Reception
The first volume was generally well received by reviewers. Manga Life's Dan Polley praised the plot for being different from normal Science fiction but still retained the core that appeals to fans of that genre. He also commented on how Adachitoka's art style suited the manga. Katherine Dacey of Pop Culture Shock also commended the plot for not showing the cause of the mass suicide which helps create a "deliciously creepy atmosphere". She described the first volume as "...a suspenseful, entertaining read that mixed teen angst and X-Files paranoia to good effect". Deb Aoki from About.com also praised the mixture of science fiction and high-school life but criticized the overused "shonen manga stereotypes". In his appendix to Manga The Complete Guide, Jason Thompson commended the art style for being "...an attractive example of the Shonen Magazine house style, with photorealistic environments" and concluded the series to be "An above average “realistic superheroes” story.". Greg McElhatton from Read About Comics panned the volume for its muddled plot and how shock treatments appearing in quick succession lessen the shock effect of each event and stated the volume overall as a disappointment.
Carlo Santos of Anime News Network regards the series' plot pacing to be slow and commented on how the art style is too ordinary making most characters not stand out. He commended the psychological battle in volume 5 and praised Hirose's character transformation. Comics Worth Reading's Ed Sizemore review of the first eight volumes of the series was highly positive. He praised the slow-build storytelling by Tadashi Kawashima for being interesting and suspenseful and commends Taisuke Kano's to be an extremely believable character. He originally considered the art style unimpressive, but as the series continues, he notes that Adachitoka's art style improves immensely and compares it to Takeshi Obata's style. The improved art style is later praised for the character's emotion and body language and the fluid fight scenes.
Read more about this topic: Alive: The Final Evolution
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