rnbhargava's reviews
406 reviews

Tokyo Revengers (Omnibus) Vol. 3-4 by Ken Wakui

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This volume deals with a lot of gang violence. Confrontations happen. There are injuries and repercussions from these events. It’s all very involving. Be forewarned.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

There is violence with knives and bats and tying up those they mean to beat up. There is a mass fight between two large rival gangs. There is violence of all sorts, including guns, explosions and bombs. Be forewarned.

Tokyo Revengers (Omnibus) Vol. 1-2 by Ken Wakui

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

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

3.75

This initial volume is quite good. The premise is a strong one, the protagonist can potentially save future lives by rewriting the events of the past. That said, the art could have been stronger and the character designs could have been more distinctive, personal flair additions given the characters wear uniforms. The story carries despite any small drawbacks with the art. The bonds between the characters alongside the time switch elements is very effective. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

There are gang fights and there is a prominent suicide scene in this volume so be forewarned

The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The narrative and mysteries were very engaging once it got going. The nature of online interactions in relation to popular pieces of media is fertile ground for storytelling. That said, the in game chats were a bit of a slog when broken up into 2-3 conversations happening near simultaneous. Yes, I didn’t mind flipping back and forth on pages but it took some adjusting. The characterizations are all really good. Seeing how all these different types of personalities could be prone to certain types of toxic online behavior was entertaining. I will say that one of the storylines is a bit hard to get by given it specifically involves kids. The side cases were good for highlighting the different contractors personalities. I liked that the entire main case was largely about people being manipulated by someone charismatic online. That all said, the book is lengthy and it could have been tightened up 200-300 pages or at least some of the game chat chapters could have been combined or tightened. 

Overall, I enjoyed it. Another good book in the series.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

See all the triggers for the types of grotesque things discussed and done to characters because of the online and in real life sketchiness of people associated with the cases and to a degree with people in the characters’ lives

Summertime Rendering Volume 4 by Yasuki Tanaka

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This volume keeps the action, mystery, suspense, horror, thrills and bits of humor going at a breakneck speed as we head toward the overall climax. I’m sure others will find faults with this series but I’m absolutely loving it and find it incredibly addictive.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

The violence is graphic but it’s also science fiction/supernatural horror tinged so make of that what you will for your own self censoring.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition, Vol. 5 by Hiromu Arakawa

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

This volume is action packed. We learn more about our main characters. New antagonists bring the fight to our heroes. The moral ambiguity is abundant. We come to sympathize with some antagonists and question some believed to be heroes. The emotional parts are strong. I just wish there was maybe a bit more breathing room to linger in emotions amidst all the action, humor and suspense. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

There’s a lot of action/violence in this volume. Whether those actions are justifiable or not is the question the characters are left with. Further, a big theme in this particular volume is whether alchemical transformation makes one superior or not to other individuals. Are you justified in policing other extreme factions of alchemy users when you yourself might not be fully in good moral and politically excusable standing. The villains are not all bad, the heroes are not all good. It’s getting really interesting. Now to track down volume 6.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition, Vol. 4 by Hiromu Arakawa

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This series just keeps getting better. We mostly learn more of the Elric Brothers origin story. It’s fun, uplifting, tense, sad and tragic all at once. Youthful sense of invincibility meeting horror and tragedy. It’s just something you gotta read. I frankly can’t wait to jump into volume 5 in the Fullmetal Editions. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Self harm, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

This volume shows the emotional and physical cost of what the brothers did to get into their current situation. It’s fun yet tense and tragic as well. It’s very emotional. Be forewarned.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition, Vol. 3 by Hiromu Arakawa

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I love this volume. Things really come to a head. The emotions and the literal story action and suspense is ratcheted up so much in this volume. This is clearly about where most will decide whether they enjoy the series completely or say this isn’t for me. I’m loving it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

There is a highlight on social inequalities and the minor crimes that go along with it, military abuses, a character goes into labor, perhaps most triggering for some would be the funeral of a character that has a young daughter and the trauma that child shows through that portion of storytelling. This is a story with sides that are trying to kill each other off too so be forewarned. There’s a sense of existential angst through much of this volume that’s also interesting but keep it in mind for if you’d recommend this series to anyone. This volume also highlights how our main characters are essentially disabled people who need to have a close bond with the person that can redesign and repair essentially their on body mobility aids. I’m loving this series.

Spy x Family, Vol. 8 by Tatsuya Endo

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I’m absolutely biased. Yor is out to her personal and professional limit and I loved every single moment, including side plots and gags.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Violence, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

This is the single bloodiest and violent volume of Spy X Family that I have read so far. Most of the volumes of this book I would certainly recommend to many if their kid wanted to read something that’s mostly family friendly but still action packed. The presence of family is really important here but the literal violence depicted goes through the roof in this volume. Maybe only give this particular volume to a 12-13 year old at the youngest.

Colorless Vol. 1 by KENT

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious relaxing tense fast-paced

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

4.0

It’s a very striking science fiction action thriller noir with the key concept of a world robbed of color. The art style is actually mostly akin to North American comics as opposed to manga. If anything I wish the book volume was in a larger paper trim size. The characters and world got me intrigued enough with this volume that I am definitely continuing.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

The villains are a totalitarian regime that can make things seem that different things happened than what actually did. Some of these things are grotesque and highly violent. The world is very dark and the characters are mutated heavily which could be jarring or unsettling to some. Keep in mind before reading.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition, Vol. 2 by Hiromu Arakawa

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious relaxing sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

The world of the series really opens up in this volume. It also gets darker and we learn more about the characters and the limits of alchemy. It’s all very involving with moral quandaries and thematically doubled match ups for conflicts. It’s intense ideologically as opposed to in action depicted which still dips in and out of aggressive violence

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

All of these themes are present but framed within the fantasy world that the characters live in. I just put everything in the graphic category though most of it is honestly in the moderate category. I can always use more hence 4.0