Naruto 563 sees all five kages in action together, which is pretty awesome even if most have only been introduced fairly. After all, One Piece’s Whitebeard was incredibly cool to see in action even if he’d barely appeared, and the Supernovas were great even if they only made very brief appearances. On the other hand, Naruto battles are as silly these days as anything in Dragonball Z, with giant ghostly god things, giants made of sand and women spitting out lava fields. Not great stuff – it would work with a more humorous tone, but Naruto has gone for more serious shounen, and it comes out goofy.
Bakuman 154 revolved around a little twist I didn’t expect, but which made me smile. There was some of the old Hikaru no Go flavour here, too, in the art – passionate young people getting very excited about something a little silly. Good fun!
Soul Eater 91 had me giggling with its stupid, stupid first page about an iron bar. It was good to see Kid in action again, and that ridiculous moon close-up, but the title is still having real pacing issues and this didn’t seem like a full chapter at all. Kid’s opponent, looking like Shirou from Deadman Wonderland redesigned by Kitou Mohirou, is uninteresting and I’d much rather see what’s happening with Chrona. Still, I’m definitely still interested in the series.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
Fairy Tail
Fairy Tail 254: joining other major shounen series in a timeskip, Fairy Tail has just moved in an interesting direction – where are the main characters, and what will the minor guild members do to find them. It’s risky, not only shifting away from your main cast but suggesting that they’ll all be totally different when they reappear, but I like it.
Fairy Tail 255: so the time skip isn’t really a time skip at all – or at least, not for any characters that really matter. A little hop into the future and a chance to introduce some new characters. I like it. It’s too early for big changes to Fairy Tail.
Fairy Tail 256: a feel-good chapter of reunions and updates – with the drawing of the cats one of the biggest laughs the title has given me so far. And I chuckled at Juvia’s overactive shipping imagination. I was also glad Lucy thought of her parents – that was the main thing I was wondering about last chapter. Poor Lucy.
Fairy Tail 257&258 take the arc forward. I quite like that there were a lot of loose ends left at the end of the last one, but these two new dragon slayers don’t seem the most interesting thing ever. Well, we’ll see where it goes.
Fairy Tail x Rave: I’m not familiar with Rave Master, but it didn’t take long to get the hang of, and I liked this little crossover special. It was by-the-numbers, down to the usual crossover twist (we’re led to think the bad guy is someone from one series, only to be one from the other), but it was fun and I liked the mangaka poking fun at himself for drawing his main characters to look so similar.
Fairy Tail 255: so the time skip isn’t really a time skip at all – or at least, not for any characters that really matter. A little hop into the future and a chance to introduce some new characters. I like it. It’s too early for big changes to Fairy Tail.
Fairy Tail 256: a feel-good chapter of reunions and updates – with the drawing of the cats one of the biggest laughs the title has given me so far. And I chuckled at Juvia’s overactive shipping imagination. I was also glad Lucy thought of her parents – that was the main thing I was wondering about last chapter. Poor Lucy.
Fairy Tail 257&258 take the arc forward. I quite like that there were a lot of loose ends left at the end of the last one, but these two new dragon slayers don’t seem the most interesting thing ever. Well, we’ll see where it goes.
Fairy Tail x Rave: I’m not familiar with Rave Master, but it didn’t take long to get the hang of, and I liked this little crossover special. It was by-the-numbers, down to the usual crossover twist (we’re led to think the bad guy is someone from one series, only to be one from the other), but it was fun and I liked the mangaka poking fun at himself for drawing his main characters to look so similar.
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
HunterXHunter 323 was a bit of a shocker, and I’m actually finding myself really drawn into this Alluka situation. Indeed, I rather resented the comparatively dull election storyline for taking up pages. Nice for Hisoka to be appearing more too!
One Piece 645 – boo, a break next week! On the other hand, Chopper’s little revelation was awesome – if expected – and the arc looks like it will only last a handful more chapters. Still compulsive reading!
Naruto 562 – a few dud chapters were worthwhile for the awesome final panel of this one. Some of them have only been introduced this arc and it could have happened any time, but the five kages assembled make for a pretty cool image.
One Piece 645 – boo, a break next week! On the other hand, Chopper’s little revelation was awesome – if expected – and the arc looks like it will only last a handful more chapters. Still compulsive reading!
Naruto 562 – a few dud chapters were worthwhile for the awesome final panel of this one. Some of them have only been introduced this arc and it could have happened any time, but the five kages assembled make for a pretty cool image.
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
Jump Manga
HunterXHunter 322: a very Togashi idea! We finally learn the reason the last of Killua’s brothers has been hidden away out of sight so long. It’s all a bit contrived, but very much in keeping with HunterXHunter. It’s all a bit convenient, but I wonder what will come of this little story arc. I assume it will end up with Gon back to normal, but at what cost?
One Piece 644 was a stirring speech chapter. I’m just glad it wasn’t the start of an extended flashback into the bad guy’s past. Not bad, with a nice moment of posing for the Straw Hat crew at the end, but I want the arc to end.
Naruto 561 didn’t get the adrenaline going, despite the extremely powerful new foe and Naruto getting extra power. There’s an old person to sacrifice himself in what is getting to be a tired Naruto conceit and the stakes still seem low (clone Naruto vs resurrected dead guy controlled remotely, albeit one with lots of secrets).
Bakuman 152-153: two chapters today, as I hadn’t caught up with last week’s. I was quite pleased about that, as they went well together. Bakuman was playing to its strengths again – new, strong story ideas, drama with them going up against one another and the underlying rivalry of Ashirogi vs Niizuma, but … the manga is just getting pretty repetitive now. It needs to go somewhere major now, or end soon. But with the anime’s second season just starting, I know that’s not happening any time soon.
One Piece 644 was a stirring speech chapter. I’m just glad it wasn’t the start of an extended flashback into the bad guy’s past. Not bad, with a nice moment of posing for the Straw Hat crew at the end, but I want the arc to end.
Naruto 561 didn’t get the adrenaline going, despite the extremely powerful new foe and Naruto getting extra power. There’s an old person to sacrifice himself in what is getting to be a tired Naruto conceit and the stakes still seem low (clone Naruto vs resurrected dead guy controlled remotely, albeit one with lots of secrets).
Bakuman 152-153: two chapters today, as I hadn’t caught up with last week’s. I was quite pleased about that, as they went well together. Bakuman was playing to its strengths again – new, strong story ideas, drama with them going up against one another and the underlying rivalry of Ashirogi vs Niizuma, but … the manga is just getting pretty repetitive now. It needs to go somewhere major now, or end soon. But with the anime’s second season just starting, I know that’s not happening any time soon.
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Jump manga day!
HunterxHunter 320 had a lot of treats for fans – many, many old faces from the beginning of the manga, even including Hanzo and Biscuit. Kurapika at least got a mention, though poor Leorio is nowhere to be seen – and I’m betting there’ll be a big reveal with him soon. I have to wonder if this is partly to entice new fans in the wake of the anime starting, but either way I’m happy to see it. What I didn’t expect was for Gin to be such a funny, carefree character (despite it being in large part an act), or for Hisoka to be centre-stage for a while, which was fun. Plus now we finally get to the last Zoaldyck brother.
One Piece 642 wasn’t a particularly strong chapter, showing some of the revamped fighting skills of the straw hats but mostly reusing jokes and not taking the plot much further.
Naruto 559 brought with it a bit of a twist that invites a lot of speculation, but I can’t help but feel the solution it brings will be a let-down. We’ll see. Some interesting art this week, thanks largely to Sai’s rather stupid power, but I have to say the idea that Naruto swans in and the tide of the whole war turns is quite annoying.
Bakuman 150 (last week’s chapter, I think) benefited from last week’s arc climax, even if it was a weak end to a weak story, but was a strong chapter because of a background character with gravitas taking the time to talk with the various characters. It had a nice balance of character humour and drama, so worked well.
One Piece 642 wasn’t a particularly strong chapter, showing some of the revamped fighting skills of the straw hats but mostly reusing jokes and not taking the plot much further.
Naruto 559 brought with it a bit of a twist that invites a lot of speculation, but I can’t help but feel the solution it brings will be a let-down. We’ll see. Some interesting art this week, thanks largely to Sai’s rather stupid power, but I have to say the idea that Naruto swans in and the tide of the whole war turns is quite annoying.
Bakuman 150 (last week’s chapter, I think) benefited from last week’s arc climax, even if it was a weak end to a weak story, but was a strong chapter because of a background character with gravitas taking the time to talk with the various characters. It had a nice balance of character humour and drama, so worked well.
Sunday, 9 October 2011
Deadman Wonderland 48: a long chapter with an unneeded flashback that really brought no depth to some very obvious characters. Nice double-page spreads, though, and I did care what happened to Crow.
Fairy Tail vol 27: this new arc is short on originality, but I’m enjoying it a lot. Juvia remains my favourite character by far.
Fairy Tail vol 27: this new arc is short on originality, but I’m enjoying it a lot. Juvia remains my favourite character by far.
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
Jump this week was treading water a little, with no pun intended for the One Piece storyline. Maybe HunterXHunter will be better when it’s released by scanslators.
One Piece 641 was an action chapter in which very little happened – Luffy tried to get near to the huge arc, Noah, but Hodi got in the way. He also destroyed the air bubble around it, and then it got put back again. So not a lot happened until the very last page, where we were promised a revelation next time.
Naruto 558 annoyed me – it was supposed to be a great, uplifting chapter where Naruto’s many clones come to the rescue in various places, but it irritates me that suddenly everyone seems so useless – and the humour fell flat.
(later)HunterXHunter 319 was a light chapter – it’s refreshing to be reminded how funny Togashi can be. I’m not sure it’s the right time, though, and several of the Zodiac are nothing like as cool as they looked in the last chapter, but I’m glad we’ll have more focus on Gin, and hopefully we’ll soon be back seeing our main characters and how they’re faring.
One Piece 641 was an action chapter in which very little happened – Luffy tried to get near to the huge arc, Noah, but Hodi got in the way. He also destroyed the air bubble around it, and then it got put back again. So not a lot happened until the very last page, where we were promised a revelation next time.
Naruto 558 annoyed me – it was supposed to be a great, uplifting chapter where Naruto’s many clones come to the rescue in various places, but it irritates me that suddenly everyone seems so useless – and the humour fell flat.
(later)HunterXHunter 319 was a light chapter – it’s refreshing to be reminded how funny Togashi can be. I’m not sure it’s the right time, though, and several of the Zodiac are nothing like as cool as they looked in the last chapter, but I’m glad we’ll have more focus on Gin, and hopefully we’ll soon be back seeing our main characters and how they’re faring.
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