Introduction

I don’t like to judge a book by its cover—but when it comes to manga, I won’t deny I tend to do just that. A manga’s cover often makes me want to check it out, and that’s exactly what drew me to Cosmos. Little did I know, Volume 1 was hiding so much behind the simple, cute demon-like girl on the cover. Created by Ryuhei Tamura (Beelzebub), Cosmos is bizarre, wild, and surprisingly heartfelt. Thanks to Viz Media for providing a digital copy! Here’s my review of the first volume.

Art Style

The cover art was the first hook, and the interiors followed through. The visual style resembles Beelzebub—detailed characters, expressive scenes, and some truly wild action sequences. From chaotic train fights to superhuman-speed baseball throws, the art is engaging and memorable. Cosmos may not be revolutionary in style, but it knows how to command your attention from page one.

Story and Characters

Explaining Cosmos without sounding unhinged is difficult, but here goes. Our protagonist, Kaede Mizumori, has a peculiar power: he can smell lies. While this sounds oddly specific, it helps him determine who can be trusted—especially when a mysterious woman named Rin shows up spouting information about alien insurance fraud (yes, really).

Rin recruits Mizumori into her agency that tracks aliens committing insurance-related crimes, and that’s where things escalate. From bizarre characters to alien beings with oddly relatable goals, the cast is as strange as they are fun. There’s heart buried beneath the weirdness, and I’m excited to see how their stories evolve in future volumes.

Pacing

Cosmos Volume 1 moves at a consistent pace, though it can feel overwhelming at times. The story doesn’t drag—if anything, it races forward, dropping exposition and chaos in equal measure. While I appreciated the momentum, it did make the layout feel a bit cluttered at points.

Panel Layout and Flow

The biggest drawback for me was how flooded the panels could get. There’s a lot of dialogue, especially during exposition dumps. Even Mizumori jokes about being overwhelmed by Rin’s explanations, which made me laugh—but also empathize. Between aliens, powers, and intergalactic insurance policies, it’s a lot to take in. A cleaner layout or slightly more spaced-out dialogue could help the series shine even more.

Themes and Tones

Surprisingly, there’s a strong emotional undercurrent to Cosmos. As odd as it is, some of the alien characters are written with depth and purpose. One just wants to live a peaceful life playing baseball on Earth, which speaks volumes. The series explores acceptance, survival, and what it means to belong—all under a strange sci-fi umbrella. I didn’t expect to find moments of warmth and relatability, but I did.

Conclusion

I didn’t dislike Cosmos Volume 1, but I have some concerns about how the series will unfold. The story lives and dies by the smaller arcs it chooses to explore, and if those fall flat, the manga could too. But with its wild premise, solid artwork, and underlying heart, I see potential. The over-explaining and crowded panels can be distracting, but for readers seeking something unique, Cosmos Volume 1 is worth the read. Here’s hoping future volumes keep the weirdness while tightening the execution.

—Aaron