Manga Review | Bootsleg Volume 1

At the age of seven, Zen lost everything: his parents, his sister, and his even left leg. They were taken from him by a mysterious gloved entity known as Shake Hand. Zen vows to grow strong enough to avenge them and joins an organization known as Bootsleg whose duty is to root out the cursed gloves that are plaguing his city.

Bootsleg, Vol. 1 by Suzuhito Yasuda delivers an explosive first volume from the same mangaka who brought us the infamous nun bear from Yozakura Quartet.

This manga is fast-paced, high-octane, and a whole lot of fun, which comes as a bit of a double-edged sword.

Yes, it’s entertaining, but I found it difficult to care if any of the characters (asides from Lily) lived or died.

In the next volume, I’m hoping the story digs deeper than its whacky premise of magical shoes vs gloves. I’d like to see the characters get fleshed out more so they feel more believable and I can actually feel invested in what happens to them. Otherwise, it's just another generic battle shounen without soul.

Thank you, NetGalley and Kodansha, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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