I'm glad I watched the anime first.. there are a lot of translation issues with the scanlations, especially in the early chapters. Mostly i'd say it's very disjointed and literal at times, which can really add to the confusion.

The art of Amatsuki strangely reminded me of a Sengoku Basara fanart site I visited, so I thought maybe the artist was one and the same. It turns out that Takayama Shinobu did work on some doujinshi, though it was not for Sengoku Basara, but for Naruto. Because of this, you can bet that Amatsuki does have some BL elements to it. For a person unfamiliar with Japanese history, Buddhism and Asian folklore in general, this series will indeed be very confusing. I'd recommend reading this in original Japanese, if possible (because hopefully then it would make more sense. . . )

This is one of those series that's really slow to get moving, but it does answers some questions at certain moments. I guess if you don't have the patience, progressing through this story is like going through a tar pit. Nevertheless, Amatsuki is a good series for fangirls.

beautiful gorgeous art and one heck of a story. This manga really is a page flipper it is soo much fun read and explore the world the characters are in. I definite read for fantasy lovers

This story isn't bad. I like it. The drive of it is the mystery, which keeps it going plenty well. The setting is good, a boy sucked into another time, and the reason why the protag is special is acceptable since it's not one of those "You were born with an obscenely unnatural and needed power". The thing that I don't like though is, THIS IS CONFUSING. I've reread all the current chapters several times over, and there are still things that I don't get. Time jumps are unnatural and there are too many things that simply don't make sense. Overall, it's good but coonnfffuuussinnggg

I started with the manga then anime but I feel like the series is endless with tons of cast members and the whole switching b/t fantasy and IRL plotline. I started maybe a decade ago but dropped it just recently but I will have a strange desire to read the entire manga since it's now completed at 24 vol. I wish they just did the same with cutting out the IRL setting and just focused on the whole time travel with my friends plot.

I have to say the colored art and covers are some of the loveliest artwork for manga even if the story is lacking. Still hoping someone will pick up her future manga works which will be written better.

The art is brilliant, the characters rather fun and the historical and mythological refrences make a japanophile like me drool. The only thing keeping me from giving this manga a perfect 10 is... well... the plot. I realize the a twisted plot is rather fun, and can make a story really interesting... but there are times when I swear this plot takes turns it really doesn't need. The cuts between RL and VR are kinda choppy and I'll be d***ed if I can find a start or an end to flashbacks. True, I'm still avidly waiting for the next scanlation... but all the time inbetween will be filled with me trying to figure out the plot like a Lost fan.

... Last updated on August 28th, 2008, 1:31pm

It's rather boring, the usual shonen stuff. The main is an idiot and the story is incredible unrealistic. No offense, but this's one of the less good series. I'd give it 5/10

Nothing make sense in chinese. maybe coz i was too dependent on the english trasnlation. the story is amusing and confusing. everybody said so. but i bow down for the artwork and timing. yes; it is superb, clean, pretty but can make goosebump sometimes.
and for the BL suggestion: I found it between Bonten and Ginshuu. Anyone?

It seemed interesting enough, and the art wasn't bad, but I couldn't understand what was happening after the first few chapters. Things just didn't make a lot of sense. If you're good at figuring stuff out or you just don't bother, then go ahead and read it, but...

I find the story really confusing. It's a pretty wordy manga and i find it hard to follow the names. But the characters are hilarious, and love the 3 main characters. They really show alot of personality (so their relationship is worthy to follow).