Reviews

Made in Abyss, Tome 1 by Akihito Tsukushi

saramarie08's review against another edition

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2.0

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Almost two thousand years ago, a cavernous abyss was found on a remote island, delighting explorers near and far who had already explored the known world. A shanty town sprung up on the edge of this abyss, and an explorer caste system was created. Several layers of the abyss were explored, but people quickly found out that there were unavoidable sicknesses from ascending, similar to "the bend" on deep sea diving. The farther down one got, the worse the sicknesses get as you ascend. A young orphan named Rico wants nothing more than to become the top explorer, a white whistle. to follow in her mother's footsteps, another white whistle, and discover amazing things inside the abyss. One day, she comes across a robot boy whom she names Reg, and her desire to explore the depths of the abyss becomes a reality.

This story has a really interesting premise and some great world building, but there are so many flaws that it is hard to overlook them and continue reading. Tsukushi repeats the "curses of the abyss" throughout the volume, and I'm not sure that it’s because of the serialization (the fact that this was published originally as individual chapters separate from each other) because this is the only thing that is repeated (usually, character introductions are also repeated so readers can remember who they are). I never understood the "fan service" concept until this title. Fan service is when creators add elements to the story that are guaranteed to please an audience, and usually they're sexual in nature. In this title, several times we see Rico strung up naked as a punishment for not following instructions. Also, when Rico first finds Reg, she reports to the other children what she's found out about him while he's unconscious, including probing his rectum and penis. Reg contemplates his existence as a robot, and pulls open his pants, wondering why he needs that if he's just a robot. None of these were really necessary bits of information that furthered the narrative. Why would a little girl think to probe a robot's private parts in order to learn more about him as a robot?

The art is really interesting. The pages all have a grey hue to them, and the characters are all drawn in a chibi style. The monsters are still frightening, so not everything is cutsy. This whole volume would look great as a watercolor.

It's all very unfortunate that there are so many problems because, while I would like to see what Rico and Reg find in the abyss, I won't be continuing on.

Sara's Rating: 4/10
Suitability Rating: None

krispysev's review against another edition

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

5.0

If someone tells me not to read something because they find it offensive i go and check it out to form my own opinions. I really enjoy this series! The sexualization of some of the characters is a little off putting at times and I could see that being a dealbreaker for a lot of people. But it’s best to view all media with a critical lens and not just blindly follow what people on Twitter say. 

spiffysarahruby's review against another edition

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4.0

Off to a good start...

megan_fowle's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

arinuccia's review against another edition

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medium-paced

3.0

rostyslav_nazarenko's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

bluebirdwithdaises's review against another edition

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

4.0

raechsreads's review against another edition

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3.0

A world centered around an abyss down into the earth. Riko and other cave divers seek treasure in the depths. She finds a treasure unheard of a robotic human. An interesting story about treasure hunters mixed with a family mystery.

elijahmwh's review against another edition

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5.0

Note: This is my rating and review for the entire series.

WOW WOW WOW WOW! Talk about a series that absolutely exceeds your expectations.

First off, the art. Absolutely incredible (as it should be for dropping a chapter every 2-4 months lol). with the worldbuilding being one of the strong points, the art does a fantastic job at developing it and bringing the ideas to life. The ever-expansive, mysterious abyss that contains wonders you cannot find anywhere else in the world, is the heart and soul of the series. Everyone who descends into the abyss has a reason, and their ambitions and desires are explored and portrayed incredibly.

This series tries to hide itself as a fun journey by exploring the story through the eyes of young children, but in reality, the abyss is cruel. From child experimentation, death, murder, abuse, and sexual assault, the abyss is cruel.

Made is Abyss is a masterpiece in fantasy manga.

maximuspr's review against another edition

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adventurous dark
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0