(This is a review I did from my blog...)
"In the eleventh year of the Meiji era carrying swords was forbidden by the government and those known as samurai were slowly fading away. However there were plenty that didn’t like those changes taking place in Japan and inevitably the crime rates increased. Japan’s only resolve was an inescapable lake prison. While the prison had no other way to access it but only through water, the 3 boys of the Kumo family were assigned to transport the criminals to their new “home”. Although... is that the only thing they were doing...?" From: Easy Going ScansFrom the above description, some may not be drawn into reading it. However, you're missing out on a really awesome manga!!
It has so much feels!! You'll cry! Literally in English, "Donten ni Warau" means "Laughing while the sky is cloudy". The storyline of "Donten ni Warau" is heavily based on character growth and development; it's about how people learn to laugh even when times are rough or "cloudy". Though all of the characters are shown striving to be strong enough to "laugh while it's cloudy", our attention is directed towards the Kumou brothers, particularly Soramaru and Tenka. Soramaru strives to become stronger, both physically and character wise, so that he can help his brother Tenka carry the burden of the Kumou family. Tenka, on the other hand, is struggling both mentally and physically. He wants to do whatever it takes to protect his loved ones, though he knows one day his efforts will be proven futile. Both of them, if not all of the characters, want to be strong enough to smile during these cloudy times. You can really see the strong bond between the brothers too. It's a really sweet manga about characters who work hard to protect and help each other.
This manga however requires a bit of analyzing and reading between the lines, but the outcome is really well thought out and interesting story. I had to read it again to understand the story but it was worth it. It was very enjoyable and I ended up having a sense of attachment to the characters, hence the feels and crying
This manga is suitable for those who enjoy spending a bit of time analyzing and piecing information together (and I guarantee your efforts won't be wasted).
However those who just want a casual read, you may end up getting confused and give up... (but it could be the opposite where you get confused and then gain the resolve to analyze... XD) BUT DO NOT GIVE UP! If you have any confusion, don't hesitate to ask me~!!And I have to mention the art is quite beautiful and I like the character design too!
Hope you enjoyed my review and I hope it has influenced you into wanting to read the manga!
Also the awesome good news that its getting an anime adaption!! XD