Katekyoshi Hitman Reborn (Home Tutor Hitman Reborn) Manga Review (NOT ANIME! >.<) [No spoilers]

Katekyoshi Hitman Reborn

 

Tsuna and his six Guardians of the Sky

Not many stories have a setting as ridiculous as Hitman Reborn and still succeed as a story. I mean come on, a Japanese weakling who's constantly failing at life is suddenly the next Don of the biggest Italian mafia. It almost seems like a fantasy of just such a weakling, but Amano Akira's manga became one of the most popular manga of all time. For people who've just started reading the manga or watching the anime, you might think this is because the general population is stupid. 

Well, the general population IS stupid, but that's not the reason this manga is so popular. Make it past the first few chapters and what it becomes is a genuinely dark and fascinating story, with ridiculousness and slapstick peppered in. If you can't stand the stupidity, then I implore you to look past it, for what remains is a brilliant, brilliant story. 

Originally being a manga targeted towards kids, it changed it's tone dramatically, so much so that the anime stopped being broadcast because the next art was too dark and violent. (That may not be the only reason but I assume it's a large part of it.) 

On a side-note, those people who've only watched the anime, you MUST read the manga. The anime does not in any way live up to the manga. Amano's art is absolutely beautiful in many instances and it helps the story when it becomes dark or poignant. 

 

 

Art

Now, for all its boons, it has a massive flaw - The Final Arc. "The battle of the rainbow" arc begins quite strongly.  It answers a lot of questions fans were curious about. But then it just falls into a spiral that becomes stupid, confusing and pointless. It obviously even confused the writer, as it ends so abruptly, it's like hitting a brick wall you didn't know was there. There is no resolution to the story what so ever.

So, if you're prepared to take that on board, then I promise the rest of the ride won't leave you disappointed.
For what it is, it is a brilliant piece of work. It doesn't try to humanize the mafia or try to justify its actions. It is cheesy and melodramatic at times as most manga are (unlike a lot of manga, it succeeds in not sexualizing its female characters for the most part) , but I promise you, give it a chance and it won't disappoint.

(All images taken from [Katekyoshi Hitman Reborn Colore Official Artbook]
I claim no ownership of any of the images. It all belongs to Amano Akira.)