Manga Review: Platinum End, Volume 5, by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: April 2018

Volumes: 8+

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 4. 6.

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the creators of Death Note! Mirai may have been saved by an angel, but his battle is just beginning…

As his classmates celebrate their middle school graduation, troubled Mirai is mired in darkness. But his battle is just beginning when he receives some salvation from above in the form of an angel. Now Mirai is pitted against 12 other chosen humans with the winner becoming the next god of the world. Mirai may have an angel in his corner, but he may need to become a devil to survive.

Determined to become a useful member of the team, Saki explores ways she can gain her own set of angel wings. Meanwhile, a new god candidate makes his grand entrance. Is this one friend or foe?

Review:

We meet a new enemy in this volume, another God contender. He's... not quite what I expected.

I think it's an interesting touch to have a villain who stutters over his words and actually worships the main enemy. All of the plastic surgery he's had, and his obsessions, are rather disturbing.

I can't help but feel unimpressed with the main characters. They're not all that intimidating, and honestly, they don't seem all that smart when they go to fight, either. The two guys are leading it and planning, but then they just rush into the threatening situations without an actual plan, and seem to go off of their reactions. It just doesn't feel very smart to me.

From the end of the last volume, and the first half of this one, I appreciate that Saki seems to be growing confidence and determination to win, or at least help fight now. After all that, it bothers me that they put so much emphasis on her having wings. I understand she'd be on an even playing field then, but she can still run around. She could drive to the meet up place and help fight. I think she's probably going to miraculously get the wings to help save them in the next volume, though. Or at least pretty soon.

I suppose Metropoliman seems the smartest, most capable character at this point, but he's also awful.

I'm not all that impressed, honestly, but it can be an interesting read.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!