This manga started out really good. It had an interesting world and fun characters. My only gripe is minor enough that it does not bear mentioning.

However, after the existence of Ratman becomes public knowledge, the series starts to fall off. I thought that would be the time when things got serious, where the themes that had been alluded to in the beginning of the series would be explored more thoroughly, and possibly when we explored the political and social repercussions of the existence of heroes.

However, that doesn't happen. Volume 11 brings almost every important plot points to an abrupt and unsatisfying close, in a way that doesn't really make sense.

My best guess is that Ratman wasn't as popular as the publisher thought it would be and they told the mangaka to finish it in less than ten chapters. The same thing happened to Battle Angel Alita, which was then continued by a different publisher under the name Last Order.

Hopefully the same thing happens to Ratman. Until then, the 8/10 only applies up until Volume 10.

Its all come down to what do u want in a manga. This manga is typically a happy manga with light drama that really wont bring u to tear. However, it have some decent comedies with the jackies in the early chapters. Not only that, decent art too. If u want a fun and relaxing thing to read, this is for you. If you r looking for some grand advanture, this isnt the right one.

I like the settings and the plot. I like all the jackals member, including shooto, especially jackys XD
the humors are good too..
if only not for the fillers and random chapters, I would give it higher

Ratman was a good series until about 30 or so chapters in which the author writing skill deteriorate to a point of him writing a random plot out of no where and can easily be pick apart for all of its plot hole that all end with Ratman being consider more and more like a hero which is good in some way but it get old after 30 or so chapters, to a point where there aren't really much plot creativity left for the author.

ok give a good guy a super suit..... then tell him he (by contract) is a villian.... i just got to laugh at the sad turnout for our little illfated "hero"... then you throw in the escapades of the mime-like jackies and its perfect.... i mean those dudes just know how to be in the worst place at the worst time.... then when you think they are completely useless they do something right, and to be honest in my opinion i mostly kept reading to see what the heck they will pull off next.... the jackies are just awesome

... Last updated on July 27th, 2012, 1:21am

It is hard to have an antihero main character in a shounen manga. Sometimes it works /Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro/ but without making it borderline seinen it feels half-assed. . The other characters are great, . The comedy is generally good but nothing groundbreaking. If you like shounen manga check it out.

Kid gets superpowers. Kid has ideals questioned. Kid's power of friendship and kindness triumphs over child soldiers, human experimentation and black box organizations. Everyone goes home happy.

(6 volumes translated) This is shallower than a Saturday morning cartoon plot. The story keeps hinting at the darker aspects of human biological weapons development but never goes anywhere with it. Instead, the story plays it safe with the usual "beat up enemy = become their friend" pattern. The whole synopsis about becoming a villain? Never explored. The heroes? Never explored.

... Last updated on May 3rd, 2012, 8:05am

I know most people hate the cliche hero story but Shooto is a genuinely nice guy with his own faults so he's both likable and the reader can relate to him. The art isn't the greatest in the world but it's decent in its own sort of charm. The characters are all pretty cool and Ratman is such a badass looking kamen rider inspired anti hero that you just can't hate him, kinda reminds me of a cross between Venom, Batman, and Kamen Rider.

so far I like it pretty much, this is not your average shounen, the characters are definitely not single dimension, the main character started as weak person, but he has strong belief and very good personality, even so what I like that he always questioned every action he made, not really simple minded like in majority of shounen char, and even the seems to be a bad guy has another side.

the art is pretty clean and well drawn, definitely a good read

Oh my god, so disappointed. It was wonderful until 2nd volume where the fight in heroes conference happened. Can't stand this cliche fight where main hero keep getting punched by the bad guy without resisting although he is stronger and then bad guy says something making main hero angry and main hero defeats the bad guy in one punch.
What the fuck was good guy knocked around for? Just seems really stupid. Hate cliches like that.