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History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi 384
[chapter link]
Cover page: … oh boy.
These guys! They’re pretty fun. Hermit’s there, too.
Nice to see Hermit socializing a little, even if it’s technically with the enemy. These enemies are a special case.
P9: Toriko is supposed to be the series that makes me hungry. What are you doing to me, Kenichi?
P12, top-right panel: “Don’t worry, he won’t hurt them.” Brilliant line.
Pages 13 and 14: Wow. I know the Elder is strong, but I thought Kenichi was trying to maintain some semblance of realism. Clearly, this series takes martial arts concepts to ridiculous extremes, but it does so with the pretense of being grounded in some realism. Garyuu X basically performing a Hadoken opens up new doors for just how incredibly strong the Elder is.
Even more confirmation of Kenichi vs. Tirawit Kokin and Apachai vs. Agaard Jum Sai. Excellent.
Final Flash: It’s always fun to see the Elder give us a glimpse of his insane strength.
History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi 383
[chapter link]
Cover page: Just in case last chapter wasn’t enough reminder that Matsuena is comfortable with fanservice.
(Speaking of which, just one page later…)
The full cast is here! Didn’t need the shallow foreshadowing, though. (“I wonder what everyone from Shinpaku are doing right now”)
Oh, Apachai.
P10, top panel: After reading Lock On!, I really appreciate the time Matsuena and/or assistants took to draw this hotel properly. The top-level balconies particularly look great.
P11-13: Have I mentioned fanservice lately?
Touchuumaru is adorable with that parachute.
Niijima with Kenichi and the masters should prove extremely interesting. The masters are brilliant, but Niijima is a completely different style of tactician. I think he would have come up with something better than breaking through the front gate.
Final Flash: Setup complete! Just in time, too. Ready for some long-awaited master action.
History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi 382
[chapter link]
P1, top panel: Okay, I understand Kenichi‘s propensity for fanservice, but Miu’s chest is pretty ridiculous.
Excellent cover page.
P4, bottom-left panel: Excuse me, sir; your neck seems to be trying to devour your face.
“I would even beat up the President, but don’t make me get on a plane!” Great line.
Matsuena seems to use progressively more cutesy characters in lighthearted/comedy scenes these days. Not exactly chibi, but slightly deformed.
Some menacing scenes of the Setting Sun of Eternity, then a rather abrupt ending. Almost feels like a page is missing.
Final Flash: It’ll take a couple more chapters to properly set up the main fights, but this was enjoyable enough.
Defense Devil 47
[chapter link]
Little difficult to take Idamaria seriously with cat ears.
P2: Whoa. Apparently Idamaria’s stand is from RahXephon.
Why did Mario games never let you hitch a ride on those huge irritating fish?
P6: 6 + 2 = 7. You heard it in Defense Devil first.
P7: I… have absolutely no idea what’s going on in this fight anymore.
So, a bear, with other bears for hands, is punching demons in full-body spandex?
P8, bottom panel: Why, hello there, Yagami Light. How nice of you to cameo in another manga.
Hurry, Luffy! Escape from the stomach of the giant snake! … oh, wait.
I wish my heart looked like a smaller, angrier version of me.
Hell clothing: Designed with panty shots in mind.
Final Flash: Some solid action, some completely nonsensical action, some more fanservice.
Hayate no Gotoku! 269
[chapter link]
Few series deliver immediate punchlines as well as Hayate. Poor Alfred.
Mikado really is going through with this. Wow.
The Yakuza guy! Hayate’s interactions with him have always been amusing.
Hayako!
This has been a Klaus-intensive chapter… comparatively.
Final Flash: Some fun jokes and some nice scenes of Nagi’s friends worrying about her. Light chapter, but nice.
Defense Devil 46
[chapter link]
Why, hello there, fanservice.
P2: Fanservice!
Naruto certainly didn’t introduce nor revolutionize the concept, but given the recent popularity of Tsunade as a character, Brillheart and her similar age concealment gimmick feel a bit stale. (That said, we have no reason to believe Tsunade doesn’t wear panties; Brillheart certainly fulfills fanservice requests more directly.)
The Coneheads-esque outfits worn by all the subordinates in these fights are… well, not the pinnacle of design, let’s say.
P10: Okay, maybe these guys are supposed to be comical. I have no other explanation for this move.
About time Jupiler revealed her obvious hidden power. Why else would we focus on the same endangered child so many times?
P17: Fanservice!
Final Flash: Good action. In fact, notably good, since it’s difficult to keep good pacing with so many separate fights going on simultaneously. Also, fanservice!
Hayate no Gotoku! 268
[chapter link]
Great color spread. Nagi’s shirt is fantastic and should be made available for purchase.
Fourth wall-breaking advertisement! That’s the Hayate I like.
If Hata really does intend to follow through on Mikado’s intent to take away Nagi’s inheritance, it will mark a huge change in the manga. Not necessarily bad, but considerably different. Should be interesting to see where we go from here.
Tama! It’s been a while.
Final Flash: Not exactly sure where this is going. I like authors that have the conviction to force real change in a series with an established formula, but Hayate without infinitely-rich Nagi may not feel right.
Kaitai Shinsho 0 – 6
[chapter link]
P2, top-left panel: The way the non-bubble Japanese text has been cleaned, it leaves what looks like a heart. Combine that with “Be good to each other” and you have an easily misunderstood panel for anyone skimming through.
I wish every series would simply declare when it’s time for fanservice. At least it’s honest.
Ah, good old “the thing you’re searching for is just a legend” storylines.
Fanservice to cliché to unnecessarily explanatory conversation for the sake of new readers, all within a few pages.
(And right back to fanservice.)
Somehow, I doubt that Narutaki said “Fail.”
Antagonists!
Final Flash: Probably the weakest chapter of the series’ short life to date, but still okay. Good to see some villains.
History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi 380
[chapter link]
Cover providing a little fanservice for the ladies. Assuming ladies read Kenichi.
You’re in trouble, young man! I sentence you to House Arrest, starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Pollak.
Agaard Jum Sai finally has a name, and finally Apachai is aware that he’s moving. That’s a fight I want to see.
Cute scene between Miu and Freya. Amusingly, I pictured the narrative boxes being voices by those old action cartoon narrators. “USING HER INTUITIVE POWERS…”
Touching comments from the masters. Glad Kenichi got to hear that.
Final Flash: Good enough to overlook that nothing really happened.
AR∀GO 15
[chapter link]
Honestly, I didn’t expect the old man to be good. Maybe that was just me.
Don’t get hit by the arrowhead, Joe! You’ll gain a Stand!
P6, top panel: What a panel. Excellently drawn.
Ooh, I do believe we have some Doppel action. Good to see, he’s quite an interesting character.
Tons of background on leprechauns.
Joe has history with Patchman! Flashback time.
Final Flash: I suppose chapter 15 is acceptable for a side character flashback.
Zettai Karen Children 212
[chapter link]
Finally, a new arc.
I wonder how many times I’ve seen a manga character in the fetal position.
We move from African plains to trying to get a body for Feather? More time-wasting before real plot. Hooray.
The girls like Minamoto. I get it. Please move forward with this storyline or stop rehashing the same tired jokes.
Hm, a decoy. The decoy mini-arcs earlier in the series weren’t bad. This could yet be salvaged.
Final Flash: If nothing else, I’m glad to have the girls back.
MiXiM☆11 91
[chapter link]
What I’m hearing is “Main character: Focus only on strength, leaving you conveniently out of the picture for a while, while we all fight and lose.”
Okay, officially strongly disapprove of Project Kurai Ryu. Leave your pathetic, unfunny attempts at humor out of the series. You somehow manage to look worse than an already poor manga. One of the worst scanlation groups I’ve ever has the displeasure of having to read. I wish Keishou did this series more quickly.
Such a straightforward, predictable chapter. I bet Dodo will easily brush off Ichimatsu’s next attack.
Sadly, I was right.
No, Anzai, your audience isn’t going to be emotionally moved by the sacrifice of a finger puppet.
Final Flash: Another week, another uninspired chapter.
Hayate no Gotoku! 267
[chapter link]
Wow. That’s a pretty sudden return to comedy.
“This is called a hat.” Isumi at her deadpan best.
Hayate walking in on her was a little too telegraphed.
Current financial climate joke! Actually, quite a good one. Unexpected.
Final Flash: The return to this style of episodic comedy could only have been more jarring if Hayate wasn’t on break last week. Funny, but difficult to get used to again.
MiXiM☆11 90
[chapter link]
No better way to get into serious mode than with a character with an onigiri for a hand.
You know the point in professional wrestling matches where all the obvious losers use their finishing moves in quick succession before inevitably being beaten? That’s what the first part of this chapter feels like.
(… what do you mean, you don’t watch pro wrestling?)
“Lets’s fly”? Really, scanlators?
Momoko doesn’t look bad with short hair. However, I don’t need to be told this by idiotic translator’s and editor’s notes.
Fact: Predictions ruin anything.
Final Flash: At least they’re fighting. Get the lesser characters out of the way as quickly as possible.
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