Naruto 659 - though it ended with the focus on the giant silly monsters (one of whom to be fair the entire series began with, albeit less silly at the time), the most formidable bad guy finally getting some dominance made this chapter not too bad. I just hope the build-up doesn't end with severe disappointment. 

 One Piece 732: some action! Franky gets a chance to shine against difficult opponents, it seems. This arc is possibly the most complex yet in terms of set-up, and no more yet on where Big Mama is headed. I'm really enjoying the ride - as usual. 

One Piece 731: Well, assuming that it's the boy with the goggles on his top hat from the flashback, I wonder what this new turn-up means for the current mission and for the team dynamic. We shall have to see!

Naruto 658: more big silly monster stuff - but with recent Kishimoto, I think I should just be pleased he's not ending it after the first co-ordinated attack. 

One Piece 730: Back sooner than I anticipated thanks to Jump’s rather odd dating system! And a cracking chapter – some short but impressive fight scenes and a new character on the scene that if I’d really thought about I could have predicted appearing here but who came as a pleasant surprise to me. Glad to see that there’s not going to be too long a break.

Naruto 656-7: well, one of the two baddies of the season did indeed turn out to be as much of a wet blanket as feared. Deeply unimpressive. Thankfully, yes, Madara is still around and can be the series’ main antagonist after all.  

One Piece 729: Boo, another hiatus coming. But an exciting chapter, with the unreliable Straw Hats obviously now choosing to do things more directly, but that likely making all of Law’s efforts and sacrifice for naught. Intriguing.

Naruto 655: Yup. That really was it. That was all it took to avert the huge disaster building, and while Madara may be doing something impressive of his own, he certainly wasn't there to influence the master plan. So horribly lame. I just want to make it to the end, really. I'm not sad that a hiatus has kicked in until January...except that it only drags out the title's run longer.

One Piece 728: tying up the loose ends of last week's chapter about the history of the country the crew have now found themselves in, the stage is now set. As such, the chapter was a little dull, but there ought to be a lot more action coming now.

One Piece 727: a bit of backstory slightly awkwardly inserted, this chapter nonetheless had a satisfyingly devious idea behind it, and a series of shadowy figures to make us curious. Not a great chapter, but fairly interesting.

Naruto 654: that really had better not be it. If the way this crisis was averted was for Naruto to have a vague chat with the bad guy, induce a flashback, basically said ‘That little dead girl you used to like would be so disappointed in you’ and then everyone worked together on a big tug of war, it will truly be the low point of Naruto. Madara, you better have something decent to follow this crap up with. 

Yotsuba 85: a quiet sort of chapter setting up the arrival of a new character next time. Scared Yotsuba was cute, though, and her little riddle was hilarious.