review contains no spoilers

“Jobs, friends, lovers, interests, beliefs… It is truly a wonderful thing to be able to something with so much care that it feels like it’s part of yourself. That must really be what the word “priceless” means.”

-Holyland (Chapter 63 Pg 19)

great cast of characters, amazing character development and awesome fights that is holyland. its a shame this isnt as popular as it should be. you can tell the author has gone through alot from reading this manga. the plot is pretty cliche and basic which is just a guy who wants to become stronger but like any underdog you just want to see him pummel dudes, not typically seen is the pain, rage, depression, suffering and loneliness of those who walk the streets. kamishiro yuu has some of the most goated character development ive seen. literally from a skinny ass dude to a giga chad in months.

The story involves so much around street fighting that at some point I wondered why didn't the mangaka just titled it as "street fighting"? But, in the last volumes I understood that these fights were just part of a bigger picture, the "Holyland", the land where the protagonist discovered his meaning for life, found friends, rivals and found his path in life. The mangaka is a martial artist himself the fights are detailed and we can even learn to do this shit on our own

It perfectly covers dozens of characters, that are all nuanced and well-developed in their own rights. It even has a tasteful romantic sideplot, but never one that gets in the way. the characters are where holyland truly shines. The protagonist Yuu Kamishiro is one of those weak depressed mc. seeing his growth is what made me enjoy this manga the most. hed always stand out as prey in the streets because of how weak he looks.

No fighting manga can be without a rival. But what makes Shougo Midorikawa different is he ends up suffering from the rivalry instead of being helped. The characters are amazing, being well written and deep, each one going through their own journey of growth and maturity. Not only that, but how each one impacts the protagonist and how it impacts them is great. Seeing them bond and bond is one of the best things about manga. Another thing that I found rather interesting about this manga is the mangaka's outlook with the storyteller acting naturally and expressing his genuine thoughts or associating the events that take place with his own life experiences and personal growth. This causes his creation to feel nearer to the readers, allowing us to step into his world and recognize how his work impacted him as an individual.

The art is clean and the panelling is done very well. holylands fight scenes are depicted very well and its one of those sports/boxing manga that give you motivation to start your day. Yuu's issues with self-love and reading his journey hit me hard. Another aspect of Yuu's character that I really loved was his constant internal struggle he faced with coming to terms with his violence. Yuu was a kind person at heart but after facing constant bullying he built up a lot of anger, much of it aimed at himself but also at society for not giving him a place to exist.

i would reccomend reading it if youre into realistic stories and relatable characters with a touch of martial arts and hype asf street fights.