TL;DR? While not amazingly perfect or objectively brilliant, Rave Master is one of the best shonen I’ve read that combines the most lovable shonen ideals together into a well-paced, heartfelt adventure story.
L;DR:
You know, one of the last things I ever expected was to become a fan of Hiro Mashima. I only watched a bit of Fairy Tail back in the day and declared it so-so at the time. But after completing Rave Master, it would be a lie to say that I am not, at the very least, impressed. Because Rave Master… crap, it was really, really good.
Fresh off the high of his newest series, Edens Zero, I thought I’d check out his original manga, Rave Master. My expectations were immensely low, the bar was practically on the floor. I mean… “Rave Master”? I wasn’t exactly sold on the premise, either. But I had nothing to lose, and decided to just give the damn thing a shot.
Rave Master’s start is rough. The art is crude, the story is mostly unexplained, and I felt like I was floundering in plot. I was prepared to drop it at any moment. I did not expect to become attached at all.
But something about Rave Master—it has some grit to it, a roughness in quality that complements all of the heart that I can tell has been put into it. Now I know that, by all means, it is simply shonen trash. “Because we’re friends!” “I’ll protect you!” and so on. But this grit, this personality that seemed to come from the manga, is what kept me reading. And reading. For three days straight, I thought of nothing but Rave Master. I was reading it during class, reading during dinner, it even infiltrated my dreams. I started out by scoring it a 7. When I got into more chapters, I bumped that up to an 8. At the beginning of the last arc, I gave it a 9. And when I finally finished that last page… I simply had to give it a 10.
Now, objectively, I doubt it deserves such high praise. Rave Master is a manga of many flaws, too many for me to list here. But I still believe that a manga’s rating depends on my personal experience, and I don’t know the last time I ever felt so emotional when reading a manga.
I simply… loved reading it. It’s a shame that the manga is no longer in print in English (RIP, Tokyopop). It’s also a shame that the anime adaptation is such low quality. If Rave got a Hunter x Hunter-style reboot, I can guarantee that it would be greatly received, both by the thousands of remaining Rave Master fans and by a new, fresh audience. Because Rave Master does not seem dated, not at all.
Sure, it’s reminiscent of the tropes and themes of early 2000s shonen, but as I read more, I realized that this was the kind of shonen I missed consuming. Nowadays, shonen is so streamlined, so perfectly aligned with years worth of tropes and cliches that it’s hard to feel as if I’m being offered something new. Of course, I still love that kind of shonen, but reading Rave Master reminded me what drew me towards the genre in the first place. The boyish charm of an unlikely hero setting out to take on the world—that is what I loved.
The character writing was pretty decent for his first manga, although I think he much improved in later works. That being said, I enjoyed how Mashima did not fall victim to the disease we call “bad female character writing.” Elie was fun and fresh, and she complemented Haru’s character well. Musica started off typical, but his character arc was satisfying. Plue… was Plue. We all like Plue. Most of the other characters were enjoyable to read about too, even the minor characters (the jiggle-butt gang always had me giggling).
Now, Rave Master isn’t really THAT long, but I found the pacing to be done perfectly. From Mashima’s other works, I thought Fairy Tail to be a little slow or stretched-out, and Edens Zero moved much faster than I expected. Rave Master rests in that perfect, consumable, easily-paced median. Every once in a while, Mashima would throw in a “filler” chapter, but those were the chapters that would quickly become my favorites. Hell, he created a meta-version of himself in his own universe in one of them… it was fun! It helped to balance out all the other serious elements.
When I finally reached Rave Master’s conclusion, I was sad, of course, to have finished it, but the ending crafted was one of the most satisfying that I had read. Most loose plot threads were wrapped up, and the tie-back to Levin from the side comics brought a tear to my eye. Everything made sense. All the chapters I had read to lead up to that moment were worth it.
And the moment I finished the last page, I went right back to the beginning again. And then I started to reread.
So. I loved Rave Master. If you’re on the fence about the series, just give it a shot. Try the first five chapters. And who knows? Maybe you’ll love it as much as I did.
TL;DR: A Shounen action series with a highly arbitrary plot and underdeveloped characters, but enough charm to make it an enjoyable ride.
This manga is incredibly messy in many ways, yet it remains immensely enjoyable. The story feels quite arbitrary, with numerous elements being forced or randomly introduced to steer the plot in a specific direction, such as characters suddenly appearing or random mechanics that pop up once and are never seen again. Some scenes were clearly meant to foreshadow something, but the author changed the plot direction, leading to these hints being ignored or twisted in ridiculous ways. It's also somewhat bothersome how the series tries to make every villain likable by the end, sometimes offering instant redemption, which often feels forced and undeserved. Thus, the manga lacks consistency in its overarching narrative and plot threads. However, despite being chaotic, it remains highly enjoyable.
The main characters may not have much depth or character development, with some rare exceptions, but they are interesting, amusing, and very likable, making them easy to invest in. The relationship between Haru and Elie, though subtly portrayed throughout most of the manga, is sweet and rewarding to see progress. The story’s randomness effectively captures the sense of adventure. In fact, the randomness sometimes feels like a plus, allowing the plot to bypass initial rough patches and avoid constraints. Some of the more significant twists were well-built and satisfying when fully revealed. Once you get used to the arbitrariness, it becomes exciting to have major events happening constantly, allowing the story to move at a fast pace and enabling the author to do things that would otherwise be impossible with a more consistent narrative.
The ending embodies both the negatives and positives of this randomness—it is incredibly forced and arbitrary but manages to do right by its characters and hit all the right emotional notes for a satisfying conclusion. The action is fast-paced and epic enough to be awesome, with powers that are interesting and varied. While this leads to consistency issues, it works well overall. About half the time, battles conclude with themes of willpower, friendship, and similar concepts, but these scenes are well-written and often feel genuinely awesome. Other elements keep combat interesting and varied without complicating things too much. I also appreciated the consistently optimistic atmosphere and steady stream of humor between serious moments. The artwork starts off mediocre but improves significantly by the halfway point, particularly in terms of character designs, maintaining this quality until the end.
Rave Master was one of my first manga series, so I might be a bit biased, but consider yourself warned! I won't be comparing it to Fairy Tail in this review.
Simply put, Rave Master has something for everyone. Want action? It's got that. Romance? Covered. Comedy? There's plenty of that too. This manga blends various genres, making it appealing to a wide audience. While the storyline isn't groundbreaking, it is well-executed and enhanced by good art and exceptional characters.
The fight scenes aren't overly drawn out like in many shounen manga, and they often include humorous moments that keep things engaging. The characters are instantly likable, and you'll find yourself growing attached to them as they develop throughout the series.
Rave Master is definitely worth reading, and even re-reading. Enjoy!
Rave Master was actually one of the first anime I watched as a child. Back then, it was so awesome that I basically counted down the minutes (as best as I could) until it would come back on. Now that I've matured to a certain extent, I rewatched and read both the anime and manga, and I believe that Rave Master is one of the BEST anime out there. It appeals to most age groups, has an awesome story, and great character development. While the art could use some improvement, it's still fantastic. The main characters, Haru and Ellie, grow not only stronger but also mature up until the climax of the series. It offers great comedy, action, and a bit of romance. Overall, in my opinion, it's one of the best anime I've ever watched. However, the manga needs a better translator because the version I read was horribly translated. I recommend this anime or the manga to any first-time reader or newcomer to anime watching.
Hiro Mashima achieved his ideal shonen in his debut manga, Rave Master. Although I was never particularly fond of Mashima’s take on shonen, Rave gave me a new appreciation for his style. What sets this manga apart from other generic shonen is its emphasis on and love for friendship. This is the defining characteristic of Mashima’s stories. Like his other works, this essential feature serves as both a strength and a weakness. His focus on friendship sometimes hinders meaningful character development and consequential conflict. The characters rarely evolve beyond their archetypal roles. It also struggles to make big battles compelling because the main antagonists lack depth. Additionally, Mashima’s reluctance to vary the formula across arcs makes the series feel repetitive, resembling a sine wave.
Despite being the source of the series' flaws, Mashima’s fixation on friendship is also why Rave Master excels in areas where other battle shonen, even great ones like One Piece and Hunter x Hunter, fall short. Friendship is a cornerstone of shonen, but it's depicted differently in each series. In One Piece, camaraderie grows as the characters embark on grand adventures. Hunter x Hunter explores various moral shades of friendship, whether twisted among heroes or wholesome among villains. Rave Master takes a different approach, focusing on plot-irrelevant adventures and slice-of-life elements. It shows that friendship forms during small detours and inconsequential adventures, strengthened by familial moments shared by the heroes. These bonds are simply affirmed through battles. Other battle shonen often lack this element due to their plot-heavy nature. In contrast, Rave Master isn’t afraid to indulge in downtime, building rapport between its large cast with little conflict. Even if the characters are clichéd, their friendships are undeniably real and compelling.
Perhaps the lack of meaningful rapport between its heroes is why Fairy Tail failed to reach the heights of Rave Master despite making similar mistakes. Nonetheless, Rave Master remains a fascinating and entertaining read. Its strengths contribute to its faults, but if there’s any consolation, it’s that Mashima’s brand of shonen is worth considering.
For a decade, many people have claimed that "Rave Master" is a hidden gem and a better story written by Mashima compared to "Fairy Tail." This intrigued me recently during the pandemic, so I decided to read it eventually.
Honestly, I wish I liked the series more than I do. Some aspects of it, and a few entire arcs, are great enough that I want the whole thing to be a masterpiece. But as it stands, there are just too many things I dislike about the series for me to pursue it any further.
The story is the definition of "cliché," except for that one arc with Sieghart that I had to binge-read over 30 volumes for that one epic scene (which I found very tiresome, boring, and too repetitive).
The power system is okay.
Regarding the characters, I have to admit that I binged through this boring adventure just for Sieghart alone!
There are lots of other good mangas out there. Still, if you want to try Mashima's first work (which, in my opinion, is better than Fairy Tail but not that great), don't expect too much from it and try to enjoy the story as it is told.
This is my first review, updated from when I read only 216 chapters of it.
The story of Rave Master, up until chapter 240 or so, is not particularly unique. Haru Glory, the protagonist, must save the world from Demon Card (DC) by collecting all the rave stones and defeating them. Without delving into specific plot details, there are several interesting twists near the end, but for the most part, the story progresses in a straightforward and somewhat dull manner. All the villains, without exception, are unlikable. They all seek to destroy the world for reasons that seem pointless, with an explanation provided in the final chapters, albeit a rather weak one. To make matters worse, there is an unbelievable amount of plot armor in every fight throughout the series, coupled with the familiar "nakama powers" seen in Fairy Tail. If this wasn't enough, the series suffers from quite a bit of fanservice, especially towards the end, though not as much as in Fairy Tail or Eyeshield 21.
The artwork is good, although the battle choreography is mediocre. The majority of the main cast is likable and entertaining, with many interesting side characters. Unfortunately, as mentioned earlier, the villains are poorly written.
Rave Master had the potential to be a great shonen series. It emerged around the same time as Naruto and One Piece, but its potential was overshadowed by numerous flaws. Hopefully, Mashima has learned from his mistakes and will provide us with a better, more engaging story in Edens Zero.
Rave Master is, without a doubt, my favorite manga/book/anything ever written (though the anime was rather disappointing). It's Hiro Mashima's work before Fairy Tail. Even though Fairy Tail is amazing, this one is even better. It's incredible, and I give it a 10. If I could, I'd give it a 17. Anyway, here's my review:
- STORY - 10 - I absolutely love the story and find it quite original. Sure, it might have similarities to other works here and there, but it's still excellent. How many stories have you heard about a boy chosen to be a hero (okay, that's every shonen anime/manga out there) who has to find magical stones with a giant transforming sword, accompanied by a snowman-dog creature, while trying to recover his friend Ellie's memories and save the world?
- ART - 9 - The art is really good overall. There were moments when it got a bit strange because during the time he was writing Rave Master, his art style changed from better to slightly worse and then back to better, eventually settling at okay. But generally, it's solid.
- CHARACTERS - 10 - Usually, in manga/anime, you get a weak, annoying, whiny brat as the female lead (okay, not always true, and sometimes they're not annoying). And the male lead is often stupid and overpowered, always trying to save her. While Haru is indeed overpowered and often saving others, this time, the girl is the "stupid" one! XD She is hilariously funny, and Haru is funny too, but he's neither stupid nor mean—he's very kind.
- ENJOYMENT - 10 - I enjoyed almost every last minute of it (I hated the mermaid arc, sorry... -_-). It's an amazing story and HILARIOUSLY funny. Though it's somewhat aimed at younger teens/tweens, older ones will still enjoy it (unless you're a boring old person who only enjoys politics XD).
- OVERALL - 10 - It's truly amazing, and you should AT LEAST read up to volume 35 before deciding if you like it or not. XD
First, I would like to say that I truly enjoyed this anime and manga. Honestly, I loved the manga more than the anime. The story is far too complex to be fully captured in an anime, which might explain why they stopped producing it. After watching the anime, I quickly sought out places to read all the comics. I really wanted to find out what happens with these wonderful characters. Most of the artist's characters possess qualities that I wish all humans would strive for in their lives. I felt deeply connected to them, as if I cared about their fates and was right there on the battlefield with them, saving the world!
I did feel that the storyline had some extra fillers, but honestly, what anime doesn't have those? Overall, I enjoyed this series, and it’s one that actually has a good ending—one I can be proud of after reading so many chapters. The art wasn’t the greatest, but the portrayal of the characters' emotions and their reasons for fighting were well-executed.
This series isn't for everyone; you need to appreciate what it brings to the table to understand it. Don’t judge it by its cover—dig deeper because there’s more to it than meets the eye. This series deserves a chance to be seen, so don’t pass it by if you have the free time!
Story: Initially, I didn't find the story very original. It revolves around a young man destined to save the world, armed with a sword, traveling in search of something—in this case, Rave stones—to save the world. However, as I started reading Groov Master Rave, also known as Rave Master, it drew me in. The storyline may not be groundbreaking, but there's something unique about the series that makes me love it. The adventures Haru embarks on, the friends and enemies he meets, the obstacles he faces, and the twists in the story are all original and fantastic.
Art: I appreciate how the art is distinctive. If you've read Fairy Tail (by the same author), you'll notice the similarity in style. The artwork also has elements reminiscent of other great series like Shaman King, Yu Yu Hakusho, One Piece, and Naruto. While I'm not picky about art, I found this style really cool.
Character: Haru Glory is an honest person, embodying typical protagonist traits—honesty, loyalty, strength, good morals, determination, etc. I immediately liked his good nature, although I felt his character could have been more developed. I wished for a "dark side" to be revealed, but that might just be wishful thinking. As expected, our benevolent hero is accompanied by an annoying, seemingly useless love interest (Ellie) and a super cool, strong, attractive sidekick (Musica). Ellie has an interesting background and mystery, but she lacks strength and seems too dependent on others. Musica, on the other hand, is awesome. His growth as a character, fighter, and person was thoroughly enjoyable. There's also the obligatory annoying mascot (Plue). What I enjoyed most were the well-developed villains, such as King Gale Raregroove of Demon Card. While some characters lacked originality and development, most were lovable and relatable, except for Ellie, whom I found too weak.
Enjoyment: Would I read a long series if I didn't enjoy it? As I progressed through the series, I found myself thoroughly enjoying it. Plus, it’s definitely better than doing homework!
Overall: Despite some aspects I didn’t fully love, I added this series to my "List of Series That Are Underestimated." I disliked the anime dub, which did not do justice to the manga series. The dubbing was poor, and they removed any violent scenes. Please don't judge the manga by the anime; give the manga a chance. If you think this is for a younger audience, read it and be surprised. It offers plenty of action, adventure, romance, drama, comedy, and fantasy—everything you could want! (Well, almost everything, but you get the idea.) Please read it now!
Popular Reviews
TL;DR: A Shounen action series with a highly arbitrary plot and underdeveloped characters, but enough charm to make it an enjoyable ride.
This manga is incredibly messy in many ways, yet it remains immensely enjoyable. The story feels quite arbitrary, with numerous elements being forced or randomly introduced to steer the plot in a specific direction, such as characters suddenly appearing or random mechanics that pop up once and are never seen again. Some scenes were clearly meant to foreshadow something, but the author changed the plot direction, leading to these hints being ignored or twisted in ridiculous ways. It's also somewhat bothersome how the series tries to make every villain likable by the end, sometimes offering instant redemption, which often feels forced and undeserved. Thus, the manga lacks consistency in its overarching narrative and plot threads. However, despite being chaotic, it remains highly enjoyable.
The main characters may not have much depth or character development, with some rare exceptions, but they are interesting, amusing, and very likable, making them easy to invest in. The relationship between Haru and Elie, though subtly portrayed throughout most of the manga, is sweet and rewarding to see progress. The story’s randomness effectively captures the sense of adventure. In fact, the randomness sometimes feels like a plus, allowing the plot to bypass initial rough patches and avoid constraints. Some of the more significant twists were well-built and satisfying when fully revealed. Once you get used to the arbitrariness, it becomes exciting to have major events happening constantly, allowing the story to move at a fast pace and enabling the author to do things that would otherwise be impossible with a more consistent narrative.
The ending embodies both the negatives and positives of this randomness—it is incredibly forced and arbitrary but manages to do right by its characters and hit all the right emotional notes for a satisfying conclusion. The action is fast-paced and epic enough to be awesome, with powers that are interesting and varied. While this leads to consistency issues, it works well overall. About half the time, battles conclude with themes of willpower, friendship, and similar concepts, but these scenes are well-written and often feel genuinely awesome. Other elements keep combat interesting and varied without complicating things too much. I also appreciated the consistently optimistic atmosphere and steady stream of humor between serious moments. The artwork starts off mediocre but improves significantly by the halfway point, particularly in terms of character designs, maintaining this quality until the end.
Rave Master was one of my first manga series, so I might be a bit biased, but consider yourself warned! I won't be comparing it to Fairy Tail in this review.
Simply put, Rave Master has something for everyone. Want action? It's got that. Romance? Covered. Comedy? There's plenty of that too. This manga blends various genres, making it appealing to a wide audience. While the storyline isn't groundbreaking, it is well-executed and enhanced by good art and exceptional characters.
The fight scenes aren't overly drawn out like in many shounen manga, and they often include humorous moments that keep things engaging. The characters are instantly likable, and you'll find yourself growing attached to them as they develop throughout the series.
Rave Master is definitely worth reading, and even re-reading. Enjoy!
Rave Master was actually one of the first anime I watched as a child. Back then, it was so awesome that I basically counted down the minutes (as best as I could) until it would come back on. Now that I've matured to a certain extent, I rewatched and read both the anime and manga, and I believe that Rave Master is one of the BEST anime out there. It appeals to most age groups, has an awesome story, and great character development. While the art could use some improvement, it's still fantastic. The main characters, Haru and Ellie, grow not only stronger but also mature up until the climax of the series. It offers great comedy, action, and a bit of romance. Overall, in my opinion, it's one of the best anime I've ever watched. However, the manga needs a better translator because the version I read was horribly translated. I recommend this anime or the manga to any first-time reader or newcomer to anime watching.
Hiro Mashima achieved his ideal shonen in his debut manga, Rave Master. Although I was never particularly fond of Mashima’s take on shonen, Rave gave me a new appreciation for his style. What sets this manga apart from other generic shonen is its emphasis on and love for friendship. This is the defining characteristic of Mashima’s stories. Like his other works, this essential feature serves as both a strength and a weakness. His focus on friendship sometimes hinders meaningful character development and consequential conflict. The characters rarely evolve beyond their archetypal roles. It also struggles to make big battles compelling because the main antagonists lack depth. Additionally, Mashima’s reluctance to vary the formula across arcs makes the series feel repetitive, resembling a sine wave.
Despite being the source of the series' flaws, Mashima’s fixation on friendship is also why Rave Master excels in areas where other battle shonen, even great ones like One Piece and Hunter x Hunter, fall short. Friendship is a cornerstone of shonen, but it's depicted differently in each series. In One Piece, camaraderie grows as the characters embark on grand adventures. Hunter x Hunter explores various moral shades of friendship, whether twisted among heroes or wholesome among villains. Rave Master takes a different approach, focusing on plot-irrelevant adventures and slice-of-life elements. It shows that friendship forms during small detours and inconsequential adventures, strengthened by familial moments shared by the heroes. These bonds are simply affirmed through battles. Other battle shonen often lack this element due to their plot-heavy nature. In contrast, Rave Master isn’t afraid to indulge in downtime, building rapport between its large cast with little conflict. Even if the characters are clichéd, their friendships are undeniably real and compelling.
Perhaps the lack of meaningful rapport between its heroes is why Fairy Tail failed to reach the heights of Rave Master despite making similar mistakes. Nonetheless, Rave Master remains a fascinating and entertaining read. Its strengths contribute to its faults, but if there’s any consolation, it’s that Mashima’s brand of shonen is worth considering.
For a decade, many people have claimed that "Rave Master" is a hidden gem and a better story written by Mashima compared to "Fairy Tail." This intrigued me recently during the pandemic, so I decided to read it eventually.
Honestly, I wish I liked the series more than I do. Some aspects of it, and a few entire arcs, are great enough that I want the whole thing to be a masterpiece. But as it stands, there are just too many things I dislike about the series for me to pursue it any further.
The story is the definition of "cliché," except for that one arc with Sieghart that I had to binge-read over 30 volumes for that one epic scene (which I found very tiresome, boring, and too repetitive).
The power system is okay.
Regarding the characters, I have to admit that I binged through this boring adventure just for Sieghart alone!
There are lots of other good mangas out there. Still, if you want to try Mashima's first work (which, in my opinion, is better than Fairy Tail but not that great), don't expect too much from it and try to enjoy the story as it is told.
This is my first review, updated from when I read only 216 chapters of it.
The story of Rave Master, up until chapter 240 or so, is not particularly unique. Haru Glory, the protagonist, must save the world from Demon Card (DC) by collecting all the rave stones and defeating them. Without delving into specific plot details, there are several interesting twists near the end, but for the most part, the story progresses in a straightforward and somewhat dull manner. All the villains, without exception, are unlikable. They all seek to destroy the world for reasons that seem pointless, with an explanation provided in the final chapters, albeit a rather weak one. To make matters worse, there is an unbelievable amount of plot armor in every fight throughout the series, coupled with the familiar "nakama powers" seen in Fairy Tail. If this wasn't enough, the series suffers from quite a bit of fanservice, especially towards the end, though not as much as in Fairy Tail or Eyeshield 21.
The artwork is good, although the battle choreography is mediocre. The majority of the main cast is likable and entertaining, with many interesting side characters. Unfortunately, as mentioned earlier, the villains are poorly written.
Rave Master had the potential to be a great shonen series. It emerged around the same time as Naruto and One Piece, but its potential was overshadowed by numerous flaws. Hopefully, Mashima has learned from his mistakes and will provide us with a better, more engaging story in Edens Zero.
The story of Rave Master is great and epic. I loved the plot, which is very original.
The art is fantastic. Mr. Hiro did a great job; he is a very talented artist.
The characters are excellent. You will have many favorites, I know I did.
I thoroughly enjoyed this manga.
Overall score: 10 out of 10. This is a great manga, and if you like love stories and action, you will love Rave Master.
Rave Master is, without a doubt, my favorite manga/book/anything ever written (though the anime was rather disappointing). It's Hiro Mashima's work before Fairy Tail. Even though Fairy Tail is amazing, this one is even better. It's incredible, and I give it a 10. If I could, I'd give it a 17. Anyway, here's my review:
- STORY - 10 - I absolutely love the story and find it quite original. Sure, it might have similarities to other works here and there, but it's still excellent. How many stories have you heard about a boy chosen to be a hero (okay, that's every shonen anime/manga out there) who has to find magical stones with a giant transforming sword, accompanied by a snowman-dog creature, while trying to recover his friend Ellie's memories and save the world?
- ART - 9 - The art is really good overall. There were moments when it got a bit strange because during the time he was writing Rave Master, his art style changed from better to slightly worse and then back to better, eventually settling at okay. But generally, it's solid.
- CHARACTERS - 10 - Usually, in manga/anime, you get a weak, annoying, whiny brat as the female lead (okay, not always true, and sometimes they're not annoying). And the male lead is often stupid and overpowered, always trying to save her. While Haru is indeed overpowered and often saving others, this time, the girl is the "stupid" one! XD She is hilariously funny, and Haru is funny too, but he's neither stupid nor mean—he's very kind.
- ENJOYMENT - 10 - I enjoyed almost every last minute of it (I hated the mermaid arc, sorry... -_-). It's an amazing story and HILARIOUSLY funny. Though it's somewhat aimed at younger teens/tweens, older ones will still enjoy it (unless you're a boring old person who only enjoys politics XD).
- OVERALL - 10 - It's truly amazing, and you should AT LEAST read up to volume 35 before deciding if you like it or not. XD
First, I would like to say that I truly enjoyed this anime and manga. Honestly, I loved the manga more than the anime. The story is far too complex to be fully captured in an anime, which might explain why they stopped producing it. After watching the anime, I quickly sought out places to read all the comics. I really wanted to find out what happens with these wonderful characters. Most of the artist's characters possess qualities that I wish all humans would strive for in their lives. I felt deeply connected to them, as if I cared about their fates and was right there on the battlefield with them, saving the world!
I did feel that the storyline had some extra fillers, but honestly, what anime doesn't have those? Overall, I enjoyed this series, and it’s one that actually has a good ending—one I can be proud of after reading so many chapters. The art wasn’t the greatest, but the portrayal of the characters' emotions and their reasons for fighting were well-executed.
This series isn't for everyone; you need to appreciate what it brings to the table to understand it. Don’t judge it by its cover—dig deeper because there’s more to it than meets the eye. This series deserves a chance to be seen, so don’t pass it by if you have the free time!
Story: Initially, I didn't find the story very original. It revolves around a young man destined to save the world, armed with a sword, traveling in search of something—in this case, Rave stones—to save the world. However, as I started reading Groov Master Rave, also known as Rave Master, it drew me in. The storyline may not be groundbreaking, but there's something unique about the series that makes me love it. The adventures Haru embarks on, the friends and enemies he meets, the obstacles he faces, and the twists in the story are all original and fantastic.
Art: I appreciate how the art is distinctive. If you've read Fairy Tail (by the same author), you'll notice the similarity in style. The artwork also has elements reminiscent of other great series like Shaman King, Yu Yu Hakusho, One Piece, and Naruto. While I'm not picky about art, I found this style really cool.
Character: Haru Glory is an honest person, embodying typical protagonist traits—honesty, loyalty, strength, good morals, determination, etc. I immediately liked his good nature, although I felt his character could have been more developed. I wished for a "dark side" to be revealed, but that might just be wishful thinking. As expected, our benevolent hero is accompanied by an annoying, seemingly useless love interest (Ellie) and a super cool, strong, attractive sidekick (Musica). Ellie has an interesting background and mystery, but she lacks strength and seems too dependent on others. Musica, on the other hand, is awesome. His growth as a character, fighter, and person was thoroughly enjoyable. There's also the obligatory annoying mascot (Plue). What I enjoyed most were the well-developed villains, such as King Gale Raregroove of Demon Card. While some characters lacked originality and development, most were lovable and relatable, except for Ellie, whom I found too weak.
Enjoyment: Would I read a long series if I didn't enjoy it? As I progressed through the series, I found myself thoroughly enjoying it. Plus, it’s definitely better than doing homework!
Overall: Despite some aspects I didn’t fully love, I added this series to my "List of Series That Are Underestimated." I disliked the anime dub, which did not do justice to the manga series. The dubbing was poor, and they removed any violent scenes. Please don't judge the manga by the anime; give the manga a chance. If you think this is for a younger audience, read it and be surprised. It offers plenty of action, adventure, romance, drama, comedy, and fantasy—everything you could want! (Well, almost everything, but you get the idea.) Please read it now!
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