Alpha James and Emma

The story and plot itself is good, but I don't like how the author potrays the female characters. . . I believe those characters are made with the purpose to look like those cliche and goofy-ish anime/manga girls(?) but they sound rather annoying and disturbing. Sometime I just gotta take deep breath and convince myself to not give a shit bout' them. Unfortunately I find them too annoying to just ignore and ends up swearing too much lol.

One more!! I'm so frustrated by how they keep making the female character (with chances to be in his harem or in a relationship) flustered at almost every single moment. Like. . . cant u fucking stop stutering? That sounds incredibly annoying

conclusion: Story and plot 👍🏻ok
How they write the female Character 😒🤢

I'm surprised this is receiving reviews as high as 8. As a die-hard Full Moon wo Sagashite fan, and thus a die-hard shinigami enthusiast, I gave it a read out of curiosity.

Story: It's difficult for me to resist a story with a plotline like this... but the issue is, it's WAY too rushed. The most rushed part is the whole love triangle. Girl likes boy (and that's all we really know about her, besides that she is an airhead who is kind), boy likes girl back (and that's all we know about HIM), and then the shinigami boy starts to like the girl too because... she's the main character.

Yes, that's all it feels like. She's the main character, so he must like her. She sees him crying, they have ONE friendly conversation... and then he's supposed to be in love with her. So much "in love" that he needs to go after her boyfriend out of jealousy and then stop caring about his own well-being.

After ONE conversation over the matter of a WEEK!?

*sigh* This doesn't work for me. Sure, it's only two volumes... but that's not a good excuse to rush the triangle. I've read ONESHOTS that are more convincing than this. The premise is fine, but the execution is poor. Very poor. Did I mention that we aren't even given a reason why she can see him... she just can?

Art: Oh boy. I've read SO much shoujo... but Mimori Ao's character art is... probably one of the worst I've ever seen. Her SD/"chibis" are fine, as the comical expressions (they are indeed cute enough), but when the scene is serious and she draws the faces and bodies in that "normal" way, they are really really unappealing. The lizard noses, the big under-lashes, and the thick bottom lips all combined in one face just look so... ugly. o_O

Character: If you want characters you're really going to care about and relate to... and root for... this isn't the manga for you. There's nothing to Ayumi, the heroine. There's nothing to her boyfriend. The only one who gets development is Shiro, and his doesn't make a whole lot of sense, happens too quickly, and it's also too much.

Enjoyment: I dunno if I can say I enjoyed it... though it was hard to stop reading it. Like I said, it's the premise that hooked me. If the art was anything decent, I know I would have enjoyed it a bit more.

"As The God of Death Dictates" is an incredibly challenging manga to review. It lingers in the shadow of Full Moon wo Sagashite, sharing a strikingly similar plot... yet, after finishing it, I must admit that I thoroughly enjoyed this brief manga, just as much as I did Full Moon.  
  
If you've ever delved into Full Moon, you'll likely find "Dictates" exceedingly familiar, though with a smaller cast of characters. While I didn't find the storyline particularly innovative, it was undeniably engaging. The artwork isn't exceptional (I've encountered better). However, Shiro-chan was beautifully illustrated, and I genuinely savored the panels featuring him. I do wish the characters had been developed more deeply, though; perhaps flatness is unavoidable in such a concise manga.  
  
Upon reflecting on my own critique, you might question why I awarded it a 9 for enjoyment. Truthfully, I'm not entirely sure myself, but once you read it, you'll likely concur. Despite "Dictates" resembling a condensed version of Full Moon, it manages to stand independently, matching Full Moon's appeal. If you choose to give it a try, commit to reading it through—trust me, you'll be hooked until the very end.

The artwork may not be the greatest you've ever seen, and the story isn't extraordinarily original. Nevertheless, this unassuming manga brought tears to my eyes.  

A death god, a timid girl, and the boy she adores. I must express my dissatisfaction with the level of character development from the author, yet the plot unfolds in heart-wrenching tragedy. You don't truly witness the bond between Ayumi, the shy girl, and Musashi, the object of her affection, evolve. Instead, you see her connection with Shino, the death god, transform. Given the mere eight chapters, the development felt insufficient. At first glance, one might assume this manga is just another run-of-the-mill shoujo tale. I can't say I entirely disagree.  

Despite this, the manga stirred an emotional response within me. As you delve into it, you can sense the author's emotions while crafting both the narrative and illustrations. The characters' feelings resonate vividly, even if the art style doesn't leave a lasting impression.  

The author skillfully highlights human nature in this work.  

We instinctively resist death.  

Yet, we naturally cannot bear the thought of losing those we cherish.