Fairy Tail

There isn't a low enough number to express my feelings toward this show. Perhaps using Euler's identity might capture just how terrible this series is. It defies logic for something so mediocre to also be so atrociously bad. I enjoyed reading Rave Master and initially liked this series too. But then, I realized there is absolutely no value in continuing with it. This series actively ruins your standards of good and bad. Everything afterward will either seem great or disappointingly lackluster.

What’s wrong with this series? Simply put, it makes you hope for better things from the author and the artwork. It has potential to be good and excels at hyping readers up, but it never delivers on that promise. There's no logic, reason, consistency, well-written characters, or any attempt to take risks. Not a single moment resonates, nor does it offer a hint of originality. Predictable barely scratches the surface. By the first chapter, you'll already know what to expect from the entire series. It doesn’t matter how formidable the villains appear, how suspenseful the plot gets, or how intriguing the concepts and mythology may seem. Everything will resolve in the most absurdly anticlimactic way possible. This series was designed to disappoint without fail. Pure bait.

Don't get your hopes up because the moment you do, your spirit will be crushed. It's worse than being trapped in a car without air conditioning in the desert, thinking help is near before realizing it was just a mirage. It's like experiencing the crushing heartbreak of realizing the girl you like confessing her love was merely a prank. You think you're reading something worthwhile when you really aren't. It's the worst kind of mediocrity. That's all I can say about this manga. Save your time and avoid this series. Don't make the same mistake I did.

It used to be that whenever I even glanced at shonen anything, I'd wrinkle my nose and just pass it by because I had the wrong idea. I thought shonen was really immature—just all action with no real plot and featuring overly busty women or girls. Now, I see that isn't true—at least not entirely. Fairy Tail has shown me there's more to it. It contains lessons about friendship, courage, and bravery. There are mysteries and action sequences that kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters are so funny and unique that they nearly made me pee my pants laughing. This manga and its anime counterpart have made me laugh and cry more than any other manga I've read or anime I've watched. I really hope more people will give it a read and watch. Its art is very uniquely drawn, but I wouldn't say it's bad. Of course, the female characters are busty, but it's easy enough to overlook... maybe.

The reason I enjoy Fairy Tail is likely the same reason I'm a huge fan of One Piece: the strong sense of camaraderie among the characters and their willingness to go to any lengths to protect each other. In my opinion, the story is fantastic, filled with intense battles. I also find the characters incredibly amusing; take Gray for instance, he's an exhibitionist who undresses at the most inconvenient times. The only downside to Fairy Tail, in my view, is that the storyline doesn't seem to be progressing much. At the beginning, it’s mentioned that Natsu is searching for the dragon who raised him, but beyond that initial premise, not much has moved forward.

Overview: You know those types of manga that everyone despises, and defending them would result in losing face... well, Fairy Tail is one such series. Despite this, as a fan of Fairy Tail, I can see some merit in it, but the horror of chapter 500 was the final push needed for me to express my feelings about Fairy Tail - both the good and the bad.

Story: Discussing Fairy Tail's plot feels somewhat futile because, in reality, there isn't much plot progression. Natsu (oh, we'll talk about him later) is supposed to be searching for a dragon, yet he simply goes on missions and hardly mentions his goal. As a shonen series, it's best to have a proactive protagonist since active protagonists are entertaining most of the time. Sadly, Natsu is a reactive protagonist; his goal doesn't drive the story, which significantly hurts the series. The story itself is rather predictable, with numerous "asspulls" in most fights. I understand that friendship is a theme in Fairy Tail, but it abuses it. Berserk explored friendship without resorting to "nakama power," making the friendships feel genuine. Another significant issue is that none of the main characters ever die. While deaths don't necessarily make a good story, Hiro Mashima could still create tension by making characters suffer. However, Hiro uses "asspulls," plot armor, and power-ups to save major characters from life-and-death situations, making it impossible to feel any real tension. Nevertheless, Fairy Tail remains an enjoyable series, and Hiro deserves credit for making a flawed story fun, likely due to fan service.

Characters: Although Fairy Tail's characters are fun to watch, they are unfortunately two-dimensional and cliché. Some people might defend them by saying they do get development, which is true, but here's the problem:

1. The character development is handled poorly.
2. Most characters have poor characterization.
3. They go through situations that could lead to development but don't change.

For example, one character was introduced as a scumbag, which is fine, but he lacked balance between strengths and weaknesses, was completely two-dimensional, and never had inner conflict. He gets defeated by our main character (through an "asspull") and suddenly turns good. This, my friends, is not character development; it's a character rewrite. We didn't see the character develop; it just happened off-screen. Even if it were development, the poor characterization means it means nothing. Character development should bring out or challenge existing traits. Almost all characters share this problem, except Zeref, the main villain. Speaking of the protagonist, Natsu, oh, how I hate this guy! He's one of the worst protagonists I've seen in a shonen manga - generic, overpowered, and never develops. There were many times I wanted to drop the manga because I couldn't stand him. Luckily, the side characters are fun to watch, so I'm still on the roller coaster. (Oh, and the villains are the worst, with the exception of Zeref.)

Art: If there's one thing keeping Fairy Tail afloat (besides fan service), it's the art. The character designs are great, and the fights, despite the "asspulls," are really entertaining. Hiro Mashima would be better off being the artist of FT and getting a good writer to pen the manga.

Overall: Fairy Tail is... okay. It's not complete crap, but it's not good either; it's average. I think it's both overrated and underrated at the same time, if that makes sense. If you're looking for an easy-to-digest shonen manga, give it a try, but honestly, there are far better shonen manga out there.

I began watching Fairy Tail because all my friends kept telling me, "You love One Piece, you'll LOVE this!" Initially, I thought it would just be a copy of my favorite series and went in with very low expectations. However, only a few chapters in, my attitude changed dramatically!

This series is fairly new, so the story has just started, but what's available so far is fantastic! A lot remains to unfold, and I find myself eagerly anticipating what happens next. The jokes are fresh and don't get old, and the overall tone of the series is incredibly fun.

Every character you encounter is unique and intriguing. Most have quirks that will make you laugh. There's Gray, who constantly strips, and Natsu, who suffers from motion sickness. Let's not forget Elfman, who practically walks around spouting Chuck Norris quotes. This series features strong female characters and wonderful male characters alike! And let's not overlook the token animal characters.

I adore the art style. It's clean, and the characters have very distinct facial expressions. At first glance, it might look like a One Piece rip-off. While the styles do share similarities, you'll soon notice they're quite different!

The tone of this series is light-hearted and hilarious. Like any good series, it also has its serious moments, which are handled very well. I could sit here and tell you all about the series, but I think you should check it out for yourself! It's definitely worth giving a shot!

Are you looking for a manga packed with adventure? One that features endearing characters whose antics will make you laugh? A story where the stakes are constantly rising in a well-developed world, and moments bring tears to your eyes? Want a bit of fanservice sprinkled in? If so, let me direct you to "One Piece," penned by Eiichiro Oda.

Seriously though, many elements found in Hiro Mashima's "Fairy Tail" can also be discovered in "One Piece," but they're often executed much better in the pirate universe. That said, I won't deny there are reasons to appreciate "Fairy Tail."

The first few arcs are quite good. They have relatively low stakes as Natsu, Lucy, Happy, and others embark on missions together, typically resulting in humorous situations, Lucy in revealing outfits, and Natsu delivering speeches about how much Fairy Tail means to him and his friends. It all culminates in the "Battle of Fairy Tail" arc, which was well-built and ends on an emotional note. This is where the series peaked, and I wish it had concluded there or soon after. Also, the final chapter was rather nice, evoking a small tug at my heartstrings, something other long series I enjoyed more couldn't achieve.

The artwork is also commendable. Clearly, this isn't Hiro Mashima's first manga, evident in the consistency from start to finish. While I enjoy seeing art evolve throughout a series, as seen in "One Piece," "Bleach," and even the legendary "Berserk," I won't discredit "Fairy Tail" for maintaining good designs and style consistently. (I know improvements come with time, but the difference between Guts' appearance in volume 1 versus volume 41 of "Berserk" is stark.)

I don't hate any of the main characters. Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Gray, Erza, Makarov, and those introduced later—they're all fine. Many negative reviews tend to despise every character except maybe one, but I never reached that point. I just grew tired after a while.

This fatigue stems from repetition and the latter two-thirds being somewhat chaotic. The Edolas arc is particularly weak. It's the first instance where I realized how rushed some arcs could be, introducing and wrapping up an alternate world concept in three volumes. Afterward, stakes never seem to lower significantly. Except for a single-volume setup, nearly every conflict feels like it's about ending the world. Admittedly, I read the series in chunks during school breaks, so I might misremember an arc. But the last three big arcs were all about stopping evil wizards or groups from destroying Fiore. Early arcs had personal stakes too, such as Lucy's family conflict, but none worked as well later on.

I mentioned liking the side characters and some villains, but several annoyed me. The final antagonist was irritating, no villain felt as threatening as earlier ones, and several guild members were one-note and gimmicky. Some grew on me, like Fro the cat, but many didn't. Mystogan, one of Fairy Tail's strongest masked members, was particularly disappointing. Initially mysterious, he quickly became uninteresting. There were also plot twists ranging from puzzling to infuriating. (Note: I didn't throw any books.)

A significant complaint later on is how derivative many elements feel, especially of the Big Three, notably "One Piece." I'm not criticizing inspiration or coincidences; artists have every right to draw from works they love. It's not specific plot points copied, but the general vibe reminded me of them. Maybe it's because they're all shounen series from the same era, but it stuck with me. Without naming specifics to avoid spoilers, many abilities and moments made me think, "Didn't I see this somewhere else?" I mention "One Piece" because Mashima seems to rework early elements later, similar to "One Piece," but it rarely works as effectively.

"One Piece" and "Fairy Tail" share fanservice, but "Fairy Tail" goes overboard. Female characters frequently lose clothing or appear in suggestive positions. Lucy is often shown showering, bathing, or attacked by enemies stripping her clothes, always emphasizing her assets. An open-air bath scene reveals everything through leaves on water. Any relevant female character gets depicted similarly, even Wendy, portrayed with curves despite being young. While "One Piece" has its moments with Nami and Robin, it's less egregious, rarely the foremost focus. "Fairy Tail" forces it excessively.

All things considered, I don't recommend reading "Fairy Tail." Too much fanservice and a deteriorating plot beyond a certain point. For a lengthy shounen series, read "One Piece." If intimidated by its ongoing thousand-plus chapters, try "Bleach" or "Naruto." If still too long, look elsewhere. Beyond these four, I haven't read anything past the 500-chapter mark. If insistent on "Fairy Tail," watch it instead. Its soundtrack is absolutely fantastic.

Ah.. Fairy Tail.. A series filled with highs and lows, and a fair amount of controversy after the timeskip, but a mangaka who clearly loves writing it. Hiro isn't the best storyteller or writer, but when he gets into his stride, he produces some great work.

Art (9)

Obviously, Hiro's strongest point is his incredible artwork. The good thing about it is that it keeps getting better and more detailed. Early on in the series, he adapted Oda's (whom he admires) style but eventually developed his own, which has been amazing. I can actually follow what happens during the fights.

Story (7)

Lucy Heartfilia is a celestial mage who wants to join Fairy Tail. People often get confused about whether Natsu or Lucy is the main character, but the story revolves around Lucy. In the early parts of the series, there are what I call "plot arcs," where each arc has its own separate story. Later on, these arcs connect to the "main story" involving a certain black wizard and a very powerful dragon that despises humanity. Many times, Hiro has good concepts and ideas, but sometimes they aren't well executed.

Characters (7)

I thought hard about this one. The characters in this series are quirky, weird, funny, and sometimes make you facepalm. But there is development. Erza is arguably the most developed character in Fairy Tail. To be honest, many characters have undergone some level of development, whether significant or minor. But then there's Natsu... Oh, Natsu. He pretty much stays the same ("character-wise"). Do I hate Natsu? Of course not; I want to see him grow. His nakama speeches are annoying, though, and that goes for everyone else too. The problem is we barely know anything about his past. However, it's worth noting that Hiro plans to include Natsu's past in later arcs, including the current one, so we might finally understand Natsu's backstory. So perhaps Hiro wanted Natsu's story to be told last since he is connected to major events in the series.

Enjoyment (8)

I enjoy Fairy Tail for what it is: a fun and light series with interesting characters and mysteries that keep you guessing and speculating. The fights are enjoyable to watch and easy to follow. Now, I'll be honest; it does have its downsides. The nakama power-ups do get overdone, and the writing and story take a nosedive post-timeskip during the Grand Magic Games. But something must have come over Hiro because the current arc, Tartaros, is one of the best if not the best arc in the series. Many people feel the same way, and I can see why.

As I write this, the series has just concluded. It does make me sad to know it's over, but I found the series to be wonderful. It helped me through tough times and always managed to bring a smile to my face for some reason.

I certainly recommend it. I give the story a 9/10, the art a perfect 10/10, the characters a 9/10, and the enjoyment also a 10/10. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. However, the ending didn't quite live up to my expectations.

I wish Hiro Mashima all the best as he begins his next manga series. Whether it's based on Fairy Tail or entirely new, I'm genuinely excited about it either way. The final chapter truly resonated with me.

Fairy Tail began as a highly promising manga! It took me through some thrilling arcs, tangled me up with its plot twists, and even brought on moments of sadness. Comparisons to One Piece have been made, and I agree with some of those points. However, after a certain arc, the story begins to lose its momentum.

With its endlessly exciting pace, one would expect rapid plot development that keeps you eagerly anticipating each new chapter. If you've read the Fairy Tail Wiki, you'd realize this story has incredible potential for plot development, but the author has let us down.

I wouldn't be surprised if the author had actually passed away and was covertly replaced by someone else. The progression of this manga has burned out like a log. The plot moves at an unregulated pace, tossing you around like a wet rag searching for something solid. When it finally connects, it hurts... There are times when drastic plot changes are necessary. One Piece handled them well, even Naruto did it decently, but Fairy Tail's changes seemed pointless. Seriously, there was no reason for it. It happened, it sucked. Life is going to be miserable now, oh wait, they fixed everything in just one chapter. (Note: The story has been terrible for about 100 chapters.)

I can't say much more without spoiling it, so I'll keep it simple:

Avoid this manga. Yes, it starts out well and tells a good story initially. But if you want to save yourself from the pain of watching a once-great manga decline, please don't read it. All we can hope for is that the story will recover and move beyond its current state.

Cheers~

This manga took a steep dive after the time skip arc. Initially, it was decent and carried a lot of One Piece vibes. It remained an entertaining adventure manga with our heroes embarking on new quests every arc. Each storyline provided character backstories, intriguing villains from rival guilds with unique abilities, and contributed to the overarching plot.

However, everything shifted once the protagonists defeated one of the strongest dark guilds. The author seemed to think the power levels had become too high, so they introduced a time skip and began incorporating excessive fan service. While fan service was present from the start, it felt like Lucy's, the main character, bare bottom was featured in almost every chapter.

In later chapters, the author's reliance on convenient plot devices became more pronounced and increasingly intolerable. One of the most egregious examples is when a main character dies saving someone, only for another character to rewind time just enough to prevent that death. The overuse of "Because they're my Nakama!!!" equating to a +100 power boost is so cliché that even One Piece moved past it post-time skip.

Overall, what started as a fun, lighthearted adventure/fantasy manga was ruined by its popularity. I don't regret dropping this series because all I hear now are negative reviews (like Erza vs her mom).

Oh Fairy Tail, you had such potential, but here you are, ending with barely a whimper.

Where did it go wrong, Hiro? You had an immensely popular manga that could have given readers something truly satisfying to revisit. But instead, you squandered the opportunity by being stubborn until the end.

I'm not saying this without reason. There are many valid reasons why so many readers, including me, were deeply disappointed with how the manga turned out. The biggest downfall was the formulaic approach.

Fairy Tail follows the same pattern in every arc: Meet enemy, fight, get beaten up, activate friendship power, and win. It's so predictable that by the later arcs, everyone could easily foresee the outcome. "Fairy Tail will win, they won't lose a single member because Natsu and co. will pull off some ridiculous power-up to defeat the enemy." This trend was especially evident in the final arc. Meet strong enemies, fight but get pushed back, then deliver a random speech about family and friends before winning. It's unbelievable how these "hyped" fights ended this way. This is what truly killed Fairy Tail.

Other issues include underdeveloped characters. Despite some development, like Gray's, it got nullified towards the end as they reverted to their original dumb selves. Most characters had potential but remained static and annoying throughout. Plot holes are also prevalent. Characters would suffer intense fights yet walk away unscathed minutes later. Erza, Natsu, Gray—they should be incapacitated after those fights, but they're running around shortly after.

Convenient plot devices like absurd returns and lame deus ex machinas didn't help either. And let's not forget the lack of character deaths. Almost every character who seemed fatally injured came back alive just a few chapters later. You could have created powerful moments through some meaningful deaths, but you chose otherwise—sigh.

Another point is the excessive fanservice. While I don't mind a bit, Fairy Tail overdoes it, even in inappropriate places. Everyday life and supposedly tough fights both feature fanservice, making light of serious situations. *cough, Grand Magic Games, cough*

So, is there anything good? Yes, the art is attractive. Character designs are good, backgrounds detailed, and overall, it's clean and complementing, though similar to One Piece. Unfortunately, nice designs didn't equate to good characters.

The Tartarus arc stands out among the mediocre ones. Unlike others, it has emotion and surprising revelations, along with newer power-ups. Though it still follows the same formula, it's the best arc of the series. Earlier chapters provided some entertainment, and the last chapter was decent, better than Bleach or Naruto's endings.

That's it. Had the Final Arc been as good as Tartarus, I'd give it a higher score, but it was an epic failure. I no longer recommend this series, especially after the Final Arc disaster. Save your time and avoid reading something disappointing. Instead, listen to Fairy Tail's music scores on YouTube. They're undeniably great, making it a shame they were wasted on this manga.

Good job, Hiro Mashima. Good job on throwing away a potentially great manga.

It's incredibly challenging to assign a rating to this manga because it holds a deeply personal significance for me. This series has genuinely helped me navigate tough periods in my life, making it extraordinarily special to me.

Does the artwork evoke One Piece vibes? Absolutely. However, the storyline is distinctly unique and features an array of main characters. Even the minor characters are endearing and memorable.

The narrative includes several overly powerful characters, and certain plot elements remain unexplained or underdeveloped as the story progresses. Nevertheless, the world crafted within this series is stunning, enigmatic, and brimming with wonder. If you're a fan of fantasy, this manga is undoubtedly worth your time.

If you're a devoted follower of One Piece, you might not resonate with it. I mention this because I know friends who adore One Piece yet dislike Fairy Tail, and vice versa. Despite that, I still urge everyone, especially those with a penchant for fantasy, to give this series a chance!