Moon Lovers: Bound by Blood and Revenge

Well, 1st I thought it was interesting plot but after read for some more chapters...I dunno. Sigh~

It took me a while to figure out what rating to give this manga. It reminded me of a blend between Hajime no Ippo and Cross Game, story-wise.  
I concur with others that the artwork isn't top-notch compared to many other anime, but it fits well within the context of the anime itself.  

This is a fairly smooth and engaging manga. There are some humorous moments, though nothing so hilarious that you'll laugh until you cry. Similar to other great manga, the protagonist here is someone the average person can relate to.  
The romance scenes had me wanting to pull my hair out, shouting, "Just do it already!"  

The main critique I have is how rushed the ending felt. It was as if they said, "Alright, the key parts are done, let's wrap this up." I would have preferred a couple more chapters to ease into the conclusion while keeping the same ending, making it feel more polished.

I really don't get how people think. It seems like many dislike the art but adore the story, whereas for me, it's the opposite; the art is decent, but the story isn't all that compelling. I just can't understand people sometimes! To each their own, I suppose. Adachi Mitsuru's "Katsu!" is alright. I just needed to read something that wasn't about baseball. Although, baseball did make its way into parts of it, so maybe he couldn't resist. This manga had a promising start. Katsuki Satoyama is an interesting protagonist who I genuinely enjoyed. Surprisingly, he's rather apathetic about the sport of boxing, which is ironic given his boxing heritage. The story managed to hold my attention for twelve volumes, but the final quarter lost its appeal entirely.

The first twelve volumes were a straightforward boxing narrative with a couple of dramatic twists that genuinely surprised me. There are hints of romance—because why not, it's Adachi's style after all. Everything was tolerable until volume thirteen when the story started to lose me. I found it hard to stay engaged as the manga attempted to introduce new plot points too late in the story, causing me to lose interest. The humor falls flat; it's mostly fourth-wall breaking that isn't inherently funny. You can make fourth-wall breaks amusing with the right jokes, but these aren't particularly effective. It's just characters making fun of a mangaka's lifestyle occasionally and Adachi referencing his past works. He does poke fun at himself by mocking his art, noting how his characters all look alike. I thought that was somewhat amusing.

The ending felt lackluster. None of the outcomes I anticipated occurred, so that's noteworthy. It was abrupt and open-ended. At its peak, it could be rated a 7 out of 10. However, I won't give it that score because the manga isn't strong enough overall. A 6 out of 10 feels more accurate. It's far superior to H2 but doesn't quite match up to Touch.

First and foremost, the character artwork may be somewhat underwhelming, but it didn't bother me much. On the flip side, the environmental artwork is truly stunning, and it's refreshingly easy to follow what's happening—something that's surprisingly rare in action manga, which can often be confusing or hard to keep up with.  

If you look past the characters' designs, you might find either a blank page, another manga panel, or if it's digital, just the back of your screen. However, if you delve into how the characters are drawn and read a few chapters, you'll likely stop noticing and eventually grow fond of the quirky style.  

So, I wouldn't count "Art" as a negative—it's not bad, and it suits the manga well. As for character and story development, there's plenty going on. This isn't unusual for sports manga, as they usually need room to evolve.  

This manga revolves around boxing, and that's mostly what it focuses on throughout. There's a lot of character revelation, tons of boxing scenes, and occasionally a touch of romance and dry humor. It's worth noting that this isn't your typical romance-filled manga; there are no awkward moments like blushing or wondering how to talk to girls, mainly because it's centered around boxing. But there is romantic development, albeit subtle, as the characters never seem nervous or surprised by events. For instance, a character could watch adult content, get caught by their dad, and casually respond with "Oh, is that so?" without any concern. This unique brand of humor works surprisingly well here.  

One thing to keep in mind: aside from showing two people hitting each other in a ring while impressing bystanders, there isn't much technical detail about boxing. That's the only real downside.  

The cast is relatively small, especially given its 150+/- chapter length. The recurring characters tend to remain emotionally static, lacking significant growth throughout the story.  

That said, this manga has a way of drawing you in. Each chapter ends with something compelling enough to make you want to keep reading. Since it's enjoyable, you inevitably give in and continue. Before you know it, you've finished the entire series (speaking from personal experience). Much of its appeal comes from mangaka Adachi Mitsuru, a true genius with an impressive body of work.  

Don't let the initial artwork or the first chapter's impression deter you. This manga is absolutely worth your time and offers a great reading experience without filler-like pages or chapters. The ending felt slightly rushed, and I would've loved for it to continue longer. Still, it wrapped up satisfactorily without leaving me with an unfinished feeling.  

If you enjoy sports/boxing, romance, dry humor, or simply something different yet excellent, this manga is perfect for you!

Katsu! is a well-rounded manga, embodying the phrase "jack of all trades, master of none." This saying fits perfectly here: the story, the art, the characters—everything in Katsu! is decent, yet nothing truly shines above the rest.  

First, let's talk about the story: it's solid. There are some delightful twists and turns, the pacing is consistent, and the writing includes a good dose of humor. The main issue I have lies with the ending; the last two volumes wrap things up in a rushed and messy way. Initially, my rating for this title was an 8, but the disappointing conclusion affected it.  

Next, the characters. They're quite strong. Every named character gets their moment to shine, whether big or small, depending on their relevance to the story. They're all engaging and memorable. My only complaint is that I wish more of them had been utilized further; there's a feeling of untapped potential among the supporting cast.  

Lastly, the art. I enjoyed it. The character designs are appealing (though not particularly original) and visually satisfying. The artist clearly has a fondness for cute girls and muscular men, and so do I. One aspect I appreciated was how the boxers aren't overly exaggerated in terms of masculinity and muscle mass, unlike many shonen fighting series. The action sequences are clean and captivating, and there's a certain beauty, almost melancholic at times, in the compositions.  

In summary, I recommend Katsu! It's enjoyable, easy to follow, and occasionally surprising. While it may not become anyone's favorite manga ever, it could easily find its place in your top 20 list.  

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One of the most notoriously glaring aspects of the manga's quality is its production.  
The art (which strongly reminds me of Tetsuya Chiba) and the cartooning? I’d simply say it’s good and, to me, efficient. I also think the relationships between the characters are well-handled.  

What I don’t like about the manga is specifically the boxing element. While I find it interesting that the main characters' parents are connected to boxing, and I understand why it makes sense for them to box, I feel the way the manga handles boxing is too professional. Additionally, I think Satoyama's rise in the boxing world feels completely unnatural because it’s extremely fast. And, like HNI, the protagonist never loses! (I’m being hyperbolic, of course.) I also believe there’s a flaw in how the manga builds up to the fights because, despite having a great comic overall, it fails to address the psychological aspect, which is never explored in the story.  

Moreover, the ending feels rushed.  

STRONG HUG TO THOSE WHO HAVE READ THIS HERE!!  

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I would rate the first three-quarters of this manga 8.5/10. The artwork is appealing, the humor is solid, there's excellent tension between the main characters, and the boxing theme blends seamlessly with the romance. It's quintessential Adachi but leans more shounen than usual, which suits the fighting theme perfectly.

Unfortunately, the final quarter becomes a confusing jumble, filled with unnecessary drama and odd arc resolutions. More than half the manga focuses on becoming the top high school boxer nationwide, yet it ultimately feels inconsequential, making the title trivial. The final arc, which should center on professional boxing, falters as characters act contrary to their established beliefs. I believe the last arc is superfluous; it could have concluded with high school boxing and an open-ended happily ever after.

Katsuki-kun and Katsuki-chan are probably my favorite Adachi characters so far. They're humorous and straightforward with each other and those around them when it matters. Their development from the first year of high school to the third feels authentic, as they begin to act like adults.

Overall, 8.5/10 for the journey, 7/10 for the story in general, and 5/10 for the ending (the final 30 or so chapters).

Edit: Adachi's manga improves with every re-read for me. After revisiting it, I find the ending satisfactory, if anything, I'd prefer it to be longer. Thus, my rating changes to 9/10 for the journey, 9/10 for the story in general, and 8/10 for the ending. There's a unique charm to Adachi's works that reveals itself only through multiple readings. Especially concerning character expressions, which often disclose true intentions behind what characters say. Since his stories frequently revolve around teens, they often say things they don't mean and act against how they genuinely feel.

I've enjoyed a great many of Mitsuru Adachi's works, and "Katsu!" is certainly one of my top picks. As with most of his recent creations, Adachi quickly establishes the central relationship at the onset and develops it meticulously throughout the series. It's heartwarming to discover that both main characters harbored feelings for each other even before they became friends. The story is filled with Adachi's classic humor, self-insertion moments, and a strong connection to the sports theme (here, boxing). Moreover, the antagonists or rivals are likable individuals; you don't actively cheer for them, but you don't despise them either—you simply hope they find success in life as long as they don't come between the main couple.

That said, an issue typical of Adachi's style is the abrupt ending, which leaves several aspects unresolved, especially concerning secondary characters. Nonetheless, this doesn't detract from the overall quality of the work.  

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