I really stumbled upon a hidden gem with this Manga. It's a rare example of a good and completed story. One of the most fun stories I've read or experienced in a good while.
Enter Black Cat, A severely under-popular Shounen from the early 2000s which deserves more credit and recognition than it gets. It has all the standard Shounen tropes but to be honest, For it's time, Kentaro Yabuki really did his best. If you don't know who Kentaro Yabuki is, Then he's the Mangaka behind To-Love Ru, a very popular Ecchi series but not many know about his earlier work which was this. It has varying degrees of seriousness and lighthearted-ness.
The thing that I loved about this manga was that it has no unnecessary clutter or bloat, It had a simple story conveyed beautifully. Starts from point A to point B without overcomplicating the plot, I feel like this is something that should be incorporated in more recent manga.
Story : Really basic and simple premise, I was very satisfied with what I was shown. It has a simple yet beautiful story with no overarching plot, It just goes from Point A to Point B and that's it. The naming sense behind this manga is also really fantastic once you get to know the main character and his personality is in tune with the vibe of this manga. The pacing of the story is also perfect, It doesn't feel like it's going too fast or slow, It just sort of has this laid-back approach and I was really a fan of this. Plus the ending is done really well and left me fully satisfied.
Fights/Abilities : The fights are very easy to follow and the flow is really smooth. The abilities aren't unique or never done before but the way they are portrayed is very satisfying.
Art/Panelling/Dialogue: This is where this manga impeccably shines the brightest. Truly amazing art in every single page and the important thing that I'd like to point out is that reading this manga never made me feel like it's cluttered or has too much going on. The art compliments Kentaro sensei's beautiful panelling, I honestly really loved reading and swiping through ever page because it was such a breeze. The only manga which I recall where I had this same feeling was Dragon ball (A huge compliment, I know). The Dialogue and plot connects beautifully and nothing feels forced. The cherry on top is that not once in this manga, is there a single panel that left me confused as to what's happening. The action is very easy to follow and light on the eyes, It's not very dialogue heavy either. It truly is an achievement to create a manga like this.
If you just want a simple manga to pick up with no overcomplicated stuff and is super easy to read through ever for a beginner then I would 100% recommend Black Cat to you, regardless of whether you're a Shounen fan or not. I seriously cannot state how easy to read this manga is. I honestly cannot fathom how this series never got it's proper popularity much outside of Japan.
It also has a very important message to convey, You can be happy without forgetting your past, Your past is a part of you regardless of whether you like it or not, So move on and live your life to the fullest because you only get one shot at it. Such a beautiful yet bold message.
I really really enjoyed this and will give it a 9/10. Quite simply, One of THE BEST Shounens I've ever read without a doubt. As a standalone story, it might not be that good but as a Shounen it was everything I wanted.
I hope Kentaro Sensei one day comes back with a sequel to this one.
Thank you for reading!
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