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Psyren #1
Psyren, Vol. 1: Urban Legend
Ageha Yoshina just got transported to a warped alternate dimension where you've got to fight your way back to our world--or die trying.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 2, 2008
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956 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
September 23, 2020
Finally getting around to review this.
Great introductory volume to this really interesting world. Definitely appealing with the post-apocalyptic/elimination game type vibe.
The art style has been the highlight for me here, well-drawn characters and all the action scenes had the right level of fluidity to keep you engages. The only downside has been that, besides the main character, the character personalities seem a bit flat - I hope they address this in the upcoming volumes.
I'm curious to see which direction the story goes as this has been a great foundation to build on.
Great introductory volume to this really interesting world. Definitely appealing with the post-apocalyptic/elimination game type vibe.
The art style has been the highlight for me here, well-drawn characters and all the action scenes had the right level of fluidity to keep you engages. The only downside has been that, besides the main character, the character personalities seem a bit flat - I hope they address this in the upcoming volumes.
I'm curious to see which direction the story goes as this has been a great foundation to build on.
March 23, 2024
Ch 1-6
23Mar24
Había olvidado porque estaba marcado como favorito. Sigue perteneciendo a la categoría.
En si solo es la introducción al mundo y la mecánica, pero me emociona solo de ver el principio de la serie.
23Mar24
Había olvidado porque estaba marcado como favorito. Sigue perteneciendo a la categoría.
En si solo es la introducción al mundo y la mecánica, pero me emociona solo de ver el principio de la serie.
August 10, 2020
Re-read. Great start to a new series. I enjoyed both the art and the story. Favourite part was Ageha shutting Madoka down.
June 18, 2021
3.5 un seinen dans les règles de l'art. Le concept est intéressant.
February 2, 2013
This was a great find! Volumes are currently being released in English by Viz (the original run ended in Japan in 2010 I believe) though you can find fan scanlations online of the whole. A very smooth, linear read considering the post-apocalyptic, alternate timelines theme it deals with, which I put down as a strength because of the clarity this style lends to the story later on, despite a rather generic start (this volume).
Considering the decline in popularity that eventually led the series to be wrapped up (not too rushed- I enjoyed the conclusion in fact) however, I wonder if it was the ambitious turn the mangaka took that wasn't well received. The story bears similarities to Gantz and the Cell arc in Dragon Ball, and the power system is admirably flexible without resorting to convenient obscurities. One concern might be the lack of sustained humour and running gags (which might be a more significant reason for the series going out of popularity; compare the later Shounen Jump success Beelzebub), which gives the series a bit of a brooding seinen-like air once in a while, though there's a central romance developed (if in a low key shounen manga way) at a decent pace and some of the child characters do tend to brighten things up. Maybe timeline shifting stories can't escape this even with ample humour because they straddle the uneasy divide between inevitability and uncertainty, making attempts at levity feel a bit hollow and forcefully injected- in which case this series is fine as it is.
Definitely a read unlikely to disappoint anyone looking for a post-apocalyptic, dystopian, psychic powers or time travel oriented series.
I look forward to the mangaka's next work and hope to have a look at his prior works.
Considering the decline in popularity that eventually led the series to be wrapped up (not too rushed- I enjoyed the conclusion in fact) however, I wonder if it was the ambitious turn the mangaka took that wasn't well received. The story bears similarities to Gantz and the Cell arc in Dragon Ball, and the power system is admirably flexible without resorting to convenient obscurities. One concern might be the lack of sustained humour and running gags (which might be a more significant reason for the series going out of popularity; compare the later Shounen Jump success Beelzebub), which gives the series a bit of a brooding seinen-like air once in a while, though there's a central romance developed (if in a low key shounen manga way) at a decent pace and some of the child characters do tend to brighten things up. Maybe timeline shifting stories can't escape this even with ample humour because they straddle the uneasy divide between inevitability and uncertainty, making attempts at levity feel a bit hollow and forcefully injected- in which case this series is fine as it is.
Definitely a read unlikely to disappoint anyone looking for a post-apocalyptic, dystopian, psychic powers or time travel oriented series.
I look forward to the mangaka's next work and hope to have a look at his prior works.
July 5, 2024
Je suis franchement mitigé, l'univers et les enjeux sont intéressants, mais les personnages ont l'air de manquer cruellement d'originalité (les méchants ont l'air patibulaire, jeune fille en détresse qui cache beaucoup de secrets, héros courageux qui ne comprend rien à la situation, allié antipathique au départ qui se révèle loyal... On nage dans les stéréotypes d'écriture)
December 15, 2025
Rereading in advance of the anime coming out in 2026!!! So excited I think it’ll make an amazing anime with all the action scenes and the mystery of the Psyren world.
July 7, 2016
Listen I wanted to like Psyren, I really did. I was really taken in by its setting made more interesting by the mystery. But I’m starting to think that the shonen market is all about the vending machine effect, where what’s predictable sells. This made me a little sad because the author had a lot to say about books he reads and I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt that he has the taste to pull off a good story. Yet though either the pressure of his publisher or overabundance of characters to lasso a plot around, Psyren falls into the broad demographic of drab shonen that doesn’t impress me.
If it has one thing going for it it’s the premise. Psyren’s setting and stories are nestled between the venn diagram of Bleach and the Matrix. Except all of the action is Bleach and none of the thinking is the Matrix. Yet the mystery that’s initially set up of the contemporary world being so different from the Psyren wasteland was really compelling and hooked me to the story. I was at first impressed with the characters fixing time in the past present and present future, but that quickly waned after the characters had less of a reason to do it more for the sake of the plot than for themselves. And the semblance of characterization that was there consisted more of archetypes than substantial players of the game. The character models and designs are all really sharp and cool but didn’t add much more to the story, and that’s the story that was squeezed between explosions that took up whole and chapters.
The severe lack of motive is something I found made the books really flat overall. Save the world because you should save the world. Yet it sets up a whole mess of characters you don’t care if Ageha saves or not. Everyone he’s fighting to save he shared a comedic moment, brodown, boob grab or info dump in response to a question. The books never give the characters time to simmer and build on each other and the point of the series seems moot if that’s what we’re given. It had potential all the way through to elaborate on some interesting storylines, yet the final result is so top heavy from its characters it’s hard to say any of them were worth reading. I would say it’s worth reading if you’re looking for something different in shonen, even if it isn’t super different. But it certainly didn’t show me that the genre has mature or thoughtful stories to tell, but just gave me more pointy-haired high school sword flingers saving the world.
If it has one thing going for it it’s the premise. Psyren’s setting and stories are nestled between the venn diagram of Bleach and the Matrix. Except all of the action is Bleach and none of the thinking is the Matrix. Yet the mystery that’s initially set up of the contemporary world being so different from the Psyren wasteland was really compelling and hooked me to the story. I was at first impressed with the characters fixing time in the past present and present future, but that quickly waned after the characters had less of a reason to do it more for the sake of the plot than for themselves. And the semblance of characterization that was there consisted more of archetypes than substantial players of the game. The character models and designs are all really sharp and cool but didn’t add much more to the story, and that’s the story that was squeezed between explosions that took up whole and chapters.
The severe lack of motive is something I found made the books really flat overall. Save the world because you should save the world. Yet it sets up a whole mess of characters you don’t care if Ageha saves or not. Everyone he’s fighting to save he shared a comedic moment, brodown, boob grab or info dump in response to a question. The books never give the characters time to simmer and build on each other and the point of the series seems moot if that’s what we’re given. It had potential all the way through to elaborate on some interesting storylines, yet the final result is so top heavy from its characters it’s hard to say any of them were worth reading. I would say it’s worth reading if you’re looking for something different in shonen, even if it isn’t super different. But it certainly didn’t show me that the genre has mature or thoughtful stories to tell, but just gave me more pointy-haired high school sword flingers saving the world.
March 19, 2015
A string of unexplainable disappearances and rumors of a strange secret society don't even begin to prepare high school delinquent Ageha for what await after he finds a mysterious red phone card…
It's difficult to get into much detail about the start of Psyren without major spoilers, so I'll simply say that the premise is imaginative and compelling and the manga makes a strong impression right away.The concentration here is on establishing the world and core concepts while keeping the pace up through a lot of tense action, so the characters aren't terribly deep so far. That's easily forgiven this early though and there are some hints dropped that indicate their personalities will be more fully explored soon. There are numerous directions the overarching plot could go after the big reveal at the end of this volume, and it'll be interesting to see what the author has in mind.
Fantastic start to what will be a gripping series if the atmosphere and potential shown here is properly capitalized on.
It's difficult to get into much detail about the start of Psyren without major spoilers, so I'll simply say that the premise is imaginative and compelling and the manga makes a strong impression right away.The concentration here is on establishing the world and core concepts while keeping the pace up through a lot of tense action, so the characters aren't terribly deep so far. That's easily forgiven this early though and there are some hints dropped that indicate their personalities will be more fully explored soon. There are numerous directions the overarching plot could go after the big reveal at the end of this volume, and it'll be interesting to see what the author has in mind.
Fantastic start to what will be a gripping series if the atmosphere and potential shown here is properly capitalized on.
July 25, 2016
A very interesting and exciting manga. The art has its ups and downs, but overall is pretty good. I found this book to be surprisingly emotional, especially for just the first volume.
After a slowish start, things really pick up by the second chapter, and it really never slows down after that.
I was pleased to see that this book wasn't ridiculously violent, yet it certainly is dark, and has it's fair share of death. Was also glad to see that it didn't have fan-service (which is a common aspect of many manga)!
Also a huge plus for this volume was the main protagonists respectability. Ageha is a kind-hearted young man who is ready and willing to risk his life even for someone who blew him off and had no desire for aid. None the less he still is quick to beat the crap out of someone who ticks him off.
Hope to continue with this series.
After a slowish start, things really pick up by the second chapter, and it really never slows down after that.
I was pleased to see that this book wasn't ridiculously violent, yet it certainly is dark, and has it's fair share of death. Was also glad to see that it didn't have fan-service (which is a common aspect of many manga)!
Also a huge plus for this volume was the main protagonists respectability. Ageha is a kind-hearted young man who is ready and willing to risk his life even for someone who blew him off and had no desire for aid. None the less he still is quick to beat the crap out of someone who ticks him off.
Hope to continue with this series.
April 12, 2019
It's been more than a decade since Psyren was first published, so I've decided to purchase this manga series as part of my collection. And I don't want to lie but until now I'm still hoping for an anime adaptation. Despite its" deep or serious" plot compared to your typical shonen mangas, Psyren was unique and that you'll enjoy reading it till the following years. Plus the manga looks good, especially in your bookshelf.
August 24, 2013
Psyren combined an excellent time-travelling tales that surely captivated the reader. It is funny to read and make us want to continue explore the story from beginning until the end. The only drawbacks in this series is the fight somewhat ending so quickly as if every fight is just battle between who has the strongest power (psi). Most battle ends with a few moves or just one blow.
June 2, 2015
This is the review for the entire series:
One of the better mangas. I think it's one of the few stories out there that actually does time travel correctly. Probably because the only way to do time travel correctly is if you travel FORWARD. That way the future can change without the worry of the past being destroyed.
One of the better mangas. I think it's one of the few stories out there that actually does time travel correctly. Probably because the only way to do time travel correctly is if you travel FORWARD. That way the future can change without the worry of the past being destroyed.
March 31, 2013
Public library copy.
June 30, 2014
This reminded me of Bleach and Gantz. Obviously, since it's only volume 1, there are a lot of questions left unanswered. Can't wait to read volume 2.
January 18, 2018
Kinda cool.
January 12, 2026
Ageha is a bit of a delinquent, although he's willing to help out any of his classmates who can pay him. But when an old childhood friend asks for help before disappearing, he quickly finds himself in way over his head. What is Psyren? Who are the creepy people that show up as soon as he scratches the surface? And most importantly, what is this bizarre game he's now stuck playing?
In some ways this volume feels like complete overload. Ageha speedruns through half a dozen genres in the first chapter alone, all in service of introducing three major things: his childhood friend, Sakurako, the Psyren phone cards, and the mysterious world those cards unlock.
The twists come fast and furious, and it's hard to even write a review without spoiling at least a few things. I will say that once the initial premise is set up, the story eases into a more scifi/fantasy action/adventure. Ageha's skills in brawling are more useful than he expected, but what he really needs is Sakurako's knowledge in order not to die.
I like how quickly it establishes that both leads are competent in their own ways. Ageha's got a bit of an edge due to Sakurako's circumstances initially, but it's clear she's no slouch either. She's equally capable of facing down deadly situations without flinching, but unlike Ageha, she's struggling with her emotions over everything she's been through so far.
It's hard to say at this point which of the many supporting cast is going to matter, given the high body count this volume. But it is effective at underlining the tension---anyone could die at any point, and it's up to Ageha to make sure he's not one of the casualties.
I did review this previously, but as a whole-series review, and now that an anime's been announced it felt like a good time for a re-read. Buckle up, because this is a WILD series. I rate this book Highly Recommended.
In some ways this volume feels like complete overload. Ageha speedruns through half a dozen genres in the first chapter alone, all in service of introducing three major things: his childhood friend, Sakurako, the Psyren phone cards, and the mysterious world those cards unlock.
The twists come fast and furious, and it's hard to even write a review without spoiling at least a few things. I will say that once the initial premise is set up, the story eases into a more scifi/fantasy action/adventure. Ageha's skills in brawling are more useful than he expected, but what he really needs is Sakurako's knowledge in order not to die.
I like how quickly it establishes that both leads are competent in their own ways. Ageha's got a bit of an edge due to Sakurako's circumstances initially, but it's clear she's no slouch either. She's equally capable of facing down deadly situations without flinching, but unlike Ageha, she's struggling with her emotions over everything she's been through so far.
It's hard to say at this point which of the many supporting cast is going to matter, given the high body count this volume. But it is effective at underlining the tension---anyone could die at any point, and it's up to Ageha to make sure he's not one of the casualties.
I did review this previously, but as a whole-series review, and now that an anime's been announced it felt like a good time for a re-read. Buckle up, because this is a WILD series. I rate this book Highly Recommended.
June 23, 2018
Before I start I’m putting the spoiler tag but I’m not sure what I’m writing would qualify as spoilers. I won’t cover plot points, but I will talk about character traits/history.
I’m torn with this book. It’s an interesting concept. The art is fantastic. It does a really good job conveying action and the monsters that show up late in the game are very well drawn.
I do have a lot of problems with this though. The characters are incredibly generic looking. They look like every other main character in every manga. There just isn’t anything unique about them. I have a super hard time empathizing with the main characters. They just throw you into the story. You barely get any backstory for them I know that a. the male main character fixes people’s problems (usually involving beating the snot out of someone) for money and his mom is dead b. the female character is quiet and creepy and knows a lot about this game c. minor male character goes to high school and is dangerous. Since I know nothing about them at this point it’s hard to care about what happens to them. Also that ending? Bringing that element into a story is just lazy in my opinion.
The world of the game is super interesting though. You don’t get many answers about it but I’m guessing that will be explained later. I want to know exactly how this was made and what made those monsters I mentioned.
I don’t not recommend this because it wasn’t terrible and there are sure to be people that love it. Going to be reading the second issue to see if it gets any better.
I’m torn with this book. It’s an interesting concept. The art is fantastic. It does a really good job conveying action and the monsters that show up late in the game are very well drawn.
I do have a lot of problems with this though. The characters are incredibly generic looking. They look like every other main character in every manga. There just isn’t anything unique about them. I have a super hard time empathizing with the main characters. They just throw you into the story. You barely get any backstory for them I know that a. the male main character fixes people’s problems (usually involving beating the snot out of someone) for money and his mom is dead b. the female character is quiet and creepy and knows a lot about this game c. minor male character goes to high school and is dangerous. Since I know nothing about them at this point it’s hard to care about what happens to them. Also that ending? Bringing that element into a story is just lazy in my opinion.
The world of the game is super interesting though. You don’t get many answers about it but I’m guessing that will be explained later. I want to know exactly how this was made and what made those monsters I mentioned.
I don’t not recommend this because it wasn’t terrible and there are sure to be people that love it. Going to be reading the second issue to see if it gets any better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2025
I can't say that the art or script is really inspiring to me, but the central hook is good enough to make me want to read more. People are disappearing, there's a "game" and some post-apocalyptic wasteland, what's the connection to our world? We'll see! There's some monsters, there's a bit of fighting, this series starts pretty quick and anytime someone asks a question about wtf is going on the ONE character who has any clue just goes 'yeah no time for that now, too busy at the moment'. Okay, I want to know what's going on. Gimme some information. Nothing is really wowing me but I do want to know so that's good.
August 25, 2021
High 2
An overpowered teen boy and a schoolgirl in an unreasonably short skirt get caught up in a conspiracy involving some weird time-travel cult. Adventure ensues.
At the heart of it, the premise isn't really anything that hasn't been done before, but the time travel spin and some fun creature designs keep it from feeling too derivative.
Some annoying token manga quirks are present, but on the whole, it's inoffensive and quite readable.
An overpowered teen boy and a schoolgirl in an unreasonably short skirt get caught up in a conspiracy involving some weird time-travel cult. Adventure ensues.
At the heart of it, the premise isn't really anything that hasn't been done before, but the time travel spin and some fun creature designs keep it from feeling too derivative.
Some annoying token manga quirks are present, but on the whole, it's inoffensive and quite readable.
January 11, 2022
3.5 stars
A great start to the series! I especially love the main character Ageha. He’s such a tough good boy. Always loved those kinda characters with a good heart <3
The premise is super interesting. Kinda gives you that escapism world vibes like .hack or other kinda shows that deal with dystopian games.
I can’t wait to see what kinda powers Sakurako has. Hopefully the kids can survive their next encounter to Psyren O.O
A great start to the series! I especially love the main character Ageha. He’s such a tough good boy. Always loved those kinda characters with a good heart <3
The premise is super interesting. Kinda gives you that escapism world vibes like .hack or other kinda shows that deal with dystopian games.
I can’t wait to see what kinda powers Sakurako has. Hopefully the kids can survive their next encounter to Psyren O.O
January 7, 2018
One of my resolutions this year is to read more manga. So I randomly picked this up and wow. I loved this. I already love the concept and the characters and am ready to jump into the next volume. While reading I kept telling myself I needed to go to sleep but then would read one more chapter until I ended up finished it. I couldn't stop reading and I am so glad I picked this up.
October 2, 2018
I do not usually read graphic novels, but I enjoyed this suspenseful science fiction story. People have been disappearing and the only clue seems to be an odd phone card that each person found before they disappeared. The main character is a high school boy who enjoys getting into fights helping people. When a girl who once befriended him joins the Disappeared, he wants to save her.
December 6, 2022
Rating the whole series, not just volume 1.
This series is so interesting and so much fun. It gives me a really dark foreboding feeling reading it. There's a lot to love, but it is one of those series where they seem to just kind of... drop some characters and plotlines? I really disliked that portion but overall still very fun and intriguing.
This series is so interesting and so much fun. It gives me a really dark foreboding feeling reading it. There's a lot to love, but it is one of those series where they seem to just kind of... drop some characters and plotlines? I really disliked that portion but overall still very fun and intriguing.
October 12, 2024
Okay, this will be the last Manga series to distract me from proper books, I promise!
Realised that I once read this and wanted to have another go. Would have loved to see the ending without the rush due to the cancellation of the series. Still think this could have been one of the best out there...
Realised that I once read this and wanted to have another go. Would have loved to see the ending without the rush due to the cancellation of the series. Still think this could have been one of the best out there...
December 9, 2024
Ce 1er tome enchaine les mystères et on découvre petit à petit de quoi il est question. Les personnages principaux étaient corrects, bien qu'assez stéréotypés. L'action est suffisamment bien mise en scène, mais les dessins font assez débutant en comparaison d'autres séries (ça évoluera probablement).
July 29, 2021
Awesome read!
If you’re on the fence about purchasing this ebook… get it. This manga slaps I wish there was a printed format of it it’s that good. It’s a good satisfying read! You certainly won’t be wasting your time!
If you’re on the fence about purchasing this ebook… get it. This manga slaps I wish there was a printed format of it it’s that good. It’s a good satisfying read! You certainly won’t be wasting your time!
August 28, 2022
Series review. I think I read this first when I was like 9 or 10 or something and it mostly holds up with the rereads. Art is amazing. I think about the storyline and the setting nonstop (like it’s literally always in the back of my head).
October 28, 2024
2 1/2 stars
It’s pretty generic and forgettable in the beginning and then suddenly rushed as all hell in the last few volumes. The big bad is thwarted from taking over the world and we’re supposed to believe he’ll shrug it off and just be content with simply creating a nation of his own
It’s pretty generic and forgettable in the beginning and then suddenly rushed as all hell in the last few volumes. The big bad is thwarted from taking over the world and we’re supposed to believe he’ll shrug it off and just be content with simply creating a nation of his own
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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