I have said this many times and I think the Manga Classics are genius.

I have a teenage daughter who has dyslexia, she struggles with reading but loves it, this way she can read, digest and understand this form of classic book. The visual clues that explain the tricky imagery is ideal.

Manga Classics: Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Rating: ★★★☆☆

As a fan of both manga and Shakespeare, I was eager to dive into the Manga Classics version of Macbeth. The art style is undeniably beautiful, capturing the eerie atmosphere and dark themes with expressive characters and dynamic panels. However, despite the stunning artwork, the story didn’t captivate me as much as I had hoped. The pacing felt uneven, and the complexity of Shakespeare’s language sometimes hindered the flow. While this adaptation offers a unique perspective and is worth exploring for its artistic merit, it may not fully resonate with readers looking for a more gripping experience.

I think I'm the right audience for this book, as I struggle with difficult or antiquated dialogue (Shakespeare being some of the more difficult I can think of!), and I also remember zero about the works of Shakespeare since school is so far behind me. I also love Manga Classics as a company and their mission to make classic content more accessible and modern.

In that sense, this was a success. The art is gorgeous, backgrounds are fantastic, and it made the story much easier to follow, even for someone like me. I still struggled to understand what was going on since the Shakespeare dialogue is used as-is, and it still was too difficult for me to follow / I kept getting distracted. But I can see how this would be an excellent entry point into his works, especially for teenagers needing to read Macbeth for a school assignment, and wanting a more accessible intro into what happens.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this.

4.5 stars

What is not to like about this?
Macbeth is a perfect fit for a manga because of its physical elements, fights, action and the supernatural.
This is a detailed, well-executed, ideal-length and well-illustrated classic. I recommend to both Macbeth-lovers and manga-lovers who are reading Macbeth for the first time. It is a good start and does not reduce the story to a one-layered paneled story. It conserves the quality of the original story.

Welcome to the Manga Classics brilliant adaptation of Macbeth! In this classic tale by William Shakespeare, a brave Scottish general named Macbeth receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the Scottish throne for himself. He is then wracked with guilt and paranoia.

I had to read a synopsis for each act because I struggle to understand old English. Other than that the graphics were great and it really helped with context clues of what was going on, if I could not understand the text. I really enjoy the Manga Classics Collection.

I really think that these Manga's of classic stories are a really good way to bring these stories to life for a newer audience. The art and new spin on these short stories really put them in a new perspective as you can see what is going on in the story.

I loved the art style, I've read a few other of the manga classics and I understood it more than when I read the full book.
I think it's a perfect addition and helps those understand the story much better.

“When shall we three meet again
In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
When the hurly-burly’s done.
When the battle’s lost and won.”

Enter the world of William Shakespeare like you’ve never seen it before. Macbeth, Scottish Thane of Glamis, expert warrior and leader, encounters three mysterious witches which speak to him of a future where he will rule the kingdom. Consumed by the words of the witches three, Macbeth and his wife begin to plot against King Duncan, as they are drawn ever deeper into a sea of blood and death. Armies clash, and prophecies defy expectations, as the fate of Scotland is contested. And now, all the action, adventure, and intrigue of this classic play is presented in high-quality manga form, with all the familiar text you know and love.
Manga Classics: Macbeth is an incredible manga version of one of Shakespeare’s most memorable plays. The highly detailed art by Julien Choy adds another dimension to this beloved play, with incredible character designs and epic battlefield action. Indeed, the art aids newcomers to the plays of Shakespeare with understanding some of the more abstract concepts, such as the apparitions summoned by the witches as Macbeth fights to learn more about his cursed future. This manga is available in both the original full-text version and a quality modern English adaptation with text updated by Crystal S. Chan. Either version is a great resource for educators, and is perfectly suited for group reading in the classroom. With this engaging manga adaptation, both newcomers and long-time Shakespeare fans alike can enjoy an accessible version of the play without compromising the any of the integrity of the original work. All in all, this is an excellent way to showcase this classic play in all its glory, and this book can be enjoyed by all who love the wonderful worlds of William Shakespeare.
As with all Shakespeare plays, this book contains some content that is not appropriate for young readers. Blood, mortality, language, and suggestive themes are present in the manga, just as they were in the original play, making this book suitable for ages 16 and up. A perfect choice for educators, newcomers to Shakespeare, and all those who love this classic work, Manga Classics: Macbeth is a great new way to enjoy this magnificent story of intrigue, prophecy, and deadly ambition.

Retelling of a classic in a fun modern manga style. Loved the story and characters. Extremely creative and imaginative.

It's interesting to see classics and Manga form. It made the store a little more easier to understand. However I would have rated this higher, but I realize Macbeth isn't one of my favorite stories. As far as the art goes it was well done. So three stars for I did not dislike it but didnt love it. Its somewhere right in the middle.

Would I read this again? Possibly.

I received this DRC from NetGalley.

I didn't particularly enjoy the story or having to get through a bunch of old English, but it was way easier to get through in this format than if it would have been just text. Some of the characters looked a little too similar for me, especially since it's in black and white. The cesarean thing seemed like a bit of a stretch. But that's the fault of Shakespeare, not the adaptation.

The more Manga Classics books I see, the more convinced I am that those should be stocked by school libraries. They have everything the original book has, and nothing is lost plot-wise, but when they are turned into Mangas – magic happens, and the not-too-exciting reads turn into a fun adventure.
Let’s agree it’s time to stop pretending that old, ancient Shakespeare texts are enjoyable reads for kids at schools. Because they are not. They never were. Not in the way they are written and not nowadays. They are ok as plays, they are ok as movies, they are ok as cartoons. And turns out, they are great as Mangas.
I see this as another example of repackaging the old content into a brand new box, and – it looks exciting, it looks interesting enough for most teens to read. And they get the job done – kids get to know literature classics. Those who are hooked can always grab the original text, it isn’t going anywhere, right?

I have read this story previously for school, and the artwork truly was beautiful. I liked Hecate, and the three witches especially along with Lady Macbeth, however I felt like the story could have been easier accessed if it hadn't been written in Shakespearean language. I feel as though these books should be greatly re worded in order for kids to be able to read them and connect with them and be able to enjoy the classics with less effort. Maybe many would disagree, but reading a classic can be so off putting because you have to carefully assess every sentence you read to fully understand and grasp meaning, and I think that could have been avoided here.

The illustrations in this manga version were beautiful. The character drawings and backgrounds were phenomenal. It sucks that I just couldn’t understand the majority of the text because I feel like understanding the text could’ve helped me appreciate the illustrations more.

I love these series. This manga was really good and it was so unique. Thank you Netgallery for a copy of this mang.a.

This retelling of Macbeth was interesting with some great art to bring it to life. Definitely a good way to get younger generations to read this classic story. You can see the very darkness in the art as you read and watch this story unfold.

The manga classics are absolutely stunning. I have adored all of the ones I have been able to get my hands on. They add beautiful art to classic stories. I think this could help engage children when they want to get into classics or need to read the stories for class. It helps bring the reader into the story and possibly see what is happening when it could be lost with the flowery wording,

I love classics, but some of them can be so hard for me to follow along and understand. This manga classic does do justice to the original while also adding visual entertainment and context. I am thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Macbeth is one of my favourite works from Shakespeare. But his plays are definitely hard to transpose in another medium than the one intended for. Classics in a manga format are a formidable idea and it seems like a great way to get younger people inspired to try some classics that they might otherwise avoid.

The first half of this manga was great. The witches were my favourite. However, after reading it for a while the way it was presented got a bit boring. It wasn't engaging enough, especially because I was not the biggest fan of the character design.

I love the manga version of my favorite classics. And I am slowly collecting the am. And I can’t wait to read all of them.