Warning this review contains spoilers. I will mark them but I honestly just reccomend reading for yourself so you can enjoy kubera blind. Take my word for it that it is peak.
Now, Kubera is a series that has been on my list for a very long time. This like the 4th or 5th time I tried it and luckily I didn't drop it this time! The only reason I know about this series was because a friend reccomended it to me, and that's pretty much it. No one else knew about it it seemed, and it was pretty lowkey. I hated it the first times I tried it. I think this was mainly because I was very selective with my stories, and it wasn't until I left the manga medium for a while in favor of other mediums, that I truly came to understand Kubera and what made it brilliant. I can safely say now that this series is severely underrated, it is the best manhwa I've ever read and it's not even close. Now that's enough of an intro to what got me into it, let's get started with the actual review. Kubera to begin with is a story about a girl that loses everything to a sura, including her village, family, and everyone she ever knew. Eventually she meets a magician called asha, and that is where the story truly begins. I'm not gonna go super in depth with what it is about beyond that, but I will talk about what I like. Essentially in Kubera, there are usually small arcs, and eventually these small arcs set up the bigger arcs. Now these small arcs are very important despite their size. It gives loads of development to characters, shocking truths are often revealed. Every big arc has this big similarity that pretty much amounts to
Spoiler, click to view
sura's attempting to obliterate a village However, each of these arcs are very unique, it is pretty much the pay off from all the already great smaller arcs, and everything fits into place. I think one of the biggest things to like about kubera is not only its character's but it's crazy foreshadowing. No manga I've read(or manhwa) has ever been on the same level as Kubera's foreshadowing.It is simply masterclass. You will be heavily rewarded for every minor detail you pick up on because eventually it will have a greater importance in the end. There are even minor details from part 1 that actually fit into part 3, so make sure to pay attention while reading if you want to have an even greater experience with the read. Each of the character's in Kubera for the most part have lots of time for development. I haven't had a problem with any of them. Even the side characters are treated pretty well. Of course, the main cast is where the characters really shine, but the side cast isn't bad to be honest. Next, it is time to talk about the themes. I think the three biggest themes to come out of kubera are being a victim, family, and sacrifice. Essentially, everyone in Kubera is a victim in some way.
Spoiler, click to view
However, Leez is more so than the others, she's often thought of as the biggest victim in the series, foreshadowed by the card asha was shown. Family is another important theme as it one of the biggest motivation for some people.
Spoiler, click to view
Gandharva, Yuta, and Maruna for instance, are heavily motivated by familial ties. The last theme I feel the need to talk about(trust me there are more) is sacrifice. The whole entire world of Kubera is influenced by sacrifice.
Spoiler, click to view
Gods are doing it, sura's are doing it, even humans are doing it. Yes there are people who are against it, but they are basically powerless to fight it. Now I think I've covered what makes Kubera so great mainly, the story, the themes conveyed as well as the characters. Not gonna go too in detail but power system is also solid, as well as the world that exists within Kubera. Now for the flaws I have with this series. The first one is the pacing. Now, the pacing isn't initially bad at first, but it does kind of show in part 2. A huge portion at the beginning of part 3 had pacing problems as well. However, once it gets going it's forgiven. The last problem I have with the series is the art. It is not that great in seasons 1 and 2. Season 3 definitely improves though. I think I've covered most of what I want to say here. So if you like powerful dialogue, complex characters, a good world, lore, amazing foreshadowing, and great themes definitely peep Kubera! It is not a perfect masterpiece just yet. But it is ridiculously close to being one. Easily the best weekly ongoing series I am currently reading. Also forgot to mention this but Kubera is mainly a fantasy, it isn't action oriented, so if your looking for an action series this probably isn't for you. Anyway, hope you liked my review, thank you.
