Reviews

The Drifting Classroom, Vol. 1 by Kazuo Umezu

sammmm7's review

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adventurous tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

hunteraunt12's review

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

mehsi's review

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4.0

What happens when an elementary school gets isekai-ed to a whole new and dangerous world?


I have heard so so much about this book. People saying how horrific it was, people telling it was great horror, and others. So for this Halloween, before it is over cries I wanted to give at least the first volume a shot. See if I would like it.

I wasn’t at first sure about the art, that is what made me struggle a bit, but after 2 chapters I started to love the style. It wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t always pretty, but for some reason I liked it.

In this one it is seemingly a normal day for Sho, an elementary school boy. Well, with the exception of a big argument with his mom, which will haunt him for a long time after. He is late to school and hurries to get there. I think if he had known what was about to happen that he would have gone for his lunch money, just like his best friend did. But instead he made it in time, and just a bit after school starts… there is an earthquake and at first the kids and teachers think it is all OK, but then things hit the fan, and we see that the school is somewhere in a new world. With nothing around them but desert sand (or whatever that stuff is).

And so chaos happens. I was a bit shocked with how the teachers handled the kids. Sure, I can imagine that they may have been trampled (like that one teacher), but hitting kids? Threatening them with broken glass? Um, no. That is just bad in my book. Very bad. Sure, it helped… but come on.

I felt so sorry for the kids. These are elementary kids so they are around 6/7-12 years I am guessing. You could see them being scared, afraid, wanting their moms and dads. I was actually tearing up for these little ones. Not knowing if they ever would come home, if they would stay alive, if they ever see their moms/dads again.

I did like how the chapters were written. Nothing was rushed. We see how chaos starts, how teachers try to fix things, how Sho was told to lie and how the teachers took that over (though he wasn’t even far from the truth in some parts), and then things went truly south (OMG at that last panel on the 4th chapter, NOPE cringes).

All in all, this was pretty OK to read. A bit gruesome at times but I think the true gruesomeness is still to come. shivers Also I still have so many questions. What happened to the school? Why was it teleported there? Will the kids survive? Will they come home? What will happen next? I hope we get some answers in the next volume.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

aotrejo's review

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5.0

This book is different from any horror Japanese manga that I have ever read. Vol. 1 is definitely up there with Uzumaki. The art work reminds me of the old Japanese style comics like that of Yoshihiro Tatsumi, but Umezu's work is much more detailed oriented. The fact that the main characters are little 6th graders and under makes this way more intense for me. My only problem is Sho's attitude with his mother escalated way too fast. I basically began reading this not liking him or his mother. There is some unexpected violence, which I did not see coming. I look forward to reading the next book.

ostrava's review

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3.0

The art style is good for its time, but I find the way everyone runs around to be hilarious.

It's a bit silly, but I kinda dig it.

There's a vibe to it...

theohume's review

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dark mysterious fast-paced

4.0

blkwwwaffle's review

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3.0

a fever dream multiplied by 1,000

standardman's review

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3.0

I've heard a lot about Umezu so when I wanted a horror manga, he was my first call. I'm a little disappointed by the often crude looking figures and the pretty simplistic character actions but I'll stick with it because there are moments of real dread in there.

A weak start to a series with a fun hook.

curiousmadra's review

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tense

3.75

It's a really well done 70s thriller manga like yeah the teachers were rather scummy and all the kids just want is to be reunited with their families. This has really good original storytelling from Umezu-san and would recommend to ppl to check this out even if it is old skool!

foxyfoxyfoxy's review

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This first volume was overall really cool, although there were a few parts that felt dated or didn't seem to trigger the intended emotional reaction in me. I've never seen an artstyle that is as pregnant with menace and a sheer oppressive heaviness as Umezu-sensei's. It's been months since I've read this first volume, and it still intrigues me; I plan on continuing to read the series when I get the chance.