For sometime now, I've been keeping this manga on my ''catch-up-radar'' meaning to marathon it after I finish watching the anime, but when ever I got a chance, I'd put it on hold because I didn't have the resolve to start it. From what I'd seen, there was nothing exactly stellar that made me think that it was worth the time, and I'm already following a number of action series, so I wasn't keen on adding any more. Or that was the case when I finally exhausted all of my lighter reading material I had brought with me on vacation, so I figured that I'd give it a shot.
I still wonder how could I miss this little gem for so long.
I haven't read anything by Takashi Shiina before this one, but going by it alone, he's very good at making use of every element available to him in creating enjoyable and dynamic storyline events and characters all the while building upon the established mythos with more complex progressions, from volume 1 to the latest without having it all collapse.
The thing that drew me in at first during the lesser first chapters was the American-comic book flavor it had to the way the manga was set. As the manga progressed in the way how the ''Children'' operate, the different factions ideology and leaders and the way how the population and world reacts and works made it more and more apparent that the manga was at it heart very Marvel-esque. Even the way the arc's are separated made me think back to some of my older X-men books. I know that its probably just a coincidence, but I couldn't help but feel some nostalgia
The thing that did make me continue was the introduction of Kyosuke and P.A.N.D.R.A. The constant interactions and run ins between them and B.A.B.E.L. made the manga 10 times more interesting. I wish I could say the same about The Normal People but ever since they were reveled, they served as nothing more than quick fodder to the story or the characters growth. The problem is that they lack a strong flag-ship character like Kyosuke that make them have an actual footing in the story (Black Phantom looked like it might've filled that gap, but ever since Phantom Daughter had grown independent from her Father's orginisation, their influence grew less and she became more of a wild card).
Speaking of strong influences, Hyobu Kyosuke. Man how I love this guy. Aside from being dangerously affably evil villain with a tragic past, he has certain aspects that make him all the more interesting. He is very fickle about everything (including his goal about creating an esper-only society) but is veraciously loyal to his subordinates. A prankster who loves to mess around, yet hides a lethal scheming mind. Clearly insane, but over all nice guy (unless your in his way :P).
But what makes him very interesting is not that he is necessarily always the antagonist to the ''Children'', but to the ideal that the story holds, and that is aiming to the future. He is like a vengeful ghost who is just going around trying to find a way to rest. I always enjoy seeing him, as it means intresting things are to follow.
The other characters take some time to be as interesting, but the majority of them were very likable (well, I do actively dislike Yoh though, I never did like ones who are always static and fixated on being hateful without anything to counterbalance that). The main trio are all in my short list for being distinctive and very fun (Kaoru gets more points for showing actual development post time skip, but Aoi is still my goddesses :3; Shiho has her moments and I like her design the most) Minamoto grew on me with time, and his backstory with Carrie made him all the more likable. Others that get a pass from me include Maki for relating to his dilemma with the Major, The Chief for being awesome, Mio for her being a tusn~tusn :3, Chisato, and Yuri(all of her
).
Overall, certain events were better than others, but I think there have been more hits than misses, with everything in between never disappoint me and manages to keep me interested in what will unfold next. This is now part of the manga series I'll look forward to every week.