After seeing this image posted on /a/ multiple times, along with some other, rather risque pages from the same series, I had to track it down and read it. I had been warned that it was rather depressing, but I paid that no heed.
This manga is a series about a simple love story in a world that is approaching apocolypse. Ikuru is afflicted with a terminal condition that will likely end his life within a year. Alone, without family or friends, he applies for and recieves an Ai-Ren - a girl genetically engineered to love him in every way, in order to give him a chance at finding happiness in his last days. In the background, humanity is slowly heading towards ruin, as terrorism and war consume the Earth.
The love story is amazing, full of genuine emotion, and bolstered by fantastic art, ingenius paneling and layout, and gentle, appropriate use of nudity of sex. The apocolyptic aspects don't fare as well - they are needlessly vague and incoherent, while simultaneously coming off as far too preachy and heavyhanded. Furthermore, the apocolypse is ultimately detached from the real meat of the story - we only see it through the eyes of side characters, most of whom never cross paths with Ikuru or Ai.
Unfortunately, the needlessly somber and doomed setting of the story, along with the inevitable nature of the plot, kept me from getting too attached to the setting or to any of the characters. As a coherent, complete work, this series fails. Although the ending affected me in an immensely powerful, positive way, I can tell that it will ultimately fail to be memorable (although perhaps this is a side effect of having read the entire thing in one sitting, in just few hours).
But where this series succeeds - and it does, for at least two thirds of its length - it does so spectacularly. And who knows, maybe the apocolyptic setting and philosophying will sit better with one of you than it did with me.
All in all, an interesting read. Perhaps someone else will be able to enjoy this as much or more than I did.
The full series is available for download on Stoptazmo.
