Birdmen Edit What would you like to edit? SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links   3a6s5s

Birdmen is so good, It is genuinely one of my favourite mangas and I truly believe yellow tanabe is a goat of the medium. This story is so fricking rich and the world is so interesting and vast. Normally the world consists of japan and maybe one other western country but this story fr goes around the globe, one of my favourite characters is a prince who shows up for like 15 chapters which shows how good and quick you can get attached to the characters introduced to us. IT IS SO GOOD. GENUINELY MASTERPIECE, there is a rushed ending which took away from it ... but this story was so good that I overlook that and I blame the editors or some shi, I wish that it couldve gotten tthe ending it deserved but even without that THIS SHIT IS FIRE.

THIS MANGA IS SO GOOD

It's one of those ones you want to reread as soon as you're done! I absolutely adored it! The writing is fantastic, and all the characters feel fleshed out. Everything is well above average but the writing in particular is absolutely dead on. There was not a single time I felt lost, bored or disappointed-- it really delivered. Even in things that trip up other writers. Like for example, sometimes when a manga adds a lot of new characters, things get confusing to follow. Not here! Holy crap, I was shocked. Not really a spoiler, there's this one part where ... they just keep adding all these new characters and I was like "oh no this is going to get so confusing" and then??? It didn't?? It all flowed together so well and it all just made sense. Like it's absolutely unreal how good the pacing and characterization is.

Some other nice points: There's no crazy fanservice, and there's a wide array of diversity in the cast too, with characters from all around the globe (more later on). Overall it feels more like a tweens/teens genre because of the lack of fanservice, but it still gets incredibly dark at points and may rip out your heart.
I really hope this gets an anime adaptation one day.

Birdmen is one of my new favorite manga.

Story: 7/10
There is a lot of time spent on how a child adapts to growing wings alongside his friends, and how to adjust to his new life. It is very practical and lighthearted, until the focus shifts from the main character and his friends to the evolution of the species itself. This is important to note for those who might not like science fiction.

Unfortunately, there were a lot of characters and plot lines that were not utilized to their fullest extent. Some of the series' biggest mysteries are not explained very well, and this can be unsatisfying when ... you expect to find answers for things teased the entire manga. All of this rushing is the reason why many people, myself included, suspect that this manga was axed (probably around 60 chapters in). Some of the unclear explanations may also be due to the poor translation of some chapters.

Despite this, I think the story was still overall fun and had a fine conclusion. The mangaka is able to highlight the struggles of being a child in a harsh world and how important it is to have people beside you to face such struggles.

Art: 7/10
The art is clean cut and good for the most part. Sometimes ears and side profiles are drawn strangely, or some character's faces are uncharacteristically harsh. As the story went on, some of the character designs became less and less distinct. Sometimes this is done on purpose for plot reasons, other times it is what it is.

The children, when in "birdmen" form, have great designs. The only gripe is that in the beginning, sometimes characters can be indistinguishable besides the little designs on their helmets which can lead to some confusion when reading.

The art is very charming overall, and really shines in emotional moments and double page spreads. Personally, my favorite aspect is the volume covers, especially the last one.

Character: 8/10
Some characters introduced were definitely supposed to play a bigger role but were forgotten by the end after the halfway point, and the original cast's development is ditched in favor of more important characters. Even so, the mangaka never fails to stress the important of friendship and bonds between the characters. This goes for pretty much everyone, especially the children. The concept of bonds between the birdmen, no matter who you are or where you're from, is something that is explored constantly and is heartwarming to read.

The main character (Eishi) undeniably goes through the most profound change. His development is slow and subtle, and is always tied with the character that turned him into a birdman (Takayama). Through Takayama, Eishi opens a new world and grows for the better by meeting new people and overcoming challenges. The road he takes to get there is one of the most enjoyable parts of the manga because of how well it is handled.

Enjoyment: 9/10
Despite not realizing its full potential, Birdmen is still a great read for its science fiction themes mixed with some lighthearted manga tropes. The plot is dramatic and ambitious, and it's fun to see where it will take you. The characters are very likeable, and help contrast against the dark mood of the manga. I strongly encourage those who enjoy science fiction or themes of evolution, those who like bird people, or those who want to see a main character grow and mature in a wonderful way to read this work!