Preface

Before I dive into the Black Cat world, I'd like to set the expectations for the potential readers of this review. My general rule when I pick any fictional work is characters over everything. Usually, I don't appreciate hardcore plot-driven manga/anime with rich world-building and magic systems that overshadow the cast. On the contrary, I love seeing characters interacting with their surroundings, showing the complexity of their inner world, expanding their horizons, and ultimately leading the story. Therefore, this review will focus on that aspect.

Without further ado, let's get started!

Introduction

The manga was written and illustated by Kentarou Yabuki, also known about his work in "To Love-Ru". Black Cat ran in the Weekly Shounen Jump from 2000 to 2004. The story follows Train Heartnet, the infamous "Black Cat", a former assassin of the organization Chronos. He lives a carefree life as a bounty hunter along with his comrade Sven Vollfied, a former IBI agent. His peaceful days cease to exist, reminding him that the binds of the past are still there. A vicious hunt between assassins, bounty hunters and ability users ensues.

Warning: Heavy Spoilers Ahead!!!

Plot & Characters

Train is one of the most consistent and fun characters I've experienced in a while. First of all, he's a veteran assassin and one of the strongest gunmen in the world. According to rumors, when you encounter Black Cat, he will cast you bad luck. You can easily recognize him by the Latin number thirteen on his chest and his gun "Hades".

The most satisfactory part was that Train carried his reputation flawlessly, not because of power scaling, but experience. His opponents either relied on their acquired supernatural ability too much or underestimated him due to his human nature. Of course, there were times his enemies took him by surprise, and his allies intervened. My favorite part of his character was his aloof and childish side. He was spending the bounties on food instead of paying off their debts, he blew off every plan because he enjoyed running after criminals, and he was cheeky with his opponents. It's inspirational when the main character decides to bury their troubled past, wash away any emotions like guilt and vengeance, and seek peace of mind.

On the other hand, Sven was the voice of reason and took up the paternal role. He was very crafty in the battles, using weapons like bombs and special bullets for Train and himself. On top of that, he was good at gathering information thanks to his former job. However, his strong point was his eye which could foresee the future for some seconds, an ability he polished before the last arc.

After being introduced to the main duo, the notorious thief-for-hire appeared, Rinslet Walker. She pretended to be an innocent woman hunted by local criminals in order to check Train's abilities. When the whole ordeal finished, she proposed an alliance. She claimed she wanted to steal data from the secret lab of a man that had a million bounty on his head and strong connections.

Her cautious nature didn't allow her to reveal what the experiments in the lab were until Train witnessed the truth himself during scouting the residence of their target. A young girl, Eve, was slaying traitors with her bare hands. They turned into blades, and he interfered immediately to prevent her from killing. She was a product of nanomachine experiments that allowed her to transform her body parts into her desirable shapes at will. The more she read and understood items, the more sophisticated her creations became.

After a series of events, Eve ended up eating ice cream with Sven on a bench. She saw the outside world for the first time, and admired this man's spirit, adopting his philosophy and beliefs. It was indicated that he was her father figure and Train her big brother. That's why she followed them on their journey and aimed to be an honest bounty hunter. Although the boys are adults and she is a pre-teen, their dynamics are equally entertaining.

The three of them had something in common, the no-killing rule. Specifically, Sven was an IBI agent and lost his best friend. Eve looked upon Sven. Train, however, was a different story. During a mission back to his assassin days, he hurt himself. A girl named Saya nursed him, and they hit it off. She was energetic, cheerful, skillful, independent, and disliked killing. Her ideals resonated with him, and her teachings resided in every fiber of his being. The manga constantly highlighted that her spirit lived alongside him and helped him in dire moments. Why was he bound to an organization when he could roam the streets like a stray (he liked to call himself a stray cat) ? Why was he still killing people like the murderer of his parents taught him? A sparkle of hope lighted inside him, and he eventually quit with a price to pay.

This is where the villain, Creed Diskenth, comes in. The most appropriate way to describe him is psychotic and problematic. He was abused in the past by his mother, then the police, and soon Chronos took him in and raised him as an assassin. He idolized Train. Not only was Black Cat powerful, but he was suffering in silence like him. They were lifeless and hated the world until Saya showed up. Creed labeled her as a witch and killed her to "dispel" her curse on his partner. From this point on, Train felt genuine hate toward Creed. Still, the latter kept hoping that he will return to take over the world together and destroy their former employer. He was so obsessed that he allowed his allies to experiment on him with nanotechnology and "Tao" to acquire immortality.

Another notable character is the Time Guardian I of Chronos and Train's former boss, Sephiria Arks. Time Guardians were the military force of the organization, and their numbers symbolized their degree of authority and not power scaling. Thus Sephiria undertook the role of the commander. She orchestrated the two main battles in the manga, dragging the most competent characters, including Train, and utilizing them as bait or support for the Time Guardians. Some of her actions were against her emotions which was a good touch. Her brilliant mind, fighting spirit, and her stoic appearance consisted the perfect leader. It's rare for the shounen department to see such a capable figure because, usually, this kind of archetype ends up following the protagonist's immature tactics. Last but not least, apart from Train, she was the only one who gravely injured Creed.

The rest of the Time Guardians, bounty hunters, and the Apostles of the Stars (Creed's team) did not overstay their welcome. They were side characters, and the author painted them with the right amount of color. Bringing them again and again for useless fights would wound up the manga's excellent pacing, which was neither slow nor fast. Speaking of fighting, they were a treat. They relied on craftiness and experience rather than magic and jaw-dropping effects. The power-ups were few and made absolute sense. For example, Eve read more and gained knowledge first-hand in the field. Sven trained with Rinslet to reinforce the stamina of his eye. Train acquired the ability of electricity when Creed shot him with an experimental nanomachine bullet named "Lucifer".

The last arc was a battle royal on an island. Sephiria and number X conspired to send a group of the most promising bounty hunters to sweep any nuisance like the Apostles. This way, the Time Guardians had the luxury to strike straight on Creed's location. Her plan was successful, and she personally faced him, although Train beat him with Saya's assistance. It was a thematic choice that connected the last piece of the puzzle and was far from cringe-worthy like seer willpower and the power of friendship. The climax was simple and typical without twists, but the characters and thematics landed smoothly. I cannot imagine a different scenario.

The themes were straightforward and easy to understand. The protagonists and recurring characters brought something new to the table, intertwining their ideals and building common ground. Train developed a deep understanding with Saya, breaking free and realizing the worth of human life. No matter how much blood he spilled, he deserved a second chance at life. Sven shared the same mindset and stood by his side. They passed their philosophy down to Eve, raising her into a fine woman. Rinslet also contributed to the group by extending a helping hand with her established information network and risking her life twice to save Train and Eve. Regardless of her dishonest profession as a thief, she acknowledged their sincerity and put her guard down. The trio was promoted from clients to family. The Time Guardians, mainly Sephiria, displayed remorse and admiration for Train. The leader expressed her worry about being harsh to her former subordinate and even respected his judgment to let their opponents live. As she stated, she was born to be raised as an assassin, but there were underlying hints of craving Train's new lifestyle.

The most exciting piece of storytelling was the parallel between Train and Creed. They both grew up in a disturbing environment, abused and traumatized. Fortunately, luck smiled at Train (ironic given his number) with his fateful meeting with Saya. On the contrary, the darkness consumed Creed, and he lost his way. Moreover, history repeated the cycle with Eve, but thankfully she was young enough to be taught the right way.

Closing Thoughts

All in all, the story was simple and solid, accompanied by perfect pacing. The manga didn't offer twists and fresh perspectives in the battle shounen genre, but there is no room to complain. The characters are well written and developed. The story unfolded smoothly without questionable choices, plot holes, conveniences, and cheap tricks and explanations. The fights were amusing, and the stakes were high when they should be. The themes always came into play every significant moment without feeling like preaching. The art was clean, and the movements were easy to track. I appreciate that they didn't keep the background too busy to lose focus. Artwise, what I enjoyed more was the character designs.

I totally recommend this manga for those who want to relax and have fun. If you are looking for the next masterpiece or the hidden gem of the century, Black Cat is not for you. Thank you for reading!