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21st Century Boys #1
21st Century Boys, Band 1
Der Krieg ist vorbei. Der "Freund" ist tot. Die Menschen müssen nicht mehr fürchten, ausgelöscht zu werden. Endlich kehrt wieder Frieden in Tokio ein ... so scheint es zumindest. Doch das Rätsel bleibt noch ungelöst. Niemand weiß, wer der "Freund" war und woher er kam. Der einzige Hinweis ist tief in den Erinnerungen eines Mannes vergraben: Kenji, unseres Helden. Es ist an der Zeit, Pandoras Büchse zu öffnen. Zeit, herauszufinden, was in ihrem Inneren schlummert.
200 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
22 people are currently reading
610 people want to read
About the author
Naoki Urasawa
356 books2,832 followersUrasawa Naoki (浦沢直樹) is a Japanese mangaka. He is perhaps best known for Monster (which drew praise from Junot Díaz, the 2008 Pulitzer Prize winner) and 20th Century Boys.
Urasawa's work often concentrates on intricate plotting, interweaving narratives, a deep focus on character development and psychological complexity. Urasawa has won the Shogakukan Manga Award, the Japan Media Arts Festival excellence award, the Kodansha Manga Award and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. In 2008 Urasawa accepted a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University.
Series list (not including short stories collections):
- Pineapple ARMY (パイナップルARMY) 1985-1988, written by Kazuya Kudo;
- YAWARA! 1986-1993;
- Master Keaton (MASTERキートン) 1988-1994, written by Hokusei Katsushika;
- Happy! 1993-1999
- MONSTER 1994-2001
- 20th Century Boys (20世紀少年) 1999-2006
- 21st Century Boys (21世紀少年) 2007
- PLUTO 2003-2009, based on Tezuka Osamu's Tetsuwan Atom
- BILLY BAT 2008-2016
- Master Keaton Remaster (MASTERキートン Reマスター) 2012-2014
- Mujirushi (夢印-MUJIRUSHI-) 2017-2018, collaboration with Musée du Louvre
- Asadora! (連続漫画小説 あさドラ!) 2018-ongoing
Urasawa's work often concentrates on intricate plotting, interweaving narratives, a deep focus on character development and psychological complexity. Urasawa has won the Shogakukan Manga Award, the Japan Media Arts Festival excellence award, the Kodansha Manga Award and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. In 2008 Urasawa accepted a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University.
Series list (not including short stories collections):
- Pineapple ARMY (パイナップルARMY) 1985-1988, written by Kazuya Kudo;
- YAWARA! 1986-1993;
- Master Keaton (MASTERキートン) 1988-1994, written by Hokusei Katsushika;
- Happy! 1993-1999
- MONSTER 1994-2001
- 20th Century Boys (20世紀少年) 1999-2006
- 21st Century Boys (21世紀少年) 2007
- PLUTO 2003-2009, based on Tezuka Osamu's Tetsuwan Atom
- BILLY BAT 2008-2016
- Master Keaton Remaster (MASTERキートン Reマスター) 2012-2014
- Mujirushi (夢印-MUJIRUSHI-) 2017-2018, collaboration with Musée du Louvre
- Asadora! (連続漫画小説 あさドラ!) 2018-ongoing
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
August 3, 2023
So this is what it looks like, when our fantasy became reality.
A group of young kids, friends, playing, making up silly fantasies, In this volume we saw a scene of all the kids taking part in one conversation, in front of jijibaba's, even the bullies, and i thought, why did it all have to go horribly wrong...
- will you let me be in your group?
- What are you saying? You have been with us the whole time
Would it have made a difference, if they realized that they were all friends, it didn't matter if you were part of the group that built the secret base or not?
Kenji 🎵 Let's play 🎵.
I stopped reading after finishing 20th century boys, i don't remember what it was, did i check release dates and this was far away, was i in a slump and thought that it's over and didn't dig, the end felt like finality, but it's true we didn't know who the new friend was.
And this is what it's all about in the last two volumes, trying to find out the identity of the imitation of the imitation, New Friend imitating Fukube imitating Kenji.
Not sure if we missed it before, or did i cover it, but it's true there is two kids with sadakiyo's mask here, one of them is the mysterious new friend, and he is the one who stole the badge from jijibaba's or he would be exposed that he isn't really sadakiyo.
What's the story behind these missed up kids with world ending aspirations, we are not in the know about their private lives, what could have made them this way, or are they born Sociopaths?
Luckily for me after reading my old extensive reviews, i was only confused about what sadakiyo was doing at the crash site with the flying saucer, but after reading about him, i found myself remembering everyone and everything pertaining to this volume.
I've come to put an end to things.
And end them i will...
February 8, 2021
This is a rating and review of the entire series (20th Century- and 21st Century Boys).
Story: ☆☆☆☆☆
Art: ☆☆☆☆
Imagine you're in your mid-30s and the world is slowly going to the gutters: a cult leader rises to prominent political power, a deadly virus spreads across the world, bizarre weapons pop up that could destroy the planet ... now imagine that everything that happens--the places the virus hits as well as its chronological order, the name and shape of these dangerous weapons--all line perfectly with fantastical predictions you and your group of friends conjured up when you were in grade school.
This is exactly what Kenji and his friends face, when they discover that the slew of recent disappearances, deaths, and government-covered conspiracies are all linked by a strange symbol that they made up as children. A symbol of their friendship, which has now been taken by the mysterious "Tomodachi"--a figurehead behind a populist cult that slowly rises to power while hiding their true agenda.
This group of unlikely heroes are forced to band together to uncover the mystery behind "Tomodachi"'s true identity, to uncover their nefarious plans, uncover their tricks and propaganda, and most importantly--to uncover their motives and stop them before they can pull the final cord to end humanity as they all know it.
At the root of all this is a story about friendship and growing up . About the faults we make as children, the self-centered-ness of childhood that makes us blind towards the feelings and experiences of others around us.
It's the story of human memories, and how often we remember things differently from how they actually occurred, or how other people remember them, and how that, too, shapes us the way we are today.
It is the story of invisible people ; those of us who never belonged, never made an impact, how it affects some of us, and how some are never able to move past it .
But it's also a cautionary tale that--unfortunately--by the time we know better, it is often too late to change anything.
Because of this, by the end of the manga, I couldn't hate our main antagonist. It was very easy for me to sympathise with aspects of their life that made them who they were. Of course I wouldn't go around killing 99% of the human race, and of course their loneliness manifested in the worst way possible.
But it's easy to understand how hurtful it is to not have any true friends; those who remember you exist and not only call upon you when they need something from you; those who reciprocate your invitations, are interested in your life as much as you are interested in theirs. It's easy to understand how not having any of that can damage you growing up.
The story takes us back and forth between several different timelines: The late 1960s-1980s where we learn most of our characters' backstories; late 1990s-2000 when events start to take off and culminate, setting the scene for the rest of the story; everything up to 2016 where we are introduced to a few new characters and key players; and then the final 3 proceeding years (1-3FE) where we finally reach our conclusion.
Reading this in my third wave of total lockdown and quarantine, this manga was also at times so strangely, creepily prescient. From the viral outbreak itself to people's questioning of the use of masks:
to building giant walls in order to keep out the aliens (yes, that happens):
down to far-fetched government programmes of establishing a so-calledSpace Earth Defense Force--
--and yet nobody thinking their government's being just absolutely absurd, incompetent, and run by manchildren.
20th and 21st Century Boys is hands down amongst one of the best manga I've ever read. I started this series close to two decades ago when the translations hit the bookstores in my country. Unfortunately, they came out sporadically, often difficult to find, so there were volumes missing in my collection and I stopped reading after around 9 or 10 volumes.
Now, sixteen years later, I found a complete set and my curiosity regarding "Tomodachi" ("Friend")'s identity has finally been sated.
Story: ☆☆☆☆☆
Art: ☆☆☆☆
Imagine you're in your mid-30s and the world is slowly going to the gutters: a cult leader rises to prominent political power, a deadly virus spreads across the world, bizarre weapons pop up that could destroy the planet ... now imagine that everything that happens--the places the virus hits as well as its chronological order, the name and shape of these dangerous weapons--all line perfectly with fantastical predictions you and your group of friends conjured up when you were in grade school.
This is exactly what Kenji and his friends face, when they discover that the slew of recent disappearances, deaths, and government-covered conspiracies are all linked by a strange symbol that they made up as children. A symbol of their friendship, which has now been taken by the mysterious "Tomodachi"--a figurehead behind a populist cult that slowly rises to power while hiding their true agenda.
This group of unlikely heroes are forced to band together to uncover the mystery behind "Tomodachi"'s true identity, to uncover their nefarious plans, uncover their tricks and propaganda, and most importantly--to uncover their motives and stop them before they can pull the final cord to end humanity as they all know it.
At the root of all this is a story about friendship and growing up . About the faults we make as children, the self-centered-ness of childhood that makes us blind towards the feelings and experiences of others around us.
It's the story of human memories, and how often we remember things differently from how they actually occurred, or how other people remember them, and how that, too, shapes us the way we are today.
It is the story of invisible people ; those of us who never belonged, never made an impact, how it affects some of us, and how some are never able to move past it .
But it's also a cautionary tale that--unfortunately--by the time we know better, it is often too late to change anything.
Because of this, by the end of the manga, I couldn't hate our main antagonist. It was very easy for me to sympathise with aspects of their life that made them who they were. Of course I wouldn't go around killing 99% of the human race, and of course their loneliness manifested in the worst way possible.
But it's easy to understand how hurtful it is to not have any true friends; those who remember you exist and not only call upon you when they need something from you; those who reciprocate your invitations, are interested in your life as much as you are interested in theirs. It's easy to understand how not having any of that can damage you growing up.
The story takes us back and forth between several different timelines: The late 1960s-1980s where we learn most of our characters' backstories; late 1990s-2000 when events start to take off and culminate, setting the scene for the rest of the story; everything up to 2016 where we are introduced to a few new characters and key players; and then the final 3 proceeding years (1-3FE) where we finally reach our conclusion.
Reading this in my third wave of total lockdown and quarantine, this manga was also at times so strangely, creepily prescient. From the viral outbreak itself to people's questioning of the use of masks:
to building giant walls in order to keep out the aliens (yes, that happens):
down to far-fetched government programmes of establishing a so-called
--and yet nobody thinking their government's being just absolutely absurd, incompetent, and run by manchildren.
20th and 21st Century Boys is hands down amongst one of the best manga I've ever read. I started this series close to two decades ago when the translations hit the bookstores in my country. Unfortunately, they came out sporadically, often difficult to find, so there were volumes missing in my collection and I stopped reading after around 9 or 10 volumes.
Now, sixteen years later, I found a complete set and my curiosity regarding "Tomodachi" ("Friend")'s identity has finally been sated.
November 14, 2019
I don't know why there was a need to give this part of story new name of 21st century boys. Also Why Naoki Urasawa doesn't want to give answers to the many questions he left in the past , all it is getting more deep and complex.
June 23, 2020
4 of 5 stars
August 28, 2016
I found out not too long ago that, like Gantz, a whole lot of the people who had started reading 20th Century Boys alongside me had jumped ship a long time ago, and while I’m way too close to the end to not stick it out, I really wish some of them had been nice enough to grab my shoulder and say “we’re leaving,” because I would have caught a ride. And instead, here I am, 44 months in to a story where the main bad guy is dead (sort of) for the second or third time (probably) and now there’s another big-ass world-changing holocaust-level event right around the corner. This time it’s a bomb that will blow Earth in half, Michael Bay style… there’s just no way out of a story like this that can satisfy, really, and while 20th Century Boys could probably serve as a great bible for some thesis on the traps of serialized genre fiction, with its allergic reactions to conclusions and deeper meanings, or maybe on Urasawa’s unwillingness to let a romantic subplot have some goddamned payoff (44 months!), it’s hard to imagine that experience being fun for any of the people who would have to be involved in its creation. Hell, if you’re into this deep enough to know why it doesn’t work, you’re probably too busy enjoying it to care. I guess what I’m trying to say is: I stood around with shit in my teeth for how long? You guys are such assholes.
July 20, 2018
Interesting setup to the series’ wrap. There are stil a variety of questions that need to be answered and narrative threads to tie up. Looking forward to finishing finally this long and fascinating series.
July 21, 2020
Oops, I read these out of order. 20th Century Boys should be first. If PKD wrote a manga, it would be just like this, futuristic, yet anachronistic, and otherworldly. I'm very interested in reading the beginning of this series now.
March 2, 2021
Just confusion
November 15, 2021
Kenji’s arrived at the Expo Center and the crowd goes wild. They want to hear him play their song… but he refuses, tells the band to play instead. A helicopter explodes above them and crash lands inside the arena. Not everyone makes it, including Sadakiyo and Friend. When Kenji removes the Friend’s mask at last, he sees… Fukube! How can that be? He died a long time ago. Nothing is making any sense.
Back in the past, an old woman in a convenience mart broods over which of the children has stolen a badge from her store and angrily scans every child who walks by, seeking the thief. A boy in a mask reveals his strange dream to a few of his friends, who aren’t particularly interested until he tells them they were in it, and one of them killed the other. They are not amused and walk away. The boy debates telling them the ending… about the final bomb. The one that will really kill all of mankind. Or at least those who remain on the planet.
Maruo and Yoshitsune tell Kenji they saw a ghost at a Shinto shrine, but Kenji doesn’t believe them and decides to find out for himself… only to come face to face with himself!
In the present, the UN forces have assumed control of Tokyo after the destruction of the Friend regime. A profiler interviews Kenji, to learn what he knows about the Friend. Most particularly he is interested in learning what Kenji knows about the last page of the New Book of Prophecy, the one that speaks of an anti-proton bomb that will destroy the world. The UN is taking this threat very seriously. They plan to send forces into Friend World, into the virtual reality game, but Kenji tells them that won’t work. He has to be the one to go there.
So much of the past is finally being exposed as present, past, and future reveal themselves in an elaborate tapestry, one woven by a master. Things that didn’t make sense before become clear. I really enjoyed watching the relationship of Kenji and Yukiji from the beginning. Gosh, Kenji was… is… so dense. At the same time, the more we learn, the less we know. So much to grasp. A copy of a copy? Fukube? Sadakiyo? Someone else? Kenji runs into Manjome in Friend World. He’s lost his way and is seeking a way out, but Kenji has to tell him that won’t work because in the real world he is dead. We see more and more of Manjome in the past, and the part he played in what happened.
Detective Chono seeks answers regarding his grandfather, the legendary Cho-san. And Kenji wants to know why he was called evil. What did he do in the past that would warrant such an accusation? The story isn’t over yet, one more book to go. Is there an anti-proton bomb? And can they find it before it takes out the world? On pins and needles waiting to find out!
Back in the past, an old woman in a convenience mart broods over which of the children has stolen a badge from her store and angrily scans every child who walks by, seeking the thief. A boy in a mask reveals his strange dream to a few of his friends, who aren’t particularly interested until he tells them they were in it, and one of them killed the other. They are not amused and walk away. The boy debates telling them the ending… about the final bomb. The one that will really kill all of mankind. Or at least those who remain on the planet.
Maruo and Yoshitsune tell Kenji they saw a ghost at a Shinto shrine, but Kenji doesn’t believe them and decides to find out for himself… only to come face to face with himself!
In the present, the UN forces have assumed control of Tokyo after the destruction of the Friend regime. A profiler interviews Kenji, to learn what he knows about the Friend. Most particularly he is interested in learning what Kenji knows about the last page of the New Book of Prophecy, the one that speaks of an anti-proton bomb that will destroy the world. The UN is taking this threat very seriously. They plan to send forces into Friend World, into the virtual reality game, but Kenji tells them that won’t work. He has to be the one to go there.
So much of the past is finally being exposed as present, past, and future reveal themselves in an elaborate tapestry, one woven by a master. Things that didn’t make sense before become clear. I really enjoyed watching the relationship of Kenji and Yukiji from the beginning. Gosh, Kenji was… is… so dense. At the same time, the more we learn, the less we know. So much to grasp. A copy of a copy? Fukube? Sadakiyo? Someone else? Kenji runs into Manjome in Friend World. He’s lost his way and is seeking a way out, but Kenji has to tell him that won’t work because in the real world he is dead. We see more and more of Manjome in the past, and the part he played in what happened.
Detective Chono seeks answers regarding his grandfather, the legendary Cho-san. And Kenji wants to know why he was called evil. What did he do in the past that would warrant such an accusation? The story isn’t over yet, one more book to go. Is there an anti-proton bomb? And can they find it before it takes out the world? On pins and needles waiting to find out!
January 12, 2020
21/365
21st CENTURY BOYS de Naoki Urasawa
No lo he hecho adrede, pero la obra 21 leída lleva la cifra en su título. ¡Por fin hay respuestas! ¡Por fin Urasawa termina y parece que como debe ser! En un rato, cuando acabe el dos os digo... ¡Que a ver si me voy a arrepentir!
21st CENTURY BOYS de Naoki Urasawa
No lo he hecho adrede, pero la obra 21 leída lleva la cifra en su título. ¡Por fin hay respuestas! ¡Por fin Urasawa termina y parece que como debe ser! En un rato, cuando acabe el dos os digo... ¡Que a ver si me voy a arrepentir!
August 3, 2022
WE'RE LUCKY TO TAKE A GLIMPSE OF YUKIJI AND KENJI'S
July 15, 2025
ITS ENDING. WAHHHHHH
July 4, 2023
হতাশ করল শেষের দিকে এসে।
July 22, 2020
This is a review of the entire series.
Humanity, having faced extinction at the end of the 20th century, would not have entered the new millennium if it weren't for them. In 1969, during their youth, they created a symbol. In 1997, as the coming disaster slowly starts to unfold, that symbol returns. This is the story of a gang of boys who try to save the world. Failed rock musician Kenji's memories of his past come rushing back when one of his childhood friends mysteriously commits suicide. Could this new death be related to the rise of a bizarre new cult that's been implicated in several other murders and disappearances? Determined to dig deeper, Kenji reunites with some of his old buddies in the hope of learning the truth behind it all.
This is basically the manga equivalent of a Stephen King novel, channeling themes and plot devices from the likes of It, Dreamcatcher, The Running Man and quite a few others. A young group of friends that make an innocent promise which ends up creating the most dangerous cult in the world, a 'friend' turned into the world's greatest evil, a strange suicide that reunites a group of adults to solve a mystery from their childhood which ended up leading to an apocalyptic police state, clever use of cultural references, rock songs and historical allegories to tell the full story, extremely small actions resulting in extremely massive consequences, an eerie threat lurking in the shadows that may or may not be of supernatural origins, kids overthrowing a totalitarian regime and rebelling against society while fighting against a sinister threat that no one else knows about; sound King enough for ya?
Though I don't think it's quite as good as Monster by the same author, it's definitely very close. It's a masterpiece of intricate plotting, interweaving narratives, deep character development and psychological complexity. The villain's presence is suffocating from the very beginning while remaining mysterious and terrifying until the final chapter. It's intense, it's relatable, it's horrifying and it's an emotional rollercoaster. Be careful who you call your friend and be careful of the promises you make. You might just end up causing the end of the world.
Humanity, having faced extinction at the end of the 20th century, would not have entered the new millennium if it weren't for them. In 1969, during their youth, they created a symbol. In 1997, as the coming disaster slowly starts to unfold, that symbol returns. This is the story of a gang of boys who try to save the world. Failed rock musician Kenji's memories of his past come rushing back when one of his childhood friends mysteriously commits suicide. Could this new death be related to the rise of a bizarre new cult that's been implicated in several other murders and disappearances? Determined to dig deeper, Kenji reunites with some of his old buddies in the hope of learning the truth behind it all.
This is basically the manga equivalent of a Stephen King novel, channeling themes and plot devices from the likes of It, Dreamcatcher, The Running Man and quite a few others. A young group of friends that make an innocent promise which ends up creating the most dangerous cult in the world, a 'friend' turned into the world's greatest evil, a strange suicide that reunites a group of adults to solve a mystery from their childhood which ended up leading to an apocalyptic police state, clever use of cultural references, rock songs and historical allegories to tell the full story, extremely small actions resulting in extremely massive consequences, an eerie threat lurking in the shadows that may or may not be of supernatural origins, kids overthrowing a totalitarian regime and rebelling against society while fighting against a sinister threat that no one else knows about; sound King enough for ya?
Though I don't think it's quite as good as Monster by the same author, it's definitely very close. It's a masterpiece of intricate plotting, interweaving narratives, deep character development and psychological complexity. The villain's presence is suffocating from the very beginning while remaining mysterious and terrifying until the final chapter. It's intense, it's relatable, it's horrifying and it's an emotional rollercoaster. Be careful who you call your friend and be careful of the promises you make. You might just end up causing the end of the world.
July 11, 2015
Real rating: 5.7/10
Manga/GN rating 7/10
************************Spoilers*******************************
A lovely piece of meta-fiction that leaves one asking is it real? Which given the nature of 20th Century Boys is a very decent place to leave it. Most readers will happily take this work as the swan song they felt they were owed after the abrupt end to the first series, but given the fact that Urasawa uses Ujiko-Ujio as the credited name for this work, one has to stop and think Ujiko-Ujio are manga writers from within 20th Century Boys, who discuss writing a manga about the events that occur to Kenji and his friends as well as discuss the nature of writing an ending for a hero.
Either way it is a nice cap to the series, but ultimately does not need to be consumed to enjoy the original.
Manga/GN rating 7/10
************************Spoilers*******************************
A lovely piece of meta-fiction that leaves one asking is it real? Which given the nature of 20th Century Boys is a very decent place to leave it. Most readers will happily take this work as the swan song they felt they were owed after the abrupt end to the first series, but given the fact that Urasawa uses Ujiko-Ujio as the credited name for this work, one has to stop and think Ujiko-Ujio are manga writers from within 20th Century Boys, who discuss writing a manga about the events that occur to Kenji and his friends as well as discuss the nature of writing an ending for a hero.
Either way it is a nice cap to the series, but ultimately does not need to be consumed to enjoy the original.
August 24, 2020
The story continue without missing a beat which make me wonder why the need to create a new series when it's some sort of the ending of another series.
July 3, 2022
I hate this
October 3, 2021
4.75
le hubiese puesto las 5 estrellas pero se me hizo todo suuuuper rápido y algo confuso, pero si te tomas el tiempo para pensarlo todo va encajando o dejando huecos lo suficientemente pequeños como para que no entiendas nada y lo suficientemente grandes como para que te deje con la intriga de que chucha pasó y como las cosas llegaron hasta ese punto.
el tema de los saltos temporales en interesante porque los hace de tal manera en la que si vas leyendo prestando atención no hay manera de que te pierdas...mas o menos. de igual manera esta bien separados y delimitados, hasta que llega esa maquina y...?? tengo que seguir con la serie.
el apartado visual aka el dibujo es muy bueno, es admirable como todos y cada uno de los personajes es diferente en aspecto y, lo mas resaltable , como los ves envejecer y cambiar a lo largo del tiempo, eso para mi es algo increíble.
y... creo que no hay mucho mas... eh... no le peguen a chicos con caretas(en realidad no le peguen a nadie) y dejen las cosas del plano de la fantasia en el plano de la fantasia, y la de la realidad en la realidad. uwu
le hubiese puesto las 5 estrellas pero se me hizo todo suuuuper rápido y algo confuso, pero si te tomas el tiempo para pensarlo todo va encajando o dejando huecos lo suficientemente pequeños como para que no entiendas nada y lo suficientemente grandes como para que te deje con la intriga de que chucha pasó y como las cosas llegaron hasta ese punto.
el tema de los saltos temporales en interesante porque los hace de tal manera en la que si vas leyendo prestando atención no hay manera de que te pierdas...mas o menos. de igual manera esta bien separados y delimitados, hasta que llega esa maquina y...?? tengo que seguir con la serie.
el apartado visual aka el dibujo es muy bueno, es admirable como todos y cada uno de los personajes es diferente en aspecto y, lo mas resaltable , como los ves envejecer y cambiar a lo largo del tiempo, eso para mi es algo increíble.
y... creo que no hay mucho mas... eh... no le peguen a chicos con caretas(en realidad no le peguen a nadie) y dejen las cosas del plano de la fantasia en el plano de la fantasia, y la de la realidad en la realidad. uwu
April 17, 2022
Friend is dead but is it truly the end of danger. As UN forces occupy the Japan following Friends admission of crimes live on TV they want to enlist the help of Kenji to figure out if there are new dangers on the horizon. To do that Kenji needs to travel back to the past using Friend's virtual reality engine.
As intrigue again picks up we witness Kanna and friends facing the UN troops that hold them responsible for devastation last years. Kanna is main suspect since she is Friend's daughter.
Art as always is beautiful.
Story wise this first third of the book is rehashing from the 20th Century Boys vol 22. Rest of the book is Kenji walking through his past inside the VR while Kanna and rest of the team try to figure out if The New Book Of Prophecies, its last chapter are just wild dreams of the children or truly devastating apparatus.
All in all good story but it seems kinda forced, I am not sure why author could not finalize the story in the original series of 22 volumes.
In any case good addition to the story line. One more volume to go :)
As intrigue again picks up we witness Kanna and friends facing the UN troops that hold them responsible for devastation last years. Kanna is main suspect since she is Friend's daughter.
Art as always is beautiful.
Story wise this first third of the book is rehashing from the 20th Century Boys vol 22. Rest of the book is Kenji walking through his past inside the VR while Kanna and rest of the team try to figure out if The New Book Of Prophecies, its last chapter are just wild dreams of the children or truly devastating apparatus.
All in all good story but it seems kinda forced, I am not sure why author could not finalize the story in the original series of 22 volumes.
In any case good addition to the story line. One more volume to go :)
June 26, 2018
Part one of "21st Century Boys" tries to come full circle as the storylines involving Kenji and his friends as children in the virtual world and Kenji and his friends as adults are now are trying to achieve the greater good.
But it's also showing how a person who has experienced intense bullying can have a hatred towards humanity. But if one can be friends and accept the other as an equal, perhaps these individuals can be saved. Possibly.
Featuring wonderful illustration and awesome storytelling, which Naoki Ursawa is known for, "Naoki Urasawa's 21st CENTURY BOYS" Vol. 1 is another excellent volume for the series and an important volume, as it shows us how Kenji and friends must do all they can to stop this robot from destroying the world.
But it's also showing how a person who has experienced intense bullying can have a hatred towards humanity. But if one can be friends and accept the other as an equal, perhaps these individuals can be saved. Possibly.
Featuring wonderful illustration and awesome storytelling, which Naoki Ursawa is known for, "Naoki Urasawa's 21st CENTURY BOYS" Vol. 1 is another excellent volume for the series and an important volume, as it shows us how Kenji and friends must do all they can to stop this robot from destroying the world.
December 28, 2025
I love and hate 21st century boys as it clears up sooooo much from the previous title but also leaves me more confused? Like how did Kenji survive the explosion yes he’s back but how did he miraculously survive and just got into hiding? Do not get me started on the whole Fukubei and Sadakiyo “friend” twist. Even after reading and looking at theories online i’m still a bit lost on how Katasuma was really friend? I understand the “i’m dead” portion but what I feel like wasn’t explained properly was when did Katasuma take up Fukubei’s name? Very confusing but besides all of the intricacies of the ending the plot leading up was handled decently just a bit disappointing as I am a fan of Urasawa’s work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2017
I admit I felt lost and at disadvantage because I haven't read 20th Century boys but I understand the themes/feel of deconstruction of the "good" feelings associate with the good old days of the past and the hope-look to the future mentality vs the grim reality of both the present and the actual past. "Crushing" of the Future-Topian mentality/dream is very present as highlight by the 1970's Expo sites being mangled in particular the "Tower of the Sun" which is real monument which is still standing today but the actual Expo site is now decommissioned.
February 1, 2022
I about had a panic attack when I found out that there wasn't another volume of 20th Century Boys. It probably took me less than 10 minutes to find out about 21st Century Boys, but it was a long 10 minutes.
The second Friend is dead, but nobody knows who he was, and he may have left a doomsday device behind. Kenji goes into the VR game at Friendland to see if he can find more information. Kana waits at the hospital with a comatose Sadakiyo. And Chono interrogates his grandfather's killer.
Not much focus on Otcho and Yoshitsune and them.
The second Friend is dead, but nobody knows who he was, and he may have left a doomsday device behind. Kenji goes into the VR game at Friendland to see if he can find more information. Kana waits at the hospital with a comatose Sadakiyo. And Chono interrogates his grandfather's killer.
Not much focus on Otcho and Yoshitsune and them.
May 21, 2024
3.5/5 (For all of 21st Century Boys and the additional ending only found in print)
Was a good way to wrap things up, however, I think some of the reactions were a bit stretched and I would've liked to have seen some relationships ended differently. But, overall, with this and 20th Century Boys, I had a great time reading them. A large story with a good message, albeit a bit corny at times, and maybe even too on the nose. But if I read this as a young kid, maybe 11 or 12 or 13 or 14, it would've made a deep impression on me.
Was a good way to wrap things up, however, I think some of the reactions were a bit stretched and I would've liked to have seen some relationships ended differently. But, overall, with this and 20th Century Boys, I had a great time reading them. A large story with a good message, albeit a bit corny at times, and maybe even too on the nose. But if I read this as a young kid, maybe 11 or 12 or 13 or 14, it would've made a deep impression on me.
February 28, 2020
I don't like adding every manga book to my read list because it feels like I'm artificially inflating my year's reading challenge list but... what a masterpiece. Just an absolutely incredible story, carefully crafted, masterfully woven. I loved this series so much. Filled me with utter delight, thrills, and terror. Invoked horror in the way only Urasawa can. One of my favorite stories of all time. Overjoyed that I finally sat down to read it.
November 3, 2023
El epílogo de una larga historia, donde van dejando en claro cada pasaje y situación que ha ocurrido en este manga, por lo que viajar a Amigolandia para conocer los motivos de Amigo se hace imperativo para Keji, y dar cierre final. ¿Se hace entretenido o no? Siento que poco importa, porque finalmente la historia termina siendo más importante el viaje que el final, porque aquí solamente estamos viendo la conclusión de la epopeya.
December 9, 2025
O yeah me likey
I really enjoyed this volume and seeing the interactions between the group after the crazy shit that occurred. It really isn’t a happy ending so far as it seems like everyone’s sorta distant from one another, especially Kenji. Who the living hell is The Friend that was an imitation of The Friend like what the balls! Last volume will hopefully reveal what the hell is going on because it seems like the whole ordeal is bothering Kenji a lot.
I really enjoyed this volume and seeing the interactions between the group after the crazy shit that occurred. It really isn’t a happy ending so far as it seems like everyone’s sorta distant from one another, especially Kenji. Who the living hell is The Friend that was an imitation of The Friend like what the balls! Last volume will hopefully reveal what the hell is going on because it seems like the whole ordeal is bothering Kenji a lot.
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August 14, 2024I'm convinced manga heads have the worst taste in manga. I cant believe i read all the volumes of this manga on my tiny mobile phone and finished it in three days only to be disappointed at the dogshit ending and unnecessary plot twists. Safe to say it was the last manga i read on any youtubers recommendation.
June 24, 2020
3 stars, because for a moment, everyone was happy. And that Otcho and his son moment.
But seriously, was this really necessary? At this point, it feels like it's just being dragged further.
*eye roll*
But seriously, was this really necessary? At this point, it feels like it's just being dragged further.
*eye roll*
November 16, 2023
I can’t believe I had no idea about this, I loved 20th Century Boys so much yet I thought the ending was so underwhelming and rushed but reading this made me feel so much better, continuing the story was such a great idea from Urusawa and so far I’m really interested in this conclusion.
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