Manga: Jagaaaaaan

from mangahere:
Shintarou Jagasaki, who is a neighborhood police officer, lives with his girlfriend while working a job that is killing him slowly with annoyance. It looks like he will end up marrying soon and live a boring life with a nuclear family - a grim future for a guy with dreams! One such day, a mysterious monster appeared on the train and he suddenly can shoot with his right hand like Master Buppanatsu, the eggplant mascot of his city!


series page (mangahere)

a really interesting experience, four chapters in.
it mostly reminds me of Parasite (which is even mentioned in the story), if it was as violent graphically violent as Gantz.

the story is common 'you have to side with this animala sidekick to fight evil monsters and it ruins your regular life', but has much higher emotional stakes for the main character and his life, and is focused on adults rather than standard highschoolers.

it's just four chapters for now, so give it a try.

Attachment 1817

my actual thoughts on the story:

it's loaded.
I think it's designed to speak to guys in their upper twenties and press on the right buttons. fear of responsibility and commitment, escapism from the world in a bang, feelings of not being genuine in the world, and mostly, guilt about all that. the story is making us identify with jagaski and then pulls the rug under our feet by reminding us that his behavior and desires are pretty dumb and juvenile. it constructs a situation that allows a fantasy to come to fruition, but reminds the audience this fantasy is full of shit and that it hurts everyone around.

Are you up-to-date?

Just began reading it and am liking it so far. Halfway through what's currently released though.

nope, turns out i've stopped.
I'll get up to date with the current chapter this weekend