Birdmen is one of my new favorite manga. Story: 7/10 There is a lot of time spent on how a child adapts to growing wings alongside his friends, and how to adjust to his new life. It is very practical and lighthearted, until the focus shifts from the main character and his friends to the evolution of the species itself. This is important to note for those who might not like science fiction. Unfortunately, there were a lot of characters and plot lines that were not utilized to their fullest extent. Some of the series' biggest mysteries are not explained very well, and this can be unsatisfying whenyou expect to find answers for things teased the entire manga. All of this rushing is the reason why many people, myself included, suspect that this manga was axed (probably around 60 chapters in). Some of the unclear explanations may also be due to the poor translation of some chapters.
Despite this, I think the story was still overall fun and had a fine conclusion. The mangaka is able to highlight the struggles of being a child in a harsh world and how important it is to have people beside you to face such struggles.
Art: 7/10
The art is clean cut and good for the most part. Sometimes ears and side profiles are drawn strangely, or some character's faces are uncharacteristically harsh. As the story went on, some of the character designs became less and less distinct. Sometimes this is done on purpose for plot reasons, other times it is what it is.
The children, when in "birdmen" form, have great designs. The only gripe is that in the beginning, sometimes characters can be indistinguishable besides the little designs on their helmets which can lead to some confusion when reading.
The art is very charming overall, and really shines in emotional moments and double page spreads. Personally, my favorite aspect is the volume covers, especially the last one.
Character: 8/10
Some characters introduced were definitely supposed to play a bigger role but were forgotten by the end after the halfway point, and the original cast's development is ditched in favor of more important characters. Even so, the mangaka never fails to stress the important of friendship and bonds between the characters. This goes for pretty much everyone, especially the children. The concept of bonds between the birdmen, no matter who you are or where you're from, is something that is explored constantly and is heartwarming to read.
The main character (Eishi) undeniably goes through the most profound change. His development is slow and subtle, and is always tied with the character that turned him into a birdman (Takayama). Through Takayama, Eishi opens a new world and grows for the better by meeting new people and overcoming challenges. The road he takes to get there is one of the most enjoyable parts of the manga because of how well it is handled.
Enjoyment: 9/10
Despite not realizing its full potential, Birdmen is still a great read for its science fiction themes mixed with some lighthearted manga tropes. The plot is dramatic and ambitious, and it's fun to see where it will take you. The characters are very likeable, and help contrast against the dark mood of the manga. I strongly encourage those who enjoy science fiction or themes of evolution, those who like bird people, or those who want to see a main character grow and mature in a wonderful way to read this work!
