Reviews Manga / Kenichi The Mightiest Disciple

Training from Hell - The Series

Phew. I've caught up on this - all 409 chapters of it - and I have to say it's become one of my favourite shonen titles.

I like: the attention to detail (look at the way Kenichi gradually builds muscle over the course of the manga); the badass fighters; the crazy awesome mentors; the fact that Kenichi hasn't become a cold, distant jerkass or a hyperactive, overpowered supposed messiah, but stayed a somewhat normal boy; the balance of funny and serious; the martial arts (as a martial arts nerd, it's wonderful to see someone's Shown Their Work); the lack of Faux Action Girl and Miu (serious case of PSL for Miu).

I don't like: Miu's Fan Service Pack; Kenichi's Wouldn't Hit A Girl; the sudden upswing in fanservice later in the series (I'm not offended, it's just seriously distracting, though I feel slightly dirty and chauvinistic for liking it) and Miu's and Kenichi's Twice Shy status (I have had enough of that shite in anime and manga - I prefer progress).

Recommended.