Golden Kamuy

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I loved almost everything except for the last chapters from the last arc. So a 9 to 300 chapters and a 7 to the last 14 ones (its a figure of speech) so it gets a 9 because math me am good.
The comedy was gold ;), the characters great and the story was really interesting. Honestly this review holds almost no weight because I want to read it once more since there were many things I just didn´t see.
But it gets a 9, because it deserves it.
I have full confidence in whatever the author chooses to do from now on (read dogsread, I want ... them to be validated in order for me to feel validated).
The only thing I can honestly say is that this manga just takes time to read, I don´t know if its too dense or too much written but its not something yo can read at any moment like its nothing.

If you're on the hunt for a great story, look no further! I've recently come across one of the best stories ever and I can't rave about it enough. The plot is incredibly interesting and well thought-out with a mystery that will keep you glued to the series from the very first chapter. The setting is unique and well-developed, and the characters are some of the most varied and charismatic I've ever encountered. Even the villain and secondary characters are excellent, making for a truly immersive and captivating reading, or viewing, experience. I highly recommend that everyone read, watch, or talk about this story with ... others to keep it alive and ensure it reaches as many people as possible. You won't regret it!

Golden Kamuy is a complex narrative that represents a breath of fresh air in a tired topic, with a particular style that can be too much for many, but is definitely fun and engaging.

For fans of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure who miss that specific blend of humor and tension more in line with the first three parts, this is a gold mine — early Araki's influence is palpable in many aspects of the work.

With that said, let’s delve into what Golden Kamuy is about and the themes it explores. We’ll also discuss if the beginning might be misleading, and how effectively it tackles its thematic elements.

So, ... what is this show about?

According to Ainu mythos, Kamuy are spiritual beings that reside in particular aspects, or actors, of the natural world. As far as I know, there is no Kamuy associated with gold — and that’s exactly the premise of Golden Kamuy: how gold can bestow graces or curses.

Golden Kamuy is surprisingly deep in its exploration of Ainu culture, how the Kamuy concept shapes their lives, and its parallels with how gold — as well as the many things it can be a metaphor for — shapes society.

Even though it deals with a saturated topic, such as trade relations and the like, it presents such a unique perspective that I truly believe it’s guaranteed to fuel a lot of thought.

First things later, let’s talk art.

Paneling is mostly bland and doesn't help much with flow or tension, but doesn't do anything wrong either. Similarly, the designs and uniqueness are nothing exceptional, but also are far from doing anything wrong.

I have to mention that are very crude things depicted, as well as some body horror — as a disclaimer, I guess.

Overall, the art is very good, but mostly not exceptional, with the background often as a standout point, but sometimes the 2-page spreads focused on forests look too busy — It might be just my preference, though. It makes sense to show how lively nature life is, but many times I felt like it could've been transmitted better.

So, how does it start?

To an extent, Golden Kamuy doesn't start as good as it will eventually get, but that is only natural. The premise feels whacky, some kind of overly elaborated gold rush. The plot feels even wackier, but it does that without alienating at first, and after a while you're already ensnared by the Ainu culture and the characters.

The meat of the show is that, so, if you like the beginning, you can rest assured that you'll probably like it all. If you don't, I don't think you'll like it much better later on.

By the end, when the somewhat loose plot could be a let-down, the thematic beats hit so hard it is hard to even think about that, and this is where this work truly shines. The last 3 or 4 arcs are absolutely amazing.

What about the characters?

Similarly to the art, they are quite well written, and this work does present very good development, I wouldn't go as far as to say there are exceptional character writing in a typical sense. Weirdly, I think this works in its favor. If there was a group of standout characters, it would make it harder to blur the lines between the many independent actors in search of the gold. Each faction has multiple characters with their own psyche, that might or might not maintain alliance or do something completely unexpected.

What about the story itself?

The 31 volume count is sorely justified by the complexity of the narrative. The standout point in this aspect is the interaction between the different factions, and how allegiance of most characters doesn't feel set in stone. Later on, it really does add up to a great deal of tension — which kinda makes up for the lack of tension for the early and mid-sections of the story.

The world building also does a lot of heavy lifting, the Ainu culture and real historical figures such as Hijikata Toshizou makes wonders for the delivery of the main themes.

Then, what did I think of it as a whole?

Overall it has strong themes, it is hilarious, does unique things and the overall narrative is pretty great. I don't think the few flaws in the plot and the somewhat particular brand of storytelling — which is similar to early Jojo's Bizarre adventure in many aspects — would justify anything less than a recommendation. However, the amount of crude and distasteful scenes prevent me to recommend it broadly — even though I do enjoy those in this work.