The Uncanny Counter 1 floods the first volume with too much. Rather than a gradual introduction to how the spirit world Yung and people in the world interact, it’s more of an information dump.
The Uncanny Counter 1 possesses an intriguing concept but drags through half of the first volume. Concept aside, its execution creates a muddled reader experience where the question of what is happening arises every other second. The supernatural battles remain interesting. However, the explanations make the story of fighting demons or evil people in The Uncanny Counter 1 more complex than it needs to be.
Created by Jang E, translated by Kakao Entertainment, and lettered by Toppy, the story follows Mun, a regular high schooler who winds up invited to join the Counters—a group of people who join with ghosts in the afterlife to combat spirits looking to avoid judgment. In the Yen Press comic, Mun loses his parents in an accident, and he and his friends deal with bullies at school. But when a spirit jumps into his body, he becomes stronger. Later, his limp even heals, thanks to their help. But he still must navigate supernatural battles while dealing with school, bullies, and friends.
The Uncanny Counter 1 Is Interesting But Middling Execution
With Mun, nothing distinct stands out. It’s like Neo from The Matrix or any other hero who learns abilities and quickly surpasses their peers who’ve trained longer. The idea still feels too convoluted and promptly forgotten. It’s clear the people running the noodle shop are counters who fight evil spirits looking to chill in a body on Earth and escape punishment for their sins. However, the idea of pockets where the counters gain strength feels unnecessary, and the “rules:” overblown.
Takes On Too Much While Doing Too Little
The Uncanny Counter 1 floods the first volume with too much. Rather than a gradual introduction to how the spirit world Yung and people in the world interact, it’s more of an information dump. When the first battle transpires, it’s impossible to feel invested because it’s unclear what is happening or the level of risk involved. While they try introducing concepts as Mun learns about them, they fall short. I’m unsure if there was a way to salvage it, but having Mun summarize the unnecessary parts could have worked.
Aside from plot dumping the dynamics, the series does not take the time to develop characters or their relationships. It’s challenging to care about any of them, including the main character. It picks up during the latter half, showing how Mun and his friends care for each other. Once established, readers can root for Mun as he tries to protect his friend, Woongmin, from school bullies. But the stop-and-start dilemma of The Uncanny Counter 1 damages the pacing. So, it leaves readers adrift in boredom and confusion.
The Uncanny Counter 1 seemed promising, but the uneven pace, lack of character development, and overly long explanations about the world the series inhabits create a trying reader experience. The action looks good; however, nothing sets this series apart from others besides its general plot. With characters that feel like they’re off the processing line—the same goes for the bullies—not much else stands out here. That’s not to say the series cannot improve with future volumes. But as far as The Uncanny Counter 1 goes, I am unimpressed.
