I, uh... Yeah, I mean wow.
This chapter kind of left me speechless??

It started off so good! The fight between Gaku and Nagumo is one of the most exciting, well coreographed, and cleanly drawn fights I've read.
Seeing Gaku go into his so called "speedrun" mode and immediately punch Nagumo so hard that he flies into a car was an exciting start.
I mean, Gaku literally smashes into the backseat from the top, and uses his weapon to launch the car forward and off a balcony.
When I say Yuto Suzuki really uses the sets well in his coreography, this is what I mean.
The car isn't just there for detail, it's an entire part of the fight.
The fluidity of this fight is so well done, every panel feels so fast and so impactful.
This fight in particular is definitely a good example of a reason to read this series.

Then it cuts to Sakamoto.
I originally thought they would cut back to the fight in a chapter or two, showing one of them escaping the fight.
When Sakamoto started talking to Shin, I really did think that was the case.
Then he mentions that it would take a lot for a member of the order to lose... and I knew it was coming.

Man... Wow.
I really like Nagumo.
I mean, there's like a 50% chance he's still alive and the page was for the reaction...
But I really feel like this is real right now.
I would be really surprised if it turns out he lived, and I think it's more impactful this way.
Either way! I really didn't expect this. Nagumo is a loved character.
At least, I think he is. He's a highlight of the series for me, that's for sure.

I cannot believe I have to wait a week for another chapter....
I want it now!! Haha, man this chapter really got me.
Nagumo...
Ahhh... Nagumooooo...

Oh good ol' One Piece.
This was a really packed chapter. Like, really packed.
It starts out with St. Saturn declaring that the island is to be blown up, like Ohara.
There's so much reason for the readers to outright hate this man, and every chapter feels like it gives 50 more reasons.
And then there's Kizaru... I thought I had mentioned recently that I was expecting either a redemption or a huge moment with him soon,
But it looks like I had cut it from my Issue 6&7 talk. Huh, not sure why I did that.

Kizaru is really a standout of this chapter for me.
Two chapters ago, he was reacting to Sentomaru and Bonney falling, seemingly out of care.
And then this chapter, there is an incredible panel of him acknowledging orders to destroy the island.
It's such a well drawn panel, with a clear use of his sunglasses to make the viewer understand that he doesn't agree, but he intends to comply.
I really like him, and I think he was used so well in this arc.
The question of "is he good or bad" has been at the forfront of my brain the entire time I've read this arc.
I heavily recommend clicking here to check out a fan art of this scene that is particularly great.
They really nailed the seemingly simple panel of Kizaru, it's really a work of art.

Also, apparently Egghead has the transparent travel tubes from Futurama?
Well, had. Kizaru definitely cut through them with a lightsaber.
There was so much to look at in this chapter, these tubes were just one part of a really complete package.
It's just so visually packed with details. The pacifistas on the beach, the situation each of the Straw Hats is in at the time, the ships ready to fire, the collapsing buildings.
You could spend so much time appreciating the visuals this chapter, and it would be worth it.

A phenomenal and effective chapter. Oda did it again.

So in this chapter we get to see the "National Treasure," or the chairman of the rakugo federation himself.
He kind of looks like... Damon Gant from Ace Attorney? Or Soriz from Granblue?
He intimidates me.
That's not the focus though, he's really there as a tease of where the story will go.

That's right, the focus this week was Taizen not showing up on time.
If you've read the last few chapters, you know why.
I actually like Taizen a lot. He seems like a peaceful and strong man.
I can understand why he's so stuck on the issue.
He clearly loves the art he studies, but a large part of that art is based on politics and legacy.
Taizen seems like he respects his master, or at least the art that he studies under him, and to go against him would go against his own beliefs.
Of course, that's snaggled by him also really caring about the integrity of the art and being an upstanding person.

Luckily Akane's dad finds him.
I actually really enjoy this sequence. Akane's dad is a character I am really fond of, he's cool and has his own motives and life.
He is why Akane started rakugo, of course, but he's his own person with his own goals and ideas.
Seeing him meet with Taizen leading to him being called Shinta for the first time in ages... It's a good moment.
It's lightly emotional on it's own, but then he talks about how Shinta is dead, he is merely a concrete salesman.
You can tell that he still has the scars from being banished in the rakugo world, but he's grown so much since then too.
It's simple, but it really sells you on the next chapter.
I cannot wait, it's gonna be good.

Yooo! I really liked this chapter!
It was simple, but really effective.
Seeing... Oh the cat girl's name is Nii? I didn't even know they were a girl, actually.
Anyway, seeing Hifumi and Nii run away from Futaba lead to the cool scene of Nii using her power.
She uses cool cat face explosions, and Hifumi looks so stupid and cute as Nii is doing so.

Turns out, Hifumi really did know that Nii wasn't really an ally, but she does feel that Nii isn't an enemy either.
Like I said before, I like Hifumi a lot more when she is away from Alpha.
Her solo stuff is so interesting to me. She's a weirdo, but she's not dumb.
She listens, takes in, and responds based on vibes and gut.
It's really interesting to see this, because you understand that she's still a child... but there's more to her than that.
That's why it's really believable that Nii looks at her as still a child.
Nii hasn't spent time with her, she genuinely thought that she was misleading this child.

Nii explains some story, who she is, what she's there for, and warns Hifumi to stay out of her way.
Since Hifumi isn't as dumb as she seems, she had already understood what was going on.
Hifumi plans on protecting Nii from Futaba as she can, but this isn't just "upset training" Futaba.
Futaba sees that Nii has a container with her mother's heart, and understandably almost loses it.

I really like the page showing her holding it in (the one on the right!!), but still jumping immediately into action.
It's even cooler seeing the damage the attack does to the surrounding area.
Futaba was not holding back on the dumb cat girl!!
I'm honestly rooting for Hifumi though.
I like her intuition and character a lot more than I thought I would

Oh neat.
This chapter was a straightforward.
So the organization that the MC worked with has now had meetings about what happened in the last several chapters.
Chihiro, the MC, is an unknown element to the big organization?
I guess I wasn't paying that much attention to the story, honestly.
Now, Chihiro is being targeted by the group.

I mean, I get it. It makes sense, storywise. These are literal war ending tools.
They should be restricted.
And I think it's a simple and effective way to restrict them storywise by saying the swords can only serve one person.
It sets up the expectations of the number of possible big enemies Chihiro will have to face, and a quick easy way to lead into the next fight.

I also really liked the first few pages. The ending to last week's fight was really dope.
The way that Sojo, the antagonist, climbs the stairs, blood smeared in their wake, just to end up exploding the whole castle??
It was pretty spectacular.

The way the chapter ends with the next antagonist, Hiyuki.
He has a better face than either Chihiro or Sojo!
I'm interested in this guy for sure.
So far the series has used some really personal motives for the characters, but I don't think this guy will be like that.
I could be wrong! But I think this character will be more straightforward, as a nice change of pace from Sojo.

I liked this chapter.
If Hokazono keeps it up, this series will stay in Jump for a long time, and I think this arc helped lay that foundation.

Oh. Yeah, this chapter is actually pretty good.
I might talk about how I don't like the end of the last chapter, but this one has a clear focus on Chinatsu.
We're given a view of an actually sad and coping Chinatsu.
The entire walk sequence until it all catches up to her while shes alone and she crouches and holds back tears... It's good.
And that's mainly due to the way the series has worked so far.
In the entire series, Chinatsu been such an uplifting character. She really hasn't had many moments like this, and it makes the impact a little more special.
Especially if it relates to the reader, if you did sports in school or compete at tournaments.
I especially like the page showing her letting go of her pride, since she is with someone she respects and understands.
Moments like this are so real and understandable. The moment you cry in front of your romantic other is... Weird, but relieving in a very unique way.

And on top of that, we get to see Taiki actually try to cheer her up.
He understands competition, so he can relate to her. The way he goes about it really gives us a good insight to who he is at this moment, and how he copes himself.
This chapter felt almost too... real. In a good way, I mean.
It was something that can be related to and understood, a youthful moment.

I hope the next arc is exciting.

Oh shoot, Otherhime really went all out.
She really got a 9.5??
I like how they're setting up Otohime as a character that will be a really close friend to Noren.
Noren really needs someone close to her in equal status, and Otohime really seems to hit that.
Well, in like a "wow they argue all the time, they must be close" kind of way.
I think it'll be a really great addition to the story honestly, since Ogami already has a squad.

Anyway, Noren feeling like she has to make a move right then goes for a crazy play and ends up getting sucked under the water.
I liked seeing Ogami scream for Noren.
It makes it seem like he almost loves her, but it's really just his parent instincts kicking in.
Clearly it won't look that way to others around them, but it really is a good use of the dynamic between these characters.

The way the chapter ended with Noren choking Ogami is interesting.
Really, I have no clue where that is going to lead.
Either she's desperate for air that she's going in for a kiss or she's got some sleeper agent thing going on.
Actually, it's probably just a weird way for her to grab him in a panic state.
That's not as weird though, haha.
Guess we've gotta wait a week!!

Okay, it's really starting to grow on me.
I want this series to last for it's natural span now.
It's still a little bland at times, but this arc has been well done.

In particular, I've started liking the striking art style.
The artist uses mainly 3 tones. White, dark gray, and solid black.
They don't use a lot of different gray tones, mainly utilizing a dark gray.
The use of white is minimal, and the use of black is almost excessive.
Dark details become thicker the more monstrous and dangerous a panel needs to feel.
It's nice, it's definitely something of note about the series, and I think this chapter in particular showcased it well.
In particular, the panel with the "dumb looking" girl getting cranky really shows how the blacks are used to add sinister detailing.
Of course, the Level 3 uses almost exclusively gray and black. The only white in the drawing with it and Shitotsu is Shitotsu herself.
It might make the art a little stiff at times though.

I also really liked the "dumb looking" girl I mentioned earlier.
I immediately knew she would be the strongest of the group, but the way the author went about it was really cool.
And funny, it was funny seeing her show up the one time they don't call for anyone.
If the series does more like this chapter, I think I'll enjoy it for a long time.

Introducing Shu Nagito.
He's an eliminator that uses a gun!
With bullets made from exorcism seals, so it destroys kasane with ease, I guess.
Not really the most inspired weapon, but it's effective for sure.
It also let Kuromori do the cool thing where he blocks the bullets with his sword arm.
I also really like Kuromori at this point.
Him going to town on a guy that wants to kill him just because his friend was insulted?
It's nice to have a hardheaded MC.

Anyway, Shu has PTSD with kasane because his dad turned into one.
And so he decided he wanted to eliminate them too?
Which is what led his dad into turning into a kasane?
Not sure I get the logic, honestly.
He seems nice enough though, he took in his loss well and seems to enjoy the idea of not being alone.
He's not my favorite design, but I hope he pops up a lot as the series goes on.

This chapter is about Hayuma trying to get a stronger understanding of pairs ice skating.
Hayuma talked his friend into lifting him, taking on the perspective and role of the female side of the sport.
It's actually really interesting, because he talks about the sport in ways I wouldn't know otherwise.
Him talking about the ease of lifting that comes with speed was something that I learned from this chapter.
And it really excites me to see them talk about view only the female role of pairs can see.
It feels reminiscent of the view of flying in Haikyuu.
Also, there is more Christian symbolism, using a snake as imagery while recalling the words said by the god skater.

The chapter was really well paced too.
Hayuma is clearly excited when he has the moment of inspiration from his experiment, and the pacing reflects that.
The author followed the excitement of the main character, which makes it so easy to get wrapped up by that same feeling.
And it all is really encapsulated by the last page, seeing Kisara and Hayama so overwhelmed in joy at pulling off a pairs triple axle.
This one is spicing up for me, I really like the direction it's been going.
I just hope it can keep it up, because there are only so many other series up for axing.

Okay, I really like Julia so far.
She's a really good companion to Fuuko, the way she naturally helps Fuuko without realizing how deeply Fuuko respects her...
It's nice. Really, really nice.
Also Top is back!!
His previous tragedy was so rough, I am glad that he didn't have to relive that...
He's a good character, and this chapter shows that really well.
His mom is sick, so he's shown stealing to make a living, using his UnStoppable ability to do so.
Clearly he doesn't like it, but he feels spited by the society shunning his mom during their toughest time.
I feel for the guy, I really do.

And Fuuko starts fighting him!
With a gun?? And some bajiquan... my beloved bajiquan...
Fuuko fighting will never not be cool. She really has taken over Andy's role so well.

I think this mini arc where they recruit him is going to be really good.
Which is no surprise, most of them have been superb.

The double color page spread is really good for this one.
I could see a big fan of the series having this as a poster.

This chapter was only mildly spicy this week.
While it's cool to see Akiie actually fight, or rather getting his butt kicked, the overall chapter was about side characters.
That's a huge part of the series, like I said last week.
You'll get some development of the MC and then you'll focus on side characters.
That's feudal war, after all. One army isn't the focus, there are many nobles and armies fighting.

The big standout to me this chapter was just the absolute wildness of Toki.
The guy is literally yeeting live humans so fast that they explode on impact, functioning like a shrapnel grenade.
Like, they're literally referred to as "Toki's exploding soldiers." That's wild.
There's even a panel where Akiie's bow gets broken by a loose hand while other body parts are hitting him.
I have to respect the style here, it's definitely unique.

A continuation of the fight from last week, Nito is still fighting Kuronuma.
I gotta say, this is a real MMA fight, and it's done well.
Kuronuma kind of monologues a bit about how retirement if he loses, and then right back into it.
The way Nito baits Kuronuma into a bad grapple so he can hit him with a surprise elbow really makes the reader grasp the idea of MMA.
Like, this isn't boxing. People can use multiple styles to fight.
Anything goes here, as long as it fits within the pre-established MMA rules.

Nito uses his elbow to really hammer Kuronuma, and I've always wondered why I didn't hear about more elbow hits in fights before.
Now I see why, it really hits (and cuts!) hard!!
I also found it funny how Kuronuma was pestering Nito's disabled grandfather just to get an edge in the fight.
It initially feels like a weird thing, like Kuronuma wouldn't do something like that.
I think it was mentioned for two reasons.
One is clearly to set up the elbow in a cooler way. I mean, yeah of course.
But the other is to show a little more about how desperate and willing Kuronuma is for this win.
He's putting his glory on the line, and can't afford to be as honorable as he would want.
And it also shows how much he respected Nito as an opponent, to think he had to do this to get an edge.

Nito really has grown from the beginning of the series, too.
We see him watching, and even respecting, his brother.
On top of that, he's not rigid in the way that he fights, like he was before.
He uses normal MMA tactics on top of his normal fighting style techniques.
The growth of this kid is apparent, and it'll be more interesting to see how this fight ends because of that.
The old Nito would never have been able to force a man he respected into retirement.
The current Nito understands that he has to do it because he respects him.

Axe season is coming soon, and I will be surprised if this one lasts, but it's a really good representation of MMA.
I hope it stays for a bit longer.

Santa episode..?
Yeah, it's a Santa episode! Why? Who knows!
It's like a month too late, haha.

I gotta say, the art cover page was really good.
It's cute and it made me laugh with the text box.
"Small children should read with caution" is not something you see a lot, haha.

That all said, the jokes were... Yeah, jokes.
"We lied to Nico, she thinks Santa is real. How do we dig ourselves out of this..." is really the entire plot.
I liked it though. The whole numbered Santa Plan Meetings was a simple and effective joke.
And, the nice part about this kind of joke plot is that it works for both younger kids and also adults.
Adults will relate to digging themselves into a deeper hole for good intentions,and kids will get to laugh at the struggle of the adults.

It was also really nice to see the new dragon character actually play a part.
The best joke was because of her.
Them attaching a stupid little cart to her and it just dangling as Morihito panics holding on for dear life was really good.
A good moment of everyone getting too amped up over an idea before thinking it through. Good stuff!
It was a complicated plot, and it's even going on to next week.
Overall, it was okay. Funnier than the Suika Game chapter, that's for sure.
I just wish I understood why do the santa jokes now?

So this series is still missing some sauce, some flavor, yeah?
But this chapter was alright.
Interacting with people that do your hobby as a profession is really interesting.
I play fighting games a lot, and when you talk to someone that genuinely is a pro at whatever game...
Well, it's a unique moment, that's for sure. It really does feel like, "man, it's just a game," but they genuinely do it as a career.
I don't like how much of an asshat the guy is about it though.

The dude is so standoff-ish about it, like... to a stupid degree?
I get that it's just who that character is, but it would have been better if they made the guy likable when he was turning him down.
It would have been more impactful, at least to me.
As it stands, the guy rejects him because he's a prick, not because he'll lose training time.

I did like, however, the "I'll pay you to at least give me an hour of your time" was a cool moment.
This is a real thing I think doesn't get talked about enough, but maybe it's a weird thing to a lot of people.
In Smash, you'll hear about people money matching some of the best players.
Like, you both bet $5 and whoever wins takes the pot. It's a good way for the pro to get cash and the amateur to get some experience.
This is basically that, but without the gambling aspect.
I can't say I've ever seen a Shonen series do that yet.

Overall, a so-so chapter. Better than last weeks though.

I sound like a broken record, but I'm still not really enjoying this part of the arc.
It's clearly something that will resonate with a lot of people, and younger kids in particular!
And I respect that. I really do, and I don't want to take that away from anyone.
There's nothing majorly wrong with this arc, I just personally don't care for Deku's plight here.

Even barring that, this chapter was better. More symbolic, more talk about dreams, idealizations, and more.
I think that in particular, the usage of Stars and Stripes, the American hero Tomura killed before, was really good.
For the first time this fight, we see that Tomura can be tackled mentally.
Now we have genuine reason to believe that Deku isn't just fighting this like a dummy, and that his plan can actually work.
I mean, of course it can. We know Deku will win, it's mentioned in Chapter 1 that he becomes the best hero, and we're reading a story about him that's aimed at kids.
Of course Deku is going to win, but we haven't seen reason to believe that in the fight itself yet.

I also think the current strategy is funny, in a good way.
Deku is on the ground in agony while having a conversation with ghosts, and the ghosts come up with a plan to suicide bomb Tomura?
Specifically in a way that takes some of the damage Deku has and gives it to Tomura?
A funny plan for sure, but it actually makes sense.
And even more interesting is that it really does play into how Deku does take this seriously.
The idea of him giving up One for All to win, really does showcase his integrity and beliefs.

Also, the chapter itself was paced really well.
The only real complaint I have with this chapter itself is... I don't really like his transformation at the end.
He looks okay, and it works with the rest of his designs, but it just doesn't mesh well with how I would want Deku to look at the big fight.
I'm definitely not the audience for it though, and that's okay :)

This chapter mainly focused on Elysia.
Which I liked, I feel like there isn't enough time spent developing some of these characters, and Elysia in particular suffers from this.
We get to see her interacting with the new furry girl, Monika, and I really like the way it is done.
Little parts, like Elysia oinking as a joke response to Monika calling her a female swine, really help me understand who Elysia is more.
Also, Monika just assumes everyone else around has lived a privelaged and healthier life than herself, which really explains her level of maturity and thinking.
Monika is young. She's hurt and impressionable. She clearly just wants to belong, and Elysia understands that.
She caringly relates herself and the others to Monika, to show that they understand her struggles up until this point.

Then you get hit with the joke about crossing a red light.
It's so well placed that it actually made me laugh.
The naivety of both Monika and Elysia is made apparent with a joke that separates the mood.
Corleo might be the least interesting character so far.
I just really hope the other characters get more screen time, and that the author would stop introducing new characters and replacing old characters.
As in, where did Mamama go?? She's just gone. Escaba, Minerva, and more show up and play a relevant part for like two chapters before being booted.
I really don't understand the pacing.
In the next chapter, we introduce a new character. Again.
Why? Who knows!

This was an odd chapter.
There was definitely a lot of absurdist and relatable humor.
I mean, who hasn't gotten distracted from their job by reading an excessive amount of One Piece?
Well, the more relatable moment is probably the part where Roboco pulls open her phone and immediately starts to open TikTok out of habit.
That's me with Twitter, it's a serious problem considering I hate the website...

Really, I think this chapter was kind of just eh?
It probably was incredibly hard to translate in a way that works.
Even then, the jokes in the songs are something that my brain is not wired to enjoy.
Not a terrible chapter, but another miss for me.
The weird part about chapters like this is that there really isn't a lot to talk about?
Maybe next week will be better.

Dang. Another week without me catching up to Cipher Academy... Wonder if this will keep happening....