Happiness Volume 1

Psychological horror

"Happiness" tells the story of a high school boy named Makoto Okazaki who, after being bitten by a vampire, becomes an immortal creature himself.

The protagonist, Makoto, initially appears to be a typical high school boy, but after becoming a vampire, he is forced to confront his own mortality and the limitations of his physical body. I hink this challenges traditional notions of masculinity and the idea that men are supposed to be strong and invincible.

At the same time, I think "Happiness" can also be criticized for the way in which it portrays power dynamics between men and women. For example, Makoto's transformation into a vampire is precipitated by an assault by a female classmate, who bites him on the neck without his consent. This can be seen as perpetuating harmful stereotypes about women as being manipulative and sexually aggressive, and reinforces the idea that men are powerless victims when it comes to sexual assault. The series explores themes of sexuality and sexual desire, which can be both liberating and empowering, as well as fraught with danger and potential harm.

As a horror manga, I liked how dark the story is, with a focus on psychological horror and character development, rather than traditional jump scares or gore. The narrative builds slowly.

In my opinion, the strengths of the story is its exploration of the psychological effects of becoming a vampire. The protagonist, Makoto, is initially thrilled by his newfound powers and immortality, but he soon discovers the dark side of his condition, including the need to drink blood and the danger of becoming disconnected from humanity. This exploration of the psychological effects of vampirism adds depth to the story and makes it more than just a typical horror story.

About the artwork; the manga's art style is a standout feature, with detailed and evocative illustrations that capture the dark and eerie tone of the story. The characters are depicted in a realistic and grounded style, which adds to the overall sense of unease.

Ufortunately, there were some elements of the plot that I didn't like. While the manga's slow build-up can be an asset, it can also make the story feel slow at times. While the main character, Makoto, is well developed, I think some of the supporting characters feel underdeveloped or stereotypical. For example, Makoto's crush, Yuki, is depicted as the perfect, innocent girl, and some of the other female characters are overly sexualized or one-dimensional ... At times, the story can feel confusing or unclear - some readers may struggle to follow the narrative or understand the motivations of certain characters.