Overview

Onani Master Kurosawa is a refreshing break from cliches and overused elements. After going through endless volumes of mainstream titles, it's rare to come across something fresh, unique, and honest. OMK doesn't force itself to appeal to you through fan-service or action, but real down to earth characters and dilemmas.

The summary of the plot alone is enough to steer some reserved readers away, but OMK is a true gem.

Kurosawa is a middle school student who secretly faps in the girls bathroom until his activities are discovered by a fellow female classmate Kitahara, who is constantly bullied. She then makes a deal with Kurosawa to act as her personal hitman to enact "White Justice" on those who have tormented her.

Despite it's strange scenario, it is a genuine story about traversing a path of thorns toward redemption.

The author does a very good job of developing the characters without too much exposition and backstory. The plot is not diluted with slapstick gags and humor and instead uses inside jokes parodying the anti-hero archetype in other popular series.

The Main Protagonist Kurosawa

Beyond his unusual habit, Kurosawa is a fairly relatable character. He is an introvert who holds up a friendly persona on the outside but on the inside he looks down upon others and has quite a cynical demeanor. It's definitely a step up from the stereotypical whiney teenager, I found myself cheering him on in his perverse endeavors. He becomes a very courageous and maybe even noble character at one point in the story. Kurosawa is a strangely likable character who can demonstrate testicular fortitude in the face of adversity.

Art

The artwork is very sketchy and not extremely detailed, however it really complements the overall tone of OMK and tastefully sets it apart from the more mainstream works. It is nice to see a story with characters not having giant over-expressive eyes and much more varied emotional and dramatic expressions. It's a shame we don't see more artwork of this type.

The most graphic scenes in the series are from Kurosawa's imagination toward his "Victims", which might be a little unnerving for readers used to more mild content, but they work well in conveying his sexual tension. I for one vastly prefer it over the slapstick ecchi comedy commonly conveyed in shonen works.

Overall

While it's relatively short at 4 volumes, the pacing is very well done with no filler content to stagnate the story. There is quite a bit of suspense in an otherwise lighthearted slice-of-life environment.

I for one would love to see more collaborations between ISE Katsura and Yoko create another amazing work like Onani Master Kurosawa.

Although it's an awkward series to reccommend to people you know, Onani Master Kurosawa is a very enjoyable read. If you decide to give it a shot, read it all the way to the end. OMK definitely does not disappoint.