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One Piece 581
Excellent cover page. Interesting to ponder where this scene would fit in the overall timeline.
It is always good to see the Supernovas. Always.
The fourth Yonkou is “Big Mum”? Hm. This could help to quell the idea that Kaidou is female, if nothing else.
Oh no! It’s Brownbeard! … I hope we get to see him again after this. The idea deserves a cover story, at least.
Poor Bepo.
Jesus, Ivankov is scary.
The escaped prisoners (and presumably Ivankov) want to head to Kamabakka Kingdom, where Sanji is currently located. Could this be the start of the reassembly of the crew?
Some serious conspiracy material seeing the light of day. Someone higher than Sengoku is calling for the cover-up of the Impel Down escapes and having Doflamingo take out Moria? Excellent. Some Gorousei activity, finally? (Incidentally, how did Moria end up completely alone with Doflamingo and the PXs? Everyone was there just a moment ago.)
Final Flash: A reaction-heavy chapter, but the interactions on the ship were great, and the last few pages were fantastic.
Katekyo Hitman Reborn! 286
[chapter link]
This week’s cover page: In case you still haven’t noticed Adelheid’s chest.
“You never asked.” was a pretty funny line.
There’s even more of the Reborn who I’ve missed.
The ninth knows all about your fight in the future, which paradoxically shouldn’t happen (have happened?) now.
Robot Roll Ca– er, Upcoming Characters Roll Call!
P12, top-right panel: Literally laugh-out-loud funny. Actually laughed audibly. What a pleasant return to form. Sustain this, please.
Conveniently, Reborn reveals that people will attack Tsuna right before someone attacks Tsuna.
Not liking the hugeness. Anyway, first fight since the future arc.
Final Flash: This is the first big test. Tsuna is reverting to Hyper Mode, where, in the future, he was way too determined and suave instead of cowardly but noble. This fight will go a long way in seeing if Amano can carry over any remnants from the future arc without spoiling what has so far been an enjoyable arc. (By the way, why did Hibari and Adelheid get the cover? They were barely even in this chapter.)
Another New Shueisha Magazine – Shonen Jump Next
Hot on the heels of news regarding Jump SQ.19 comes word that Shueisha is launching yet another magazine. Entitled Shonen Jump Next, this even-newer magazine will be a quarterly release in the style of another of their existing magazines, Akamaru Jump. Like Akamaru, Shonen Jump Next will primarily serve as a launching pad for young artists hoping to establish themselves before being serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump or another Shueisha property.
Shonen Jump Next launches April 30 with several oneshots, some from notable mangaka:
Matsui Yuusei (Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro)
Kawashita Mizuki (Ichigo 100%, Hatsukoi Limited, Ane Doki)
Amano Youichi (Akaboshi – Ibun Suikoden)
Wajima Satoshi (Wasshoi! Waji Mania)
The debut issue will also feature a poster of the Bakuman anime, a special Nurarihyon no Mago chapter (featuring color page), eight short histories about current Weekly Shonen Jump series, and nine oneshots from young authors.
Credit: News-Paradise
Beelzebub 56
[chapter link]
The cover is simple but effective.
Actually, the second color page is even better. It might have been too crowded for the cover.
(Also, let’s not neglect how adorable Baby Beel is on that color page.)
Oh, are we translating their name now? The Six Horsemen? Let’s see, that would be Flair, Blanchard, Anderson…
Alex Rodriguez? Um, okay.
Gou is from the Amateur Radio club. That’s fantastic.
P13, top panel: Sometimes, it takes seeing Himegawa from an angle to truly appreciate the pompadour.
Absolutely love the twists in the expected fight pairings. Truly excellent.
That punch. Man. Admittedly, a little reminiscent of Luffy’s OHKO against Bellamy, but still, wholly worthwhile.
Final Flash: Even more enjoyable than I anticipated. Fantastic.
Nurarihyon no Mago 101
[chapter link]
Kubinashi’s first line is pretty cool, actually.
Ibaraki’s fear is a little difficult to view. A case of too much detail.
So… this fight is Enel vs. Jolyne?
“I’ll take each of your necks and leave them looking like his!” First joke I can recall in many, many chapters. Not bad, either.
Yuki Onna! Nothing wrong with it, but I’m a little surprised to see her dripping blood.
That’s a very foreboding last page.
Final Flash: Hoping to see Kubinashi come back to his senses and fight better with Kejourou. Of course, I have a thing for fighting teams.
Katekyo Hitman Reborn! 285
Enma is so apathetic that he censored his own face? … oh.
“Thanks for yesterday. For fixing my pants.”
(Just going to leave that there without context.)
Can I see your hand? I want to creepily caress it.
This is the Gokudera I missed. Ridiculous, crazy, amusing.
If Hibari is knocked out, he’ll get beaten up? I’m hoping that’s a translation error. That makes no sense.
Reborn swinging in on a vine! This is also like the old/good Reborn.
They’re guests of the ceremony. That’s not bad, actually. Less predictable than “a group of exactly 7 people who think they’re the rightful heirs.”
Final Flash: The first taste in a long time of the style that made this series enjoyable so many chapters ago. Hopefully a sign of things to come.
Psyren 114
[chapter link]
Tangela attack!
P1, bottom right panel: The facial expressions on Yoshina and Amamiya genuinely convey chaos. Great panel.
Kyle was playing basketball? He gets cooler every week.
Shao Van fighting makes me want an anime. Right now. His style seems so fluid.
No, I didn’t need a flashback for this villain, thanks. He was cool enough, and the fight was just getting awesome. Oh well, at least it’s only a couple pages.
P16, center panel: Now that’s a good use of a blank background.
Great change in momentum.
Final Flash: Excellent fight thus far. If this is any indication of the fights to come, we’re in for a treat.
Bakuman 81
[chapter link]
Whoa, Mashiro. Your finger. It’s huge.
I’m liking Hattori’s plan. I like just about anything Hattori is involved with. How much would this manga lose without Hattori?
“Think One Piece and [Dragon Quest II: Dai no Daibouken].” Brilliant line.
Confident-Mashiro has taken this manga to a new level. I’m glad he’s on the same page as Hattori (through Miura).
I love how Eiji can pick up on tiny personal insecurities by reading a script.
“Magma of Stopper”… may not be the best title ever. Keep going, though, you guys are great.
Finally, the culmination. Great time for color pages next chapter.
Final Flash: The great thing about Bakuman’s unique genre is that chapters such as these, which might ordinarily be labeled “transitional” or “setup” chapters, feel just as exciting, interesting, and necessary as the chapters with shocking plot twists.
Hunter x Hunter 304
[chapter link]
See, everyone with background-drawing deficiency? Even Togashi can draw trees, and he plays Dragon Quest 27 hours a day.
“Wink Blue” is a silly name.
We get to see Gon starting on page 7! Finally, some more face time for the best character.
Can’t wait for Pouf to be killed.
Wow. Kaito is dead. It would carry a little more impact without the other fights and without the hiatuses, but it’s still sad.
Final Flash: Your moment has arrived, Gon. Make it happen.
Bleach 399
These covers make me think Kubo has become disinterested with his own series. While Bleach has obviously gone in a poor direction, I would be fair enough to give his next manga a chance. The interaction between the classmates early in Bleach wasn’t bad, and Kubo seems to have an eye for fashion, so perhaps he could pull off a schoolkids/comedy series.
I just want to point out that the text at the top of the first proper page says “Finally, the Last Battle!!” I’m holding him to that. Not necessarily the final battle of the series (though I’d love that), but at least the final battle of this arc.
In the first few pages of the fight, Isshin is clearly outmatched. Hasn’t landed a hit yet.
Ichigo’s explanation is way too long. You’re in the middle of a fight. Fight.
Yeah, I’m going to have to agree with Gin on this one. Ichigo is creepy.
Broken. Gin’s Bankai is completely broken. Silly, overpowered, yet completely useless in a direct fight if he actually had credible opposition. Broken.
(Incidentally, I can’t wait for doujins to start parodying this. Do you know how long my… “bankai”… is?)
The frustrating thing about Gin’s power, in exactly the same way Aizen’s reappearance was frustrating (when he killed his own men for being weak), is that it completely nullifies everything we’ve read until this point. If Aizen and Gin are this strong, there’s absolutely no reason they couldn’t have achieved their goals long ago. I don’t feel as though as I’m reading a sensibly paced conflict; I feel I’m reading conflict written for the express purpose of racking up chapter and volume numbers.
Ichigo, performing his one move. The entire fighting style and structure is completely counterproductive to shonen storytelling. The Shikai/Bankai concept is fine, and it’s guaranteed to provide at least one memorable (though not necessarily quality) moment each time someone first reveals their Bankai, but Kubo didn’t establish any underlying powers or fighting styles innately associated with Bankai, so each time someone powers up, that’s it. They have a couple attacks at most. Yes, the Soul Society folks have Kidou, and Hollows have Cero, but their power has been explicitly limited.
Final Flash: Not great, and Gin’s Bankai was completely disappointing, but there was more action and progress in this chapter than in many recent chapters, at least.
Naruto 490
[chapter link]
Kabuto could yet prove to be the redeeming villain this series has needed for years. His pure interest in ninjutsu, as long as it remains unaffected by personal motives on either side of the war, is refreshing.
Ten bucks says Konohamaru was in the obscured coffin.
Wait, who’s Tokuma? Was it really necessary to create another Byakugan user when Negi and Hinata don’t get nearly enough face time as it is? That’s too bad. I was actually excited for a moment.
A plotline loosely involving Orochimaru develops and, all of a sudden, Anko reappears.
Whoa. What Naruto is doing is exactly the same as what Negi is doing in Negima. Neither author is copying the other, obviously, but… how strange.
Time to go find us an octopus! … that’s actually an ox. … inside of a Bee. I’m lost.
Final Flash: For a developmental chapter, it was enjoyable. Let the coffin-theorizing begin! Friend of the site Clint has presented the theory that the body contained in the coffin presented to Madara is none other than… Madara! Quoth Clint: “If you look at his reactions, and what he’s saying, in the context, it makes a ton of sense. Tobi actually isn’t Madara, and he had to join up with Kabuto, or Kabuto would reveal him.” A fascinating theory!
Lock On! 7
[chapter link]
Even the coloring on the cover page is uninspired.
A new character? She seems to have some personality.
Oh, she knows Sanada. That’s too bad. With a personality like that, she might have made a good rival.
Large panel, p9: Cementing that the series’ photography theme is an excuse for full-body shots of girls.
Sanada really is famous. Huh.
Yuki, the requisite kindhearted idiot. I swear, I’m not trying to hate this series, but it’s so standard.
Final Flash: A rescue mini-arc. I have no expectations. Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Beelzebub 55
[chapter link]
The more Baby Beel, the better. Not that there’s anything wrong with Oga.
“I trust Miki-kun.” Priceless.
Center panel, p10: Haven’t seen this face from Oga much. Usually he’s more comical or sadistic. Interesting expression.
Oga may not be much for team spirit, but he certainly acts like a leader.
All set up for fights next chapter!
Final Flash: Beelzebub finally gets its year anniversary recognition and issue cover next chapter. Well-deserved.
Nurarihyon no Mago 100
[chapter link]
I like that Kubinashi is going on a rampage, but I still don’t understand how he suddenly remembered how to be strong.
Top panel, p12: Ordinary men! *dissonant chord*
What a bizarre character design for Ibaraki Douji. It’s like he’s cosplaying Wilson from Home Improvement. (Don’t try to tell me Wilson didn’t have a sword behind that fence.)
Not much to discuss in this chapter. Fairly straightforward, and side character-heavy.
Final Flash: It’s about time for Nura to finish his training. Decent chapter, but certainly not 100th chapter quality.
Bakuman 80
[chapter link]
It seems Ashirogi are aware that Hattori is helping them. Not bad.
I understand culture difference, but I don’t think I could live in a situation where I could be presented with a dinner like Takagi is facing.
Money and Intelligence and Appearance may not be catchy in English, but I like the idea, and KTM is pretty catchy.
Takagi’s mention of Chanel lipstick hints that he may soon walk a very thin line between creativity and upsetting his marriage.
Top-left panel, p10: Priceless.
It’s so exciting to watch a rejuvenated Ashirogi.
“Want to take a bath together?” Go for it, Takagi!
Considering all the buildup was contained to this chapter, I’m not surprised KTM didn’t make the cut. Also, I’m happy for Shizuka’s sake that True Human did.
Final Flash: Extremely anxious to find out what Saiko realized. Great chapter.
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