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Beelzebub 71
[scanlation by Keishou Scans]
Nice Jump cover, and good coloring of the chapter cover page.
More volleyball. Let’s hope for some outstanding comedy to make up for the disappointment of not being in a fighting arc.
Great facial expressions
This is a fantastic chapter for facial expressions, so far. Both the above picture and the group shot at the bottom of page 7 are very funny.
Baby Beel being used as a decoy is good stuff, but it’s his expression that makes the scene amazing.
Silent understanding between men
Some silly but amusing moments featuring Baby Beel, but this still doesn’t have the engaging quality of earlier, action-packed chapters.
Izuma starts to get serious just in time for the chapter to end.
Final Flash: More enjoyable than the last couple chapters, but still lacking.
Katekyo Hitman Reborn! 300
[scanlation by I Eat Manga]
300 chapters of Reborn!, which seems to be about 100 chapters too long.
Bored, if I'm honest
“I can’t believe this rival mafia family with exactly the same number of members as our group, all of which had skills and personalities that perfectly matched up with our own, turned out to be the antagonists.” Right.
More nonsense involving the “souls” of the rings. Nothing to see here.
There’s a chance Nuts could die! … I apologize, that’s supposed to be a bad thing. I misplaced my somber tone.
The ring upgrade took one chapter. It’s not like I wanted to read a long training arc, but one chapter? That’s so short it feels completely meaningless. If the Vongola family is now able to stand up to Shimon after such a brief upgrade, it’ll further cheapen the entire arc.
Final Flash: What an uneventful way to celebrate a publishing milestone.
Bleach 414
[scanlation by Binktopia]
Both One Piece and Naruto have been sensational this week. I wonder how Bleach compares.
Have to say, the cover page isn’t nearly as blindingly awful as the last several Bleach color pages. Comparatively well done, then.
Last week’s twist was the explicit fourth wall-breaking teaser text saying that there’s tension between Gin and Aizen. Of course, this wasn’t actually shown in any capacity by the narrative itself, but this is as close to storytelling as Bleach gets, so bear with it. Described tension, Gin cover page, “Deicide” chapter naming scheme…
Gin is clearly lying to Aizen about having killed Matsumoto.
Boy, Kubo certainly is making this pretty obvious, isn’t he?
No prizes for having figured it out
The royal key! Why, that’s a reference to the next arc! We’re finally going somewhere.
Yes, do that. More quickly.
Page 12 is a shining example of unintentional hilarity. I use the word “shining” intentionally. “Blinding” would also be suitable.
Background of the week. Oh, wait, that's Gin.
No! 13km was a lie? How dare you, Kubo?!
Twist of the week
In all seriousness, Gin’s “true” bankai (who knows if this is the actual, final truth) is even more ridiculous now than ever before. It doesn’t merely extend and contract, but instead it dissolves into dust, while simultaneously the interior of the blade secretes a cell-destroying poison. That’s a crazy amount of abilities from one zanpakutou.
Now, that said, while this combination of abilities makes Gin rather overpowered in the Bleach universe, the primary complaint I have isn’t with his bankai at all, but with Ichigo. These kinds of bizarre abilities are exactly what shonen characters should have. By comparison, Ichigo and his one attack look more pathetic than ever.
Still, I’m deliberately trying to find positives to provide some decent analysis of a thoroughly insulting chapter. No, this chapter doesn’t carry the same disgraceful impact as chapter 396 (the “everything was according to Aizen’s plan” chapter), but in terms of putting up the middle finger to long-term fans, this takes the cake. Bleach fans, Kubo would like you to know that the last three years have been completely worthless. Assuming Aizen dies here, the last three years of plot maneuvers have been shunned in favor of establishing a new arch-villain who is weaker than the last one. Of course, there is always the possibility that Aizen’s reality-altering hougyoku will shamelessly save him once again, but then that merely introduces a brand new slap in the face, which is killing off Gin out of nowhere within a couple chapters, all for the sake of yet another uninteresting “twist.” Either way, this is drivel.
Final Flash: A tutorial on how not to write a story.
Naruto 504
[scanlation by Binktopia]
Heartfelt dialogue between Minato and Kushina. This is as emotionally engaging as Naruto has ever been.
The Third Hokage watches on as someone uses the Dead Demon Seal from within the confines of a barrier. Interesting parallel, there.
Incredible piece of action as the Kyuubi pierces both Minato and Kushina, but is stopped just short of Naruto.
Maybe Naruto is a little lucky after all
Unbelievably powerful parting moment between Naruto and his dying parents. Kushina’s motherly speech and Minato’s typically concise reply are perfect complements to each other and to the gravity of the scene. I readily admit to tearing up a little.
True tragedy
Back in pseudo-present time, Naruto thanks his parents and Kushina fades away. Fantastic emotion.
Final Flash: This flashback has been without question some of the very best shonen of the year. This chapter was a suitably magnificent conclusion.
One Piece 594
[scanlation by Binktopia]
Right from the start, we see the Gorousei. This surely will be an important chapter.
Huge news. Blackbeard has already taken out one of the Supernovas.
But which?
Garp and Sengoku both being forced out of their positions brings about a notable change in the World Government, specifically relating to where it stands in the moral gray area in One Piece. Garp and Sengoku have both been portrayed as “good” characters, even if they have opposed some protagonists. The rest of the upper echelons of the World Government are painted as a more traditional antagonizing force. This should prove pivotal going forward.
Aokiji as the next fleet admiral would be the most appropriate of the choices we’ve seen so far.
Smoker is still working behind the scenes to chase after Luffy. I hope for him to feature prominently at some point soon. He’s too good of a character not to.
There’s the long-awaited news: Luffy rang a bell at Marineford 16 times, as a memorial and/or a declaration of war. Stunning.
Furthermore, he got a tattoo! Great touch from Oda.
Focusing on Kid is both appropriate (given the tone of the manga right now) and exciting. He’s positioned to become a fantastic rival to Luffy.
Some kind of force is sucking everything into the air. Assuming this has nothing to do with Blackbeard’s ability, the New World is already a terrifying place.
... what?
Luffy is sending a direct message. His involvement with Rayleigh in doing so makes me wonder if he’s reaching out to more than just his crew, since it seems like there would have been simpler ways to reach only them.
I may never have laughed as loudly at a manga panel as I just have upon seeing Franky.
Super.
No! Basil, don’t kill Brownbeard! His legend must live on!
The end of the chapter shows an island in the New World overflowing with lightning. Very creative design.
Final Flash: Reestablishment of several hugely important characters, introduction to the true terror of the New World, excellent subterfuge within the World Government, and a truly powerful moment from Luffy. Wonderful chapter.
Toriko 103
[scanlation by Hi Wa Mata Noboru]
Two pages into the chapter and I’m already hungry. Curse you, Toriko.
What are those?
I’m relieved to find out that Komatsu is coming. He needs to capitalize on his recent character development, and continue progressing into an equal partner for Toriko.
It seems Toriko is wasting no time on that front, either. His (admittedly somewhat awkward) proposal is only interrupted by the arrival of a Sealion Bird, which may very well be the creepiest-looking animal to date.
There’s nothing quite like a vine in the sky to create a great sense of anticipation.
Final Flash: It’s great that Komatsu is here for the trip, but what about Terry? And what happened to Komatsu needing a bodyguard, who should rightfully be Rin?
Beelzebub 70
[scanlation by Keishou Scans]
A cat. There’s a cat.
The sub-conversation between Izuma and Kunieda is very amusing.
Don't you dare take Beel out of the picture
A little spotlight for Kunieda! Good.
Oga going up for the overhead kick is pretty funny. While surely purely used for comedy, this move could also be referencing a real sport, sepak takraw, which is essentially volleyball played with the feet.
Final Flash: A couple good moments in this chapter, but this volleyball business is still in the way of interesting plot.
Psyren 128
[scanlation by QandA]
Amamiya’s Nova becoming intertwined with her sword could make for good attacking variety, setting her apart from the other protagonists.
A little Hiryu action, for once. It’s a shame he’s fallen so far out of the spotlight for so long.
Lavos needs a hug
Frederica complements Kyle’s fighting style nicely. It seems Iwashiro is in a rush to show as much plot development as possible in a short time, so these fights are more concentrated. We get to see the large attacks, but not very much in between.
Ridiculous power from Frederica.
Grana saves Uranus at the last minute, though who knows what kind of fighting condition he’ll be in for the remainder of the arc. Time to switch fights, and perhaps switch focus as well, hopefully to Shao and Kabuto.
Final Flash: Good, straightforward action chapter.
Bakuman 95
[scanlation by Sleepy Fans]
It’s happening! Romantic tension between Eiji and Iwase! This is a great moment.
Appropriate disbelief
She’s leaning right next to him, no less. This is going to be a fun chapter.
Eiji’s uncanny prediction abilities come up again, but honestly, this time was a bit much. Most of his predictions have been enjoyable, but this one was too specific and therefore didn’t carry as much impact.
Excellent comedic interplay
Actually, this is starting to be far too much exposition of the “relationship” between Eiji and Iwase for it to be real. It seems everyone is mistaken, and she’s pushing for something else.
Eiji doing a textless chapter is a bold act perfectly befitting of the rivalry between him and Ashirogi. This is exactly the kind of back and forth behavior I’ve been waiting for.
Mashiro continues to be the best part of this series. His shock at Eiji’s actions and his own level of talent by comparison are another great milestone in his fantastic character evolution.
Excellent facial expression
Great showing from Road Racer. Fukuda is still going to figure prominently in the competition for top spot in the magazine.
There’s the payoff: Iwase was pushing for Eiji to include Crow in +Natural. Frankly, I’m not sure I like the idea. Yes, Ashirogi must compete with Eiji overall, so it does condense the rivalry, but this feels more like a convoluted trick for +Natural to stay competitive against the ever-improving PCP. This somewhat cheapens Iwase’s role in the rivalry, especially considering her recent character change.
… of course, worst of all, this means Iwase might not be in love with Eiji after all!
Final Flash: Engaging chapter with a questionable turn of events at the end.
Katekyo Hitman Reborn! 299
[scanlation by I Eat Manga]
“A shadow approaches” … to probably train Tsuna and his team.
There is apparently a fine line between looking devastated and looking high. Tsuna is crossing that line.
This is a munchies emergency
There’s a character called “Coyote Nougat.” Yep. Only in Reborn!.
No prizes for guessing the figure on the cover page was a mentor character of some kind, and only a couple points awarded for guessing he was a bizarre old man.
Oh dear, the Vongola rings have spirits. Not that it’s being done well, but Bleach is already covering the “inhabited weapons” quota for Jump. This is a path I’d hoped Reborn! wouldn’t take.
Well-explored territory
This is incredibly linear power-up development, right down to this creepy old man having the blood of Vongola Primo. It’s such a waste of an entire series to just deliberately make infinite parallels between the main characters and their predecessors. Why not let Tsuna succeed on his own merit?
Who doesn't carry around other people's blood in vials?
Final Flash: All of the early charm of the series is again being ignored in favor of the simplest shonen storytelling imaginable. Boring chapter.
Bleach 413
[scanlation by Binktopia]
Yes, Isshin, Bleach is still publishing
Back to focusing on Ichigo’s friends, and we’re still in the Deicide numbering scheme. The former is fine, the latter is incomprehensible.
Background of the week
Ichigo’s friends looting for supplies is actually fairly amusing. I don’t mind focusing on these kids. They’re decidedly less terrible than the main cast.
Years later, Kubo is finally getting back to Chizuru being the only one in this group who can’t sense spiritual aura. This storyline was interesting back when it was still fairly new, and while it’s lost almost all its momentum in the time it hasn’t been mentioned, it’s still more worthwhile than the current major plot.
This chase scene (or, more appropriately, this slow-walk scene) could work if anyone but Aizen was doing the chasing. Despite his broken abilities, his lack of proper character establishment means he’s not menacing whatsoever.
Similarly, all this pseudo-comedy could work, if only Aizen wasn’t involved.
Twist of the week
Final Flash: Actually, the “twist of the week” could be that I didn’t hate this chapter. The fact that Ichigo wasn’t involved in a non-horrible chapter is no coincidence.
Naruto 503
[scanlation by Binktopia]
What a pleasant cover page. Pity our protagonist has never had a taste of this kind of life. Kushina’s hair being in the shape of Kyuubi’s tails is an excellent touch.
Brilliant skill displayed by Minato. In particular, Flying Thunder God is an excellent technique with (apparently) an interesting limitation to it.
Kishimoto has been on a fantastic streak lately, producing some of his best artwork in recent memory. It’s not even just the grand-scale attacks and flashy techniques, either; something as simple as the transition of control over Kyuubi has been shown through the art rather than wasting space with excessive dialogue.
Clear, explanatory art
Hugely powerful scene between Iruka and his parents. In fact, all these scenes involving present-day jounin back when they were young and comparatively helpless carry so much weight. This effect could only have been achieved in the manner that Kishimoto structured the overall story. Extremely well done.
Stunning family moment between Minato, Kushina, and young Naruto. Kushina instantly gains credibility as one of the toughest females in the series, and not just for the lack of competition in that category. Her genuine smile despite obvious pain is impressive and uncharacteristic of most other Naruto females.
Sakura can only dream of being this good of a character
In the same scene, Minato’s sadness is overwhelming. Again, the art shines, most specifically in one small, yet precisely detailed, panel:
Moving
Closing out the chapter, Minato prepares the ultimate sacrifice to resolve the situation. As with seemingly everything else in Naruto lately, the final page is very well-drawn.
Final Flash: Fantastic chapter.
One Piece 593
[scanlation by Binktopia]
Robin continues to be involved in the most intriguing subplot of all the Strawhats. Not only is her connection to Ohara fascinating, but now the Revolutionary Army is revealed to have been out to protect her. Excellent.
Great to see Robin’s confidence in her crew. Thanks largely to her involvement and backstory in it, Enies Lobby still stands out to me as the strongest arc in all of One Piece. Any further storylines that can be derived from her past are more than welcome.
Poor Sanji. His reactions are priceless, though.
Best imagined in the voice of Hiroaki Hirata
Hugely important news being discussed here, even if the audience isn’t being made aware of any details yet. Even finding out that the Revolutionary Army has various “leaders” spread around the world is notable, as is Dragon reaffirming the change in Kuma. Also, Dragon seems to have been drawn to look older than in previous scenes.
Noticeably older
Duval! The Thousand Sunny is perfectly safe in his handsome hands.
Even more focus on the duality of Kuma, as again highlighted here by Shakky mentioning the earlier meeting between the still-human Kuma and Rayleigh. With this much focus on Kuma, a revelation must be forthcoming fairly soon.
In an already stunningly vague chapter, Vivi’s comments stand out the most. What could she possibly be reading about Luffy that would lead her to question whether something is “stylish?”
Crocodile is heading to the New World, and Daz Bones is coming with him. Crocodile’s expression is fantastic; he might still be more evil than good, but it seems he’s regained the fire he once had as a young pirate, the fire that he mentioned back in Alabasta.
Livelier than usual
Closing out the chapter, some more foreshadowing, this time involving Buggy. It’s unusual (and equally intriguing) that his crew would interpret the contents of the paper in a way that Buggy has been hailed as a hero.
Final Flash: What an overwhelmingly forward-looking chapter. Deliberately confusing, but thoroughly fascinating.
Beelzebub 69
[scanlation by Keishou]
Shonen Jump references! Nice to see some appreciation for some other great series, especially Sket Dance, which (I am obligated to remind the internet) desperately needs translators to bring the series up to date. It is hilarious and well worth the time.
Kyle and Switch are too awesome for just one series each
Poor Alain Delon. Creepy mustached interdimensional vessels deserve maid cafe love, too.
Fun gag scenes involving Furuichi and the maids.
Eat up, Predator. It's getting cold.
The Horsemen are keeping things under control after all. They may be antagonists, but they still show loyalty towards their school. Good characterization.
Not at all on time, Oga is finally here. The “setup chapter” feel from all this is overwhelming.
Clearly, the long-haired character who was mixed in with all the thugs from Teimou has an upcoming important role to play. Could he even be the “demon lurking within the school” Hildegarde and Alain Delon spoke of chapters ago?
Not to be ignored
Final Flash: Some funny moments, but very much a preparatory chapter.
Psyren 127
[scanlation by QandA]
Finally, a major opponent for Frederica. She deserves someone strong enough to display her full power against.
Many large-scale attacks going on here. This would be fun to see animated.
Odd scenes of the Wise, particularly Misura. It’s unusual to see much (or any) face time for the Wise apart from general antagonism, given how little has been revealed about them personally.
It’s Kyle! The more these fights become intertwined, the more exciting the action should become.
Awesome has arrived
Absolutely fantastic panels on page 14.
Excellent fight design
Hey, it’s Hunter x Hunter!
Which one's Killua?
Shao and Kabuto should prove to have an interesting combination fighting style if they’re paired up similarly to Frederica and Kyle.
Final Flash: Good action chapter held back by some bizarre introspection from villains who usually stay quiet. Also, it must be said, the translation I used was vague and difficult to read.
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