One Piece 592
[chapter link]
Hooray! Zoro and Perona are next.
Mihawk. Zoro was sent to Mihawk. Absolutely incredible.
It’s so good to see Zoro in action again. His presence has been sorely missed.
Great dialogue between Zoro and Mihawk. They’ve had very little time together, but that time has always been meaningful.
Zoro would have gotten lost on the way to the ocean anyway
The battle Mihawk mentions will surely someday have some kind of significance. Remember this moment.
Good old Nami. A perfect mix of deviousness and true emotion. These individual character scenes are excellent.
Franky’s side story is amazing as well. I like how we’re slowly learning about Vegapunk through small mentions here and there. This is how to appropriately build a future character’s importance.
Urkel was never cooler
How nice to read about the heroic deeds of … Satan-sama.
Pandaman!
Final Flash: Fantastic scenes of the crew, most notably Zoro and Franky. Wonderful chapter.
Bleach 412
[chapter link]
Go ahead, Kubo. Reveal that Matsumoto is evil. Have her confess her love for Gin. Something. Give us a reason she’s been important enough to show chasing after Aizen and Gin in every chapter.
More comedy in a showdown with Aizen. Unacceptable.
Gin picks up Matsumoto and whisks her away from Aizen. If Kubo was capable of planning long-term plot twists, I’d give him some credit for maintaining the possibility that Gin is secretly at odds with Aizen.
Background of the week
More Don Kanonji, and more comedy. There’s absolutely no consistency to anything. Kubo has no plan.
Twist of the week
All those weeks of Matsumoto hints, just for her to be left lying on the ground, without the audience even getting to see what happened. Pathetic.
Final Flash: Bleach has the uncanny ability to make me run out of negative adjectives.
Fairy Tail 192
[chapter link]
Happy and Charle are the only two cats remaining! Keep going, evil forces! You’re almost there.
There are plenty of attack names and flashy explosions, but it’s difficult to follow what’s actually happening between Erza and Erza.
No, please don’t take the focus away from the Erza fight. That needs to finish quickly.
King! What does the scouter say about how bad this is?
Gratuitous fanservice shot of Lucy collapsed, angled from behind. Totally unnecessary, not at all exciting.
The enemies are being attacked by trees? … It’s Ueki! Ueki came from a different (and far superior) manga to save the day!
Oh, it’s only Fairy Tail.
Final Flash: Finish the damn Erza fight already.
History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi 390
[chapter link]
Fanservice on the cover aside, what’s wrong with her head? It looks like it isn’t centered properly on her neck. Or maybe it’s too big? Something’s wrong.
Speaking of fanservice, it’s a Ma fight. I guess I can’t complain too much.
Sure.
Ma neatly folding the stolen clothing is actually quite funny.
I take it back. I can complain too much. This isn’t an acceptable level of fanservice, even for a Ma fight. This is hentai. I have nothing against hentai, but there’s a time and place for it. Shonen Sunday is not the place.
As a direct result of this unabashed nudity, it’s impossible to take Ma’s impassioned speech seriously.
A dominating victory for Ma is what I originally wanted, but it’s been completely cheapened.
Final Flash: If I wanted to read hentai, I would. Don’t bring it into shonen.
Toriko 102
[chapter link]
[scanlation by Hi Wa Mata Noboru]
I’m not sure walking on water would suit Toriko very well.
Toriko can not only throw his knife, but has a 13-hit fork now, too. Excellent. …he’s still about to be crushed by Ichiryuu, though.
Leg fork and knife! Good stuff.
Like the Sistine Chapel... except someone is about to be pummeled
Great punchline for the “walking on water” subplot, with Toriko sent flying so hard that he skips across the surface of the sea.
A new job request for Toriko. This one should prove interesting, as it’s a different type of locale than anything previously explored in the series.
Final Flash: Like the best training arcs, short and sweet.
Beamcast – July 12
[download link – 115min, 47mb]
In this week’s show:
News
MangaToshokan removes manga
Kure-nai vol. 6, Major vol. 78 to include DVDs
Nabari no Ou ending in volume 14
Florida mother protests manga in public library
Weekly Oricon rankings (6/28 – 7/4)
New releases
[anime]
Black Cat – Complete Series – Viridian Collection (DVD) $39.98
Golgo 13 – Collection 1 (DVD; eps.1-13) $59.99
Naruto Shippuden (DVD 11; eps.44-48) $24.99
[manga]
Case Closed (vol. 35) $9.99
Hyde & Closer (vol. 1) $9.99
Inuyasha (vol. 50) $9.99
Nabari no Ou (vol. 4) $10.99
Yakitate!! Japan (vol. 23) $9.99
Current/Classic Reviews
Hayate no Gotoku!
YuYu Hakusho
The Great Shonen Tier List
Introduced this week:
Rock Lee (Naruto)
Abarai Renji (Bleach)
Usopp (One Piece)
Krillin (Dragon Ball)
Kuwabara Kazuma (YuYu Hakusho)
Niijima Haruo (History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi)
Sakurazaki Setsuna (Mahou Sensei Negima!)
Miroku (InuYasha)
Akuno Jiro (Hajimete no Aku)
Kurenai Shinkurou (Kure-nai)
Anime Discussion
Highschool of the Dead (ep. 1)
Nurarihyon no Mago (ep.1)
This Week in Manga
0:54:58 – Bleach 411
0:58:50 – One Piece 591
1:05:44 – Naruto 501
1:09:24 – Bakuman 93
1:12:38 – Beelzebub 68
1:17:36 – Fairy Tail 191
1:22:09 – Hayate no Gotoku! 279
1:24:04 – Kekkaishi 313
1:26:45 – History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi 389
1:29:59 – The World God Only Knows 105
1:32:00 – Mahou Sensei Negima! 295
1:35:58 – Psyren 126
1:38:46 – Zettai Karen Children 223
1:40:25 – GE ~ Good Ending 41-42
1:44:35 – Metalica Metaluca 8
1:46:53 – SWOT 2
1:49:22 – Gintama 314-315
1:51:05 – Katekyo Hitman Reborn! 297
1:52:08 – Kimi no Iru Machi 96
1:52:41 – Nurarihyon no Mago 113
Chapters of the Week
Final Flash
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Credit: AnimeNewsNetwork
GE ~ Good Ending 42
[chapter link]
Seiji chickened out and said nothing. Classic “I don’t want to hurt anyone, so I end up hurting everyone” protagonist. Having a spine wouldn’t hurt.
He can’t even talk to Yuki properly. This is such a letdown.
This is looking better. Seiji is actually acting straightforwardly again, asking Yuki out as thanks. Good move.
… of course, it ends up being a trap, with Shou already there. Awful.
Highlight of the chapter
What a ridiculous flashback. Such a silly way for Yuki and Shou to have become friends.
Don’t tell me that Shou is going to realize Seiji’s love for Yuki because of an argument over banana or orange better complementing chocolate.
Just in time, an actual positive moment in the chapter. Yuki’s smile after hearing about Seiji’s decision is step forward.
Final Flash: Too silly of a chapter overall, but one good moment partially redeemed it.
Weekly Power Rankings – 6/27 – 7/3
Beelzebub 68
[chapter link]
Oga lost after all. Ultimately, hiding the ending of the fight until this chapter was just a plot device. Disappointing.
Furuichi watching the upcoming fight while eating serves no particular purpose other than being funny. Still, it accomplishes that well.
Inexplicable
Toujou is right. Oga has become weak. I like that the main character has to again claw his way to the top of a newly-established power hierarchy, but it’s a little confusing that there wasn’t a transition. Oga went from the top to mediocre without any real explanation.
Baby Beel steals the chapter. Fantastic scene with him awarding the victory to Oga.
Finally, time for the school festival.
Final Flash: Beelzebub seems to be in a confused state right now. Its pacing is awkward and its characters, while still funny, are stagnating without appropriate development. Hopefully the school festival either brings back some consistent quality or ends quickly to pave the way for a new story arc.
Psyren 126
[chapter link]
Let’s see what happens inside this hyperbolic time… area.
Unbelievably direct romantic interaction between Yoshina and Amamiya. This direct of an approach to their relationship, after so long without any mention of it, screams of an author working to tie up loose ends of the plot for fear of cancellation.
Evidently Yoshina and Amamiya are going to be conveniently late, as any good shonen protagonist(s) should.
Kabuto’s frantic behavior isn’t helping to set the tone for what should be a massive story arc.
Suddenly, after not much buildup, the rescue arc is set to begin.
Final Flash: Awkward chapter. Feels very much like Iwashiro is readying the series for an earlier-than-anticipated end.
Bakuman 93
[chapter link]
Fantastic facial expression right off the bat. Iwase is becoming a strong antagonist.
Hell hath no fury...
Azuki is either being extremely bold or affirming as strongly as possible that she and Mashiro can’t meet again until they’ve achieved their dreams. This lends credence to the idea that Bakuman could be a comparatively short series, as it would feel odd for these two not to meet again for a long time.
Excellent backbone displayed by Miura in his meeting with Iwase. His involvement in his new role has been a question mark, but he’s obviously up to the task.
These series that are being rattled off in passing sound amusing. Who wouldn’t want to read Catalogue God John?
I’m not sure I like how the stipulation attached to PCP’s publishing run is being spread around so quickly. For Ashirogi to know it is one thing, since they need to be coming up with ideas good enough to keep the series alive, but I don’t like Miura, Iwase, or particularly Eiji knowing it. It cheapens the aspect of competition if everyone realizes that Ashirogi are under greater pressure.
Interesting phone call from Iwase. It seems she still has her wits about her enough to realize that winning doesn’t mean much if your competition isn’t fighting at full strength. Still, I hope she doesn’t completely slide into a more peaceful rival role, but instead adds a touch of respect to her intensity regarding Takagi.
Final Flash: Strange chapter. Iwase is a good character, but all this focus on her results in a disappointing lack of the sense of competition between Ashirogi and Eiji.
Kimi no Iru Machi 96
[chapter link]
Haruto not only saw the excellent opportunity to stand up for Eba, but he showed the decisiveness to act on it. Well done.
Screentone: Not always a good choice.
My poor eyes
Bizarre conversation between Kiyomi and Haruto.
Two characters in a romance series simultaneously realizing and agreeing that they are stupid generally leads to romantic hints between the two. Please, do not let this happen.
Kiyomi’s “apology” is quite funny, and she follows it up with an outright declaration of war over Kazama. My fears over her introduction have been relieved.
Final Flash: In comparison to the last few months, this is an uncharacteristically direct chapter; no coincidence that this is one of the better chapters in recent memory.
Fairy Tail 191
[chapter link]
I’m not sure how I feel about the female being reduced to the role of “cleric,” but it’s nice to see Wendy as an integral part of the action.
Missile arrays feel out of place in a magical fantasy series.
Natsu had to save poor little Wendy after all. When she was introduced, I was hoping Mashima had finally created a female character strong enough to stand on relatively even terms with Natsu. She even had the Dragonslayer title backing her up. Ultimately, though, it seems like she’s being firmly cast as support, even in the hierarchy of Dragonslayers.
The Dragonslayers’ ability to eat magic continues to play a far too important role in climactic fights.
No argument here
Black Heaven? Does Mashima not realize that’s the name of a different series? Someone should have given him a cautionary warning.
Mystogan was defeated on purpose. Garbage.
I’ve heard of lazy eyes, but lazy eye sockets? It might just be an optical illusion caused by the facepaint, but something seems horribly wrong with Mystogan’s facial structure here:
Awkward art
About time Erza v Erza is beginning to be settled. This should have happened chapters ago.
Final Flash: A couple moments of decent action, and we’re edging closer towards resolution.
History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi 389
[chapter link]
In contrast to last chapter, slight comedy in passing during the fight is acceptable. Ma asking for first aid, followed by Akisame’s stiff rebuke, is amusing.
A strong hint towards the outcome, if not the purpose, of the Eternal Sunset.
All out war forthcoming?
Tremendous display of simultaneous strength and agility from Akisame, in grabbing the spear and preventing its motion. This fight shouldn’t take much longer.
“I have a counter to your counter” is always such a silly line.
Interesting and unique finishing strike. I can’t recall vibration-based attacks being used often in battle manga.
Final Flash: Nice, short battle. Hoping next chapter is the same. These are fun diversions before the main event.
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