Finished
“Aiko survives family massacre with a monstrous grafted arm controlled by Chimera DNA, struggling with her horrific new existence.”
Variante
ヴァリアンテ
7.21
6,303 rank · 15,020 readers · 193 favorites
Shounen
Action
Drama
Horror
Mystery
Sci-Fi
Supernatural
Would You Love or Hate This?
AI-powered analysis tailored to your taste
Based on your preference for character-driven stories with layered emotional arcs, this title's exploration of identity and belonging would deeply resonate. The pacing mirrors series you've rated highly, and its thematic depth aligns with your appreciation for nuanced storytelling...
However, the slow initial episodes might test your patience given your history of dropping shows that don't hook you early. The art style shift in the middle arc could also be a concern...
Personalized to you
Honest pros & cons
Based on your library
Synopsis
Aiko survives family massacre with a monstrous grafted arm controlled by Chimera DNA, struggling with her horrific new existence.
After seeing her family slaughtered, Aiko is surprised to wake up on a laboratory table, apparently intact. But when she notices the horribly disfigured arm grafted onto her body, she soon realizes that life as she knew it before the attack is now over. Infused with the DNA of a mysterious monster known as Chimera, the arm acts on the urges of its master—leaving Aiko powerless to stop it. Alone and frightened, how will she deal with this horrible fate? (Source: CMX)
What people say
Community consensus
Derived from 9 sampled reviews
7.6
/10
What 9 readers settled on.
100%
recommend
Score distribution
median 8
mode 9
σ 1.50
Agreement
Mostly aligned
σ 1.50 · some divergence
The polarity gap
—
Not enough recommend signal yet
Score over time
↓ 1.44
Running avg · Oct 2010 → Sep 2016
Snap verdicts
· shortest highly-rated reviews
- 9 “The plot is absolutely gripping, making this a must-read that I finished in one sitting, especially for fans of horror and gore. While the story is excellent, I wish there had been more depth...”
- 8 “I was thoroughly impressed by the masterful character introspection and the stunning art style, which made every panel a visual treat. However, the story feels predictable and the character...”
- 9 “Variante is a disturbingly satisfying, well-written, and beautifully drawn manga that masterfully explores the juxtaposition of inhuman horror and human emotion through Aika’s journey. While the...”
Verbosity
Short · 44%
Medium · 44%
Long · 11%
Read Order & Related
A self-contained story.
No sequels, spin-offs or alternate tellings — Variante begins and ends here.
Cast
See all →Gallery
See all →If you stay for this, you'll stay for these
See all →The community pairs this with
See all →Publication slate
A Manga Publication
- Format 19 × 4 ch × vol
- Total read 2h 32m approx
- Published Jan 2004 – Jan 2006
- Source Manga media type
- Ref. BS-M1747 catalog