If there was ever a fantasy manga that impressed me more than Ubel Blatt, I don't remember it. Hell, I'll lay it to you straight, I'm downright BORED of the fantasy genre. When I started off reading Ubel Blatt, I fully expected to discard it to the reject pile within the first 3 chapters or so.

But I din't. The manga has a lot going against it - blatant fanservice (although I suppose its a plus to some), senseless violence, no shortage of bishounens (I'm sure the ladies would love that. Then again, how many ladies actually read this?). But despite that (or because of it?) Ubel Blatt is a real good piece of work.

In spite of the impression some might have from reading the first few chapters, this is not a cliched "kid sticking it up to the man and teaching his fellows the values of cooperation and friendship" kinda tale. That "Antihero" tag is there for a reason, and one that I will not spoil for those who have yet to read the story. Suffice to say, there is no clear cut "good side" or "bad side" in this tale. There are protagonists and antagonists, yes, but many stereotypically "good" characters work with the antagonists, and the protagonist himself does not always fit the description of what you'd call a "hero".

For me, a good manga must have either an interesting story/background, or interesting characters. Ubel Blatt has both.

As I said before, Koinzell is no typical shounen action hero. He can be, and often will be, exceedingly brutal to his foes, even while acknowledging that his actions may cause more harm than good. On the other hand, he is also not a heartless monster, and he gathers an interesting cast of supporting characters over the course of the manga.

As for the story, it has a fast paced and hectic flow to it. From simple shounen action stock, to the rich background of both the characters and the world itself, and to high strung scenes of betrayal and camaraderie - the mangaka pulls of all of these things with a golden touch. Its especially interesting to see how the relationship of various characters to Koinzell change over the series - former companions turned enemies, former foes becoming allies, etc.

And for those who fear reading "on hold" titles - fear no more! Ubel Blatt is apparently recommencing from February 2011 onwards, and the mangaka plans to have the series go on for another 10 volumes or so! So for those who haven't already given this manga a shot, read up so that you can catch up with the series when it comes back from its long break.

This manga is so sick. In the first few chapters I wasn't too impressed by the characters but I soon became completely enraptured. Suffice to say, this has entered my top 5 favorites of all time. I wish I could give it higher than a ten!

lol i don't mind the nudity of the characters (even though it's too much for the eyes sometimes) but the art and the story are epic! i have fallen in love with the manga and i just hate waiting for the next series 'cause it takes too long, i get so impatience. but i really really like this one. i'm one of those people who just loves actions and heroic episodes (never mind the blood and stuff--i don't care about that lol), and i love my main character being a humble but strong/powerful hero and Koinzell/Ascheriit is such an addicting character that i don't wanna let go! i can't wait for the next series! it just keeps getting better and better.......thanks, Shiono, for creating this one, you're one of my favorite mangakas! the art is incredible and the story is amazing! you're one of the bests. :->
-i'm one of your #1 fans---so keep doing a great job!!!

p.s. -- i would give it a full 10+ score, but i still need to see how it ends, but then it deserves a much much higher score than that.

... Last updated on November 25th, 2010, 9:48pm

Aw,,,! It's like Berserk with cute shonen art!! (The sex scenes are like Shotacon though... awkward! And don't chew me out for saying that cause I've barely started reading and that's the only sex scene I've seen!) but it's interesting. And awesome. I really like it so far.

I think the comparison with berserk is totaly wrong (whether your blatt-Fan of Berserk-Fan)
because their soo different
i liked the idea of a corrupte empire with a false history and false heroes and plus i liked that in the begining the main char doesn't pretend to be a hero and admit that he selfishly wish for vengeance
what with berserk is over ********* better ??
to tell the truth i started reading berserk long ago and as awed by everything about it but the last arc was such a let down i dropped it
i think berserk is being watered down recently (since the white hawk arc and the witch and isuduro joining the party)

Because I'm more mature than some bird brained ubel blatt fans I wont post an unfair rating but this manga has nothing to distinguish it. I don't really understand the comparison between the two since berserk is 1*10^10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 times better. Every scene in berserk could be a painting and the story is masterful. Ubel blatt is generic and shallow, a half baked sandwich of gore and sex used to lure in a shallow audience. It is at best a 7/10 so thats what I'll post.

Berserk seeks to shock the conscience through use of extreme imagery. Its not just a porno like Ubel blatt.

Great story, great art, a few ecchi-ish nude scenes which I neither hate nor love. I consider them a fan service.

The artist manages to capture every RPG fan's dream. Different races, weapons, magic, skill, fantasy creatures, a party consisting of members each having reasons to join the hero in pursuing his goal (not just randomly joining the main group like in some manga.)

Ubel Blatt might be known to some for its violence but personally I don't think this is the type of violence someone you're likely gonna hear saying: "Gore is cool!!!" would appreciate. PG-15 will do IMO.
It's bloody but not gory. And the blood is more artistic than disgusting.

Don't know how it's gonna end but I'm hoping the mangaka doesn't complicate it too much. So far very worthy of getting a 10 or more. A must read.

There's fanservice. Tons of it. For those guys out there who love seeing tit-pics or naked butts, you'll enjoy the peeks. For the ladies, the angtsy bishounen main character will tide you over the fanservice that is CLEARLY for the male sex. Each volume delivers.

Although it gets annoying when the main character starts tearing up everytime he kills someone, it still tugs at my heartstrings every time. The art is quite nice and the storyline is dramatically bloody. Although I'm not a gory manga kind of person, the blood was bearable. Some parts are very OUT THERE, with the protagnist having a good old time with some older/younger/no clue who he is but still has sex with him.

Oh, I do appreciate the fact that the mangaka does not draw young girls with boobs bulging out of their tops. Very nice. With all the ecchi manga nowadays, girl's proportions are grossly exaggerated.

OVERALL, those who like action, angst, a good story, tons of time to read 10 volumes, and beautifully drawn people will enjoy this. Plus, the translated manga scans have memorable quoted. Oh yes, and who knew Koinzell looked so dang elegant whilst fighting a battle with blood splattered on his face? Pure fangirl material.

Men, there is a sex scene in the first few chapters. If that doesn't make you interested, you must be strange.

If you've played The Witcher, you'll know some of the *cough* distinct characteristics of this manga.
This woeful tale could certainly have been so much darker. But seems like the author decided to keep it pretty light-hearted.
Frankly, I was expecting a cast full of morally questionable characters and the protagonist crossing the Moral Event Horizon every time (well, the premise was kinda begging for it).

But don't let my rants disappoint you, this is a brilliant fantasy adventure, the actions are good, large-scale battles are plentiful, dungeons and dragons are the norm, oh, and the whole world is against you. Bring it on.

Don't judge the beginning. The author was stupid and felt a need to get readers through fan service.

If this is your first look at Ubel Blatt and you're unsure as to whether to read it, I recommend that you do. The 200 votes for a 10 is not a lie. This is a captivating story with a variety of characters on opposite sides and good art also—which includes cute female characters. I'm warning you in the beginning the mangaka seemed to tried to get viewers through fan service for whatever reason. There are some ludicrous moments in the beginning but it phases out as the author ushers in a captivating story.

If this is your first perusal at the manga, don't judge it by it's cover picture with an elf. I assure you that not everyone is an angry-looking elf. This manga is one of those fantasy mangas with multiple races. To my knowledge,the sentient ones are elves and humans. The world of Ubel Blatt is set in a medieval-esque world (so that means swords, castles, arrows, ect) but also with magic and fantasy. There are dragons and griffin-like beasts—which can be used as steeds—, magic wielders, and also magic-based technology reminiscent of early modern tech which are blimps and giant-laser-canons-of-doom-that-resembles-a-giant-mounted-serrated-knife. There are at least two empires in the Ubel Blatt world, one with a sinister-looking culture (summoning, employs scary-looking beasts) and the other that is more righteous in appearance (no scary summoning/beasts). Whether or not one is evil is impossible to tell for sure as the story is set in the righteous-looking country. The other country is only referenced when quoting history and as of yet has no connection with the plot except for stuff that happened in the past.

Ubel Blatt is told from the viewpoint of Koinzell who goes against the empire. In the eyes of the people he is evil. However, you'll find that there's some truth behind his goal. It is an adventure so the main character travels with a group of friends. All of them are people who he's helped and are devoted to his cause not b/c of their debt. However, the story does not only center on Koinzell and friends but seems to be branching another viewpoint—which won't be spoiled here. Koizel is still the main lead however.

The main character possesses great powers but so do some other people (officers in the army). This isn't like Dragon Ball Z where there is a huge power disparity. A contingent of troops actually has a chance (depending on the tactic) against an officer. It is, however, a small chance against the more elite.

There's a chance that Ubel Blatt is heading towards a romance. If it does, the romance will remain as a side story along the main quest. I do hope it does however.

You must've been really intrigued to read through all so instead of delaying it, pick up a volume and start reading!

I give this a 9 b/c it's unfinished

... Last updated on August 12th, 2009, 2:41pm