Jan 26, 2014
If you like different types of stories with sci-fi and supernatural settings you should try Kiseki no Shounen. I had it on my plan to read list but didn't know much about it except that it was about an unusual kid who floats. I took a look at it and immediately recognized the art from Cloud (Kuraudo), which I really like, so I decided to read it since I really like his other story and artwork.
Noujou Junichi’s artwork is highly realistic and naturalized, I like the fact that each character looks uniquely individual and they actually
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look Asian. It looks very real yet he has a distinctive style that I could recognize with seeing one image. The stories I’ve read by him involve very intelligent characters with weird abilities and cool mysterious plots. I really would love to see more of his works translated so I could read them. :) I also don't know why his works are not more recognized or higher rated, they should be. However, if you prefer very cartoony moe type art typical of manga it probably won’t be to your liking as it is realistic with distinctive expressions, more along the lines or say Death Note or Rin. The background of the buildings and cityscapes are well done too. He is a mature well known mangaka so I think he has a more nuanced approach to his style and writing than many younger mangakas do. Often times it seems more seinen than shounen with eechi that seems mature and that may be partly because of the mangaka's own outlook.
It's really good, cool odd sort of story that keeps you reading. It involves a strange young man with unusual abilities. Oda floats. He scares his classmates and tells them about the future. The story involves mathematical formulas, the future, and romance but also has a sort of bizarre surreal effect to it as well. The romance is understated and subtle but as the story progresses you can tell that they love each other, it’s just not shown in a typical shounen or school romance way but more nuanced.
In fact, a lot of this story is more mature shounen or seinen, and I am not talking mature in a sexual way or a violent way but more of an approach to the story. There is a strange sort of dark psychology to it that is also not overt, but leads the reader to think and speculate or ruminate on it. It’s not as dark as other psychological manga I’ve read such Death Note but I think that it would also be enjoyed by some of their readers for similar but different qualities. Since it’s a shounen it does not get excessively dark though.
The one thing is I am still wondering how levitation could affect the future so much so that part is a little out there. Some readers seem to want it to make sense since it is sci-fi so they may not get its style. Kiseki no Shounen certainly has a certain quirkiness to it.
Oh of note, this was listed as complete at 15 chapters but that is just the first two volumes there is still another volume to be translated but yes it is complete in its original Japanese version. So it has more than 15 chapters as I just read the 16th.
So for ratings the art is a 9, the plot itself is a 7 or 8 and it’s probably an 8 or perhaps a 9. It could use more characterization perhaps as sometimes it needs to tell a bit more than it does it shows more than it tells.
But I really loved the line he repeats to the girl a lot. I won’t spoil it for you.
Overall I enjoyed traveling through time with this sci-fi manga and hope others will lift off and enjoy the journey as well.
Reviewed by inzaratha for reviews for the unreviewed.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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