Archive
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.
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.
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.
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.
Beelzebub 66
[chapter link]
Young Oga is so far proving to be hilarious (bragging about the Buddha, explaining his logic behind claiming the big Katsu).
Oga was even kind enough to Miki back then to go help him out. There must be some major shock or huge misunderstanding coming, because at this point, present-day Miki seems unreasonable.
You might want to get that hand of yours checked out, flashback baddie. It doesn’t look normal.
Unhealthy
Those fingernails weren’t just for show, fortunately. Also, I know nails are sharp, but I question if they’re strong enough to be used in this manner without breaking… not that I’m attempting to question realism in a series about the son of the devil.
The most evil face in shonen?
There’s the misunderstanding. Oga is pretending he doesn’t know Miki, for Miki’s own sake. Meanwhile, Miki, who has been seeking acceptance from Oga, takes Oga’s act the wrong way. The scenario is straightforward but effective.
Well, straightforward with an Oga twist, which implies violence.
Final Flash: As long as this flashback doesn’t last much longer, it’s an acceptable explanation for Miki’s actions, which also provides him with the means to redeem himself in the near future.
Bakuman 91
[chapter link]
Well done of Hattori to try to cool down Ashirogi’s focus on popularity. The most popular art in any medium is born from passion, not from an intent to fabricate success.
Fukuda is trying a racing series? That would certainly be interesting in the pages of real-world Shonen Jump. It’s a genre that isn’t often explored in popular shonen magazines.
I really like Fukuda. His ambition, sense of competition, and determination should earn him some more spotlight.
So much wrong here
I’d give so much for a real-life publication of one issue of the fictional Shonen Jump in Bakuman. On top of how creative the series are, Obata makes the covers look excellent.
Kaya, adorable as always
Road Racer seems to be going over well. While I obviously hope for Perfect Crime Party to do the best, Fukuda deserves some success.
P7, bottom panels: Obata has clearly given the internet a new “reaction face” picture set. I’ve cleaned the speech bubbles for you; fill in your own blanks, internet.
Get ready to see this everywhere
P10: Glorious reaction. Everything about this two-page spread is excellent. Mashiro’s reaction, Takagi trying to keep quiet, Kaya not wanting to be overlooked, Hattori incredulous, etc. Fantastic page.
Racer is being serialized! Excellent news.
We get another peek at Iwase, in her now-common fury. This is a nice scene, but we’ve had a few like it before. It’s time to explore her further as a character.
PCP got more votes than Crow. Tremendous sign.
P17: Absolutely stunning page. Incredible.
Very few series could effectively follow such a touching and beautiful moment with a truly funny scene. Bakuman is one of those series.
No longer serious
Final Flash: Overwhelmingly excellent chapter.
Katekyo Hitman Reborn! 295
[chapter link]
Great detail on the castle.
It’s been different for some time now, but it’s still hard to believe just how much Amano’s art style has changed. Compare a scene in this chapter with one from chapter 22. (Click to enlarge.)
Chapter 295
Chapter 22
Naito Longchamp hasn’t been around for at least a couple hundred chapters. Nice to see Amano hasn’t forgotten her minor characters.
Speaking of the art, the major flaw of Amano’s current style is that, at times, the details can devolve. It doesn’t get quite as sketch-like as Hunter x Hunter, but it’s still inconsistent.
Example of loose artwork
Amusing scene between Dino, Squalo, and Tsuna.
The rest of the chapter is just the assembling of the main cast for the pivotal moment during the ceremony.
Nice final spread.
Final Flash: Some nice character reappearances, but almost entirely a setup chapter.
One Piece 589
[chapter link]
P5, bottom-right panel: Oh dear. As bittersweet and awkward as some previous flashback moments were, this is just outright heartbreaking.
Zoro cameo!
Finally, time is moving forward. Rather than jumping back directly to the present, though, the short timeskips are a nice touch.
P9: Difficult page. Ace and Luffy imagining that Sabo is watching them is quite sad.
Even if you can’t read kana, who painted which sign should be abundantly clear:
Cute craftsmanship
Makino! Nice to see her every once in a while, even if she’s never had much of a role defined for her.
Even Dadan succumbs to the traditional One Piece crying farewell.
I count three entire Woop Slap panels this chapter.
Crushing final page. Luffy’s sadness feels so much more defined after this flashback. Well done, Oda.
Final Flash: Great chapter. This was an unexpected but quality way to bring the focus back to the present. Overall, it was also a great flashback, but it’s time to move on.
Bleach 409
[chapter link]
P1: Even color pages are mostly white.
Interesting choice of characters to feature on the color cover, considering we haven’t seen them in so long.
P3: In this week's chapter...
Ichigo’s drowning! This is the best chapter in years!
Oh, wait, nevermind. He’s being rescued by another pretty-boy.
I appeal to a demographic
Was Zangetsu not attractive enough for the audience? I understand the idea that Ichigo entered into his realm while in bankai, so something might look different, but I disapprove of this specific redesign.
* Panel might not actually be canon
P13: Isshin isn’t really serving any kind of purpose by explaining this. His words are intended to create suspense, but instead, he only comes off as a know-it-all, boasting that he has already experienced this and understands what’s happening.
The prospect of learning about the motivation and history behind zanpakutou is less than exciting.
“How much longer until Ichigo learns his new technique…?” indeed. Also, how much longer until Aizen does anything? Legitimately menacing antagonists act; they don’t casually stroll from place to place.
Final Flash: It’s flawed, but this training arc is still markedly better than the last arc.
Shonen Beam Social Network
Shonen Beam 