As a fan of Macbeth, I found this adaptation into Manga to be spot on and thorough. It kept my attention whilst reading, but a lot of the metaphors that are present in the original story just did not translate in this adaptation. I think the translation of Elizabeth English to more contemporary phrases and moments has its appeal, and I understand why that choice was made.

The author of this adaptation brilliantly merged Shakespear's classic prose with the stunning visual art to tell this tale of magic, murder, madness, and betrayal faithfully in a medium more friendly to the casual (or younger) reader. Most dialog comes directly from the original play, and the few changes blend seamlessly into the whole.

I love this entire line of Classic Manga adaptations by Udon Comics. As a teen librarian with a soft spot for literary classics, this series has been gloriously successful in introducing a new generation of readers to books that have stood the test of time.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an eARC in return for my honest review*

Overall, I really enjoyed this. Adding visuals to Shakespeare is something that really works once you get in a stride. Macbeth can be a challenging play to visualize, so I appreciate this edition of Manga Classics. I do think that the language is hard to match with the visuals because manga has a modern vibe and Shakespeare is definitely not modern. Though I do wish this existed when I was in high school. It would have made eleventh grade English so much easier!

I actually tried to pick up the original play by William Shakespeare when I was a little younger and struggled with it. However, I cam across this Manga Classic and knew I had to read it and boy did it help. The art is well done and the story seems well transposed for the most part (I'll have to read the actual play to give better critique). Still, I really enjoyed this!

I have always loved the tale of Shakespeare's Macbeth but seeing it in a comic form had me a little skeptical. However, this was pulled off beautifully. It was super easy to read and comprehend. The art was beautiful and honestly added another layer to the storytelling, one that is not so achievable by TV or theater. There is an undeniable beauty in the emotions that are conveyed through animations/art, this was like a beautifully done animation of the dark tale but in paper form. I had so much fun reading this and can't wait to get my hand on more Manga Classics.

-- 5 stars --

The manga classics continue to be something I really enjoy. This one lived up to that. The illustrations were beautiful, and the story was easy to follow along and stayed true to the original source.

It’s very accurate to the original play and the art is absolutely beautiful. The writing is also accurate and representative to the original, which is a bit of a downer because I couldn’t understand the flowery language in the play and I can’t understand it now, though I do respect the dedication to staying true to the original work.

I am going into all of these manga adaptations with this one particular question in mind: is it going to get someone who would never read the source material, to engage with the source material in a meaningful or substantial way?

Yes. Teen readers will engage with this novel in a substantial way. Probably more so than the actual book of the play. However, I do usually recommend reluctant readers to also give the movie adaptations as try since these works are meant to be SEEN acted rather than read. But this adaptation does a good job of making the difficult word choices more clear in their contextual meaning. It also does a good job of differentiating all the similar male characters.

I can freely admit-- Macbeth is one of my least favourite Shakespeare plays, but this definitely a good adaptation for young teen or reluctant readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great rendition of a Shakespearean classic. As someone who's never read Macbeth, this was the perfect format for me to maximize my understanding. As far as I could tell, the text in the manga was true to the original piece of work, aside from scene descriptions, which were part of the artwork. Although this can't replace the original work. this is an amazing supplementary resource with great artwork to better understand the story.

Macbeth is one of my favorite pieces from Shakespeare. When I found that someone created a manga version, I was all over that. When I read it, I wished I was back in high school for a spit second. When we were reading the play and watching the theatrical remakes of Macbeth, this would have been another great option to help teach the material. This Manga classic combines both the Shakespeare’s written words with literature styles many tween, teens, and emerging adults are used to. The language becomes easier to process because we can recognize the facial expressions, reactions, and actions used in each panel. Just reading the words or watching recordings alone can be hard because the words don’t make sense or the movie is going to fast – sometimes you have to go over pages many times. In this manga classic, Macbeth seems to flow easier.
There are only two downsides from what I can see. One is that the book itself is thick, which may be daunting for some students. This means, though, the artists took their time and paced the action for readers. The second downside I noticed was the numbering. Normally in plays you see line numbering or indicators, which is what teachers use to mark or teach the material. However, the only markings they included in this book are the scene switches. I understand it would have been difficult to number the lines in a manga, but that is something to consider if you plan to use this book traditionally. Be aware, though, that the publisher gives readers a lesson plan and teaching guide, so this may be a non-issue.
Overall, I would recommend this book and the rest of the series.

Truly amazing artistry was put into this book and in trance with a beautiful story that did not sway away from originality, this book is real good.

I really do enjoy this manga adaptations of classics. This one is another enjoyable and well done adaptation. I found myself liking it a bit more than I expected given that I don't generally care for Macbeth.

I enjoyed this manga version of the classic story. It was a fun way for a new generation to learn about the classics.

Boy, what a trip! This classic story of revenge and lust for power really came to life with all of the excellent artwork. Macbeth, the ambitious thane of Cawdor, starts out loyal to his king, Duncan of Scotland. But when three witches show up and tell him that he will amount to greatness, even become king, Macbeth seizes the chance to get a hold on power.
While Macbeth is successful, his reign comes at a very heavy price. One that both he and his wife must pay throughout the story.
Manga Classics keeps all of the original, excellent prose the characters speak throughout the play, preserving Shakespeare’s lyrical, almost ballad-like way of writing. This epic tragedy had me invested from the moment the witches appeared to plan their wicked plots, all the way to the end when the rightful king takes the throne.
I would recommend this book for all lovers of Shakespeare and classic literature, as well as manga comics and stories with tragic heroes.

Long story short? It was better that I could ever imagine! A classic through the perspective of a japanese cartoon a.k.a a manga edition. Pretty short and schematic, but still worth it!

This book contains the full text of Shakespeare's Macbeth alongside manga artwork.

I found it very difficult to follow the plot of this story as the characters felt as though they were drawn very similarly (I don't know if the final version is full colour and it was easier to tell the difference) so I could not tell Duncan from Banquo from Fleance from MacDuff.

The artwork is stunning if a little on the nose in places so it is enjoyable even if you can't really follow the story! To be honest, most people are familiar with Macbeth so this book simply provides a novel way to enjoy a story you already know.

Manga Classics: Macbeth is a lovely adaption of the Shakespeare classic that translates the work well into a more modern take.

I think the best way to use this book is as a supplement for mandatory school readings or for introductions into Shakespeare. Nothing can quite replicate the original (or a live take on the play), but this sure makes the story easier to follow. If this would have been used as a supplement in my Grade 11 class, I think we would have found learning way more enjoyable.

The manga was a lovely addition to this story, and is probably the biggest takeaway for me. If you haven't seen the play, you can't always imagine what's going on in the story. Seeing it in picture form was a great way to show the story. Major points for that. I didn't like that some of the metaphors were illustrated exactly as they are written, but that's me as a Shakespeare lover. I understood the metaphor, I didn't need to see it to.

Beautiful..

I love the manga classics series and this was a great one.

Can't wait to read more.

Manga Classics does a great job of matching the tone of each piece with the art style. Macbeth is dark, dramatic, brooding, and that practically oozes from the pages. As always, dialogue is taken directly from the play. I wonder which is better for studying, this or Cliff notes?

Macbeth (Manga Classics) art by Julien Choy, 329 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL
Udon Entertainment, 2018. $26.
Language: PG (3 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
On their way back from battle, the victorious Macbeth and Banquo run into three witches prophesying of greatness in their futures. The two heroes laugh off the impossible predictions until the first shocking fortune proves true. Is everything the witches said true? Macbeth takes matters into his own hands to ensure it is so.
Choy’s illustrations are impressive as they echo Macbeth’s gradual transformation through the story. While these visuals certainly assisted reading comprehension, I don’t think this adaptation is as effective as other Manga Classics in helping readers understand the old English used by Shakespeare. The mature content is for partial nudity and innuendo; the violence rating is for gore and murder.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen