There seem to be any number of weird, shallow, overly-fangirly or unfairly critical comments on this page and almost nothing that provides a really good picture for potential readers (except tartufo's comment: it's brilliant and funny, scroll down and read it!) I'll try to level the field a bit.

Setting: Though ostensibly set in Shouwa era Japan, Adekan incorporates elements of medicine, science and criminal psychology that would not have been known to people at the time. There's also a definite - if vague - supernatural element in the biology, abilities and origins of the major antagonists: a subspecies of humans known as Super Humans.

Plot: Adekan is what we here on MU have dubbed "Episodic with underlying continuous plot." The story unfolds as a series of criminal cases taking place in Gentou-chou, the town where the protagonists live. Since Koujirou is a police officer, he naturally looks into anything odd he notices, while Shiro gets involved for two reasons: either to help Koujirou out or because the case involves his species/tribe, the super humans (which, considering that they seem to enjoy experimenting on humans with a view towards ruling over them in the future, happens quite often). So unlike what a previous comment mentioned, there's nothing especially contrived about the MCs' encounters with criminals; at least no more than any other detective story.

But all the episodic cases merely lay the groundwork for a much larger plot: one involving Shiro, his childhood friend Anri, Koujirou and indeed all the humans and super humans, in what's shaping up to be an all-out war between (sub?)species. The hints were firmly established from the first volume onwards, so it's clear that the mangaka had a plan from the beginning and isn't making things up at random - which is more than I can say for a lot of long-running series.

Characters: The cast is large, and while only about twenty characters are recurring, for the duration of their appearance each person plays a clear role in the plot: whether as one-offs in the case file chapters or as unexpectedly significant personages later on. The readers are often left guessing as to who'll play a role in the main plot, which is always a plus. Since most of the case file arcs are psychologically driven and focus on the mentality behind crimes and those who commit them rather than the actual whodunnit, many of the perpetrators and victims are neither particularly sympathetic nor wholly unsympathetic, in the fashion of people IRL. I found this intriguing, especially coming from a shoujo manga.

Someone below has wondered why Shiro and Anri "look/act like prostitutes." The simple answer to that is: they were prostitutes. They grew up in an extremely terrible society where "survival of the fittest" was taken to its logical extreme and, being of low birth, had to seduce their way to the top by charming any man or woman they could. Personally, I find that this makes Shiro a very interesting choice of protagonist and Anri a charming-but-deadly opponent.

Fanservice: As my topic should make clear, the fanservice component of Adekan is simply a gender-flipped version of a standard ecchi manga. Men frequently end up in sexually suggestive poses, either by accident or on purpose. Any possible opportunity to draw the male characters half-naked or bathing or in some other state of un/dress that shows off their greatest assets (Koujirou's 12-pack and Shiro/Anri's androgynous seductiveness) is jumped upon. It's as straightforward as that, and nothing for anyone to complain about or be puzzled over.

BL: There is no shounen-ai or yaoi here, and there never will be. While there's no doubt that the most important relationships in the story are Shiro and Anri's childhood friendship/pseudo-enmity and Koujirou's adamant desire to protect Shiro (and vice-versa) that's rooted in their as-of-yet-unrevealed childhood bond, there's equally no doubt that they'll never go beyond platonic love. In fact, all the main male characters hit on/appreciate women at every opportunity and Shiro even develops romantic feelings a few times, though he rejects the girls because his dangerous lifestyle makes him an unsuitable candidate for a lasting romance. But this is female-oriented ecchi, and in true ecchi fashion there are intentional sexual undertones to the character interactions (whether between guy and girl or two guys) that are included solely for the sake of attracting the female gaze; hence all the pointless speculation.

Mood/Humour: Another thing I find interesting about Adekan is its juxtaposition of cruelty and kindness, evil and good, ugliness and beauty. You can never tell which you'll get in which chapter: some of the mysteries end in tragedy, some are bittersweet, others are quite happy. Likewise, the main plot frequently cuts from a scene of the protagonists and their friends/family having fun to one of people being brutally tormented and driven into despair with no hope in sight. Though I do agree, to an extent, with the person who dubbed the series as "bipolar," I also find this unusual approach to storytelling a refreshing breach of the norm.

That being said, the (plentiful) jokes are either dry/witty, blue or black, so you may need an unusual sense of humour to be able to appreciate them.

Art: The artwork is unique, elaborate and stylised; a true feast for the eyes.

In sum: A worthy choice for female readers who like a good plot, don't mind a hefty dose of male fanservice, and can tolerate/enjoy BL subtext played for laughs/eroticism. Not at all recommended for straight guys or conservative women.

... Last updated on May 15th, 2017, 11:46pm

That should tell you something. (That I'm mentally disturbed? Lol.) I mean, what it should tell you is that this is an AMAZING manga with art so breathtakingly perfect and characters so guilelessly sensual that the very air in this manga is like sublimated sex. Idk, I just found the whole experience of reading it ridiculously titillating. @_@; I might have a problem.

But hey, as others have said, the plots are incredibly well-written and self-contained little mysteries, and if for no other reason, read this manga for the story-telling. You won't regret it. Plus, each little murder mystery, dark and darkly humorous as it is, reveals something disturbing AND something wonderful about human nature, AT THE SAME TIME. That's a rare quality in a manga. That, you know, it shows the dark side and then also shows the flawed characters somehow finding something redeeming in it all. That's pretty cool. And pretty complex, too, so far as action manga generally goes. Or maybe I have a really dim view of action manga. It's kind of hard to see past all the sex-perfume that is Adekan. O_O;

Just a warning that there is a running "gay gag" throughout the manga, but it also comes with some serious subtext (not just comedy), so while this isn't BL, people who are uncomfortable with BL might still be discomfited by this. I think those that don't mind gayness in the subtext will be fine, but if you're such a square that even subtext upsets you, you might want to avoid it. Like that friend I recommended Pet Shop of Horrors to, but he got freaked out by the Count... o_0; Or people that don't like Vassalord because of it's borderline gayness.

Definitely, like D, the protagonist of Adekan is sensual and androgynous in the extreme, and his depictions are deliberately titillating. (MORE titillating, even. At least D never lounged about in untied loincloths. *____*) So if you want an action manga with giant beefy macho guys (who are not bears! Lol) then this isn't the one for you.

But if you like the idea of a brilliantly-drawn and intelligently-plotted action/mystery manga that just happens to have an all-male harem of homoerotic bishies in it, you'll be fine.

... Last updated on April 29th, 2010, 7:51am

A manga with great potential.
I can't help appreciating each page, with the detailed artwork will set any reader into frenzy. Very very beautiful, and the art is unique. Hope to see more character development soon, though I do feel the manga is progressing far too quickly in a way where it implied the world's impending doom with Shiro getting kidnapped and would like it if the author could slow down and let us appreciate the moment before everything is revealed and the end.
Shiro is one of the best character I've seen, and Kojiro complements him really well.
I do wonder whether it'll progress to the point of BL because the recent chapters really do seem that way, this could be way more than the usual bromance. Although Shiro can be a flirt, it seems as though he keeps Kojiro in a special place in his heart, and what's with Kojiro getting jealous of Shiro and Anri's relationship (something fishy here). I'm pretty happy with anything as long as it's a Shiro and Kojiro moment and hopefully a happy ending in the far future.

This series is definitely worth reading! It has detailed and well-planned plotlines that never fail to end off with unexpected twists. I really enjoy seeing the interactions between the main characters - humorous, energetic and most importantly, they're sincere and genuine

If you aren't a big fan of such storyline (slightly dark, with some craziness, murders etc), I will still reccomended you to pick up this book for the sake of the artwork itself. Tsukiji San's amazing art is definitely something that will make people fall in love with

... Last updated on April 19th, 2010, 11:51pm

I had originally picked this book up because it was created by one of my favourite artists, Nao Tsukiji, and I have to say, I had enjoyed in thoroughly. I would say that it needs a shounen-ai tag, but Bromance is good enough, I guess. It's developing into shounen-ai though.
The main character of the manga is a really likeable character who goes out his way to help people in need, while Shiro, the lazy but reliable when needed character, is a person with lots of secrets. I must say, I would have preferred Kojiro to be more subtle, and more gentle, but well, it doesn't suit him.
The plot jumps around a lot, like the typical shounen starting where people accepts odd jobs, but in the midst of reading, there's a lot of places which connects together to form a hidden plot.
If you don't mind being patient for the 'real' plot to start, then this manga is an absolutely must read!
Plus, the mangaka drew this manga so beautifully, with so many attractive details and imagination. It definitely deserve a 10/10.
However, for those who hates BL or even [bold]mild[/bold] sexual contents(I pity you whom avoid many good mangas), you can try this, but I've warned you.
Even so, Adekan is a manga that really captures your attention while reading.

This series is really just amazing. The plots are chilly, but there's always humor to lighten it up. The art, the art... Oh gosh. It's simply amazing.
It's a really recommended read, and I've been left yearning for more. :3

Ecchi for girls? Of course it is. I enjoy this one pretty much.

Now to the main idea, what is Paan? In my country, Paan is a kind of dish that you do not swallow that mean no matter how much you eat you will never be full. Why i relate this manga with Paan? Because if sex is a kind of food then to some point you will get full. This manga is Paan where you never get full of, unlike other series. That is it bright spot.

P/s: Be careful, you may lose lots lots of blood.

The art is beautiful. The lines are a bit rough here and there, but I think that's what made the art appealing in some sense. It's not the most clean art around. But it can be real detailed sometimes.

Some people may not like the fact that this manga feminizes the male body a bit, but I think it's beautiful. Not weirdly, but definitely made the body more..flexible and sensual. ...which makes sense since this is supposedly a slash manga. so naturally, it would show off the male body in the same way that female body is shown in, say, ecchi, hentai, and shoujo ai....although i just noticed that it's not labeled as a yaoi or shonen ai genre--but it's listed in the category that it's a "slash."

It uses a peculiar combination of historical and seemingly modern equipments (or...not really..? like, having all the equipments strapped to the body and such--complicated contraptions. don't know how to explain it). Curiously, there are some European elements in the art as well.

The plot in general is a bi iffy for me so far. I'm not sure what to make of it since there aren't a lot of chapters out just yet. Not a lot to conclude from. The actions so far, though, seem to be coming out in arcs (episodic). It reminds me of a detective story, but with a hint of the supernatural (unknown setting, unknown time).
The characters are very intriguing. Even the side characters are well developed with good background story.
There are some humor in it, too. Some are quite funny.
The fighting scenes are great. Very aesthetically pleasing despite the rough drawing. All the acrobatics are amazingly drawn. To be honest, sometimes it's very sexualized-- there are no mentionable romance thus far, but, you know how fight scenes can sometimes be made to resemble sex scenes (or at least romance undertone)? It's like that. ("by gods, does he have to open his legs so wide?" and "why are they so *close* to each other?!")

If you are looking for an instant romance, you will be disappointed. This will be a slow build up one. Possible a "friend to lover" cliche. Not sure.

And yes, if there is to be a romance, it will be yaoi. I can see it coming (I'm just trying to convince myself here). The possible pairing is probably the most crucial reason as to why I'm following this manga.
then again, there's no way of telling it, is there? there are plenty of manga out there that has sexual undertones that ended up having no real romance in it, leaving that department to the readers' imagination (focus more on something non-romantic).

Hope this help!
Happy reading!

... Last updated on January 4th, 2012, 12:05am

I just started reading this manga yesterday night, and even though I have to go somewhere in the morning I couldn't fall asleep for nothing!! This manga is so god damn gorgeous, and sensual and funny and scary and all kinds of other adjectives. I've found a new manga to add to my top ten, so something definitely has to be kicked out. I don't really mind the episodic nature of the manga cause I'm a BL fan and wouldn't be very interested in a over-emotional, clumsy woman always getting in the way. Although I love/hate the BL fan service cause it pleases me yet frustrates me, open romance would really throw off the story. It's a pity though, cause if this manga had a shounen-ai or yaoi tag I would've found it a long time ago.

... Last updated on March 2nd, 2015, 9:07pm

Firstly, I started reading this because of the beautiful artwork. It's a bit over the top, but also extremely rich and dream-like. The world in which this takes place is full of amazing things and beautiful costuming. Underneath all that is a lot of humor, sometimes blatant and more often somewhat dry. There is definitely a story evolving in there somewhere, but it is slow to come together. Because we've only gotten a small piece of what is truly going on, it's hard to say whether the story is going to be great, or if it will fizzle and flounder as time goes on. It may just be an elaborate carrier for a ton of fanservice(which, I admit, is even a bit much for me...and I am a huge fan of BL), but hopefully we will get the chance to see for ourselves.