Katekyou Hitman Reborn!

If you're able to endure seven volumes of one-chapter mini crack stories, only to be hit with a bag full of PLOT, then Katekyo Hitman Reborn might be the manga for you.

Tsuna Sawada, the main protagonist, is introduced as a middle school boy who can do nothing right and is constantly messing up. Enter Reborn, an assassin in the form of a baby whose badassery knows no bounds, who informs Tsuna that he's the unlikely successor to the greatest mafia family in the world, the Vongola. Tsuna certainly doesn't want this responsibility thrust upon him, but has no choice in the face of Reborn's stark violence. Soon enough, he starts training, building courage and character, making friends/potential allies, and battling bad guys for his right to rule as the Tenth leader of the Vongola.

The first seven books are all comprised of various one-shots, introducing the characters, their quirks, and setting the groundwork for the eventual plot. When the eighth volume begins, the story suddenly gets heavy—the main and side characters begin to loosely band together to fight a common enemy, and the fun, happy times start turning much more serious. However, there's still the occasional humor; the manga hasn't quite lost its fun tone, but overall, it draws you in much faster than the 'Daily Life' arc did.

Reborn has something that always makes you look back at the previous chapters—the artist, Akira Amano, has written the story so that there are tiny hints and foreshadowing related to the current plot, sometimes hundreds of chapters ago! After the crack chapters, the plot suddenly becomes engaging and complex—enough to keep any fan's mind brewing with theories and counter-theories.

The art is also amazing—while it starts off a little too clean and a little too boring, Amano develops her style, and by the current chapter, it flows with a unique individuality that makes you linger over the full-page spreads for minutes.

Speaking of art—the very best thing this manga has to offer, hands down, are the characters themselves. Their dynamics, their quirks—everything about them sets them apart from so many others with their almost realistic feel and complexity. From Gokudera, the spoiled rich kid who tries to act tough and make it in the mafia world, to Belphegor, a prince from a royal bloodline who murdered his twin when they were younger and now goes insane at the sight of his own blood, to Mukuro/Chrome, the complex duo who seem to contrast each other as the sociopathic world conqueror and the small, innocent girl—and yet, who seem to only be able to live as part of one another in a form of strange symbiosis.

Of course, there are your run-of-the-mill characters too. The Quiet Badass/Deus ex Machina, Hibari, the overly loud, overly enthusiastic Ryohei—but even they have their quirks (extreme patriotism, extreme big-brother complex) that don't make them boring in the slightest.

Think you can get past hitmen babies (who, of course, aren't really babies), inventive weapons, and being kept out of the main plot for seven volumes? What if we promised you an amazing plot, fully-fleshed characters, and villains who keep you guessing until the very end?

The choice, of course, is yours.

The initial 50 or so chapters are considered filler. However, since this was the first manga I ever read, I didn't find them distasteful. If you decide to read this, DO NOT SKIP THESE CHAPTERS. Though they may seem dull, these chapters enrich the story and give the characters a more realistic feel. The plot is somewhat cliché, but it's the characters that truly make this manga shine. The artwork quality fluctuates from arc to arc. The series balances seriousness with light-heartedness, making it enjoyable overall, and I personally found it quite satisfying.
Recommended for fans of Fairy Tail or One Piece.

Look, I really enjoy the anime a lot; it's freaking great, and this manga is also well-pannelled. However, as a whole, it becomes truly disappointing after a certain arc where the anime ended. It just goes downhill from there. The first part after the anime stops wasn't bad; it had some cool moments but felt very forced. You could tell the author didn't know how to continue, but in the end, it was okay.

Now comes the last arc. Honestly, this is awful. The writing is mediocre, and the ending is embarrassing. It's on par with Fairy Tail and Bleach. I suggest you stop reading the manga after a certain point where the anime ends because that's probably a better ending than what we got. Apart from those two bad arcs, the rest of the manga is pretty stellar. It has great development, good slapstick humor, and an overall protagonist you want to root for and enjoy.

I liked it so much at one point that I made my email tsuna...@something. If I had to rate the whole package, it would be 6.5/10, but the part I tell you to stop reading afterward deserves an 8/10.

This is my first manga review, so I apologize if it turns out poorly. (May contain spoilers)

Story - 6/10

This manga is one you'd never expect to be serious at first glance. It began as a slice-of-life story. The initial arc helps introduce the characters but feels boring and cringeworthy. After the first arc, it became more thrilling and action-packed. I appreciate the mafia theme, even though it sometimes lacks authentic mafia elements. Occasionally, the story drags unnecessarily. In my opinion, the last two arcs are the biggest letdowns. The inheritance arc is mediocre and predictable, with many introduced characters discarded later. What disappoints me most is the final arc; while its premise is intriguing and has potential, the ending chapters feel anticlimactic, especially the rushed conclusion. However, the earlier arcs are well-written and offer good action.

Art - 9/10

The artwork is highly detailed and impressive, showing significant improvement from the early chapters. Backgrounds and character designs are beautifully drawn.

Characters - 7/10

My main issue with the characters is their development. Some evolve well, but others remain one-dimensional. Tsuna's character, in particular, had great potential as a protagonist but was undermined by the ending, which seemed to erase all his growth. He didn't progress much from the first chapter. Additionally, I dislike how women are portrayed; while some female characters are strong, most serve merely as emotional supports. They could have been developed further, but the mangaka either didn't know how or chose not to. Despite these flaws, you'll likely become attached to most of them because they grow on you.

Enjoyment - 8/10

Although I dislike how the manga ended after the future arc and particularly the finale, I still enjoyed it. If there were ever a sequel, I would read it.

Overall - 7/10

Katekyo Hitman Reborn has potential. Unfortunately, I believe the mangaka struggles with proper plot execution. The manga suffers from pacing issues, so if you prefer stories that pace well, this might not be for you.

This is the first work I've ever taken the time to review, but I think it's worth it. It would be sad for someone to read only the first few chapters and then quit because it wasn't what they thought it'd be.

Reborn is a FANTASTIC MANGA/ANIME. It truly is a masterpiece. I will praise it from top to bottom except for the initial chunk of chapters/episodes.

Until chapter 62, the story is CRAP. HORRIBLE, HORRENDOUS, AND SO DISAPPOINTING. It's all about the comedy aspect, and while there are funny moments, it drags on for too long and ruins the concept of a mafia story.

The beginning mainly focuses on getting to know the characters, which makes it essential to read but hard to endure if you can't stand too much foolishness. That's exactly what it is: a bunch of gags with one or two characters who actually see the idiocy in the situations.

And dear lord, the main character is pathetic. The bursting into his boxers thing got old quickly and became very annoying. However, it's all worth it for what he eventually becomes.

The current Tsuna is BADASS! Just the best.

For the story (mainly due to the horrible beginning), I'll give it 8/10.

Art... art is tricky. The beginning of the manga has terrible art. The early part can only get a 5/10 from me, and that's being generous. But believe it or not, I'd give later chapters a 10, and that's exactly what it is.

Characters 9/10 (only because I need more background! HIBARI, WHAT'S YOUR STORY?)

Enjoyment... 10

Overall 9.5

Basically, Katekyo Hitman Reborn! starts off as a comedy similar to 'Doraemon,' where each episode begins with a problem and concludes with a solution. In this case, Tsuna gets shot in the head and ends up topless to save the day.

After the first few volumes, the manga intensifies and evolves into a fighting series, featuring battles that utilize dying will flames. Everything becomes more thrilling from this point onward, with new enemies lurking around every corner and fresh weapons introduced in each battle.

The artwork is captivating; it's hard to believe they can produce such high-quality illustrations under a one-week deadline.

Where do I even begin with this? As the only reviewer who has read the entire series, my take is that it's absolute garbage. It goes in too many directions to be coherent. I understand the concept of training someone to be a mob boss and having underlings—that’s cool. But then you introduce characters like Lambo and I-pin, who explodes, and a girl who can only cook poisoned food. What the hell is all this nonsense? It’s another series trying to do too many things at once and not doing any of them well.

Currently, I'm on chapter 55, and the story is starting to turn into something supernatural and crazy, which I appreciate. These bizarre babies are finally being explained, and while it’s kind of weird, I’m glad it’s getting there. Chapter 80 seems to be taking a better direction, actually resembling a proper manga and adopting a more traditional shonen style.

SPOILERS

The initial statement holds true for how I felt at the time. The story does become a series of battles where the main character constantly overcomes adversity and never loses. Near the end, we learn about the origins of the babies, which is one of the coolest parts of the series. Seeing these characters in their full adult forms with their full range of powers is amazing.

I believe the author should create a prequel series because apparently, they went on numerous missions together, which sounds really interesting given what we’ve seen of their abilities. I’d also love to see the backstory involving the alien people who suddenly appear out of nowhere. How does this storyline even make sense anymore?

As I mentioned earlier, this series tries to do way too many things but manages some of them well by the end. The fight sequences are good, as are the flashbacks, though the overall story remains somewhat chaotic. I do like how Tsuna gathers everyone to fight the Vindici at the end. Worth one read at most—maybe two. With all the craziness and absurdity, it’s mediocre at best.

I used to adore this series when I was around 15. Times sure do change, don't they?

It's evident that the author hadn't initially planned for the series to extend as far as it did. The first few chapters presented a slice-of-life manga with a focus on comedy. However, the author soon realized it was a Jump title, so naturally, here come some poorly executed fighting arcs, continuing until the end with a hint of inadequately written science fiction.

The main issue with this series is its repetitiveness, which isn't uncommon in Jump titles but is excessively prevalent here. The final arc, meant to address some of the manga's biggest mysteries, turns out to be a chaotic tournament arc filled with heaps of fanservice and minimal plot progression.

KHR barely offers any substantial plot or character development. While characters like Gokudera and Yamamoto have intriguing backgrounds and ideals, most of their potential gets lost amidst pointless fights or repetitive comedy chapters. Every promising development is squandered: interesting characters, great art, but everything ultimately goes to waste because we need Tsuna to get new gloves and engage in battles he doesn't want to fight but does anyway—because, you guessed it, it's Jump.

This is not good. Watching the anime up until the end of the Varia Arc is much more enjoyable than reading through the entire manga series.

(To clarify: there's nothing wrong with being a Jump title or using shonen manga clichés. The appeal of Jump manga lies in how authors differentiate themselves within those conventions. KHR barely attempts to stand out and clearly falls short.)