Intense alongside child's play, it is an okay type of Manga. The story is short and covers the plots within the major characters' circumstances. Interlinking between the initial plot and the final chapter was something downgrading; it couldn't justify much more of the term GOTH. The mangaka could have added a few more criminal activities surrounding the campus and lastly link it with Morino's story. The boy character apart from Itsuki isn't well-defined, neither his motives nor characteristics. Pretty disappointing in that part.
A good mystery thriller, only because the manga had some great cover arts and overall neat drawings. As the title of the manga called 'GOTH', describes a persona with an obsession with dark objects and occupation, mostly crime acts. Based on the description, the storyline shares characters with similar interests who intend to love watching a life getting brutally murdered, and the sufferings exerted by the victim tend to be the joy and satisfaction for them. The manga is pretty much a dark plot with secrets and detective works, centered around two characters Yori Morino and Itsuki Kamiyama.
This story portrays the dark vision of a person who becomes immersed in the allure of crime. The author shows how a person can view killing another human or living being as trivial and becomes excited about witnessing their suffering before death. Such individuals are not merely weak in mental strength but rather consumed by their obsessions. The narrative's two main characters are Itsuki Kamiyama (the young man) and Yori Morino (the young woman).
Story: 10 This is undoubtedly one of the most unique storylines out there, something that's sadly missing from many contemporary manga. It's rare to find authors who base their characters on those obsessed or morally ambiguous. However, by the series' end, it becomes clear that this story follows a similar formula to many romance manga. There's the hero and heroine, with the hero saving the other, but honestly, it never crossed my mind until then. Maybe I'm just slow. O_O Despite starting with such a strong intent, the story adheres to its motive in a way so different that I'm genuinely impressed.
Art: 7 There's nothing particularly special about the art. I'm not overly concerned with it, but this manga missed the mark because throughout volume 5, I mistook a minor character for the main character due to the lack of distinction between them.
Character: 10 Superb. Simply original and superb. Although it's a shame there wasn't much background provided for the main character, it's his lack of humanity that fascinates me. The taboo term 'inhumane' gives me hope that modern literature still has room for tackling controversial themes.
Enjoyment: 9 The story, despite its originality, focuses more on character development rather than the mystery behind the crime or the genius of the protagonist. In fact, it leans more towards a psychological approach, which also feels somewhat lacking. So don't expect any grand revelations of a twisted mind.
Overall: 8 This manga is worth reading if you're looking for a break from the typical genres. If you want a change in main characters, give this manga a try. While it may contain some gore that could be disturbing for some readers, it's definitely worth a read.
I'll admit that I was pretty disappointed by this. The premise started fairly interestingly, but then we are presented with different vignettes featuring the same main characters and the initial chapter's premise is completely forgotten about. Each story features a different crime and criminal. Each has some interesting elements, and furthers the actually pretty great characterization of the main character. I say main character, singular, because I felt that the girl Yoru Morino was shallow by comparison despite getting the only backstory in the book. Instead, she is used over and over as the damsel in distress (the writer even compared her to Princess Peach in the afterword). The guy (whose name I forget since it is only mentioned once or twice) was one of the only good things about the book. I could actually feel his obsession with crimes and his willingness to commit them, and his sociopathic tendencies were depicted well.
The problems with this book stem in part from the small amount of chapters they have to resolve the story as a whole, and the fact that the authors only have so many pages to elaborate on each vignette. However, I do feel that there were ways to effectively create a cohesive story within that space, and that there were plenty of wasted pages.
The major root of the problems in this manga is the over-reliance on contrivances to further the plot. First of which is the huge amount of criminals the MCs run into in such a short time. Sure, they are looking for crime, but they are essentially crime magnets, especially Yoru who seems to always be the target, or presumed target. Even in the afterword, the author admits that this is a nonsensical series and that he must be stupid. He also admits that it is strange that the characters keep getting involved with a murder case, but that unless he wrote it like that, there would be nothing to write about, which I find to be a pretty poor excuse. It is a severe lack of imagination on the writer's part, and it shows his inability as a writer to have to rely on such a contrivance. I don't know if the original novel suffers from the same problems, but this is a review of the manga anyway. There are plenty of other contrivances in the plot, from small to huge leaps in disbelief. I would be more tolerant of this if the story was portrayed as surreal, or satirical, or silly; but the story is presented in a very serious manner, to the point where it could even be called edgy. There are some decent twists and concepts here and there, but they always fall flat due to the contrivances they rely upon and the lack of clarity in which they are presented.
As for the art, it ranges from great to mediocre. Some panels were phoned in, with a few even looking like preliminary sketches. The background art specifically looks pretty bad in general. The depictions of the crime scenes tend to look pretty damn great though, with a couple of scenes actually being pretty elaborate. So it's a mixed bag, but I do like it as a whole.
All in all, this was okay. I didn't hate it. It feels like the author only wanted to write about subtly eccentric characters with an obsession about murder, and wanted to implement some interesting concepts he had for said murderers' modi operandi. In that, I think he succeeds. That is the appeal of this book, at least to someone like me who does like sociopathic characters and creative criminals in my stories. However, the over-reliance on contrivances, pacing issues, forgotten plot threads, and occasional lack of clarity brings this down to a 6/10 for me. Overall positive experience, but I would not ever call this a good manga.
My imagination wandered when I saw the title 'Goth' of this Manga. What should I anticipate? A medieval backdrop, possibly with castles and thunderstorms, witches and torture chambers? Or maybe it would focus on somber individuals in lengthy dark coats?
Turns out, it was neither, for which I'm grateful. The term 'Goth' here pertains more to an intrigue with life's darker facets. The thrill that gruesome images and horrific tales evoke in people. It centers around a girl and a boy who delve into uncovering the motives behind some killings in their vicinity, driven purely by curiosity. As they start unearthing numerous clues, they might find themselves drawn too deep to pull back...
This is a one-shot manga, consisting of just one volume. The drawback of such brevity is the limited scope for character or story development. Some occurrences unfold too swiftly to resonate profoundly, and the main characters appear somewhat superficial - given more pages, they could have been more fleshed out.
Despite these shortcomings, 'Goth' remains quite an engaging manga. Though brief, its narrative is intriguing. The artwork is exceptional and compensates for the aforementioned flaws. The graphic details are present but not overemphasized - something I appreciate.
In summary: it's a highly enjoyable manga with an appealing storyline. However, it's regrettable that the author didn't extend it further to allow for a more natural progression of events.
Honestly, I don't even know why I thought reading this would be a good idea. No, wait, I actually do! This manga randomly appeared on my Goodreads recommendations, and I was like, "This looks interesting," so I clicked it. I saw the summary, and then I read someone mention something about gore, horror, and creepy stuff. Well, that's pretty much why I decided to give it a try. Because you know, I have a thing for gory manga, but guess what... it didn't work for me. The only thing I liked about it was the mystery solved around the end. Nothing else.
Why? Because it didn't make sense to me; it didn't feel believable, and most of the time, I was asking myself, "Really?" Maybe if it had been a few chapters longer, I would've enjoyed it more, but oh well. Now, if you're wondering about the gore, well, it wasn't that "horrifying." I mean, it does have some "ugly" stuff, but I expected worse... I've seen worse.
In the end, I can summarize my thoughts about this in three words: I EXPECTED WORSE.
This is just my second review, so please forgive me if I'm not very clear. I find this story quite intriguing, mainly because psychological and horror stories aren't usually my thing. However, what makes this story truly remarkable is the characters. Their attitudes towards murder, death, and such are fascinating. It's refreshing to read a manga of this genre where the main characters don't lose their minds and instead remain calm, cool, and collected throughout the story.
Story:
What a snooze fest. No, actually, it's worse than that. It's so linear and boring that I can't help but wonder what in the world the author was thinking when he outlined (IF he outlined) this story. Things just happen, and you just accept it because reasons. Because publication. Because money. Because (insert ANYTHING other than /reason/ here.)
I mean, holy cow, dude. The author legitimately thinks you can write a main character who can do whatever he wants whenever he wants without any real foundation for doing so. I have to get into characters here before I even jump into the character segment because the whole story is just...
I mean...
I'm having difficulty ARTICULATING what I want to say here. That's how barren this work is.
I seriously have nothing good to say about the story itself. I don't even think I can say it's like anything, and if it is, it might be like the western show Dexter. Even so, that's like the lightest comparison in that this narrative is just a dark tone filled with nonsense. Goodness gracious. Let's move on.
Art:
Perhaps the only good thing about this manga is the art. I enjoyed how graphic it could get but also respectful to the despicable events. I wouldn't mind a full-fledged narrative that pushed for this artwork. I wouldn't even mind it if it went even further and tried to shock me more than once. That said, it falls flat on a story that doesn't deserve such care and love. It's just a waste to even grade this 7/10 since the surrounding content is such crap.
Despite being the highest score, it doesn't go without fault. Proportions are off, and in the first chapter there's a scene where a woman is holding a book, but in the next immediate panel, it's in her other hand. She doesn't switch hands, and you'll see what I mean if you actually read it, but I'm almost positive she didn't have 8 fingers and 2 thumbs on one hand, so whatever. Probably just nitpicking at that point, but it's still something so simple that shouldn't be missed.
Character:
There is not a single ounce of character development in this story. The characters are already established, and by established, I mean they are just placeholders to help the story progress. I couldn't tell you anything about the characters in this work. "Oh, the protagonist can just figure things out, but we never see him figuring it out. Also, he's a little coo-coo." And, "Oh, his sidekick is a girl. That's it. She's just a girl."
Like, for the love of quality, there are traits in characters that are forsaken immediately upon their mention. The female sidekick has a scar on her arm. Why was this mentioned? Why did this get like 4 panels? Why was a whole page dedicated to it? What in the hell?
Enjoyment:
You can imagine my frustration when I open this manga up reading that it's won an award and I get to the end and realize how much of a waste this read was.
((If you liked this review, check out my other reviews by going to my profile and clicking the 'reviews' tab. I review virtually all anime and manga I find!))
Goth - a short, mysterious, psychological horror manga. The title alone sounds intriguing.
Goth tells the story of two students who are obsessed with death and murder cases. These students, Yoru Morino and Itsuki Kamiyama, initially don't talk to each other at school. After a brief encounter, they realize how much they have in common. Yoru often finds himself involved with murderers, while Kamiyama either solves the case or embarrasses the criminal.
Art - I actually really liked the art style. It was straightforward and easy to interpret, making it a good choice for this series. The artwork for the more "horror" scenes was also quite interesting to see. Overall, the drawing style fit well with the concept.
Character - There are only two main characters. In such a short manga, we do get background on one of them (Yoru). As the manga reaches its end, Yoru's background could become confusing if you don't pay attention, but overall it was good.
Enjoyment - 9/10. I'm typically a fan of mystery stories, and considering Goth is about various murder mysteries, I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you enjoy a series that will make you think, then this series would be a good pick for you. Overall, Goth was a good manga series. ^_^
PD: Sorry about my poor English; I'm from a Latin American country.
Goth is intriguing, amazing, dark, and enigmatic. It showcases many psychological terms that are truly fascinating to read.
Story: 7
Even though the story is amazing, it does have several flaws. The manga is quite short and could have had more substance. Despite this, as I mentioned earlier, it's dark, enigmatic, and amazing in every way, albeit too brief in my opinion.
Art: 6
The art style of Goth is rather simple and doesn't change much compared to other manga I've read. To be honest, its art style is just fair.
Character: 7
Although the characters aren't deeply developed, they come across impressively for a short manga. Their stories are amazing, and the main character is intriguing, enigmatic, and leaves you with much to ponder.
Enjoyment: 8
It's amazing, great, and outstanding. Even with its flaws, it's a manga you'll love if you enjoy dark stories.
Overall: 8
The enjoyment factor is the best part of any manga, and Goth excels in many aspects. Short, nice, and dark make a great combination for those starting out in manga.
'Goth' absolutely knocks it out of the park with its first chapter, which is fittingly nasty, unsettling, and—crucially—grounded. Sure, there are some wild moments; but the murders are suitably gruesome rather than glossy, and the main character's cunning nature is established in a surprisingly realistic way for this genre of manga. I'd love to see more sociopathic protagonists in a realistic setting without being fantasy super-geniuses, especially if they're as well-written as this one within just a few chapters.
As the stakes escalate, things veer into more typical anime-mystery territory. The two leads seem surrounded by an unusually high number of serial killers; one mystery, in particular, concludes with a risky assumption from our 'hero,' whose crime-solving becomes increasingly effortless with each segment yet feels less deserved. The final case wraps up with a rather predictable and dull twist, and it's disappointing to see Yoru's character slowly morph into a damsel in distress when she was so captivating early on (one episode has her nonchalantly wearing the clothes of a murder victim, which is appropriately disturbing but doesn't align with later character revelations).
With a more balanced power dynamic between the two leads and a stronger commitment to a grittier, uglier tone, this could have been an easy 10. As it stands, it's a solid 8 that doesn't overstay its welcome and boasts beautiful artwork. The ending is underwhelming, but the pacing is swift, efficient, and tense throughout.
ALSO BE WARNED: Others have noted that this is an extremely gory manga. They aren't exaggerating. It ran in a shonen publication(?!) but reads far more like seinen in every aspect. Proceed with caution.
Popular Reviews
Story: 10
This is undoubtedly one of the most unique storylines out there, something that's sadly missing from many contemporary manga. It's rare to find authors who base their characters on those obsessed or morally ambiguous. However, by the series' end, it becomes clear that this story follows a similar formula to many romance manga. There's the hero and heroine, with the hero saving the other, but honestly, it never crossed my mind until then. Maybe I'm just slow. O_O Despite starting with such a strong intent, the story adheres to its motive in a way so different that I'm genuinely impressed.
Art: 7
There's nothing particularly special about the art. I'm not overly concerned with it, but this manga missed the mark because throughout volume 5, I mistook a minor character for the main character due to the lack of distinction between them.
Character: 10
Superb. Simply original and superb. Although it's a shame there wasn't much background provided for the main character, it's his lack of humanity that fascinates me. The taboo term 'inhumane' gives me hope that modern literature still has room for tackling controversial themes.
Enjoyment: 9
The story, despite its originality, focuses more on character development rather than the mystery behind the crime or the genius of the protagonist. In fact, it leans more towards a psychological approach, which also feels somewhat lacking. So don't expect any grand revelations of a twisted mind.
Overall: 8
This manga is worth reading if you're looking for a break from the typical genres. If you want a change in main characters, give this manga a try. While it may contain some gore that could be disturbing for some readers, it's definitely worth a read.
I'll admit that I was pretty disappointed by this. The premise started fairly interestingly, but then we are presented with different vignettes featuring the same main characters and the initial chapter's premise is completely forgotten about. Each story features a different crime and criminal. Each has some interesting elements, and furthers the actually pretty great characterization of the main character. I say main character, singular, because I felt that the girl Yoru Morino was shallow by comparison despite getting the only backstory in the book. Instead, she is used over and over as the damsel in distress (the writer even compared her to Princess Peach in the afterword). The guy (whose name I forget since it is only mentioned once or twice) was one of the only good things about the book. I could actually feel his obsession with crimes and his willingness to commit them, and his sociopathic tendencies were depicted well.
The problems with this book stem in part from the small amount of chapters they have to resolve the story as a whole, and the fact that the authors only have so many pages to elaborate on each vignette. However, I do feel that there were ways to effectively create a cohesive story within that space, and that there were plenty of wasted pages.
The major root of the problems in this manga is the over-reliance on contrivances to further the plot. First of which is the huge amount of criminals the MCs run into in such a short time. Sure, they are looking for crime, but they are essentially crime magnets, especially Yoru who seems to always be the target, or presumed target. Even in the afterword, the author admits that this is a nonsensical series and that he must be stupid. He also admits that it is strange that the characters keep getting involved with a murder case, but that unless he wrote it like that, there would be nothing to write about, which I find to be a pretty poor excuse. It is a severe lack of imagination on the writer's part, and it shows his inability as a writer to have to rely on such a contrivance. I don't know if the original novel suffers from the same problems, but this is a review of the manga anyway. There are plenty of other contrivances in the plot, from small to huge leaps in disbelief. I would be more tolerant of this if the story was portrayed as surreal, or satirical, or silly; but the story is presented in a very serious manner, to the point where it could even be called edgy. There are some decent twists and concepts here and there, but they always fall flat due to the contrivances they rely upon and the lack of clarity in which they are presented.
As for the art, it ranges from great to mediocre. Some panels were phoned in, with a few even looking like preliminary sketches. The background art specifically looks pretty bad in general. The depictions of the crime scenes tend to look pretty damn great though, with a couple of scenes actually being pretty elaborate. So it's a mixed bag, but I do like it as a whole.
All in all, this was okay. I didn't hate it. It feels like the author only wanted to write about subtly eccentric characters with an obsession about murder, and wanted to implement some interesting concepts he had for said murderers' modi operandi. In that, I think he succeeds. That is the appeal of this book, at least to someone like me who does like sociopathic characters and creative criminals in my stories. However, the over-reliance on contrivances, pacing issues, forgotten plot threads, and occasional lack of clarity brings this down to a 6/10 for me. Overall positive experience, but I would not ever call this a good manga.
My imagination wandered when I saw the title 'Goth' of this Manga. What should I anticipate? A medieval backdrop, possibly with castles and thunderstorms, witches and torture chambers? Or maybe it would focus on somber individuals in lengthy dark coats?
Turns out, it was neither, for which I'm grateful. The term 'Goth' here pertains more to an intrigue with life's darker facets. The thrill that gruesome images and horrific tales evoke in people. It centers around a girl and a boy who delve into uncovering the motives behind some killings in their vicinity, driven purely by curiosity. As they start unearthing numerous clues, they might find themselves drawn too deep to pull back...
This is a one-shot manga, consisting of just one volume. The drawback of such brevity is the limited scope for character or story development. Some occurrences unfold too swiftly to resonate profoundly, and the main characters appear somewhat superficial - given more pages, they could have been more fleshed out.
Despite these shortcomings, 'Goth' remains quite an engaging manga. Though brief, its narrative is intriguing. The artwork is exceptional and compensates for the aforementioned flaws. The graphic details are present but not overemphasized - something I appreciate.
In summary: it's a highly enjoyable manga with an appealing storyline. However, it's regrettable that the author didn't extend it further to allow for a more natural progression of events.
This is just my second review, so please forgive me if I'm not very clear. I find this story quite intriguing, mainly because psychological and horror stories aren't usually my thing. However, what makes this story truly remarkable is the characters. Their attitudes towards murder, death, and such are fascinating. It's refreshing to read a manga of this genre where the main characters don't lose their minds and instead remain calm, cool, and collected throughout the story.
Story:
What a snooze fest. No, actually, it's worse than that. It's so linear and boring that I can't help but wonder what in the world the author was thinking when he outlined (IF he outlined) this story. Things just happen, and you just accept it because reasons. Because publication. Because money. Because (insert ANYTHING other than /reason/ here.)
I mean, holy cow, dude. The author legitimately thinks you can write a main character who can do whatever he wants whenever he wants without any real foundation for doing so. I have to get into characters here before I even jump into the character segment because the whole story is just...
I mean...
I'm having difficulty ARTICULATING what I want to say here. That's how barren this work is.
I seriously have nothing good to say about the story itself. I don't even think I can say it's like anything, and if it is, it might be like the western show Dexter. Even so, that's like the lightest comparison in that this narrative is just a dark tone filled with nonsense. Goodness gracious. Let's move on.
Art:
Perhaps the only good thing about this manga is the art. I enjoyed how graphic it could get but also respectful to the despicable events. I wouldn't mind a full-fledged narrative that pushed for this artwork. I wouldn't even mind it if it went even further and tried to shock me more than once. That said, it falls flat on a story that doesn't deserve such care and love. It's just a waste to even grade this 7/10 since the surrounding content is such crap.
Despite being the highest score, it doesn't go without fault. Proportions are off, and in the first chapter there's a scene where a woman is holding a book, but in the next immediate panel, it's in her other hand. She doesn't switch hands, and you'll see what I mean if you actually read it, but I'm almost positive she didn't have 8 fingers and 2 thumbs on one hand, so whatever. Probably just nitpicking at that point, but it's still something so simple that shouldn't be missed.
Character:
There is not a single ounce of character development in this story. The characters are already established, and by established, I mean they are just placeholders to help the story progress. I couldn't tell you anything about the characters in this work. "Oh, the protagonist can just figure things out, but we never see him figuring it out. Also, he's a little coo-coo." And, "Oh, his sidekick is a girl. That's it. She's just a girl."
Like, for the love of quality, there are traits in characters that are forsaken immediately upon their mention. The female sidekick has a scar on her arm. Why was this mentioned? Why did this get like 4 panels? Why was a whole page dedicated to it? What in the hell?
Enjoyment:
You can imagine my frustration when I open this manga up reading that it's won an award and I get to the end and realize how much of a waste this read was.
((If you liked this review, check out my other reviews by going to my profile and clicking the 'reviews' tab. I review virtually all anime and manga I find!))
Goth tells the story of two students who are obsessed with death and murder cases. These students, Yoru Morino and Itsuki Kamiyama, initially don't talk to each other at school. After a brief encounter, they realize how much they have in common. Yoru often finds himself involved with murderers, while Kamiyama either solves the case or embarrasses the criminal.
Art - I actually really liked the art style. It was straightforward and easy to interpret, making it a good choice for this series. The artwork for the more "horror" scenes was also quite interesting to see. Overall, the drawing style fit well with the concept.
Character - There are only two main characters. In such a short manga, we do get background on one of them (Yoru). As the manga reaches its end, Yoru's background could become confusing if you don't pay attention, but overall it was good.
Enjoyment - 9/10. I'm typically a fan of mystery stories, and considering Goth is about various murder mysteries, I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you enjoy a series that will make you think, then this series would be a good pick for you. Overall, Goth was a good manga series. ^_^
PD: Sorry about my poor English; I'm from a Latin American country.
Goth is intriguing, amazing, dark, and enigmatic. It showcases many psychological terms that are truly fascinating to read.
Story: 7
Even though the story is amazing, it does have several flaws. The manga is quite short and could have had more substance. Despite this, as I mentioned earlier, it's dark, enigmatic, and amazing in every way, albeit too brief in my opinion.
Art: 6
The art style of Goth is rather simple and doesn't change much compared to other manga I've read. To be honest, its art style is just fair.
Character: 7
Although the characters aren't deeply developed, they come across impressively for a short manga. Their stories are amazing, and the main character is intriguing, enigmatic, and leaves you with much to ponder.
Enjoyment: 8
It's amazing, great, and outstanding. Even with its flaws, it's a manga you'll love if you enjoy dark stories.
Overall: 8
The enjoyment factor is the best part of any manga, and Goth excels in many aspects. Short, nice, and dark make a great combination for those starting out in manga.
'Goth' absolutely knocks it out of the park with its first chapter, which is fittingly nasty, unsettling, and—crucially—grounded. Sure, there are some wild moments; but the murders are suitably gruesome rather than glossy, and the main character's cunning nature is established in a surprisingly realistic way for this genre of manga. I'd love to see more sociopathic protagonists in a realistic setting without being fantasy super-geniuses, especially if they're as well-written as this one within just a few chapters.
As the stakes escalate, things veer into more typical anime-mystery territory. The two leads seem surrounded by an unusually high number of serial killers; one mystery, in particular, concludes with a risky assumption from our 'hero,' whose crime-solving becomes increasingly effortless with each segment yet feels less deserved. The final case wraps up with a rather predictable and dull twist, and it's disappointing to see Yoru's character slowly morph into a damsel in distress when she was so captivating early on (one episode has her nonchalantly wearing the clothes of a murder victim, which is appropriately disturbing but doesn't align with later character revelations).
With a more balanced power dynamic between the two leads and a stronger commitment to a grittier, uglier tone, this could have been an easy 10. As it stands, it's a solid 8 that doesn't overstay its welcome and boasts beautiful artwork. The ending is underwhelming, but the pacing is swift, efficient, and tense throughout.
ALSO BE WARNED: Others have noted that this is an extremely gory manga. They aren't exaggerating. It ran in a shonen publication(?!) but reads far more like seinen in every aspect. Proceed with caution.
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