Thank you to Titan Manga and NetGalley for this eARC to review.

Cosmic Censorship by Ryu-Ichi Sadamatsu
Series: Cosmic Censorship, Vol. 1
Genre: Science Fiction, Mecha
Pages: 256
Published: July 01, 2025
Publisher: Titan Manga

Book Blurb:

“Mecha mastermind Ryuuichi Sadamatsu creates a world threatened by destructive weapons and formidable foes, reminiscent of Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Accompany Maki Makino, as she learns to navigate her new powers and a budding romance amidst a chaotic conflict.

The student was previously competing in track and field events, but after her life was saved by a mysterious man, everything changed. She must get to grips with the new powers that have been bestowed upon her before an ominous and formidable threat arrives.

Mecha mastermind Sadamatsu’s narrative prowess shines as he creates a world that is at the mercy of technological developments and can be altered by the deft manipulation of time. Readers are also mesmerized by the incredible art, which traps readers within the conflict of destructive weapons and powerful warriors.

Against the backdrop of turmoil, a budding romance fights for survival amidst the wreckage. However, so much more is at stake as Cosmic Censorship draws readers into a conflict with pulse-pounding action, immense firepower, and cunning strategies.”

My thoughts:

Cosmic Censorship is a story still finding its footing and does not live up to the expectations set up in the blurb in this first volume.

We meet Maki Makino during her run to school, where she meets and ends up racing against a mysterious man. Danger quickly follows and it is revealed she’s been destined to die for some time, but her death continues to be intervened by a force unknown to her. We meet a few members of Cosmic Censorship who are intriguing upon first meeting. The fanservice in this manga is minimal but still feels out of place in this kind of story.

The narrative threads are pretty weak right now but definitely has potential to growth and strengthen in upcoming volumes. The storytelling suffers because of the chapter length – they’re shorter than those of other manga in this genre currently published. This gives the volume a faster pace, but there isn’t enough story progression during these chapters, so it doesn’t feel like very much is happening. I think if the “world-altering” aspects of Cosmic Censorship’s (and specifically Roger’s) actions are given the spotlight in upcoming volumes it’ll help to keep the reader invested in the story.

The anti-piracy image over the pages was very distracting and made the reading experience very difficult. The artwork should be valued as much as the written words in manga, if not more so. It was hard to fully engage with the artwork because of this. (This has not impacted my rating).

Happy reading! 📚