Spoiler free review, I'm writing this to get my series out there and there isn't much to spoil in Kyo Kara anyways

I feel like KKOW is misunderstood. A lot of people do not like it at all. Be entitled to your opinion entirely but I feel like a good bunch just, don't get it. KKOW isn't a deep manga by definition but I wanna talk about it because this manga was so good in a way I don't think is said enough.

This is spoiler free so I'm obligated to a stupid "What is KKOW?" paragraph. To keep it short, Kyo Kara is about two delinquents, Mitsuhashi and Itou. They fake it till they make it early on, and eventually they do become full delinquents and even the heads of Chiba (their school). Its a comedy so don't expect some deep ass themes or an insane complex arc, this manga is 80% a good time.

I could write entire reviews on the characters of Mitsuhashi and Itou (i did but again lost my twit) because they are so so good. They are loveable dumbasses and watching them grow into responsible leaders in their own way, Mitsuhashi doing it for the good of himself on the surface yet secretly wanting to protect the students he "rules" and caring for those around him and Itous being out there about his care, the peoples head of Chiba parse. You'd bet more on Itou sticking up for you in a fighting and some on Mitsuhashi beating both your asses because he feels like it.

They are complex characters but it'd delve into spoilers to give examples so ill explain around the border of it. Mitsuhashi will never say he cares to anyone he cares for, Itou revolves around the people he cares for. MItsuhashi on multiple occasions will stick up for his friends, they just wont see it because he thinks it's embarrassing for the demonic head of Chiba, heart of black to stick up for people below him. Mitsuhashi is selfish and mean and defines shithead in every sense but yet he is the core to Chibas survival in the wacky ass world of Kyo Kara, his strength "expertise" and overall power.

Itou is the fan favorite from what I've seen. He is openly heroic and selfless and always sticks up for people, at the cost of his own injury which he usually doesn't mind receiving so long as he's done his duty. It doesn't take a lot to understand Itou, he's a sharp contrast to Mitsuhashi yet so similar at the same time. They both care for others a lot and put themselves at great risk in doing so, one will be seen doing it and the other will never.

I think their love interest is a great example of the contrast, Kyouko is just simply a former delinquent bitch who wants an easier life with him to fill his delinquency in turn for her sweetness. She's very simple compared to Riko yet very similar at the same time. she never was a delinquent, just cold and rude but after Mitsuhashis dumbass almost kills himself in an escape to free her from certain death she puts that down to openly like him.

Again not the most complex characters, but I enjoy them all besides Kyouko a ton (She isn't bad she just isn't as good as Riko due to screen time). I had to do very barebones analysis's of them due to any examples of their peaks being stuff I don't want anyone to be spoiled on, so you get a general jist of them.

Now, the core of this manga. While serious arcs exist and are amazing, this is a comedy. How funny is it?

I don't think a manga's ever had me cry of laughter like Kyo Kara. Even just PAGES have me in tears. Easily the funniest thing I've read.

There's never a reused or old joke. There are running gags, but without fail every one of them is brought up in a unique and fun way. Itou wanting to protect a date, Mitsuhashi sabotaging Imai at every moment, Itous rich-ass life compared to Mitsuhashis broke ass. so many chapters I can name off the top of my head that were stuck in my head due to humor alone. Don't get me STARTED on comedy arcs, easily my fav things to reread. They NEVER miss.

A part of why I love the comedy is the artstyle. It's a major turnoff for a lot of people, how cartoony and goofy they look but I think its a strength. It makes the comedy sections excel and later on the cold serious stares and darker shading is done really nicely in terms of "appealing" art. It has my favorite artstyle not because its visually mind-blowing or some masterpiece of craftsmanship, it just has every aspect enhanced by the goofiness. It's a comedy, it doesn't need Inoues pen.

WOOOO the serious arcs. The comedy is amazing but id be lying if i said it touched the serious arcs. Saipan, final arc, every Akehisa war, first vacation dude SAITAMA ARC. All some of my fav arcs of all time. There's only one arc I think flat out sucks (2nd to last serious arc), because it had potential for a deeper narrative but scraps it for dumb shit. Ik know KKOW isn't meant for serious shit but c'mon, it had the perfect moral grey setup to go above and beyond. BESIDES THAT THOUGH, I love every serious arc. Don't skip the comedy for them, savor the funny shit and let it get real when it does.

This is all great, but it lacks one thing :Where's the emotion?

Then you sit down and read Kyo Kara. the genuine moments of this manga can make a soldier feel something, every final arc has a really nice kick in the gut of happiness and genuine greatness. My favorite is at the end of the Saipan arc, when Mitsuhashi and Itou are on the island. It's a spoiler so i wont say more but god its such a kick in gut, Itous face and his word and realization that he is right about Mitsuhashi, god its perfect. That one page is better than a lot of manga, those words at the end man. Emotional rush.

Kyo Kara's strength is in what most people will not get. They come in with a mindset and are surprised to find a manga so far from it. I was too, I was shocked at how simple it was and how people have it as a fav above all this great manga despite seemingly being nothing on the surface. Kyo Kara is not something to speed read, take your time and savor the laughs so the emotion can kick you back into check. This is easily my 2nd fav manga and I don't see it changing for a while.

(sorry if I miss shit, have grammatical errors or just talk in rants. i write these to get my own thoughts out there so writing for the thought of "to get people into" might contradict my looser style)