Levius

This will be my second written review on this website. I usually don't feel compelled to write them but I do so when it's for underrated mangas that are misunderstood or need more attention. This is one of them. I found out about this manga as I was reading some random Twitter thread where people weresupposed to list down obscure manga, and as always, people were listing well-known things like Jigokuraku Hell's Paradise or Jujutsu Kaisen. One person however, mentioned this manga and it seemed very interesting so I felt compelled to check it out. The first few chapters didn't grab me initially, because though Iliked how unique the artstyle was, it was a bit hard to read through. Eventually, it started to grow on me as my enjoyment of the series grew as well, around chapter 5. By the end of it, I loved the artstyle and its uniqueness as a whole. It's pretty amazing on a technical level and has a very fluidly sketchy feel to it that's great for conveying action. And the art is only one part of it; by the time the story picks up at around chapter 5, the rest becomes an interesting thrill ride that does very well in getting you invested from only a limited amount of chapters. I've read four or five times the length of this manga in chapters of other series and those other series still failed to really interest me. The characters become surprisingly engaging and belie more than they seem to be on the surface. The worldbuilding was also great in this manga given with how short it was. It did well to set up the basic foundation of different existing organizational bodies and the history of how the current setting came to be. These all augmented the enjoyment of the story and of the characters. Though the plot is relatively simple, you can tell the author put a lot of attention to detail into fleshing out this riveting steampunk world. And though it's short, it clearly conveys the potential this world has in store and makes you excited for the sequel, which I have yet to read but I'm sure will be great. Perhaps my only issue with this manga was the main villain, who seemed to be a bit over-the-top to the point of being a kind of a caricature. If they were toned down and had more depth they'd be more enjoyable. So anyway, if you like unique artstyles and cool settings with raw characters, read it!

Every once in a while I come across a series that grabs me by the throat and says "Come on kid, we’re going for a ride." When it comes to the series itself, you’ll find that the hook comes in early, namely the art. Levius features some positively *breathtaking work*. What was particularly striking to me was the level of emotional affect in the facial expressions throughout the volume. Where the story really demonstrates its strength is the major narrative shift that happens in the 2nd act. While some stories have difficulty re-centering the readers attention on a new “target”, Levius effortlessly ties in the connection tothe broader story, and uses it as an impetus for Levius to grow as a character. + The pacing is astonishingly good, with very little waste or fluff. My only critique in terms of pacing comes in the conclusion. After building up the antagonist to be a thoroughly intimidating and frightening force, the formal introduction of the faction known as the “Grand Thirteen” provides a conclusion that’s almost too clean. On the one hand, I can appreciate the revelation that this tier of power is what we can expect in future volumes. On the other hand, it might strike some readers as a bit too much like deus ex machina. Go forth, give this Manga a spin. You wont regret it.

Im torn between giving it a 10 or a 9, what captivated me the most, and what made me start reading Levius is the art style, but it is not only a beautiful work visually, the characters gain great depth in the short run it has, and the world is incredibly interesting, its got brutal and stoic art, while also balancing out with beauty. In the beginning the narrative reminds me a lot of Blame! it relies a lot more on its art, and visual story telling rather than in dialogue, but as the work progresses we learn more about the characters, their personalities, andtheir goals. As a conclusion Im just gonna say that if you either like beautiful art, or great fights, you should give this manga a try, it wont disappoint.