Introduction and review of the manga "Rokudenashi BLUES" (by Masanori Morita)

On February 21, 2019, the program "Ame Talk!" aired an episode titled "Good-for-Nothing Blues Comedians."
When I was in elementary school, even though I read Shonen Jump, I didn't read this particular work seriously, so I didn't know the details of its story.
However, as an adult, I read "Beshari Gurashi" by the same author and had a very interesting and moving experience.
With those circumstances coinciding, I decided to give it a try and read all 25 volumes of the paperback edition.
To put it simply, it was very interesting.

Work summary

This is a school-life manga centered around gang wars, with Taizon Maeda, who enrolls in Teiken High School, as the main character.
The story revolves around the theme of men's struggles in pursuit of "strength," but it also features themes of friendship and romance, as is typical for high school students.
The story thoroughly depicts the protagonist, Taizon Maeda, up until his high school graduation.

While the story generally progresses within larger episodic arcs, there are also numerous self-contained, standalone episodes.
Many of the self-contained episodes delve into the characters of the numerous characters, and the content is highly dramatic.
Each character is vividly portrayed, making this a very captivating work.

thoughts

Reading it now as an adult, I realize it's a truly fascinating work.
However, when I think about why I didn't read it as a child, I think it was because I didn't like the style of illustrations.
Although there are some scenes that are drawn in a slightly more stylized way, this work mostly features a serious, dramatic art style.
I loved the manga "BOY" (by Haruto Umezawa), which had a similar storyline and was published in Jump, so much that I collected all the volumes. I think I avoided this manga because I didn't like the masculine art style.
As an aside, I used to avoid JoJo's Bizarre Adventure for the same reason, but I finally started to understand its appeal around my university days.

The first thing that made me feel the era was the depiction of smoking when I started reading.
While scenes of minors smoking are now strictly restricted even in anime, in this work, high school students are all smoking freely.
I think cigarettes were a quick way to look like a delinquent.

As for the content, it followed a classic storyline and was undeniably entertaining.
Whenever a formidable enemy appeared, even if Taizon was defeated once, he always won in the end, so I could read with peace of mind.
As the story progresses, the characters learn new techniques, and while it's not as flashy as Dragon Ball, you can definitely feel them steadily getting stronger.

A distinctive feature of the villains is that "there are no truly evil people."
Even if a character appears utterly evil and completely unworthy of sympathy when they first appear, there's always a reason why they became that way.
Ultimately, after Maeda defeats his opponent, that opponent also repents and shows remorse, making it a story with a satisfying ending.
I didn't find this part unpleasant to read.

However, even if you had read this work when you were little, you might not have found it very interesting.
Because many of the characters are thoughtful and don't tell you everything.
To fully appreciate the story, you need to read between the lines.
If the plot simply involved training to defeat a powerful enemy, it would be easy for children to understand and enjoy.

In my case, I only recently finished reading it, and I found it very interesting.
I felt that this is a work that adults can enjoy as well, and from which there are many things to learn.

Rokudenashi Blues Vol. 1 (Jump Comics Digital)(Amazon)

Character impressions (contains spoilers)

This game features many characters, but I'd like to share my thoughts on the characters that left the biggest impression on me.
This may contain spoilers, so please be careful if you plan to read it.

・Maeda Taizon
He was a character full of manliness, befitting a protagonist, and I relied on him a lot.
I felt reassured knowing that even if I was defeated in battle against the enemy boss, I would always win in the end.
He sometimes did stupid things, but that was what made him so endearing.

・Nanase Chiaki
I was getting impatient because my relationship with Taizon wasn't progressing at all.
However, I also think it's inevitable that a relationship won't develop unless the man takes the initiative.
Despite being approached by various men, I've turned them down, and I wasn't as irritated as they portrayed on the TV show "Ame Talk!".

Onizuka
As a clear antagonist who appeared with strength on par with Taizon, he was a truly ruthless character.
However, after his reappearance, he seems to have reformed and is grateful to Taizon.
He's a pretty calm character, and I like him because of the contrast.

Yakushiji Temple
He leaves a rather underwhelming impression compared to the other four.
His position is similar to Taizon's, and he is a character who is well-liked.

Kasai
His ruthlessness surpassed even that of Onizuka, but once you hear his reasons, there are aspects that make you sympathize with him.
The scene where Kasai and I fight together is a really exciting one.
I feel he's the strongest of the Four Heavenly Kings.

・Kiyoshiro Kawashima
In terms of individual combat power, I feel he's the strongest in the series.
However, in a scenario where the Four Heavenly Kings all fought together, they were clearly at a disadvantage.

・Takato Shirai (Sally)
He's the only cowardly character in the story who shows little remorse.
However, it seems he genuinely fell in love with Chiaki, and he could be considered the cupid who brought Taizon and Chiaki closer together.

Harada Seikichi
I initially thought this character would only be around for a short time, but who would have thought they could become a lifelong rival?

・Dai Shimabukuro
Although he and Taizon are enemies, they interact like close friends.
He's actually very strong, but for various reasons he doesn't show it, and he doesn't make excuses for it. I think he's a character full of manliness.
I sincerely hope that they will be rewarded for their efforts.

・Nakata Kobeiji
When a goofy character like this occasionally performs a serious task, the contrast creates a positive effect and makes them popular.
While he often makes arrogant and self-centered remarks, his true character lies in the fact that he actually cares about many things.

Hiroto Oba
He appears young and immature at times, but I feel he has matured significantly in the end.
It feels like the childish side of Taizon has emerged as a separate character.

Masatoshi Ebihara
Although he is Taizon's junior, he is often portrayed as strong and plays many cool roles.
When he first appeared, he seemed like a belligerent and troublesome character, but later he turned into a nice junior character.

- Tetsuya Ishimatsu
A character who is actually strong but doesn't show their true strength because they have a kind heart.
I think the relationship with Ebihara is good.

・Hidekazu Ohashi
I thought he'd just be a minor character, but in the boxing tournament arc, he played a leading role.
He can be quite aggressive, but I liked his serious approach to boxing.

Ioka, Takehara, Numata
Everyone appears as an unpleasant teacher, but that role keeps shifting.
Ioka, for example, had become a character that was impossible to dislike.
Ultimately, Numata is portrayed as a very unpleasant person, but since he suffers so much, it's not too stressful to read.

Rokudenashi Blues Vol. 1 (Jump Comics Digital)(Amazon)

Rakuten Market: ろくでなしBLUES