KEYMAN

KEYMAN

MANGA

STATUS
COMPLETE
VOLUMES
13
RELEASE
December 19, 2016
CHAPTERS
67

DESCRIPTION

Keyman is the resident hero of Rockville City, a place inhabited by both humans and animal people. In the years since his debut as a hero, crime has decreased significantly, which does not look all that great for the local police force. But one day, after he catches yet another group of criminals, Keyman is mysteriously murdered.
Detective Alex and his police force are investigating the murder, and one of their major clues is the words "Dr. Necro," which were carved onto Keyman's body after his death. Their case gets even stranger when Alex unexpectedly meets "Dr. Necro", who appears to be a young girl, in a bar.

What monster could be behind the murder of Keyman, and what does the childlike Dr. Necro have to do with it all?

(Source: MangaHelpers)

CAST

Alex Rex
Dr. Necro
Pete Knight
PHANTOM
Butler
Flor
Frank Violet
Freddy
Nanashi no Shishi Jinshu
Lazlo
Aaron Woodfield
Keyman
Birdie
Norma Crossford
Sally Charlton
Jack Bicle
Walter Gordon
Misery

CHAPTERS

RELATED TO KEYMAN

ONE SHOT ActionMagoichi ga Ikusa

REVIEWS

GGShang
75/100
An American comic trapped in a Japanese manga's body
The only appropriate way for me to describe this manga is this: imagine an American comic written in Japan. It has the gritty and dark feel of a DC comic yet still has some key flairs that’s reminiscent of traditional Japanese manga (for better or for worse). In a lot of ways Keyman takes the ‘style over substance’ approach to storytelling, and it really shows throughout the series. I think this is a good point to give a warning for everyone wondering if this series is for them since there’s a lot of gore and nudity (some loli stuff in the beginning as well but it really tones down by the half way point). If those are big issues for you then I’d suggest finding something else at this point.

The plot of the series essentially revolves around a T-rex police inspector teaming up with a 118 year old loli to figure out who’s behind a series of murders of super human entities with keyholes in their bodies. Pretty standard stuff honestly. Now, in terms of the mystery series I’ve read in the past, I’d have to say that this one doesn’t rank too high up on my list, though I don’t see it as much of a problem. While most mystery series tend to aim for tension and plot twists to drive engagement, Keyman instead chooses to use the mystery more for shock factor and to split up scenes of high action. Like I said in the beginning, it’s more style over substance here. So while it may not be the most airtight or believable plot out there, Keyman’s plot serves its role in keeping the story interesting enough to continue reading and setting up for the more ‘American comic’ style of art and feel. The ending parts do come off as a bit cliché and a little overbearing in its themes, but by that point you aren’t expecting very much anyways.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much good to say in respect to the characters here. They generally tend to be one note in personality or merely exist to push the plot along. For the most part they have fairly uncompelling motives, change in rather unexpected ways and don’t provide much in terms of growth. However, this is not to say that there is nothing good here. I think the interesting parts in respect to the characters of the story are not the characters themselves, but rather what they represent within the grander scheme of the manga. For example, the fact that the MC is a beastman and the impact that has on the story is interesting to see. But in general, if you’re here to find compelling characters then you might be in the wrong neighborhood.

So then what’s worth reading here? Well the best thing this manga has to offer is the atmosphere. Like I mentioned earlier, it’s dark and gritty and it makes me feel like I’m in an old school cop movie, going down into the dirty parts of the city and unveiling secrets no one ever wanted to know. It’s a mood that may not be that uncommon to find in other manga, but it does it in a style that is wholly unique (at least to me within this medium). It makes me reminisce of the modern age of comics that I never read as a kid. A big part of what creates this mood is the artstyle. It’s hard to describe it in words, but the gross stuff is hella gross and the 2 page spreads look real nice.

So is this a good story to read? Well, in a traditional sense, no. In my eyes it’s passable as a manga, but just barely. However, what it lacks in traditional story elements it more than makes up for in charm (if you can call it that). I generally hate to say this about series, but Keyman is one that works better when you turn off your brain and allow the mood and absurdity of the story take you on a ride. This is not a manga for everyone… definitely not for everyone. But if everything above sounded interesting then it might be a good one to check out.
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