The White Wolf

My boy grew up

<p>I was howling with laughter while reading "Detroit Metal City" (DMC), and the word that kept coming to mind was "genius." DMC delves into a comical dual personality. Negi Souichi is a kind-hearted, simple 23-year-old virgin with an unfortunate bowl-shaped haircut. He comes from a farm, talks to his mother daily, and dreams of uniting the world through fashionable pop songs about love and French desserts.</p><p>By night, he transforms into Krauser-san II of the band DMC, a KISS and GWAR-inspired death metal frontman who sings about rape, killing one's parents, and on stage, beats up an elderly Japanese man in women's lingerie known as "The Pig of Capitalism." To his crazed fans, who desire nothing more than to be raped and killed by their idol, he is considered a true demon. His fame grows as the emperor of metal due to legendary feats like raping the Tokyo Tower and eliminating rivals to his throne, whether punk, rap, or fellow metal bands.</p><p>Initially, it seems Negi is coerced into this lifestyle by the tyrannical President of DMC's record label, a frightening death metal enthusiast who beats up Negi and others, and often talks about performances "making me wet." However, as the series progresses, it becomes clear that Krauser is very much a part of Negi himself. His anger and frustration at not being recognized for his pop music, along with his annoyance with various people and circumstances, fuel his angry, violent death metal acts. Often, the very people he is close to and respects as Negi are those he destroys and humiliates as Krauser.</p><p>The writing and stories throughout the series are brilliant. While the joke could easily wear thin, the mangaka consistently devises creative, exciting situations and obstacles for DMC and Negi to face, resolving them with something absurd and over-the-top that would outrage a normal, rational Negi.</p><p>The other characters are also interesting and funny, albeit somewhat one-dimensional. There's Yuri Aikawa, Negi's considerate and sweet love interest, who works for a fashionable music magazine and is frequently tormented by Krauser-san. Then there's Jyagi-Sama, the bass guitarist for the band, an outgoing, kind party-goer popular with women. He hopes to make a lot of money from the band but doesn't quite grasp the essence of metal like Negi does.</p><p>And then there's Camus-San, fitting the stereotype of drummers as bizarre weirdos, a short, fat, ugly, bespectacled man whose speech consists mainly of offensive, perverted one or two-word sentences, mostly directed at attractive women. He often seems to think he's in a brothel, telling an innocent girl either "anal" or "next!"</p><p>There's also DMC's terrifying record label president and a hilarious male DMC super-fan who makes a living doing shows for kids and has an inferiority complex about not being raped by Krauser. Honestly, every recurring character in the series is funny and their inclusion in the story feels justified.</p><p>The art is straightforward and effective, good enough to convey the humor of the concept and situations, much like the setup itself.</p><p>Overall, it's a fantastic read, highly recommended to anyone with even a passing interest in manga.</p>

Alright, I'm going to keep this short. I managed to reach chapter 55, and for the most part, those chapters were quite entertaining. The author certainly has a knack for setting up jokes and humorous situations, and I'll give him credit for that. I started reading this with high expectations since Beck is one of my favorite mangas, and this shares the same genre, has a good score, and some positive reviews.  

That being said, I wasn't a fan of the manga's content. The author was clearly overemphasizing the parody of death metal lyrics. It's not that I was offended by the lyrics, but they became repetitive, appearing in every chapter. And as you grow tired of seeing the main character (MC) just screaming "murder, rape, kill" repeatedly, even the enjoyment of the absurdity of the entire situation begins to fade.  

Speaking of the MC, he... just doesn't work. He's simply not enjoyable to read about when he's not acting as the lead singer for the band. In the 55 chapters I read (which is roughly half the story), there wasn't even an *attempt* at character development. And if there's no character growth in a story, no matter how funny it is, you start asking yourself, "What's the point? Why am I reading this?"—which is exactly what happens here. This definitely had potential, but honestly, what's the point of reading about an MC being forced to produce music he doesn't even like for 120 chapters? If he began to change, to appreciate the type of music he was producing, or if his character evolved to match his stage persona, it would have been different. But if it hadn't even *started* by chapter 55... well, even if it finishes with him having some minor development, the story has lost me as a reader. You can't delay character development until the last 80% and expect to retain readers.  

As for the art, it's basically mediocre. It's not terrible, but it's certainly not great either.  

In summary, if you're just looking for some quick laughs and aren't bothered by an extreme parody of death metal lyrics, check out the first 25-50 chapters. But if you're seeking an actual story, something on par with Beck, don't bother.

Detroit Metal City is incredibly hilarious. It's about Negishi, a very calm guy who is the leader of a metal band.  
The artwork isn't particularly pleasing, but the comedy is excellent. If you're a metal fan like me, you'll be laughing so hard you might wet your pants, as the manager says, "it makes me wet."

Contains spoiler  
It had potential, but the sheer stupidity of the main character ruined everything.  

Nothing ever evolves in the story; there's no character development, and there's no progression in the plot.  
The main character is exactly the same from the first episode to the last.  

It is somewhat funny, even though the humor is incredibly repetitive, so after a while, the only good aspect disappears. By the first two volumes, you already know all the gags that will be used.  

If you're just looking for a few laughs, you can give it a try, but if you're expecting any story development or progress, there is none.  
I would suggest watching the OVA series instead. It's less time-consuming and pretty much the same experience. I feel like the OVA does a better job at delivering the comedy than the manga.  
After a while, you'll start feeling bad for the other characters who haven't done anything wrong but are constantly bullied by the main character because he's weak and can only compete with those weaker than him.  

I had so much hope for this, but it was all for nothing—a complete letdown.  

The art style is outdated, but some panels are quite well-drawn.  
As I mentioned, there is no story.  
The characters are poorly written, especially the main character.

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."  

These were the only words that came to mind when I reached the final page of the last volume of Detroit Metal City. The main story, centered around my favorite genre of music (metal), was enough to hold my interest throughout, but the constant humor—dark humor being the most prevalent—made me eager to read this series from start to finish.  

Story 9/10  
The antics involving the band DMC, particularly their singer, and the devoted fans kept me turning the pages.  

Art 7/10  
Standard manga art style, nothing particularly outstanding.  

Characters 10/10  
The main character's ongoing struggle between his dark side and his socially acceptable side is a standout aspect of this manga. There isn't much character development, but the portrayal is compelling.  

Enjoyment 10/10  
I loved this so much because I'm a fan of both metal music and dark humor. If you don't enjoy at least one of these elements, you might not have as great an experience reading this manga.  

Overall 9/10

When I heard about D.M.C., I wasn't expecting much, and I was wrong. I've read many different mangas, but this is my first review because this manga blew my mind. This manga is on a completely different level.  
When you're reading Detroit Metal City, you will find that there's only one way to describe it: "LEGENDARY"!

ART SECTION: 7/10  
It's amusing, regardless of how crude the characters look or move. If this were a title where graphics were of utmost importance, it would be a significant drawback. However, since it's a comedy not reliant on slapstick movements, it fits perfectly. Honestly, what matters most are the exaggerated grimaces the characters make. Everything else is secondary. Looking so gentle they could pass as nerds or mama's boys, or freaked out to resemble mass murderers, was enough to make the jokes work. Thus, while movements and proportions suffer significantly, they give off an anarchistic underground comic vibe. I doubt it would be as funny if it were done any better.  

STORY SECTION: 5/10  
A polite, kind youngster transforming into a pretend Demon King against his will and becoming the exact opposite of what he always aspired to be was more than I could handle without laughing for several minutes. Most series feature some upbeat youth with lofty ideals striving to achieve their dreams (e.g., Naruto, Ash Ketchum, Monkey D. Luffy). Here, we have someone who fails miserably at being good but excels at being bad! If that isn't funny, I don't know what is. The story mocks the clichés most manga have grown repetitive of, which can feel tiresome, so seeing them ridiculed is hilarious for a seasoned reader like myself.  

Overall, the story is humorous but lacks depth or solidity. It feels like stand-alone chapters with almost identical storytelling patterns. The gentle protagonist has a peaceful, cheerful plan, something goes awry, and he resorts to his despised alter ego to resolve the issue in an embarrassing yet hilarious way that favors him. Everything is highly convenient, so I never felt the story aimed for realism. It's just a simple scenario unfolding in separate chapters with a consistent format. The story does touch on the basic challenges music bands and singers face while striving for fame and acceptance, but it never takes itself seriously, as most issues are resolved in forced ways.  

CHARACTER SECTION: 8/10  
I am the King of Demons! (Krauzer II)  
The character cast is generally likable. None aside from the main character receive much focus or development, but since this series centers solely on one character, this isn't a negative aspect. Negishi is intriguing as he detests violence and appears quite passive, yet he consistently uses his hateful persona to escape his troubles. Krauzer II is essentially his suppressed dark side, the persona you're most likely to favor. Calm and gentle individuals are often portrayed negatively (spineless, useless, oblivious), while society's scum are glorified (imposing, decisive). Like the rest of the story, everything happens in extreme ways, leading to comedic results due to the absolute separation of all characters into two opposing categories.  

VALUE & ENJOYMENT SECTION: 8/10  
F**k! My c**t is so wet, the rainy season will come early this year! (Krauzer II's manager)  
This is one reason I adore manga. Give them freedom, and nothing is impossible. It's true many manga revolve around a music band (e.g., Beck) or incorporate irony and the unexpected as means of humor (e.g., Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei). This series uniquely combines all these elements and amplifies them to extreme levels.  

The repetitive plot structure does grow weary later on. Still, the sheer amount of laughter outweighs the moments of doubt. It's far more extreme and bold than most comedies out there. The likelihood of rewatching it is high, and the chances of forgetting it are zero.  

VERDICT: 7/10  
Krauzer II, your verdict for killing and raping a thousand people is... NOT GUILTY! Oh, Lord of the Underworld, murder me now!