The Rejected Alpha's Vengeance

STORY (9/10)  

The narrative centers on a boy named Hazama Shou, who has inexplicably acquired superhuman abilities. He adopts the alias "Akumetsu" and dons a black mask as his signature. With swift determination, he targets Japan's corrupt politicians, aiming to purge the nation's political framework of its inherent evils. This manga challenges readers to ponder the nature of good and evil. If bestowed with the power to effect change, how would one choose to wield it? The foundation of this story lies in Japan's political system. While the manga does a commendable job explaining the system and its mechanisms, non-Japanese readers might either feel overwhelmed or become intrigued by the inner workings of Japanese governance. A deep understanding of Japan's political landscape isn't essential for enjoying the manga, but it does enhance comprehension of Akumetsu's motivations.  

MAIN CHARACTER (10/10)  

Hazama Shou is an immensely likable protagonist. His ultimate goal is to bring joy and laughter into the lives of those around him. However, his personal life is fraught with challenges—his love interest is coerced into prostitution, and his best friend lies hospitalized. As the series progresses, we delve deeper into Shou's backstory, uncovering the reasons behind his radical actions aimed at reforming Japan. His evolution throughout the manga is compelling, as he navigates the complexities of his mission to "save" his country.  

MINOR CHARACTERS (6/10)  

The weakest aspect of this manga lies in its supporting cast. Minimal information is provided about these characters, and their influence on Shou's growth and mindset is limited, particularly in the first half of the series. Antagonists may dominate a few chapters before fading into the background, only to be replaced by new adversaries. While Akumetsu confronts numerous enemies, their significance often feels overshadowed by how they contribute to Akumetsu's overarching plans.  

ART (10/10)  

Exceptional! The same artist responsible for Wolf Guy: Ookami no Monshou (another outstanding manga by the same author) delivers breathtaking visuals here. Action sequences are meticulously crafted, with every detail carefully rendered. Though the urban settings can occasionally feel monotonous, the aftermath of Akumetsu's destruction transforms these scenes into stunning depictions of chaos. The standout feature of the art lies in the distinct character designs and precise facial expressions. Even in crowded panels, the level of detail remains consistent, ensuring each individual stands out.  

Overall, this manga offers an enthralling experience. The opening reels me in with its intriguing premise, prompting questions about Shou's extreme actions, while the conclusion keeps me eagerly flipping pages to uncover what unfolds next. Although the middle section may follow a somewhat repetitive formula, it serves to build momentum for Akumetsu's grand strategy. For readers seeking something unconventional, this manga is an absolute must-read.

This is such a heartwarming series. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop until I finished the entire story in just two days, even though it cost me my ability to concentrate on anything else. By the time I reached the end, I hadn't shed a single tear, but my heart was crying out loud for Akumetsu!  

This series isn't for everyone, especially those who aren't aware of the world or can't grasp the deeper meanings behind stories. This is the best sci-fi story I've ever read.  

The series revolves around a fictional character who defies the monotony of human life and goes after those in power who have become corrupt. Akumetsu repeatedly sacrifices himself to eliminate corruption and evil, continuing this cycle of sacrifice with each "self" until the very last soul, all in pursuit of his ultimate goal: to save innocent lives.  

It's a story that makes you smile and cry at the same time. Akumetsu in this series isn't necessarily human—it represents the justice the world desperately needs. I truly hope Akumetsu comes into existence soon... ALL HAIL AKUMETSU! (TT O TT)/  

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Warning this review may contain spoilers.  

First impressions, the concept for a series about a terrorist doing things for reasons seemed intriguing, and I was curious to see how they would execute it.  

Story, 6/10  

In Japan, where the economy is at an all-time low and political corruption has reached its peak, "One" man will risk life and limb to save Japan and destroy the root of this evil by any means necessary. His name is Akumetsu, and this is his epic story.  

So, the story of Akumetsu revolves around a terrorist organization made up of clones of a crime lord who decide to try and save Japan from its impending destruction caused by corrupt and incompetent politicians.  

Basically, the plot plays out like this: there's an evil politician of the week that Akumetsu wants to eliminate for various reasons, such as embezzling taxpayer money or otherwise screwing over the general population. Akumetsu devises these over-the-top yet epic plans to kill said politicians and expose them for who they truly are, often in a poetic justice kind of way. For example, one guy introduced a pharmaceutical product he claimed was safe but actually had a high chance of making people very sick or even killing them. In retribution, he gets kidnapped after a car accident, pumped full of the drug, and eventually dies from it.  

It gives you the feeling of watching an 80s heist movie—there's a big sense of tension and anticipation, wondering what's going to happen next. Will Akumetsu succeed in his mission, or will the opposition come out on top? Beyond that, there isn't much depth to the main story. One could argue it's a form of political commentary, showing how corruption can really mess up any system and sometimes requires drastic action for actual change to occur. People seeking positive change have to go through countless hoops to achieve even the smallest victories due to the pervasive corruption.  

I also appreciate how they delve into the backstory of why and how Akumetsu was created. Although, I think it's somewhat convenient. Essentially, the main character discovers he's a clone among many, created from the DNA of a crime lord who wanted immortality. Through debate and discussion, the clones decide to continue the cloning project with the intention of using it to save Japan. This does help explain their ability to pull off some crazy stunts, but it feels too convenient to me. For instance, if there were 200 clones of me living in New Zealand—a small country similar in size to Japan—the odds of me ever meeting one of those clones would be quite low. So, the fact that he meets one of these clones, and later all of them, seems unrealistic. Yes, I know this might seem nitpicky, but I just wanted to get that out of the way.  

Now, it's time to move on to the actual criticism. It's so batshit insane that you really can't take it seriously. Honestly, this is shlock if I've ever seen it. But you know what? It's high-grade shlock, and it's honest, which is better, I guess.  

Characters, 6/10  

The main character, I like his relaxed personality and how he's a badass in a way because he's so unassuming as a person and then turns around and does all this crazy stuff. It's great to see the contrast between his normal life and his terrorist persona. One minute he's chill, and the next, he's cracking skulls and kicking ass. However, one problem I have with him is that he's essentially a group of clones at this point, so he lacks a strong sense of identity. Since he "dies" so often, it's hard to care about what happens to him as long as there are still clones around. Additionally, the cloning aspect raises big questions: when the clones die, do they get transferred to a new body seamlessly, or do they actually die, with only their memories being transferred? Essentially, the main character is now a hive mind, leaving me with more questions than answers. They didn't address the fact that he has no sense of self anymore because he's essentially a human hive mind.  

Side characters are okay; they fulfill their roles well. But at the end of the day, they're the usual characters you'd find in any setting, including a high school.  

A special mention goes to the politicians—they are probably the most one-dimensional villains I've ever encountered. There's no reason given for why they became corrupt; they're just there to be hated, which works for me because when they get killed, I'm laughing my ass off. It gave me great pleasure when they thought they were going to stop Akumetsu or believed they were going to survive, only to fail miserably and be replaced with pure fear. Great.  

Art, 6/10  

The artwork is a bit patchy and inconsistent. They use a lot of dark lines, and the death scenes are actually quite well done and detailed enough to convey the message effectively.  

It has a very gritty style that complements the over-the-top tone of the series. The character designs are okay—nothing particularly special here. Except I really like the main character's terrorist persona look; it reminds me of Zero from Code Geass but with a bit more edge.  

Enjoyment, 7/10  

I found this series highly entertaining because it's over the top and extremely bloody. It has an atmosphere I really enjoy, and I liked the over-the-top death scenes. There's chaos and destruction everywhere—rooms full of dead people, places on fire.  

Overall, 6/10  
If you're looking for something over the top and gory, check out Akumetsu. If you want something more serious and grounded, you might want to look elsewhere.

A somewhat heavy-handed but strikingly accurate portrayal of Japan's current political landscape serves as a great backdrop for this Manga. Its surprisingly likable antihero, Shou "Akumetsu," decides to challenge the system and eradicate corruption, taking down one dishonest politician at a time.  

Any comparisons to Death Note are entirely irrelevant, as this masterpiece stands in a league of its own.

lazy, dull, and uninspired work. This comic has very few, if any, redeeming qualities. It's a sheer waste of time. It simply isn't good. In fact, it doesn't even reach mediocrity. It's just outright terrible.

The basic plot, while completely unengaging, isn't much of an offense in itself. A vigilante out to eliminate scheming, corrupt politicians is a story that's been told countless times and will likely continue to be told forever. The issue here is that it seems to be executed so poorly. Almost everything feels illogical and incoherent, and although events unfold, it doesn't seem like anything meaningful is happening.

Typically, in this kind of story, one would turn to the action for some excitement, but the way it's handled here is also quite bad. That's essentially all there is to it.

It appears they aimed for a righteous antihero doling out senseless violence against evil politicians, but this falls far short of that mark. It's not good and a total waste of anyone's time.

UPDATE!

Having finished it, my opinion remains unchanged. The concluding arc might be passable, but it follows an otherwise catastrophic and unremarkable story. I can only take comfort in how easily it can be forgotten.

Like Death Note, there's a protagonist who eliminates corrupt individuals to improve the world.  
However, there are significant differences. First, it's far more violent. The main character targets greedy bank executives and corporate bosses, meting out bloody justice—scenes like someone being struck with an axe or buried alive in a street illustrate their "punishments." Shou employs a more "active" approach in executing his plans.  

Moreover, not everyone who has done wrong is targeted. The focus is on high-ranking figures such as company CEOs, bankers, or others responsible for damaging Japan and its economy.  

The story remains tense throughout, leaving readers eager to discover how Shou plans to transform Japan and how he'll accomplish it. Be prepared for lengthy dialogues filled with complex terms about economics, politics, and related subjects. While some may find this engaging, others will appreciate the graphic violence and bloodshed as compensation.  

The artwork is exceptional, despite the absence of screentones. It's highly realistic, occasionally too much so during the violent sequences. The character designs are also impressive.  

There are no superfluous characters, which adds to the enjoyment. Readers gain insights into some side characters and Shou's targets, though character development is minimal—a non-issue given the nature of the story.  

Overall, this manga is fantastic and deserves an anime adaptation (even if edits are necessary). You might even learn something about economics or Japanese culture along the way.  
By the way, Shou looks strange without his mask.

Yes, I gave Akumetsu a 10 because I absolutely love it. I've read it twice already.  
Akumetsu instills in you a sense of urgency to take action.  
The artwork effectively conveys the emotions of the characters.  
The violence, character development, and intricate plots make this story incredibly awesome.  
A thriller comedy classic for those who enjoy vengeance with a touch of bloodstained excitement.  
Main character: Hazama Shou  
  
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Right off the bat, let me say that this manga is extremely similar to two others of note: Death Note and Sanctuary. At its core, Akumetsu is a vigilante story starring the protagonist Shou and his somewhat superhuman exploits. Shou wants to change Japan for the better by assassinating politicians and others he deems corrupt but beyond the reach of normal law. In theory, this sounds similar to Death Note in the assassination aspect and Sanctuary in the reform part, but in my opinion, Akumetsu is better than both.

To start off, I like the main character Shou, who has an unwavering determination and always smiles, even in the most dire situations, only for the audience to find out that everything is going according to plan (most of the time). Maybe I am naturally inclined to like troublemaker protagonists, but Shou is not immature. In fact, he takes his job very seriously. So serious and committed to his personal justice that he would literally die for it—somewhat literally.

Beyond Shou, there are some other characters, most notably the fictional Prime Minister of Japan. There aren't a lot of recurring characters, but there are a few. Akumetsu always has an audience, so it's not quite like he stares his enemy down and tries to morally break them in a one-on-one conversation; there are always other characters around. Recurring characters also appear in flashbacks. However, Shou is absolutely the star of the show, and he is just a really fun character. Everything he does is interesting. If you're a thinker reader, you might find yourself questioning the validity of Shou's justice and logic. Rest assured, the author was prepared for this, or rather, Shou himself was prepared for this. While Shou may seem like your typical Machiavellian character à la Light Yagami, this isn't quite true. Don't be fooled by the smirk.

Shou drives the entire story, of course. This is not a saga following multiple perspectives; it's definitely Shou's story, and he is at the center of everything one way or another. The story is, basically, his long attempt to reform Japan in a bloody way. The chapters are heavily driven by dialogue. In fact, Akumetsu has more words per page on high-action pages than I've ever seen in a manga, sometimes with around 70 words on a page. You can see the translators using a narrow bold font to make up for this. There is some sarcastic banter on Shou's side, but during his engagements, it usually involves him revealing the very extensive crimes of his targets. He doesn't mince words, but he also makes sure his speeches are never under 1000 words. However, it's not a bore by any means. In fact, since the political crimes of his targets are usually very realistic in nature, it is interesting just by its factual accordance, or rather its attempt at looking like a factual accordance. It's always interesting to hear what Shou, or Akumetsu, has to say and what bizarre and corrupt crimes his target really committed. He doesn't choose his targets without a reason. Moving on from his explanations, the presentation of these explanations is always absolutely absurd and entertaining. I thought every single one was awesome. There is always some ridiculous infestation of the host building he is operating in, whether hiding himself in a funeral casket or wiring bombs to windows for dramatic effect. There's a reason he is capable of all of this.

There is also a lot of action in Akumetsu, particularly toward the end, where things get closer to warfare. In the beginning, Shou is unstoppable, and it's hard not to have fun on the ride. To pull it off to such a degree without entering the territory of thoughtless entertainment, which Akumetsu obviously is not, is a feat in itself. Good fun.

The art in Akumetsu is nice. Nothing out of this world, but even the most fervent manga art critics can't find a substantial issue here. The scenes are creative in what I would call "scene choreography," and you will find your epic and overwhelmingly cool spreads here as well, which most notable manga have at least a few of.

One last thing I want to mention is that this manga is pretty funny at times too. The nature of Akumetsu's exploits in detaining and executing his targets is intentionally absurd and over the top. And although there is no breaking of the laws of physics, etc., this manga is fiction, albeit realistic fiction. There are also frequent references to Tezuka-era anime/manga.

All in all, one of my absolute favorites. I am really glad I read it. If it means anything, it's a top 5 for me. Definitely give it a try if you're interested.