“Man imprisoned for 10 years seeks revenge on mysterious captor in deadly game.”
Old Boy
ルーズ戦記 オールドボーイ
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...
Synopsis
Man imprisoned for 10 years seeks revenge on mysterious captor in deadly game.
Drugged and confused, Shinichi Gotou wakes up in a small room inside a private prison. Despite his pleadings, none of the guards will tell him who kidnapped him or why he is being held captive. As the days go by, his forced isolation slowly takes a toll on his sanity. He finds an outlet through training his mind and body for the day he will be able to wreak vengeance. After 10 years, Shinichi is finally free. Once outside, he encounters a much changed world. His long imprisonment ripped him from society and kept him from having the normal life he desired. With nothing to lose, he begins his hunt for the one responsible. However, it seems that the person behind Shinichi's captivity is not done with him just yet, and thus begins a twisted game where only the winner survives.
What people say
Community consensus
Derived from 15 sampled reviews
What 15 readers settled on.
Polarized
σ 2.03 · split reception
4.8 pts
Recommenders 8.8 · others 4.0
↓ 1.40
Running avg · Nov 2010 → Jan 2026
- 9 “So... what to tell about "Loose Senki: Oldboy"? First of all wanna say that I started to read this manga after I watch two movies of the same name(Korean one and American one). Manga itself is well...”
- 8 “You lock up a man for 10 years, then release him all of a sudden, then play a psychological game with him to screw up his head as he tries to understand why this happened to him sums up Old Boy in...”
- 9 “I had no idea that the modern cinematic classic Old Boy was adapted from a manga, of all things, so when I learnt that yesterday I just had to check it out and (old) boy, am I glad I did! Old Boy...”
Read Order & Related
Explore the Old Boy universe
Cast
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A Manga Publication
- Format 79 × 8 ch × vol
- Total read 10h 32m approx
- Published Jan 1996 – Jan 1998
- Source Manga media type
- Ref. BS-M1715 catalog