One Piece

If I might, perhaps, offer a piece of well meaning criticism to the Weekly Shonen Jump team at Viz? This may not bother many other people, but it does bother me when it takes longer than it should to figure out which series comes in which order while putting this column together. The layout of the contents page is very nice, as far as just the looks are concerned. But functionally it has terrible flow. Meaning, I can’t tell which series comes next just by allowing my eyes to flow from one to the next. I actually have to take a second and check the page numbers. Part of the purpose of the table of contents is to actually let the reader know what order the chapters are in. And while many weeks you achieve some form of flow that makes sense, what you’ve given us this week, and a few other weeks as well, is harder to decipher than it should be. Just putting that out there, the design could use a bit of work.

Now, let’s talk about the manga itself.

One Piece Ch. 703
I absolutely love One Piece this week. Even though I (and probably everyone else) saw Luffy’s gag coming a mile away, it still managed to get a broadside in on us. Or at least that’s what it did for me. I was in hysterics by the end of the chapter. Not only was this chapter funny, but it also promises something we’ve never seen before, namely, Luffy fighting without using his powers. Since he has to keep a low profile, he won’t be able to use his powers. It’ll be worth the tournament arc just to see him fight normally. Of course he’ll end up giving himself away; the question is how long will it take? And the answer is, it will be unexpected when it does happen. Because somehow Oda can do that. What he’s going to do will be obvious, and yet the impact will be as strong as if it were a complete surprise.

I’m looking forward to seeing what Oda does with the Hans Christian Andersen references this arc, and particularly what the role of the toy soldier will be. And whatever Sanji is getting into—whether he gets lucky or just gets stabbed—I’m looking forward to seeing how all these separate elements tie together.

Sakuran (Tentative) One-Shot
Random fanservice aside (and I mean really random), I quite liked this one-shot. I wonder what exactly the purpose was in putting it into our edition of WSJ. It’s either an experiment to see whether one-shots work well in this format, or it’s because there is a strong push for this to become a series, and the main Shonen Jump offices want as much exposure for the story as possible.

I find it interesting how many new series are all romance series. It’s as if aspiring manga artists are afraid of going against the big three (four if you count Toriko) action series. Does this mean we won’t get a new big shounen hit until after the big three have finished? I certainly hope not, I like shounen action series. And while I’m perfectly happy reading romance series, I would still like to see some more action series.

Toriko Ch. 228
Speaking of action series, nothing like an action-centric episode involving a character we only just met a few months ago, and an antagonist we never met. But somehow Shimabukuro makes it work. Brunch has been a great character ever since his introduction, and I love how his lightning powers are supposed to work in the natural world. That’s what’s great about Toriko; it takes abilities that occur in nature, and amps them up to the nth degree.

Though I am a bit miffed that Shimabukuro used the power I thought up years ago for my X-Men O.C. I’ll sue! (This is a joke, I won’t actually sue, Shueisha lawyers that may be reading).

Nonetheless, Brunch is fun, his opponent is OP as heck, and I look forward to seeing how this fight turns out.

Naruto Ch. 625
That’s it! I’m getting those buttons made. “Tobirama was right,” is my new catchphrase. I really enjoyed Hashirama when he first was introduced. But literally every single decision he made was the wrong decision. He wanted to make Madara the Hokage. I’m sure that would have turned out swimmingly—it’s not like his entire family is emotionally unstable. And even in this chapter alone, we find out that he’s so emotionally unstable that he turns evil because Tobirama says the leader should be chosen democratically and that everyone would choose Hashirama. I’m so glad that the ultimate villain of the series turned evil because he lost a popularity contest!

Nisekoi Ch. 68
Somehow Naoshi manages to combine comedy with drama in the same chapter. The pattern that I’ve noticed is that he’ll go with comedy for a few chapters, and then he’ll end a chapter with a dramatic question. In this case the question in…question is in regards to who Chitoge likes. This is a big deal because it’s Onodera asking the question. While we all know that Chitoge is the main romantic interest, Naoshi manages to keep the stakes high for the other girls. Chitoge’s answer to Onodera’s question will most definitely set the course for the rest of the series. Hopefully Naoshi manages to find a way to keep it going without dragging the plot out unnecessarily. Which wouldn’t be too hard, since he could keep filling in the gaps with comedic chapters, but he seems to be moving the plot along much faster than I would have expected initially. Still, I’ve enjoyed this series greatly, so I will have faith in Naoshi for the rest of the series.

World Trigger Ch. 008
I enjoyed this chapter well enough. We finally get an explanation for how Osamu got his arm back. But by now I’d already figured the basic idea out. It seems like Ashihara is answering questions that most readers have already figured out. Which says some iffy things about the pacing of this series. I’d have to say, it’s been going far too slowly. Pacing in manga is a tricky beast. Even long serialized pros sometimes have a hard time getting it right. And while we had some good action this chapter, overall I’m still lukewarm. I really enjoyed the first chapter, but right now I can’t say I’m too excited. Action is all good and fine, and I want more action, but it needs something a little more for me to really get into it.

Cross Manage Ch. 027
Cross Manage continues to give us a lot more focus on the characters, in this case the current antagonist Chihara. Since Cross Manage is set in a version of the real world, Chihara is refreshingly not some kind of cookie cutter antagonist. She’s the kind you find in real life. She’s not there to ruin the protagonist’s life; she’s just there, doing her own thing, and just happens to be an opponent for the protagonist. She manages to be the opponent without actually being evil. While this is refreshing, it does leave little to the imagination as to what her fate will be. She’ll lose, she’ll learn something, then she’ll become a friend. But at least she’d be that type of character without going further than would be realistically forgivable.

Also, Toyoguchi makes some terrifying faces when she’s happy.

Bleach Ch. 531
I grew up in Germany. I speak German, though it’s a bit rusty at the moment. So it drives me crazy seeing Kubo make some pretty basic grammatical errors (or just plain make up words). And I know that he likes Germany—his notes have been talking about the trip to Germany he took. But still, it’s one of those little things that is driving me up the wall.

Also, Ryuuken starts talking about “mixed breeds” and all that. Man, the Germans can’t catch a break even from their old allies. Overall, an enjoyable enough chapter, though I find the random soul reaper worried about jurisdictions while Isshin is fighting the unknown hollow to be absolutely laughable. I’m pretty sure jurisdictions aren’t that important in the middle of combat.

And then Aizen shows up and attacks Isshin. Can we please have an arc where he doesn’t come back as the villain? All goodwill from his reveal at the end of the Soul Society arc was wasted with the Fake Karakura Town arc.

Dragon Ball Z Ch. 009
And thus, Goku begins his cycle of death and rebirth. I don’t find there’s much I can say about this chapter. Mostly because this isn’t a brand new chapter for me. I’ve watched the anime, and read the manga ages ago. So all I can really say is that this current arc is definitely one of my favorites of the Dragon Ball manga. I think as far as shonen action series go it flows the best. The transition from Goku’s death to his training will be a lot of fun to read, but the individual chapters are a bit difficult to comment on. While good, they tend to lack in substance.

One-Punch Man Ch. 011
Once again, the same basic joke, supplemented by a new twist. I just…I really just love this manga. It’s the funniest manga running in WSJ online, with Nisekoi being a close tie. And yet, we somehow still rely on the same basic premise and the same basic gag. Fortunately there was plenty to enjoy this chapter, beyond just the buildup for the final joke.

And that’s it for this week. Let me know in the comments which chapter you liked best. And what do you think of the table of contents layout? Am I just overreacting? (The correct answer is: No.)

If you want to hear more, check out the Manga^3 Podcast Archives. Or go directly to last week’s episode, Episode 041 – March 25, 2013 – Manga Art Styles | Toriko Vol. 3.

Well, this is the week that One Piece is not the best manga chapter in the magazine. But not so much thanks to the merits of the other contenders, rather it’s because One Piece was on hiatus this week. It’s kind of amazing how the only way other manga seems to have a chance is when One Piece isn’t around to act as a comparison.

Toriko Ch. 226
It looks like Sunny and Tommyrod’s fight is about to come to a close. Considering how large this arc is and how many fights we have to get through, I’m not surprised that one of the main fights of this arc is going to be resolved in what will apparently be less than five chapters. It definitely helps that this week’s chapter explains where Sunny got his power up from. As long as they’re done with style, I don’t mind unexplained power ups, but the fact that we actually got an explanation helps a great deal. This arc has been a lot of fun, and while it may not be the best for non-action fans, anyone already enjoying Toriko is most definitely enjoying this along with me.

Bleach Ch. 530
I generally avoid places where manga fans congregate, but even my absence from tumblr wasn’t enough to keep me from feeling the waves of “shipping enthusiast” metaphorically breaking over me. There’s just a sense—a disturbance in the force I suppose you could say—whenever I see something that could be used as fuel for shipping debates. And while I try to avoid those debates with a passion, I can’t help but chuckle every time I find a nugget. I’ll leave you to find out what exactly I’m talking about here.

As for the chapter itself, I’m continuing to enjoy seeing the previous generation. Ryuuken was a lot more sympathetic than I thought he would be, after all the times we’ve seen him in the manga before. It’s the small pieces in the manga that make it all the more enjoyable. Ultimately though, I can’t wait to find out what the deal is with the apparent Vasto Lorde revealed at the end of the chapter. I think Bleach fans will recognize that particular design, hm?

Cross Manage Ch. 025
After all the romance and relationship elements this manga has been throwing at us, I’ve started to refer to it as a shoujo manga in disguise. This was the first chapter in which a clear shounen element was introduced. Until this point, we’ve never really heard the characters flat out say how much they want to win. Seeing them confronted by an insurmountable opponent and having them decided to win no matter what is such a shounen element that I’m surprised it took so long to introduce into this series. Here’s hoping Cross Manage has a chance to keep moving forward.

One-Punch Man Ch. 009
One-Punch Man‘s greatest charm is its refusal to play by the rules. When faced with the villain’s lair, do the heroes fight their way up from level one to the very top? Nope. They just blow the place away. Fortunately for the villains, the real complex is underground. Still, there is a sense of logic to the series. After all, if you have the power to demolish a building of bad guys, why not just do that, rather than bothering to fight your way through the complex? One-Punch Man is a satire not just of the superhero genre, but of shounen action adventure series in general. Granted it does make for shorter arcs, but we already know how each fight will end, so why not have some fun with the tropes of the genre?

Dragon Ball Z Ch. 007
Quick question, was the Kamehameha ever shown in color in the original Dragon Ball manga? If yes, was it colored yellow? Did the anime get the color wrong by coloring it blue? It’s not like this would be the first time that an anime got the color scheme wrong. However, if it never was colored in the manga before, then why is it being colored yellow here? It may not seem like a big deal, but it’s such an arbitrary change, and I can’t see how anyone wouldn’t know what color the Kamehameha is meant to be. It’s only the most iconic attack of the series, and in every incarnation I’ve seen it in it’s been blue. And yet, somehow, they got the color of Picolo’s attack correct. Does anyone know who exactly has been coloring these chapters? Because either they made the silliest mistake in the world, or I’ve had it wrong this entire time. I’m going to stick with the colorist making a mistake until proven otherwise.

World Trigger Ch. 006
I liked this chapter. I can’t really put my finger on why exactly why I liked it more than other chapters (after the first one), but there’s just something about this week’s that works better. Perhaps it’s the interaction with the other Border characters. Perhaps it’s seeing Yuma lay the smack down on the pretentious Ai. Perhaps it’s Jun’s unexpected reaction. Perhaps it’s Yuma having to explain to Osamu that he, Osamu, was the one to save everyone (the only one who Yuma saved was Osamu, when the latter couldn’t protect himself). Either way, I’m looking forward to seeing whether this series continues to rise or starts the rapid descent into cancellation.

Nisekoi Ch. 066
Once again, Nisekoi manages to combine adorable and hilarious in the same neat package. The class finally have to switch seats, but because of the teacher’s relaxed attitude, they keep switching them over and over. Again, this is a chapter that needs to be read; it’s just too funny and adorable to explain without spoiling the experience. Just be warned, this chapter contains Shu’s crowning moment of the series.

Which was your favorite chapter this week? Or are you holding out choosing until One Piece returns next week? Do you have any suggestions that would make this column better? We’ve been running this for a while, so I would love to get feedback for what I could be doing better.

If you want to hear more, check out the Manga^3 Podcast Archives. Or go directly to last week’s episode, Episode 039 – March 11, 2013 – Women in Shonen Manga | Toriko Vol. 1

The one downside of Weekly Shonen Jump Online is that not everyone wants to play along. Tumblr has become a cesspool of spoilers for me. Even deviant art is dangerous ground to tread. But where in the past I didn’t care, because I was reading scanlations when they came out, now I find myself caring very much. Has anyone else been having trouble with spoilers, now that you’ve been waiting for the chapters to be officially released?

Also, would anyone like me to give each chapter a grade? I know people like grades when reading reviews, so I’ve been wondering if that’s something I should adopt for this column, or if it wouldn’t work well. Leave your answers in the comments if you please.

Nisekoi Ch. 065
All I have to say about this week’s chapter is, what did they do to Raku!? Someone please tell me, otherwise it’s going to be left up to my imagination, and my imagination is a dark, scary place!

Either way, this was a great chapter. As I’ve said, I love me some comedy, so the more comedic Nisekoi gets the happier I get. And a chapter focusing on all the girls in the series getting drunk off liquor candies? All the better. Reviewing comedy is a bit tricky, because my gut instinct is to tell you all about the jokes, but I can’t possibly do them any justice, so please, if you haven’t yet, go read this chapter.

One Piece Ch. 701
Once again, every week I think to myself, “I should really give the number one spot this week to a different series. I ALWAYS give it to One Piece, people are going to start thinking I have inflexible taste.” And every week I read the chapter, and my first reaction is, “Well sonnuva…” I really, really don’t want anyone thinking I rate One Piece as high as I do just because it’s my favorite series, not because of the merits of the individual chapter. But when the individual chapters are just so good, what else can I do?

This week’s chapter is so good partly because we get our first look at Dressrosa, and partly because we get introduced to a character who was most likely first mentioned last week. Creative world building, well written comedy, and great action—this week has all of that, as One Piece usually does. If you aren’t reading this series yet, then you need to take the plunge and invest the necessary time to get caught up. It really is that good.

Naruto Ch. 623
I’ll say this about this week’s Naruto, it was better than last week. There was much less misplaced comedy and the confrontation begun at the end of this chapter looks like it will be a lot of fun, and was well set up. I’m finding myself enjoying this flashback a bit more, now that I’m a few weeks removed from remembering that it is awkwardly placed in the story as a whole. And I have to admit that I’ve been interested in this time period in Naruto history. So for now I’m looking forward to more.

Dragon Ball Z Ch. 006
The big problem with Dragon Ball Z, for this column at least, is that because of how action-intense it is there will be weeks where I find myself with nothing to say but, “Well, there was punching.” Though I suppose that might be more than could be said for some episodes of the anime.

In this case I find that the action was of course well executed and, unlike the anime which more people are familiar with, the fights actually move at a good pace. Rather than ending the chapter at a stalemate, Goku and Picolo are both injured, with only one chance to take down Raditz. In my own opinion this version of the story is the superior version, and any fan of Dragon Ball Z who hasn’t read the manga yet should be using this chance to become familiar with where it all started.

Cross Manage Ch. 024
It’s strange how Cross Manage has been embedding itself in my heart. I can’t think of any clear, specific reason for why I like it so much, but with every new chapter I find myself thinking that I would hate to see it go. Perhaps it’s the absurd humor, it might even be the surprisingly frequent fanservice, but whatever it is, it’s an entertaining read even if it has little to do with the titular sport.

Really it’s all about the character humor. In this case, Namine Chihara, is such an odd duck that I can’t figure out what her personality is meant to be. Either way, it’s entertaining. Currently she’s the closest thing to an antagonist we have, but she doesn’t seem like she is actually evil. Which of course works much better for the real world setting Cross Manage is going for, where antagonism is generally less about all out evil and more about people with opposing goals coming into contact with each other. I really liked this chapter, and hope that we get many more in the future.

World Trigger Ch. 005
World Trigger, for its strong start, has been a bit lackluster these last four chapters. This week, however, we did get some answers about how the triggers work. But rather than have a character explain it, we pick up nuggets of information from Yuma behaving the way a proper character is supposed to. He doesn’t explain anything, but his dialogue still reveals important information. I can appreciate this level of writing, after reading many, many series where any and all exposition is imparted to the reader through clunky dialogue. I’m still wary about whether this series will go anywhere, but there is some real skill behind this writing. So we shall see.

One-Punch Man Ch. 008
If you want a quick explanation to share with people about what exactly One-Punch Man is, you’re welcome:

One-Punch Man is the story of a world where everyone is trying to have regular superhero fights, but one man refuses to play by the rules.

I had this revelation after seeing Saitama interact with more than just the villain of the week. And with the story eight chapters in, I think it’s safe to say that the one punch joke somehow just isn’t getting stale. I’ll let you find out for yourself why exactly, but the last page of this chapter was the funniest thing I read this entire issue.

Bleach Ch. 529
Ah, sweet, sweet answers. It’s been a while since I’ve been invested in Bleach. And while I refuse to ever get involved in the fandom again—once burned twice shy after all—I am slowly getting interested in the series again. After all, we’re finally getting Isshin’s story, something fans have been wanting forever. And so far it isn’t terribly written, so I think I can get properly invested. This chapter was nothing but answers. For one, we finally find out why Ichigo and Kaien were practically identical, and unlike the reveal of Ichigo’s mother, while there was a theory that Ichigo and Kaien were related, the reveal was handled properly this chapter, in that it didn’t act like the reveal was bigger than it was. So, kudos to Kubo.

Toriko Ch. 225
Ah, nothing like powerups out of nowhere. It takes a certain kind of clout to properly pull that off. And where before only One Piece was able to do that without annoying me, Toriko seems to be aiming for similar heights, because Sunny’s powerup may be out of nowhere, but it’s far too cool for me to care.

The majority of this chapter really was just Sunny and Tommyrod’s fight, but that was more than enough for me. I’m not sure exactly how using sensor attached to hair is meant to be culinarily themed, but I think I’ll give it a pass, just because it is unique from all the other methods of fighting this series provides. And the only way to keep multiple fights interesting is by having varied fighting styles. And Toriko never disappoints in that aspect.

If you want to hear more, check out the Manga^3 Podcast Archives. Or go directly to last week’s episode, Episode 038 – March 4, 2013 – What is Josei Manga? | Nanatsu no Taizai.

It has been said, that while one lives the other must die, and so on throughout the ages while memory still exists. I’m talking, of course, of two of the big Shonen Jump three—Bleach and Naruto. While listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Weekly Manga Recap (you should check them out, they’re pretty good), the hosts mentioned they’d noticed that when Bleach was good Naruto was bad, and vice versa. I’m not sure how accurate that is, but after this week’s chapter it’s certainly a thought worth considering.

One Piece Ch. 699
Chapters like this one always remind me that as good as the action in One Piece is, the comedy is just as good. Perhaps this is part of its secret of success, but either way there are a variety of different types of chapters Oda can write that will all satisfy. In this case a good chunk of the enjoyment came from the comedic value of this chapter. All I really need to say for this week is, Momonosuke is a quite possibly the most evil character in this entire series. Never have I laughed at, and simultaneously hated, a little child so much.

The reveal of Doflamingo’s decision not only came much faster than expected, but his choice was not entirely what I was expecting either. I look forward to see what Oda does next chapter, as the big seven hundred finally arrives.

Toriko Ch. 223
Toriko this week continues the series’ current creed by giving us nothing but action, action, and action. Oh, and also a certain character turns out to be a woman in disguise. I wonder if there is some kind of connection between how much of a sausage fest this manga usually is, and the fact that we’ve had two women disguised as men in this series.

For fans of brutality in shounen fighters, Toriko has you covered in spades. While most fighter series don’t shy away from depictions of extreme violence, Toriko is the only one that regularly shows characters getting brutally maimed and treats it like it’s absolutely nothing. Yet somehow, despite the fact that even the lower level combatants are tough enough to survive lethal blows, each time someone gets seriously injured I still have to wince a little.

Naruto Ch. 621
What can I say, there was way too much fighting, though the thousand-armed kanon was a cool technique, for very little payoff. I like fighting, don’t get me wrong, I like it a lot. Why else would my favorite series be shounen fighters. But there has to be a reason for it. And going from a fight in a flashback, to not-a-fight in an even deeper flashback bugs me just a little bit. I imagine it will take a while before we get some sense for what is supposed to be going on, but for now I can’t say I’m particularly enjoying the ride. Manga on a weekly serialization schedule needs to make each chapter count, rather than asking readers to be patient for the payoff. Perhaps it would make for a good read in the collected tankobon, but on a weekly basis Naruto has been leaving a bit to be desired.

Nisekoi Ch. 063
I never realized how well cute and hilarious go together. I will let the page speak for itself, with just a little bit of setting. This page takes place right after Onodera finds out Rakku and Chitoge did not in fact spend the night together at a luxury hotel.

I think that speaks for itself. This was a great chapter, the reactions to the misunderstanding were great, and somehow the joke worked without getting stale. It’s not like this is the first time that characters have misunderstood each other. Perhaps what helps most is that Rakku immediately sets everyone right after finding out what everyone thinks happened.

Bleach Ch. 527
FINALLY!

I have been waiting years, literally years, for this moment. And what’s even better is that it isn’t a disappointment. Kenpachi finally hears the voice of his zanpakuto. I’m still standing by my prediction that Kenpachi’s shikai isn’t meant for fighting at all, but that instead it will give him healing powers. Mostly because it would be a way to keep Unohana in the story, but also because it would be a fun bit of irony for Kenpachi.

I am amazed that Kubo actually addresses the fact that Ichigo never had an asauchi. It’s not a plot hole, he’s actually addressing it, and the fact that Ichigo created his zanpakuto without having the physical sword first is brought up as being unusual. I can’t wait to find out what the answers are, and hope that they will be satisfying.

World Trigger Ch. 003
Could we please stop with the bullies? They really aren’t that interesting, mostly they’re just cliche and the kind of villains I would rather wee disappear completely. I’ll admit that seeing Yuma intimidate them is amusing enough, but I just can’t stand seeing such an old cliche dragged out again. I will say, though, that I am intrigued by what Yume’s role in the story is. My current theory is that, as a neighbor, his presence is drawing the monsters to wherever he is. That would explain why both attacks happened so close to him.

Cross Manage Ch. 022
You wouldn’t think the fanservice chapter would be so good, but here we have it. This chapter was as good as I expected. Nacchi got the necessary character development she needed, and while the cheesecake in this chapter smelled of desperation to rise in the rankings, I enjoyed the rest of the chapter quite a bit. There were plenty of funny moments to go along with the character building at the end. I hope Cross Manage is able to survive the next set of cuts from the magazine.

One-Punch Man Ch. 006
One-Punch Man continues to be great. Less time was spent focusing on Saitama, in favor of our new character Genos. I like where the series is going with him as the first proper supporting cast member. The joke of the chapter is of course the same as before, but somehow, despite being a straight rendition of the basic joke, it manages to still be funny every single time. Perhaps this week it’s because Saitama finally gets the catharsis of slapping a mosquito.

Dragon Ball Z Ch. 004
This is where things get good. Goku and Picolo team up to battle Raditz, and the story feels like it is really starting now. It’s a bit harder to review these chapters, mostly because I’ve read them before and don’t really have my gut reaction to go off of. Still, I’ve been enjoying the current run of chapters, and look forward to more. Reading them again after so long I do notice a few things here and there. Mostly how fast the plot seems to be moving forward. I know Dragon Ball Z isn’t exactly known for its speedy plots, but this feels a lot faster than I remember. And not necessarily in a good way. Keep in mind, the status quo of the series changed just now, with the revelation that Goku is an alien. It’s a lot of information that we’re supposed to comprehend right away. Granted we’ve had a few years to internalize it all, and most fans knew about this part of the story before the original Dragon Ball. Still, I can only imagine what it must have felt like reading this all those years ago. I wonder how many people were decrying Toriyama for jumping the shark.

If you want more, check out my podcast at the Manga^3 Archives. And listen to last week’s episode at Episode 036 – February 18, 2013 – What is Shoujo Manga? | Fairy Tail Vol. 6.

There will never be anything like a perfect issue of WSJ. But for what it’s worth, I think this week we got close to it. There was not a single chapter that I hated this week. There were a few I was less excited about, but none that incited any kind of rage. All in all, it was a good week.

World Trigger Ch. 001
I think I can honestly say that this might be the best first chapter in Weekly Shonen Jump Online. Sure we haven’t had all that many first chapters in this magazine, but the point still stands. While I am getting tired of the typical high school setting—I’ve come to realize that it’s a staple of the medium and something I’ll just have to live with—everything else about this first chapter was great. Even the stereotypical bullying, which from what I understand is a real problem in Japan so I can understand the need to bring more attention to it, was used effectively.

Ultimately what sold me on this new series were the two twists at the end. Manga-ka Daisuke Ashihara played with our expectations for an action series like this and was able to use that to turn the tables at the end of the chapter. If he can keep this up throughout the entire series, then I can see a bright future for this new manga.

One Piece Ch. 698
I’m sure anyone who isn’t as big into One Piece as I am must be getting tired of this section of the column. But can you really blame me this week? Sure, the majority of the chapter is just character interaction—no big action scenes here. But it’s that kind of writing that draws us closer to the characters and is ultimately one of the most entertaining aspects of One Piece.

And lest we forget—though how could we forget—that cliffhanger. I guess now we know who that mysterious stranger sleeping in the middle of the ocean a few chapters ago was, but ending the chapter by pitting Doflamingo and Kuzan together (and doing so right before taking a week break), is nothing short of gloriously sadistic.

One-Punch Man Ch. 004
I would probably be talking out of my behind were I to say that One-Punch Man was a serious drama whose entire appeal revolves around the pathos of the main character (whose strength is his one true weakness). But I feel entirely justified in saying that this chapter emphasizes how well Saitama’s ennuie can be used for comedic purposes. It also allows us to see that even though Saitama killing people in one punch could become a tired gag, author One is skilled enough to stretch the humor of the situation further by switching up the formula here and there. Possibly the funniest chapter of the series to date.

Naruto Ch. 619
Finally, a chapter of Naruto where I can legitimately say something nice. I know that I start this section every week wishing I could find something nice to say. I feel bad for hating on Naruto so much when I know there is a richness of readers out there who love the series and who I am probably chasing off by hating on their series so much.

Fortunately, this week was my favorite chapter of Naruto in a long time. I do hate Kishimoto’s poorly timed comedy at times, particularly when it is used during what should be an emotional scene. But when Kishimoto manages to insert his comedy appropriately, it is still really funny. Getting to meet the first two Hokage for the first time (Orochimaru’s initial use of their corpses back before the time skip does not count since their personalities were sealed at that point) was a treat that made this a surprisingly funny chapter.

Even more surprising is that I was able to read this chapter without devolving into frothing rage anytime Sasuke was in the scene. Even more so, being able to learn a bit more about the Uchiha was a long overdue blessing. Granted, I don’t buy the idea that “they feel too much love, so they feel too much hate,” and the concept that the Sharingan is ultimately created by the power of love makes me laugh. (Not in a good way. More in a “let’s make fun of Ma-Ti from Captain Planet” kind of way.)

Dragon Ball Z Ch. 002
There’s really not much to say about this chapter, except that I’d forgotten how accurate and justified Krillin’s characterization in Dragon Ball Z Abridged is. I mean, really, he just waltzes up to someone Goku said is strong, who is skilled enough to be able to fly, and expects what to happen? Well he clearly does not expect to get owned, and I have to admit the temptation to keep a “Krillin Owned” count of my own is overwhelming.

The translation, which I assume is the same translation Viz has been using ever since they first started licensing Dragon Ball, could really use an update. If nothing else, we could use an updated spelling for Krillin’s name. I won’t admit to knowing exactly which spelling is correct, but I do know that nobody has spelled it Kuririn ever—at least nobody who has grown up reading and watching the series. There are some other aspects of the old translation that stick out, such as the typesetting and some of the diction. The color is all good and fine, but I would much rather see an update to the translation.

Cross Manage Ch. 020
While I really loved last week’s chapter, this week was a bit weak. The first half or so was fun, mostly because Komatsu featured prominently. But the fact that the game itself only got half a chapter tells me exactly where the focus of this series is. So fans of sports manga can probably give up on learning anything significant about lacrosse.

The romance between Sakurai and Misora feels rushed, suggesting that the series is probably not going to survive the next round of cancellations. Perhaps it’s a curse for any romance series, but I find the side characters more interesting than our two leads. Sure Misora is quirky and entertaining, but she suffers from protagonist bias, meaning that because of how much time we spend around her she just doesn’t measure up against the other quirky characters that have less time spent on them. Not to mention that I find it hard to care about a romance for a series that hasn’t been around long enough for me to care about the characters. Perhaps that’s why series that don’t focus much on romance at all get all the rabid shippers. The more time you spend with the characters, the more you care about them. And it’s a lot easier to becoming attached to romantic relationships when they aren’t being forced on you in less than twenty five chapters.

Toriko Ch. 221
I don’t know why some series bore the snot out of me when they do nothing but show fight after fight, but for some reason Toriko just gets away with it. Perhaps it’s because of how imaginative the powers are. Or perhaps it’s because in this chapter we finally get to see some neglected characters match up for their own fights. Mansam and Rin have not had much time in the story, compared to others. For someone watching the anime at the same time, they may come across as one-note characters, which they very much are since they have not had any real development before this chapter. Thus, the anime has to go with what they’ve got, and what they’ve got is a collection of tired old jokes that weren’t really funny in the first place.

Hopefully we get to see a bit more of those two, particularly Rin, whom I liked from the start for her non-traditional design. Unfortunately while she doesn’t look like your typical girl from a shounen manga, she sure does act like it. So with a bit of luck she will actually get to look like the badass I thought she was supposed to be.

I’m still a bit peeved that we didn’t get to see the rest of the cooking fest, but by this point I’m so excited by all the upcoming fights that I can’t really complain anymore.

Nisekoi Ch. 061
It’s amazing what a difference a single chapter can make. I wasn’t that big on the drama between Chitoge and Hana, but somehow this chapter managed to explain Hana’s neglect in a surprisingly satisfying way. The joke quota for this chapter was still somewhat low, but we seem to be rushing to a conclusion here so hopefully Nisekoi will be par for the course shortly.

If you want to hear more, check out the Manga^3 archives. For last week’s episode check out Episode 034 – February 4, 2013 – Overarching Goals and The Legend of Koizumi.

There’s a topic that I feel might need to be addressed, and while I do talk about it on this week’s episode of Manga^3, I think it wouldn’t be out of place to at least take a few lines to talk about it here. As you all know, Weekly Shonen Jump has started publishing chapters simultaneously with Japan. So, some may wonder why exactly scanlation sites seem to have the next set of chapters up just two days after WSJ is published. Some may think that we have been lied to—that in fact we are not actually simultaneous. After having to explain why this is not the case to a friend, I figured I should put this information out there where others can see it.

The fact of the matter is that scanlation sites get their hands on the chapters well before they are actually released in Japan. There is no way for VIZ, or anyone, to publish those chapters you see on the scanlation sites until next Monday because they have not been legally released.

I know the old excuse, “I read scanlations because how else am I going to get these chapters?” And I’m not about to pass a judgement call on whether one should or should not read scanlated manga. In my personal opinion the most important thing is that the creators get paid for their efforts.

Where this excuse stops working is when it morphs into, “I’m paying for WSJ, but those new chapters are right there, nobody will care if I read them now.” That becomes problematic because, well, people will care. Those chapters should not have been released yet. The paying Japanese audience has not even had a chance to read them yet. This goes beyond providing manga that has no other outlet, and goes straight into outright stealing intelectual property before it has been officially released.

I assume most of you would not watch a low quality leak of a movie before it has even hit theaters, so please, do the same for manga, and no matter how tempting it may be to read those scanlated chapters, please wait for the official release wherever such a release is possible. After all, the more success WSJ has in its digital format, the more likely other companies might be to attempt something similar. You want to read Fairy Tail day and date as it is released in Japan? Let the publishers know that you are willing to pay the money for an official digital magazine. And for those series that are being published in WSJ, please show your support by reading them only as they become officially available.

And that took a lot longer than I thought, but it’s an issue that needed to be addressed. There is literally no way for us to get chapters legally faster than they are being published in Japan. So please, have some patience, and enjoy your manga.

Toriko Ch. 219
While I would have preferred to see more of the cooking competition, after this chapter I find myself at least pleasantly resigned to seeing this war play out. The chapter sets up the standard one-on-one fights we’ve come to expect in shounen series, while managing to pull off several excellent scenes. I still question the motives behind this attack. While I can imagine that it’s the easiest place to kidnap cooks since they are all gathered in one place, it does seem like the hardest place to kidnap cooks since they are all gathered in one place and to a man they are all supreme badasses. I doubt this is the final battle, or even the lead in to said final battle, so I expect we can’t do much more than sit back and wait to see what the ultimate goal is here.

One Piece Ch. 696
I sometimes feel bad for how much praise I lather on One Piece. But then I remember that One Piece has done everything it can to deserve said praise. It’s not One Piece‘s fault that the other manga can’t keep up. That being said, while I know this series isn’t for everyone, I still stand by the assertion that even a slow chapter like this, with little to no action, is the crown jewel of WSJ. Anyone who hasn’t put the time into reading this series is doing themselves a serious disfavor.

There are plenty of entertaining moments throughout the chapter, and they are executed in such a way that I even forgive Oda once again for not actually killing off any of the characters he apparently killed during the arc. We get a great pair of scenes for Sanji and for Nami, with Sanji actually reminding us that people wasting food is one of his berserk buttons. And Nami’s scene where she is talking about Tashigi and reminiscing about her own mother is a great character piece in a cast that at times does run the risk of stagnating.

While I do love this series, it does constantly run the risk of Luffy’s crew becoming irrelevant. Especially in recent arcs the focus has been on new characters, rather than developing those that we have become comfortable with. Everything past the Shabaody arc has demonstrated that Oda may be growing tired of using the same cast constantly, as I can easily see him removing the crew from the story as him using a chance to play around with some new characters. I hope this is not the case, and that we get some deeper scenes with the crew, and not just a constant barrage of “Look how powerful they are now”.

See, I can be harsh even with my favorite series. And speaking of harsh…

Naruto Ch. 617
I’ve made no secret that Naruto is not exactly one of my favorite series. And it wasn’t until recently that I found out why this is. A friend and I were discussing overarching plots in manga, and whether it’s better for a series to just have them go on adventures, or if they need an overarching goal even if the resolution of said goal won’t happen for decades.

It was because of this discussion that I finally figured out why I haven’t been nearly as excited about Naruto as I once was. The simple matter of the fact is that when I started reading, Naruto had one goal, namely to become Hokage so that people would accept him. If you strip away the part about becoming Hokage, we are left with the desire for people to accept him. And the best parts of the series were Naruto fighting against the perception that he is a screwup. For me that was the driving force of the narrative.

Unfortunately that goal can’t be stretched out too long without becoming stale. And with the Invasion of Pein arc Naruto finally achieved his goal. He is not yet Hokage, but he has been accepted and admired by his entire village. For me that was the climax I had been waiting for.

And then the series kept going. Granted Naruto still needs to bring Sasuke back, but I neither care about that plot, nor do I think it would have been very out of place had it been addressed and concluded right after the Pein arc. The problem is that Kishimoto introduced many elements that need to be resolved. Without those elements the series could have been completed satisfactorily with the defeat of Pein. Since that point the series has felt like it has been meandering, and most of the events that I have not cared for have happened during the period after said arc. The last time I was really excited about Naruto was just before and during that arc. Since then the series has been lacking a clear goal that I’ve yet to care about, all because what I perceived as the ultimate goal has already been accomplished.

Oh yes, and why was Sakura missing from this chapter? I know a lot of people don’t like her, but I’ve actually liked her character arc through the series. If she’s been completely dropped from the series—and do remember that she used to be the female lead for the series—then I honestly can’t say that Naruto is still the series I once loved. I know a lot of people are enjoying the current arc, and while it is big and epic, it is still missing every single element that I ever loved about the series, leaving it feeling stale beyond belief and not nearly close to something that I would feel comfortable recommending to anyone with similar tastes to mine.

And here I started this part of the column, with the intention of being nicer this week. But I’m afraid that might not be possible until Naruto gives me a reason to start liking it again. And the chances of that are slim considering my complaints for the series.

Nisekoi Ch. 59
In the hands of a good writer, give me single chapter stories any day. And even when Nisekoi branches out into longer stories, there is still plenty for me to enjoy. I thought that when Chitoge realized her feelings for Rakku the series would start to go downhill, since my favorite part of the series was the uncertainty of who Rakku would be with. Even though Chitoge has almost certainly been decided as being the girl he will fall in love with, I still find myself entertained week by week.

Chitoge’s mother is the typical scary mother, but somehow Nisekoi manages to take common tropes in romantic comedies and make them feel fresh. While I do question Chitoge’s father, given how young his wife is, I find myself not thinking about potential squicky relationships by how terrified he is of her. Nisekoi always manages to put me in a good mood.

One Punch Man Ch. 2
I was a bit surprised that this series is going through from chapter one onward rather than skipping to the most recent. And I applaud the editorial staff for making this decision. One of the biggest weaknesses with publishing weekly series is that there is no feasible way to publish everything that has happened since the first chapter to the most recent. But since One Punch Man is a monthly series there is plenty of time to play catch up.

This was the chapter that had the biggest effect on me. If nothing else, the gruesome way in which Saitama dispatches the crustacean monster stands out as being both incredibly nasty and the most effective way to defeat a monster.

While we don’t get anything on Saitama’s training, I love the straightforward approach this manga is taking to telling its story. Rather than wasting time, everything important about his backstory is taken care of in a single chapter.

Bleach Ch. 524
Did anyone else get the image of Kenpachi pinning for Unohana throughout the rest of the series? I can’t help but imagine him thinking, “Please notice me, Senpai” and the image made me enjoy this chapter a lot more than I probably should have.

To be fair, this was a pretty good chapter. Bleach has always lacked a clear overarching goal, so I’ve grown used to the meandering feeling I get from series that don’t have a clear final goal. So it’s best to enjoy each arc on its own, and each chapter on its own. Which is why it’s a shame that not much happens chapter to chapter.

I enjoyed the fight, though I have to question how exactly just fighting is supposed to teach Kenpachi to use two hands. I suppose Unohana needs to beat it into him? Either way, Kenpachi and Unohana have been favorites of mine for a while, and even though I don’t quite like this development from Unohana I have to admit it is the most interesting thing she’s done in the entire manga.

Cross Manage Ch. 18
I think this chapter solidifies the idea that it isn’t about the sport. Cross Manage is entirely a shoujo manga disguised as a shounen manga. And I quite like it for that. Sure I would love to see some hot-blooded shounen sports action, but there’s a place for manga like this. The question is how long that place will remain open.

Hayami manages to be an endearing, entertaining character, despite being the rival love interest. it feels more real that she is perfectly likable, and not an antagonist at all, compared to series where all love rivals are scheming shrews. It certainly makes for a much more entertaining manga.

Kintoki
I like Dragonball Z, I really do. The anime version may be infamous in its execution, but the manga really was something special. I won’t say it’s my favorite of all time, but it’s pretty high up there. That being said, getting a new Toriyama manga, even if it is just a one-shot is special. Unfortunately I can’t say that it was necessarily anything groundbreaking. It was essentially more Toriyama, which works perfectly well for anyone who wanted nothing but to wax nostalgic, but for anyone looking for something as groundbreaking as Dragonball was, chances are this one-shot will come off as a bit of a disappointment.

Its biggest downside is the fact that a lot of Toriyama’s weaknesses shine through. The villain of the story, for example, emphasizes that Toriyama was not exactly one for nuanced villains. He created great characters, but his villains never really got beyond the “I have power so I will mess things up” stage. In such a short format we get that essence distilled so far that it exposes flaws in prior villains Toriyama has written.

Despite that major flaw in the story, I have to say that I would have most definitely read this had it been turned into a series. While ending a one-shot or a failed manga run by saying “there were more adventures but I won’t tell them to you” is a trope I’m not entirely fond of, I have to say that I believe Toriyama would have spun an interesting web out of the premise. On its own it’s more of the same, but it’s overall a good same, so I can’t complain about anything else.

If you want to hear more, check out Manga^3 at Burning Lizard Studios for old podcast episodes. For last week’s episode check out, Episode 032 – Shounen Hero Asexuality.