Archive
Katekyo Hitman Reborn! 304
[scanlation by Binktopia]
I’m reading a series with an armored kangaroo. Sometimes, this whole manga-reading business is embarrassing.
Ryohei donning Kangaryuu’s armor pieces makes him look a bit like a Saint Seiya character. I wonder if that’s at all an intentional homage.
Saint Seiya doesn't have kangaroos, though
The future arc was ridiculous enough, but the way its existence has been handled since is even more preposterous. How are more and more characters aware of what happened (happens?) in the future?
I have absolutely no idea what Aoba’s powerup is. Once again, Amano has tried to add too much detail, and has instead made her art completely illegible.
Jumbled and confused
Obviously, Ryohei has to wait a certain amount of time and/or take a certain amount of damage before revealing his full power. That works in video games, but it alone doesn’t generate interesting fights in manga.
Final Flash: In stark contrast to Naruto, the speed lines and detail of Reborn! just muddle and ruin the art.
Naruto 508
[scanlation by Binktopia]
Bizarrely noble cover page.
Typically, I am against speed lines, but Kishimoto has used them well within the first several pages of this chapter. Instead of making them the focal point (or the entirety of the background, in some cases), he has used them to complement the action without overpowering the detail in the art. Sometimes, they’re even used as a style of shading, actually embedded in the rest of the art. Very nicely done.
Itachi signals a major test: Is the recently-improved Naruto still tolerable with the presence of one of the Uchiha brothers?
Interesting conversation between Itachi and Kisame. There are a couple of odd moments, but overall, it’s a nice look at what was hinted at being a curious relationship.
Very good, Itachi
Kisame ends up killing himself with his own sharks, and the title of the chapter ends up completely suitable. What a great way for him to go.
It seems Killer Bee will get Samehada after all. The only worry there is the prospect of an increased role for Killer Bee, who has been enjoyable only as a support character.
Nice closing words from Guy, but in this shot he looks remarkably like Catherine from Gintama.
Unusually reminiscent
Kisame having one last trick up his sleeve is completely appropriate, given the recent emphasis placed on his control over information. This is an acceptable compromise between an outright Guy victory and a Kisame escape.
Stunning last page. Madara faces off with Konan, but calls her Nagato? I’d be very happy to see Konan in action, as she was one of the more interesting Akatsuki members, but I worry this may further cheapen Nagato and Konan by using them as fodder for the decidedly uninteresting Madara.
Final Flash: An appropriately strong end to Kisame’s active role in the series.
Bleach 418
[scanlation by Binktopia]
It’s not like I could take Ichigo seriously before, but his new hair gets me laughing every time I see it. Well, that, and his sad expression.
Cheer up, emo shonen protagonist
Aizen certainly is long-winded this week. As this is Bleach, I assume he will continue assuming things about Ichigo’s powerup until Ichigo makes his move, proving Aizen wrong.
... what?
Ichigo is able to stop Aizen’s sword. To be fair, Ichigo has yet to respond to Aizen’s theory that Ichigo used all his reiatsu to reinforce his strength, so Ichigo could still have some hidden capability that would make this less ridiculous. That said, if Ichigo is only using pure strength, this is unimaginably awful writing. With the Hougyoku, Aizen has the ability to rewrite the plot of his own series; there’s absolutely no excuse for him being overpowered.
Resorting to Kidou is the Bleach equivalent of raising the white flag… or triggering your own death flag.
Background of the week
All this Ichigo dominance bears no credibility whatsoever, but at least the protagonist is doing something for once.
Twist of the week
Final Flash: If it makes people this strong, maybe I should grow a mullet.
Shonen Shikku Canceled; Enigma to Debut
Issue #40 of Weekly Shonen Jump marks the 15th and final chapter of Shonen Shikku, the first major work by newcomer Tsukuda Yuuto. Since becoming eligible for fan ranking, Shonen Shikku has never managed to escape the bottom 5 of the table of contents, even placing dead last five times. Its early cancellation is yet another in a string of poor performances from new Shonen Jump series, as has been evidenced by the similarly early ends to Lock On! and Kiben Gakuha, Yotsuya-senpai no Kaidan, and as it seems will further be proven with another cancellation expected next week.
The space left by Shonen Shikku will be filled starting next week by Enigma, a new series by Sakaki Kenji, a former assistant to Amano Akira (Katekyo Hitman Reborn!). An early preview picture is available:
(Click for full size)
Source: News-Paradise
Beelzebub Anime in January 2011
Beelzebub is set to receive an anime adaptation this coming January. The first major work by Tamura Ryuuhei, it has been running in Weekly Shonen Jump since February 2009. Beelzebub is a fusion between fierce action and excellent comedy, along with notable supernatural elements, as the story follows Oga Tatsumi, a renowned delinquent who is saddled with the task of looking after Baby Beel, the son of the demon king. The series features a diverse cast of characters, including the loyal servants of Baby Beel, Oga’s rival delinquents, and one of the absolute best comedic straight men in all of manga.
The announcement of an upcoming anime for Beelzebub is both exciting and surprising. While the most recent manga arc has been a minor disappointment, the rest of the series has been a fantastic weekly read, and welcome diversity in the pages of Shonen Jump. However, as of this writing, the series only has 74 chapters, meaning this seems to be rather soon for an adaptation. Four months give more than enough time for the current manga arc to finish, but even with those extra chapters, the worry is that the anime studio would not have enough source material, leading either to questionable pacing or filler episodes. Another Shonen Jump series, Nurarihyon no Mago, had a similar number of chapters when its anime adaptation was announced, and that anime (which is currently airing) has yet to show signs of having insufficient source material; on the other hand, the Nurarihyon no Mago universe has more intricate detail that can be explored by its anime studio, meaning that the current quality of that adaptation may not equate to similar success for Beelzebub.
Regardless of speculation, news of a good manga series receiving an anime is always positive, and a Beelzebub anime should be well worth watching.
Source: News-Paradise
Fairy Tail 198
[scanlation by Binktopia]
Fanservice? On a Fairy Tail cover?
It’s a huge relief that everything so far seems back to normal, but the other shoe is poised to drop.
The miserable sound of tumbling shoes
The Exceed are being further glorified with a new convoluted explanation of their plan to send their children to the parallel (real) universe. In the end, Mashima is unable even to follow through in keeping the cats even minutely evil. It’s not insulting, because I have no remaining faith in the cats or in Mashima that is left to be insulted, but it’s the sure sign of a poor author, trying to make any ending as comprehensively happy as possible.
In fact, it’s a bit worse than that: Charle has the power of prediction, and all Exceed were just being manipulative and two-faced to her, “for her benefit.”
… and Charle is a princess. Why not have everyone get married, while you’re at it? I can’t stand any more saccharine.
Some things are better left unlearned, Natsu
Pantherlily is small and cute now. Great. He was fine just as he was, thanks, particularly considering whose cat he is.
Lisanna. That actually is interesting, given how serious Natsu has become every time she’s been brought up in conversation. That said, I refuse to get my hopes up, considering how promising the disappearance of Fairy Tail was, compared to how hugely awful the Edolas arc has been.
Final Flash
Beamcast – August 30
[download link – 136min, 58mb]
In this week’s show:
News
Director Satoshi Kon passes away
Arata Kangatari to receive anime adaptation in 2011
One Piece sells over 20 million volumes in 2010
Shueisha reports first ever annual loss
Gintama movie DVD to bundle bonus new animation
Weekly Oricon rankings (8/16 – 8/22)
New releases
[last week]
Naruto Season 3 Box Set 2 (DVD) $49.99
One Piece Season 3 Part 2 (DVD) $49.98
[this week]
Bleach (vol. 32) $9.99
Elemental Gelade (vol. 12) $10.99
Suzuka (omnibus, vols. 13-15) $21.99
Discussion / Weekly Poll
What underlying power system concept is the most interesting?
(Alchemy, Changing A to B, Devil Fruits, Gourmet Cells, Nen, Stands)
The Great Shonen Tier List
Re-tiered this week:
Allen Walker (D.Gray-man)
Introduced this week:
Might Guy (Naruto)
Ishida Uryuu (Bleach)
Enel (One Piece)
Sani (Toriko)
Erza Scarlet (Fairy Tail)
Kurama (YuYu Hakusho)
Anime Discussion
Highschool of the Dead (ep. 8)
Seitokai Yakuindomo (ep. 8-9)
Legend of the Legendary Heroes (ep. 9)
Nurarihyon no Mago (ep. 8)
This Week in Manga
0:42:23 – Bleach 417
0:47:21 – One Piece 597
0:58:36 – Naruto 507
1:04:54 – Bakuman 98
1:11:55 – Beelzebub 74
1:15:48 – Fairy Tail 197
1:18:55 – Hayate no Gotoku! 285
1:21:46 – Kekkaishi 317-318
1:25:08 – History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi 395
1:28:09 – Toriko 107
1:33:26 – Gamaran 52-60
1:39:22 – The World God Only Knows 111
1:42:07 – Psyren 131
1:46:54 – Zettai Karen Children 228
1:50:12 – Hajime no Ippo 903-905
1:55:51 – AR∀GO 32
1:59:22 – GE ~ Good Ending 48
2:03:48 – SWOT 8
2:06:23 – Bloody Monday: Season 2 – 38 (new series!)
2:08:44 – Defense Devil 61-62 (new series!)
2:10:29 – Katekyo Hitman Reborn! 303
2:11:53 – Kimi no Iru Machi 102
2:13:08 – Nurarihyon no Mago 119
Chapters of the Week
Final Flash
Comments / questions / additions? Email the show.
Want to share with friends? How kind. Have a shortlink: http://wp.me/pJOZe-C4
Credit: AnimeNewsNetwork
Weekly Power Rankings: 8/15 – 8/21
GE ~ Good Ending 48
[scanlation by Eat Manga]
What a forlorn look on Yuki’s face when she hears the news of a proposed trip back home. Let’s hope this doesn’t shift the focus away from her again.
Nice flashback scene of Seiji and Yuki having fun at the waterpark. We need to be shown scenes like this more often. There’s been too much drama lately.
Seiji is completely right about the agony of being apart from the one you love, but rolling around on the floor in front of your parent is not exactly a mature way of handling it.
Now Seiji is practically bragging on his way to morning practice? You’ve been a miserable, two- (or three-) timing scumbag for the past several chapters. One chapter of keeping your eyes on Yuki does not earn you enough glory to be able to boast.
Wipe that undeserved grin off your face
Well, at least Seiji is properly shaken up by news of Yuki going back home. That’s more dedicated than he’s been for a while.
The conversation between Shou and her friend begins awkwardly and a bit too direct, but eventually Shou is revealed to be handling what happened between herself and Seiji as maturely as could be hoped. She’s acting just like our protagonist should be, while Seiji is off panicking and fantasizing about anything and everything.
Seiji is following Yuki to her home. A similar storyline greatly reduced the overall quality of Kimi no Iru Machi; let’s hope that Good Ending can present such a storyline in a more interesting and less angst-ridden fashion.
Final Flash: One chapter after reestablishing Yuki as the “right” choice, she’s pushed further away, and the spotlight again shines on Shou. Make up your mind, Sasuga.
Toriko 107
[scanlation by Hi Wa Mata Noboru]
A little too matter-of-fact about it
The interaction with the Ozone Herb is a great sign for Komatsu’s development and growing importance, while Toriko’s reaction as an observer to Komatsu’s growth is unusually detached and almost melancholy. There’s pride in his internal monologue, but there seems to be a sense of comparative inadequacy, too. Strange.
They are going through Ozone Herbs pretty damn quickly.
Trial and error: The hidden environmental threat
Komatsu managed to figure out the method to open the Ozone Herb leaves. Great chapter for him. Toriko’s response, though, is again a little reclusive and dependent. Perhaps it’s a necessary part of his own character evolution to realize that he can’t face the gourmet world alone, but he’s being uncharacteristically reserved about it.
The footprint was a hint of ominous things to come, after all.
Final Flash: Good Komatsu progress, but a fairly straightforward chapter overall.
Beelzebub 74
[scanlation by Keishou Scans]
Kiriya’s plan is to get Oga expelled through violence. I suppose that’s fitting for this series and these characters.
It’s quite surprising that Oga hasn’t immediately disregarded the consequences and struck back at Kiriya.
Miki steps in to retaliate on behalf of Oga. It’s looking like the Oga/Miki conflict is behind us, and that Kiriya will force a reconciliation.
Well, you were a little slow in realizing what Oga did for you, Miki (… years slow, in fact), but at least you’ve finally come around.
Menacing Oga returns! Excellent panel and following page.
You've been missed, demon
Great way to end the chapter, with Oga recognizing Miki by name.
Final Flash: The first completely volleyball-free Beelzebub chapter since the sports festival began is a clear step back in the right direction.
History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi 395
[scanlation by Keishou Scans]
More flashback. I might as well give up any excitement for the present-time fights that are happening. Evidently Matsuena doesn’t care about them.
If anything, this flashback is weakening Apachai’s character with relation to his fight against Agaard. Apachai has been shown at maximum intensity for so many chapters, and now suddenly we’re seeing him as an excited child. This flashback should have happened months ago.
Credibility-killing
Agaard is throwing the match for the sake of poor little Apachai. Terrible.
The new champ is dead on his feet. That’s not a bad moment, but the placement is all wrong. I almost care more about Agaard than Apachai now.
Final Flash: The potential positives aren’t enough to make up for the blatant negatives anymore. This arc is bad.
Kimi no Iru Machi 102
[scanlation by Red Hawk Scanlations]
Mishima is going to eat at Haruto’s place “again.” Is she now transitioning into a love interest? With Eba obviously out of the picture for a while, Nagoshi sadly relegated to comic relief, and Kiyomi too focused on Kazama, Mishima makes perfect sense. She’s always gotten along well with Haruto, and it wouldn’t be much of a romance series without any active love interests for the protagonist.
Completely undeserving of her secondary role
Mishima reading Magazine feels a little forced. Meta can be fun and cute if it feels natural in the midst of the story, but this just feels like a plug for A-Bout!.
Akari’s phone call makes me nostalgic for the days when this series was set in Haruto’s hometown, and was so much better than it presently is.
Excellent interaction between Haruto and Mishima. The deadpan comedy is funny, the talk about Eba is appropriately serious, and Mishima shifting the focus on the future is promising.
Fantastic two-page confession scene. I do have to express my disappointment in Red Hawk Scanlations for inserting a fan-colored version of the page in question, though. It’s shameful enough to do that at all, but to insert it before the original version destroys the impact of the scene as intended by the author. Fan-colored pages are fine for message boards and icons, but they have absolutely no place in an official chapter release. This is the first time I’ve seen Red Hawk do it, so they’re certainly not the worst offenders (iMangaScans practically have one per Good Ending chapter), but this is too important of a scene to cheapen. Very disappointing.
Final Flash: Really enjoyable chapter. Mishima is such a positive love interest, and all positivity is welcome after recent events.
Bakuman 98
[scanlation by Binktopia]
Good Jump cover, but an even better chapter color cover. Fantastic color spread.
Do want
Interesting timing for a Takagi/Iwase flashback. Also, as well as Iwase has been developed into a rival character, it’s still nice to see the old love-struck Iwase.
Refreshing
It’s always amusing to see Crow’s editor excited over its position, as though it should still be surprising. That said, what placed first? Unless I’ve missed a major plot point, it’s odd that some series can do so well and yet remain anonymous.
Those are pretty… specific bet conditions from Iwase.
Has she been giving this some prior thought?
A rival character, being written by a character with a rivalry, who is written by an author drawing from personal experience (and therefore, who likely has a rivalry). Takagi’s decision to turn Akechi into a rival character is yet another amusing exercise in meta.
Great PCP scene, good decision not to have Akechi turn around, and I love that we actually got full pages of PCP within the Bakuman chapter. That’s something I hope we see more often.
I will admit to thinking the chapter was over when I saw the usual Jump chapter-ending logo on the last PCP page.
What a cliffhanger. Next week can’t come quickly enough.
Final Flash: Diverse and engaging chapter, with a properly infuriating cliffhanger.
Katekyo Hitman Reborn! 303
[scanlation by I Eat Manga]
Even if Tsuna’s new Hot Topic-inspired, jewelry-laden gloves look tacky as hell, that’s still a pretty nice color cover page.
They’re fighting for pride. That’s as high as they’re aiming here. Pride. Let’s get this over with, then.
I have lost any respect I had left for Amano Akira thanks to Adelheid’s chest. How completely ridiculous.
I miss when Lambo was an important character. When he was one of the main focuses of the series, the series was so much more fun.
Horribly underutilized
Ryohei’s opponent can manipulate plants, and yet they’re going to have a boxing match. I mean, if you’re going to take the time to come up with new abilities for your characters, you might as well have the characters use them.
Final Flash: Dull, uninspired, aimless… and this is just the beginning of the fights in this arc. Oh boy.
Shonen Beam Social Network
Shonen Beam 