Story: 9

The story expressed in Ikigami is done in two parts, first is the episodic form which follows a separate person during the last moments of their life and how they cope with their newfound mortality. These each are taken from a unique perspective and give a great amount of character and world building all expressing the morose themes of the series in a natural fashion without blatantly spelling it out to the reader. The second follows the man who delivers said ikigami and how he copes with his work. Each chapter begins and ends with his thoughts on each case and the over arching plot that develops through them.


Character: 8

The characters under this story format are surprisingly fleshed out and many experience an entire character arch which feels natural and progresses without being too rushed. My only nitpick on this is that with the format we are not able to become too attached to a character or those around them, and are instead forced to detach ourselves from them and become more akin to an onlooker of a show than an actual member of the cast, so to speak.


Art: 7

The art is very standard, and on the surface can even be criticized for not being able to stand out. However, the art is well done and well fitting to the darker and more somber themes of the story, and when the visuals do pop out with excellent detail, they truly stand out and in turn express extremely impactful moments of the series. This contrast between rather standard and truly incredible art allows for a more in depth dissection of the characters and plot which wouldnt be possible if the art was done to be more consistently pleasing to the eye. So while the series would look better if the art was of greater quality, I would probably not enjoy it as much as I have under its given form.

Enjoyment: 9

The episodic form of this story is surprisingly attractive and approachable as a reader. As each arch is very well developed and succinct, but still making a reader ache for more. As such it is perfect for the reader who wishes to stop and think on a piece, the binge reader who just wants to keep going on, and the re-reader who analyzes each page multiple times. The themes and questions on human nature and the necessities of societal structure are truly compelling as each chapter gives its own impression on each. And the best part about the thematic message is that the series trusts the reader to think for themselves and in turn does not spoon feed you a right/wrong, and leaves the message for the reader to determine.

Overall 9:

Please note that this series is not for the faint of heart, and does not back away from themes of domestic abuse, rape, poverty, politics, suicide, and murder. As such, it is not a show for the easily offended or the faint of heart. However, if you are the kind of person who enjoys deeply philosophical discussion and are not deterred by realistic depictions of the aforementioned topics, then I implore you to read this, as this is not just an absolute masterpiece manga, it is a masterpiece in literature as a whole.