Mahou Sensei Negima! 307
[scanlation by Animum Mutare]
This is a strikingly effective opening page. If your mouth was left open after this, I’m sure you aren’t the only one. Shiori looks gone, and Dynamis is declaring the victory of their faction. Negi is going out of control, and the girls can barely do anything to stop him.
Surely not the first time Negi was covered in high school girls
Chisame is an incredibly strong character, and this is in stark contrast to having basically zero combat potential. It’s a testament to how well written she is, both that she can stand out among 30 other girls, and that she can remain vitally important to the plot despite not fighting directly.
Shiori barely escaped the fatal blow, and Negi has ceased his advance into being a creature of darkness. I don’t know how I feel about the former. A straight-out death isn’t something expected in Negima, but it might not have been a terrible development. Negi is rendered useless for the foreseeable future; he’s a shell of his former self.
Shiori’s speech cements her as a mainstay of the already gigantic cast of females who have gathered around Negi. In another series with this many characters, it may be seen as too much. In Negima, though, adding another girl seems more like a “why not?” sort of decision.
She has a pretty good point
Negi is out of it, but the girls realize the finality of the situation and decide to press on. I wonder how they’re going to manage without Negi, who according to Dynamis is the only one who could possibly take on Fate.
Final Flash: A climactic buildup to a moment that dodges a climax. Nevertheless, some brilliant characterization.
Hayate no Gotoku! 294
[scanlation by reddevilshn]
We’re promised action straight from the start, and then shown an excellent cover page. Isumi has always been one of the funniest characters the series has; her expressions are perfect.
Nagi is going to war with a popular doujinshi circle artist. It should be an interesting story, seeing whether or not she can write a passionate manga that will draw in people. It also gives her a great reason to keep working at making her own unique brand of manga, without which the series wouldn’t feel right. Her blank look as she asks what she just agreed to is priceless.
You're on, I -- wait, what?
The whole discussion about burning spirit is great, and it segues directly into Luca overhearing everything Nagi says. Bonds are being forged between the two characters before they’ve even formally met, and Luca just keeps getting more interesting. Her flashback to selling Chiharu her manga is drawing some serious parallels between herself and Nagi.
Hayate is in trouble, in a few separate ways (not the least of which is cross-dressing in the middle of a cosplay event). The robot is starting a fight, and Hayate is in true Hayate form when he makes the battle seem like a play.
Hayate is male, we promise you
Next week we have the trap-maid vs. robot battle, which I’m sure sounds as dull to you as it does to me. That’s the kind of thing you see happening in every manga at least once a month. I suppose I can look forward to it at least a little.
Final Flash: Good comedy and quick setup, and we’re building tension for the identity of the “28th.”
Weekly Power Rankings: 10/17 – 10/23
Rank |
Change |
Series |
Chapter |
Score |
| 1 | — | Beelzebub | 81 | 80.00% |
| 2 | — | Hayate no Gotoku! | 293 | 75.41% |
| 3 | +5 | Enigma | 6 | 72.82% |
| 4 | +2 | Nurarihyon no Mago | 127 | 72.67% |
| 5 | — | AR∀GO | 41 | 72.29% |
| 6 | -2 | Toriko | 115 | 71.92% |
| 7 | +5 | Gintama | 327 | 70.29% |
| 8 | +2 | Kekkaishi | 326 | 69.13% |
| 9 | +5 | Code:Breaker | 109 | 67.52% |
| 10 | +3 | Gamaran | 69 | 66.54% |
| 11 | +5 | Fairy Tail | 205 | 65.39% |
| 12 | -1 | History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi | 403 | 64.91% |
| 13 | +7 | One Piece | 600 | 64.56% |
| 14 | -5 | Psyren | 139 | 64.24% |
| 15 | +3 | The World God Only Knows | 118 | 63.77% |
| 16 | -9 | Bakuman | 105 | 63.09% |
| 17 | — | Mahou Sensei Negima! | 306 | 62.82% |
| 18 | -15 | Kimi no Iru Machi | — | 61.25% |
| 19 | -4 | Air Gear | 292 | 60.85% |
| 20 | -1 | Defense Devil | 70 | 58.08% |
| 21 | — | Naruto | 513 | 56.25% |
| 22 | — | Kyoukai no Rin-ne | 70 | 48.31% |
| 23 | — | GE ~ Good Ending | 56 | 47.33% |
| 24 | — | Zettai Karen Children | 235 | 38.18% |
| 25 | +2 | Katekyo Hitman Reborn! | 310 | 24.97% |
| 26 | — | MiXiM☆11 | 116 | 24.09% |
Absent: SWOT
Hiatus: Bleach
Series Roundup: 10/24 – 10/30
Mini-reviews for all the series without full individual posts.
Air Gear 293
[scanlation by SSA Scanlations]
I’d love to see more of the Air Gear world before ATs, or like this, more of the world as they’re just starting to discover them and everything associated with them.
Gazelle is a girl now? Seriously, what’s going on here? I’m sure Oh!Great has a direction he’s going with this, but constantly changing the identity of Gazelle without any real indication of plot connection is starting to become tiresome.
“Upside-down glowing ice cream cone” is the best description of Tokyo Tower ever. More relevant to the plot, Gazelle being a blank slate and serving as the world’s (or at least this part of the world’s) introduction to ATs is a nice touch.
This suddenly-revealed relationship is far too happy to last, unfortunately. Tragedy is poised to strike Kaito at the end of the chapter, but it’s safe to assume he’ll be saved, which perhaps directly leads to Gazelle’s demise… or turning into Lind? That part is still confusing. What an unfortunate time for a missed chapter next week.
Defense Devil 70
[scanlation by I Eat Manga]
Maybe it was conveyed or drawn in an awkward fashion, but Kucabara’s back-and-forth reaction to his watch being taken isn’t very good. Everyone falling asleep right after that is pretty funny, though.
The very moment of her first mention, Kucabara’s sister arrives, flying beside Jody. That’s a little too convenient.
She has a spell called Pyun-Pyun Bird. Combine that with her face, and I’m finding this character difficult to like already.
There’s an acceptable twist. Bird just being an illusion created by Kucabara’s late sister is far more interesting. The powerful magic she has and her invisibility to anyone but Kucabara still means that she’d be out of place in the main cast, so I hope she doesn’t stick around permanently, but she’s far more tolerable with this kind of bittersweet feeling to her.
Flashback, rainbow bridge, clock hands moving again, end of chapter. Is Defense Devil ever going to return to sensible, extended plot?
Donten Prism Solar Car 2
[scanlation by CXC Scans]
The unnecessarily convenient introduction of Professor Saeki effectively ruins all of the tension from the excellent first chapter. What a complete and immediate disappointment.
Saeki’s lofty speech about the lives and ambitions of students is made bizarre by the mention of the solar car as the path to the future. It’s still a bit early to lean on the crux of the series like this, given that this series is likely an introduction to solar cars for most of the audience.
The car accident provided the perfect opportunity to introduce a little romantic tension, as well as reintroducing some resentment via the destroyed bicycle. Instead, the author opted not only to have Shouta electrocuted, but also to have him talk to his dead father in his sleep? Ridiculous.
Freshly released from hospital, Shouta confirms that all chapter 1 tension is gone by repairing the solar car by himself. Surely, it was obvious that he’d eventually come around, but the second chapter is far too soon.
Junko’s insistence that this project is a responsibility could provide some much-needed drama. With all but the long-term goals from the first chapter resolved, there simply isn’t enough conflict to engage the reader.
Gamaran 69
[scanlation by Overload Scans]
This is a pretty comical conversation to be having with someone ostensibly related to the fearsome village where the Ogame school knows to train.
Rintaro is pretty jovial for a huge swordsman. However, his potential menace is revealed as his eyes are hidden from view when he comments on Gama’s intent to defeat Jinsuke.
The design of Juuren Village is immediately promising. That huge spire seems particularly menacing, and will likely play a major role in the upcoming training arc.
Sakura’s face is noticeably somber after the mention of Juuren being the location where the next Ogame head is chosen.
69 chapters in, and we finally meet the first woman in the series to be introduced as attractive: Rika. This is actually a positive; the fact that the author didn’t go out of his way to draw previous females in a more presentable fashion nicely evokes the era, as well as being a small victory for rightfully-empowered ordinary women everywhere.
Excellent emotion displayed by Gama, and even more pleasingly, the forced rest is completely skipped over, with the end of the chapter leading directly into the beginning of training.
GE ~ Good Ending 56
[scanlation by iMangaScans]
In addition to being one of the worst, most thoroughly inept romance protagonists of all time, Seiji is also the world’s worst Uno player, in that he fails to meet even the most basic requirement of playing the game.
A training camp arc in a romantic comedy only works in series with at least a halfhearted focus on its particular sport. For example, Suzuka could have pulled it off, because the two protagonists visibly participated in their sport. In Good Ending, tennis is an ignored backdrop at best, but more often a laughable extra.
The brief cooking comedy is welcome, but the positive interplay between Seiji and Yuki is frustratingly kept out of focus. Instead, the spotlight falls on Shou, who is saddened to notice the two having fun together. This author is absolutely infuriating.
Regardless of whether or not the window was open, how the hell would Shou think that Yuki overheard her express her love for Seiji? That’s another example of terrible writing.
Shou asking Yuki for help with Seiji is irritating, because of all of the drama it will inevitably bring, but Shou is at least a respectable character for being honest and brave with her feelings.
Katekyo Hitman Reborn! 312
[scanlation by Binktopia]
“Never refuse an invitation to get it on!!”? Are you coming on to me, Reborn?
This “Lightning vs. Stag Beetle” fight has been amended to a “Lightning vs. Earth Stag Beetle” fight. That’s at least a little more appropriate.
With lines like “I can make the very earth my ally,” I’ve finally figured out Reborn: It’s for kids. I don’t mean it’s aimed at a demographic of young adults and teens, as defined by its publication in a shonen magazine. I mean, it’s actually for small children. Eight year olds (… Dude). Think about it: If you were eight, stag beetles would still be cool and relevant to you, Rauji would be huge and imposing, and the line “I can make the very earth my ally” would be badass. Judged by typical shonen standards, Reborn is trash, but if you look at it as My First Shonen, it starts to make sense.
Lambo dials back on the motivation, so that he can obviously dial it back up later for yet another silly linear powerup.
Reborn (the character) finally plays a role for once. Why has he been ignored so much? He was such a huge reason why this series was so entertaining in its early days.
“Just now, I remembered how to use the Vongola Gear from my past memories.” Complete and utter drivel.
As bad as some other series can be (Bleach, MiXiM☆11), at least they have the decency to attempt cliffhangers properly, even if they often overdo it. A Reborn cliffhanger goes as far as showing the form of an attack, but then doesn’t actually show it striking at anything. Pitiful. Frankly, the most credit that I can give to this series anymore is that it’s making me run out of negative descriptors.
Nurarihyon no Mago 128
[scanlation by reddevilshn]
There’s another reference to the human side of Hagoromo Gitsune. This fight seems to be headed for a murky ending, sadly.
It’s pleasing to see that older characters aren’t being forgotten. Though his appearance is brief, Jami is a welcome sight.
The 13th has become annoyingly repetitive. We’re well aware by now that Rikuo and Yura must work together, and that the final blow must be struck with Nenekirimaru. Continuing to emphasize this point is a waste of space.
Yet another interruption in the fight from Hagoromo’s human side. We’ve had enough teases for this; it’s time to reveal what’s going on.
The pieces are all in place, but the first major action leading to the resolution of this fight will have to wait at least until next week, at which point the fight will need to end fairly soon. This battle just never felt quite right.
Psyren 140
[scanlation by Muda Scantrad]
Everyone being sent back is an odd choice, considering how little publishing life is left in the series. It does provide a truly painful scene, though, as all the kids are essentially left behind to die.
Being sent a year ahead of the previously established present is a good choice if the plot has time to unfold, but again, with a matter of weeks left to tell the end of the story, the author might have been better off ending the series with a climactic fight in the future.
The final arc is set: Find Present (+1 year) Miroku, probably fight him, kill Mithra. That’s a lot to fit in to a few weeks. I’m pleased that this series has a semblance of a chance to wrap up, but breakneck pacing isn’t much better than an abrupt ending.
SWOT 14
[scanlation by Red Hawk Scanlations]
Speaking of series with only a few weeks left, if SWOT doesn’t get canceled before Psyren, I may just shut down the website completely. This week’s distraction is the Knight Rider theme song, because even David Hasselhoff commands more respect than Manabizaki… and because watching KITT jump over things is infinitely more entertaining than reading this.
A tsundere in the first panel is an appreciated warning about the forthcoming suck.
No, adding romantic comedy elements to your series is not going to help matters. You’re still going to get canceled, so you’re only watering down what little substance you have.
All the girls in the series worked at one café, and now Yamikura works at the one convenience store we’ve seen? Does this city only have three locations?
Ladies and gentlemen, the transition between pages 8 and 9 is, officially, The Single Worst Manga Moment of the Year. Granted, SWOT could yet trump itself in its remaining chapters, but it’s going to take some serious effort to top this. No matter how bad a manga may be, the single most fundamental aspect of a manga is using art to tell a story. By replacing visible action with speed lines, SWOT has failed to achieve even the simplest, most basic, most absolutely necessary concept in all of comics, let alone manga. Even Bleach chapter 396, Aizen’s infamous “everything was according to my plan” chapter (and my previous contender for Single Worst Manga Moment of the Year) at least managed to show characters performing actions. This is an affront to manga. This is unforgivably abominable. I rate each chapter of each series that I read on a scale of 1 to 10, and while chapters like Bleach 396 deservedly earned a 1 for culminating years of plot in a single putrid sentence, SWOT has set a new low. SWOT 14 earns a zero.
There isn’t much else to review. Some little kid is the leader atop Teppen. I’m not concerned about that. I’m concerned with people who actually enjoy reading this series. I don’t even mean that in an aggressive or confrontational way. I simply don’t understand how anyone can find this remotely legible on a recreational basis. I feel like observing you with binoculars from behind a massive steel fence, as though we are from completely different species. I want to learn from you. Please, someone, explain a single point of appeal presented in SWOT that hasn’t already been done exponentially better in another series.
—
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 107
[scanlation by SleepyFans]
What a strong proposition from Mashiro. While I still worry about the focus diverting away from a unified Ashirogi striving for their ultimate goal, I do appreciate that Mashiro is getting some compensatory treatment after the spotlight was so distinctly turned away from him for a while. That said, Mashiro developing enough skill as an author to contribute is one thing, but him developing enough skill to stand on his own as a solo mangaka would effectively ruin the point of Ashirogi Muto, at least from the standpoint of Mashiro and his desires.
Perhaps I won’t have to worry too long about whether Mashiro will overshadow Takagi as a writer, considering that his determination to spearhead the one-shot was apparently founded on pure confidence, without an actual idea to support it yet. That’s a suitably amateur way of acting, enough to keep Takagi firmly in the picture.
It feels like it’s been such a long time since we’ve actually seen Aoki in an actual scene, rather than in a small cutout panel. I love Weekly Aoki Ko and all of Hiramaru’s comical longing for her, but she deserves more attention than just that.
Aoki’s editor is absolutely right in not wanting her to write another romance, but a hybrid fantasy/romance could be the perfect style of manga for her to stand out enough to work her way back into the main cast.
Iwase is also doing a romance series? I hope something changes, as I’d hate for the two female mangaka to be generalized and gender stereotyped to such an extent.
No, if the middle of this chapter is any indication, I definitely don’t have to worry about Mashiro becoming an incredible author.
Creativity is hard
Mashiro’s walk carries a pretty listless and fairly depressing tone. Writer’s block and lack of inspiration are respectable problems, but Mashiro realizing that he has no particular interests or hobbies is a little sad, whether or not the scene is meant to convey such an emotion.
The relationship between Hiramaru and his editor has grown in a fascinatingly bizarre way, to the point where Hiramaru is almost the one in control, as he deliberately provokes the editor into offering him incentives for working hard. The editor still has enough grandiose plans up his sleeve to maintain the advantage for now, at least.
Like Inception, except incredibly shallow
Whoa. Is this the creepiest panel Obata has ever produced?
Do your worst, internet
The rapid exchange of panels, shifting between Mashiro and Eiji each explaining their ideas for the one-shot competition, is a brilliant idea executed to perfection. Seeing Eiji again is enough of a positive, but Mashiro’s contribution to this entire scene is so great that Eiji doesn’t completely steal the show. Wonderful end to the chapter, and the fact that everyone is coincidentally aiming to do romance one-shots is fantastic as well.
Final Flash: It’s amazing how great this series can be when highlighting the strengths of the established cast, rather than unnecessarily building up a new character far too late in the game. The lack of Shiratori and the interplay between the strongest characters in the series made for a refreshingly good chapter.
AR∀GO 41
[scanlation by Trinity BAKumA]
Even if Arago is right to claim to be in trouble, the fact that his regeneration has kept him alive through this barrage is hugely impressive.
Arago’s insistence on staying out of the line of fire despite his Brionac powers is a comforting sentiment. This series would suffer immensely if Brionac evolved to the point where Arago could eschew clever tactics and trickery in favor of brute force. Some series work well with conventional shonen stereotypes, but AR∀GO would not be one of them.
The scene played out over only a half a page, but Arago refusing to fire Brionac in a manner that would kill a human has the potential to be a series-defining moment. Arago has always intended to protect humans, but this fact was never highlighted as intensely as this moment. Another more directly threatening moment could force Arago to reassert his refusal to use Brionac on humans, which would inevitably draw comparisons to pacifist protagonists such as Vash the Stampede and Kenshin, not that such comparisons necessarily would be unwelcome.
In stark contrast to the earlier reassurance provided by the explicit limitation of the regeneration ability of Brionac, the ability to fire beams is disappointing. The strength of this series lies in its exploration and adaptation of various myths and legends. This alternative feel has been complemented by the low-key Brionac power, which has somewhat resembled a Stand from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, in that it’s been shown as a limited power used in situational and insightful ways, rather than as a linearly-upgraded, Dragon Ball-style power. If Brionac continues to evolve down such a path, I can’t help but worry that Brionac would be overpowered for the subtleties of the legends AR∀GO explores, which could lead to Arai seeking balance by changing the overall feel of the series to a more traditional shonen style. Hopefully this is an isolated incident, but I admit to being wary.
Please, leave the shonen beams to the professionals
The next day, Cloteaux is noticeably absent from the investigation proceedings, and Coco is unreachable. After the disappointment of Brionac-beams, this is a pivotal moment. If Coco has been kidnapped for the purposes of a straightforward “damsel in distress” plot line, this series will have made major strides in an unwanted direction. On the other hand, if Arai defies expectations and uses Coco’s disappearance as an opportunity to establish her as a self-sufficient character, or at least varies a kidnapping scenario by having Coco actually suffer in some capacity at the hands of Cloteaux, then AR∀GO will still retain its unique feel compared to its shonen contemporaries.
Final Flash: Still an enjoyable chapter, but one that presents far too many unpleasant possibilities for the future.
Zettai Karen Children 236
[scanlation by JS Scans]
Supplement’s back, thankfully.
It seems last chapter was not the end of the Phantom Portrait arc, despite several indications that it was. Instead, we kick off with a curtain call for the play. Likely this chapter is going to be a wrap-up one for the arc.
The truce between Fujiko and Hyoubu continues for now, but that doesn’t stop them from baiting each other. Despite subtle hints that Hyoubu is becoming more open-minded towards normals and the government, it’s nice to see he can still banter like an antagonist. While I still expect him to change more significantly in the long run, last chapter was enough of a personality shift for a while.
Minamoto, being still in the dark about Hyoubu’s hidden agenda, compliments him for coming just to see the kids’ play. It seems like Hyoubu is going to slip under the radar this time, which is all the more promising. That said, his reaction when he realizes he just got a compliment from Minamoto is great.
It's not like I agree with your principles or anything
Kaoru kind of knows that Hyoubu did something, but has no idea what. Her intuition could do with a little more elaboration. Knowing vaguely that something happened doesn’t do anything much here other than give Hyoubu another opportunity to knee-combo Minamoto.
Yuuri seems to be building up a library of memories and souvenirs, the latest being her costume from the play. It’s fairly insignificant by itself, but if it becomes a thing, it could be used to flesh out her character whenever Phantom Daughter reemerges.
Last of all, the mascot characters, the most disparate pair in terms of relevance. Seriously, Feather is a plot-central timestream-hopping super-esper, while Momotarou is Hyoubu’s telepathic flying squirrel.
Because you're a squirrel
Apparently Feather’s obligation to change the past didn’t come into things today. Given how broken she’s been shown to be, it’s probably good for the plot that she’s not involved in every little thing. That statement she makes at the end, though, the one about things that Hyoubu let happen, is cryptic and could be referring to either his backstory or something yet to occur.
Final Flash: The Phantom Portrait arc ended without another major upheaval, which is probably for the best.
Kekkaishi 327
[scanlation by A-Team]
Mahora keeps wordlessly lashing out, and Tokine keeps phasing out. This interplay oddly reminds me of the relationship between Grineed and his assistant from Beet the Vandel Buster; this dynamic, with the powerful one pounding away while the invincible one tries to calm him down, feels quite similar. In any event, Tokine definitely seems to be showing a bit of stress despite her invulnerability as Mahora continues to throw wild attacks at her.
Making it a little hard to concentrate
I do like the way this confrontation is being set up as a mental battle of attrition, with Tokine trying to avoid snapping until Mahora decides to stop attacking and listen to her. This kind of struggle fits her character quite nicely.
In the course of trying to persuade Mahora, Tokine’s arguments turn towards Karasumori, and her thoughts turn towards her late father. Going virtually unmentioned for 300 chapters or so, the way her emotions are shown at the bottom of page 8 is absolutely perfect. One of the ways that Kekkaishi really hooked me was its unique approach to showcasing grief; it’s never something Tanabe hits you over the head with, and it’s rarely at the forefront of anything, but that makes moments like these so greatly impactful.
Cue up the Mother 3 love theme
Souji’s back up and about. Far more interesting than that, though, is Zerogou, coming to him with a job offer and making a roundabout allusion, which Souji misses, to a coup d’état. He’s clearly attempting to overthrow, or at least stop, Nichinaga. How he plans to do so should be interesting.
Prisoner #536’s transparent attempt to get away from Ichigou is a nice little bit of light comedy. I did not expect he’d be this fun when he was introduced two chapters ago.
It's important to put ranks in Bluff
Tokine’s continued speeches are getting a reaction from Mahora. Unfortunately for her, he’s not talking, but rather bringing to bear a raging tempest that gets felt by every powerful character in the Shinyuuichi. You have to wonder if she gets found out because of the tangible commotion her negotiations are causing.
Nichinaga waking up to find himself alone has the potential to go in very interesting directions. He may be a strong villain, but his ability is entirely people-dependent; all he himself can do is brainwash, which is meaningless without subordinates to play with.
Final Flash: This chapter continued to deliver with Tokine, and introduced an interesting new element with Zerogou’s plan.
The World God Only Knows 119
[scanlation by Red Hawk Scanlations]
Oh, it’s that one Gokult lady again. I would like to see more of Haqua’s partner. As an old-school dating-sim buff, the concept of a buddy who operates on the town-map system of the 90s is immensely promising. That said, Gokult lady will likely stay as a side character for a while yet.
Just as Elsee is taking Kanon’s place using a magic disguise, Haqua now is using magic to disguise herself as Elsee. Now all we need is Kanon to sub in for Haqua once this whole cursed dagger thing clears up, and the cycle will be complete.
Not that it would ever fool these eyes
Haqua wastes no time getting tsundere on Keima. That routine could do with a little more variety, but I think that them being partners for the duration of the arc is a good opportunity to take the chemistry beyond that of a standard tsundere relationship.
The logic behind deducing where the other goddesses are is vintage Keima. It still seems he has some deeper reason as well, but he continues to cite games as his number one precedent for pattern-recognition. Good to know that part of him is still as strong as ever.
Kanon’s public confession seems to have had wide-ranging consequences. Now the whole school knows, and the fans are raging. Fortunately, Keima seems to have integrated even this into his grand master plan.
Possibly the lamest protest group ever
We’ve been getting really mixed signals from Chihiro. She’s been ambiguous about remembering things whenever asked directly, but her actions, both passively and now actively taking an interest in Keima, suggest she does remember. I would not mind her being a significant cast member at all. That said, hopefully the ambiguous “Does she remember me or not?” teases will all be settled by the end of the dance festival.
Haqua is definitely a more interesting sounding board for Keima’s explanations than Elsee. The exposition of Keima’s plan was made way funnier by her deadpan comments afterward. This is the kind of chemistry I was hoping for.
The makings of a perfect partnership
Ayumi seems to be acting more aggressively towards Keima as well. She is another prominent and enjoyable character, but her and Chihiro both having goddesses would be a bit of a reach. It would be kind of lazy, just going with characters who have gotten the most post-conquest screen time, and would leave little room for potentially interesting but less prominent characters to play a role.
Keima’s final internal monologue of the chapter is yet another bold statement, but it differentiates itself from other similar statements made in the past in that it’s made with him lying upside down against the wall. Classic.
Final Flash: This chapter had some decently entertaining moments, and did its part to advance the arc forward.
Beelzebub 82
[scanlation by CXC Scans]
This casual relationship between Toujou and Shizuka deserves a little explanation. It makes sense that strong characters would know each other, but we have yet to receive any backstory. That said, I’m certainly not asking for a flashback here, but hopefully this storyline will be explored later.
Izuma vs. Toujou? This is unusual timing. Granted, they have unfinished business, but there are far more pressing matters in the story that deserve the attention.
Great comedy as Oga tries to shirk his responsibility. Beelzebub always follows through with small running gags to maximum effect.
As if to prove my point, Baby Beel imitating Oga’s action from earlier in the chapter is hilarious.
Slow down there, Kitamura
En has an old-school Game Boy! That’s pretty unusual for someone of royal descent, but amusing nonetheless.
Since the announcement of the anime, the scene of En failing miserably at the Resident Evil spoof for PS2 is the first scene that I’ve strongly felt that I want to see animated. The entire scene is hilarious, from Sachura calling Furuichi a douche bag, through En boasting about his SNES and Genesis, to the mandatory trademark parodies, and finally to the ludicrous resolution.
For a kid, he sure has his priorities straight
The decision to convert En from potential enemy to background amusement, while introducing Behemoth as the new antagonist, is a great one. It is a bit jarring to suddenly be presented with another new enemy, right as we were beginning to understand En, but En isn’t nearly menacing enough to be the enemy to carry a demon world storyline. Just from the silhouette given of Behemoth, his suitability is obvious.
Oga is left in near-panic by En’s warning, and the chapter ends with Zenjuurou implementing one of the old badass standbys: Lounging around, perched high atop scaffolding. Training time?
Final Flash: Great comedy and a necessary villain switch. The gears are in motion.
Bleach 424
[scanlation by Binktopia]
That Jump cover… wow. Don’t look excited to be back or anything, Ichigo.
Ichigo… Ichigo! Good morning, Ichigo! Come on, sleepy head! Get up! (Does anyone not think of this when an opening scene shows a character waking up?)
The color scheme of the cover spread and the liveliness of Ichigo’s house are evocative of the old Bleach, from way back at the beginning of the series. Let’s hope Kubo felt nostalgic about quality, too.
There’s been a timeskip, apparently. Hmm… a timeskip… haven’t some other series done that?
At least Ichigo's hair isn't retractable, and I don't see Sakura anywhere
Joking aside, this timeskip has the potential to be the most story-relevant and meaningful of the Big 3. Unlike the other two, Bleach has the chance to completely change its tone and direction. The story is as close to a blank slate as any series could be after 400 chapters. Will Kubo actually opt to go down a different path? Probably not, but the option is there, should he want to be adventurous and make these next few years worth something. Frankly, even if he sent the story in a new direction and produced a story as lifeless as what we’ve suffered through for the last few years, Kubo would deserve immense respect just for breaking convention and not relying on established success.
Of course, I don’t see any of that happening, but I want to remember this moment as the fork in the road before Kubo steered us right back into the ditch.
Ichigo told Chad and Inoue (among others) what happened while he was sleeping? That’s so many levels of bizarre. What were you doing sleeping around a whole bunch of people? Why can you sleeptalk so accurately? (EDIT: The Binktopia translation has since been corrected, to Chad and Inoue themselves telling the others while Ichigo was sleeping.)
I hope the mention of Karin’s improvement and increased responsibility is more than just a casual aside. The main cast needs to be shaken up, and not only Karin would be a bright addition, but such a move would fulfill some plot potential from early in the series.
Ishida running in the hallways, presumably to take care of a Hollow, presents another interesting storyline possibility: Ichigo, now powerless, faces an identity crisis as he tries to leave his previous fame and importance behind him. As his former colleagues and allies continue to fight, Ichigo fights against the depression naturally associated with his irrelevance. Once again, do I see this happening? Certainly not, but I can dream.
Background of the week
Ichigo shooting down any semblance of loneliness or dependence on his now-former life is disappointing. I’m not asking for Bleach to suddenly turn into an emotional, introspective work, but a little character emotion outside of “callous shonen hero” would do a world of good.
At least Kubo hasn’t failed to remember that Ichigo is still a very fit young man. Chasing down a thief is a bit of a cliché, but compared to the gigantic attacks from the last few years of Bleach, I’ll gladly take any semblance of subtle, subdued action.
There I was, about to compliment Kubo on his art, for angling the “camera” below the bag so that the zipper also somewhat looks like a scary set of jaws… when the full-page shot of this mystery character reveals that Rob Lucci is now making cameo roles.
CP9 of th-- ahem, Twist of the week
Final Flash: A completely acceptable chapter, but nothing actually happened, so that isn’t saying much. The “new,” post-timeskip Bleach will be judged more fairly when the real action resumes.
One Piece 602
[scanlation by Binktopia]
A title like “Rudder Straight Down” must mean we’re finally off to Fishman Island, right? … right?!
I’m immensely appreciative of Oda keeping the flashback of Luffy training under Rayleigh to two small panels. It appropriately conveys the feeling of gratitude without ruining any pacing.
Perona looks lovely after her timeskip redesign, but you didn’t need me to tell you that; Sanji made that quite evident.
This is the face of addiction withdrawal
Brook has finally arrived aboard Sunny-go. While his interaction with Nami was funny, it doesn’t make up for how much focus he’s received, and how long it’s taken for him to get here. Of all the crew members who could have been justified becoming famous and being hinted as being bigger than the crew, Brook is dead last.
Finally. For the first time since chapter 512, released September 1, 2008, the entire crew is together. Despite some truly excellent storytelling throughout the War arc, it’s been an agonizing wait. I still don’t feel like the weight has been fully lifted, because of some of the outlandish crew redesigns, but complaints aside, seeing everyone reunited is a major relief.
A moment literally years in the making
Of course, they’re not back together for an entire minute without Luffy being awestruck by Franky’s redesign, or without Sanji spilling his body weight in blood from his nose at the sight of the ladies. This kind of crew interaction has been long overdue.
The Straw Hats are getting quite a lot of help in escaping from Sabaody Archipelago. That’s actually a positive; it removes the need for them to fight their way out and reveal all (or any) of their interesting new abilities. Also, it provides an interesting look at these mentor characters outside of their previous surroundings, and creates the opportunity for crew members to react to each others’ helpers.
Of course.
I sincerely hope we’re treated to some cover stories chronicling the whereabouts of these mentor characters. Many of them are too interesting to cast aside for good after this arc.
After a satisfying explanation of Sunny’s bubble coating and how the ship will sail using undersea currents, we’re off to Fishman Island. If waiting for the crew to reunite felt like a long time, waiting for Fishman Island has been an eternity; it was first mentioned in chapter 69, way back in 1999.
Final Flash: Another setup chapter for the next arc, but a completely acceptable one, given the amount of interesting events in it. After years of waiting, we are finally at this incredible moment. Everyone ready for next week?
Enigma 7
[scanlation by CXC Scans]
Sensible decision of the guys to leave someone behind to guard the girls. There will indeed be no lame hostage plots in this manga. Well, the president is already captured, but none of the “save the distressed damsel” plot that lesser series seem to love.
Matsurigi is indeed in the incinerator. Strange, though not entirely off-base, for him to cite his student council duties so insistently now. He’s clearly not the leader figure after being captured so easily. Still, it does provide us with a solid moment of comedy.
Student council members: They just always know
The next password hunt/test begins. This time, it’s a moral dilemma problem. One key, two doors, and something important behind each one. Fairly standard setup. Of course, ever the hero, Haiba vows to get both.
Moto vanishing the door is a pretty good utilization of his power. This is a clever way for him to contribute, and it also soothes one of my few lingering worries about this series. Up till now, we were dealing with puzzles deliberately written to make characters useful. While they were well-written puzzles, they were situational. Moto’s actions here show that Sakaki Kenji is abundantly capable of applying set powers to a wide variety of situations.
Opacity doesn't stand a chance
Unfortunately, seeing through the door does little to help the guys figure out a way past it. Matsurigi, about to be taken over by the shadow, seems resigned to lose his life anyway. Too bad he went under before he was able to spill that one critical bit of information about the shadow’s identity.
The shadow taking over Mitsurigi triggers an abrupt personality change. Evil Mitsurigi now is demanding to be freed. It seems like he’s going to play Haiba and Moto’s humanity against them. This would be an appropriate time for the hooded guy to step up to the plate.
Final Flash: Very solid chapter. This series has a good way of delivering situational uses for the limited powers it gives its characters.
Toriko 116
[scanlation by Hi Wa Mata Noboru]
With Melk now revealed to be a fabulous bishonen, Toriko and Komatsu certainly show enough shock. I guess we were expecting a bit less sparkle and more muscle, based on the rumors they heard.
Despite the shoddy maintenance of Melk’s hut, Komatsu’s totally geeking out over its contents. That aspect of his character never gets old, and given that this is a spotlight arc for him, I’m expecting fun times.
Better than an ocean of penguin drool
It’s a bit odd that Melk’s house would be this slashed up. On one hand, it fits his design, but on the other hand, what we’ve seen of his knife skills indicates he has a bit more control than that. Toriko seems to be aware of this, also.
Okay, the cuts in the floor make sense if a comparatively dull Melk knife can bury itself blade-first in the floor just by free-falling. The knives have to be at least that good for them to be a serious level-up for Komatsu, anyway.
It’s an interesting choice on Toriko’s part to backhandedly insult Melk and then mess up the floor of his house. He has to be deliberately provoking Melk for some reason; I can’t see Toriko being this much of a jerk by accident. Melk has certainly been provoked enough.
We'll settle this with a caber toss
Knife fight time! Toriko’s hand-knife matches up evenly with Melk’s, and after a little action, he has Melk down on the ground. The twist at the end, that this Melk is not, in fact, the real one, raises a couple possibilities: possibly he’s a disciple, or else Melk is a company’s name rather than a single person’s.
Final Flash: Felt like a short chapter. Hopefully the fake Melk plot doesn’t lead to a sizable detour.
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