One Piece 760 was a good one – another of Oda’s chapters where characters simply put their trust in others and bow out of the main story, which while a convenience seems so powerful as a gesture. And of course Doflamingo isn’t so easy to take down. He’s started talking about his past – not a surprising one – so the real battle is going to be paused a little. 

Naruto 692: that ridiculous face/heel turn! Though it was always going to be the climax of the manga, I thought the recent arc meant he was going to sidestep it altogether. Instead, Kishimoto has set up the final fight in the most abrupt and stupid way. Surprise! Even though I had a million opportunities to further this agenda in the last fight I’ll do it now instead! And it didn’t happen until after Kishimoto got in more tsundere-Kyuubi lines, for even more demerits. 

One Piece 759: not a lot happened, and obviously this won’t be enough to beat Doflamingo, but it was deeply satisfying to watch it happen. Poor Bellamy, though.

Naruto 691: Kurama the awesome nine-tailed fox is being all tsundere again. Lame. Then there was some mawkish speech saying goodbye to zombies that didn’t move me in the least.

Genshiken 103: oh, Sasahara’s little sister. You femme fatale, you. This was really never going to have ended any other way – it’s oddly opposite from the West’s usual depiction of female purity...indeed, of most manga’s...but one of the main things prized in a book about otaku for otaku is male purity. How being a virgin is both an embarrassment yet a mark of pride. It’ll be interesting how the title’s singular take on transsexuality will develop next time. 

Yotsubato! 86: Bless Yotsuba trying to be a good girl! And all for the sake of getting a gift. But she was adorable, as ever. Each chapter – being so few and far between – feels like a precious gem just now.

One Piece 758: such an awesome chapter! If I was disappointed before that Usopp became such a success by accident, this undid any misgivings I had in that regard. And the cliffhanger? Badass.

Naruto 690: well, that was easily wrapped up. What an anticlimax! If this really is the end of the arc – and it may not be – I hope the end of the entire series will come soon. I suspect we’ll see more of Orochimaru yet, though. 

Naruto 689: did...did Sakura just do something useful? Sure, it boiled down to hitting someone in the head, and was done purely to facilitate the actions of the two boys, but still, that’s ultra-progressive by Kishimoto’s usual standards.

One Piece 757 was really a set-up chapter...but I enjoyed it very much. Bartholomeo continues to be utterly brilliant, Cabbage was sweet, Robin looked cool and Law is finally able to do more than flop about. Excellent!

One Piece 756 was a bit of a dry chapter, though I don’t think there are many titles I could say that about even though they include a scene of a giant nutcracker doll biting a horse’s head. The confrontation at the end was interesting, but Robin arriving right where Luffy was seemed a bit contrived and Usopp’s scene needed a bit more than him just yelling.

HunterxHunter 349: Wowww is Oda just trying to see what he can get away with putting in Jump this week? HunterxHunter's gotten away with a lot in the past, but I certainly didn't expect the giant boob and vagina monster. Otherwise, another slow chapter – I realise now that the prince introduced here is Kurapika’s target, and that the bodyguards are also tied into the larger plot of the voyage, but I don’t feel the arc has quite come together yet.

Naruto 688: Another ass-pull, as the Americans call it. So Kakashi has the full sharingan now, and can summon Susano’o. I find that mostly stupid.