Origin

tl;dr: A manga with interesting concepts and well implemented sci-fi that falls apart horribly as it reaches its end. This manga has a lot of interesting aspects that work quite well together. Firstly, the basic premise of a robot protagonist doing his best to blend in unnoticed with humans while having to deal with various problems that only robots have like charging and maintenance is incredibly interesting. The writing also does a good amount of showing the internal thoughts of the protagonist, which are very logical and contrast in a generally amusing manner from all the humans around him who are often quite emotional, but atthe same time don't feel completely cold and seem to have some level of humanness to them. This results in some great comedy, but also allows for a lot of good character and relationship development. The highlight of this is the heroine Hirose, who is incredibly likable and has a decent amount of depth to her. The robot aspect in general also feels very well done with things feeling like they're being properly explained for the most part and it getting quite deep into the hard sci-fi aspects. This is especially prominent during the action scenes like robot battles where things often get incredibly complicated and heavy on tech, but still manage to flow well and be really exciting and interesting. Unfortunately, all of these strengths only last for about two thirds of the manga. After that the blending in aspect gets dropped and in general the comedy disappears, leading to a much darker tone. The plot ends up going in directions that really doesn't treat any of its characters well. Some characters end up getting completely screwed over by the plot, in some cases in ways that feel completely unfair and unnecessary. Some characters that seemed likable have random heel turns which are equally annoying. And some just end up being way more lame than they should have been. The plot itself becomes overtly crazy. The harder sci-fi aspects are dropped and characters just start getting arbitrary supernatural powers. And while the ending does finish essentially all the important plot threads, it doesn't feel satisfying at all as it feels that it does this by throwing away pretty much everything it built up over the course of the manga. It also doesn't help that this entire last third happens in an extremely rushed manner that just makes everything so underwhelming. If you've read another relatively popular manga by Boichi, Sunken Rock, it isn't that bad, but it's pretty close, and I think close enough to give me an impression that this guy while great at coming up with concepts for manga is terrible at ending them. Still, a strength that does remain consistent from beginning to end is the art, which is excellent with good designs and an elaborate art style for both characters and machinery with good range in terms of being able to convey action, horror, and comedy all pretty well.

I am really sad to rate this title as "(4) Bad" because I was insanely excited to read more and more at the beginning. The formula of Origin being a socially awkward broke android that has brain capacity beyond human understanding really worked for me. I found the jokes really funny and the characters worked well for me in the first arc. I laughed quite a bit watching how the protagonist is avoiding socialization at all cost not because he is some weeb degen, but because he simply doesn't want to get discovered, and yet still attracting attention because he has not idea how to communicate.Now let's get back to bad rating. <Fights> I don't really understand why other people are giving praise to fights because the fights are actually abysmal dogsh*t. Yes, the art is there - we have cool poses and brutal action. But there is no motion, no actual choreography. You often can't track the fighters' movements as they turn into a complete mash of white lines and post-image that aren't even shaded in according to movement order. <Fanservice> It is ubiquitous. It will chase you to the bottoms of hell. Panels with the behind-woman's-ass camera framing will be present throughout the whole journey, up until the last chapters. I believe there are more asses drawn then girls' faces. I was hoping to get a solid battle in the end wit pure fighting and nothing else. I was immediately reality checked by a page wide panel with just a female pelvis flashing a thong under a floating skirt, showing thick thighs in strapped stockings. Yes, we get it Boichi, you can draw very sexy stuff, now can we pleeeeeaaaase get a normal hand-to-hand combat? The manga also always returns to the trope of the poor android with no money "ha-ha even robots have to work in this capitalism" - and I liked those bits. But the author just keeps going back to this idea all the way to the last arc, Boichi doesn't even change wording, it's just the same phrase over and over "Even a robot has money problems, what a mess" or something like that. This problem persists into other parts of story as well, characters keep repeating the same phrases and trying to make it look like character development. Our hero is constantly wondering what his father tried to tell him, which is theoretically fine, but he just keeps saying the same thing over and over until some stupid ass pull happens and he "changes" as a human. This "character development" feels so abrupt and disconnected that it feels like I am reading about some bipolar dude spitting nonsense to people around him for no reason. I mean, imagine if your best friend suddenly started talking like Warren Buffet about some insane finance investment formulas and ideas, then talking like a hobbo who only wants to drink moonshine whole week, and then like Donald Trump blabbering about his greatness. Now stretch this psychotic episode for 90 chapters and you get Origin character experience. All that said, I beg you to try reading Origin for at least twenty chapters. During these twenty chapters the world of Origin is very grounded and organic, it is fine, it works.

°English Version° After reading Boichi's Origin I am very satisfied knowing that it is the first thing I read by this author and I loved it. Although its 87 chapters feel short and it is true that it loses strength towards the end, it does not mean that it entertained me for a while and I enjoyed it very much. It has an immediately engaging story, and to this is added Boichi's ability to vary or switch between serious/comic situations without feeling forced. Something that the author also achieves perfectly is the development of his protagonist, Tanaka (Origin). Many of the secondary characters have very little or nodevelopment (except for Mai Hirose), but that's fine because they serve the function that Origin learns from them, learns from humans. Tanaka evolves knowing about them and seeks to become the last dream of his father. The manga always moves in a constant search for "proper living". Tanaka's learning is precious in that sense because he not only gains experience with each step, but he learns from those around him and forms that "ideal" that he knew how to desire. It is beautiful how he manages to realize what he has, what he gains, and also what he loses. Circumstances that are repeated and help him to form and also become the dreams of the people who love him, fulfilling not only the satisfaction of himself, but also of the rest. Not to mention the drawing. Total madness Boichi's attention to detail when it comes to getting serious. The fights, the moral debates, the feelings, everything helps to transmit much more and better when the mangaka leaves his life in the details. Rarely have I seen something so beautiful. Finally, I close this opinion by saying that you give this manga a chance. He is very good at what he sets out to do and fulfills what he wants to look for. Now it will be time to read something more from Boichi to find some "jewel". --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- °Versión en español° Terminado de leer Origin de Boichi me voy muy satisfecho sabiendo que es lo primero que leo de este autor y me encanto. Aunque se sienten cortos sus 87 capítulos y es cierto que pierde fuerza llegando al final, no quita que me entretuvo un rato y lo disfruté muchísimo. Tiene una historia que engancha enseguida, y a esto se le suma la capacidad que tiene Boichi de variar o cambiar entre situaciones serias/cómicas sin sentirse forzado. Algo que también logra el autor de forma perfecta es el desarrollo de su protagonista, Tanaka (Origin). Muchos de los personajes secundarios tienen muy poco o nada de desarrollo (menos Mai Hirose), pero eso está bien porque cumplen la función de que Origin aprenda de ellos, aprenda de los humanos. Tanaka evoluciona sabiendo de ellos y busca convertirse en el último sueño de su padre. El manga se mueve siempre en una búsqueda constante de el “vivir apropiadamente”. El aprendizaje de Tanaka es precioso en ese sentido porque no solo gana experiencia, sino que aprende de los que lo rodean y forma ese “ideal” que supo desear. Es hermoso como logra darse cuenta de lo que tiene, de lo que gana, y también de lo que pierde. Circunstancias que se repiten y lo ayudan a formarse y convertirse también en los sueños de las personas que lo aman, cumpliendo no solo la satisfacción de el mismo, también del resto. Ni hablar del dibujo. Una locura total el detallismo que tiene Boichi a la hora de ponerse serio. Las peleas, los debates morales, los sentimientos, todo ayuda a transmite mucho más y mejor cuando el mangaka se deja la vida en los detalles. Pocas veces vi algo tan lindo. Por último, cierro esta opinión diciendo que le den una oportunidad a este manga. Es muy bueno en lo que se propone y cumple en lo que quiere buscar. Ahora tocará leer algo mas de Boichi para encontrar alguna "joyita".