The Fable

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WOW! The Fable! This manga packs a bunch of action, humor, and suspense. Meet 'Fable,' a legendary assassin living a dull life in witness protection. But don't let the boredom fool you – when the action kicks in, it's non-stop adrenaline.

What makes 'The Fable' awesome? It's got a hero you'll root for, epic fights, and moments that tug at your heartstrings. Plus, the cast is full of interesting characters, from Fable's sidekick Moko to the mega criminals he faces off against.

If you're into manga that keeps you on the edge of your seat, 'The Fable' is a must-read. It's got amazing and very unique style, ... cool characters, and enough thrills to keep you hooked from start to finish. Trust me, once you dive in, you won't want to put it down!

It's hard not to oversell something I consider perfect.

Hitmen. The concept of being employed to kill a human being. Money for a life, violence, done by any means. Intelligence in the art of killing. I love the exploration on what hitmen do from a variation standpoint. I've seen many iterations of the concept in tragedy movies with their tragic hitman. The funny one, the unflinching one, the absolutely horrific one. However, there are two hitmen in fiction that explore something way more profound, while dressing themselves as a some of the funniest comedies I've ever seen. “Barry”, and “The Fable” are about artists at their ... work, killing, but now trying something new, while their previous lives call for them; like a plague they can't get rid of.

This one begins with a legend in the underground. The Fable, a man that if you encountered him, and survived, you just weren't their target. An unbridled force of nature, who doesn't consider anything to do with killing as something difficult. 6 seconds to kill in hand to hand, and mere minutes to kill an entire criminal, trained battalion. How about telling this absolute carnage-capable human being to live a quiet life, have a job, enjoy a drink, or a good restaurant for an entire year? His answer is asking his personal driver to blow on his cooked fish because it's too hot.

It turns the whole concept of criminals into that of a comedy that attempts to remain wholesome while everything pushes it towards constant destruction. It's a story about giving a killing machine the ability to become a human being once and for all, even if he was just the same as you or me before that. He's good a what he does, and is proud to call himself a pro, but then he proceeds to laugh at a third rate comedian in the radio. Everything casual that's done by the newly named Satou feels like a paradox you can't help but laugh at. An absurdist comedy, that frames a murderer in the most mundane of worlds. He makes stupid faces, he draws like a toddler, can't stand hot food, and it makes me feel happy inside.

Not many times do I feel like something's profound while still being a simple and fun story. There are scenes where Satou pretends to cry after being purposefully hit in the face to look normal. His entire thought process on hilarious display, and yet, there are other quiet scenes, where the main duo talk like brother and sister. They have the most normal conversations, while now they can ask themselves about tomorrow. They weren't ever assured there'd be a tomorrow, hell even in the same day their lives could end. Instead of exploring the level of guilt that killing can cause like “Barry”, this is a series hell-bent in telling you about the hope of a human heart to remain positive.

The past can't always define us, for as tragic and unforgivable as it may be, and experiencing the silliness of life can change us in ways we can't even fathom. The human connections we make, the times we forget to call home to get a meal in time, or the other moments where a job allows a fun conversation to happen. The world may push us towards violence, but even the most experienced killer can choose.

Now sure, it's all cool as a message and all, but this is mainly a story about the fights, the power, the struggle, the display of skill, and Jesus Christ the action is beautiful. The realistic art style immediately sells the punches with raw brutality, even if fights are incredibly short. It's not a struggle, but a simple, small strategy that instantly reigns fruits, or fails, after which it's time for another one. As I said, 6 seconds to kill a person. All while NOT killing anybody.

Characters are in a league of their own. Not only is it hitmen, but a depiction of the Yakuza like nothing I've seen before. Humanized, but not disrespected. Oh, they're criminals alright, and this isn't a story that lets you forget. These people kill others, and their code of morals stand tall against those who dare defy it. There's the past Yakuza, always clashing with the new one. Crazy bastards that try to drag Satou and his code-named sister into killing. Everybody they meet in their newly appointed normal life is dragged into every conflict, and nobody is wasted at any point.

The villains are despicable, the heroes are lovable, even with all their flaws. I love the art, I adore the characters, I awed at the fight scenes, and couldn't stop reading until I finished it in record time.

10/10. An incomparable masterpiece of story, characters, art, comedy. It made me tense, clench my ass, as much as I was laughing out loud at other scenes. It's one of the greatest dark comedies, one of the best manga, hell one of the most incredible pieces of fiction I've ever consumed.

You need to read this one. Hyped for the anime, but I don't think it can top the manga.

TL:DR
Unexpectedly light-hearted tale of the a hitman trying to become a normal person - but he needs to escape the past first. This is more of a slice of life (albeit a slice of a very strange life) than action or comedy. However, this is very compelling for a certain kind of person.

Description
Fable is a legendary hitman who has completed numerous jobs for a variety of clients. After concluding his latest assignment, the number of people he has recently killed becomes too high, and Fable is ordered by his boss to lay low for a year. He is suggested that having to adapt to life ... as an ordinary citizen might prove a valuable experience for his future work. 

Fable is to be accompanied by the woman who acts as his driver, and the two will assume new identities as siblings. However, their boss warns them that they will both face a deadly punishment if Fable kills anyone during his time off. Thus begins Akira and Youko Satou's joint one-year sabbatical from the underworld.

Story: 6/10
The manga is very light-hearted. Despite the characters professions (hitmen and yakuza) or the seriousness of the situation, the manga manages to retain that fun atmosphere with a well-placed joke or just by the nonchalant behaviour of the characters themselves. It avoids the edginess that bogs down similar manga. This is portrayed with the characters too, it's always so casual that it never really enters the readers mind that the situation is serious and it keeps the fun atmosphere going.

I can't tell if this is supposed to be a comedy or action. The manga does very well on the build up actually, creating tension and a sense of the stakes while building to a satisfying climax. And then it fumbles at the end. The fights are just bad. Satou is an uber-badass who does everything without effort. Somehow the manga get's less tense when guns are drawn, because we know exactly how it will play out. The fist fights are also terrible (and I speak more on this in the art section). Keeping in mind that comedy is even more subjective than other tastes, I just did not find the manga funny. Most of the jokes are very basic: look he made a funny face, he admires this guy a lot wow, etc. They're all very basic jokes repeated ad nauseum.

Honestly though? I don't think it matters. This manga isn't comedy nor action, it's a slice of life in a truest sense. Following these strange people along their lives is so interesting. Even if the destination never lives up to expectations, the journey is worth it.

Character 8/10
The author really sell the fact that the characters are hitmen, they treat the scenarios they're thrust into so nonchalantly that it becomes obvious that these are everyday occurrences for them. It's a very compelling characterisation that rises above the typical over-the-top angst you may expect from the premise. The alien way they approach mundane occurrences is what makes this manga enjoyable.

The author refuses to soften or romantise the characters either, showing you exactly what a yakuza or hitman gets up to. Despite their profession, they are still very endearing and just so human, they have concerns and interests and relationships. Even the antagonists aren't just cackling villains, they make sensible decisions and they miscalculate. The writing is so good that the enjoyment comes from following their lives and the interactions of the cast.

Honestly, my least favourite was Satou, he's too stoic and barely reacts to anything happening. This makes sense considering his profession but it leads his character to be a little bland. Another thing is that he's too nice, he's supposed to be this cold killer, but he already behaves like an overprotective older brother. Would have been nice for him to be able to grow during the manga.

The rest of the cast is best experienced than talked about, it's hard to capture what makes them so compelling in words.

Art
The art is fantastic and gets you immersed in the manga. The artist goes for high amount of realism, with lots of detail in each character making. Despite avoiding exaggerated character designs, the characters are all very recognisable.

The backgrounds are extremely detailed, it makes the world feel very “lived in”. They look more like photos than drawn art.

The characters are not very visually expressive however, rarely showing emotion visually and only then for comedic effect.

Combat is disappointing, fist fights are just blurs on the page - literally, the arms are just a blur, I looked at these panels closely and I struggle to say what is actually happening in the fights. There aren't any schematic shots or dramatic running fights. People primarily just stand there and either wave there arms around or point guns. The characters are completely static and it's dreadfully dull. The final, climactic showdown at the end of the manga is ruined by the fact that it looks so bloody stupid that I can't take it seriously. It's very disappointing for an artist that clearly pays great attention to detail.

Overall 7/10
From the reviews I was expecting a riotous comedy and I was disappointed but I kept reading and I'm glad I did. The character writing on the manga is great and so the plot is good to, even if the author always fumbles the climaxes.

I don't think this manga is for everyone, it's a very character driven manga without much action and the comedy isn't top quality. However, if you just want to follow the short story of some interesting people, this is the manga for you.