The first thing a person is going to see when they pick up “Shuumatsu no Laughter” is the cover. On the cover we see a character who strongly resembles Naruto from the series with the same name. A thought will then cross said persons mind. “This is just a knock off of 'Naruto'.” This will make the series hard to pick up for people despite the fact it is only five chapters long, but in reality the phrase “don't judge a book by it's cover” is apt. The story is nothing like “Naruto” despite the fact the creator of “Shuumatsu no Laughter” does in factpay some homage to the other series.

I think the main problem with the series is the relative shortness as there was honestly so much more the creator could have done with the theme in question. On the other hand the creator may not have wanted the series to become a “monster of the week” series just so the readers could in fact find out the fate in relation to the “white akuma”, and whether or not the world ends up being saved from the wheels of fate. Instead we get a short piece that focuses more on the psychological element as well as inter relations between the characters. The story also falls into many cliches as well that may have brought it down had the writer made said series longer.

The characters are ultra important when it comes to this particular series. This short series is after all about how people interact with each other, and how people act towards others in prejudicial ways because of fear. Sometimes fear is justified, but in other times said fear is not. This is a theme that is explored along with how those acting in prejudicial manners and those being prejudiced act towards each other, and why conflict does occur in real life.

The art work for this particular piece is also nice. The artist takes the time to fill every frame with important information in regards to the story line, nor is there any confusing action poses that a person can't read the movements of. Luca's design embodies the persona people would expect of someone labeled a demon, while his sister is the personification of pure innocence. The artist went out of his way to personify these attributes to each, and for good reason.

Ultimatly I enjoyed this short series a lot. Not only was it short, but I could feel empathy towards the characters. I enjoyed the plot twists for the stories. I also liked making the connections to “Naruto” and comparing the two on a critical level. While it is true that the two are their own pieces of work I think a person can also appreciate “Shuumatsu no Laughter” even more with a knowledge of Naruto. Or one could have it soured if one is to much of a fangirl/fanboy.