kiniya, a gangster with a hot girlfriend & loyal right-hand man, sets out to kill an infamous mob boss to prove his masculinity. when he runs into unexpected conflict with his girlfriend, things go exceedingly south.
review
a one-shot by masanori morita & takeshi obata, hello baby is mostly known for its striking & straightforward method of storytelling. while reading, my thoughts mostly consisted of "what the hell is going on??" to "holy fucking shit!!!" in the span of 10 minutes.
the art by takeshi obata is nothing short of gripping. his style -- most recognized from works such as death note, platinum end, & bakuman -- is a fantastic complement to the gritty atmosphere of the story. the depth of his expressions cannot be understated, as it perfectly articulates the emotions & personality of each fleeting character.
the pacing is relatively smooth for a one-shot, especially considering that it falls under the action genre. the escalation of events, however, sometimes feels incredibly jarring (if not beneficial, as it does effectively reflect the character interactions w/in a scene). nevertheless, the story itself comes together quite neatly... in a way that didn't leave me completely confused when i first read it (cough, clown.... cough).
the exploration of kiniya's character through his conflict w/ morality was enthralling to say the least. his dissonance from himself quite realistic. it was so immersing to observe his inner monologue contradict his actions, a relatable situation to most readers struggling with identity.
since the story revolves around (what i assume to be) japanese gangsters, the mangaka impressively compacts many facets of yakuza culture into only one chapter. despite its short length, the story feels so complicated & meaningful that it leaves the reader to ponder the events that transpired on these limited pages -- a true testament to how effective the narrative is.
overall, 7.5/10. if you're interested in stories with betrayal, inner conflict, & grungy artstyles, i highly recommend.
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