Its time you stop. In truth it actually was all... a lie. It is true that this world has the power to grant your wishes. But something like resurrection is a bit of an exaggeration regardless of whether or not the plate is big or full water that flows out of the plate will not return to it. And that is why YOURE DEAD. 220https://i.ur.com/bR0p4IA.jpeg So in my last review I noted why BlackRock Shooter the Game the Manga failed as a story. And how the pedophilic elements made me deeply uncomfortable. So that leaves the question how is this execution of a BlackRock Shooter story? Well BlackRock Shooter: Innocent Soul is pretty good. Ill first give out a recap and explain what I like about this manga and some of the stuff I dislike. The Following Story Sections have spoilers each part covers six chapters each do please avoid spoilers. Story Part 1: That was the first half my god that took a while. How about we break this up about something else. Intermission: So I want to take the time to talk about the art I love the art style. Every page just looks great. One of my compliments towards BlackRock Shooter the Game the Manga was the art and how despite everything else it was really pretty to look at. Its like reading All Star Batman and the Boy Wonder. You get edgy edgelord Batman abusing a 12 year old boy and laughing like a jackass. All laced with horrible writing but the art looks so pretty to look at. Which is a shame there and for BlackRock Shooter the Game the Manga because despite being really pretty art its associated with some of the worst storytelling Ive ever seen. But here I can appreciate the pretty good story with the amazing art. Now there is an aspect of the art direction I do want to touch on at a later date. That being BlackRock Shooters design. Because I think in some stories it works and others it doesnt but I have some mixed thoughts here. Anyways back to the story. Story Part 2: Honestly this is my favorite part in the whole section and I want to dedicate its own section. Rams Truth of Dead: Anyways back to the story. Back to the Story: Now with the story concluded time for my thoughts. Final Thoughts: So Imma make this brief. Ive been experimenting with this format of review and I dont think Ive been liking how Ive presented these. Moving on I enjoyed the story the pace took some time to getting used to but I got around to it eventually until the ending. Prior the pace was brisk but it was somewhat of a blitz by the end. It took me a while to get caught up on whats going on. Although I still think its far better than what I experienced in my review of BlackRock Shooter: The Game The Mangahttps://anilist.co/review/29273. I found the characters to be pretty strong. Even Ram who while I didnt quite grasp as a tangible villain I still very much preferred her to Singlove. The gross aspects this time around were better not good not okay just... better. I mean its not better by a wide margin but I am more grossed out by the sexualization of a little girl than a teenager but that line is very thin. Speaking of which I felt Deads character suffered a bit from her being a bit gross towards Rock when shes clearly an adult. I mean it is better than the translator nicknaming a character Lolicol but I digress. I already mentioned how the art is great but let me go back to what I promised way back when. Ill probably go more indepth in a later review of BlackRock Shooter but I find Rock/ BlackRock Shooter / Stella / were not doing this bit again I find each instance of BlackRock Shooter to have very differently executions of the design. Now to you who is reading this review you may be asking like how my dude its the same design save for the dress in Innocent Soul and you would be right except for the storytelling in the design. So far my least favorite interpretation of the design was in The Manga The Game because bit coat bikini top and shorts dont tell me about a little girl robot soldier. And it just continues making me uncomfortable. Now while the dress in Innocent Soul does solve this issue Im just not big with the style of dress but thats more of my taste in dresses. Then we have the 2012 anime which I think is the best interpretation of the design from a story standpoint. Now I watched the show a long time ago and only remember bits and pieces but from what I remembered and from one of my buds who is an expert on the series I will explain why. From what I recall the other selves sexualized designs are moreso a result of what the girls envision themselves as adults from the beauty standards of society. Now I dont want to be the guy who is like actually Sandrachans boob hole actually symbolizes the milk of kindness in Shakespeare I would never be that stupid but in concept I think thats actually kind of cool? I mean for a series that has been about the aspcets of humanity from hopes from dreams to desires to pursuits and various other parts of the heart mind and soul. I really enjoy the idea that this is what kids envision beauty is a frail thin petite youthful girl who shows off her physique. It could be interpreted as a metacommentary on real world beauty standards and how toxic the culture around beauty really can be. 220https://s4.anilist.co/file/anilistcdn/character/large/b19706ztCMK3WkgJtc.jpg Now I must confess that I cannot confirm the validity of this claim whether or not that is intentional or not but I think that if that were the case it would be cool. Sure I dont think BRSs design fully reflects that concept 100 but I think its an interesting thought however it does make it clear it could only really work in that concept because we would get a little girl or a teenager dressed like that for no real reason other than the writers poorly disguised fetish. Which that I can see being the original intention and the 2012s animes explanation being a way to better justify it. Moving on in this barely structured conclusion I know about how Sans Undertales flaming blue eye was inspired by BlackRock Shooter I dunno if it was ever confirmed. I also found aspects and ideas that correlate to Undertale and Delatrune in this manga but I feel those are coincidences if anything. I wanted to mention this somewhere but didnt have a better place to say it so Im saying it here. I dunno I really like this series in spite of its flaws. BlackRock Shooter will always be the Shadow to Hatsune Mikus Sonic. Sorry I dont know how else to end this Final score is 8.8/10. Goodnight Hazama