serious but also not that serious, it takes it self seriously enough that it's not funny but there's enough silliness that I can't get invested in it. It makes for a really weird tone where it feels like the author can't get away from the tone they've already set and it doesn't work. it's not a great ending, it comes a bit out of nowhere and it rushes through some super dramatic backstory that's only been hinted at until then. It's takes up a noticeable chunk of the manga and it sours the ending. However, I didn't really expect a great ending from a gag manga and that section is short enough that I don't think the ending ‘ruins’ the manga or anything.
I mean, did you read the synopsis and expect Shakespeare?
Characters: 8/10
All the the characters are likeable and have their own central gag.
Kou is my favourite character. In any other manga, he would be a Mary Sue: the handsome, rich CEO of a successful company that's great at anything he applies himself to. And he's humbled down by being the only normal(ish) person surrounded by utter lunatics who don't care about any of that. It's great, Kou makes for a great straight man to everyone else.
Everyone else has a completely different sense of ‘normal’ and a tenuous grasp on reality.
Nino is convinced she's a Venusian and has about as good a grasp of earth norms as you'd expect from that fact.
Hoshi is… actually pretty normal aside from wearing a mask all the time. He's also Kou's rival because he loves Nino. It's makes for a great dynamic where he keeps trying to win Nino's heart except she misinterprets or ignores any advances while butting heads with Kou.
Sister is a warlike nun who sets booby traps around the riverside and is also a man. His super-dramatic backstory is often brought up for comedy and he's pretty fun. There is also mercifully few “eww man wearing girl clothes” jokes, as you'd usually expect from a crossdresser in a manga.
Maria's is the most normal person here and her whole thing is being mean to everyone. It's great.
The mayor is a guy who wears a costume and insists he's a kappa. Mostly he just comes up with reasons to do fun things.
P-ko is someone who seems normal but we slowly learn is one of the most crazy person under the bridge.
There are some other, more minor characters but I'll leave that for you to discover.
Art
Distinct, characters designs. Good art for comedy, nice reaction panels, art accentuates the craziness. Most backgrounds are bland white spaces or generic skies and some buildings.
Overall: 7/10
Pretty good! Aside from the weirdly serious ending, I enjoyed myself when reading this manga. If you can ignore a late-stage tonal shift, then you'll enjoy yourself.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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