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Bakuman 92
[chapter link]
Azuki is up for a role in Natural. Excellent. Anything to further involve Iwase (and her jealousy) with the main storyline is acceptable.
Mashiro is suitably shocked.
Perfect expression
Excellent maturity displayed by Mashiro. It would be terrible of him to try to influence Azuki’s career.
Awkward intervention by Takagi and Kaya. They’re clearly doing it for the sake of both Mashiro and Azuki, but it comes off as meddling more than concern.
Even Eiji realizes that Azuki shouldn’t try out for the role. Good man.
Explanation behind the Ashirogi name! That’s adorable. Now, to understand “Muto” (unless I missed it ages ago).
Eiji is too excellent. Of course he would understand how nice of a dream Ashirogi shares.
Azuki turns it down herself. What a great moment.
Convenient image
Mashiro to the rescue, too! This couple may be stubborn, but that stubbornness makes moments like this that much sweeter.
Clearly, the focal point of this chapter is the relationship between Mashiro and Azuki, but this is also an amazing Eiji chapter.
That said, the last page is reassuring and heartwarming.
Final Flash: Cute chapter. It wasn’t the most in-depth chapter, nor did it progress the story too much, but it was still fun.
Weekly Power Rankings – 6/20 – 6/26
History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi 388
[chapter link]
Oh, Ma. You silly perverted man.
Akisame, with a bit of menacing playfulness. He does it so rarely it’s almost uncharacteristic of him, but the few times it happens, it’s amusing.
Ultimate deadpan
Not the best moment for a comedic flashback. The Shigure fight was disappointing enough; these fights need to get the series back on track.
Rock/paper/scissors? This is going completely the wrong direction.
Finally, the fight begins, but with a handicap against Ma.
Final Flash: A completely out-of-place chapter. Unfortunate, as the anticipation built up for these fights had been excellent.
Katekyo Hitman Reborn! 296
[chapter link]
Attack in progress at the inheritance ceremony.
It’s a little tiresome to constantly read attack and ability names in Italian (not that there’s anything wrong with the Italian language). That said, unlike Spanish in Bleach, at least there’s a legitimate reason behind the Italian in Reborn.
Edutainment at its finest
The Ninth predicted all of this, naturally. Hopefully, he will have the chance to show off a little bit before stepping out of the way for Tsuna.
These enemies sure are comprehensive. They saw through the ruse quite easily. If only we didn’t know who they are.
Some kind of disassembling or perhaps gravity-based power is shown to be used on a pistol. That could prove to be great if used in an interesting fashion.
Unusual attack
No surprise here. In entirely straightforward fashion, the Shimon family is revealed as the enemy.
Really worrying transformation in Enma. Overly suave, serious characters ruined the series in the future arc. The author must try to keep this as lighthearted as is reasonably possible.
Looking good. -Too- good.
Final Flash: No prizes awarded for guessing the identity of the enemy. Pity Akira didn’t decide to swerve the audience a little.
Naruto 500
[chapter link]
Quite the milestone for this series. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing, but recent chapters have brought the series back to enjoyable shonen.
Like the supposed symbolism behind Naruto’s orange jumpsuit, the whirlpool symbol on the back is an interesting touch.
Walls of text here. Not too much to comment on. Acceptable writing, at least.
So the Kyuubi was released because of Naruto’s birth? It was Naruto’s fault all along!
You jinxed it, lady
I can’t recall reading a vivid illustration of childbirth in manga before. Didn’t think Naruto would be my first instance of that.
Damn. Naruto’s had a pretty horrible life from day one. Minute one, even.
Final Flash: Nothing amazing, but nothing boring, either. A bit lackluster as a milestone chapter, though.
Bleach 410
[chapter link]
Background of the week
Zangetsu has clearly crossed the line from bishounen to out-and-out looking like a girl.
What a lovely lady
Without context from any other panels or pages around it, the top panel on page 7 is firmly in the pantheon of the worst manga panels ever. Absolutely illegible. Can someone please remind Kubo that the point of manga is to use art to tell a story?
What the hell is going on?
Zangetsu actually pulled out a real, physical “dark” version of Ichigo. Pathetic storytelling, this.
There’s “omitting backgrounds for dramatic effect,” and then there’s the following:
Why couldn't this have a background, exactly?
Aizen is cultivating change in Ichigo after all. I can’t very well say I’m “disappointed,” at this point. We’re well beyond that.
Twist of the week
Final Flash: Appallingly bad.
One Piece 590
[chapter link]
Good to see how much Dadan cares. Also, Makino is doing something.
Oda’s done a fantastic job designing the graves for both Whitebeard and Ace.
Appropriately lovely
Incredible speech from Jinbei. Absolutely magnificent. Those are exactly the words that needed to be said, and they needed to be said by someone strong enough that Luffy in his present state would respect them. Fantastic scene.
Luffy admitting to himself that he has his crew is such a powerful moment.
I’m hoping these scenes of Ace talking to Jinbei are among the last times we see Ace for a while, not because I’m tired of him, but because they’re too emotional to handle every week.
A haunting panel
Final Flash: Excellent to know that Luffy is focusing on finding the crew.
Fairy Tail 190
[chapter link]
We’ve gone from cat-fighting (literally) to royal family issues. This could bear some weight, but again, it’s another instance of lack of character development coming back to hurt the story. Mystogan has never been solidly established, so I have no attachment to him, and as a result, I don’t care about his relationship with the king.
The king is in a steam-powered dragon mech. Sure. Why not?
The spur is just gratuitous
I’m finding it difficult to root against the people firing beams that turn cats into collectibles.
Finally, a little action for Mystogan. Unfortunately, the king had to bring up the major problem with Mystogan: He’s Gerard. There are numerous obvious reasons one can dislike Fairy Tail, the most notable of which is the comparison to One Piece. An underrated reason is “absolutely anything to with Gerard.”
After all this time, the little Mystogan action we get to see is him being defeated almost immediately. What a way to kill the suspense and sense of legitimacy built around a supposedly strong character.
Wendy is doing something! Excellent. Long overdue. Also, Gazille gets to keep fighting after all.
Final Flash: Getting closer to the end of this arc, which is a great positive. Unfortunately, Erza Knightwalker still hasn’t been defeated.
GE ~ Good Ending 40
[chapter link]
This is a series-defining moment. Will the author opt for the tried-and-true (yet overused) harem route, or keep the series focused on serious relationships? I’m hoping Seiji pulls away from Oonuma.
Whoa. She’s going for his pants right away? This is far too much for Oonuma’s character.
I’m thus far disappointed in Seiji’s indecisiveness, and Oonuma’s comedy-of-errors routine isn’t helping the situation at all.
Interrupted by the boss. What a frustrating turn of events. Clear rejection was the optimal scenario, but acceptance (and its consequences) was the next-best option. This isn’t an acceptable resolution at all.
This man: Ruining sexual deviance since 1974
I’m used to a weak-willed protagonist in series like this, so I’m not surprised that Seiji is fine with having been bailed out of that situation, but considering how impressed I’d been with the more mature tone of other aspects of the series, it’s a pity Seiji didn’t take any kind of action.
Not only is Shou back in the love triangle (quadrangle, now), but both Seiji and Yuki heard it. Yet more disappointment. Yes, harem is the currently accepted style of romance series, but that doesn’t mean every girl has to be in love with the main male character at all times.
Final Flash: A serious step backwards. This series is still considerably better than most other shonen romance, but it could be so much more, if not for the direction revealed by this chapter.
Toriko 101
[chapter link]
[scanlation by Hi Wa Mata Noboru]
Huge thanks to the Hi Wa Mata Noboru team for catching up to current releases on this series.
The antagonist is both appropriately menacing and unsatisfied.
Excellently grim
This fellow looks like a Morton. Good name choice.
Ichiryuu’s revelation that Toriko still isn’t “full-fledged” is the kind of negative reinforcement Toriko has benefited from as a character, in that it would have been boring for this supposedly overwhelmingly powerful character to simply dominate his opponents and prey, but it seems like the time is right for Toriko to improve. A training arc here under the supervision of Ichiryuu would be more than acceptable.
Fantastic pacing in this chapter. The introduction of Ichiryuu to the beginning of his explanation about his past only took five pages.
The two are set to spar in the next chapter. Excellent. Unfortunately, Toriko is on break next week, so we have to wait a while.
Final Flash: Good change in tone from the previous chapter. The villain has needed exposition for months, and the introduction of Ichiryuu is a pleasant surprise.
Toriko 100
[chapter link]
[scanlation by Hi Wa Mata Noboru]
Chapter 100! Celebrate with an appropriate theme song.
Cute cover page. Amusing to see everyone in formal clothing despite being semi-chibi. Good coloring.
It’s been too long without Terry. Hopefully the next adventure will include him.
Toriko is already using the Century Soup as a bargaining tool? That didn’t take long.
The entirety of page 11 is delicious. The Cookie Alpaca is particularly amusing.
Food-beast highlight
P12, bottom-center panel: Coco is coming back! Now if only we’d finally get to meet Zebra.
Don't you want one, too?
Rin is as adorable as ever. She needs to stay part of the main cast.
P18: Just in time, a serious note in this chapter.
Final Flash: No real progression or development in this chapter, but the world of Toriko is fun to explore like this.
Beamcast – June 28
[download link – 129min, 52mb]
In this week’s show:
News
Lock On!, Kiben Gakuha, Yotsuya-senpai no Kaidan canceled
Toriko, Beelzebub to be animated for Jump Anime Tour
Major to end
To Aru Kagaku no Railgun OVA announced
Voice actor Aono Takeshi hospitalized
Shueisha artists draw classic novel covers
Warner Bros. wants PG-13 Akira
Weekly Oricon rankings (6/14 – 6/20)
New releases
[anime]
Fist of the North Star – Complete Series Collection (DVD 1; 1-36) $59.99
Gintama – Collection 2 (DVD; 14-26) $49.99
Initial D: Stage 4 Part 2 (DVD; 13-24) $59.98
Naruto: Season 3 Uncut (DVD 1; 107-135) $49.95
[manga]
Sgt. Frog (vol. 19) $10.99
Current/Classic Reviews
Hajime no Ippo
Love Hina
The Great Shonen Tier List
Introduced this week:
Hatake Kakashi (Naruto)
Kuchiki Byakuya (Bleach)
Roronoa Zoro (One Piece)
InuYasha (InuYasha)
Gray Fullbuster (Fairy Tail)
Takamura Mamoru (Hajime no Ippo)
Akisame Koetsuji (History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi)
Kyle (Psyren)
Furuichi Takayuki (Beelzebub)
Katsuragi Keima (The World God Only Knows)
This Week in Manga
1:02:56 – Bleach 409
1:06:52 – One Piece 589
1:12:00 – Bakuman 91
1:14:15 – Beelzebub 66
1:17:38 – Fairy Tail 189
1:21:53 – Hayate no Gotoku! 277
1:24:27 – Kekkaishi 311
1:28:11 – History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi 387
1:30:17 – Toriko 98-99
1:36:08 – The World God Only Knows 103
1:37:05 – Mahou Sensei Negima! 292-293
1:40:47 – Psyren 124
1:46:05 – Hajime no Ippo 898
1:48:32 – AR∀GO 24-25
1:51:40 – GE ~ Good Ending 39
1:55:17 – Lock On! 17-18 (end)
2:00:39 – Metallica Metalluca 6
2:03:04 – Gintama 312
2:05:34 – Katekyo Hitman Reborn! 295
2:06:12 – Nurarihyon no Mago 108-110
Chapters of the Week
Final Flash
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Kiben Gakuha, Yotsuya-senpai no Kaidan Canceled
Following the cancellation of Lock On!, another Shonen Jump series, Kiben Gakuha, Yotsuya-senpai no Kaidan, has also been canceled. The two series debuted a week apart, but evidently neither were able to achieve any level of popularity acceptable to Shueisha. The first major work in the career of mangaka Furudate Haruichi, Yotsuya is a hybrid mystery/horror series which follows the enigmatic Yotsuya-senpai, a phantom student in a Japanese middle school. Yotsuya’s passion for scary stories involves him in all manner of myths and urban legends, as he attempts to play out the ultimate horror story.
In his short time in the magazine, Furudate has proven to be a capable and interesting artist, but the distinct alternative style of his story has failed to capture the interest of the readers, as Yotsuya has ranked poorly in the Shonen Jump table of contents since becoming eligible for ranking. The series has also come under heavy criticism for its overwhelming similarity to Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro, a previous Shonen Jump series.
As detailed in the previous article regarding the cancellation of Lock On!, two new series are already set to debut to replace the titles exiting the magazine; SWOT will debut in the same issue as the final chapter of Yotsuya, while Oumagadoki Doubutsuen will premiere the following week.
The eighteenth and final chapter of Kiben Gakuha, Yotsuya-senpai no Kaidan will be published in Issue 31 of Weekly Shonen Jump, to be released in Japan on July 7.
Lock On! 18 (end)
[chapter link]
Final chapter of a deservedly short series.
Unfortunately, Tsuchida did decide to stay with the groper storyline heading into the last installment.
Speed lines to the very end.
It seems Tsuchida is opting for the open, unresolved ending. It’s probably my preferred method of wrapping up a canceled series. Forced conclusions don’t feel right.
That said, Niko is falling in love pretty quickly all of a sudden.
That’s it. Niko admits her love for Utsuru to herself, and the series ends.
Final Flash: It’s always unfortunate in some capacity for a series to be canceled, but with the exception of one great chapter (16), Lock On! was decidedly unremarkable at best (and downright awful at worst) from start to finish. Here’s hoping Tsuchida improves his art drastically before attempting a new series.
Psyren 124
[chapter link]
Psyren receiving a novelization is great news. Any adaptations are a relief for fans worried about the series’ propensity for finding itself in the bottom 5 of the Shonen Jump table of contents.
Elmore’s condition is already hitting Shao harder than most. It’s difficult to see a character second-guessing prior actions in a case as severe as this.
For Amagi Miroku to be the figure that Elmore sees would be unusually straightforward.
Strongest reaction scene of the chapter
It’s far from important in this scene, but Amamiya burying herself in Yoshina’s chest is a good sign for their relationship.
The more powers are revealed, the more these psychic abilities in Psyren feel like nen from Hunter x Hunter. For the record, this is not a complaint.
Unsurprisingly, Ageha wants to learn from his father. Perfect time for him to improve, too.
Final Flash: Sad chapter. Fortunately, it only took one chapter to set up the training arc. This good pacing should move us to the rescue arc fairly soon.
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