Invasion was still somewhat entertaining, but I read that about a decade ago, or so it feels to me.
I read 111 chapters in 2 days and nothing worth mentioning happened. So, I guess it's back to forgetting about this series and waiting, for another decade, because nothing ever happens anyway, at least not any time soon.
I actually like this series somewhat, at the beginning.
It feels like the author just straight up forgot what the manga was even about halfway in. Giant robot monsters attacking people? Fuck it, war games for over 100 chapters. The organization's purpose is to protect people from said monsters? Fuck it, tech to battle against other humans. . Aliens from other worlds? Fuck it, all humans. The cast at this point is so insanely bloated(and full of superhumans so the power levels are all over the place), you need to constantly have a nameplate for every reappearing character. The battles lack any kind of weight cuz they can all just bail out at any point.
I mean, its fun brainless enjoyable battle shounen, but again I feel like the author has no idea what to do.
@SuperRadi You sure about that? Your statement suggests you have either skimmed through the story or has not bothered to think of the nuances within the story.
@SuperRadi not your type of manga then...I actually like this manga more than those isekai's...at first, I also thought that the war games are pretty boring but when I came back again it was actually fun (I can't really explain it well), and the organization purpose to protect the people are also nice,, not those cliches where the organization betrays their people...And the bail out function is pretty unique for me ...(its pretty funny where the enemies say they want to kill but they can just bail out and come back again)....Sadly this is just not your type of manga....
It's enjoyable and I think the author has an idea what to do bcuz if u read carefully, the details and the sequence of the story is on point.
@SuperRadi Obviously you just reading this while in lazy mode or maybe you just searching for something with over used cliche plot
u said that author forgot this manga goal but i still see them from 1st to latest chapter, also u said giant robot, war games, batlle againt other human aliens, this manga never mention even once about them (its trion soldier, team battle rank, and neighbor. Cast full of superhuman (is it?), need nameplate (that your visual memory problem) battle lack impact cause of bail out? its 1000x better and logical then some story that make big deal about dying and killing but there is no 1 actually die
the only thing that I noticed worth complaining is Jin side effect (especialy at aftokrator arc) and when they use shield on other (unexplained and i cant think of anything that i can accept)
@MyC3ll Actually Jin's side effect has a nasty hole in it, from what I can tell. He only sees so far into the future; so there is no way for him to know, if the ideal future's he's trying to achieve, doesn't have horrible consequences beyond his sight. Especially since he's not going on the next away mission, and can't update his side effect via visual contact. So the main cast will have to go in dark.
That aside, I get the feeling there was at least supposed to be quite a few more arcs after leaving for the away mission; but current author health might reduce the number and/or length.
I still read this manga and enjoy it, but I feel like quite a few things have been left untouched by the wayside, which the hiatuses haven't helped either
For example: Early on, the power struggle within Border states that two thirds of the agents are down with "Destroy the Neighbors" and just hate them.
Now, look at the current (vast) cast and tell me if you can see that two thirds majority. Or tell me when was the last time there was any kind of ideological struggle between the three factions. Or if you really think there would be big repercussions for admitting to many of the B and A ranks that Yuma is a Neighbor.
Now, that's not to say that there isn't potential for this to be touched on again. What if on the Away Mission they have to stop by Calvaria and Kazama (or Miwa, w/e) must carry out their orders to acquire new trigger technology, lethally? What if Hatohara and Rinji are working with Neighbor groups and end up clashing with the mission? What if the captured people in Afto have actually decided to stay and don't feel like going back to Earth?
But honestly? The way that the author has played out things, I don't see any of those situations being sticky, or even being possible.
@ESCrowe Indeed, while some stuff are left out. Perhaps it's just so we focus more in what happens to the mcs and what strategies they come up with. Also expanding upon the story encompassing the divide within Borders seems like a light novel thing. This still has no LN right?
@ESCrowe@SuperRadi This manga has fallen into the "too much Tell, not enough Show" trap. In what is supposed to be an action manga episode 206 had nothing but incredibly boring dialogue with literally nothing worth a salted spit happening. If the author stopped trying to show off how smart they are and focused on the damn characters that are important (as @dugowars suggested) - glasses boy, midget sniper, neighbour midget, captured neighbour guy and
the bloody Neighbour prince
, that would be great. It also doesn't help the author has introduced a Game of Thrones style ensemble of characters (who are all blandly competent and forgettable imho).
I agree with the points you both raised, all the tension seems to have been sucked out of the manga and I blame these terrible training arcs. The action beats ESCrowe suggested actually sound really good and I wish the manga got on that track and had them actually in the off world and fighting neighbours and being actually threatened, not just by the actions of the neighbours but by the factions on their own side.
There are some good ideas, some excellent ones in fact in this story but they way it is told is incredibly dull and has lost it's way. You can ask yourself "does character X or scene Y add anything to the story?" and I for one can't find a purpose for most of these characters or those training battles involving other those characters. If this had been a Seinan manage rather than a Shounen it would be better because the tropes of the Shounen battle manga are actually inhibiting this manga rather than letting it develop properly. We still haven't got to the off-world expedition and it sure as hell did not need over 150 chapters to almost get there, it really did not. Normally I would just write some snarky comment and let it go but the potential of this manga and it's failure to reach that potential legitimately make me angry.
The concepts and ideas for this manga are super cool.
But they try to flesh out too many characters in too little time which makes all of them bland. The only characters I remember are the MCs and the ones with side effects.
