Karneval

Story: 7/10 Art: 8/10 Character: 7/10 Enjoyment: 8/10 Overall: 8/10 While this is a relatively unknown series, Its definitely worth checking out for its fun characters, interesting story with lots of unexpected twists and one of the most unique shounen-style manga out there (imo). It took me a while to really get into it, but its ABSOLUTELY worth sticking with and finishing. Its a shounen/seinen at the genre's best and most niche. It has action, comedy, a bit of science, magic and the craziest twists to the plot direction that surprisingly kept me hooked. Its a shounen to its core, from the action to the characters, but that isn't necessarilya bad thing. However, I put this into mixed feelings due to my thoughts on how this might appeal to other readers (my biased rating is that this is wholeheartedly reccomended) pros: One of the many pros of this series is the cast of characters. In short, some might like the characters and find their 2010's shounen charm enjoyable, but others might not due to how initially reliant they are on character tropes. But the characters (at least the main three/four) grow into their own story arcs the more that is revealed about them. Their interactions in the main story and in the omake comics are very fun. And their involvement with the story grows in very unexpected directions which are constantly fun to read as the overarching story unravels. As for the story, Karneval is one of the most unpredictable in its direction. The plot seems simple in the beginning, but it fleshes out into so much more than what it initially started out as. I won't mention specifics due to spoilers, but little details or bits of knowledge that are revealed grow into decisions the characters must make that affect the world they live in. Pro or con: The art can either be a pro or a con for some people, as its very mid 2010's in the character designs/clothing, but to others it might just be another unique and interesting thing about the series. Another thing that depends on the reader is the amount of fanservice. Surprisingly, fanservice from female characters is as minimal as you can get from a shounen-style manga. The fanservice is mostly from male characters after each volume or in colored art. Cons: Like stated, before, some people might not like this on account of how trope-heavy the characterization is in the beginning. Nai, for example, is pretty annoying at first, thinking about nothing but Karoku, saying his name enough times to ensure the reader won't forget it. But something else that might turn people away from the series is how slow the plot is to start. The interesting worldbuilding and character development doesn't start until about where the anime ends (about 3-4 volumes in) which is too slow for some. Another thing that might be a con for some is the pacing. It feels very jarring when the amount of lore and information suddenly increases a LOT, resulting in quite a few semi-wordy pages. In conclusion, while those who have read Karneval love it, it might not be for everyone. But it is extremely unique with its story, its characters are entertaining, and the art is perfectly 2000's-2010's. If any of that sounds appealing, I fully encourage giving Karneval a try.