Katekyou Hitman Reborn!

First things first. My "reviews" system is explained on a blog entry, which can be found through my profile.

(...) - "more" under list entry. Some spoiler-heavy comments I have and a rant. Also should mention, I've seen the anime twice and begun watching it for the third time while reading this manga. While my memory is fresh, I'll do my usual "review", having read nearly 300 chapters in about 4.5 hours straight.

✦Story

A straightforward flashy battle shounen. The theme revolves around mafia inheritance battles. The biggest issue with the story is that some elements were frustratingly wrapped up due to the main character stereotype. The progression/training was superb, featuring numerous power-ups and cool presentations overall. However, I wasn't fond of how the final battle concluded. The growth, progression, and relationships between characters were excellently portrayed from a "battle drama" perspective. The story offered several surprises and many explanations. It also had plenty of "wut?" reveals or plot twists. In summary, it's one of the better battle shounen series. Purely story-wise, it was a treat for battle shounen fans, though romance or character dramas were nonexistent, which doesn’t affect my final scoring since they weren't the focus.

I should mention it’s one of the lighter-toned battle shounens that gets heavier as it progresses, but it never forgets its gag aspect, maintaining a generally "lighthearted" feel. The "gag" side can be annoying at times, but I found the balance mostly harmonious. FORGOT TO ADD: the story suffers a bit from a gag/comedic slow start, taking time before the "Cool battle shounen" part begins. I have some rants/complaints regarding the story that are spoilers, so you’ll need to seek those out in my MAL entry by clicking "more."

✦Art

Fancy "battle suit" designs, cool powers, cool fights, and some character designs were absolutely stunning. Very powerful battle emotion deliverance. Character design in general was somewhat weak, but when it mattered, it was superb.

✦Character

Lots of stereotypes, edgy characters, cool characters, crazy characters. I was not disappointed; most characters amused me. The main character stereotype is something many hate. Our MC is a very wimpy guy who is bad at everything, a coward afraid of doing things, people to a certain degree, and extremely awkward with girls. Yes, the typical "wimp" you see in most harems and a fair amount of battle shounens. But it's a battle shounen, meaning he has a strong will to protect those he cares about, becoming badass when serious or needed. I love such characters, seeing them grow, protect, and become stronger. Although, until the end, his non-battle personality stayed at the "gag level wimp."

To be honest... relatable character. Only difference is that their "family and friends give supporting strength/cause/reason" etc., or "when needed be serious/badass" is a nonexistent characteristic of mine. Haha.....

✦Enjoyment & Overall

I mean, I've seen the anime twice and am watching it for the third time, and I finished the manga too? That answers my enjoyment. I adored it, an absolutely fun battle shounen with a story that became quite hard to keep track of, full of surprises and twists. Most importantly, the fights/designs were very cool.

Need to scoop OST and images of this series.

I loved it, despite aspects it missed and lacked, thus I cannot call it my favorite nor give it a perfect score.

Ah, where should I even begin with KHR?

I first got into the franchise through the anime. When I found out that the anime was discontinued, I finished watching it and then transitioned to reading the manga. With each chapter I completed, the next one seemed to get even better. I genuinely enjoyed every moment spent reading this series.

The story is flawless, naturally. The character archetypes in the manga are equally perfect.

The artwork is incredible. You can clearly see the dedication and passion she put into her illustrations, especially during the Simon Arc and her breathtaking renditions of Daemon Spade.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this manga. Here's hoping Akira will create another one soon.

I have somewhat mixed feelings about KHR. This manga has been one of the most enjoyable reads I've had in a while, but it still has its flaws due to following the shonen nekketsu trope.

STORY (7/10): The story was quite cliché, sticking to well-known tropes. Characters find themselves in trouble against new powerful enemies, they train and have some nice fights with the powerful underlings, and the protagonist usually wins after a power-up. The first and last arcs aren't very good. However, the first arc is crucial for setting the mood, while the last arc has a decent first half and a poor second half.

ART (8/10): The art is very good, not necessarily groundbreaking but well-drawn for its time. The "epic" moments are indeed epic and well-executed. Some fights can be a bit confusing, but they're intense, and the characters are nicely illustrated.

CHARACTERS (8/10): The characters can sometimes feel repetitive, but most of them are too enjoyable to get bored with. For example, Gokudera starts off as a rascal but gets significant development throughout the arcs and remains loyal to the main character. The protagonist does develop but is initially rather boring.

ENJOYMENT (9/10): Katekyo Hitman Reborn is one of those manga you can read nonstop even after finishing a 100+ chapter arc filled with action. Every fight is amazing, and watching the characters unlock new abilities and train them is fascinating. The pacing suffers at first but picks up speed later, making it hard to stop reading.

OVERALL (8/10): This manga holds a special place in my heart. The characters are endearing, and the power-ups are well-done, though overused at times. It's a good shonen manga despite falling into the nekketsu trope and having common flaws. If you're looking for a fun, action-packed manga with engaging characters and a story you'll love from start to finish, I'd definitely recommend KHR.

After about a month and a half of reading this, I can confidently say all 409 chapters were worth it. I decided to finally read the original work after falling in love with the anime nine months ago (was it only nine months? Feels like ages ago...). Both the anime and manga are the longest works I've completed and hold significant places among my favorites.

Good things about the manga:

The plot is definitely strong. The main character is "No-Good/Loser" Tsunayoshi Sawada, who is bad at everything and a coward. He meets a baby hired by his mother as a home tutor and before he knows it, he's unwillingly dragged into the mafia world. (8)

Art:

The art isn't bad; like most manga, the drawings start off rough but improve significantly as the author gains experience. Many characters are quite attractive and have great personalities to back them up. (8)

What really makes the manga potentially one of my favorites is that I LOVE the characters, practically all of them. KHR may possibly be the manga/anime with the most characters I adore. I once read a review criticizing how all the characters are humorous with no "straight man." Tsunayoshi Sawada seems like the only straight man in the group (not talking about sexuality), but I find nothing wrong with the majority being humorous. Choosing my favorite character would be the hardest decision I could make regarding the manga. Not only do I like the male characters, but also the female ones. The author did not discriminate against gender, and there was an impressive share of awesome female characters as well. Respect to the author! (9)

Now for the bad things about the manga. This isn't actually the manga's fault but more the translator's: the grammar in the translation can be off at times, which I never really noticed until nearing the end of the manga. Were they rushing to complete it? On several occasions, text was repeated, and a couple of dialogue boxes were missing text. An actual con of the manga itself, and a problem I find with most shounen manga, which is why I prefer anime for shounen, is the action scenes. Black ink against white paper can make it difficult to see what's happening, and many times too much ink is used, making it hard to distinguish between characters and villains. I only know what's going on by the names of their techniques. Also, why do characters always explain their moves to their enemies, who just stand (or hover) and listen? Another issue is that although the arcs are great, I can find loopholes within them. I can't give anything away without spoiling the story, but one thing I can say is that in one arc, there were weapons called box animals that seemed too much like Pokémon for my liking.

Overall, the manga is great, the anime is also great. If you want to save time, you can watch the anime then pick up from where it left off and jump into the manga. There are slight differences, but nothing to be concerned about. I really recommend it. 9/10

I must say that Reborn is one of the manga I've enjoyed the most out of all the ones I've read. What fascinated me the most, and the reason I started reading it, was the genre shift that made Reborn so famous—it's truly remarkable. It brilliantly demonstrates how the story evolves from a light-hearted, quirky gag manga into a darker, more action-packed version with well-developed characters. Tsuna is one of my favorite characters in all of manga because of his growth from a shy, insecure, and cowardly boy into a braver version of himself. He's still quite shy by the end, but he's more open about expressing his opinions and isn't as much of a coward as before. The fights were great, although they started to pile up, which relates to the plot. For instance, in the Kokuyo arc after the shift, the fights are at a realistic level with some elements that seem too strange to be true as more supernatural aspects are introduced. What I liked most about that arc is how everything from the gag portion seemed to come together for the final fight against Mukuro, showcasing just how much Tsuna had grown. As the story progressed and new arcs emerged, Reborn began to escalate and create its own little plot, which is both good and bad. While the fights start off grounded, they eventually become more complex as the story unfolds. It wasn't necessarily bad, but there came a point where you just didn't know where it was heading. This became more evident in the last few arcs, with each starting out as the most amazing thing ever but ending up in rushed conclusions or dragged-out fights. This is probably due to the fact that reading it week to week caused the fights to grow stale, even if they were pretty good. I think the problem was that Reborn tried to bite off more than it could chew, and when it was time to tie up all the loose ends, it didn't know how to do so. I also didn't like the ending very much because it felt like the author wanted to revert to gags because she didn't know how to properly conclude the manga. In the end, we came full circle, except Tsuna seemed to have forgotten everything he learned. Overall, 8/10.

Overall, it's a great series to dive into. The main storyline kicks off around volume 7. Before that, you'll find yourself reading chapters filled with humor and entertainment. I began this manga after a friend recommended it, and now I'm completely hooked. I rated it a nine because the buildup to the central plot felt a bit long. Having said that, I highly recommend this manga to anyone looking for an enjoyable read.

Katekyo Hitman Reborn...

The manga Katekyo Hitman Reborn, or simply Reborn, stands out as one of the most intriguing mangas I've ever read. The initial 25 chapters or so present it as a gag manga, much like its original intent, but once the comedic groundwork was laid, it pivoted towards becoming a battle-oriented manga, similar to Gintama. As the story progressed, the recent chapters have firmly established themselves within the battle genre.

The characters are particularly memorable, with the titular character Reborn being especially iconic for his chibi hitman persona. Tsunayoshi Sawada, or just Tsuna, demonstrates significant growth throughout the manga. Initially portrayed as an extreme loser, he evolves into a cool, calm, and likable protagonist, embodying the quintessential shonen hero.

I hold this manga in high regard because it was among the first I read, alongside Dragonball Z and Naruto. Today, I can confidently say that I prefer reading Hitman Reborn over popular titles like Naruto and Bleach. This preference stems from its unique blend of battles and retained comedy, which I found irresistible.

I highly recommend this manga to anyone looking for something different from Naruto and Bleach, or for those who might be tired of these series and seek a refreshing alternative. LOL. HAPPY READING!!

The mafia theme, despite being somewhat limited due to its shounen genre constraints, held immense potential for a gripping narrative. Yet, this doesn't imply it failed to satisfy most of its audience.

Story: 6/10

I'll tackle the toughest aspect upfront because I felt conflicted about rating it, and you'll soon understand why. The plot revolves around Sawada Tsunayoshi, or Tsuna, an underachiever living with his mother who is unexpectedly chosen as the next head of the Vongola family. To prepare him for leadership, he's tutored by Reborn, a baby hitman. The setup is straightforward, typical for a shounen series. However, the middle arcs are exceptionally good, making the manga compelling. Note my emphasis on "middle," since the beginning and end don't measure up. Initially, the manga presents as a gag comedy for about 50 chapters to introduce characters—a method I wasn’t fond of. It should have advanced the plot or world-building instead. As for the ending, without spoiling, many readers found it disappointing regarding character development, and rightfully so.

Art: 8/10

The artwork was commendable; no complaints here. While not the best I've seen—otherwise, the score would be higher—the fight scenes were clear, and some single-panel pages were quite detailed, adding significant value.

Characters: 8/10

In my view, the series' strongest point. Tsuna's family has distinct personalities, and even villains show more than mere arrogance. My only gripe is that a few characters could use more development or their own story arcs to explain certain behaviors.

Overall: 7/10

This could've been one of my favorites if not for the repetitive gags and slow plot progression at the start, coupled with a weak ending that left a sour taste. They undermine the actual story, which starts around chapter 50 when things begin to get interesting. Despite these flaws, reaching that part is worth the effort. An analogy for Hitman Reborn would be a sandwich with your favorite filling but moldy bread. You endure the bad taste just to savor the delicious filling.

Truly an enriching read. Initially, the manga unfolds at a leisurely pace, resembling more of a gag comedy. However, it swiftly transforms into a full-blown Shounen Action series. At the outset, the protagonist, Sawada Tsunayoshi, comes across as somewhat self-absorbed and pitiable. Yet, the charm of characters like Yamamoto Takeshi and Reborn will keep you coming back for more. Unlike many other manga, your affection for Tsuna grows as his true character evolves under the tutelage of his hitman mentor, Reborn. Although the ending feels a bit rushed, nearly every arc is meticulously developed, each standing out brilliantly on its own. These are some of the most thoughtfully crafted arcs I've encountered in any manga. This is a reading experience I'll cherish forever, and the series is undoubtedly a hidden gem!

What a ride. Let me just say that the ending for this series was so perfect. The anime was very good, especially the songs, but since I started the manga, I was continuously blown away. Everything looked and flowed so much better in manga form, in my humble opinion, of course. Even things that I previously sometimes found annoying in the anime, such as Lambo, Kyoko, Haru, and the random comedic moments, became parts that I absolutely love in the manga! I don't know whether it was the story of the manga arcs or the manga art, but the humor dynamics were played out so much better. In the anime, I sometimes skipped them. Moreover, the fights were amazing in the manga, mainly because they showed a lot of blood, lol. But even though in some shots all I could see were lines and shades, it sent tingles down my spine... The characters also looked so good... and I also felt closer to the characters, especially Tsuna, because the manga gave him a lot more monologue. I can't believe I was annoyed at him for being a wimp in the beginning. If I could turn back time, I wouldn't skip a thing - I would watch the daily life arc to the end. Although maybe I would've preferred to read it because I love the manga form so much, but then again, I wouldn't want to miss out on the amazing music from the anime - maybe read the manga and then watch the OPs and EDs? Anyways, the Katekyo Hitman Reborn manga from where the anime left off has been amazing. All the fights were extraordinarily badass, and I've grown to love all the characters and their dynamics. Reading the last few chapters only reinforces that. The author gave us continuous epic fights, and it ended with everyone in the hospital. It was hilarious as they fought among themselves, yet it was 'peaceful' at the same time as everything returned to normal. I don't even mind that Katekyo Hitman Reborn had no villain. In fact, that's what made the dynamic in this story so good. All the villains became good, but the rivalry dynamic remained, and it is absolutely hilarious! The last few chapters beautifully depicted this. Another thing that touched me was the bond between Reborn and Tsuna. Tsuna relies on Reborn so much, and Reborn, in return, trusts Tsuna so much... and at the end, Tsuna realizes what a valuable journey Reborn has gifted him... it's just so beautiful... I wrote this immediately after I finished the series to accurately capture my thoughts. Often, all these feelings would dwindle down, and I couldn't put them into words afterward... Overall, in my opinion, this has been a great ride, and I absolutely enjoyed it... Goodbye, Katekyo Hitman Reborn.............
10/10

Katekyo Hitman Reborn is a shounen series centered around Tsuna, a seemingly hopeless loser from Japan. His life takes a dramatic turn when he meets Reborn, a hitman and home tutor from the Vongola family. With Reborn's guidance, Tsuna embarks on a journey to train and eventually become the next boss of the Vongola mafia.

The series starts off at a leisurely pace, but once you reach the second arc, it becomes nearly impossible to stop watching. However, one of the show's weaker points is its characters. Most of them are quite predictable, with only a few exceptions, and some characters unfortunately become redundant and irritating as the manga progresses.

On the positive side, the artwork is commendable. The depiction of attacks is spectacular, and emotional scenes are truly engaging. Overall, I would recommend this manga to fans of shounen and general manga enthusiasts alike.

Chapters Read: 304
Overall Score: 7

This is a manga review. I promise I'll check out the anime once I've read more, but there aren't enough episodes for me to review yet.

Story - 5

The story in Katekyo Hitman Reborn is mediocre at best and filled with clichés that are almost painful. It introduces previously unmentioned relatives, abusive teachers, naive characters, and pseudo-villains who will eventually join the heroes. Ugh! The story revolves around Sawada Tsunayoshi, a middle school student who is naive, whiny, foolish, and extremely reluctant to get involved with anything. Before we have a chance to really know Tsuna, he's thrown into the world of the 'mafia,' something he knows nothing about. Tsuna will be taught (more like abused) by his home tutor, the cursed 'baby' Reborn. He inherits the title of the tenth generation Vongola Boss (Vongola means Clam in Italian, so yes, the Clam Mafia family). First, he needs to gather loyal followers to form his family. Here, we encounter more clichés, which I'll discuss under characters. Instead of listening to Tsuna's outright refusal to become a mafioso, he's bullied into it, even being told he'd be killed if he didn't succeed in a job unrelated to him. That’s the basic story... it's quite painful, really...

Characters - 5

I'm not sure why this cast is so endearing, but somehow it works. If you're reading this, you might think, "Loveable? With a score of 5?" Yes, loveable, but with no character development. After reading over 300 chapters, only four characters—Dokuro Chrome, Sawada Tsunayoshi, Miura Haru, and Sasagawa Kyoko—have shown any growth. Other characters like Hibari Kyoya, Rokudo Mukuro, Xanxus, and Gokudera Hayato come off as petulant, petty children. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy some pettiness, but there's a limit. I draw the line at Xanxus throwing hot coffee at Squalo's head for no reason. That's the kind of action one would expect from Lambo, not a 24-year-old man. I really hate that. The villains seem to have no discernible purpose, let alone one that can be taken seriously. When Byakuran announces his grand scheme, you can't help but bury your face in your hands and cry a little. On the other hand, Dokuro Chrome doing dishes with I-pin shows her trying to come out of her shell and accept friendship. Now she's frequently seen with Haru, Kyoko, and I-pin. Then there's Yamamoto Takeshi, the ever cute, lovable black hole of character development. Cute? Yes. Lovable? You betcha! As deep as a spoon? Absolutely. From the beginning all the way into the future arc, Yamamoto honestly believes this is all just a mafia game—a game with explosives, murder, prisons, and assassins. What a game.

Art - 6

Visually, Hitman Reborn ranges from "OMG what's wrong with that guy?" to "From the right angle, Hibari looks kind of good in that." In later chapters, more details emerge, making characters look less generic as more detail is added to their hair and clothes. Overall, the art isn't horribly off-putting but isn't striking either. I do appreciate that, apart from Hibari's unnatural attachment to his disciplinary committee outfit, the characters wear different outfits. Notably, Rokudo Mukuro has an ever-changing wardrobe, albeit always horrible. Another area of notable detail is in Dino Cavallone's arm tattoos. A lot of detail goes into weapons and special moves. PS: Mukuro's Khakkhara has great detail and looks very cool.

Overall - 7

A pretty generous score considering this review's bias, but while the characters and story are fairly bland, my overall enjoyment of this franchise sits right about here. The story arcs, though not page-turners, are interesting enough that you want to finish them and see the villains get their faces bashed in for what they did to our 'heroes.' Returning side characters add a nice flair, bringing their own tricks, trip-ups, and one-liners that make you smile, even if just a little. While Hitman Reborn does some things terribly wrong, the few things it does right really draw you in.