Noukase · review
SYNOPSIS In a world ruled by the Great God, humanity lives under an absolute order sustained by faith, obedience, and punishment. Anything that does not fit within divine doctrine like magis, magical beasts, and other creatures deemed ''heretics'', is condemned to eternal confinement in a prison known as ''the Box''. Jinma is an anomaly, a human who has managed to escape the Box, branded a heretic despite his origins. Within him lies a sealed power, so devastating that even the Great God fears its release… STORY: 8 The story is told through a key concept, or rather, a phase: “I can do it if I try.”It is very simple and, in fact, a cliché within shōnen manga; however, Kei Urana uses it masterfully (and with irony, employing a kind of semi–fourth wall) to present a subtle critique of an obedient society, stupefied by idolatry, in which challenging authority is punished with death.
ART STYLE: 10
Expressive, striking, dynamic, aggresive.
There is a notable handling of spatial visuality in the artwork. A wide variety of line work, perspective distortions, and highly expressive faces are used to make emotions more vivid. The reading experience remains very fluid despite being loaded with stylistic elements, as it also oscillates toward a simpler, cleaner style that softens the density of what is happening at the moment.
CHARACTERS: 7.5
Jinma: He is a human being different from the rest. Defiant in attitude and intimidating in appearance. Tall, slender, and dressed in simple clothes that highlight and give visual priority to his messy black hair and his sharp, angular expression. We are shown his backstory and the reason behind his determination, which allows us to quickly empathize with him and better understand the kind of world Jinma lives in.
Terra: A small-statured girl with a somewhat mischievous personality. Though, of course, appearances can be deceiving…
Great God: The design of this character is ridiculous (and I think that is the intention), an elongated figure with a terrifying gaze. His hairstyle is comical; it feels like a parody of how a snobbish, arrogant, and ultimately failed person would style their hair. Appearances are once again deceiving.
ENJOYEMENT (And kinda of personal reflection): 7.5
It is an entertaining manga. I would have liked it not to remain merely a one-shot, since the world that could be built through Urana’s sensitivity could be interesting and enriching. The message the mangaka seeks to convey is very simple: if you set your mind to it, you can achieve it; but to do so, we must dare to disobey, question the system, and above all, question ourselves. We are the ones who place our own shackles upon ourselves, and only we have the will to free ourselves through the fulfillment of our actions.