DESCRIPTION

CAST

CHAPTERS

REVIEWS

• 

  Laevatein

  100/100
  Wandering with an End - A journey to a place where one belongs.

  __Initium__ "Things only change when we change them. But you have to do it."

  Holyland. Realistically, what does it entail? A land belonging to those who believe keenly and unwaveringly in the existence of a God or a higher being? Traditionally, maybe so. But here, not exactly. In fact, it may be correct to say that the bearings and manner in which to obtain such a "holyland" as portrayed by our protagonist in this series is a far cry from anything holy whatsoever. Then, what does this series entail, and is it worth your time?

  ---

  __Ludicrum__

  Before I delve into what this series has to offer, let me take a bit of time to pose a few questions and, in a way, introduce myself and
  my personal thoughts on this series. Feel free to skip this section if you're only here to find out whether or not this manga will interest you.

  Depression is, well, hard to explain. Have you ever experienced it? Maybe, maybe not. It's something I was diagnosed with a couple years ago. At that point, I felt like any motivation I had to pursue long-term life goals had dissipated in an instant. People will say that it gets better, they will often tell you to keep going and trying your hardest because "these feelings are temporary". I think that, having overcome those feelings, I understand where those people continuously telling me that were coming from. But at that time, I can't say I understood. I can't say I cared, or wanted to care. Maybe I was being ignorant or trying to avoid reality, but I think at the height of it all, I wasn't motivated enough to believe such notions. Whether it got better or not, at the time, I wasn't thinking about the future. I think it's difficult, I feel like in such a position, you can't really look forward, and all you can do is look back until whatever's ahead of you is behind you too.

  Even more recently, I had a friend who suffered from depression and anxiety due to an event in his life he had no control over. He's religious, believing in God and holding faith. In his position, he's pursuing what he can and what he enjoys, which is an artistic profession. All of his siblings are artistic, none of them have proceeded into the Sciences and maybe he feels like he's doing a disservice by also proceeding in art. He had plans and lost so much time, motivation and idealism because of things he could not control. At that point, even for believers, faith comes into question. Why do we even live if we're living for so long, to attain something, yet that thing escapes from within our grasp when we strive to go for it? We all just become people putting on fronts, trying to make others think we're happy because it's the little bit of solace we find as people. It's a question of 'Maybe if others all see me as this happy person with no issues, I'll become a happy person with no issues.' It's not so simple but made out to be so simple. It gets to a point where suicidal people are telling other suicidal people that suicide isn't the answer. That's the state that depression oft leads us to, it's just a downwards spiral. It's not so easily solved, not so easily escaped, not so easily improved. It's a void, and it oftentimes feels like you'll never reach the bottom.

  With that out of the way, I have one question I want you to think about while reading the rest of this review. Are you happy with the way your life is going?

  ---

  __Initium Novum__

  Kamishiro Yuu, the protagonist of Holyland.

  The word "Kami" meaning "God", in a series about a holy land. Fitting, huh? Well, maybe not so much.

  “First they ignore you. Then they ridicule you. And then they attack you and want to burn you. And then they build monuments to you.”

  Have you ever felt like you don't belong? That, wherever you are at any given time, if you were removed from the situation nobody else would be affected? Maybe other people would even be glad that you were no longer there? Perhaps everyone feels like that at some point. Unrecognised or not cared for by society. Kamishiro Yuu, with no place to belong in society, takes refuge on the streets at night. Night, when society sleeps, when all you can be judged by is dependent on your capability. A world where the typical laws of society do not oft apply, where fitting in is simply a matter of strength. The night streets, the place where Kamishiro is able to find a new beginning.

  For Yuu, the world he lives during the day is comparable to hell. "Hell is empty and all the devils are here." At school, he is bullied, has no friends, and has no interest in staying. So a member of society becomes an outcast, a shut-in, and his family gives up any hope they had in him. The outcast sees no point in living any longer. There is nothing in it for him, no enjoyment or happiness, life is simply a constant struggle that he does not have the will to keep struggling for. So the outcast becomes suicidal, and wants to end all of the suffering. But unfortunately for this struggler, ironically, the final step towards death is blocked by one of the biggest hurdles of life. Fear. "Fear is the worst enemy of progress."

  The outcast picks up a book. A book that teaches the art of boxing. The outcast learns. In learning, he finds satisfaction. He finds purpose. He is capable. He has a reason. A reason to keep living. He finds courage. Courage to face hurdles. But still, is he too weak to face the hurdle of fear? The fear of dying? The natural obstacle to all mortal existence? Yes, and no. That hurdle, he will no longer need to face willfully. Because in learning how to fight, the outcast finds purpose. And thus, the outcast finds his way to the streets. The streets where the sun is sleeping, where society has closed its eyes. The streets where the outcast is no longer outcast, where he must fit in. Kamishiro Yuu finds his way to the streets, to once more seek out a place where he may be accepted, where he will not be thrown out, but just as in every society, the streets have standards. If you are not strong enough, brave enough, if you lack courage, if you can't handle what the streets throw your way, just as in any other society, you will be outcast. And with that in mind, Kamishiro begins his expedition. He holds up his fists, ready to fight. He begins his journey, the journey to his Holyland.

  And so, the story begins.

  ---

  __Medium__

  Holyland, on the surface, is about fighting. It's a martial arts manga that depicts a school student throwing away his regular life to fight for his place in a dark and dangerous world. So, just looking at this series at surface level, you can already pick up on one key fact. If you enjoy fighting, the gritty aspects of raw hand to hand combat, the thrilling emotions evoked by great action, you can find something to enjoy here. But that's not all. Not only does this series incorporate fighting as a genre to serve as entertainment, but Mori-sensei also teaches many of the technical aspects to different martial arts. That is to say, reading Holyland could even teach you a couple things about different martial arts in the real world. Boxing, judo and karate are only a few of the variety of martial arts Holyland has to offer.

  So, looking below the surface, what else is there? Well, there's characters. I mean... there's characters, of course there are. But, the characters in Holyland are special for a certain reason. Their emotions. Each character in Holyland deals with different problems throughout the manga. From depression and anxiety, to self-harm and envy. For many, including myself, subjects such as these can be heavy, and also help evoke much stronger emotions. Most characters in this series are fighters, they excel at different martial arts and, just as our protagonist, find their places among the streets. We have a cast, that is filled with outcasts. An outcasted cast, that really helps elevate this series.

  "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times."

  ---

  __Terminus__

  Mori Kouji, with satisfactory experience and ample amount of research has crafted a masterpiece. A tale that elicits grand emotion from any reader who can find themselves resonant with themes portrayed in Holyland. A story that excites the reader tuned in for fights and exhilarating bouts of action. A chronicle that informs its readers on some of the technicalities of fighting and martial arts. A satisfying, complete and entertaining masterpiece. Perhaps here, as I have, you may also find your Holyland.

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• 

  alized

  89/100
  one of the best underdog stories ive read

  review contains no spoilers

  “Jobs, friends, lovers, interests, beliefs… It is truly a wonderful thing to be able to something with so much care that it feels like it’s part of yourself. That must really be what the word “priceless” means.”
  -Holyland (Chapter 63 Pg 19)

  great cast of characters, amazing character development and awesome fights that is holyland. its a shame this isnt as popular as it should be. you can tell the author has gone through alot from reading this manga. the plot is pretty cliche and basic which is just a guy who wants to become stronger but like any underdog you just want to see him pummel dudes, not typically seen is the pain, rage, depression, suffering and loneliness of those who walk the streets. kamishiro yuu has some of the most goated character development ive seen. literally from a skinny ass dude to a giga chad in months.

  The story involves so much around street fighting that at some point I wondered why didn't the mangaka just titled it as "street fighting"? But, in the last volumes I understood that these fights were just part of a bigger picture, the "Holyland", the land where the protagonist discovered his meaning for life, found friends, rivals and found his path in life. The mangaka is a martial artist himself the fights are detailed and we can even learn to do this shit on our own

  It perfectly covers dozens of characters, that are all nuanced and well-developed in their own rights. It even has a tasteful romantic sideplot, but never one that gets in the way. the characters are where holyland truly shines. The protagonist Yuu Kamishiro is one of those weak depressed mc. seeing his growth is what made me enjoy this manga the most. hed always stand out as prey in the streets because of how weak he looks.

  No fighting manga can be without a rival. But what makes Shougo Midorikawa different is he ends up suffering from the rivalry instead of being helped. The characters are amazing, being well written and deep, each one going through their own journey of growth and maturity. Not only that, but how each one impacts the protagonist and how it impacts them is great. Seeing them bond and bond is one of the best things about manga. Another thing that I found rather interesting about this manga is the mangaka's outlook with the storyteller acting naturally and expressing his genuine thoughts or associating the events that take place with his own life experiences and personal growth. This causes his creation to feel nearer to the readers, allowing us to step into his world and recognize how his work impacted him as an individual.

  The art is clean and the panelling is done very well. holylands fight scenes are depicted very well and its one of those sports/boxing manga that give you motivation to start your day. Yuu's issues with self-love and reading his journey hit me hard. Another aspect of Yuu's character that I really loved was his constant internal struggle he faced with coming to terms with his violence. Yuu was a kind person at heart but after facing constant bullying he built up a lot of anger, much of it aimed at himself but also at society for not giving him a place to exist.

  i would reccomend reading it if youre into realistic stories and relatable characters with a touch of martial arts and hype asf street fights.

  
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• 

  TheRealRedo

  70/100
  ''No true first rate exists on the street and nothing lies beyond it''

  ‘’You just hit a wall in the real world, got frustrated and escaped here’’

  Holyland is the exact mix of good concepts, good ideas, good execution with bad execution, incoherences and cliché concepts. [Please read the whole review to understand my point].
  And remember that the score below it’s just a useless number.

  The Holyland bases are the same of every average shounen nekketsu, a kid who wants to become stronger in order to protect something while he opens up a path among an unknown and dangerous world. Concepts that have been repeated a hundred times, with subversions of the demography or soulless structures. So does Holyland have something to offer?

  Still before I answer this question I’m going to talk about the aspects I like and don’t like.

  First I´m going to get rid of this. Holyland has the worst narration I´ve seen In any entertainment medium. The author interrupts the fights to talk about some movement or a martial art, these explanations always are big wall texts that occupy at least half a panel, even sometimes he uses this phrase ‘’I the author…’’ which not only breaks the immersion that the manga could generate also slows down the plot, it’s an abrupt change in the rhythm of the story. Sometimes it doesn’t even give any relevant information making it feel like a filler.

  

  This is accompanied by the unnecessary turns that the story has, makes it feel vague without course. It’s a dead point, yes, it establishes relationships, themes and characters but when is going to start working them? In the first forty or fifty chapters all the elements that are going to be important in the final stretch are already established. I think the manga could reduce the amount of chapters and all would fit better.
  A bigger problem than this is that during the first seventy chapters the plot turns around the same structure and conflict; Yuu, the protagonist, finds an obstacle that seems insuperable, this situation always turns into a fight, he breaks down and destroys, gets up with the help of his friends, overcoming his situation and getting blinded again by anger and violence.

  The more a structure is repeated less weight and impact it will have on a story.

  And that pattern is not a problem exclusive of the argument, the characters suffer the same thing. I’m going to divide them into 3 sections: support, antagonistic and protagonist’s ones.

  The support characters are the worst developed. They only appear during 3 or 4 chapters to be part of a concrete event and get discarded, disappearing when the writer doesn’t need them anymore.
  The antagonists are not saved either, they are all the same, so damn situational that they become incapable of acquiring other characteristics, after they lost to Yuu they disappear. Except for these two- but don’t get me wrong they’re even worse- after more than 150 chapters of not knowing nothing about them, they get re-introduced to save the protagonists a senseless convenience.

  

  Fortunately the protagonist group surpassed my expectations, their conflicts are credible, and making me not just empathize with them. Moreover some of them are well developed and can establish the message of the work. However in every flock there is a black sheep and Shougo is the black sheep of Holyland.

  

  An empty Shell of the classic rival and friend of the protagonist. His oppositions against Yuu are just an excuse to create situations that make the plot go forward leaving notable conveniences around this. His weakness complex or the dojo plot are so irrelevant because they don’t end in anything. His internal dispute about his father searching for the meaning of being strong is so rushed that it doesn’t allow to explain anything at all. In addition it’s incongruent, because he was plunged into a terrible addiction. Addiction that he overcomes in a question of minutes, saving the protagonist; this is something that’s a pity since his conflicts are the ones that the work needs, raw and realistic ones.

  Holyland’s Biggest Problem

  The streets, that urban place that each one of us has step in, step out or witness them. A place full of emotions as well of dangers.

  The works aren’t bad ones for having bad messages, they are bad when they obviate the consequences of the actions and events they create. Holyland wants to talk about friendship, moral codes, human values and self-improvement, something I admire taking in consideration the media of MMA (mixed martial arts) and even shounen mangas I´ve read.

  But how do I take a scenario seriously where the protagonist is searched for and recognized by half of the city, has humiliated the boss of several gangs and is indescribable heartless but he never gets any consequence besides physical damage? Both Yuu and Izawa are awesome fighters but I don’t believe that any thug didn’t follow them to their houses or tried to harm any person of their near circle.

  Besides the final stretch, the only moment where this happens is when Shin gets beat up by a gang. Yes, it’s something crude and realistic at the moment. But this moment of reflection doesn’t generate any change in him or in the rest of characters. Yuu is afraid of the next time, but the script just generates another situation where he becomes mentally blind up by anger. Returning to the same point where the plot started.

  

  It doesn’t matter how much respect and love you find in the streets, even if you find a path for yourself there, there will always will be that imminent danger in the alleys.

  THE FINAL STRETCH

  I make a new point in respect to that last paragraph, now I’m going to talk about the chapter 88 onwards.

  The Holyland final stretch is the vision that the manga should have taken since the beginning. First of all it starts taking into account the problems of the environment, weapons, drugs, injuries, incurable wounds (except Yuu’s elbows popping) and horrible circumstances that take place in the life of the protagonists. Leaving behind that repetitive structure as well as opening a path to treat the true message of Holyland because this never was a story of martial marts but a story about how to find ourselves across the escapism.

  The characters begin to question their future, their security and search for a life purpose. Some of them decide to take a step out on the streets, some get ‘’graduated’’ from these, and others began to submerge in that infinity darkness that lives in the alleys.

  Even taking this into consideration, Holyland ends being an ‘’okay’’ manga with interesting topics, loose writing and a comeback in the final arc. However I prefer to introduce a different vision.

  During my whole life I’ve been establishing my own stance in respect to the purpose of art. If I had to give it an explanation It would be: ‘’Give rise to sensations and emotions”. That’s why I don´t mind if It has faults or mistakes, I can’t find myself in a picky standards. A work doesn´t need to be flawless to be great, to reduce our vision to a critic’s standards is something so superficial that it does not allow us to appreciate any passion and effort in the tales that we witness. Life isn’t perfect so why should art be?

  

  Obviously that doesn’t mean that I’m going to accept any garbage stories, I have my own way of viewing art that’s why I like to express myself about the things I don’t like.

  At the end of all, the works that we’re going to remember are those ones that made us cry, laugh, stand up or have a lump in our throat. That´s why I always will remember Holyland, as a tale where I can escape, discover myself, accept my wounds and return from where I came from.

  
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