The plot and story are way too strong. But it makes you think ALOT wondering what will happen to the main girl, also there are times you think "OH MY GOD! somebody help her!". LIFE tells you that real life is always tough, you won't gain anything if you always keep running away. Boy am I glad that I don't get bullied. The drama was really good! And i cant wait for tihs series to finish. I wonder if all the stories that the mangaka wrote happened to her before..

Before people start bashing the story because of the extremism, please consider that Japan is a different place, and the school, while fictional, is quite a realistic portrayal of an actual school. Bullying is not a phenomenon as it occurs everywhere, and this manga is a close-up account of what can happen to a person. It's not extreme. Her reactions, based on her character, are quite predictable as well as saddening.
As far as people's reactions to "why aren't the teachers doing anything?" Ha. I almost want to laugh at that. You seriously think that does anything? I think most of us have gone through the experience of tricking the authorities or at least having the authorities do NOTHING AT ALL. People naturally prefer the easier life. For many, it's easier to pretend as if bullying or other negative events never happened, /i/ even if they're reported. /i/

My critiques of it include the length coupled with the drama. I felt that the message of this manga was well delivered, yet I think it could have been neater and more poignant. The way the author drags it out makes a potentially profound story almost irritating to read.

My end comment? If you like something that hops on almost all the touchy teenage issues with a psychological perspective, go ahead. If you like "normal shoujo" or don't like shoujo at all, don't bother. Really, if you're looking for a REALLY good psychological manga, you should look elsewhere.

Unrealistic? No. Exaggrated? Yes... but that is to make this manga more intense.
It awakens feelings of terror, shock and sympathy. Makes us question the morality
of our actions and what would we have done instead of the main character.

Also bullying in Asia is like this. My aunt told me some girls would humiliate
other girls pulling their skirts down, make them eat dirty food etc.

Mangas who makes us think more deeply, from others point of view... mangas like
these already deserve more than 8/10. Add few psychopaths and decent art and
I think you already deserve 10/10.

Also it's a huge plus the author touched such sensitive subjects as rape and suicide.

those that dislike the weak character of the girl probably have never witnessed these type of situations in real life.

this is the hellish high school life that is actually quite common in asian countries- and i think that Life portrays it very well. the overdramatization only compels the readers to feel a bit of the life of a suffering girl- and even the exaggerated pages could not express the horror, i imagine.

i cried buckets in the last volume- because the series is so realistic that it cannot give the fluffy-everything-is-perfect conclusion.. yet it was enlightening and heart warming.

i think this is a series that everyone should read: female, male, and whatever age (except too young of course)- and everyone can learn something from this.


one of the few manga out there that really teaches humanity a life lesson.

This manga tells a story of a girl with a low self esteem that evolves into someone strong. The mangaka doesn't sugar coat on anything and it gives the readers a realer look at the characters and what they're going through. This shoujo manga isn't the cutesy fluffy love story that most shoujo mangas are, it's much more realistic.

FOR THOSE WHO LIKE THE TYPICAL CUTE SHOUJO MANGA I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND THIS TO YOU.

but to all those looking for a realistic story that deals with real life issues I HIGHLY recommend this manga.

I'm guessing you haven't read any recent chapters? She becomes a fraeking bad a**. Ho** Sh**. It's so strong and powerful. The main character is likeable. She's realistic seeing how she tries her hardest not to be hated. The antagonist (Manami) Is easy to dislike. She's manipulative, sadistic, and envious.
Anyways, you will cry almost every chapter.
It's a good read if you like to have your heart strings pulled.

I found it as quite a sad story, that pretty much made me cry in most chapters, but then again I like sad or touching manga's and I cry pretty easily when it comes to manga. The saddest part is just what happens in the story could and does happen in real life even if it doesn't happen to you or anyone around you. I really liked the moral of the story though, this story isn't just some shoujo where it's just a cute girl falling in love with a hot guy which personally sometimes get me wondering what's the point in reading it. This story actually makes you see things from different views and tells us how you can be part of the bullying just by standing there and letting it happen, and to stand strong even if there's no one supporting you. It also makes me want to choose my friends carefully, and to have your own ideas instead of just agreeing to everything. Personally I could sympathise with the main lead half of the time so I guess that made me like the story more. For those that don't want to read this because you think the main leads a wimp, she does actually get stronger. Although its not stronger as in she suddenly could do all these martial arts (it'd be a interesting development if that does happen though XD) but stronger as in she learns to stand up for herself instead of just being pushed around.

Artists who like to draw action scenes should take note from this manga. The art is stunning... For many reasons. It really portrays the intensity of each action scenes. It really enables me to envision what it would look like if it was a movie.

There were some scenes that freaked me out, like further into the volume, when Manami becomes dopey and go crazy, she would appear out of nowhere and freak the reader out because we wouldn't expect her to be there (I'll let you read it).

My favorite characters would definitely be Ayumu and Hitori.

It's a shame not many people know about this manga. It's also a shame that it's not completely scanlated.

I get so sick and tired of folks saying things that happen in the manga "LIFE"
just doesn't take place in real life. Usually, people who say these things have never either been bullied in there lives or never bullied to this level. But, I have seen and heard of this stuff happening to two very close friends. Sure, the things shown in the manga "Life" are very extreme. But to say things like that never happen is just a flat out lie or denial.
I think people just don't want to believe evil things shown in the manga "LIFE" can happen.And that is why when people like Ayumu do come forward and say there being bullied no one believes them.

So I'm up to volume three and I felt the need to comment. Mostly because of the comments about Ayumu being weak. Not everyone can be strong is the thing. Her best friend deserts her, turning out to be a pretty crappy friend to begin with and she finds a terrible way to deal with that pain. With regards to her actually telling someone about the pictures and the guy. Put yourself in her position, she's deeply afraid of being hated, and she's deeply ashamed of her cutting. It isn't always easy to win against the irrational side of your brain. I'm finding this manga is a very good look into the issues of self-esteem and confidence, and I'm really hoping she's able to find someone who can help her find those but the tragedy tag as me worried there might not be a happy ending here...