It's not the best, but it's not the worst either. The characters are not ridiculously overdrawn, and the plot is decent, even if not amazing. It's short, so if you like short series, it might be worth a read, give it a few chapters of a chance, and you'll probably like it.

Since this is based on a novel it would have been better if they adapted the whole story. I can't believe the novel itself ends in such a rush. There are so many loose ends and so much potential.

On the whole the manga is quite good. I love the quite realistically violent underworld atmosphere, I love the hitmen antiheroes, I love the concept of double life and the apparent weakness of Jinpachi's student persona. I would have preferred grown-ups characters but it's not bad this way.

This is the kind of manga I love, if only it could have been more developed...

... Last updated on September 28th, 2012, 3:45pm

well, it is only 5 vol so you can read it in about 3 hours. i think it is too short, but this is based on a novel, so probably they want people to read the original copy. i really am not a fan of the art. it is too thin and wishy washy, a thicker more realistic art may lend a darker edge on the story, and increase the enjoyment too. the premise is intriguing, and the execution is not half bad, however all said and done, this is just quite a bit above average and nothing to write home about.

Young Gun Carnaval is another manga based off a light novel. It only covers half of the novel and was then finished, a bit prematurely. Fans in Japan also complained that it was nowhere near as good as the novel and that Yumika seemed to have been less well done as a character. In fact, the manga although trying to give time to both characters, seems to emphasize Jinpachi, which in this case is a good thing, since he was better done.

That being said, the 5 volume manga has a fair amount of realism for a comedy/action and the art isn't bad at all, in my opinion, though it is no masterpiece. The author has done some research into his gun models and all of the organizations and illegal business seem relatively believable.

I recommend this for a fast paced read, it is definitely enjoyable, particularly if you like action flick type series like sun-ken rock or dendrobates.

Note: Although it is a seinen and was published in a seinen magazine, I personally think this is more like a shounen. It is has a realistic tone, which makes it borderline between the two genres, however.

... Last updated on October 24th, 2011, 12:25pm

i got really tired of the female protagonist by chapter 4. blegh! tough chick falls for cheesy rich girl. it would (in my opinion) have been better if the story had only one protagonist. only read if your favorite manga gets drop or in a goddam hiatus

... Last updated on October 22nd, 2011, 1:24am

Something about this manga's plot is just so intriguing that I can't help but to want to know what happens next. The whole "teenage vigilantes" theme has been done before, but of the few I've read none have quite achieved the level of believability as this one does. The art isn't the best, but for a manga based off a novel the real selling point is the story, and this manga so far has delivered in the story area. So far I've only read into the third volume, but I am very much looking forward to the rest of this manga.

Now that I've finished the manga I have to say the ending wasn't quite as satisfying as I had hoped it would be. Someone else mentioned that the manga didn't cover the whole novel series, and after finishing the manga it's apparent that is the case. Jinpachi's involvement in the manga club and his and Yumika's school life seemed like it was going to have more presence in the manga at the start but ends without many answers. Sure everything ultimately ends decently, but there are a lot of people and events that were introduced earlier on that never get adequate attention later to justify their being mentioned in the first place.

Overall a very enjoyable read. The action was well done, if a little "piece together what exactly just happened" in the last few chapters, and all the characters were likable or loath-able as they should have been. I only wish the ending hadn't been so cut off. I would really like to know the rest of the story and hope that one day the novel series will be released in English or someone will translate them.

... Last updated on March 4th, 2012, 6:48pm

So far its not bad. There are cliches in the story, but there is also some strong points. For one I think the character of Yumika is very interesting, a little like Revy from Black Lagoon but younger and more yuri of course. The organization the kids belong to is not well developed enough and Jinpachi and his initial meeting with his sensei was handled clumsily. I think some things do feel a bit rushed and could be detailed a bit more. However, its still a very entertaining read and shows promise. Unfortunately, it looks like it ends at volume 5, which makes me think it got axed. Hopefully there was enough content and time to adequately finish out the current story arc adequately. Thanks to Easy Going Scans for picking this one up as it was without a home for a while.

So far only two chapters have been scanlated, and I can't really tell what the plot of this story will be. I was slightly reminded of 'Gunslinger Girl' because of the reference to young gunslingers, but these two are slight older. What I don't like is the rush that the mangaka is doing, there is only a few sentences on the killings and we know only a little about both characters. Hopefully in future chapters we get a better look at both of the characters' pasts, and more information on who they are working for (whether organization or not) and if there will be tougher opponents as well. I give it a 7.5 because it's still developing a plot, the artwork is nice and I see potential in it. I highly recommend it for those who have read 'Switch', 'Gunslinger Girl' and who like crime, young gun-wielding killers and blood