kazwrecked's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
dreamerfreak's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Injury/injury detail, Death, Body horror, Violence, Blood, and Misogyny
Moderate: Cannibalism, Xenophobia, and Cursing
kozy_books's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
5.0
kaitieg97's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, and Misogyny
kristinasshelves's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars.
The story picks up exactly where the first volume left off, with Gabimaru The Hollow on an enigmatic island with a band of vicious criminals. As established in that first volume, Gabimaru s a skilled ninja who is incapable of dying, despite witnessing several torturous methods of execution attempted against him. He was sent to the island to compete for a pardon to be released from his ninja duties and live a normal life. It is clear that the insidious creatures on the island are no match to Gabimaru in the initial chapter, but he may meet his match in the newly introduced Yuzuriha and her feminine wiles.
We then meet more individuals on the island and learn their backstory in flashbacks. I always enjoy the use of flashbacks, so that was a good edition to this volume. There is an interesting underlying theme of one’s internal motivations for living and the actions they choose. Gender roles also play a role in the character’s lives in a prevalent way. There is a good deal of violence and combat in this volume, but not as much as the first installment. There is also nudity featured in this one.
I enjoyed the first volume in this manga series and was excited for further installments to be published. For me, this collection of chapters 7-16 in the story was not as enjoyable as the first volume as it felt slow. I know second books in series are often not as good due to having to set the stage for more to occur later, but with nine already published volumes, I would have thought this would have been more similar to the first book in terms of content and underlying meaning. This does end on a cliffhanger and as I’m still invested in the story, I’ll be on the lookout for volume three.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a PDF of this title for review.
The story picks up exactly where the first volume left off, with Gabimaru The Hollow on an enigmatic island with a band of vicious criminals. As established in that first volume, Gabimaru s a skilled ninja who is incapable of dying, despite witnessing several torturous methods of execution attempted against him. He was sent to the island to compete for a pardon to be released from his ninja duties and live a normal life. It is clear that the insidious creatures on the island are no match to Gabimaru in the initial chapter, but he may meet his match in the newly introduced Yuzuriha and her feminine wiles.
We then meet more individuals on the island and learn their backstory in flashbacks. I always enjoy the use of flashbacks, so that was a good edition to this volume. There is an interesting underlying theme of one’s internal motivations for living and the actions they choose. Gender roles also play a role in the character’s lives in a prevalent way. There is a good deal of violence and combat in this volume, but not as much as the first installment. There is also nudity featured in this one.
I enjoyed the first volume in this manga series and was excited for further installments to be published. For me, this collection of chapters 7-16 in the story was not as enjoyable as the first volume as it felt slow. I know second books in series are often not as good due to having to set the stage for more to occur later, but with nine already published volumes, I would have thought this would have been more similar to the first book in terms of content and underlying meaning. This does end on a cliffhanger and as I’m still invested in the story, I’ll be on the lookout for volume three.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a PDF of this title for review.
maleesha's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
sanriovirgo's review against another edition
4.0
Slower than volume 1 probably bc they spent half the manga fighting one guy and talking but still the art was amazing and i cant wait to know more about the village