It started out interesting enough but the plot and pacing got a bit flacid as it went on. It should have ended about four volumes earlier as the last four volumes felt like an exercise in time wasting. Ultimately the finale felt unsatisfying to me. The "victory" was beyond pyrrhic and ultimately no real
was had.
That said, there is nothing funnier than the hollow pretension of someone trying to dress up their subjective opinion as some kind of clever critique. I think this is solid, not a work of art (and that Hibino MDMA arc was terrible, totally undermined the character) but come on. If you're going to complain about it at least put some substance into it.
"Predictable plot points, contrived drama, two-dimensional characters, and a mediocre and derivative art style make this an incredibly dull read."
"Predictable plot points" is an incredibly hollow criticism, it's also unsurprisingly one that only shows up after something is finished. It's funny how none of the luminaries can manage to predict those predicable plot points in advance and when they do "predict" in advance it's always laughably reductive "They will get revenge, things will happen - behold I have predicted the plot!"
"Contrived drama" No shit, it's fiction, all drama in fiction is contrived it's intrinsic to it's nature.
"Two-dimensional characters" I agree with this, there's not a lot going on with the characters emotional landscape.
"Mediocre and derivative art style" Well mediocre is in the eye of the beholder, I'd say it's more solid and uninspired than mediocre. But "derivative" is another amusing attempt at criticism. Derivative of what works and in what way?
I mean you don't need to justify your opinion with nonsense. You could have simple went with "Very subpar; would not recommend." I'd also agree with you that the "commentary" in the margins was pretty tedious.