Area D is a manga that centers around altereds, or humans with special abilities. These abilities began to appear 12 years ago some humans began developing these powers. While some used them to become heroes, many used them to do horrible things. After the Lotus Flower explosions that killed thousands of people altered where forcefully incarcerated on an island known as Area D that appeared the same time as the Altered. Of course they did not go easily since majority had done nothing wrong. Now, that you have some background, let's talk about the actual manga.
The story of Area D actually started out really interesting. A group inmates attempting to locate Jin's brother. Jin is forced to defeat the leaders of each housing division because he refuses to follow their orders and join what are basically gangs. Meanwhile the inmates attempt to deal with the militaristic rule of the islands leaders. When the first half ended Jin had found his brother and defeated the bosses of the housing divisions, or formed alliances with them.
Then the second half starts and you literally ask yourself "what the hell is going on?" The main characters from the first half are nowhere to be found. The altereds have not only taken over the island but now rule the entire world from the island. Now spies are being sent in to covertly destroy the altered regime. But then they find the original main characters and team up to take out the real bad guy. Jin's brother that he beat in the first half, who is really being controlled by a dead scientist that faked his death.
I don't care, I'm spoiling the ending just so you don't read this. Aliens, it was aliens from an alternate dimension that accidentally gave humans in this dimension powers. Yeah, aliens, and that's only revealed in the last two chapters. Aliens were never mentioned at any point. Suddenly they accidentally send an entire island and a device that gives people powers by accident. They send it back to the other dimension and everything is okay. This was all done in the last two chapters.
There's countless unanswered questions. You had 137 chapters and you didn't answer any of the main questions you had. I'm sure sales started slipping because suddenly there was a ton of nudity, sexual innuendo and straight fan service midway through the second half. I'm talking men and women. You were hoping that anyone would stick around and finish. Well If finished it because I didn't have anything better to do. This manga was actually so bad I said "Darrell, you really need to get your life together if you have time to read this." That's an actual quote from me.
None of the characters are really fleshed out. Jin can't be the mysterious protagonist for 137 chapters. That just doesn't work. Kaito got revenge on his sisters killer and everything was just better with him then he fell in love with a zombie. We never learned why Dr. Soga was creating zombies out of his kids anyway, or why Mariko died anyway. Did Satoru ever get over his fear of using his powers and accidentally killing anyone? Oh, wait, that never happened. Write it out. How did Gozu get stuck in his beast form? Not important? Okay moving on. Has Mika been a ghost the whole time? No? You just decided to add that. Okay.
Honestly there is nothing nice I can say about Area D other than some of the art is really good at some points. The cities all look different but amazing. The Character designs are great and detailed. Maybe Nantsukik Youichi should team up with someone who is a better writer. I'm sure Yoshiro Togashi can just send you scripts for the rest of the Hunter x Hunter chapters. That way he gets to play Dragon Quest, you keep a job, and the fans get Hunter x Hunter...with good art.
You can hear Darrell on the CP Time and Powerbomb Jutsu podcasts. He also plays classic arcade games on The Cabinet
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Anime/Manga
