Hey, Everyone. I could tell you “I’m working on a few things(and that’s the Honest-To-God Truth),” but that would just make me sound like a broken f*ckin’ record. JUST KNOW: I’m trying. I managed to get a few days or work, but some “things” in my personal life came up along the way, and I never managed to get to work on those other projects. Now I get a day off, and only now am I starting this post- something I had been meaning to do this entire week, before the release of chapter 2. I’m going in to see if I can get an assignment for Saturday- hopefully get that weekend pay. But I honestly don’t think I’ll get anything. That- plus my older computer and my own life- I doubt that I’ll manage to get this out before chapter 2. So I’ll just talk about both. I wanted to talk about this series for 2 reasons:
- It looks interesting; like a “Magical Girl” series with a Battle Shonen twist. I adore Black Clover, Mashle, and I’m super curious about that new anime Wistoria– in part because it’s from the creator of Is It Wrong To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? but also because because it fits that same “Magicless Boy vs Magic World” mold that the other 2 did, while still seemingly being unique. I checked out chapter 1, and- LIGHT SPOILER: If Asta’s able to use Anti Magic because he’s “Not special,” and Mash made the most of what he had, then the guy in Wistoria’s gimmick is “Not Special For A Reason.” That’s about all I know right now.
- The writer of the series is Osamu Nishi- the creator of Welcome To Demon School! Iruma-kun– a series I’ve often seen art for, but never actually checked out myself. Maybe checking out this series’ writing style will give me the “push” to finally pick it up. But the ARTIST is the same ARTIST that worked on the cancelled Act-Age series- Shiro Usazaki. NOT the writer; the writer- Tatsuya Matsuki– was arrested for harassing an underaged girl on his d@mn bike. One of the comments on the site I read manga said it best: “It is really unfortunate how such an amazing thing can get ruined because of the actions of its creator.” Shiro Usazaki did not deserve what happened to them; the stigma from the writer should not have affected them. So I’m hoping that- in going so far as to add this to the list of series we’ll be discussing- that more eyes will be on it and HOPEFULLY it’ll get big. I just want the best for this person after what happened, you know what I mean?
And yeah: I’m adding this to the list. My Hero and Edens Zero are gone now, and it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to get back to the way things were any time soon. And I believe that this series can be one of the ones to “stand out” in the upcoming serialization batch, so I want to see this one through to its end. Be that at chapter 18 or 35 or 200- I’ll be here for it. I’m not gonna stop blogging altogether EVER, but it’s difficult for me to just sit and work on a post thoroughly these days. Right now, I’m back into doing a colorings- like the one of Vivianne Blanchard from Tabata Sensei’s(Black Clover) cancelled series, Hungry Joker, that’s being used at the site’s icon. Currently, I’m working on an Imu coloring- one that depicts them as(presumably) Nefeltari D Lili. Hopefully I’ll get to show that off to you. I’m also trying to get back to the other series we have to discuss(some of them are getting long, like “Chainsaw Man” and “Four Knights Of The Apocalypse”), and some we just plain haven’t talked about in a very long time. I wanna get back to them. So much to do- so little time. Let’s get into it before I waste anymore of it…………………….
Chapter 1: “Ichi“
The chapter begins with Ichi saying how “thankful” he is for the world he lives in- one full of vegetation, wildlife, and fungi………….. for him to Hunt. Druid Mountain, Flower Field(near the summit): A Moose walking about looking for food when it comes across Ichi- blade pointed at its neck. The hunt begins. Some Time Later: Ichi descends to the Village at the base of the mountain, having successfully killed the Moose who’s been killing everyone who tries to cross that path. They’re now avenged, and those who still live have food for a while. And Ichi got compensation, so- lot of reasons for Ichi to hunt that thing. He admits to having waited for 6 hours for it to find him(even after getting pooped on), when he sees some village girls getting ready to go to the Capital to take “The Test.” He gives them Rabbit Meat and jerky for their travels. One of them suggests that Ichi move in to the village instead of staying in the Mountains all the time, but Ichi says there are “still things to do up there-” to no one’s surprise but hers.
FLASHBACK: When Ichi was 6 years old, he was given a hunting knife and a small amount of food. After a while– his food ran out, and no one came to help him. He realized that he had been abandoned. And had no clue how to survive. He struggled on until he got an idea: The knife wasn’t given to him to hunt– it was to end his own life when he had enough of it. And that’s just what he’s ABOUT to do- when a hungry wolf comes up to him. On instinct- he stabbed it in the throat the minute it lunged at him. Surprised the h#ll out of himself that he clung to life like that. But that day taught him a few things:
- An appreciation and gratitude for life.
- How to Fish.
- How To Forage.
- How To Hunt.
He’s grateful to the Villagers for their kindness, but he wants to do something first. You see: Fighting just to survive honed his combat senses to a fine point, letting him know when a “Big One” was around. And he sure found one- A Powerful Beast lying in the forest near the Flower Field. Something completely new to him; something that could and would kill any Human that came near. But even knowing that- he chose to leave it be. It hadn’t done anything to him yet, and he doesn’t actually know that it has or would kill humans. Going back to something ELSE he learned the day he killed that wolf: “Death For Death-” Fight To Kill In Self Defense Only. “Killing What You Don’t Plan To Eat Isn’t ‘Hunting-‘ It’s Murder.” He won’t kill anything he either doesn’t plan to eat, or unless it “bares its fangs” at humans. And he REALLY wants to Hunt that thing. So he’s waiting to see if it’ll trigger “Death For Death………………….”
Next Day: It’s Up- and it’s ready to move. Those girls from yesterday are still making their way to the Capital when their carriage stops in traffic. Thankfully Ichi gave them food enough food in the meantime. They’re worried about missing their train, though. But the driver says that they’ve gotten an Emergency Majik Warning. The girls are really excited to see a genuine Majik for the first time in their lives, but even more so to see actual Witches. Low And Behold: We Meet Desscaras “The Abyssal Witch” on a tree top, looking over the horizon at Druid Mountain. Monegold “The Aureate Witch” asks her if the Majik she’s found is really King Uroro, to which Desscaras replies “probaby.” Even so, she(Desscaras) dives on in, ordering the other Witches to guard the “Normies.” She doesn’t believe she needs “back up,” so Monegold orders all other Witches to begin evacuation and damage containment. LORE:
- “Magic” is alive in this world– given the name “Majik” after first contacting humanity a long time ago. The first of which- The Water Majik, whose trial was to drink every last drop of water surrounding her. Doing so would allow her to learn the chant to control water! Then we see the “Bonfire Majik” who’s trial was holding it for an entire hour; the “Iceberg Majik” who would teach the Ice chant should a woman lie with him for an entire night; the “Breeze Majik” who’s trial was to walk with it for 1,000 miles. Each trial passed would allow the participant to learn a specific chant, acquiring the Majik for themselves.
- Those who hunt these Majik’s to acquire their power are dubbed “Witches.“
The populace is about 80% evacuated, and those in charge of the barrier are instructed to take it up to 5 layers. Now- It’s just Descarras and The KING MAJIK Uroro. She wants Uroro’s power, of course, but the “King” has a few “personality defects.” He’s a powerful Majik who refuses to let any Witch claim his power, instead choosing to level entire mountain ranges and cause mass droughts through drinking entire rivers- killing as many humans as possible along the way. So they also just need put this thing on a leash. His trial is surprisingly simple: “Pierce His Heart.” But she can’t. Because no woman has ever been able to pierce his heart. And if even Desscaras- The Strongest Witch In HISTORY- can’t even scratch him, then no one can. That’s just how his trial is set up. He laughs maniacally thinking he’s won- when Ichi shows up, his knife pointed at Uroro. He and Desscaras are completely confused, and tell him to get lost when he notes: “I’m A Man.” It clicks right there what he intends to do, so Uroro attacks him- falling into his trap; a snare that only get’s tighter the more one tries to escape.
Uroro panically attacks again, triggering Ichi’s “Death For Death” motto. He takes his knife- and pierces Uroro’s heart. MORE LORE: “In This World, Only Women Have An Aptitude For Using Magic, And Thus They Are The Only One’s Who Can Acquire Majiks- Thus The Name ‘Witches.’ It’s Widely Believed That Men Can’t Use Magic. BUT- For Example: Should There Be A Majik With A Special Power- A Trial That Only A Man Can Pass- And Has A Body Well Trained Enough To Handle That Power After Passing The Trial- Even If The Stars Align In This Manor- There’s Still About A 0.001% Chance He Could Use Magic.” Ichi is that .001%, gaining a Witch outfit schemed after Uroro. He doesn’t like it because of how “loud and flashy” it is, but he doesn’t get the chance to complain before Desscaras tries to kill his @$$. He strikes on instinct, cracking her defensive barrier. She tells him that he’s wound up in “the worst possible situation imaginable,” warning him not to use any chants. But he ends up recalling one she had said at the start of her battle with Uroro- “Lazud-” that comes out of his knife as a “F*ck You Blast” that destroys most of the forest. Welcome to your new Life, Ichi………………
Chapter 2: “Uroro Majik“
A recap of the lore of this world- the Majiks and Witches; of Ichi’s defeat of Uroro- told through the perspective of Desscaras, and Ichi is caught up to the present- after being unconscious for 3 days after using “Lazud” just once. Left a giant divot in the forest. As such, Desscaras saw fit to put Ichi in a cage. She goes on to explain the Majik that Ichi has just acquired: King Uroro The “Ultra Amplification Majik-“ a powerful Majik that’s terrorized humanity for a thousand years. His Magic can “amplify any magical effect to a maximum degree.” We’ve already seen what Ichi can do without training, so imagine that power in the hands of a properly trained Witch like Desscaras. But now it’s with Ichi. So now he’s left with 2 options: Become Desscaras’ “aid” and have her protection- or become a Guinea Pig as the first male to use Magic. He could RUN, but the chances of him escaping are………………. low.
Ichi doesn’t fully trust Desscaras, but she affirms that she’s trying to keep an eye on Uroro. Speaking of whom: He’s able to manifest- as an amorphous, black blob coming out of Ichi’s body. He’s trying to convince Ichi to run, but Ichi tries taking the blob’s head off without thinking. He could sense Uroro’s “murderous intent.” Desscaras can see through Uroro’s ploy, however; a Majik is freed once its host dies, so he was planning to get Ichi killed. But he claims there’s more to it than that, as he’s uninterested in helping Humans “hunt his own kind.” And then there’s that word: “Hunt.” According to Desscaras, there are 3,185 CONFIRMED Majik’s in the world- 402 of which are already in the possession of Witches. But the world is vast; Majiks could be hind ANYWHERE- volcanoes; the ocean; the sky; even some old fart’s bookshelf!! And it is the job of Witches to hunt and acquire them. And she knows from peeking around Ichi’s house while he was out of it: He’s A Hunter At His Core. And- through some “twist of fate-” he was able to acquire a powerful Majik- something he can use to hunt other Majiks.
She’s playing Ichi like a d@mn fiddle, and Uroro KNOWS it. Ichi’s in– though he doesn’t understand it all completely yet. But now she can let him out and check her messages. And she has a LOT of them. But Ichi doesn’t want to leave before he makes things right. He recalls that earlier- in an attempt to wake him up- Desscaras tried casting a revival spell- “Parthion.” That was her mistake, as he casts the spell through his knife- causing the forest to overgrow, and Monegold to scold Desscaras, who begins to get the same idea as Ichi’s parents and leave him in the forest and walk away……………………..
First Impressions
So……………….. That was the first 2 chapters of what I hope is a long series. But not THAT long. I just hope it reaches its conclusion on its own terms. But I’ll be covering it for as long as its around. As for what I thought of these opening 2 chapters: They were very strong- solid introductions to the world that teases a lot to come in terms of worldbuilding, lore, and power progression. It seems like the spells casted are a “universal” thing- something all Witches can do, with the type of Magic used deciding what the effects would be. I wrote in my notes that the revive spell might have a different effect on the world than an “Ultra Amped” version; the Fire version cast by the Bonfire user might revive things as if they were a Phoenix- incinerated and “resurrected” through the ashes. Or the Iceberg Majik user’s version of “Lazud” might create a blast of Ice rather than an energy blast. All the same thing, but used for different effects. My brother’s complained about the opening portions of Black Clover- how “poorly” Magic was conveyed, with each Magic attribute just “doing the same thing as all the others.” I have never had a problem with that; it’s Magic- why restrict it? It’s not even like the series stops doing that; it just got better at showing it. Noelle has a long ranged attack in “Sea Dragon’s Roar;” a defense spell in “Sea Dragon’s Lair;” a mobile spell in “Sea Dragon’s Cradle;” a reinforcement spell in “Valkyrie Dress,” which even comes with a Water Lance, making it a Creation Magic spell as well. And it looks like this series is going for that same vibe.
Of course, this and Black Clover operate under the same rules as the real world when it comes to the use of those applications of Magic: “You’ll be better at using some skills more than others,” like Luck being a Reinforcement Specialist with a Long Range attack, rather than a Healer or having some status effect spell. Though Ichi’s Ultra Amped Chants should be stronger than any other version he comes up against. Which brings me to the question of what kind of Battle Series this is going to be: Will this be a series like One Punch Man, with an overpowered main character that can end every fight the moment he gets there? A series like One Piece where the fights themselves are not the point, but the outcome means more to the world and the story than just “punch the bad guy?” Is it going to be My hero or One Piece where the fights are a part of the character’s arc? Or “Dragon Ball” where it’s just a really good fight to decide the fate of everyone? It could also be Hunter x Hunter/Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures Part 3 onward/Jujutsu Kaisen where how the abilities are used matter more than the actual fight. Really, that’s just a “Jujutsu Kaisen-“ism; Hunter x Hunter and Jojo’s can still deliver on the characters. Especially “Hunter x Hunter.” I………………… I don’t care all that much about the character’s in Jujutsu Kaisen.
I like Maki because(SPOILERS FOR JUJUTSU KAISEN FROM CHAPTER 148 ONWARD) her massacre of the Zenin clan felt so…………………. RAW; I could actually feel the anger coming out of her as she hacked and slashed through everyone who crossed her- the way she told Naoya that she “no longer had a Human Heart” and their subsequent fight- it felt like we were actually seeing a fight between 2 characters and not 2 techniques. And that extends to her battle with that Sumo Freak and Vengeful Spirit Naoya in the Sakurajima Colony; the way she had to learn to “let go” to reach her full potential, and then using that to help her Vengeful Spirit Naoya. And she doesn’t even use a Cursed Technique; she just learned how to get out of her own head!! It showed that her family’s abuse actually did get to her; she could only compare herself to other sorcerers- to Toji– because she was always told she was “worthless.” But through learning to “feel” from that Sumo guy, she could see Naoya in a way all her own- without any cursed energy. I hope this is coming out right; I honestly didn’t expect to be talking about Jujutsu Kaisen like that. I simply want to illustrate a point: Series like Jujutsu Kaisen and Hunter x Hunter are all about their battles- how the power system is used. As opposed to something like a Bleach or a One Piece where “Rule Of Cool” trumps all, those 2 are all about “How We Get From A To B Step By Step.”
I tend to gravitate away from series like that, specifically because of Jujutsu Kaisen; it started off with some neat character moments, and I was enjoying myself……………. up until the Culling Games, where it didn’t feel like any fight had a “point-” nothing to gleam from the characters; barely any story progression; it lacked……………… “heart,” choosing instead to show us all the “How” and none of the “Why.” It was boring. At least Hunter X Hunter and Jojo’s still manage to keep me invested during the fights- Jojo’s through its sheer absurdity, and Hunter because I actually care about the characters involved in the fight. Somewhere down the line, I just feel like JJK became more about the techniques the characters were using and not them themselves. Alternatively, though; there’s also Black Clover that tells its story- the characters, the worldbuilding and lore, and progression both in power and story- through its fights, or Dragon Ball where the fights are how we get from “A” to “B” in the story. This could be ANYTHING right now, and that’s what I look from most in the series: The “Freedom” it gives itself.
It’s not as if I’m “in love” with the series or anything, but I do like this line from Markarov in chapter 2 of Fairy Tail:
Ours Is A Power That Goes Beyond The Bound Of Reason- But It Is Born Out Of Reason Itself. Magic Isn’t Some Miracle; What We Do Is Match The Energy That Flows Between Us With The Wavelength Of The World’s Natural Energy. And Take What Is Embodied In That Union Using Our Force Of Will And Concentration. More Than That- We Pour Our Entire Soul Into It To Make What We Call “Magic.” If You Spend Your Time Worrying About What Those In Authority Think Of You- Your Magic Will Neve Advance. So Don’t Let Those Idiots On The Council Intimidate You- Follow The Path You Truly Believe In. That’s What It Means To Be A Fairy Tail Wizard!!
– Markarov Dreyar, 3rd/6th/8th Guild Master Of Fairy Tail(Fairy Tail Volume 1, Chapter 2)
I like this line; to me, it’s Markarov telling everyone in the guild that they are “free to explore their potential-” free to use their magic in any way they wish- free to see what their powers could really do. But that they would never grow beyond this point if they allow someone to tell them what they can and cannot do. For them to grow- they’d have to pour explore what they can do. That extends to a point that happens later down the line in which we see Natsu change the properties of his magic so that his flames become physical and allow him to grab things at a distance. If we had seen more moments of that with the characters changing the properties of their magic, then maybe I would have enjoyed Fairy Tail a little more. But “changing the properties of magic” also applies to “Black Clover” through the Noelle examples I mentioned earlier. Another quote that I think would apply to this series:
We’ll Just Overrule Reality!! After All- That’s What Magic Does, Right?
–Noelle Silva- Silva Family Second Daughter And Member of The Black Bulls(Black Clover Volume 31, Chapter 304)
She said this in response to her friends dying before her, and Mimosa coming to save them just in time. I think both quotes could apply to this series: Both “exploring ones limits” and “overwriting reality-” if this is really “Magic,” then I think that part of this series should explore that “creativity.” Especially if Ichi’s power is just “Maximum;” I want to see him to some kind of conjuration spell that makes a hunting weapon, and see what comes out! I’m also curious about the epithets Desscaras and Monegold possess. Monegold is somewhat self explanatory; “Aureate” means “denoting, made of, or having the color of gold,” so she likely has some kind of “Gold Magic.” Whether it’s the actual element of Gold, or if its just golden in color is up anyone’s guess, though. And then we have the “Abyssal” Witch, Desscaras. Her “Lazud” in chapter 1 wasn’t fully inked in, which is something mangaka would use to denote the color of black in a black-and-white medium But I STILL think she has Dark Magic- a magic that would of course denote an “abyss,” and- ya know– Dark Magic is always treated as this “end-all-be-all” power. And since she’s “The Most Powerful Witch Alive” at the moment, I think it would be somewhat fitting. Speaking of: That’s something I like about Jujutsu Kaisen and about Kizaru in One Piece– The “Lack Of Debate.” No one questions how fast Kizaru is- his LITERAL POWER is “Made of Light.” He is MADE. OF. LIGHT. There is no question as to how fast he is– he is CONFIRMED, WITHOUT QUESTION Lightspeed. There is no “debate” to be had who the strongest is at the start of the series- it’s Satoru Gojo. He was born, and the entire climate of the Jujutsu world changed. So having someone confirmed as the “Strongest” here is an instant win in my books.
That said: It now seems that that doesn’t mean much, since she was beaten so handily by Uroro. Gojo and Kizaru had “Presentation” at their backs; they showed off what they can do, and- in said debut battles- they owed EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING that came their way. Desscaras didn’t; she lost. And Ichi is now using the power of the Majik she lost to. Ichi seems to be the “Strongest” right now. Which leans into the idea of this being “One Punch Man” type of series with him being the “End Fight Button.” He’s got good instincts- good enough to know how to construct a complex trap- and he’s just learned to use 2 spells off rip; the only problem he’s having right now is power regulation- learning to control his output so he doesn’t cause the forest to overgrow, or cause as big a blast as that so he’s not out of it for 3 days. Once he masters that- they can TRY to hunt him. But I bet you his “fangs” are a hundred times sharper………………..
Speaking of: It’s likely that one of the arcs to come will see Ichi learning what its like to be “prey” instead of “predator.” How that will effect his character depends on what we’re meant to gleam from him: He clearly enjoys hunting- clearly he wanted to hunt Uroro, deciding to stay in the mountains lying in wait for him to trigger “Death-For-Death.” This could imply that he has enough reason not to break his own rules, but not so much that he won’t follow it around trying to see if whatever beast will trigger his rule. Like: He hunted that Moose because it had killed people, but made no assumptions about Uroro when he saw him and thus left him alone. But stuck around just to see what it would do. He’s certainly out to help people, but it’s clear that he’s in it for his own enjoyment, too. So I’d say that he might somewhat instigate a fight with something like a bear or a wolf- might watch it a little, follow it around, see if it notices him, and…………….. whatever happens happens. Something to that effect.
Going back to his “Instincts” for a second: I mentioned in my notes that his knowledge of traps implies that he had something of a Teacher down the line- someone who taught him the “finer arts” to hunting such as traps and where on the animal to aim to get the most effective kill without the creature suffering. That, or he’s the “intuitive” type that can pick up things up quickly, learning to make a trap as he went. We don’t know his current age, but he’s been a hunter since he was 6. And I doubt that his caregivers gave him some “basic hunting knowledge” to help him, if the plan was to just leave him to die. Or at least- he thinks that was the point. The narration at the end of chapter 1 would imply that there’s something about Ichi in particular that’s allowing him to use magic, so it could also be that they sent him out here to learn “death-for-death” so that he doesn’t misuse that power. But why they continued to leave him alone in the woods is a mystery. Either there’s something going on with them that made them leave Ichi like that, or they were just genuinely trying to get rid of him. Either way, I wouldn’t call them “Good Parents.”
Chapter 1 also reveals that there is a school where girls go to learn Magic. As such, I think they just have a handful of Majiks in captivity, waiting for a Witch to come and pass their trials. It is unknown at the moment if a single Witch can play host to multiple Majiks, but given that Desscaras was trying to obtain Uroro- that means it’s possible. It might even be that Majiks are able to have multiple host bodies, meaning there’s more than one for each kind. So maybe Ichi will also learn to share Uroro’s power, boosting Desscaras’ magic to it’s max. Likewise: Ichi might be able to obtain multiple different Majiks he hunts, using their powers in conjuction with “Ultra Amplification.” He really could become the Strongest Witch In History- if he isn’t already.
In terms of design and art: I like Desscaras the most. She’s cute, and I like her eyes and mannerisms. Her personality comes off as “arrogant,” and yet I can imagine that it’s not all unearned. She looks like the typical “Kuudere” type- like she wouldn’t emote in a lot of situations. And yet she’s shown herself to be very expressive, showing genuine disbelief when Ichi uses his magic to heal the forest. And again: Her eyes are highly detailed- an aspect that makes me think that her magic has something to do with her eyes. She seems to have enough “sway” in the world to think that she can protect Ichi, but I’m not clear on if this story is going to be the “Lesser Of 2 Evils” type of series like Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen, where everyone’s kind of sh!tty and you basically have to “pick your poison,” or if this is a standard “We’ll Grow To Care About Each Other” type. I kind of think the latter; it doesn’t seem like the “experimental” type of series that would explore those parts of humanity(at least not in the same level of visceral detail as those 2). She might joke about it every now and then that she would let them take Ichi, but I doubt that she would let it happen. That’ll be the case especially down the line, but I think saving her- as well as showing his bravery- might have caught her eye. Not romantically I wouldn’t think; Ichi strikes me as a Luffy type: A Sexual. Couldn’t tell you what type Desscaras is into yet, but I imagine it has to be someone able to keep up with her.
Those 2 things I just said bring us to some of the last ideas I think I want to talk about: “Romance” and Ichi’s character. Starting with Ichi: That look in his eyes in chapter 1 reminded me of only 1 character- Shouyo Hinata from Haikyuu.That intense look in his eyes when he’s determined; a look that says “I’m Going To Eat You ALIVE” to anyone who find themselves on the wrong side of the court/his knife- as if they’re a wild animal “sizing up” their prey, seeing if they can take them before deciding to try anyway. “Sleeping Demons” or something like that. I like characters like that; I think Shouyo was a fairly strong main character, perfectly determined and desired to “stand on his own” so much that it risked the teams secret weapon- a “hungry” soul that longed to be fed. Ichi strikes me as that type: Someone who’s determined to get whatever it is he’s after- all else be d@mned. Though not in a “Bad” way. With Haikyuu; it’s depicted through the lends of an athlete- someone who’s traditionally always striving to be better than they were yesterday; Ichi’s selfishness could potentially get someone killed. So long as it’s handled in a way that isn’t annoying, I think the series can convey that kind of message; to always “stay hungry” and strive to be better than before, regardless of everyone who just wants to hold you back. Desscaras Confirms It In Chapter 2: Ichi may just be the First Male Witch EVER. There are going to be Witches out there who want to hold him back sheerly because he’s “unknown.” But if he wants to continue to hunt Majik- he can’t worry about all that. He’s gotta focus on him.
As far as “Romance” goes: Don’t Care. That girl who was off to the capital in chapter 1 seemed like she was into him, inviting him to stay in the village, but……………. I don’t think Desscaras is into him, nor do I think I care. My Hero– between the penultimate chapter and the FAN ART- has thoroughly ruined my ability to enjoy Shonen Romance. Deku had a harem between Uraraka, Tsuyu, Todoroki, Bakugo, Rody from the 3rd Movie, and Best Girl Himiko chan; Uraraka had Bakugo, Himiko chan, and Tsuyu; Yaomomo had Jiro and Todoroki; so on and so forth into what the f*ck was THAT? I don’t care; I simply want to enjoy the story without it becoming The Bachelor or something.
Just so I don’t end off on that “whimper,” I’m going to include a discussion on Uroro. There are 2 ways to convey this “Inner Demon” story:
- He’s misunderstood and Ichi will be the vehicle for understanding him(Kurama and Liebe).
- He’s the “Bad Guy” and that’s all there is to it(Sukuna).
But there’s that line he said in chapter 2: “No way am I going to help him hunt my own kind.” It might be that the title of “King” was something given to him by a number of Majiks in his lifetime; maybe he’s not wholly evil. I don’t think there’s a way to justify or explain “draining rivers” and “levelling mountains-” he was clearly doing all of that for his amusement. BUT– that line could imply that he hold some kind of “love” for his kind; that some of the humans he’s killed may have been malicious Witches desiring to take a relatively harmless Majik against its will. He might have been protecting those other Majiks in the world, keeping the Witches attention on him so that those weaker Majiks can hide. An idea like that could paint this world in a new light; one in which Witches are genuinely “Hunters” hunting a species to nigh extinction, and Majik’s have a reason for fighting back- a reason for powerful Majiks like Uroro to come into the world and draw as much attention to themselves as possible. And that would tie into Ichi’s “Death-For-Death” rule: He doesn’t hunt with the intention of “bathing in blood” or “claim glory-” he does it as a means of survival; either to feed himself or defend himself. But those other Majiks in hiding are harmless; they’re hiding for a reason. They won’t bare their fangs at him, so he won’t desire to hunt them. And that puts him in conflict with the other Witches of the world- at least the Good ones.
And yeah; it’s likely that not all Witches are just “power hungry hunters-” there’s obviously those who care about the Majiks in their possession, and might even be trying to find those weaker Majiks so that they can protect them. The PROBLEM is that not all Majiks wish to be latched to a Human until they expire; some of them likely just wanna roam free– something that is clearly stripped from them when they are obtained by Witches. And the Witches probably don’t want to let them go because– from their perspective- Majiks might be “too dangerous” to leave out in the wild. Probably sighting Uroro as the prime example, which COULD get into the idea of a Majik becoming stronger the longer it’s allowed to roam free. Maybe the Majiks hiding in those extreme environments are doing so as some sort of “training-“ gaining power from an area that allows them to test their limits, as well as accumulate power from the environment itself. A Lava Majik in a Volcano- Sea Majik at the bottom of the ocean- so on an so forth. That’s the logical outcome from just these 2 chapters. The strongest stories tend to be the one’s who are able to tell you where the story is going within these introductory chapters. And these 2 have already given us this much. So- should this series make it long enough- we should be in for a Great Story.
Conclusion
And with that- I’m done. I was gonna do a “Closing Thoughts” part, but in all honesty it can be summed up in a single phrase: Please Give This Series A Chance. AT LEAST until chapter 10 or so. If for nothing else, do it for the artist Shiro Usazaki. They haven’t been able to get a series off the ground since the WRITER of “Act-Age-“ that tremendously @$i9 piece of human sh!t Tatsuya Matsuki– ruined everything. I won’t go into detail of his crime, but know that the victim was underaged. I hope he rots in prison for the rest of his f*cking life, but Usazaki did nothing wrong; they were just the artist. And that was their DEBUT manga. They came out with a one shot some time after, but I think the damage was already done, and………………. they haven’t done anything SINCE from what I’m seeing. So my hope in talking about this series is giving this artist the chance to show off their “artistic muscles;” to turn people on to it so this artist can finally get away from the Act-Age stigma- maybe get a series of their own one day. I just want Usazaki-Sensei to have some success. Lord Knows it’s hard to do that in this line of work……………..
I also just genuinely like what this series is doing; when I heard about it, I had thought Ichi would be some kind of “Magic Hermaphrodite-” some genetic abnormality allowed him to use magic in a world where only women could. And………….. MAYBE that’s still the case- maybe his genes are fundamentally different from males in this world, allowing him to obtain Magic powers. That depends on how “scientific” we’ll be getting with this one, but it’s just an idea. One that doesn’t paint him as a “Chosen One.” Though he could also be that at this point. It’s the “Magic” of a new series, I suppose- it can be just about anything. I just hope it lives up to its own potential. Nishi, Usazaki- Show Me What’cha Got. ‘Til Next Time, All……………..
