Bokurano: Ours

Bokurano is something that probably initially misled a lot of people. Nowadays it has a pretty infamous reputation, but if you were to see or read it when it first came out, or nowadays if you somehow go into it knowing nothing about it, it might seem like a pretty innocent and generic premise: a bunch of kids get signed into a contract where they have to pilot a giant robot and save the earth from aliens. It seems like something that has been done a thousand times before, but if you are perceptive you might notice that there is something...off about it all. And thenyou keep reading and realize just what it is that you've stumbled into. The twist comes with the knowledge that the robot will kill the pilot after a battle is over to fuel itself. Meaning that all of the children who entered the contract effectively exchanged their lives for the sake of saving the world. And there is nothing anyone anywhere can do to change that fact, these children are dead no matter what they do. Before each battle, we get a bit of insight into every single child and find out who they are, what they're struggling with, and what motivates them. It is in these stories that Bokurano shows just how bleak and dark it is. The stories vary in their exact tone, but they all carry an inherent despair and sentimentality because the child is eventually going to die. Some of the stories are REALLY dark, with one in particular that I think most people will definitely remember. What's most interesting is that some of these stories seem to have points of their own, usually to espouse some very unusual and cynical messages that you really don't see that often, such as a discussion about the whole "one death is a tragedy, one million is a statistic" concept that ends nothing like you'd expect it to. Even though this manga is so oppressive, and seems to border on being dark for darkness' own sake at times, it is incredibly gripping and powerful. All of the children's stories are heartbreaking in their own way and none of them are bad. The side characters like the army guys and Koyemshi are also pretty memorable in their own right. The ending to this series is also brilliantly done. Kitoh's art is actually kind of strange. Normally I dislike the kind of stylistic decisions Kitoh makes; his characters have pretty generic, simplified facial features common to a lot of manga, and his characters are mostly pretty skinny and have very subdued facial expressions. But he obviously knows a thing or two about drawing, his scene composition, perspective, grasp of form, etc, are all clearly displayed in the manga and help elevate the storytelling of the manga. His design sense is also quite unique; his robots look nothing like what you'd see in most mech shows, many of them are very bizarre and abstract and don't really resemble anything in particular. The end result meaning that even though Kitoh is not necessarily one of my favorite artists in the industry, I do like his style all the same and I feel that it is more than adequate to telling this story. At the end of the day, Bokurano is probably a manga that many will find is just trying way too hard to be edgy. But if you are like me you will probably find that the execution of the heavy content is more than satisfactory and makes the story more powerful most of the time. If you want something that will give you intense feels and is unlike anything you have seen in the robot genre, this is for you. It is a pretty different work altogether from Evangelion despite some superficial similarities, so you wouldn't necessarily dislike it if you're not an Evangelion fan.

A title that will stick with you. The story's main focus is a large cast of kids who are thrown into an almost inescapable death-trap, forcing them to rethink how they wish to spend their last moments alive. It is a concept that fascinates me to no end. Each character is unique and memorable in this anthology of death and misery. The problem lies in its execution. Some of the twists and turns that happen in the story are truly impactful, but the characters experiencing these events simply feel alien. It is one of those titles where characters act deadpan most of the time. When the storyis told through people that fail to represent basic human behavior, most of its messages fall flat. Add some clunky monologues about death and issues in society, and it all makes the story feel pretentious toward the later parts. Without spoiling too much here are two examples. Out of all the kids, only one of them actually panics and thinks of how much he has yet to experience in life. Yet everyone around him acts as though he's abnormal. I can't help but think this character had more potential. Later on we also learn one of the girls was abused in the worst way possible, and yet everyone acts as if she's the villain in the drama. Heck, her parents seem to condemn her actions more than they condemn the men who put her in that situation. Did I still enjoy it? I would say yes, the art was fitting, some of the children's stories do stand out and it captures a dire atmosphere. It makes the reader think and that makes it memorable and worth picking up if you want something that isn't just brainless entertainment.

The usual complaints I see are that characters have a lack of "emotion" and 'reaction". Subtle facial features and pent up emotions do not mean there is a lack of emotion. In real life, when someone is happy they do not jump around in joy and their faces do not suddenly get larger with a gigantic smile. These are over exaggerated emotions. When someone is angry or upset, not all people just collapse in tears or pop blood vessels. Most pent this emotion up and most people do not notice it unless they are looking very closely. Though Bokurano's premise is out of this world, everything israther human. This manga is fantastic, placing the characters in a hopeless and desperate situations. It forces the raw emotions out of each character and the reader themselves. If you are into deep stories that challenge the fundamental nature of life and humans, please read this. Do not read this if you are looking for a funny or happy go lucky story. You will not find it here.

A bunch of 7th grade kids fight with a giant robot to save the world. Could it be more cliche? I've found references to Bokurano anime on the internet, finding for mecha style animes. At first i watched the anime and found it amazing. But then I've read the manga. It was outstanding. The main plot involves this fifteen kids who sealed a contract with a strange man. Everything they know it was they have to use a giant robot to fight with an enemy with similiar one. Sooner they discover that every fight has it price. Many people die during battles (many know people, even kidsrelatives often) and most important, the contract has horrible conditions they never knew. Without any spoilers i can say the remaining history develops around how the kids face their fates, and how they deal with the feel o lost or despair of being in charge of mankind. Every one react in different ways. Some fall in despair. Some fight bravely. Some simple don't mind anything and some just (try to) runaway. The way the plot develops is amazing. Every kid has it own fears, history, desires. Their history sometimes get involved into and sometimes the character has their own history. Every chapter was better than another. The only "mistake" i cant found was the art, wich particulary i've disliked. Its detailed sometimes but miss an art finalization. I dont know if i get used to it or if the drawing get more improved until the end, but this doest matter. If you like Evangelion like anime/manga Bokurano dont you dare die before reading this. And do it before you seal the contract.