It's funny how some people mention a "Berserk experience", because my experience of a read-through is that the genre seemed to change completely between major arcs, so they have different strengths and weaknesses. In particular: 13w50

• The first few volumes were pretty much horror/fantasy. The atmosphere is dark and despairing, the villains are pretty much stereotypical evil, and more amusingly, the...

Geez, those who compared this series to a hentai must not have read beyond two chapters.

The first chapter is indeed a bit shocking, as the author may not have fully decided yet what the tone of the series should be. However, the tone becomes considerably tamer right after, and what we're left is a charming series about friends and family, set in a multi-racial world that has overcome most...

I am personally quite fond of this series, especially of its main character, Yvienne. By all s she should be a Mary Sue, except she is genuinely captivating. Strong, courageous, witty and funny, she just oozes charm and confidence in a way that makes you genuinely like her.

Yvienne is not without her flaws, but she is complimented perfectly by her friend Lariatte. The friendship between the...

In the past, I've often thought how silly it was that so many manga "ponder" on the inevitability of war, only to take the easy way out with the defeat of the bad guy of the day (Naruto being a prime example).

After all, we've figured out the path to peace a long time ago, and we're living it right now: economic interdependence (coupled with social progress). As long as it's more profitable to...

It seems readers have different opinions of the individual components of the story, but here's mine:

The good:

The characters (Nazarick). Like them or not, the author gets props for deviating from what you usually find in light novels:

• Original race and alignment: the cast of Nazarick certainly isn't your usual fare. While the female characters are certainly gorgeous, their true forms are hideous...

This is a hilariously cute little series about little girl with an overactive imagination. Young Ryuushika's musings on the world become hilarious moments that turn the mundane into strange fantastical visions. By her side are her family , who are alternately bewildered or frustrated by her strange interpretations, but sometimes also gently prod her imagination along. Check it out for a...

Some may be confused by the diverging opinions, and I'll summarize it this way: Shingeki no Kyojin has many strengths and weaknesses, except both aren't consistent throughout the series (which is why people will have diverging opinions on the same elements).

• The atmosphere: I was initially drawn to the series by the incredibly gritty atmosphere. The whole series was wrapped in despair, the gritty...

The Gamer basically played on instant-gratification, as the protagonist gained one cool ability after another at a ridiculous pace. Once that period of easy gains was up, however, the faults of the series became all too apparent:

• A lack of meaningful world building. It's just there so that baddies would show up.
• A lack of character building. The characters have no depth and are just there to...

Comparing with other "big" Shounen out there: I would say Naruto had the most potential for a serious, immersive world, but botched it with ridiculous plot execution that conveniently swept aside most of the conflict in the world. One Piece does the best job of creating complex world structures and relationships and using them. Bleach.... dunno.

Toriko has basic plot at best and isn't that...

A full review:

**Summary: ** (parts credited to various people here)

What do you desire? Power? Glory? Fame? Wealth? Revenge? Or a night sky, full of stars?
In return, what are you willing to leave behind?
Who will you step on? Who will you betray? Who will you kill?

Everything you desire, all the answers you seek, can be found at the top of the Tower. And as the bodies pile higher, all yo...