Manga Review: Reborn!, Volume 1 (Reborn! #1) by Akira Amano

Title: Reborn!, Volume 1 (Reborn! #1)
Author: Akira Amano
Pages: 192
Publication: October 3, 2006
Publisher: Viz
Summary taken from goodreads:

Tsunayoshi Sawada (Tsuna for short) is a cowardly junior high student who doesn't excel at academics or sports. He only attends school so he can stare at his beautiful classmate Kyoko from afar. 

But Tsuna's life takes a dramatic turn when Reborn, a suit-wearing, gun-toting baby who claims to be an Italian hit man, shows up at his house. Reborn was sent to Japan to groom Tsuna for his future life as a big Mafia boss. 

Tsuna doesn't believe this absurd story, so Reborn shoots Tsuna in the head with his gun. As Tsuna faces his own death, he's filled with regret that he never confessed his feelings to Kyoko...and suddenly he's overcome with supernatural powers that allow him to run off screaming to tell Kyoko how much he loves her. After five minutes, Tsuna goes back to normal.

Reborn explains how his gun works: when he shoots a person in the head, if that person has regrets about her life, then she will die and be reborn, temporarily endowed with special powers that enable her to fix or solve whatever is the source of her regret. (If Reborn shoots someone who is free of regret, she would die.) 

Tsuna becomes Reborn's disciple, and because Reborn shoots Tsuna in the head all the time, he is constantly being reborn and growing into a stronger and better person, gradually impressing those around him and making friends.

3 STARS - I LIKED IT

MY REVIEW:

I almost didn't want to finish this volume just because the main character, Tsuna, was so extreme in his reactions. His reactions and actions was almost too ridiculous for me to stomach, but I forced myself through the first chapter because I knew that it would probably get better afterwards, and I was right.

After Tsuna stopped living in denial, the story became hilarious with lots of WTF-are-you-serious-this-is-stupid-funny-but-funny-nonetheless moments. Basically, even though most of the characters are kind of 2D, they're unique and quirky and hilarious, which makes up for their unreasonable devotion to Tsuna being their leader.

The art is nice, the characters are humorous, and the plot not completely original, but entertaining nonetheless. It's a good start for a series even though you kind of have to force yourself through the beginning.