Originally running from 1999–2006, Urasawa Naoki's psychological drama has since received the special edition treatment, formatting its story across eleven beautifully designed volumes that I dove into without any prior knowledge or expectations of what might be in store. Since finishing, I've learned that this manga is quite revered by some, appearing on many top lists, with some editorials even prescribing it masterpiece status. It certainly has the look and feel of one when you first enter that world, but as many readers on the ground will know, the work falls well short of its potential and might be one of the most overrated series out there, given all the critical acclaim it appears to have been enjoying.

From an artistic point of view it's certainly deserving of the highest praise. It's excellent, and one of my favorite styles I've come across. It's modern, but not in the cartoonish-anime sense that's common today. There's this nice balance between realism and exaggeration, depicting very likable character designs that can express sensitivity or silliness just as well as the unsettling or unhinged. Urasawa's style in Monster was similar, although here things are more lighthearted and refined, and I can't think of many other artists who find a sweet spot like this.

The grand and spectacular panel designs are somewhat lacking, with nothing seen on the scale of Berserk or Akira, but there is a very high and consistent baseline level of quality and detail found on every page and panel. It's all deliberate—there’s no filler—and your often treated to an abundance of carefully crafted Japanese backdrops, from streets and buildings to interiors and varied landscapes. It's the kind of artistic endeavor that leaves you amazed at how a single individual could produce something like this.

I think Urasawa actually lays out his panels and overall storyboarding really well to support what is a very complex and character driven story. Dialogue breathes and takes centre stage, with plenty of time given to go deep into character development when it needed to. You can tell Urasawa is really trying to tell a story here, and not just indulge in drawing for drawings sake. The non-linear sequencing and telling of events is an example of something that could have been messy if it wasn't handled with this kind of considered touch. Some my favorite chapters were indeed when we jumped back to the 1969–1970 timeline, when the characters navigate life as schoolchildren, and the backstory to the mystery is being set-up and teased out.

As strong as the character development was, I do have some criticisms of how the protagonist, Kenji, was written. He’s likable and easy to root for, and seeing him removed from the story so we could explore the space with Kanna and his friends was nice. I eagerly anticipated his return, but that felt overdue and underwhelming when it came. What exactly had he been doing for 14 years? That particular backstory is never given to us. Instead, we get vague reasoning that doesn’t satisfy or build empathy. It mostly raises unanswered questions, especially when you consider Kanna—who had already experienced abandonment by her mother— has now had Kenji do the same thing, who decided to disappear for over a decade in time of her immense need. When he does reappear, it’s in this strange, nonchalant fashio and he barely influences events in those final books in any meaningful way.