This manga, which originated well before I was born in the 1990s, was published in Shounen Jump. It comes from a different time period and was intended for different audiences, so we should keep that in mind before diving into it. I had already watched the anime beforehand, so it wasn't all new to me, but it definitely helps in highlighting any differences. This review will be spoiler-free.
TL;DR:
Recommended with some caveats. It's a good supernatural comedy manga with shounen elements and lovable characters.
Plot: (Not Good)
The plot isn't great. Let's dive deeper into why. This is primarily a comedy manga. Yes, it has shounen elements like powerful villains and an evil mastermind, but it consistently gravitates towards comedy, even as the plot progresses. Therefore, if you compare the beginning and the end in terms of plot, not much really happens. While there is an overarching plot later in the manga, it is mostly episodic, with storylines rarely taking more than a few chapters before resetting. The plot's weakest aspect is its pacing, which is all over the place. The ending feels fitting for a comedy manga, though some serious aspects are left unanswered, which isn't a deal-breaker.
Characters:(Good)
Mikami, Okinu, and Yokoshima form the main trio. While they are not particularly complex, they are charming, and you start to like them more as the manga progresses. Character evolution is in line with the manga's comedic focus, meaning it's often played for laughs. Yes, all three characters evolve, with Yokoshima showing the most notable growth, but even by the end, their core behavior remains largely unchanged. Despite the focus on comedy, all characters get their serious moments, which leave an impact. The supporting cast is colorful, though not more complex than the main trio, often running the same gags and punchlines, but they are still appreciated. If you love Yokai folklore, you'll definitely appreciate the enemy one-shot characters. The relationships between characters are surprisingly natural, with a tight bond among the main trio and decent interactions with the supporting cast. As for romance, without getting into spoilers, it's childish and not taken beyond jokes. This subverts expectations, leaving something for the characters to find rather than giving the audience clear answers, which is good for mystery but not for the hearts of readers.
Overall, characters are the manga's strong point, and you really want to see what they do next.
Art:(Bad)
It's hard to say the whether style or art itself is any good, and it's not just because of the time it was released. Over time, it does improve, but only slightly. During emotional scenes, you can sometimes distinguish the expressions characters are trying to convey, but only after reading the text, making it inconsistent. Even during comedy scenes, the art isn't great. While you get the gist of it, most of the time you're just skimming through. However, in some important scenes, the art is probably the best in the entire manga, showing the author's effort.
The paneling is not good either; the flow is off and noticeable, but you get used to it. It looks generic, and the art style doesn't help. Backgrounds are not good either; there are no notable backgrounds, and some seem like straight-up photographs drawn over or edited in. The backgrounds probably make the characters and paneling much worse than they are.
Recommendation:
I definitely recommend reading the manga for its comedy and characters. While other aspects are weak, I still continued reading all 390 chapters because the characters really hooked me in.
