Lured Into The Mafia's Den

Back to each other arms again

I loved the first two books and I am loving this third one! The author is really good about daily updates and her books do run over 100 chapters per book. Be patient right now since she is still dealing with the aftermath of a typhoon where she lives. WORTH the wait!!

Let's dive into it.

Story:

Mafuyu Oribe and Tomo Yamanaobe are students at St. Mikhailov Academy, a private religious school within the Eastern Orthodox tradition. Mafuyu is the adopted daughter of Tomo's father, the former dean who has gone missing. Their lives take a dramatic turn when they encounter Aleksandr, a Russian boy with striking white hair and blue eyes. As events unfold, they discover the existence of Qwasers—individuals with the extraordinary ability to manipulate elements from the periodic table. Aleksandr is revealed to be the Iron Qwaser. A crucial aspect of a Qwaser's power is the need for Soma, a mystical substance sourced from a woman's breasts, metaphorically akin to 'soul breast milk,' irrespective of whether the woman has borne children.

The women who partner with Qwasers in combat and provide this vital sustenance are called "Marias," drawing a parallel to the Virgin Mary breastfeeding baby Jesus.

Aleksandr, or "Sasha," is at St. Mikhailov on a mission to uncover and eliminate "heretics" seeking to misuse a sacred religious artifact. He operates under the auspices of Athos, an organization of Qwasers dedicated to safeguarding this icon. Opposing them are the Adepts, another group of Qwasers with their own designs on the artifact, and within them lies Paracelsus, a subversive faction. These complex layers are introduced briefly, often leaving readers bewildered due to the veil of secrecy Sasha, his Maria Teresa, and a priest maintain, much to Mafuyu's and the audience's frustration.

Additional characters enter the fray: Ekaterina, an 11-13-year-old Gothic Lolita with sadistic tendencies and hints of royal lineage, possibly connected to the Romanov family thought eradicated during the Russian Revolution. Her masochistic Maria, Hana, complements her dark nature. Various other Qwasers exhibit disturbing inclinations towards torture, BDSM, and global domination. Meanwhile, Tomo emerges as unique due to her exceptional Soma-producing capabilities, likened to 'triple platinum.' Sasha harbors a vendetta against the Gold Qwaser, responsible for torturing and experimenting on him, transforming him into an Iron Qwaser after killing his beloved Olya.

Tomo becomes a target, followed by Mafuyu, leading to multiple storylines emerging and vanishing without resolution. The narrative could have thrived focusing solely on the Eastern Orthodox theme or as an ecchi series centered around elemental manipulation and Sasha's personal vendetta. However, the amalgamation feels contrived, using religious imagery primarily to justify the central kink involving breastfeeding. This creates a disjointed experience, with shadowy organizations adding further confusion.

While new Qwasers and Marias are introduced with defined powers, their motivations occasionally lack depth beyond being antagonists. Threats loom obscurely from the shadows, some only named late in the series, contributing to a cluttered narrative where too many threads compete for attention.

One redeeming factor is the absence of overused tropes like accidental nudity scenarios. Despite its ecchi nature, male characters rarely express overt sexual desire; their focus remains on Soma quality and quantity. The act of consuming Soma carries profound implications, representing the extraction of life essence, creating a meaningful dichotomy between consensual and forced interactions.

Characters:

Aleksandr "Sasha" Hel embodies the typical shonen protagonist archetype, complete with signature lines like "Tremble with fear." His initial cold demeanor and reluctance to involve others in his dangerous world feel formulaic, though his backstory adds depth. His relationship with Mafuyu evolves into a bickering camaraderie, enhancing his character dimensions.

Teresa, Sasha's Maria, exudes quiet dedication as a semi-kuudere. Her role solidifies the religious-battle duo dynamic central to the series. While not extensively developed, she fulfills her function effectively.

Mafuyu mirrors the reader's journey of discovery, characterized by bravery, justice, and loyalty. Her 'Female Knight' persona resonates strongly, emphasizing same-sex bonds. She navigates the complexities of the Qwaser-Maria system with admirable resilience.

Tomo's defining traits include her gentle nature and prominent bust. Beyond these, her ditsy charm endears her to both Mafuyu and Sasha, reminiscent of a nurturing maternal figure. Her resemblance to a protective figure from Sasha's past fosters a tender connection.

Ekaterina represents a whirlwind of contradictions—an adorable moe girl and a domineering S/Dom demanding titles like "Queen" or "Empress." As the Copper Qwaser, she wields a puppet named "Mama," reflecting unresolved familial desires. Her traumatic past parallels Sasha's, shaping her cynical worldview. Her penchant for sexually tormenting others provides significant fan service.

Art:

The art style, while not groundbreaking, effectively conveys ecchi and dynamic character entrances. Action sequences break free from traditional panels, creating impactful visuals despite occasional busyness. Overlapping text and sound effects sometimes detract from potential splash pages. The artist excels at rendering female figures, capturing innocence even in suggestive depictions.

Color art shows inconsistency, with darker, muted tones contrasting the generally light-hearted narrative. Highlight techniques resemble older styles, utilizing white excessively instead of lighter shades. Background simplicity accentuates this choice, resulting in less vibrant cover art compared to the anime adaptation.

Overall:

Seikon no Qwaser straddles the line between H-manga and intriguing concept. Its struggle to harmonize ecchi content with plot development leads to missed opportunities. The creative use of periodic elements shines through, yet the integration of Eastern Orthodox themes falters amidst convoluted storylines. Without sufficient community resources to clarify ambiguities, comprehension proves challenging. For those willing to invest time, the series offers moments of interest but ultimately falls short of cohesion.

STORY: Seikon no Qwaser features an engaging storyline marred slightly by excessive ecchi elements. Every time the breastfeeding scenes appear, I find myself indifferent... However, I genuinely gained insights into science and Russian history through this manga.<br /><br />

ART: The artwork is appealing to me despite being somewhat exaggerated, particularly with the character proportions. The designs of their weapons are also quite impressive.<br /><br />

CHARACTER: The characters are likable but lack profound personalities that would fully immerse you in their narratives.<br /><br />

ENJOYMENT: While it was enjoyable overall, the numerous nudity scenes were not to my taste. It's frustrating when you're deeply engrossed in the story, only to encounter a scene that makes you quickly flip the page to avoid seeing a naked body.<br /><br />

OVERALL: I recommend this manga to those who enjoy ecchi content. Beyond its ecchi aspects, it offers battles rich with scientific details. If you can tolerate the ecchi, reading this manga won't pose any issues as it boasts a compelling plot, even with the inclusion of the breastfeeding ritual.<br /><br />

P. S. You can learn about Science and Russian history with this manga.

I never would have thought there's a manga where breastmilk is used to enhance superpowers until now. This came up on Inside Japan Tours for me to discover the strangest manga I could find. The plot was terrible, with rape undertones involving each female character, leaving a bad impression. It's surprising that the creator of Code Geass attempted such a story. Nonetheless, I still consider Code Geass an excellent series.  

Overall, it's an interesting concept but ultimately just one manga to casually read without overthinking, as it is quite ridiculous honestly...

Seikon no Qwaser is my favorite manga series. In my opinion, it stands as one of the best battle shounen series out there. While other battle shounen series may execute certain elements slightly better, Seikon no Qwaser remains the one that resonates with me the most.

I'll start with the art since there isn't much else to say about it. The evolution of the art throughout the manga run is fascinating. Later on, the high contrast art—where many things are either completely black or white without much grey—is particularly appealing.

Moving on to the fights, a critical aspect of any battle shounen, the core lies in the qwaser powers. These allow their users to control specific elements from the periodic table and are fueled by soma, which, while not technically breastmilk in the manga, serves as a substitute for fanservice scenes involving it.

The basic information about qwaser powers is widely known. However, what you won't find elsewhere unless you've read the manga is how well-developed these powers are without ever resorting to exposition dumps. We gradually learn the intricacies, such as the five levels of control and their wave-like behavior, as the story unfolds.

The standout feature of qwaser powers is that almost all qwaser have roughly the same "power level." Those who seem stronger or weaker are explicitly noted as such. Fights depend on the abundance of the element in the surrounding area, the fighters' knowledge of each other's elements and styles, and how effectively each qwaser utilizes their element, rather than simply having the highest "power level."

As mentioned earlier, in Seikon no Qwaser, we receive information about qwaser powers incrementally instead of through large exposition scenes. This approach applies broadly across the series, with big exposition reserved only for real-world events that are harder to integrate organically into the narrative. A strength of this series is the natural way new information is revealed as the story progresses and how well-set up and foreshadowed everything is.

The characters are also intriguing, and the main cast undergoes significant development and growth throughout the series. This is evident due to the parallel scenes in the manga, showing how characters respond differently to similar situations over time.

Lastly, Seikon no Qwaser explores philosophical themes, mainly concerning utilitarianism, deontology, free will, and determinism, as the story advances. Explaining these would require spoilers, so I can only mention them here to pique your curiosity.

For a more detailed analysis of the series (with spoilers), check out my blog on MAL.

tl;dr: A manga that boasts a surprisingly well-thought-out and unique world with compelling mechanics, along with great art, but falls short in terms of plot and character development.

Seikon no Qwaser is an unusual manga. Perhaps its most notable feature is the battles where combatants' abilities are fueled by sucking boobs, treated with complete seriousness. More precisely, it revolves around Qwasers, individuals who can control elements, drawing power called Soma from their partnered Marias. This might seem like an attempt to mask the obvious with fancy terminology, and there's some truth to that. However, beneath the surface, this manga has more depth in its systems and world-building than a simple synopsis suggests.

The term "Qwaser" is just an astronomy term chosen for its cool sound, leaving little room for discussion. On the other hand, the actual elemental abilities are impressively crafted. Characters controlling classical elements like water or fire are common tropes, easy to work with. But controlling elements from the periodic table is far less common and much more intricate. The writing does a commendable job of utilizing each element meaningfully rather than using them as mere window dressing. Early on, the manga grounds itself in how elements are manipulated.

As the story progresses, things become less grounded due to crests and magical circuits enabling more extreme abilities. Yet, even then, the manga largely adheres to the real properties of elements as a foundation. While logical inconsistencies arise, the manga isn't aiming for realism. The thematic use of elements gives weight to the abilities, and deviations from reality add depth. Consequently, the action and general use of abilities remain intriguing throughout most of the manga.

The term "Soma" likely refers to a Hindu drink symbolizing cleansing of past sins, which holds thematic significance. It's peculiar as one of the core terms since most of the manga's lore is rooted in Christianity. The series delves deep into the Orthodox Church more than Evangelion, focusing on unique aspects like icons, panagia, and Stoic concepts such as pneuma. This distinct focus sets it apart, making the narrative feel novel and more engaging.

On the plus side, the manga's art is excellent. It embraces its goals, being extreme in both action and ecchi. The result is edgy yet visually appealing. Its willingness to inject random slice-of-life chapters enhances pacing and flow, offering artistic variety. The art alone makes flipping through the pages enjoyable, supporting the manga effectively.

The manga's biggest flaw lies in its lack of direction and commitment to overarching plotlines. The plot features interesting twists, but they often feel random and forced. There are many interesting and likable characters with wild personalities. However, the writing struggles to focus on any of them adequately, and constant jumping around diminishes their impact. Additionally, there's a severe lack of proper character or relationship development. Attempts at character growth, especially for the protagonist Sasha, are poorly executed and unconvincing. The manga includes minor romance elements, but their insignificance and lack of progression are baffling. The only successful relationship development involves secondary protagonist Katja's mental breakdown, though it's hardly romantic.

These shortcomings culminate in the final arc, which feels rushed. The action lacks punch, the plot veers off course, and too many events unfold too quickly, leading to an anti-climactic feel. The manga abruptly ends without a proper epilogue, leaving no sense of closure. I believe a satisfying ending and epilogue could have forgiven the messy plotting given the manga's nature, but their unsatisfactory execution leaves much to be desired, making the manga as a whole underwhelming.

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An unique idea isn't necessarily a well thought-out idea.

That seems to be an accurate description of the modern Anime/Manga Franchises. While each series may be unique in some instances, and perhaps more and more deviant in its attempts to be unique, it often falls short. For example, a main character that turns into a dog in one of the more recent shows airing, or some of the more infamous titles, such as Sword Art Online.

But enough of that, let's take a closer look at what Seikon no Qwaser is about.

Set in a Japanese Eastern Orthodox High School, Seikon no Qwaser introduces the unique concept of using female lactation as a source of power. While this idea is pretty much unique to the series itself (unless some 18+ Series happen to use this plot device as well), that uniqueness pretty much ends there.

Seikon no Qwaser, while having its chance to become an interesting series, practically squanders every opportunity it has.

In essence, the plot is pretty much irrelevant. What matters is fanservice for those interested in boobs and guro fetishists. If it isn't clear enough by this point, the usage of boobs is nothing more than serving up young and pretty girls.

While the formula of boobs + hot girls + Fights is pretty much time-tested and is a sure success to some degrees in the Anime/Manga industry, it certainly is also a sure ticket to mediocrity when misused. The story starts off in a promising fashion but quickly deteriorates by dropping multiple points that were previously relevant.

The coherency of the story is very low. Why a Qwaser would be located in a Japanese High School is poorly explained and seems like it's only there to induce melodrama. Why most of the Qwasers are high school kids, or the fact the protagonist is 13 years old, is just there made for you to swallow down.

Now, having the "Kids save the world" theme is certainly nothing new, and is rather a cliche. The religion as a basis for magic is also nothing new, and is rather cool. But no rational explanation is ever given to explain it, while the author pretentiously gives scientific explanations on the properties of the matters, even if he seems to be unknowledgeable about girls not having breast milk until impregnated. (Their powers are to control an element, in case you did not read the synopsis)

If you are looking for a coherent plot, prepare to be confused! Characters literally jump out of nowhere in between transitions. For one chapter, a girl who's "genki" would start talking in the middle of nowhere, and another girl who's shown in a few pages back would jump out of nowhere and challenge that girl for no apparent reason! Everything in this series, the placements and coincidences all seem to be arranged for one thing: More boobs!

And that leads me to the next point, the characters. While not expected to have any excellent characters, the series is shockingly bad at portraying real people. The main character is the stereotypical ice-hearted revenge boy, another character is the airhead with big boobs, another is a protective main heroine, and a manipulative loli who dominates people, along with various psychotic individuals from the antagonistic side. But other than the main protagonist, not many characters made me care about them. From time to time, a "sad past" is used, but then the character is pretty much used up and then thrown away. Numerous characters accept the Dominatrix Loli's seduction (Keep in mind this girl is 11 years old), and almost immediately accept themselves as her "Slave," and begin to call her "-sama." Realistic! And not only that, the main characters, such as one of the slave girls of the loli, are mostly normal humans before the events of the story. Yet the characters accept the supernatural occurrences, such as the Qwasers manipulation of elements with relative ease. And the slave girl even left her home for who knows how long, but none of her family members is shown to care...

The dialogue is also nothing special. The characters generally have a catchphrase that is thrown out in a cheesy fashion, such as the main character "tremble in fear!" Every time he defeats a villain, or is about to. The characters engage in discussions in a stereotypical fashion, and most of the word bubbles are either babble, or filled with moans, or an idea of a moan, anyhow. The exchanges in general don't seem to be well thought-out.

And finally, the art. The characters, except maybe Sasha, are all drawn with average drawing skills. The background is mostly blank, and nearly all the Russian characters are drawn with Blonde hair, typical of Japanese perception of Western people. The breasts are the most well-drawn part of any of the characters; you might like the art style's simplisticness, though. Most of the characters' faces look similar, but the distinction is mostly in the eyes. Lots of cliched expressions such as a character talking with one eye shut for no apparent reason. But again, that might be what you like.

Some of the designs, though, are relatively cool, even if they made no sense.

In conclusion, Seikon no Qwaser has an interesting idea, but fails to comprehensively deliver its characters, story, or just events in general as something cohesive. You may like it, but this one, if given thought, will fail you.

The breasts are rather well-drawn, and the amount of guro in the series is rather high when certain characters are introduced.

Try not to look for comedy or a coherent plot when watching this, if you still decide to do so.