Manga Chapter Review Anthology #3

Yeah, I think I’m over the subtitle thing. There might a be a few every now and then, but don’t expect to see them going forward. Um……………….. My Hero Academia Is On Break This Week. And: One Piece Will Be On A 3 Week Break following the release of chapter 1,111(the one we’ll be discussing this week). Don’t know why yet, but I hope Oda gets some rest. Ah………… I finished up the Short Review for this month’s Dragon Ball Super, and am in waiting for either the early translations or- with the way things are going– waiting for the chapter to release. It’s Monday, March 18th, 2024, 2:09 pm at the time of my writing this- the official release for Super and Boruto are the 19th this month. Even I can’t do a full review in a whole day; I barely managed the Short Review. So I’m libel t just use the early scans to make the images I’ll use and just do the review based on the official. I kind of prefer using those fan translations to make images; I like the details like translating the Editor’s notes or trying to give context to certain puns. 

I also think they work well for the editing software I use(he says like he knows how it works); I like the way the images come out. Ah…………. Oh, wait; I think I had some kind of anecdote to start this off! Ah, it’s a little too late for it. It was just me asking you guys what you’d do with $1 Billion, and then telling you what I would do. Long story short: Not a d@mn thing for the rest of my life. Spend all my time making sure I never go broke again, then go into my “Golden Years” gracefully. Something like that. Eh; maybe next time. Let’s Begin. 

Edens Zero Chapter 280: “Wind Lance“

Picking up from Last Chapter: Ziggy goes Overdrive and puts his FIST through Void’s chest. But Void’s a machine first and foremost, so it’s not like something like that would be the end of it. And he has “Cat Leaper” to boot, using it to rewind time to before he got hit and avoid the attack- confirming that time can still be rewound even after Mother is no longer. Void thinks that just having “Cat leaper” is what puts him over Ziggy, but Ziggy is getting ready to teach his “delinquent son” “The Meaning Of Power.” Back On The Edens Zero: Kleene is struggling to get the ship back in working order, while Cure starts spouting his Universe 0 Origin Story. ORIGINS: Pretty much the same right up to the “Atmos Day” on Planet Swan in the Yukino Cosmos. What was to be the “Bloody Atmos Day Incident” was prematurely stopped by the Interstellar Union Army(presumably with some of the Oracion Seis Interstelar there, as we see Jaguar with Holy and her sister). That day was the “Wake Up Call” he needed: His goal of “Creating Evil So That His Light Would Shine” had turned him into that Evil. And it turns out he’s Super Into It. So now he’s just “The Bad Guy.” 

Kris(Jinn) tells him that he shouldn’t tote himself about as some “Fallen Hero,” citing the differences between him, and the other former enemies(Drakken, Kureani, and Shura) they’ve met since coming to Universe 0; how they’ve changed, but not Cure. Makes HIS job easier, though– he can knock this guy out without feeling bad about it. The battle continues, and really Cure’s regeneration is the only thing that’s keeping him in the fight. That and his d@mn technokinesis. But for the first time EVER, Kris is actually putting Xenolith’s training to use, shooting his hands off to punch Cure and break out of his bondage. Then he REALLY starts kicking his @$$, realizing that Cure’s core is in the same place as Crow’s was. Fight ends with the chapter’s namesake. Someone on twitter expressed their disappointment with this fight– at least in that it was likely his Final Battle In The Story. And…………….. Kind of agree with them. 

Like……….. these 2 shared No History, nor did Cure have anything that wasn’t easily “disproved” through actions. He was just………………. WRONG, and………….. no, he was just wrong; I was gonna start talking about his “lack of conviction” in Universe 0, but seeing as his story was pretty much the same up until that 1 event, he pretty much already lacked that. Man, I would have rather Mashima bring back Muller just to give the Rutherford’s some kind of “Resolution” to their story- FINALLY kicking the @$$ of the d0ucheb@g that ruined them in the previous world. But instead he ends up getting an “Easy W” on some bum no one liked the first time around? Because what, he and Kleene care about Holy? You f*ckin’ serious right now? If this the the kind of energy you’re bringing to the crew’s “Final Battles” of the story, then I’d rather you just offscreen anything that’s not character focused. ‘Cause I’ll admit: I’m still liking the characters. But these fights are starting to suck.

Four Knights Of The Apocalypse Chapter 143: “Tragedy“

After seeing his father hand over the coveted “Drug Of Yore” to a perceived “outsider-“ Mertyl’s despair overflows, prompting that Kilbeggan guy to come out of hiding- wanting to lend a “helping hand” to a fellow “reject.” You see: Kilbeggan is a Two Headed Lizard Man- the offspring of a certain races created by an ancient mage on a “whim.” Once feared as having Dragon Blood flowing through them- they now only reviled as “Hideous Creatures.” This left Kilbeggan adrift, unwanted everywhere he went until King Arthur offered him a home in Camelot. His “beef” isn’t with all “Non-Humans” per say– just the 4 Clans(Giants, Fairies, Demons, and Goddesses) who continually plagued humanity with War. But back to the offer: Arthur Wants The Drug Of Yore, but the Fairy clan is REALLY starting to clamp down on who can and cannot get into the Fairy Realm. Which is why he’s asking Mertyl. In exchange for the Drug of Yore- Kilbeggan might be able to help him with all those negative emotions……………..

Fairy Realm: Diane is looking around for her husband. Whe they find each other, he buries his head in her chest in sadness from what Nasiens said earlier. Diane asked why he gave up the drug so easily after all this time, to which King said he saw how hard Nasiens was working, and wanted to help his kid in some way. Thus confirming to their kids that Nasiens is a sibling of theirs. They’re not…………… “upset.” Though Sixtus is Disappointed in them for not helping their struggling son Mertyl with his problems. We cut over to Nasiens, who’s working EXTRA hard on a cure for Percival- as if to spite King. But out his window he sees Tioreh walking around, meeting up with Mertyl. She affirms to him that- no matter what– he’s their older brother. Not like it matters, ’cause he’s under some kind of hypnosis, vowing to make Nasiens- and all who side with him– pay. 

……………… King and Diane are, uh……………… they’re gettin’ the “short end of the stick,” huh? It certainly isn’t their intention to just abandon Mertyl, nor do I think King “chose” Nasiens over Mertyl. Maybe there’s something else to the drug that no one knows about– something that would be better used for Nasiens than Mertyl. Or perhaps he really wasn’t thinking about it. It IS kind of weird that he never considered giving any of this to Mertyl. Maybe he was hoping Nasiens could make more of it with his “Venom Mixer” and give some to Mertyl. Don’t know why he wouldn’t have told Nasiens- that feels like a way to make Artificial Tension for the characters. Hopefully this problem is resolved soon……………..

Chainsaw Man Chapter 159: “Attack On Samura“

Iseumi yells to Akoku and Higashiyama(those other 2 Devil Hunters Club members that were always around he and Fami) that they don’t have to follow him. Akoku doesn’t have anywhere else to go, and Higashiyama 1)Too scared to be alone and 2)Doesn’t know where the exit is. So they follow Asa and Fami to Chainsaw Man. Along the way, they see some of the Chainsaw Man Fans who’ve become Chainsaw Monsters. Higashiyama gets so terrified he falls over and yells. Thus- A Public Safety Devil hunter arrives, asking why his Wife became a Chainsaw Monster over these kids or the irritating man who lives next to him. It’s enough to make him think there’s “No God.” Asa asks him if he had ever done anything in his life that would warrant it. He says it MIGHT be the 6 month affair he had with this lady from his office, which alerts them that this guy was a distraction, keeping them there long enough for Samurai Sword and the Nail Fiend to come in and start kicking some @$$. 

Guillotine is out of commission, so it’s up to the War Duo to fend these 2 off- with 1 arm between the 2 of them. It’s probably Asa keeping them from ingesting the blood they need to regrow that arm, but I get the feeling she’s going to get over it when it’s “Do-Or-Die” time- which is about to start. It is also looking up whether Higashiyama’s gender that I learn: He’s Kobeni’s younger brother. Don’t know if they have a good relationship, but based on what she said in her last appearance in Part 1- I don’t think their on “the best of terms.” And that’s even if Kobeni is back with her family; she was actually kind of glad she couldn’t reach out to them. At least her parents. I wanna see Kobeni again, and yet I hope she’s living a Happy Life somewhere far away. Probably not, though. 

One Piece Chapter 1,111: “Sun-Shield“

St Mars broke through the barrier around the Labophase. Jinbe sees him get through, signaling that they need to DIP. But Lucci is still standing and rearing to go even after Zoro’s attack. So he has to blindside him with a “5,000 Brick Chop.” Lucci returns to normal in time for Mars to come and demand York’s Location. Lucci goes “above and beyond” that and gives a Full On Status Report:

• York Is Still Tied Up In The Control Room On The 4th Floor of Building A
• Roronoa Zoro and First Son Of The Sea Jinbe Just Ran Off
  • There are 5 more Straw hats and 2 Vegapunks
• They’re all planning to escape from the back entrance of the Labophase
• There are 85 Cipher Pol agents and 4 Seraphim in the basement
• 6 minute left before Vegapunk’s message

With no questions left to ask, Mars is off. But Lucci request that Mars at least Spars Kaku. But Mars says he likely won’t notice “One Insect” amongst the Hive he’s about to crush. Back On The Fabriophase: Luffy is surprised to see Dorry and Brogy are here. They say they could “hardly recognize” Luffy with that appearance- the same appearance as the Sun God in Elbaf Mythology. But Luffy doesn’t understand what they’re talking about. They then turn their attention towards the Gorosei, whose Giant size reminds them of their times in the Jungles on Elbaf. Sanji had told them along the way that the top priority right now is to Run- on the Giant Warrior Pirates ship on the other end of the island. And now that they’ve found Luffy, Dory sounds the horn to start escaping. But the Gorosei are not gonna let this chance slip away, and Warcury(Fengxi) sends out a Roar of Conqueror’s Haki powerful enough to………………….. the blast knocks off Luffy’s eyes, scars, hat, and sandals- everything but his shorts. Oh, and it also knocks out some random Marines and such. 

Warcury attacks Dorry and Brogy, who block him with “Svalinn Sun-Shield,” and send him back with “Skilja Split.” Saturn shoots some poison bullets, but Luffy grabs a tree and turns it into a baseball bat with his teeth, and sends the bullets back. Then they explode. Not like it killed em, though. Nevertheless- the Captains Retreat. It’s VERY MUCH time to bail. Unfortunately, some Vice Admirals are standing between Bonney’s group and the Elbaf ship. Labophase: Mars asks York where the transmission is comign from, but she’s too terrified by him to give an actual answer. Kizaru’s wounds are bad, so he’s down and pretty much out. But, uh…………….. he may not have a choice anymore. ‘Cause at the end of the chapter– The Iron Giant is Up And At Em, marching through the flames saying “Sorry… Joyboy…” SO………… It knew Joyboy. Kind of expected that. Did he build this thing? He can “do whatever he wants.” If he already had the knowledge to build it, then I imagine using the Looney powers of the Nika fruit would make it quick. Either way you splice it: This thing is an ally. And something tells me…………. it won’t be too happy seeing the Gorosei……………….

Conclusion

Uh……….. I don’t……………. have anything to say. Like- at all. Well: I had this conversation with Mammoth Base Opera Castle over on his site about the “state” of My Hero Academia and how we view the series at this point. And– it was “Eye Opening” to say the least; I didn’t think I still cared as much as I did. But looking at how long my comments are- I guess I still care A LOT. We ended up talking a lot about Horikoshi; how we think he feels about his series and manga in general, now that he’s achieved his dream. And about the series “potential” for stories to be told. I swear, that series is the “Gohan” or manga– LOADS of untapped potential; peaked young and NEVER reached those heights again; its fanbase divided over whether it should be “true to itself” or what we all wanted it to be. My only hope for that series is that it becomes a “Monthly Anthology-“ new chapter every month with an open-and-shut, semi-self contained story. It’s always felt like the type of series where everyone was the “main character” of their own stories. I think a good continuation would capitalize on that. 

Um………. That’s all I got. Let me know what you guys think in the comments. ‘Til next time, all.