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ZeroZaki's Humanity test passes with flying colors
One day an average high school student finds out she has latent homicidal tendencies and is adopted into a family of killers by a tall man in white attire and long black hair. Zerozaki’s humanity test is a manga adaptation of a light novel of the same name by prolific author NISIOISIN. I generally have a love-hate relationship with his works for their boring drawn out dialogue and anticlimactic resolutions. This manga however was a short and delightful read from start to finish. It's important to note that this is actually a spinoff from the Zaregoto novel series and as such features a few returning characters.
To elaborate on the plot, the main character Iori gets her life turned upside down after being targeted by an enemy of the zerozaki family. Her friends and family are killed by Soushiki after they were permanently brainwashed by Naguma Sawarabi and only has soushiki zerozaki to turn to. The man in question is in search to find his elusive serial killer brother Hitoshiki Zerozaki. Naguma on the other hand wants revenge for his sister who was killed by Hitoshiki and kidnaps Iori to bait the Zerozaki family.The manga is fairly short and has enough twists and turns to keep readers wanting more. I felt that the manga could've gone into more detail about the killing names( assassin clans) briefly mentioned but then again, I imagine the original novel goes into more detail.
The artwork has a nice crisp and clean feel to it, making the character designs feel full of life. Fight scenes are well put together and have a smooth flow. Since this is a Seinen manga, it doesn't exactly shy away from showing gore but doesn't embellish in it either.
NISIOISIN’s strongest skill is definitely his characterization and this manga reinforces that. Characters are quirky and are distinct from each other which make for interesting interactions. Soushiki is technically a villain since he comes from a family of killers and most likely kills innocent people but his suave and charismatic personality makes it so easy to forget that. He's a total gentleman despite being a monster. Iori Zerozaki certainly resonated with me the most since we both go through life without real direction. We run from our problems while hoping to go find a solution. I read this manga during the worst times in my life and seeing myself inside the protagonist was so blissful. A character I feel that could've used a lot more screen time was Hanamaki Kojika. He was a complex and conflicted character who unfortunately leaves the plot a few chapters after his introduction.
If you're the type of person who enjoys fast-paced thriller action, then Zerozaki's humanity test is the manga for you.
Juni Taisen Novel Mini Review
Like many Nisioisin series that aren't Monogatari, Juni Taisen is often overlooked by the public. There was a little fanfare when the anime came out a few years back before it was quickly forgotten. Is it even a story that deserves to stand the test of time?
JT's biggest pro is also its biggest con: the inner monologues. Readers only have a short time to get attached to the characters before they're abruptly killed by their opponent. This means that the writing is curt instead of the extensive roundabout dialogue Nisioisin is known for. I greatly prefer this writing style and it made for a brisk read. There wasn't any filler and everything was straight to the point. Though some characters were definitely less interesting than others, I felt that each one made a strong impact with the limited time they had.
My favorites are Inounoshishi due to her haughty attitude and Uuma for being a socially awkward beefcake. I just really love muscular guys, especially when they're shy.
The incredibly short battles was the only major flaw besides from the minimal characterization. It's a battle royale story so the fights should be the highlight but in here they're more of an afterthought. They don't even last a page. I'd be more disappointed if I wasn't already familiar with the author's penchant for anti climax. With Medaka Box as proof, Nisio can write inpreessuve battles when he wants to. C'est la vie.
Give this book a read if you enjoy character introspection and don't mind a battle royale without all the cool battles.
Don't forget to watch video review of juni taisen on YouTube