Beelzebub by Ryuuhei Tamura

Boy, thanks to many distractions including birthday manga, a family member moving, graduation parties, and getting stuck in traffic so long my car's radiator cracked and I had to ride home in a tow truck, I totally missed posting anything last week. I'm sorry about that, truly I am, it never fails that as soon as I pick a long manga to read things just keep me away from finishing in a timely manner. Because of that I'll try to post another manga review this week to make up for it. All the same, I really enjoyed this manga and I hope you will, too.



Beelzebub by Ryuuhei Tamura

Art and story (c) Ryuuhei Tamura

Genre: Action Shonen
Length: 27 Volumes – 240 Chapters


            At the beginning the art is a little sketchy, but the character designs are quickly put to memory and the art settles to what it will be for the rest of the story. The backgrounds are pretty typical because it is a fighting story a lot of the blank panels can be excused for dramatic shots so, overall the backgrounds are filled in when its not a rumble. The clothing, not so much, they are high school kids so their clothes don't much change out of simple uniforms, though that is also typical with delinquents, just about all the clothing have a simplistic style to them. I suppose that isn't bad, but one of the main character's maid outfits always looked ill fitted and that did bother me. The style is strong, there’s a lot of unique looking characters, and the characters look different from one another. The hair was always well done and, though the eyes don't have a lot of detail, they showed the emotions very well. The action sequences were easy to follow and understand, and considering there were a lot of them this is definitely a feat. There was this one major problem that I had with the art, though, and that was that the hands always looked too small for the arms and you see the hands a
lot, so it kept tripping me up. The proportions never changed and my eyes never got used to it, every time I'd stop and think 'that hand is too small.' Mixed in with everything else, though, it was just a small, personal problem, and didn't detract from my enjoyment.
            Tatsumi Oga is the toughest kid at school, an endlessly idiotic muscle head, feared and revered where ever he goes often through quickly applied force. Then something in his life changes, he finds himself taking care of a little green haired child who goes by the name Beelzebub. Once this child comes in the picture and relies on him, Oga is no longer the punk he once was, but instead becomes stronger and even more ruthless! For Beelzebub is no normal child, but, in fact, is baby demon lord in training!!
            First things first, it is possible to count on one hand how many times through out twenty-seven volumes of manga that the baby wears clothes. Going in I wish I had had a little warning about the constant full frontal baby that is Beelzebub so I am putting this warning at the beginning of my review. Its pretty much constant baby ding-dong, and you almost become desensitized to it because its always lurking there so casually. Which has got to be why this manga has not seen an English release, but that is just a shame because this was an excellent read. Within the first ten pages I was laughing way too hard at the stupidity, and that was before all the action really kicked in, and I was already hooked. Like any action manga, Beelzebub is a story of slowly ramping up fights where the characters must grow stronger each time or be defeated so that they can then grow stronger afterward in time for a rematch. There were a few times this type of story telling was a little boring,

usually because the actual training parts were foreshortened or cut out completely, or the fights just felt like a grind instead of an actual plot. But that irrevocable humor would kick in and I'd forgive all the other faults. Not only is Oga completely insane and outrageous, but the cast of side characters (at times overwhelming in their numbers) are more than often having you roll around in fits of laughter as well. The whole cast goes together perfectly, though I did get tired of seeing Beelzebub's man bits, there's not much else to complain about when all is said and done. When looking for action comedy manga, its not often you find one where the two parts are equally given time but Beelzebub did give me that balance. What originally sounds like an overused delinquent plot, and almost comes close to being one at the beginning, is actually a supernatural tale of the human world and hell's politics rolled in rip-roaring gags. If I really had to dig, I'd have to say the ending was a little rushed, but the bonus I've mentioned at the end makes up a bit for that. Considering that all the fights are basically fist fights on more and more epic proportions, I'd say this manga did a really good job of keeping the interest of the reader. I don't think it ever was wholly predictable, either. I'm really glad I decided to read this, and I don't think it will disappoint anyone looking for something in this genre.



5/5 Hilarious and action packed, its the full package.

Yes, Oga, that's you.

Bonus: 
Beelzebub Sidestory by Ryuuhei Tamura


Genre: Action Shonen
Length: One Volume – 6 Chapters


This is just a few extra stories of the Beelzebub crew after the main story is now over and you are lost in despair with out it. Mostly made up of silly gags and even more couple teasing, it has a bit of everything you are craving after the bit abrupt ending given following the Beelzebub ending. I really enjoyed it, actually, it filled in a few gaps and helped the ending of the original plot line sting less. Its not all about Oga and Beezl, either. Make sure you read this one once you finish Beelzebub!