So, not only is this my first review in the site, ever, but it is also an I-have-only-read-this-once review. Well, this is actually my second time writing this review because my phone hated me and deleted my first review... but we don't talk about that. I'm not actually sure if I will reread this series again, because it doesn't really give an incentive to why I should reread this manga other than to revisit the pleasure I had reading the fights, and a few select moments. This should give enough idea of what the manga is like. Also, I will give a preface on this review to clarify some things : This review is an evaluation of my personal experience, and what I'm doing by writing this review is not to give an objective analysis, but to set up an expectation in which you should approach this manga, not whether this manga is good or bad.
First off, I'll give an overview of the story. All-Rounder Meguru is about two old friends, Meguru Takayanagi and Takashi Yamabuki, who met again after a long time in an amateur Shooto (Japanese MMA) contest. They both had backgrounds in Karate, though they separated for a long time after their childhood. While Meguru fights for fun, Yamabuki fights to get stronger. While Yamabuki sticks to his Karate roots, only going for a purely knockout record, Meguru is a fighter that can learn a technique from just seeing once, adapt to a situation, and improvise upon his arsenal, without really specializing on one or two fields. This is the factor that differs them, as they reach upon the pro-Shooto world.
For this review, I'll be going over a few points : Characters, Plot, Fights, and Themes.
Characters
The characters in All-Rounder Meguru is, good. They are given their own motives, something to invest you with, and have entertaining traits to them. However, the manga doesn't really explore the characters in much depth. Reading the manga, it feels there is some emotional distance between the readers and the story, which makes me see All-Rounder Meguru as a story that doesn't get "overemotional" over things. There is emotions in the story; the character interactions ranges from funny, absurd, awkward, but it rarely lingers on one emotion for too long before moving on. The most emotional moments in the story are spent without a dialogue, lasting only for a half page. This is not a bad thing, however. Not every story has to be one that jerks a tear out of your eye. Just be aware of this emotional distance when reading the story.
On the characters themselves. A lot of the attention and spotlight are given to our two Karatekas : Meguru and Yamabuki. Coming in second are the close friends of Meguru, and a few certain opponents like the old boxer guy and the leglock lunatic. And the rest, are servicable. They serve as obstacles for the characters to overcome, with little tidbits of character pieces to highlight them. But once they are defefated, that's that and this is this. They are not exceptional characters, but they are good and entertaining in their interactions. I think this line in the manga sums this part aptly, "Everyone's got their own story. Not everyone can be winners."
Plot
Moving on to the plot, one word to describe them is "grounded". Don't expect any kind of crazy plots that boggles your head around. The story revolves around tournaments and contests as our characters try to go pro, with some intermezzos that still eventually lead up to fights, but they remain grounded and real even to the world around us. For example, a charity and rebuilding project of an area afflicted with a recent natural disaster, or some pieces of daily lives leading up to where the characters are now. It's nothing atypical, but it suits perfectly well for a manga revolving around realistic martial arts world. Which brings us to the next section.
Fights
This is less of an analysis, but more of a shill, because I'm still quite the newcomer to the MMA world enjoyer and a non-practitioner myself, but I must say the fights are the best aspect of All-Rounder Meguru. I learned quite a lot regarding the rules and techniques, its history and how fighters "build" themselves, into the different types of martial arts. All-Rounder Meguru also explores a good array of martial arts, from obvious Karate to Boxing and Kickboxing, to Judo and BJJ. I was surprised they were able to realistically portray Capoeira, while also bringing it justice to its application in MMA (yes, it is possible, look up Michael Pereira). It also presents MMA fights in a digestible way for the uninitiated, teaching them all things MMA, and treating us with the fights. From the techniques to the thinking process of the fighters, to the glorious artwork of the fights.
Discovering this manga during the time I was active on working out, it actually motivated me to work harder and practice martial arts myself without ever fighting, and it's actually a great deal of fun. Sometimes, just doing it for yourself can be good for you. Just as the old Karateka man said to Yamabuki—I'm paraphrasing—practicing martial arts is good for you, even if you are not fighting; there is more to a fight, than crushing your opponent. So hey, this manga might give a positive impact to you. You might start working out or perhaps find yourself in the Hexagon one day, who knows.
Theme
The then young Meguru once said to Yamabuki, "Do you want to be happy, or get stronger, or win?" This will be the basis in which I examine the theme. Simply because of how aptly it gives a perspective into the world of martial arts of All-Rounder Meguru, and a perspective in which we can see the psychology of Meguru and Yamabuki. Meguru fights for fun, while Yamabuki fights to get stronger. They believe that fighting fill them of the void they feel. Their lives are both unpleasant, and full of hardships. And so, they fought to get a reason as to why they should linger to this life. All-Rounder Meguru doesn't dramatize the tragedies, but it is undeniable how dark some of the things in their life are. And if you look further, there are other very real things addressed within the story.
Ever since the emergence of firearms, martial arts has become trivialized once more as ever. The dynamics of power becomes destabilized, and now it's not just about sheer somatic strength or techniques, but people with weapons could easily kill even the mightiest fighters. This is not the first time martial arts has been trivialized, as back then martial arts has suffered under the usage of weapons amongst other things, but now it's gotten to the point of becoming an entertainment. So what is the purpose of learning these martial arts now? To fight? To defense yourself? To gain fame?
Different people has different answers. But for Meguru and Yamabuki, they find fulfillment in martial arts, as it gives them a reason to fight and continue moving forward, overcoming the hardships of life. Of course, not all of them win, and many have lost. But sometimes, there is more to a fight than simply winning. When you win, that's great. If you lose, that sucks. But even then, time continues and life goes on; that's that, and this is this. You will understand this, when you reach the final chapter.
Conclusion
So, should you read All-Rounder Meguru? If you like MMA and realistic martial arts, absolutely. Like I said, it might have a positive impact on you. Just clarifying you might not see the kind of depth I see into the story, as the manga itself is pretty straightforward; it's just a weird thing I do when examining a story. I hope this review sets up the right expectation for you when approaching the story, and hopefully it might give the story some justice. I might not reread it, but I enjoyed the times I had reading it from start to finish. So go ahead, freebird, read All-Rounder Meguru.
Also, reaching the final chapter is worth it to see Yamabuki's smile.
)Alright that was a tad bit creepy let me get a better one.
There you go.