Thursday, January 31, 2013

Beelzebub 190: The Three Kings and The Three Beasts

Recap and Comments of Beelzebub 190: Ishiyama's Six Upstarts

At the beginning of the chapter we are introduced to Former #2 of Sabatou High Chabou Souken and to Former #3 of Sabatou High Kajiura Tetsuhito. They are talking about Nasu and Oga.

They both are seniors and they both ask the Former Head of the Sabatou School Ichikawa Ebian what to do. He says to go spread some bait and mentions that the man who actually takes down Oga Tatsumi will rise to the Top of Ishiyama.

At another location we are introduced to Former #3 and #2 of Hiaburi High, Shigemori Shigeru and Haizawa Ryou. They say that they have to act and say let's go to Former head of Hiaburi High Akahoshi Kankurou, who's also freshman.
Akahoshi reminds me of Oga a bit

Oga versus. Nasu clash is now imminent. It's funny how Nasu comes close and Baby Beel draws whiskers of Naruto on his face.
What a hilarious moment.

Oga says that he gives a free hit to him to be fair. Nasu then hits pretty strongly and Oga gets buried to the ceiling.

The Ishiyama six upstarts are serious business. We are hearing couple of people talk about them outside and they talk about how Fuji, Taka, Nasubi, Ougi, Tabako and Zatou are put together they are the six Ishiyama upstarts.

Then they talk about previously mentioned Hiabura High's Akahoshi, Sabatou High's Ichikawa and Majougari Academy's Tabako who we have yet to see. These three are called the Three kings.

Above them are The three beasts who are the Self proclaimed flying eggplant from Sourei High, Nasu

Daten High's "Emperor" Takamiya

And the one who is called the strongest rookie ever Shinkyouku High's Fuji.

There's also a new branch of red tail who started calling themselves the New world red tails, who have surrounded Aoi outside.

Ichikawa and Akahoshi have arrived to the place where Nasu and Oga are. They want to take the credit for taking Oga down, but Oga is still alive and kicking and is going to kick some ass in the next chapter.

A decent build up chapter, it's great to see that Beelzebub is once again making a momentarily shift from being a gag manga to more serious one. Beel drawing Naruto whiskers to Nasu was a great moment, too bad that usually Beelzebub feels a bit too tryhard on the humour side but that hit spot on. I'll be interested in seeing which way the story now progresses, since we have been introduced to a load of new characters, which is kind of sudden and I'm really wondering whether they were even needed to mix up the story. Anyways I'll be waiting the next chapter not too eagerly, but when it arrives I just may want to read what it brings to us.

Toriko 220: Torikos amazing growth

Recap and Comments ofToriko Gourmet 220: Wild Battle

Setsuno is walking in the middle of everything looking at Zaus' blood mark on the ground.
It's possible that there's some kind of conspiracy going on, since he was holding the spot of the greatest chef - this would be just too anticlimatic for him to just die without basically nothing happenin?

The chefs are preparing for the fight and someone's muscular leg is shown behind a corner.
It's reasonable to think that it's someone from bishokukai going to ambush the chefs, his target being this white haired chef.

Toriko versus Starjun battle continues. Toriko decides to show Starjun how much he has grown, he starts with 50 Ren Kugi punch and continues with another 50 Ren Kugi punch with other hand.
It's great to see that Toriko doesn't have any "recoil" in these hit, I mean, he can obviously use these punches as many as he wants.

Starjun gets drilled inside the stadium and Toriko follows him through the hole.
This was pretty amazing :)

Then Toriko uses 50 + 50 = 100 Ren Twin Kugi Punch which makes Starjun burst out of the Stadium.
Yeah! This one is a huge bomb.

While Starjun is in the air Toriko attacks with Leg Boomerang and then with Cannon Fork So that both attacks hit simultaneously.
I think it's very good thing that Torikos weapon arsenal is expanding constantly. The nature of his attacks makes it essentially possible for him to make any kinds of attacks. These two attacks were pretty cool.

For finisher Toriko hits Starjun with 50 Ren Kugi Punch in to the head which makes Starjun fly at nearby mountain.

Starjun is still standing, having his clothes however ripped off and getting his Shiva Helmet broken.

The chapter's end truly makes it seem that the true fight has yet to begin. Starjun's "stand" behind him looks like a one eyed devil.
It seems that the build up for this fight has finally been done and what a great build up it was. I liked Starjun getting seriously drilled through that stadium and Toriko following him. Mansam at the end of the chapter was pretty cool, he had destroyed several GT Robos and said that he might not be able to hold himself, yeah.

As for Predictions? Well it's obvious, Zaus is with Bishokukai, Toriko vs Starjun, it's a close battle, but Starjun will escape at the last moment.

Bleach 525: Unrestraining of Zaraki Kenpachi

Recap and Comments of Bleach 525: Edges

Zaraki Kenpachi versus Unohana Yachiru battle continues. Zaraki is thinking to himself how nostalgic it is for him to lose consciousness in middle of the fight and how it has only happened once before.

We get a small flashback of Unohana Yachiru, one of her underlings is approaching here somewhere saying that "No matter how much we search through Rukongai I really don't think we'll be able to find someone strong enough to satisfy you", so Unohana is very much alike Kenpachi.

They find a mountain of dead corpses and on top of them a boy with a long sword. Yunohana describes her feelings as losing interest in the sword, in fighting, but this child changed everything.
I think it's pretty obvious that the kid was Zaraki Kenpachi.

We get back to the present where their fight currently happens. They both are thinking their own stuff, Kenpachi feeling alive when coming out of unconsciousness and Unohana thinking how Kenpachi unconsciously restrains himself.

Unohana is hurting Kenpachi over and over to awaken his old self, to awaken his true fighting power to surpass Unohana and go higher and higher..

I have to admit that I'm not a huge Bleach fan, so the things that happen in it don't very well stick to my mind. These kind of chapter sure raise my interest since they are well designed, even if they don't serve a higher purpose. What I'm really wondering is the timing for this to happen, since I can't shake the feeling of Zaraki Kenpachi just getting utterly beat by the Quincy guys and now he's being described as someone who unconsciously restrains himself and his fighting power? I've probably missed something, but it just doesn't make sense. We'll most likely see Kenpachi beating Unohana in the next or the chapter after it and hopefully see an unrestrained Zaraki Kenpachi.

Naruto 618: Revival of the Four Hokages

Recap and Comments of Naruto 618: The Ones Who Know Everything

The chapter starts with scene from a broken, abandoned house where Sasuke and his group (Including Orochimaru) have arrived. Sasuke goes inside and asks which one is it referring to wall full of masks which resemble "devils" with horns and everything.

Orochimaru takes the one they are apparently looking for with his snake hand and after that he says it's time to move on to the place where all the secrets slumber..

Sasuke and his group are walking in Konoha village which is a bit deserted, with only couple of people walking around the 'city'. Sasuke goes on top of a water tank to watch over the city and mentions this place having changed quite a bit. Orochimaru takes some time explaining what's going on with Sasuke to his group.

Sasuke goes beside a big slab of rock in the middle of some rumbles that has Uchicha mark on it and a apparent seal. Sasuke moves it with a jutsu. They make casual mentions how there's nothing left of the Uchiha Nakano shrine.

They go inside in front of a stone tablet and Orochimaru puts the mask on his face. Something happens to Orochimaru and we see a character (Shikifujin) appear, reaper familiar from a certain jutsu that the third hokage used to seal Orochimaru's hands.

We geat a flashback explaining about the reaper's mask which was the one Orochimaru used, it was found in the Uzumaki Clans mask temple on the outskirts of Konoha, after putting the mask on they must allow the Shikifujin (which means the basically the reaper that appeared) to possess you in order to release it.

To undo the jutsu, you need it to slice it's belly and Orochimaru needs to become a sacrifice in exchange so that way he will be able to regain his arms.

So Orochimaru gains his arms back and will be able to cast Edo Tensei. To summon "Those Four" they'll need to "donate" something for the jutsu: Juugo transfers the power of his cursed seal into Sasuke and doing that will force Tobi's spies, Zetsu clones to exit Sasuke's body.

The Zetsu clones then are used for donation to the Edo Tensei No Jutsu! As I expected, the ones who they revived are the previous Hokages, The First Hokage Hashirama Senju, The Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi and The Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze.

It was certainly a great chapter and it somewhat managed to keep my interest piqued. It's great to see that Sasuke is actually having a decent plan that he may execute either while the alliance is fighting against Madara and Obito. What I find interesting is that they revived the four hokages and as they themselves refer to them that they are the "ones that know it all" so they may get some important information regarding them and last but not least, they will be an invaluable fighting assett for them.

I think we should be really getting a conclusion regarding Obito, Madara and Juubi, since all that doesn't interest me somehow anymore: the mystery of Tobi has been revealed, Madara's best parts were seen already which were amazing, so at this point they don't have much to offer to the readers at this point. I'd like to see what Sasuke is going to do now, since he's a lot more interesting at this point than everyone revolving around Juubi.

One Piece 697: Negotiation with Donquixote Doflamingo

Recap and Comments of One Piece Chapter 697: Transaction

The chapter starts with the flashback from the time they were talking with Law about Kaido the Beast.

After Luffy said that he is going to take all of the Four Emperors down Law says that he underestimates them since they are the emperors who used to battle even Whitebeard for his territory. He also says that "Kaidou the Beast is the strongest creatures in the world. The chances for them to take Kaido down with Law's strategy is about 30%, Luffy agrees to this.
This is interesting! So Kaido the Beast isn't with even a human. We all know that Chopper is the one who has eaten the Human Human Fruit so Kaido can't have that. Well, we have seen in example a talking starfish etc. So a talking beast won't really be that special in the world of One Piece. Unofortunately we don't have any more info so there's only guessing to do. I'd love the idea in which Kaido himself is really a unintelligent best, but someone like a first mate is "controlling" him in some way.

Law speaks to is speaking so Smoker saying that there's no deeper meaning in keeping him alive and tells that he's planning to go on to Green Bitt. We'll see if the Strawhat Crew will meet their end by Law's hand.
I honestly don't understand what this is about, maybe it's bad translation - Law being a traitorous towards Strawhats isn't expected, but they may have to clash at some point. Maybe Law was referring to that.

The party continues, Smoker and Luffy are talking about the usage of the tanker. Luffy says that they can't set sail until they make sure all the kids have taken off. After this the chapter gets (understandably) a bit weird. Marines continue their propaganda saying that the Pirates are evil and the Marines are the justice.

Marines raised a long flag to block the view from the ship where the kids are to the spot on the land where Pirates are saying that the pirates are poison to the eyes. Marines continue with their trash talk of pirates until Tashigi orders them to stop as it's disgraceful. Finally the marines crack with their act and say that they love the strawhats + Law.
The first time I read this scene I was a bit confused but now it made more sense, it was a great moment of the mindset of the marines cracking under their feelings towards the Strawhats.

And then we get to the real business: Donquixote Doflamingo is flying on the ocean towards the Punk Hazard saying that the kids have some amazing luck and that to think the Sky Way had been cut off.
I think the sky way refers to a string that Doflamingo had pulled on Punk Hazard some other time and was most likely cut when Law did he amazing move of cutting the whole mountain in half.

Doflamingo finally arrives to Punk Hazard only to find Buffalo's and Baby Five's head along with a Den Den Mushi looking like Law. Buffalo and Baby 5 Apologize and then we have a scene where they are on life boat going most likely to Dessrosa.

Conversation between Trafalgar Law and Doflamingo starts now, Law is surprised that the boss would show up in person. Law wants to talk some business: he explains tha Doflamingos most important business partner is one of the Yonkou, The Great Pirate Kaidou The Beast who Doflamingo shouldn't be making angry. Law wonders what will happen when Kaido finds out that Doflamingo can't provide anymore "Smile"?, it will most likely be a battle which Doflamingo loses.

Doflamingo swiftly understands his situation and asks what he has to do to get Caesar back. Law says that Doflamingo has to quit being a Shichibukai (Warlord) and that means that Doflamingo couldn't go to Dressrosa again. That however would mean that the Admirals of the marine HQ would come and hunt him down, his time limit ends with tomorrows newspaper delivery. Something snaps inside Doflamingo and he's really angry at this point.
A great plot development, which shows how multidimensional, complex story One Piece truly is. Oda has made it so that each pirate have their own relations to each other where the pirates have to really do some politics with each other. I wonder if Doflamingo has other reasons to stay in Shichibukai, he most likely doesn't care that much about the admirals, but most likely it will hurt Doflamingos business as Joker. He has some business assosication inside World Government most definitely.

All in all it was a great chapter, there's really nothing to predict of since the next arc is always such a mystery that it would be essentially useless. What I'm concerned about is that where did Kinemon and Momonosuke go? I hope that they are on the boat with Strawhats and will at some point arrive to the island in which their home resides.

So no predictions this time. I think couple of next chapters we'll be seeing what is happening around the world of One Piece; perhaps the most interesting chapters are on the way!

New One Piece Leaks, Story Spoilers, Theories

So, there's a rumor going around the web that either Oda's assistant or editor has leaked some of the most important story line twists regarding One Piece after Punk Hazard and here they are.

Donquixote Doflamingo is actually paralyzed and is using his Devil fruit power of Spirit strings to move himself. Brook is the only one who is able to see DD's Spirit strings being sort of a spirit himself.

I love this spoiler / theory. The though of Donquixote Doflamingo actually being paralyzed and moving himself with his power is an amazing idea and I would like to see it implemented whether it's true or not. This would explain a bit about Doflamingos weird way of moving sometimes. Also Brook seeing the strings sounds reasonable.

In the end this theory doesn't have basically anything to speak anything for it except for the strings, but I like it nonetheless!

The mysterious shadowy character coming towards the Punk Hazard in the end of chapter 695 is actually Dragon, falling suddenly asleep is a trait that goes in the Monkey D. Family.

This is a very good theory, especially when thinking about the sleeping aspect of how it's very common for their family to sleep in the middle of the weirdest things. The seagull would be a great way for Dragon to go around since if he has the Devil Fruit of the wind it would be a huge asset in speeding up his bird. Even the silhouette of the character that doesn't match Aokiji at all could really easily match Dragon.

Hundred Beasts Kaido will torture the Heart Pirates and do something that is described as unclear to Law, The Strawhats will eventually fight Kaido.

Well I really can't say anything else about this but that only thing that is verifiable is that this kind of scenario is probable. Law and Luffy have just made a pact to make an alliance to take down Kaido. This would have been a lot more believable if it had been revealed before this weeks chapter 696 where it was revealed that they are going to take down Kaido.

Eustass Kid, Apoo and Basil Hawkins are going to ambush Big Mam's (Charlotte Linlin) Tea party.

We can only wait to see whether or not this will happen. I can't recall now if we have been shown whether these three have an alliance. If this happens I think it's great how all the supernovas are challenging actively all the Yonkous.

Buggy is a Shichibukai and he fakes himself getting captured. Alvida somehow convinces Strawhats to save him but in the end it's a trap by the World Government

This is a bit weird leak / spoiler / theory, since Buggy being a warlord was very strongly hinted that people keep it as granted. I'd like to see some kind of twist about that since I feel that it's not like Oda to making something so obvious. Alvida coming back to the scene doesn't make me intrigued since I never actually liked the character. Except a little bit more now since she's hot. The whole trap thing sounds a bit weird.

Shirahoshi goes nuts and tries to kill Jinbei

I wonder why she would go crazy?

Will of the D means that they are the children of the Ancient Kingdom and the D basically means "half-moon". They also have genes from the Skypieans

Here's basically nothing new except that the D would mean half moon and that they would have genes from Skypieans which I find a bit weird. Anyway I find the new theories a bit enjoyable and I could actually believe that Oda could pull the D being half moon off smoothly by making a really great backstory for it. Still I kinda wish that the true revelation would be a lot more mind blowing and I have great expectations of Oda.

At Raftel One Piece turns out to be a Jolly Roger on the ground only to remind the strawhats of their amazing journey. They all start crying of being happy.

Really nothing new about this theory either, even if guessed right it would still do justice to the ending of the One Piece, since I'd really like that. I could already imagine them finally reaching Raftel and we would get a small flashback showing big parts of the journey. I still believe that One Piece really isn't something important, but a way for Gol D. Roger to put people out on the sea!

In the end in these "leaks" there are at least couple of very good theories if anything else. Only sure way to find out is to wait for new chapters however painful that may be.

Edit: They are saying that these spoilers were actually released BEFORE chapter 695, which would make at least the Kaido part a bit more believable. If Dragon arrives on Punk Hazard and Donquixote Doflamingo is paralyzed and has "Spirit Strings" I don't know what to think. In some sense some important pieces of One Piece would be ruined for me, but it would still be at the same time very amazing thing to get to know this stuff. The rumors also say that the original source of this "leak" are some japanese forums.

Magi 171: Mu Alexius, Titus and Aladdin

Recap of Magi 171: Prey

The Fanalis Corps of Reim finally charge. The fanalis are bursting through Magnostadt soldiers killing them left and right, they look more like monsters than human.

The Fanalis corps are closing towards the Magic weapon of Magnoshutatt and they truly seem unstoppable. The magic weapon at this point has another worry: if it keeps sucking on more and more magoi, then the people in the 5th level authorization district will undoubtly die.

A hit to one of the tubes of the weapon, someone's shooting the magoi supply lines from the sky.

Titus, one of Lady Scheherazade's clones is seen fighting on the battlefield saying that he became an independent human so she's battling against Reim now. He uses Destrosion (Great flash) against Mu Alexius but it isn't effective.

Mu Alexius keeps talking to him and speaks about what he essentially is: a monster. Due to this realization the clone stops fighting.

Then someone comes near them saying that Mu is wrong. He's saying that Titus is our friend, not some monster. This someone is Aladdin and they promise to fight together.

Mu asks Aladdin what reason did he come here and he answers that he came to stop Reim and this sorrowful war.

It's time for Aladdin to shine in chapter 172.

Comments and Predictions

As I predicted last time we got to see some Fanalis action and it was indeed great sight. They are as ferocious as I imagined. The appearance of Titus at this point was somewhat a surprise to me and how he was nothing sort of a main character for this chapter (which was a bit disappointing).

But the good thing is that now as it says in the last panel, it's finally time for Aladdin to show his power as a magi! So at this chapter was a short set up chapter for Aladdin to come stylishly through by coming for Titus now it's time for him to put up some serious action. So in the next chapter 172 I will be expecing some huge things for Aladdin which may easily shake the whole ground of this war between Reim and Magnostadt.

Gamaran 174: Sengoku Iori vs. Jinsuke draws near

Recap of Gamaran chapter 174:

Ranmaru and Naoyshi are feeling the bloodlust behind the door.

Suddenly, between the door comes a huge hand holding the guard of this room, apparently dead.

On the next page a huge bald character who has scar on top of his head comes through the door asking where is Naoyoshi-shama..

This huge monster seems to be one of Bakufu's dogs and is ordered to kill both Naoyoshi and Ranmaru. Of course Bakufu's goal isn't just the obliteration of the Muhou school but all of Unabara.

Naoyoshi and Ranmaru are completely surrounded by Bakufu forces.

The huge monster reveals the weapon he uses, it's a metal rod shaped a bit like sword (looks a bit like a kendo sword)

After showing off his metal rod Ranmaru instantly cuts the hand holding the rod off and quickly after slashes his neck so that his head almost comes off. Ranmaru intends to kill all of the Bakufu forces surrounding them.

We see that Bakufu forces have infiltrated everywhere. Gama is slashing them right and left and even people who were with Gensai are having some trouble with being surrounded by them.

Shin and Zenmaru are talking somewhere, it seems that Shin had predicted the infiltration of Bakufu forces to some extent. He then tells Zenmaru to go to the innter citadel and settle his destined battle.

And finally we see some of Sengoku Iori smoking his pipe and talking with some dude. He's going to head into the inner citadel also to face off Jinsuke.

Comments and Predictions

A set up chapter, but not a bad one by all means.

Regardless the other people in this chapter, it's great to see Sengoku Iori once again, he's easily one of my if not even the most favorite character in Gamaran. He's going straight towards Jinsuke and I think that the battle between them draws really near. He may encounter one or two enemies before arriving to him.

As sad as it may be I think that Jinsuke will kill Sengoku Iori, since it wouldn't really be suitable for him to beat Jinsuke since it's in the end the main protagonist's aim for the whole series. Regardless of that I'm very interested to see the battle between the two.

One Piece & Naruto Comic Spoilers

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