Henkyou no Roukishi: Bard Loen

thequietclover Sep 15, 2022

7

I love the setting and world-building. I like how the concept of us following an old hero on an adventure and read about him experiencing the world and reminiscing the past. the The artstyle is really nice, with some awesome character designs. The main character is quite gentle yet very strong, and I identify a lot with the way he appreciates good food! It's also great to see how MC approaches other people and other species without prejudice, often taking the time to learn their values. HOWEVER. READ THIS PASSAGE FROM THE SERIES. "..Aidra's body was soft, supple and drenched in brightness. By grasping that SMALL body, Bard was able to obtain unparallel happiness." AYO?? You guys- I seriously wanted to believe Bard viewed Aidra as maybe a younger sibling figure he dearly cherished, hence his desire to protect her. But the way she is drawn in the manga during her childhood is kind of suspicious, like her poses seem a bit sexualized/hyperfeminine for her age. It's strange because she is described as a "tomboy" character. To worsen my doubt, the next line after that is, "A long time had passed, and Bard regained his senses. Aidra's father and elder brother were right in front of him, so was it okay to hold her?" ... which kinda sets in stone that his feelings towards her aren't not-romantic. Dear lord. I'm just tired of seeing female characters in male-centered adventure or hero stories portrayed in this manner. Yes, maybe it's accurate for women of this setting/time period to meet their end in sad silence, without having achieved anything besides bearing children, while the men get all the glory and exact the revenge for her sake. I would have loved it if this series could break that mold for once. It's falling into that "dead-wife" trope. I'm also not loving my suspicions on the p*dophilia from MC as much as I genuinely like his character. It's a big shame because this is kinda a big peeve for me, which is why it's rated a bit lower. There are no other issues besides this, as far as I can tell.

MangaXexperts Feb 19, 2022

10

This manga is super underrated. It's world feels very alive. It has a little bit similar vibes to the game witcher. The art is good. The story is marvelous. The characters are all diverse and unique from each other in a way. This is fiction at it's peak. This manga is also focused on fantasy food. Give this a try you will not regret it. 

PotatoPealer Mar 31, 2021

10

This manga will hit you in the Kokoro! I can't recommend this enough. Such amazing storytelling with probably one of the best art styles I've seen in any manga so far. It is slow, but it strays away from those typical manga stories with OP mc. The major characters in the story were nicely written. And the main journey itself, an old man fighting against time, while trying to fulfill something he holds dear. And the translator did an amazing job as well. It's sad that it hasn't received much recognition.