Archive
Series Roundup: 9/12 – 9/18
Mini-reviews for all the series without full individual posts.
Air Gear 287
[scanlation by SSA Scanlations]
Beautiful color page. This is a perfect example of quality art and a tiny bit of fanservice easily trumping over-the-top gratuitous fanservice.
Ringo has every reason to feel like she’s at fault about this. Regardless of where the blame lies, though, Ikki’s Regalia must be repaired quickly, or else not only will he be unable to win his fight, but also the plot will be unable to progress.
This is mostly setup after setup for each fight. I suppose it’s acceptable as a way to refresh the audience’s memory, after six weeks of no Air Gear.
Ikki demonstrates some strong leadership qualities by getting everyone back on track. Between the Regalia hunt and the various battles, the next few chapters should be exciting.
AR∀GO 35
[scanlation by Trinity BAKumA]
Cute cover page.
Interesting nod by Arai towards boxers, and lightweight boxers specifically. It’s true that this training should help Arago’s evasiveness.
I’ve finally figured out the secret behind the worst arc of Hajime no Ippo: Woli had Brionac.
The reactions from Rio, Coco, and Seth to Arago’s request are as funny as they are vastly different.
Captain Tsubasa now? This is an oddly sports-themed chapter.
Arago’s idea of a duel (and the werewolf’s immediate acceptance) is fascinating. The two-page spread of them exchanging blows is great, as well.
Code:Breaker 104
[scanlation by ShinraTensei]
Not that I could put a face to the name, but Dekasugi going missing right after Yuuki drops the hint points to Code:Revenger having been closely watching everything all along.
Ogami’s new flame is incredibly powerful and far more versatile than the first flame. It’s also more bizarrely supernatural, perhaps even spiritual.
Once again, Ogami’s unique sense of justice, where he continues to quietly burden himself with others’ problems, is enjoyable to read.
Yuuki is obviously torn over having to fight Ogami, but chooses to turn to his trump card, in the form of some pills in his collar. I hope Yuuki doesn’t die in all of this action.
Defense Devil 64
[scanlation by I Eat Manga]
Kucabara’s focus on pacifism is a bit out of place. He has been established as a “good” character, but this feels more like time-wasting than personality establishment.
Several pages later, and Kucabara has exactly the same stance. It’s taking far too long for anything to happen.
His brilliant plan was to shoot out the lights? That’s a bit childish.
The naive devils throw the “soccer” field into chaos, and Kucabara drops in like Batman to save Idamaria. Sadly, the spurt of action at the end of the chapter doesn’t redeem the time wasted at the beginning.
Enigma 1
[scanlation by CXC Scans]
Love to see a brand new series get scanned right away. I hope CXC will keep up with this one.
The main character has a “Dream Diary” that predicts the future. A future diary. In Japanese, one would call that a Mirai Nikki.
Sumio’s flirting is a decently enjoyable character trait, but not one that stands out too greatly.
The skull with the reversed jawbone is an appropriately scary symbol. Good design.
The way Sumio’s mother panics provides some intrigue as to exactly why Sumio saw the symbol.
Sumio’s larger panel poses are too generic.
Sumio and six others wake up in a gymnasium, unable to exit or contact the outside world. Then, the Enigme symbol appears on a screen and gives them an objective. So, this series isn’t just Mirai Nikki; it’s also Gantz. Wonderful.
Based on only one chapter, this series has far more potential than recent Jump newcomers (Lock On!, Yotsuya, SWOT, etc.), but its success will depend entirely on the execution of the premise introduced in this chapter. Sadly, the two major concepts the series is built on are far too derivative of other, existing series.
GE ~ Good Ending 50
[scanlation by iMangaScans]
Yuki’s farewell smile to her mother and attendant is creepy as hell.
Evidently Yuki’s family is aware of whatever horrible business went down between Yuki and Touru. I appreciate him being unwelcome there; I don’t appreciate the focus being on him running around trying to find her. This series needs less drama.
This bald guy being on a Koushien-bound baseball team comes out of nowhere. How odd.
Oonuma finally snapped at Seiji! That’s exactly what needed to happen. Finally, a little positive progress.
Never mind. It’s all undone by some ludicrous fireworks and a statement that reflects just how right Oonuma was about Seiji’s superficial kindness. Seriously though, fireworks?! Fireworks.
… fireworks.
Kure-nai 34
[scanlation by JAC Scans]
It’s finally sinking in to Shinkurou that Kirihiko is an assassin. To be fair, she’s right in pointing out that she said that when they first met.
She stabbed him, with no effect. Is she taking it easy on him, or is has his Houdzuki training again rendered him impervious to blade attacks?
Interesting competition proposed by Kirihiko. It’ll be good to see how Shinkurou reacts to her when she’s in a killing mindset.
I can’t accept Yuuno’s explanation of the manner in which Kirihiko cut Shinkurou. A time-delayed cut? This makes absolutely no sense.
Strangely comedic ending. Saving someone from suicide does not tend to immediately lead into a job offer.
Hayate no Gotoku! 288
[scanlation by reddevilshn]
Nagi’s “plans” are hilarious. Her obliviousness is always great, but she’s so certain here that she can succeed.
Excellent meta comedy! The Jump joke is apt, and the Sunday praise is fun.
Ashibashi-sensei may have been a completely minor character, but he was very funny in his limited role as the author of the successful series “This or That Depresses Me,” which clearly does not parody any real life series whatsoever. He should provide great interaction with aspiring mangaka Nagi.
Brilliant punchline from Ashibashi, and an even better reaction from Hayate and the girls. What a funny chapter.
I love that Ayumu had no idea how successful Ashibashi was.
Mahou Sensei Negima! 302
[scanlation by reddevilshn]
Excellent detail in Akamatsu’s drawing of the various magic attacks.
Negi is trying to be everywhere at once. He should rely on the girls more. He’s obviously far more powerful than any of them, but they’re far from incompetent.
Dragonfolk? I thought it was Demonfolk. The Dragonzord joke is catching on… sadly.
Nodoka is ridiculous. Time manipulation is one of the most potentially broken powers in any setting, and she just crashes into the user. Wasn’t she supposed to be the shy one?
Very nice affirmation of the girls’ abilities over the final pages.
Nurarihyon no Mago 122
[scanlation by ShinraTensei]
Multiple ways to perform Matoi should eventually both solidify Rikuo as a seriously strong protagonist, and also keep the more prominent members of the Hyakki Yakou involved in the main plot. This technique is a fantastic idea.
Kidoumaru is a legitimately strong enemy with some good techniques of his own. Ouka is impressive.
Kurotabou’s pride is nice to see. Rikuo really has grown considerably since the beginning of the series.
Beautiful full-page art of Rikuo using the new variation of Matoi.
Rikuo is wearing Kurotabou in a far more literal sense than his previous uses of Matoi. Does this mean Rikuo will become the type of character who routinely uses other characters’ powers? While this version of Matoi is interesting, I hope Rikuo doesn’t rely on it too much. Members of the Hyakki Yakou need to stand out on their own, rather than be relegated to pure supporting roles for Rikuo.
Psyren 134
[scanlation by Keishou Scans]
“Now, the battle between Matsuri and Grana–!!” … and two pages later, we switch focus to Kagetora. Amusing.
Kagetora has always been fun to watch fight, but he’s even more interesting here in the future, surrounded by those with flashier abilities.
Back to Matsuri/Grana, and this fight is far more of an exchange of psychic abilities. Grana’s admittance that Matsuri has more battle sense is what keeps this fight balanced and interesting.
Ageha and Amamiya chase after Miroku, and the chapter ends. Some fun fighting, but not too much plot progression.
Zettai Karen Children 230
[scanlation by JS Scans]
Great omake page. Of course Hanzo is a Naruto fan. … oh, pardon me. Maruto.
Kiritsubo’s overprotective nature has grown tiresome.
Hanzo’s Naruto fandom extends within the chapter! He even has the Mangekyou Sharingan. Good comedy.
I’m pretty sure the shirt worn by the character on the last page is intended to represent a browser’s Refresh function. The shirt says “F5” (the keyboard shortcut for Refresh), and has circular arrows above and below the lettering. Amusing. That said, the comedy of this chapter far outweighs the attempt at engaging serious plot.
—
Feel that one or more of these series should be getting full-review treatment each week? Show your support by participating in chapter discussion in comments. Actively-discussed series will be considered for full reviews.
Bakuman 101
[scanlation by SleepyFans]
PCP being unable to receive an anime adaptation for diplomatic reasons is an unfortunately plausible scenario. Complaints are a harsh truth that mangaka must live with, even when the intent of the work is positive and/or harmless. (The Sket Dance balloon incident comes to mind.) Hattori needed a truly legitimate reason why PCP wouldn’t get an anime, and this plot thread delivers.
Takagi is fighting hard for Mashiro’s side of their shared dream. Often, in scenarios similar to these, when a partnership or team finds overall success but an individual in said group isn’t satisfied, the plot shifts to a developing rift. I’m glad to see that this problem is solidifying the relationship (both personal and professional) between Mashiro and Takagi, rather than introducing conflict.
Impassioned words
At least a midnight anime is still a possibility. It doesn’t seem likely, given the tone of this chapter, but it would be difficult to maintain long-term interest in PCP if there was a defined ceiling on its success that fell short of the biggest remaining goal in the series.
Damn, Hiramaru is loaded. Also amusing is his blatant acknowledgment of Yoshida’s manipulative tactics.
Surprising financial shrewdness
Poignant conversation between Mashiro and Takagi about marriage age. These characters aren’t immature, so the conversation isn’t entirely out of place, but they’re still pretty young.
It’s completely satisfying to see Shiratori praised (and, indirectly, Takagi) and Moriya brought back to reality.
Takagi writing a series for an artist other than Mashiro is worrisome. That would continue to positively portray Takagi as having “made it” as a writer in command of his craft, but it would also take the focus of the series away from the dream held by the original trio of Mashiro, Takagi, and Azuki. This has opened the door to countless possibilities, and has pushed back the potential end of the series by a considerable distance.
Final Flash: A decent chapter with a disconcerting ending.
History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi 398
[scanlation by Keishou Scans]
Decent Shonen Sunday cover page, but awful color pages. Fanservice (and borderline nudity) this gratuitous is uncalled for. Worse still is the fact that the color pages have no connection to the rest of the chapter. That’s basically an admittance of pandering from Matsuena.
Kenichi’s counter to Yan Erawan, which had previously “killed” him, is exactly the kind of martial arts exchange I’ve wanted. Discounting the color pages, this is an excellent start to the chapter.
The way Matsuena draws Kenichi’s eyes never gets old. I can’t remember any other manga character with such pure intensity shown through his or her eyes alone.
But are they Mystic Eyes?
Tirawit shows some fantastic martial arts skill, and even taunts Kenichi properly, but name-dropping Kanou Shou only reminds me how much more interesting of an opponent Kanou was. Tirawit may well be a stronger fighter, but Kanou had the underlying plot to round out his character.
The masters believe their battle will end first. That would bode well for some great development out of Kenichi, who finally seems poised for a sharp improvement.
Final Flash: Insulting color pages aside, this was a great chapter. This kind of fighting is what this arc should have featured all along.
Katekyo Hitman Reborn! 306
[scanlation by I Eat Manga]
Character popularity poll results are unsurprising when you consider the overwhelmingly female audience. That said, shame on you, voters! Lambo down in 18th?! I implore you to think back to when the series was fun.
This isn’t only Hajime no Ippo and Saint Seiya, but now also Fist of the North Star? Shameless.
You are already boring
More straightforward attacks from Aoba and his new magical eye. Fortunately, Ryohei actually seems to have a plan to counter this attacking strategy, rather than just another uninteresting twist to one-up Aoba.
It seems Aoba’s limiter-sunglasses were restricting use of his extreme vision for his own sake. Again, it’s good to see Ryohei’s awareness being used to capitalize on that.
Final Flash: Speed lines and punching. Would anyone mind if I demoted this to Series Roundup? Individual writeups for this series now seem like a waste.
Bleach 420
[scanlation by Binktopia]
From the plethora of available “420” jokes, let’s just go with something like “wasn’t that the only way to enjoy Bleach anyway?” and move on.
After some flashback pages of the earlier fight between Ichigo and post-Fountain of Youth Zangetsu, the twist is finally revealed: the “Final Getsuga Tenshou” is when Ichigo himself becomes Getsuga.
The important note: I don’t find this terrible. I still think it’s stale and uninteresting to have Ichigo become taller, older, and longer-haired, and I certainly have to laugh at the Hot Topic-catalog laziness of designing Final Form Ichigo with flowing black hair, black fabric, and a black aura, but I will give some credit to Kubo: this concept is acceptable. To defeat Aizen, whose abilities are “broken” (despite being improperly written in the last few chapters), Ichigo needed to achieve some kind of powerup that wasn’t just a linear increase in strength. There’s no telling how deep Kubo will go into the concept, and it’s entirely possible that the spiritual evolution part of the process will be conveniently forgotten and/or rewritten as though this is a linear powerup, but from initial indication, “becoming Getsuga” seems to work.
Twist of the week
The less-important note:
Have fun, yaoi fans
The rest of the chapter is pretty standard Bleach: Venom/Aizen gets pissed and yells too much, and Ichigo uses a big monochromatic attack.
Background of the week
Final Flash: Not “good,” but “good for a recent Bleach chapter,” meaning surprisingly acceptable overall.
Naruto 510
[scanlation by Binktopia]
As well as Kishimoto has been drawing lately, even he has to be called out for excessive use of speed lines.
The 'speed line to detail' ratio is off
The limitations of Madara’s dimensional transfer ability go a long way to bring some sense of balance to his otherwise seemingly-overpowered nature.
Konan has prepared impressively for this showdown with Madara. Even considering her recent tendency towards trite idealism, she’s easily one of the best females in this series.
Of course, it’s not unexpected that Madara survived Konan’s attack, but it is unfortunate that he’s done so by revealing just how much power he really has. The positives of the limitations on his intangibility are clearly outweighed by his possession of Izanagi.
No, just approaching "broken"
The one-panel mention of Danzou does provide some hope for a logical defeat of Madara: If the “this is not actually Uchiha Madara” theory is true, then this impostor could be another example of someone who boasts “only an incomplete form of Izanagi.” Barring that scenario, though, Kishimoto will be fighting an uphill battle to keep realistic the possibility of someone in the Naruto universe defeating someone with complete control over the power to turn imagination into reality.
On a lighter note, Konan made a rainbow.
The more you know?
Final Flash: Konan is enjoyable, but unfortunate confirmation of Madara’s ridiculous strength makes for a ‘good’-at-best chapter.
Toriko 110
[scanlation by Hi Wa Mata Noboru]
Terry! I’ve missed him. I hope he gets to be part of some of these upcoming adventures.
... or not.
Toriko’s display of strength is impressive, but strict damage output doesn’t mean too much in the Toriko universe. That fact in itself, though, is a testament to the quality of the setting.
I’m having a hard time telling what Toriko is drinking.
Ah, yes, thank you
The conversation between the proud Sani and the overeager Toriko carries a great dynamic. Sani shows two interesting sides to himself, as he both pridefully hides his defeat and innately understands his longtime friend enough to know not to stop him. That specific part of the exchange may only take a few panels, but it’s written well enough to convey an interesting relationship.
Toriko is heading into the Gourmet World alone. It may be exciting to see a true test of Toriko’s recent increase in strength, but the fact that he’s leaving his new combo partner behind seems to indicate that he’ll face a fate similar to Sani.
Final Flash: Good enough for a setup chapter, but the real excitement lies in the chapters to come.
Beelzebub 76
[scanlation by Keishou Scans]
As awesome as Oga eschewing sensibility and consequences is, perhaps the situation called for a little less overwhelming power.
Judging from the following panels, it seems that Oga did not actually fully transform, but instead projected a horrifying vision to Kiriya. That said, what a fantastic scene.
Magnificently creepy
Izuma clearly knows something about Oga’s demonic power. As the secretly-evil student council president, Izuma has already been a good character; for him to become involved with the supernatural plot of the series further improves him, and it makes the transition back into such plot less jarring.
Exciting writing choice
Himekawa may only be a secondary character, but all the humor surrounding him makes him an invaluable member of the cast.
A real demon-related cliffhanger! Between the man with the Zebul tattoo and the teaser about Baby Beel, this cliffhanger appears to foreshadow exactly the plot the series needs right now.
Final Flash: Great conclusion to an underwhelming arc, and excellent intrigue heading into the new one.
Katekyo Hitman Reborn! 305
[scanlation by I Eat Manga]
In case you forgot, this chapter is here to remind you that speed lines indicate rapid movement.
I don’t care if it’s just being used as a generic boxing-related term: Amano shouldn’t be throwing out the word “counter” if it has no application to the move being used or the scene at hand.
Destroyed by poor terminology
Ryohei’s new ability certifies him as the party’s official tank. What an unimaginative upgrade.
... and the more derivative you become.
I hate to repeat myself week after week, but Amano’s art becomes more confusing by the panel. More detail does not equal more quality. Certainly, a minimum level of detail is mandatory, but too much ink is just as bad as too little. Amano used to have balanced art, but she’s clearly lost sight of her strengths.
Pages of uninteresting fighting, and a Bleach-style twist at the end. Trying to squeeze life out of a fight between a practically meaningless opponent and one of the least engaging protagonists is more than enough to repulse readers.
Final Flash: There is no magic in this series left to lose.
Bakuman 100
[scanlation by SleepyFans]
While the prospect of a PCP anime is exciting, it does feel like it’s too soon for so much of the main Bakuman plot to be resolved. The drama CD announcement would mean much less if the editor-in-chief is to suddenly accept an offer of an anime adaptation also.
The scene of local kids “playing PCP” is amazing. Manga as a whole offers a plethora of inspiring sights, but few are as realistic and attainable as this. The “meta” nature of the series has rarely been used to such positive effect. Conversely, the discussion between Mashiro and Takagi about how far they’ve come, relative to what they have left to attain, evokes nostalgia befitting of a series’ 100th chapter.
Beautifully rewarding
Kaya praising the kids for playing PCP is adorable.
This chapter is focusing intently on Takagi, and in an interesting way. Between his encouragement and advice for Shiratori and agreeing to write the crimes for the drama CD, Takagi shows confidence and poise that he never had earlier in the series. This is a nice affirmation of his growth.
What a surprisingly direct portrayal of the state of the Takagi/Kaya relationship.
Healthy marriage, evidently
Even more Takagi spotlight. His maturity as a writer is so obvious that once again, I can’t picture too many more major plot developments before the end of the series.
Despite warning Miura earlier not to let potential anime news leak, Hattori directly announces to Ashirogi that PCP won’t have an anime. Is this a true statement and the sign of another obstacle to overcome, or is it merely a tactic to get Ashirogi to stay grounded and focus? There is no clear evidence to support either argument, but I’m leaning towards the latter option.
Final Flash: Excellent, uplifting chapter. The labor of our protagonists is finally bearing fruit, yet exciting challenges still lay ahead.
Series Roundup: 9/5 – 9/11
Mini-reviews for all the series without full individual posts.
AR∀GO 34
[scanlation by Trinity BAKumA]
Great action in the fight between Arago and the werewolf. Arai’s art style makes even speed lines feel new and interesting.
The werewolf has regeneration similar to Arago’s Brionac and unbelievable speed and strength. Arago defeat is unsurprising, but the process reveals two interesting notes: the seam in the werewolf’s fur, and the fact that the werewolf didn’t kill Arago.
Joe reveals a variation on the now commonly-accepted werewolf legend, and his version is absolutely fascinating. This is a brilliant writing choice.
Code:Breaker 103
[scanlation by ShinraTensei]
This is becoming bizarrely metaphysical. Granted, this series isn’t restricted by any sense of realism, but Ogami entering “the hell of darkness within [his] heart” is still jarring.
The physical incarnation of the Emperor is disappointing. Even if this form is supposed to be a weaker, limited version of the character, this character type is overdone.
After a rather cliché test, Ogami is granted the second of seven flames. Suddenly, Flame of Recca comparisons are completely appropriate. Ogami’s use of Belphegor of the Dark is interesting and well-drawn, though.
Gamaran 62
[scanlation by helz0ne]
Iori seeming like he’s in control of his situation while at a numerical disadvantage makes some sense, as he’s been established as an incredibly strong swordsman, but seeing the same poise from Ranmaru is unusual.
Wow. Ranmaru’s killing blow this time is at least as brutal as his last one. Jinno serving as the setup for it is a little disappointing, because it does little to explain Ranmaru’s confidence, but the scene is still strong.
If the teaser is true, Gama vs. Ranmaru should be thrilling.
Hayate no Gotoku! 287
[scanlation by reddevilshn]
Hugging someone of the opposite sex is the universal symbol for “I’m here to rent a room.”
Why does “Gundam” need to be censored in text bubbles if the word is left intact on the box?
After a series of individually amusing jokes, “She was quickly kicked out” is a great punchline.
The mystery girl was behind the fireworks incident after all, but the name Housen Yozora doesn’t ring a bell, and her motives aren’t yet obvious. Interesting.
Kekkaishi 319-320
[scanlation by A-Team]
(319) Lovely atmosphere as Masamori is led towards the castle.
Hazama certainly is demanding, but his sudden meeting with Masamori finally helps to tie his actions directly to Yoshimori’s. Also, it’s interesting to see Masamori simultaneously shot down in comparison to Yoshimori, yet also reinforced as important because of his own particular skills and connections.
(320) A little too much time is spent on Shichiro remarking on events. If so many interesting things are happening, the author would be better served just showings those events directly.
Raijin may have ended up being introduced as a seemingly devious woman, but she has both the power to legitimize herself and superior connections than Masamori, considering her ability to bring Nura into the fold. Also, her claim that Masamori is to defeat the founder is an intriguing one.
Mahou Sensei Negima! 300-301
[scanlations by reddevilshn: 300 | 301]
(300) After so much preparation and so many chapters of diversion and side characters, it’s fun to see Negi himself firing off some of his devastating magic.
No matter how impressed Anya is by Negi’s display of power, I can’t accept her statement that he could be as strong as his father.
Haunting panel at the bottom of page 13. The stark lack of background combines well with Negi chasing after his barely-visible father.
Unusual timing for Asuna to be so moved by Negi’s determination. Nothing has been accomplished yet.
(301) It’s difficult to reconcile the serious side of Dynamis with the one that jokes with his young female subordinates.
Very little to comment on, as this chapter is mostly setup for the next fight for Negi’s group. The bit with Koutarou’s covert group is amusing, at least.
Nurarihyon no Mago 121
[scanlation by ShinraTensei]
Rikuo’s reasoning is perfectly befitting of someone in his leadership role. Great speech, and an excellent full page pose.
Beautiful art as Kidoumaru invokes Rajoumon.
Kidoumaru being able to prevent Tsurara and Rikuo using Matoi presents interesting complications for that ability in the future. Even if Rikuo presumably wins this fight, he’ll certainly fight tougher opponents in the future. Rikuo could stand to adapt a new way to use Matoi, such as perhaps being able to use the fear from his Hyakki Yakou through the markings on his back, rather than needing his followers to physically cast their fear on him in person.
Kurotabou and Kubinashi are a welcome sight. They should provide some interesting complexity to the fight next week.
SWOT 9
[scanlation by Red Hawk Scanlations]
The fighting maniac’s special move is called “Chaos.” Was he not generically counter-culture enough already?
“Pray that Manabizaki will defeat this monster” is the kind of senseless, idealistic comment from an onlooker that I would expect from someone watching Ichigo fighting in Bleach. That scenario is already bad enough, but at least Bleach has the publishing length to back up such a statement. Why should the audience be invested in the fate of a one-dimensional protagonist in a series that hasn’t yet reached double digit chapters?
Manabizaki’s opponent suddenly has glowing hands. I wasn’t aware it was possible for a series to “jump the shark” within 9 chapters, but I am ready to declare that SWOT has not only done so, but that it also holds absolutely no reading value.
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Feel that one or more of these series should be getting full-review treatment each week? Show your support by participating in chapter discussion in comments. Actively-discussed series will be considered for full reviews.
Naruto 509
[scanlation by Binktopia]
Naruto is “light personified”? That’s taking an interesting character and boiling him down into something decidedly less interesting.
Madara being behind Yahiko’s creation of Akatsuki is such a cliché. Not only that, but Madara also apparently gave Nagato the Rinnegan. Just because a series has a supremely powerful villain does not mean that said villain should be involved with every last plot detail. It seems that while Naruto has improved immensely over the last several weeks, Madara hasn’t.
His eye is too talkative
Aside from how generally disappointing it would be for Konan to be offed here, it would also specifically be unfortunate because it would eliminate the possibility of seeing more of these beautifully-drawn paper-based attacks.
Odd timing for a flashback with these characters. The excellent recent action has provided a launching point from which the series could have continued to progress current plot; to instead feature a flashback of out-of-focus characters seems to be counterproductive.
Madara took some serious damage from Konan’s attack. That’s both gratifying (because Konan is an interesting character who shouldn’t become villain fodder) and unnerving (because it likely means she doesn’t have much left to offer). Still, for Kishimoto to allow his ultimate villain to suffer such damage is a huge positive, as it helps to build Madara’s credibility.
A sign of a confident author
Yet another excellent large-scale attack, as Konan swallows up Madara within an ocean of paper. Great artwork by Kishimoto.
Final Flash: Not a bad chapter, but an unusual choice of direction after the past couple arcs.
Bleach 419
[scanlation by Binktopia]
So much unnecessary dialogue. Tension is important during a fight, but that doesn’t mean the pacing of the fight should be interrupted (or, in this case, completely overwhelmed) by text.
Background of the week
It’s not just “Deicide” anymore; there’s a subtitle? Even Kubo is bored with this.
Aizen transforms into some unspeakable creature. First, how ugly. I’m sure that’s somewhat the point, of course. Secondly, and most importantly, this signals a continuation of a worrying trend: The Hougyoku being treated like a linear power-up rather than the plot-altering device it’s been shown to be. It’s certainly not as though the Hougyoku should be able to rewrite the plot according to Aizen’s desires, but for it to quietly be demoted to something as simple as this is a critical consistency error.
Go get him, Venom
Once again, Aizen proceeds to deliver a long-winded monologue, and as with last week’s chapter, Ichigo counters with a trite, throwaway line. Also, Ichigo’s new hairstyle should not make his entire self look older. If Kubo wanted an older, more “badass” character, he should have written Ichigo as such to begin with.
Twist of the week
Next week will be the unveiling of the “Final Getsuga Tenshou.” Maybe that will equate to some decently-paced action, instead of one-off twists and incessant dialogue.
Final Flash: A letdown even by already poor Bleach standards. Kubo has written himself into a corner with his treatment of the Hougyoku.
Toriko 109
[scanlation by Hi Wa Mata Noboru]
Immediate confirmation that the GT Robo-lookalike is in fact a living thing.
The beast brings a sense of unease and curiosity to Vegetable Sky, and an overall sense that despite their progress, Toriko and Komatsu (Torikomatsu?) have far to go before being established in the Gourmet World.
Toriko’s observations on the beast are fascinating, as well. For the beast not only to be strong and quick enough to bite the Ozone Herb twice within a split-second, but also intelligent enough to study the actions of humans, is excellent foreshadowing for just how terrifying the beasts to come are.
The design of IGO Headquarters is brilliant. What a perfect piece of design for the Toriko world.
Toriko again impresses with its creativity
What a proud parent Ichiryuu must be, to approve of his surrogate son’s new long-term relationship like this.
Tons of great news all in a row: Several new ingredient requests for Toriko/Komatsu, Sani and Coco are presently training, and finally, another mention of Zebra (Zebura?)!
Ichiryuu, nonchalantly performing the same technique as the beast from Vegetable Sky, alludes to some serious future plot.
Final Flash: A hugely intriguing setup chapter. The future of Toriko looks extremely promising.
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