I like trying all sorts of new (to me) manga. Some are to my taste, some not so much. Sometimes I suspect that going in, sometimes I don't.

I will say that my affection for dystopian media pretty much begins and ends with X-Men's Days of Future Past.

So while this was definitely not my favorite read, it wasn't through any fault of its own. The harsh art style (not to my taste) suited the story (which was also harsh and not to my taste.)

Sci-fi and fantasy manga have it hardest because they have to balance world building with character development within a limited amount of pages. Blackguard did alright with that balance, though none of the characters really grabbed me. (Not their fault, this one is purely on the reader - me.)

So if you like dark dystopian, go for it. If you've read The Hunger Games and you're done now, maybe pass.

Blackguard is a post-apocalyptic story following a soldier named Minami. In a world where a rapidly adapting zombie-like virus has taken over much of the population, Minami is an exceptional warrior that battles with the intent to die, until he's assigned a monitor, Chris, who's made to protect his life with much irritation.

This manga has a good concept but suffered from a very simplistic style. I don't think backgrounds need to be drawn all the time, but I was a bit distracted by how blank the pages were. That being said, I enjoyed the characters, but would have liked to see more depth overall. I think I would read volume 2 if it came to a reviewing site, but probably not on my own.

"The world is no longer what it used to be...."

The story of this manga is insanely cool. It really set up everything neatly in this first volume in terms of explaining the downfall of the world, the Shojo and how humans have tried to deal with them and continue to deal with them. I can see this story growing in future volumes to tell some really big moments that would be cool to see.

I agree with others that the art style is definitely not something i've normally seen. I'm not sure if the proportions or angles are a stylistic choice to convey something or if its just how the artist normally works but some panels just felt a little off because of it. Overall though it doesnt take away from the cool story.

The content of the plot is really interesting and is new. I really am fascinated by how to story will process. However I felt that the proportions of the figures where odd in some parts like the head being bigger than the rest of the body which took me out of the story as I then became focused on how they were drawn and the issues rather than flowing through the plot.

I would recommend the manga based on the plot as the is 5/5 but as the artwork was very strange to me in terms of proportions at some parts I will have to knock off some points as this really distracted me from the plot.

While the art style is not my favorite it was a fun read. There's some sci-fi elements, end of humanity elements, fighting elements and a bit of mystery. I would warn that the main character has suicidal ideation. I'm intrigued to figure out more of his background and the long black haired guys motives.

CW: suicide ideation. In fact, much of this book is about suicide ideation, because one of the main characters has a mental illness that causes it. That's the motivating factor for the other characters, because Minami is a super soldier in the fight against the <i>shojo</i> (as in the word for a mythical long-tailed ape) and if he dies, humanity may well be screwed. In some ways, this is a psychological study masquerading as a SF action story, becasue Minami's flat affect and suicidal thoughts drive the story more than a virus that transforms humans into monsters, although I suspect that eventually we'll get around to the idea that humans are plenty monstrous all on their own. It's interesting enough to be worth a second volume, but don't ignore that content warning - it really means it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Blackguard is a science fiction, dystopian story from the creator of Devils Line.
A mist has rolled in, and with it comes crazed mutants that can turn you with just a bite. It is up to the famous Blackguard and his organisation to kill these mutants and save people.

As a big fan of Devils Line I was looking forward to this one quite a lot. In the beginning the characters felt very flat, but they gained some meat on their bones as the story progressed.

Perfect for fans of Ryo Hanada's earlier works and for poeple who are looking for a cool sci-fi manga.

Thank you Netgalley and Kodansha USA for a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Content Notice: Blackguard contains references to suicide/suicidal ideation. This warning is also given on the table of contents page at the beginning of the book.

Blackguard tells the story of life on Earth after a deadly virus that turns people into monsters ravages the planet and the Guards who fight to protect humanity. Nanao Minami is one of those guards. Initially the sole member of Reserve Unit 1, Minami fights with amazing precision and accuracy using a sword (whereas other guards use guns), but he's also troubled by intrusive suicideal thoughts. Soon, Chris Myaji, another guard, is assigned to fight alongside Minami and the two begin an interesting relationship.

I enjoyed Blackguard's balance of character and plot development, and Hanada's art is expressive and effective. Translation flowed smoothly, and the lettering complemented the art well.

Blackguard would be great for fans of Devil's Line, one of Ryo Hanada's previous works, as it and Blackguard share similar themes of mortality and human connection.

Blackguard Volume 1
Story and Art by Ryo Hanada

Editor: Michelle Lin
Translation: Melissa Tanaka
Production: Risa Cho, Shirley Fang, Lorina Mapa
Proofreading: Micah Q. Allen

Japanese Staff:
Assistants: Chiguro Tsukishima, Yoko, Tani-H
Managing Editor: J-Ko
Design: Hisamochi
Collaboration: Tsuduri Moriyama