Mirai Nikki

If you're a fan of the horror genre, I highly recommend checking out this series.

Yuki is a 13-year-old boy who writes diaries on his phone about what's happening around him. He has no friends except for what he believes are his imaginary friends, Deus Ex Machina and Muru Muru. One day, he wakes up to find pre-written entries in his diary predicting his morning surroundings. To his surprise, these predictions come true. He follows them for a few weeks until one day, the class beauty Yuno starts talking to him. She mentions Muru Muru, which shocks him. She warns him not to use his phone anymore because he's in danger. Ignoring her advice, he soon finds himself in trouble when a man (later revealed to be his homeroom teacher Takao Hiyama) tries to kill him. A "Dead End" appears on his phone, indicating he's about to die. In a desperate move, he throws a dart at Hiyama, destroying his phone and causing him to vanish into a mini black hole. Yuki then finds himself in Deus' world, where he sees shadows of 11 small platforms and only 10 shadowed people, but he recognizes Yuno among them. Deus reveals he is the God of Time and Space and is dying, having chosen 12 people to receive future diaries to potentially succeed him. Each person is assigned a number, and it's revealed that Yuki, as Number One, has already defeated Number Three. Everyone sets their sights on Yuki, deciding they want to kill him.

Story: Without giving too much away, you'll love the endless twists and unpredictability of events. WARNING: This series is very addictive.

Characters: The only word I can use to describe these characters is that they are all psychopaths, except Yuki (at least at the beginning). The standout character and my favorite in the series, as well as my favorite yandere, is Yuno. She is deeply in love with Yuki and will do anything—absolutely anything—to maintain that love. Because of this, she can seem like an ally but can also be Yuki's worst enemy at times. Yuno's actions make the manga incredibly unpredictable. You'll also love Minene, Number Nine. She's a terrorist who loves bombing things and people. Initially an enemy, she becomes one of Yuki's allies as the series progresses. I won't go into detail about all the characters, but each one is unique.

Art: In my opinion, it's not overly unique but is very well-drawn. Be warned: there's lots of blood and gore.

Overall, I enjoyed the pace of the series, the mostly creepy romance between Yuki and Yuno, the diverse cast of characters, and how closely the anime follows the original manga.

Okay, now, I know I'll certainly get a lot of people who'll dislike this right now only for the low rating. But holy potatoes, this manga is one of the most overrated ones I've ever seen. And with this, I hope I can get someone not to waste their time reading the manga Mirai Nikki (or Future Diary, whatever you want to call it).

Now, let's begin the review. Well, first of course I'm going to say what I think about the story, and there's not much to say about it really. It isn't good; it's far from that. The manga had everything to be very good, but it messed everything up. And when I mean everything, it is everything, from plot to characters. I found it interesting when I read, at least in the beginning. But... Dude, the story develops in a very weak and forced way, making it almost nonsensical.

The way violence and murder are treated during the story is just ridiculous and completely useless. I even think the manga would be better if all the nonsensical fighting and carnage were absent almost entirely. Look, I understand it is a survival game where you need to kill people. But seriously... At first, I was surprised to see that the manga would focus more on the intellectual side (plans, strategies, etc.). But, of course, I was wrong. Because it only focuses on that during the first few chapters, turning then into a game where you only make a flawed plan and then kill someone also chosen for the survival game.

The story does have strong points, like some of the mysteries involving the game itself and lots of other things which would be spoilers, so, I would usually tell you to go read and find out what those mysteries were. However, don't do that, please. Even if they push you into reading more, when you find out, it is in a strange way that doesn't actually surprise you like in most stories out there.

Also, something that truly irritated me was the fact that the characters were just horrible. Literally, horrible. Yukiteru (the main character) was ridiculous, annoying, and looked like a crying baby almost all the time during the beginning of the manga. And when you think he'll slowly develop his personality, what happens? Nothing. And suddenly he changes into a strong boy who can handle weapons and kill lots of men with Yuno. That's just ridiculous. It wouldn't seem strange if the development of the character wasn't sudden or if it could've been "hidden" underneath the story if that one was actually good.

Then we have Yuno Gasai, the only great character in the story, but she couldn't save it, of course. Her personality is very interesting even for me, who personally doesn't enjoy yandere that much. Her strange affection for Yukiteru can be odd sometimes, and even annoying, however, it is interesting and, of course, odd in a good way. But, unfortunately, she wasn't able to save the manga in my opinion. But of course, without her, I wouldn't be able to give a 5 as the rating.

Then, apart from Yuno (and Uryuu, whom I will talk about in a moment), all the other characters are dumb and have no depth in their personalities at all, even if a few may seem appealing sometimes, like Akise, who wanted to be a detective and was supposed to help on the intellectual part of the story, and also, the terrorist Uryuu Minene, who was meant to have a tragic and sad past, but we cannot feel much about her since this past isn't worked on a lot during the story. However, she probably is, let's say... Medium-Good character that I personally cared a little about.

And also, I would like to point that out: I didn't care for any character except from Uryuu and Yuno. Literally, when a character died, I showed no emotion for them; it doesn't matter who it was. Characters are the weakest point in Mirai Nikki, without a doubt.

The ending of the manga totally screwed up. It is a completely stupid, dumb, and ridiculous plot twist with no basis. A manga which could have a medium-quality story ended up with an ending that was just baseless. The first plot twist is just dumb, but tolerable. However, after what we all should think was the ending, there's the thing that just crushed the story in pieces and was only for those who want every story to have a stupid cliche ending.

Moving now to a different topic, we are going to talk about art. Well, the art of the manga is not bad, and not surprising. It is okay in most parts, mediocre in others, and can even impress a little on... Oh no, sorry, it doesn't surprise you. Most fights in manga and anime are made with dynamic movements and poses that get you excited to see what more that fight is going to present you. Not in Mirai Nikki. Though the explosions are pretty well drawn - something that is, in most mangas, pretty simple and sometimes unrealistic - the rest of the fights don't push you on to wanting to know more about everything that is happening. They are not exciting, not well-drawn at all from an artistic point of view, and also, are most of the times useless to the story to develop, and only are put there to prolong it more and more.

The character designs aren't bad, but aren't very good. That is what the art presents; it's nothing awesome or stunning, but also it isn't just blurry images or characters and shade-less images like lots of shounen manga today (you probably know which ones I'm talking about).

But of course, the art didn't count much for me to give the final score, so the bad storyline, awful characters, and the absence of excitement and stunning mysteries still overthrow the somehow good art the manga presents.

Well, since there is nothing too much about the story, the enjoyment truly isn't something I can give a high rating. I have to admit I enjoyed the manga for the first few chapters; however, that was the time where I had no experience with actual good anime and manga except for Death Note and Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, so, after I discovered great anime and manga, I also discovered that Mirai Nikki was nothing but an "okay" series.

Overall: 5/10

All in all, Mirai Nikki isn't great in any of its aspects, okay on the art, mediocre on the story, and awful on the characters the plot shows the readers, us. It is completely overrated, and people shouldn't be reading manga/watching anime like this one because there are a lot of short ones that present a much deeper storyline, better characters, and outstanding art.

No, I don't recommend Mirai Nikki (neither manga nor anime) to anyone who is reading this review, search more for other anime and manga because this one is only going to get your time wasted. And please, don't spend money on buying volumes from this. I'm trying to help you, but well...

If you're a fan of the series, and you are reading this review, well, I'm pretty sure you're going to click the "not helpful" button. And if you wish, you can do that. Just don't consider the final rating as a review; I tried my best to talk about each and every aspect of the manga, saying the good points and bad as well.

The irony that might best describe Mirai Nikki is when the audience becomes part of the drama itself.

Twelve diary holders have been chosen to participate in a deadly game where the victor will ascend to become God. To win, they must eliminate their rivals either by killing them or destroying their future diaries until only one remains.

These diary keepers usually record their daily observations, some reluctant to interfere with others' affairs while others merely observe events, playing minor roles akin to an audience watching a play. The irony strikes when Deus, the god of time and space, selects these twelve observers and thrusts them into the spotlight.

Here we uncover the lifestyle of each participant. Yuki, for instance, behaves like a detached observer, documenting his daily experiences. He records what he sees and feels. In contrast, Yuno's diary captures her crush's actions, filled with thoughts about him whether he's in sight or not. Other diary holders have normal diaries aligned with their interests.

The 4th participant documents his investigative thoughts, whereas the 9th details how he evades the police. When Deus selected the twelve, their diaries were upgraded, allowing them to foresee future entries after a certain period.

The manga’s central theme revolves around causality and its impact—how people can alter predetermined events through sheer willpower. It also explores the human psyche. The thoughts penned in their diaries eventually reveal their true selves, masking their outward appearance. Not everything visible is as it seems.

A psychological manga examining how each of us perceives our daily lives and how change is possible if we are willing to transform ourselves.

Being an avid reader with diverse tastes, I found myself downloading this series because it was complete and it had been a while since I indulged in something featuring a yandere character. With nothing pressing to do and having downloaded the entire series, I decided to binge-read it, knowing that I'd feel guilty if I didn't.

While not entirely regrettable, it was rather disappointing.

I have no major complaints about the art. It's not the best out there, and this style isn't really my cup of tea, but it fit the series well enough. Akise is the only bishonen (in my opinion), so there’s less "kyaa-ing" for fangirls and more focus on the story. Gasai, violence, and bloodbath scenes? Oh, they are excellent. The art sufficiently satisfies your gore-loving tendencies.

The storyline is actually quite good. The God of Time and Space is nearing his demise and creates a survival game where the last person standing will succeed him as the next god. A decent premise. Deus Ex Machina, the God of Time and Space, is the imaginary friend of the socially isolated Amano Yukiteru, who chronicles his surroundings in a diary due to boredom. Deus then gifts him a future diary, turning Yukiteru into one of the contestants. A solid introduction to the essence of the series. But why didn’t I rate it a 10 or 9? The characters are the culprit.

I found Akise and Rea to be the only likeable characters (yes, Akise again). The others were grating. Why? Here's why:

Yukiteru is annoying from the start. He brought upon himself his current social status and then whines like a child. Throughout the game, he's a coward who leans on Yuno because he's worthless. His resolve doesn't deserve to be called such because he’s easily swayed by others' words and his own petty feelings. Yuno is a love-struck fool. Minene’s constant self-aggrandizement ("I, the Great Minene") even in her thoughts is irritating. Nishijima suddenly falls in love with Minene. Their character development is laughably forced. The same goes for other characters.

Please don't judge me. I usually adore evil characters like Gasai. Normally, I go "oohh" or "whoa" in appreciation when characters develop well. Even I can't explain why I suddenly despised almost all the characters here. The only explanation I can think of is that their development was shallow, making it hard to connect with them. You know that feeling of empathizing with characters? I felt none of that while reading this. Even during Yukiteru’s tragedy or Gasai’s abuse, I remained indifferent. The only scene that made me pause was the Akise-Amano kissing scene, which had me squealing for five minutes.

Okay, I enjoyed parts of the manga, but overall, it was disappointing. It’s a good read for gore lovers, but definitely not for harsh anime and manga reviewers who will dissect every loophole. They'll find plenty.

Thanks for reading.

Horrible, absolutely horrible. But it still has some good points. Let's first look at the story plot:

The main character, Yukiteru, possesses a future diary where the future is written in it. He participates in a game with 11 other characters, competing for the position of god. They kill each other until there is one survivor left who would become god.

It might sound boring, but it actually isn't. So what's the problem with the plot? Well, it's mainly the way it was delivered. What do I mean? Well, what's up with those weird appearances and the idiotic characters? Our MC Yukiteru especially pisses me off. Like, why can't you make better decisions? Let's go to the start of the manga. Yuno appears as a stalker in love with Yukiteru and confesses her feelings without second thoughts. She seems weird and stuff. Anyways, at one point, she asks him, "Follow her and die or me and live" or something like that. And Yukiteru has to take time considering the two options? One is a stranger who tried to kill him, and the other is a girl genuinely in love with him. So if you were him, which would you choose? Obviously, choose Yuno and live, right? Then near the end of the manga, just because he doesn't want to believe in the truth, he decides to shoot how many, three or four of his dearest friends? Sorry, but that's just stupid. How much of an idiot can you be? Stop being ridiculous and stop acting like a scared child already.

Secondly, what's up with the others' approach and their actions? The little boy the MC's mom brought home, especially. Stop underestimating people way over your head. Anyways, enough rants.

The art wasn't bad; I think it was one of the good points about this.

The characters were, as mentioned, absolutely terrible.

Enjoyment: Honestly felt this was a waste of time, but I think that's only because of our MC. Otherwise, the plot wasn't that bad. So other than the characters and delivery of the plot, this wasn't that bad.

Mirai Nikki (2006)

Mirai Nikki isn't for everyone, as not everyone will appreciate such a violent love story. Personally, I find it to be an incredible series due to its deep and well-thought-out premise, culminating in an ending that makes sense within the universe created around the narrative.

The artwork maintains a very high standard throughout and even improves over time. While it shows its age, it remains a pleasant read. For instance, Yuno is drawn less harshly in the initial chapters, despite the strength of her character.

The characters are diverse and numerous since the show revolves around diary owners and the side characters who surround them. I can honestly say I enjoy the development of all characters. Remember, most, if not all, of these characters have traumatic backgrounds driving their resolve. You might struggle with Yukiteru until the end, but he embodies a more emotionally damaged character compared to the rest; keep this in mind.

From start to finish, with the final diary entry, this series was a fantastic read that I devoured quickly out of sheer enjoyment. It sets a high standard for the source material.

10/10.

Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak.

No, but seriously, the story is incredibly unique. It has heartwarming moments and sad ones too. The characters are amazing, especially Yuno. The story gets wild at times, which only makes me love it more, and the action scenes are fantastic. Honestly, the last few episodes brought tears to my eyes. I truly own this feeling. Such a fun anime with a great story and even better characters. This anime and manga really cheered me up. I will 100% read the visual novel, which I've heard is really freaking awesome. Oh yeah, did I mention that I love Yuno?

This manga unfolds the tale of Amano Yukiteru, a loner who chronicles his life through his cellphone. Out of sheer loneliness, he conjures an imaginary friend named Deus Ex Machina, the lord of time and space. Sympathizing with Yukiteru, Deus bestows upon him a unique power: the ability to predict future events through his phone. Unbeknownst to Yukiteru, this gift comes with dire consequences as eleven other Diary Holders, each with their own prophetic abilities, enter the fray. This marks the beginning of a terrifying game for Yukiteru.

Adding to the chaos, each Diary Holder foresees different futures. Yuno, Yukiteru's obsessive and mentally unstable stalker, can predict what happens to Yuki every ten minutes. The others' powers remain a mystery to avoid spoilers. To understand Mirai Nikki better, think of it as a blend between Battle Royale and Death Note.

Mirai Nikki is a chilling exploration of how willpower can reshape destiny. In my view, the manga highlights the characters' insignificance and oppression within their environment. It underscores that trust outweighs predicting the future since the future isn't always as it seems.

This isn't your typical shounen manga; it aspires to be epic and succeeds in doing so. What makes Mirai Nikki exceptional is its overall experience. The slow start builds momentum as Yukiteru uncovers the truth behind the Future Diaries, eventually transforming into a rollercoaster of horrors.

The pacing is deliberate yet relentlessly creepy, filled with suspense. There's an ever-present sense of impending doom, something lurking closer and closer. Each Diary Holder exudes an unsettling aura, their motives and identities unknown, creating a deeply disturbing atmosphere for both Yuki and the reader.

The artwork may not fully capture the cold and oppressive mood intended but still effectively conveys the story. The style is erratic yet clear, with text brimming with emotion. The suffering of each Diary Holder is portrayed vividly, complete with gruesomely detailed scenes.

Mirai Nikki is also intellectually stimulating, unforgettable, proving that horror and psychological manga can reach new heights when crafted with care. Still ongoing, the manga has maintained its quality thus far.

I'm thoroughly impressed by the scares and the intricate, albeit sometimes over-the-top, psychological battles among the Diary Holders. I recommend it wholeheartedly to fans of horror or psychological themes.