Viz Media!
(W) Ryo Mizuno (A) Makoto Yotsuba (CD) Miyu
While it’s been a long time since I wrote a review, I know that a hallmark Shounen piece can’t exist without breasts and clueless boys. In this case, “Record of Grancrest War” reminds us that a story doesn’t need to revolve around breasts and that guys aren’t the only powerhouses in stories. Please note, this piece is not for younger audiences as it contains violence and sexual images. This is the only warning I will provide before going forward with this review.
“Record of Grancrest War” takes place in a universe where the earth was once ruled by chaos. Thanks to a savior, all of the chaos was placed into shields, or containers, called Grancrests. Based on the Grancrest a person has, they have a higher status in society. One day, a mage named Siluca is a student who is just about to be assigned to a knight. Unfortunately, she gets assigned to a knight who has very “peculiar” tastes when it comes to mages. On her way to meet the knight, she meets a mysterious traveler named Theo, who is on his way to save his village from chaos. While he is travelling, he saves Siluca from an army. From there on out, she pledges herself to him to help him get his village back while evading the “peculiar” knight. It’s now up to the two of them to face the world and keep political alliances intact.
While there are harems throughout the manga, it is a very subtle touch which I can actually appreciate. In fact, I could even say Siluca is the girl everyone pines for rather than Theo. Unfortunately, the manga takes the usual route of political alliances and there isn’t anything new to look forward to in that aspect. Some characters come and go as plot devices and the political schema is just like Sword Art Online in my perspective. However, many people can refute me and say otherwise. The chaos theme isn’t particularly bad, but it’s the repeated tropes of magic that make the manga a bit boring. I love how the chaos can be captured and used by others, but I worry that’s the only magic we’ll get to see.
Siluca is the typical smart girl with a tough exterior. But unlike most characters, she knows how to stand up for herself and put her brains to use. She could easily stand on her own had it not been for her boundaries in magic. Actually, I’m surprised that her magic is very limited in the manga. Although I have theories why the magic is set up with specific links, I would probably guess the creators just wanted to give Theo “powerhouse” abilities. Theo is the typical shounen character who can makes friends with everybody. Just like any other shounen character, he is a mega powerhouse who has no idea how to use his powers. Theo isn’t a bad character, he’s just boring. He’s another paper copy I can find in any shounen aisle. Two thumbs down on Theo. It helps that I have a penchant for quiet characters like Siluca’s servant. He’s quick on his feet but deadly with a knife. While his name slips off the top of my head, his presence is unforgettable in my eyes.
The art is amazing, as expected from manga artists nowadays. I love the details that are used when focused on anything chaos related. It’s not the best artwork I’ve seen from other artists, but it certainly can hold its own with its detailed characters and fair use of female sexuality. I only have two suggestions to the creators. The first suggestion to the team is to try and create more details for different backgrounds. The second suggestion would be to try and create more fluid transitions in the action panels. This would grab a reader’s attention and keep them more engaged with the story.
The manga has a decent start and is something I would recommend to a first-timer who wants to get the tropes. I wouldn’t recommend it to other shounen and harem fans on the first go. Rather, I would use this for someone who is really bored and needs a desperate shot of slight ecchi. The characters are decent enough to keep the fanservice going, the plot has decent political intrigues when it comes to Siluca’s relationships. Plus, for once the focus might be on the female lead rather than the mindless male lead. For more information on this manga, click here for more details.