Mirai Nikki (Future Diary) Manga Review

Awkward loner Yukiteru keeps a cell phone diary of
his daily life. His close friends are the imaginary Deus and Muru Muru who turn out to be the real keepers of space and time. Now he is at the center of their deadly game where there can be only one winner. To survive he will need the help of deranged stalker Yuno. Together the two must save space and time by murdering all the future diary participants leaving the winner ruler of this strange world.


Review (Part 1)
Death games are not new to mangas so Future 
Sweet Schoolgirl Yuno Amidst Her Latest Victims
Diaryś creative cell phone diary is what made the manga first stand out. The odd relationship between imaginary friend´s being actual gods did make readers wonder just how Yukiteru got to such a lonely place. Little focus is given because the manga immediately jumps into action with Yuno´s appearance. The innocent Yuno does horror proud by proving the popular sweet girl seated at the head of the class is a psychopath in disguise. Outside appearances mean little in Mirai Nikki. Even little boys can be creative murders if a win is at stake.

The manga writers have a deep grasp of the psychology behind most character´s which make
Actions Always Speak Louder than Words in Mirai Nikki
 readers reconsider the belief evil vs good comes only in black vs white. Who decides what is ´the greater good by becoming the next god´ is not the heart of the manga. Jealousy, rage, and good intentions form the tangled web of a storyline in Mirai Nikki.

The Characters
Yukiteru is a shy awkward loner. He records the day´s events in his diary but doesn´t take part in them. His diary becomes a future diary after his ´ímaginary´ friend Deus turns out to be the real god of Time vs. Space. Yukiteru has low self-esteem and views himself as weak compared to others around him. Yuno´s obsessive strength is both his biggest benefit and harshest criticism to himself.

Gasai Yuno is a beautiful well-rounded student
secretly obsessed with Yukiteru. Her entire life
revolves around Yukiteru´s existence. Yuno doesn´t understand the importance of human life unless it is Yukiteru´s. She doesn´t kill for pleasure; it´s all about saving Yukiteru no matter the cost.


Keigo Kurusu (the 4th) has the investigation diary. He is interested in solving crimes not becoming the next claimant to the ´throne of God.´ 4th proclaims he will protect the 1st (Yukiteru). He follows his ethics which define whether or not he holds to an allegiance. He has a unique relationship with the 9th.


Minene Uryuu (the 9th) holds the escape diary. She is infamous as a terrorist an holds a deep grudge for her parent´s murders. The 9th changes throughout the manga showing more emotion over time. She has a heart but does not often share it.

Review (Part 2)
I struggled with Mirai Nikki when 
Except if you have Yuno then your known identity isn´t much of a checkmate
the god Deus revealed the rules of the game immediately. Figuring out what the boundaries are is part of the fun of a good manga (and anime). Worse is when the importance of ´keeping one´s identity a secret´ immediately falls apart. Yukiteru´s existence should have had an arrow pointing straight at him. The 9th´s claim to have found him by tracking his change in behavior is woefully scant. Even the 4th figures it out almost immediately. If Yuno were not there to save Yukiteru´s lame self the manga would have been over before it began.

The manga´s fast pace does help to redeem itself. I attribute most of this to Yuno whose bloodthirsty stalker personality drives the plot to new heights.
Having been victim to stalking myself they can be downright terrifying without have a diary informing them of your every breath. Yukiteru´s relationship with Yuno is both horrifying and fascinating. She wants to keep him to herself. If it means killing anyone who clashes with the idea then it´s as simple as one two three. Her brilliance in planning takes the plot into deeper places then a blatant battle. This manga requires some thinking to fully comprehend.


Plot twists are big in Mirai Nikki. Nothing is ever in 
Time Leap Plot Twist?
cement when a cell phone entry of ´game over´ can be avoided with quick finesse. Deus´s demise adds another element to the game making it more than being the last one standing. No winner. No world left to fight in. Not to mention, unlike the Hunger Games exception, there can only be one winner. No matter how much love exists someone will have to be the sacrifice for humanity to keep on existing.

The Art
Mirai Nikki is a well-drawn manga which does stand out. The characters have looks to match their personalities. This means they are more than the same body with different hair being a defining factor. The eyes of manga characters are my greatest passion in their drawings and Mirai Nikki´s characters are filled with expression. They look beautiful as well which is always a bonus.
Beheading Blood Spatter a Bit Bland
Would I call this the best looking manga in the world? No. In the horror genre the best blood scenes are intimately intense. We are talking full detail all out Tokyo Ghoul style. Is it the prettiest? No. Bride of the Water God is my take on that. Overall though, well-done and worthy of appreciation for fans of manga art.

Final Recommendation
Dead Ends aren´t Alwasy the End in Mirai Nikki
Mirai Nikki is a horror manga making it perfect for those in love with the genre. There is immense horror in people being murdered by a pretty girl who wears blood like it´s a daily routine. The suspense is key in Mirai Nikki. No one knows who is the next bloody attacker and what exactly is their diary´s special trait until it´s almost to late. With an escape diary user in the mix the suspense of how a ´certain thing´ scenario is going to play out is forever a game of luck. Action fans will not be disappointed. There are no epic Bleach sword fights but bloody battles do abound. As for romance, I could say there is some but it might just be more of a Stockholm Syndrome then Orange Marmalade affection.

Overall Score: 8.2
Worth the read for those curious. Probable must for diehard Mirai Nikki anime fans.

 Details
Name(s): The Future Diary, Future Diary, Mirai Nikki

 Author(s): ESUNO Sakae

 Artist(s): ESUNO Sakae

 Year: 2006

 Chapter(s): 59

 Genre(s): Horror; Suspense; Action; Drama; Sci-Fi

 Complete: Sort of. The Mirai Nikki is listed as complete but a secondary manga exists with a final final(?) ending

 Anime: Yes