Gantz

A manga that stands toe-to-toe with Berserk or any of the greatest manga ever created. The narrative is an incredible roller coaster ride filled with a plethora of imaginative characters, each receiving their fair share of development. You won't come across a bloodier or more brutal manga; the art style is unique yet highly polished, unmistakably in Hiroya Oku's signature fashion. Only a select few manga have the power to completely mesmerize me and make it impossible to put them down. If you haven't delved into this manga, you're truly missing out, as no adaptation has managed to do it justice. Consequently, reading the manga remains the ultimate way to experience this story.

After chapter 300, when an actual Alien Mothership invaded Earth, things started to get interesting. Throughout my reading of this manga, I didn't really feel the significance of the story. What kept me engaged was the fact that it made me quite aroused; no pun intended. The main character is weak and uninteresting, and for the most part, the world structure is also unengaging. That's pretty much how I saw the first 200 chapters.

The author tried multiple times with different approaches, like sending the MC back in time and resetting his memory. It failed miserably and only worsened the manga. They even reset the story by killing him and then reviving him with preset memories before his return. The author introduced secret societies of "vampires," but they failed to add value. For the most part, the relevance of the vampire society was almost nonexistent. They did nothing when the alien mothership invaded Earth. In the final arc, the vampire societies were useless as if they weren’t part of the manga at all. Earlier arcs suggested those people in black suits were "vampire hunters," but the author seemed to change his mind, seeking a more significant ending involving aliens and abandoning the vampire idea altogether.

I don't know what to say. If I valued my time better, I wouldn't have read this manga. It just so happened that I had some free time and ended up reading the first 20 chapters out of boredom. After that, what kept me going was the arousal factor and curiosity about the MC's character development. Eventually, curiosity got the better of me. But the conclusion of this manga wasn't that good. There are many magnificent mangas out there that would be more valuable for your time. The problem with these old-school manga themes centered around "school life" is that they often set up the story in a way that arouses the reader! Just kidding.

I'm confident that if I continued reading, I might start to appreciate Gantz a bit more. There are aspects I enjoy, like its humor and the intriguing plot. However, the issues with the manga are so significant that I can't bring myself to read any further.

To be honest, I initially started reading Gantz because I wanted to see the infamous "white boy" panel (which I knew was edited but still wanted to check out). But, man, this manga is kind of messed up. Not the main character, though; I don't mind him being a bad person. First, I'm almost 99% certain he'll go through a major character arc and change. Even so, I'm sure he'll still be an ass. He's so uninteresting and boring, and on top of that, he's just really mean. Yes, I get that it's the point, but I still hate him and don't care enough about him to continue reading, especially when the manga tries to make me feel sorry for him despite him being scum. So upset that the girl doesn't love him? Should I feel bad? Despite the fact he was going to let her get hurt, tried to harm her himself among all the other terrible things he did. If the story somehow does redeem him or make him interesting, maybe I'll pick the manga back up. But right now, I have no desire to do so.

Despite the plot being interesting, I can already foresee how it will likely unfold, probably repeating similar plot points over and over again. Maybe one day I'll give it another shot, but currently, there's no chance of that happening. The manga feels very sexist and has the most unlikeable, boring protagonist ever. Perhaps it'll get better, and if someone gives me a convincing argument, I might give it a second try. For now, though, I have zero desire to continue reading. I'm sure people who don't mind my two main complaints would enjoy it much more since there are indeed some interesting plot points. I just have little expectation that they'll be executed well. I wish to be proven wrong, though. It has some okay action scenes as well. I don't know, give it a shot, but set your expectations super low.

Ding Ding: Your Lives Have Ended. How You Use Your New Lives Is Entirely Up To Me. That's The Theory, Anyway.

A new morning has come, a morning of hope, spreading joy in our hearts, looking up at the blue sky, listening to the radio voice, feeling incredibly excited, let this fragrant breeze fill your chest - one, two, three!

Gantz Manga Review:

Put on the suit, grab the gun, let's go to the mambo 👽 👾. Gantz has flow, a lot of flow, incomparable flow, few manga have so much flow. Not for everyone, it's crude, the women are naked and not shaved 🔥 (it's necessary and part of the identity 🧐 of the manga), edgy and bloody from start to finish. But does that make a bad manga or anime? No!!! It's all in the execution and honestly, the plot may spoil you at first with the protagonist but as you follow him, you will like it.

The main characters are good and the supporting characters are decent; if the roster was smaller, they could have gone in a little better, but it was alright.

The art is actually interesting. I mean, it's disturbing at certain moments, and it's funny because it has the peculiarity that they take and mix traditional drawing with CGI, giving quite an original look.

Overall very lit boi

9/10 top 5 manga in my book bruh.

If you're on the hunt for a series that's commendable in any respect, I strongly advise steering clear of Gantz as if it were the plague.

To clarify, my reservations aren't rooted in sensitivity to violence or sex; I'm an avid fan of other violent seinen works such as Berserk and Vinland Saga. However, it appears the author's primary objective was to shock the audience to create an illusion of quality.

In Gantz, deceased individuals are teleported into a room by a black sphere that distributes weapons, communicates in 'leetspeak', and instructs them to eliminate aliens. That's essentially the entirety of the storyline you need—or will be informed—about.

The initial 100 or so chapters of Gantz are nothing short of detestable, starting with the characters. The protagonist Kurono is an unappealing jerk, and his sole defining trait (aside from his misogyny) is this demeanor. His friend Masaru is equally superficial but serves as a 'white knight' to contrast with Kurono. The most egregious example is Kei, whose introduction involves her appearing as a naked suicide victim, shamelessly exploited by both the author and other characters. Kei seems more like the author's inflatable doll than a genuine character; she is constantly molested or threatened with rape, and each early chapter begins with an explicit illustration of her.

Characters don't necessarily need depth for a series to excel, but Gantz goes out of its way to make every character as shallow and unlikable as possible. Most minor characters arriving at the Gantz room are gang rapists, and the main characters aren’t much better. Around chapter 120, the main cast becomes somewhat interesting and likable, but by then, the series is stuck in a cycle of being incredibly dumb and offensive. The only character with a real arc is Kurono, summarized by 'got a girlfriend and became slightly less despicable.'

The worst aspect for me was the treatment of female characters. Even after exploiting Kei ends around chapter 100, subsequent female characters are entirely defined by their romantic interests or dependency on male characters, who treat them poorly. This trend worsens as the series progresses.

Almost as bad is the relentless, naive cynicism. Every non-main character is portrayed as mean, stupid, and cruelly pointless, especially teachers (which might offer insight into the author's life). Horrible events occur solely to shock readers. A mass shooting happens because the author wanted to depict people being gunned down, not for narrative reasons (it’s barely mentioned later). In short, the world of Gantz isn't worth saving, making it tiresome to read.

The sole high point of Gantz is some intriguing alien designs, particularly early on, and the eventual quality of the art. Personally, I found the art uninteresting, but one can't fault its overall caliber.

Apart from these criticisms, other nitpicks seem irrelevant. The lack of narrative flow, poor pacing, and misplaced story elements (like vampires and psychics introduced without explanation). If you want violent schlock, read Hellsing (which is REALLY GOOD violent schlock). If what I described sounds appealing, then god help you. If you value story, character development, or authorial investment, find something else to read.

Gantz manga offers the most thrilling experience I've ever had in a manga. I first read it during high school (around 15 or 16 years old), and it completely amazed me. Revisiting it in college, I found it just as compelling.

It was my first encounter with a manga that blended existential themes, intense blood and gore, sci-fi elements, mystery, action sequences, and martial arts all into one package. This combination left a profound impact on me.

The series feels like an escalating video game where each adversary and challenge grows progressively tougher. The characters face an array of grotesque, bizarre, and twisted creatures that constantly make you exclaim, "WTF!" The stakes are always sky-high, making for a very exhilarating read.

There was this particular twist that seemed to come out of nowhere—the introduction of a specific group of mythological beings that only added more questions to the already complex story. Despite that, the overall narrative remains solid and engaging.

I haven't even touched upon the art style yet. In my opinion, it's pretty damn impressive. The visuals are striking and complement the intense storyline perfectly.

Gantz, a sci-fi manga by Hiroya Oku, is considered a masterpiece by some and a waste of time by others. One thing is certain: Gantz is unique.

Story 4/10:
We begin with the introduction of the protagonist, Kei Kurono. He was on the brink of death but wakes up in a mysterious room filled with other people who have experienced the same phenomenon, along with a black sphere at the center. This sphere assigns tasks to Kurono and his group. We follow Kurono's struggle between life and death as he and his companions try to uncover the secrets of the sphere. The premise is intriguing initially but poorly executed, riddled with out-of-context sex scenes, absurd tales, unrealistic character interactions, and numerous plot holes. Despite this, its dark and harsh themes are interesting and occasionally well-told.

Art 7/10:
One of Gantz's main attractions is its CGI-style visuals. They feel fitting and "movie-like," especially during fight scenes full of blurred figures. The art effectively conveys the aforementioned themes.

Characters 6/10:
The main cast changes frequently, making it difficult to rate them as a group. Many characters come and go, but Kurono remains central, showing significant development and growth, albeit minimal. His progression makes him somewhat likable. Other characters are enjoyable depending on how deeply you engage with them.

Enjoyment 9/10:
Despite its absurdities, Gantz offers an entertaining experience, never boring and always satisfying even silly reader requests. It provides a fulfilling read despite lacking in plot quality.

Overall 6.5:
If you're looking for an enjoyable read and can overlook quality issues for fun, give Gantz a chance. In the end, it's too fun to hate if you can suspend disbelief.

So I just started reading Gantz, a manga I had avoided for quite some time due to the mixed reviews from friends and online. As with anything, you won't know until you try it yourself. It turns out this is truly an amazing story with a fantastic premise that could easily be adapted into a great live-action film if done right—with good acting, screenplay, and direction. The way ordinary people are placed in extraordinary situations and how they cope with it is very well executed. The handling of life and death themes makes one wonder how we would react in such dilemmas. As I often do, I watch the anime alongside reading the manga to compare the depth of the story since sometimes one format excels over the other. That said, both have much to offer; the manga delves deeper into detail, while the anime holds its own, though I personally find the episodes too short.

Gantz is not for the squeamish due to its graphic and brutal violence, but the story keeps all the carnage in context. For those who appreciate "fan service," there's plenty of it here.

Years ago, I often saw Gantz in bookstores, but due to its mature rating, the books were usually sealed in plastic, making them inaccessible for reading. Occasionally, you might find a loose copy, but mostly, this manga was off-limits unless you were willing to spend money and were of age.

Moving forward several years, there's now a CGI film, Gantz: O, available on Netflix. Recalling that restricted manga wrapped in plastic, I decided to give it a shot. Wow. I was utterly amazed. I immediately looked up the manga and binge-read it over two days.

My final thoughts: I loved this manga. It's non-stop entertainment. If you're into sci-fi, gladiator-like battles, and bleak, hopeless scenarios where main and supporting characters actually die, this is for you. At times, it gave me strong "Berserk" vibes, with the main characters battling gigantic, powerful foes many times their size and strength, struggling for survival and achieving victory against all odds.

My only complaint would be the ending arc, which felt a bit rushed and left me wanting more. Nonetheless, the concept behind the story is unique and cool/stylish. Hopefully, we'll see more expanded works in the Gantz universe soon.

I managed to finish this longer manga, which speaks volumes about its appeal. To start with, the artwork is spectacular, undoubtedly a standout feature. The storyline, however, meanders somewhat. It begins impressively but dips when it eliminates some of the better characters and becomes somewhat repetitive. The ending is fairly satisfying, though I had hoped for more. Overall, it's a flawed manga with notable highlights. It's likely to be divisive, as some will adore it while others might despise it. And then there are people like me who fall somewhere in between. I don't have much else to add other than that I wouldn't go out of my way to buy it, but I'd consider giving it another read. It's a mature work, more suited for young adults, but younger readers might enjoy it too due to its flashy art and aesthetic appeal.

Gantz

- A story about a horny teenager.

Upon reading the initial pages of this manga, many might think Gantz's story is simple and straightforward. It appears to be about Kurono Kei, a self-centered teen obsessed with sex and large-breasted women. However, after his death and revival, he's forced into an alien-killing death match equipped with futuristic suits and weapons. From then on, readers realize that Gantz's narrative is anything but simple.


Story: 9

One aspect I appreciate in manga is how a story can focus on key elements while offering something for everyone. Gantz achieves this by balancing action scenes, which are excellent, with deeper themes. If asked what exactly Gantz is, a complete answer would be: it's a psychological, survival-horror, action/gore, seinen, ecchi, drama, slice-of-life, sci-fi, supernatural, romance story. And indeed, Gantz encompasses all these genres.

While initially confusing, Hiroya Oku skillfully integrates more elements at a comfortable pace, creating a sense of continuous growth without breaking immersion. This development hooks you deeper into the story and the fate of its numerous characters. However, if there's a "but," it's how Gantz often raises questions only to answer them with more questions, much like watching an episode of "Lost." By the end of several volumes, you still won't know everything about Gantz, its origins, or why people fight aliens.

In essence, Gantz is about survival—how people behave and react in extreme situations, and their ability to maintain normal relationships amidst death and destruction.


Characters: 8

What sets Gantz apart from other manga is that almost every character dies, and no one is safe—not even the main characters. This unpredictability makes having memorable characters crucial. Oku delivers here, though not perfectly. Each character has distinct personalities and personal dramas, giving them purpose and importance. Some are despicable, others psychopaths, some live only to fight, while others exist solely to rape. There are good and pure characters too, but Oku excels in depicting extreme deviant behavior.

The cast is complex and diverse, which is great, but some secondary characters follow a repetitive formula of being psychopaths, sadists, or rapists. Most characters in Gantz's world are negative, cruel, and evil, reflecting reality but sometimes feeling gimmicky. Another minor issue is that some characters look similar, making certain scenes confusing.


Art: 9

Gantz features very detailed art with excellent action scenes. While it may not compete with Berserk or Kuroshitsuji, it's still impressive. The main issue with Gantz's art is Oku's extensive use of CGI for characters, scenarios, weapons, suits, and alien abilities. This reliance on CGI is a double-edged sword; while mostly effective, some scenes have excessive CGI, detracting from the experience. Personally, I prefer a more "classical" approach for certain elements.


Fan Service: 9

Despite being primarily dramatic, Gantz includes comic relief through dark comedy involving sadistic killings or, more commonly, sex. Gantz is laden with fan service, featuring hot, nude, big-breasted young women doing sexy poses in nearly every chapter. This lightens chaotic and violent scenes but can become excessive and silly.

To illustrate, nine out of ten women in Gantz are attractive and endowed, and sooner or later, you'll see them naked and having sex. While initially enjoyable, it can get ridiculous when a guy has sex with an alien amid a battlefield where his friends are dying. To cater to all tastes, Oku introduced a lolita character who also appears naked and has her own sex scenes.


Enjoyment: 9

In a word, "addictive." Few manga kept me devouring chapters and volumes as quickly as Gantz. Reading 31 volumes in two days shows both my free time and how Gantz became one of my favorites in just two days. One thing lowering my enjoyment score to 9 instead of 10 is Oku's overuse of extreme violence, gore, sex, and rape for shock value, which becomes routine. Despite this, Gantz is overall a great experience, delivering in almost every aspect.

Overall: 9

Gantz might be one of my favorite train wrecks. It's trashy, shallow as a puddle, and ends terribly. Its nihilistic character writing, open disdain for women, and meaningless violence read like an incel's wet dream. And it's all the better for it.

Story: It's a death game where characters are saved from their original deaths to fight aliens hiding throughout Japan. This continues for around 280 chapters until the author realized he needed an actual ongoing plot to wrap up the series. At this point, the audience learns that an alien invasion is coming. Is it related to the aliens Kei and his... friends... have been fighting? No, these are totally different giant horse-looking aliens. They conquer the world, the plucky humans fight back, have a brief chat with "not god" who sent the Gantz balls, and then beat the aliens. The last arc is awful, but it can't really ruin a series that was already gloriously bad.

Art: I'm split on Gantz's art. On the positive side, many alien designs are pretty cool. Unfortunately, they used a lot of 3D CGI for human characters and some aliens and tech in the final arc. The CGI is atrocious, the characters stiff with odd proportions, and many CGI elements in the final arc are unfinished grey blobs, making it hard to tell what's happening in cramped frames. The pinup covers are also mixed; about 40% are pretty good, while the rest are Rob Liefeld-level terrible, with twisted inhuman proportions that make me wonder if the artist has ever seen a naked woman. Someone should've told him he could just type "boobs" into Google for reference before drawing.

Characters: Honestly, when I started this manga, I didn't expect multiple main characters to be mass shooters. Subverting expectations is something I applaud. Kei is a collection of incel tropes. He's misanthropic, constantly considering rape, and generally incredibly boring. I didn't miss him during the arc when he was dead (this was the best arc). Daisuke Ono's character is a standard good guy anime character, less cringe than Kei. There are three main female characters: the suicidal one sexually assaulted immediately upon introduction, Kei's devoted girlfriend who spends the finale naked and pissing herself, and the model who makes a sex doll replicant of Kei. All three are blank slates existing for occasionally good pinups. The mass shooters are incredibly edgy, obsessed with the death game, and fancy themselves rivals of Kei, despite him being unremarkable. They're cringy and add nothing to the plot. The cast introduced after the first mass die-off includes psychics for superpowers never expanded upon, an old man introducing humanity, and Lone Wolf and Cub, the only characters I was invested in. Cub's backstory is sad, and Lone Wolf finding purpose protecting the kid is pleasant to read.

Themes: Humanity sucks, aliens suck, maybe open yourself to people sometimes. And give long-winded monologues about humanity's purpose and incel stuff. It's a masterpiece of deep philosophical shit I'd think was profound at 13-14. Finally, the most important theme introduced in the last arc, continued in Inuyashiki, that liking "One Piece" makes you deserve a violent death.

Pacing: Arcs are wildly inconsistent. Some death game arcs fly by, then hit an arc where the alien has anime regeneration powers, dragging fights forever. Plot points and characters are added and removed at breakneck speed. I almost forgot Kei's brother is a vampire or that there's a whole society of vampires knowing about the Gantz balls and aliens. But they vanish from the plot two arcs after introduction, having no bearing on the story afterward. The best bit of pacing is when they decided to end the series. The Gantz death games wrap up in a Rome battle arc only two or three chapters long, followed by a couple of chapters with a random reporter getting the big secret explained in one exposition dump. Then the horse aliens invade, and Kei spends the next 40ish chapters chasing his shivering piss-stained sex doll. It's a hilariously abrupt shift, devaluing previous arcs.

To wrap it up, is Gantz good? Hell no, it's written with the thematic and emotional complexity of a school shooter's manifesto. It's unconcerned with cohesive world-building. Characters are designed to be as unlikable as possible, and the author has a fetishistic obsession with rape that makes me hope there are no women in his life. But the series does have mid-2000s edgy sci-fi juice that makes it occasionally cool to look at, even if your eyes roll into the back of your skull every five minutes while reading it. Or you can be a little bitch and read One Piece instead.