I'm a little disappointed that the story did not go on to explore the transhumanist possibilities more (it is a small enough part of the story that I didn't add the transhumanism tag), or reveal more about the nature of the kamiyadori infection itself. All concept stuff effectively served as a way to create setting and context for character interactions and development, which was very, very good, and definitely made this series worth reading all the way through. Maybe it could not have done as good a job of that in these five volumes if it addressed the intriguing ideas that formed the backdrop for these stories, but the way book five ended felt like it could have been followed up by further exploration of these unfinished elements. I suppose the author just felt that the story was finished, and moved on.

The only thing about this fifth volume that I might call a "flaw" is the fact that its management of timelines is a little difficult to follow. I sorted it out by the end, but I really should have read it immediately after the preceding four to help keep it straight throughout the reading. Otherwise, it's excellent; in terms of good art, good storytelling, good characters, and good writing, it's one of the best manga series I've read. ( )