Weekly Shounen Sunday #19 (2018)

The "s" in Sunday is for "surprises"! --at least this week as a whole load of stuff drops in! What the heck am I talking about? Strap in, cause it's going to be a ride not to forget this week!

First off the stuff that isn't surprising --Major 2nd on the cover, the Absolutely lovely celebration of ZKC's 500th chapter, and while Conan being all over Sunday like the sleuth he is isn't surprising at all, there's a little tag under him --big news?! What could it be??

Ah, ah, ah. Before we talk about other things, wipe your feet and mind your T.O.C's.

Major 2nd by Takuya Mitsuda (Cover/ Lead Color page/ Chapter 134)

Kimi wa 008 by Syun Matsuena (Chapter 7)

Hoankan Evans no Uso ~Dead or Love~ (Chapter 49)

Amano Megumi wa Suki darake! by Nekoguchi (Chapter 117)

Sokyuu no Ariadne by Norihiro Yagi (Color page/ Chapter 16)

Shinigami Bocchan to Kuro Maid by Koharu Inoue (Special mini chapter)

Tonikaku cawaii by Kenjirou Hata (Chapter 9)

Be Blues! by Motoyuki Tanaka (Chapter 327)

Maiko-san chi no Makanai-san by Aiko Koyama (Chapter 62)

Souboutei Kowasubeshi by Kazuhiro Fujita (Chapter 96)

Komi-san wa komyusho desu by Tomohito Oda (Chapter 134/135)

Aozakura Bouei daigakkou monogatari by Hikaru Nikaido (Chapter 84)

Maoujo de Oyasumi by Kagiji Kumanomata (Chapter 95)

Zettai Karen Children by Takashi Shiina (Color page/ Chapter 500)

Memesis by Takuya Yagyuu (Chapter 6)

Hatsukoi Zombie by Ryou Minenami (Chapter 120)

Marry Grave by Hidenori Yamaji (Chapter 15)

Shinobi no by Rokuro Ogaki (Chapter 35)

Dagashikashi by KOTOYAMA (Chapter 185)

Hana ni arashi by Luka Kobachi (Special chapter from Webry)

Saike Matashitemo by Tsubasa Fukuchi (Chapter 111)

K.O.I King of Idol by Tamaki Wakaki (Chapter 41)

Tantei Xeno to Nanatsu no satsujin misshitsu Story by Kyouichi Nanatsuki/ art by Teppei Suigyama (Chapter 17)

Daiku no Hatou by Michiteru Kusaba (Chapter 45)

Tenshi & Akuto!! by Aya Hirakawa (Chapter 159)

Youkai Giga by Satsuki Satou (Kuro 23)

Tokaichi hitoribocchi nouen by Yuuji Yokoyama (Chapter 17)

Not in this issue are the following

Detective Conan

RYOKO

The surprises are again not here, really, though there are a few things that seem..off. Tenshi tumbling tepidly to the bottom is one of them. Though I have noticed that the closer a series is to concluding, the closer to the bottom it gets. I guess Sunday editors figure if something is leaving they should spend the time advertising stuff still running. 008 seems to be unsurprisingly a hit, as it hasn't left the top five since it started, while Xeno too is a little lower than usual. Otherwise this seems pretty standard fare. The true surprises are below!

The first surprise is three new series starting with the very next issue! All three artists are returning favorites as well --not surprising of Sunday really. The first --starting next issue is "Switch" by Atsushi Namikiri who brought us Kantsuu and Trick Shot. This time Namikiri is back with a basketball series --a total detour from his other two oneshots, but should be interesting nonetheless! The second is one I mentioned two issues ago --a comicalization of the cell phone game "Crono Magi:a" which shares the same name and an author who was once in sunday (and the assistant to Saike's Fukuchi) Fujiko Dousei! She once drew "Sensou Gekijou" for the magazine some time ago, and her adaption of the cellphone game will hit in issue #22. LAst but not least is Hiroshi (Mushibugyo) Fukuda with a really surprising return! Oddly a part of the series title has been scratched out leaving "Go no Sekai" This is the series I'm looking forward to most, if I'm to be quite honest but all of these are promising! Though the big news is...

CONAN'S BACK BABY. Starting with issue #20, Mr. Shounen Sunday shakes off his rust and returns to claim his throne, and I can hear the editors crying in gratitude to Aoyama and the Pint Sized detective. So much so that they've got 5 great events planned for Conan's return along with having him grace the cover of the magazine. I know Conan fans can't wait, and honestly? Neither can I! You just can't have Sunday without Conan and it's good that he's returning!

At this point all I can do is comment on how nice Major looks in color and Black and white since I'm really not keeping up with the series properly --though you know the drill with me and sports anime. The anime is going to be starting for it soon, and considering the channel it's airing on, I assume it's going to be 25-ish episodes, so we would be seeing the game that's starting in this very issue. I haven't read the past Major series either, but it does feel like this one is a little more heavy on the games than the one before it --they just went through one long game and are about to start another. That being said, I am happy to see a series from Sunday doing so well --even if it is kind of a legacy work. 

Though for a little bit of a summary, Daigo is doing some training with a teammate in anticipation for the aforementioned game, but it looks like the team they were up against might have been beaten? Quite the turn of events! Of course there's probably more to this story than we're getting here, and luckily for the Major 2nd fans in the audience there is going to be a chapter next issue that'll hopefully tease things out. 

Evans is used to being the one to pick up trouble when it's the ladies he's looking for, but this time around both trouble and a woman have come knocking at his door as the opening dialog dictates in this week's chapter. A pretty lady with a bounty has been seen in the area leaving him no choice but to go hunt her down. Evans finds Michelle Cooks --the lady with a collar around her neck loitering in the streets looking for somewhere safe to hide out, and when he asks to talk to her for a moment, she says she has a boyfriend, completely misunderstanding Evans' intentions --he does want to bring her home, but into a prison cell, and not his place. On the bottom panel on the right his annoyance is palatble, hah --For one thing he didn't really wanna work tonight, and for another even though she didn't mean to slight him, being told about her boyfriend only reminds him of his own girlfriendless existence. 

But yes the chapter basically proceeds under this misunderstanding --except rather than Evans misunderstanding, he is misunderstood. Michelle is under the impression he's being really persistent in trying to pick her up --for a date, when he's just being particular because she's a bounty head and that's it. Michelle thinks he's trying to be a creep, and yells out for help further complicating this scenario, leaving Evans no choice to back away to prove he's on the level --though this only makes him seem more like a pervert, hah. 

Michelle takes this chance to run while Evans' back is turned --turns out perhaps she had more understanding of her situation than she thought --she didn't want Evans to get close to her because she was hiding ill gotten gains on her person and he would have seen them if he had apprehended her. Unfortunately she has the worst kind of luck as she runs across another bounty hunter and unlike Evans he notes that the wanted poster says "dead or alive", and he's not picky as to what shape she's in when he hands her over.  Evans realizes that Michelle has run for it, and goes after her --and the two do run into each other again, but Evans darts away because he doesn't want to be accused of debauchery! Seems Michelle's earlier ploy worked too well and now she's in the cross-hairs of a trigger happy bounty hunter. 

Evans' reputation precedes him and the guy backs off once he realizes that the sheriff is involved, but it's still game over for Michelle as Evans leads her away --but he doesn't use cuffs cause he still doesn't want to be accused of wrongdoing --uh, but that's your job isn't it? Still it is a guy fear, I suppose. The next issue hypes the appearance of a mysterious beauty, as well as bringing Evans close to his first year's anniversary --my how time flies! So it's double the reasons to be here next week for the weekly dose of the wild west. 

Ariadne receives a color page to commemorate it's first volume hitting stores soon, and it's apparently the promo art of the series before it started but with a cloudy background, which is...concerning to say the least, though I've seen it happen where promo art is used again in this capacity --though never this blatantly. In any case, the important thing here is the content of the chapter's character so let's dig right in. Actually a little bit of errata might be necessary here --the clan of cow folk (bull people?) Might be the "Shiu" clan which I misread last time and was caught by an eagle eyed visitor to the blog. It makes sense as in Japanese "Ushi" is "Cow" and thus "Shiu" would be that backward. Ain't language grand? In this chapter, it seems Rashil and Leana have run into the children of the Shiu clan locked in the mountains, and they've decided that now's the time to break out, even as outside the humans are packing real heat, and Rashil advises them not to. 

Rashil offers to take on the threat for them, but they don't believe he can --despite defeating a few on his own before. To be fair he doesn't look particularly strong despite having quite the rap sheet up until now. Which is kind of my issue with the recent developments in this series --it feels like it wants to be a straight up battle shounen when it's far more interesting as an action/adventure one. Yagi should lean more into that second category than the first --especially since he showed such an aptitude for it in his last series --Claymore. There's a whole lot about Rashil himself that's really interesting but being glossed over for fights, as he himself reminds us above that he's a child soldier, and thus way more equipped to take on many opponents at once. I admit I had forgotten about that plot element, but that's only because it hasn't been remarked upon since the first handful of chapters, and while Yagi's art is incredible, he's got to have a story to back it up. In any case adult soldiers show up to blast their way into the mountain spurring Rashil into action. 

Rashil is able to break a hole through the wall saving everyone from being crushed, and they have no choice but to accept his strength as the real deal. I admit I love it when the hero humbly introduces themselves either before or after they do something awesome and that's in full effect here when one of the Shiu clan kids asks "Just who are you?" "I'm Rashil, and this is Leana --we're just travelers passing through." What can I say? I'm easy to please. It appears the counter attack will begin next issue, but with everything going on in issue #20, I can't say for certain if I'll have the chance to pick up Ariadne or not, but I will be reading for sure! 

This week's mini chapter of our favorite maid and the young master she serves (actually these work really well as one page vignettes, I think.) features the young master's wish to do a bit of exercising each day by running around the manor he lives in. Of course Iris the maid wants to join in his efforts but due to her uh...assets, he quickly loses focus and gives up in five seconds, hah. I guess at least this time it's not like she was purposely messing with him. It seems as if the series will have a longer feature next week interestingly enough. I really feel like at this point they're prepping it to move to the regular magazine --though with three new series on the way it might be some time, but not completely outside the realm of possibility as Megumi and Yuugami both made the jump from the monthly magazine to the weekly one --although it was in different formats. 

Fujita's seen fit to allow us to go outside after being in the house for the last few months, and I couldn't be happier to be reunited with some familiar faces such as the demon sisters, Frol, and Dr. Auguste and others...except I wasn't thinking they'd be freed from one oppressive building and placed into another like this. In fact the only people seeming to have gotten out of this current situation are the sisters --Kotoyo and Yokiyo, and it would seem they're helping the people keeping the other survivors of the house under lock and key? What's going on here? 

The bureau chief of the disaster unit -- Madarame is questioning the sisters and they're more than happy to divulge all kinds of secrets. (Madarame is the bald guy on the right page second panel.) and they even go as far as telling the military who came in to save survivors about the alien life form in the house out to take over the world. When Madarame did medical scans on everyone who was brought back they found a strange shadow in their cranial x-rays which the sisters claim are the invaders who have taken over their heads. 

The sisters pretty much detail everything that happened in the house while they were there, from the house taking over using it's powers to the assault they undertook using Nitrogen. Everything seems to check out with their stories, but one of Madarame's underlings --who was also in the house with everyone else has asked to speak to the sisters, Yadogi who's pictured above on the phone with them --and she has but one question. Why did they falsify their report to Madarame? While it's true that they have something mysterious on their brains and that they did fight together, she can't help but think it's strange that this story benefits no one more than the sisters. So why? Why would they have lied? They say they didn't "lie" per se, but leave before expanding on this. Though before they're out of the picture completely, they leave her with the cryptic phrasing "We might have been together with you, but we're different." 

Yadogi puts two and two together --yes they were in the house together, but unlike the rest, the sisters went into the paintings of the house and then returned....the very same paintings where the invaders who are out to subjugate them live. Could the sisters be the slaves of the Souboutei even now that they're free from the house? Ahh, this is getting immensely interesting, as now the seeds of unrest begin to bear fruit. 

Returning after a loooong break I'm sorry is Aozakura! It's all about training and healthy competition  this week as the characters aim for the top. It's actually almost as if the series has changed genres completely since the last time I read it, hah. Granted it's not as if Aozakura has a "plot" in the sense of something the characters must do compared to something they want to do, so taking a leisurely pace like this and having detours isn't too bad I don't think. In the third pic on the left, the guys are told they're too light and need to gain some weight, as the rigors of daily training and extra curricular activities grind on the characters --still as the side text says at the end "Move past your limits!" I think that really is a great way to sum up this manga --no matter the speed, you just gotta keep moving! 

Zettai Karen Children is also up in the blog after a long hiatus --man this issue seems to be punishing me with all the series I don't really follow getting color pages and other advertisements. Still, celebrating 500 chapters is a big, big deal even if I'm not exactly up to date on events in the series. From the little bit of peaking I've done here and there, it does seem like the children --Kaoru, Aoi, and Shiho are in some kind of alternate world living up all of those RPG tropes as they look for their handler Minamoto. Gotta love how Kaoru immediately defeats the demon king who's their friend Sakaki (not me, I swear!) Though in this world he's "Saakakin". and he immediately comes back much to their mild annoyance, hah. 

They had been stuck as children for a lot of this arc appropriate to the series title but gain their adult forms back just in time for the "climax" of sorts. The side text seems to advertise it as if it's the end of the series that we're approaching --appropriate as this is the final arc, but I can't help but think this is more of a climax of this arc than anything. That being said, the elephant in the room in regards to ZKC is how long can this final arc go? It started a while ago, took a break for several months and then returned --and while since I'm not reading it I can't really tell if the series is moving to a quick ending or taking it's time, it is weird to see it hang around this long, though on the other hand Shiina is a veteran and ZKC a series that's earned its' respect so I can see the editorial staff leaving it to wind down at whatever speed it feels is best. 

The newly formed trio of heroes continue their adventures in Memesis's sixth chapter, and now it's official, the lone flower of their group is named "Rose", and is she ever endearing. She's more of a shounen protagonists than the actual protagonists, hah. I can imagine Yagyuu being the energetic sort just from how he has Rose parading through panels in the background as Kijira and Ash reach the town. She's super endearing --and completely unaware of how the world works as when the boys mention they need to find a guild, Rose has no idea what that is and thinks it's a food. I can already see her being my favorite character in Memesis, so excuse my bias. 

Unfortunately it isn't all fun and games as when they get the newspaper, they find that the info of their victory against the stone soldier in chapter one is the talk of the town --except it's because the kill was attributed to Leon and not them. Everyone in the city is overjoyed that Leon has saved them from a threat and continues to be a big hero, but the thing is he didn't do this, and only got the credit because during an interview where it was mentioned the stone soldier was killed, Leon didn't really take the credit, but more or less inclined that he "didn't remember" if he had killed that one or not. Ouch talk about adding insult to injury. Kijira and Ash are rightfully indignant, but what hurts even more is...

Everyone believes that Leon did it without needing any further evidence. Their expressions here are probably way funner than anything else that happens this chapter, honestly. Forgive me, I find the single tear reaction to be hilarious no matter what situation it's used in. 

Another monster --well designed and creepy just as I've come to expect from Yagyuu appears, it's name "Bonbu" and it's out to get revenge for it's comrades --the stone soldier and Goma being defeated by Leon....ah, except Goma too was defeated by Ash and Kijira. The two are so distraught that they just kill Bonpu without any real hesitation --and heck, I might go as far as saying they don't even realize they did it since they're so tearfully depressed over everyone --including the monsters believing that Leon was the one to slay those beasts. 

Oh Rose, you're going to be the end of me, y'know? She's simplistic enough to just state the truth. "Do you guys even care if everyone else recognizes your efforts? It's Leon who you want to target right?" That's enough for Kijira and Ash to snap out of their funk and get back on track. Oddly enough this chapter of Memesis was only twelve pages long, but I want to believe that's just because Yagyuu told the story he wanted to in that length rather than it being indicative of a bigger problem since things did wrap up rather nicely. Next week we finally get to see what a guild in the world of Memesis is like, which is exciting because I feel like that'll go a long way in establishing the "dark fantasy" part of the series that's been mostly second priority to the comedy elements. Although I'm fine with Memesis' premise as is, if it hopes to gain steady footing, it'll need a bit more than the "Revenge on Leon" angle. Plus I'd like to see the boys (and Rose) develop ambitions aside from Leon myself. Here's hoping to a good (and longer) chapter next week! 

I've expressed it a few times before that it's a bit of a shame that Marry Grave isn't about Rozalie's journey to revive Sawyer, rather than the other way around as it is, but Yamaji has been doing such a great job of showing off the former's efforts via flashback that it almost does feel like she's the main character more than her husband. Heck, this week Sawyer doesn't show up at all, in favor of showing Rozalie off as a strong magician in her own right! Sunday brands itself the "Heroine magazine" and with the likes of Rose and Rozalie in it, they're certainly living up to their name. Plus like Yagyuu, Yamaji's artwork is incredible! To the chapter itself --Rozalie happens upon the mermaids who are being terrorized by a demon who is about to eat one of their young. 

Another thing is how Rozalie and Sawyer are just like one another and how adorable that is. Rozalie saves the Mermaid child and immediately fangirls over seeing one for the first time before asking for it's scale for her deadman's recipe, while blissfully unaware (or ignoring?) the monster behind her until it's almost too late. Luckily for her she's got her own skills with magic --something that hadn't been readily apparent (but easily implied) until now. I suppose being able to go to these dangerous places and come out alive would mean Rozalie has skills of her own, but to see her demonstrate them outright is pretty awesome. 

Rozalie not only has offensive magic in her arsenal, but defensive, as she takes out the monsters by herself all without them touching her. It's also interesting to note that Marry Grave's magic system is on display here as well --it's not simply thinking about magic and it coming out, there are use of talismans and mixtures of materials at work. Sawyer has it easy since whatever passes through his body is revitalized using his own immortality, but Rozalie being able to do this on the fly with a finite source makes her all that more incredible. 

In fact this type of magic has a name, and in a few panels Yamaji gives some subtle world building --It's specifically known as "Synthesis" magic , and upon seeing it, the mermaids immediately say or think that Rozalie is a "Calamity Witch". I'm not sure if this is the title of an actual being who lives in the world of Marry Grave or just a nick name they gave her upon seeing her abilities, (it sounds a little bit like it's the former though.) Rozalie hits up one of my favorite tropes for the second time this issue (right after Ariadne did) and says she's no "Calamity Witch", no, she's just a "bride", before she blasts the monster to kingdom come, ending this week's chapter. The preview at the bottom of the page says that the present and past will combine next week, and we'll be celebrating the first volume release with a color page --Marry Grave sure has been receiving a lot of those, which I hope is a show of how popular it is, as the series deserves it!

Not to make light of a cool concept, but man does the period that Shinobi no takes place in have a lot of serial killers running around. Granted this has only been two in the last few weeks, and I know times were tough, but still. From the "Moonlight Beauty" to now the "Grim Reaper" or "Shinigami" for those who feel like that translation is disingenuous (though I'll be using the former for sake of ease), it seems manslayers are all the craze and a little crazy in Edo. After the fetching title page of Kaede you're welcome the woman herself has news of the Grim Reaper terrorizing Edo that she brings to Pops attention. I kind of like that she's his handler of sorts, hah. Apparently this agent of death has "Cholera" in their possession and using it has been bringing entire villages to the brink of ruin. For those who don't know, Cholera is a bacterial disease that is often fatal that infects the small intestine --bad news indeed, especially if someone has it and is weaponizing it. 

Pops is disinterested in the case at first, but through Kaede's insistence, and seeing a chance to train Heisuke a bit more, takes the case. Meanwhile Sakamoto gets this information from his man in arms, and comments that it's interesting saying that it reminds him of when he was on his way from Tosa to Edo --the scent and feel of blood in the air....gotta say the dissonance between this Sakamoto and the one I'm used to in Gintama is pretty huge, hah. He seems to imply that he'd like to capture this Grim Reaper, but doesn't elaborate on how or why. Meanwhile Pops shows off his ninpo --to lick the road, and use that to figure out what direction the group should go in, using the droppings of horses to figure out which way is the road less traveled. Hey if it works....not that you'd ever catch me doing it. 

The group stops at a dango place on the way but Pops expressly forbids Heisuke from eating anything, saying the dangos have been laced with Hemlock, being able to tell from the shape they were baked in. He was also able to tell from licking the road that what was on the ground wasn't horse droppings but a mixture of all types of other things. All this leads him to believe that the friendly dango seller is actually the Grim Reaper they've been looking for. Turns out that this guy is not only not a dango merchant but...well remember Philipp Franz von Siebold from the last arc? You're lookin' at him in the flesh! But why is Siebold running around Edo poisoning people with Cholera, and wait, what....he wants Pops and his group to join up with him? What the heck is going on here?! 

Koko goes after the girl in this penultimate chapter of Dagashikashi, and at first all he can do is rattle off an awkward "Goodbye", but then Hotaru comments that she's surprised he came since she figures she's been nothing but an annoyance to everyone since she first showed up that in all fairness she realizes she's turned life upside down in their sleepy lives since they met. It's been fun, mind you, but I'm surprised to see that Hotaru has this much insight into what she means to everyone while really, really missing the point. One Koko drives home when she says she's sure everyone will be glad to return to the way things once were. Of course they won't be able to --nor do they want to! Though it's great how he's like "If you just watned things to go back to the way they were, you shouldn't have come in the first place!" When Hotaru gives him a look "He immediately apologizes for saying too much, hah. Though, I get his point --for better or worse, when you meet someone new they have an impact on your life that doesn't just disappear when they depart. Hotaru might think she was just an annoyance, but she was way more than that to everyone --especially him. Still, he asks her to do her best at the company and he'll bring everything he has into drawing his manga. After that the two talk a bit, and Hotaru reveals she's been doing this --trying to recruit him to get her father to acknowledge her as a full fledged member of the company, Though she doesn't want to force him into coming if doesn't want to, this derails her goal somewhat, so what to do now? 

Why not get married? She just drops this into his lap and then gets on the bus back. Shouldn't be a problem with her father if she marries the man who's got this sweets talent, no? Koko's too flabbergasted to really process what she's saying, but Hotaru departs saying she expects an answer the next time they meet, thus setting the stage of the final chapter in the next issue. That's Hotaru for you, hard to figure out until the very end. KOTOYAMA will most likely have a few surprises for us in the final chapter next week, but it does seem like the trajectory is for the ending we were mostly expecting....or some of us anyway. Of course you can look forward to my coverage of the finale next week!  

Making a fresh apperance from the online Sunday magazine is Luka Kobachi with their series "Hana Ni arashi" or "A flower in the storm" Nanoha and Chidori. I haven't heard of Kobachi before this, but I really like their whispy yet solid artwork. Though what of the story? Admittedly I was a bit surprised to get something like this in a shounen magazine --pleasantly so, but that's good on Shougakukan for branching out a bit. What the heck am I talking about? Just keep reading and it'll make sense, (I hope.) 

Nanoha is the girl with the brown hair on the color page and her friend is Chidori who has longer lighter colored hair. Nanoha seems aloof while Chidori a bit more chipper --the chapter opens up with Nanoha commenting on how she has a best friend and that they seem to be late. From first glance, it doesn't seem as if the two girls have much in common aside from being in the same class, as when Chidori comes in at least, Nanoha gives her a offhanded "G'morning" when the latter greets her. The story progresses with the girls discussing test scores and stuff like that --y'know nothing out of the ordinary. Later, Chidori and Nanoha are discussing fortunetelling when the latter says she was "fated to meet a taller person" (Chidori is 5'6 while Nanoha is 4'8) which the former laughs off --it's here that Nanoha's narration cuts in....

"My best friend is also my girlfriend, but that's a secret from everyone". It is indeed a yuri manga in a shounen magazine. I'm no expert, but I can't say I've ever seen a crossing of demographics like this --at least where it's the main characters who are the focus and not just a side pitch. I didn't have the time to research the series on Webry before writing this up, so I'm not sure if this is the first chapter or one specially adapted for the weekly magazine, but either way it does a very good job of endearing us to the two characters. You know my feelings on romance in general, but even I can't be upset when things are as cute and charming as this. 

The second half of the featured chapter ramps up the cute and answers a question I had --we know how Nanoha feels about Chidori, but is this an unrequited love affair? Aside from that, it's cute how Nanoha goes through such efforts to affect an air of cool disinterest --making her fundamentally different than her girlfriend Chidori who's bubbly and chipper. Even something like sharing promise bracelets illicits two different reactions as seen above. Even as Nanoha says she's not particularly fussed about wearing it (she is wearing it under her sock though) she does so with the cutest blush. 

And to answer the question I posed above --Chidori does indeed love Nanoha back --as her monologue on this page matches hers almost word for word. "My best friend is also my girlfriend, but that's a secret we're keeping from everyone." There are bound to be ups and downs in a relationship that's secret to everyone except those who are in it, but at least from this little preview, the cuteness is off the charts. As webry isn't a single demographic (though it does lean toward shounen a bit more.) I'd imagine that's the reason why they can have a wider selection of content. I'm just glad they decided to support this series in the main magazine where it's bound to get way more visibility. Here's hoping Kobachi finds success and the fans love their work as much as Chidori and Nanoha do each other. 

Saike's an interesting case in the magazine right now. This arc wouldn't be out of place as a final one in for the series, but at least from the looks of the preview that's unlikely --I've made my peace with the series ending sooner rather than later, though I'd really like it to get an anime at least before it goes.  So the events of this chapter feel like a perfect accumulation of events of the series so far. I'm glad to see Hizu and Ana figured into things though it was nice that they weren't a kind of "band-aid" to the events going too far and Saike took care of things himself. Hizu's dedication to Saike even when blind is something to behold though, hah. In any case, the box that he had discovered with Sumire and Silva is up for examination --what exactly is in there? Johann has tried everything he could think of to open it but to no avail. Luckily he's got the protagonist hanging around with him and they're sorta on good terms, so why not ask him? 

Saike suggests using Hizu's sterofoamification powers to soften the box and opening it that way. Johann's partners were all oracle holders who specialized in brute strength, while Hizu on the other hand can change one material into another which seems tailor made to this situation. Hizu is able to easily open the box and there's nothing in it. Almost as if to mock all of Johann's efforts, his pain, his story --there's nothing in the box at all. 

Johann can't accept this and immediately lapses into denial. He's sure after everything he's had to do that there must be a secret he's overlooking. Watching him desperately cling to the hope that everything wasn't for naught is saddening --What Johann wanted all of this time was validation of his existence --no, not just his but everyone he cares about. So for all of his efforts to understand who they are as oracle holders to come up with nothing is....surprisingly bleak for Fukuchi. Admittedly on a surface level I am also a little disappointed that the oracles seemingly get no explanation other than "People wish really hard for abilities and thus get them", but to be fair I suppose it is meant to be a means to an end rather than the story outright. 

If you remember, Sumire's ability is to make a picture of what people are seeing in their mind. Maybe she didn't know there was nothing in the box, but with her dying breath she entrusted her new "dream" to Johann and Silva. Saike does a little thinking and puts two and two together after recalling the story Silva told him. It really isn't about the "roots" of the oracles, or anything that important, no --her new dream was the smiling faces of her friends. That's all she needed in the very end. It's an interesting allegory to Fukuchi's take on this element --this has been a story about Saike and his own sense of self fulfillment through his abilities rather than through his own achievements. Oracles in a way have always been a means to an end, and while I won't attribute this kind of story telling to Fukuchi since I am no expert in anything at all, but it's definitely a take I haven't seen in recent shounen manga. That being said, I do really wanna know more about the oracles themselves so I am a teeny bit disappointed. Still, to see Johann come around like this is wonderful --i'd even go as far as saying that in his simplicity he is one of Fukuchi's most complex characters. 

And thus a somewhat happy ending. "Somewhat" as there's still the elephant in the room --several of them actually. Thought he biggest one is mentioned in the preview for the next issue of Sunday --Mikan knows about Saike and unlike the Hirayasu arc, Saike can't go back and redo things to conveniently erase her memory of tonight's events. With the next chapter being the final one for this arc and thus, all we're going to get before a hiatus, I'm eagerly anticipating what Fukuchi will leave us to mull over until Saike's next outing. 

While the other passengers on the train wake up to a gentle ride, Xeno and company are seemingly headed down the highway to hell, all without anyone knowing. Umi's been kidnapped, the military police are standing in the way, and Xeno's being impeded from doing his thing. At the very least the police have had the train stopped so that the hostage situation with Umi can be resolved, but Kamo's not budging. He wants Umi to question the people on the train as he feels like he'll be the next one to die if he doesn't take drastic measures to protect himself, and he's only giving them an hour to get the job done. This is no problem for Xeno who takes this opportunity to make a move. 

Xeno starts first by asking questions about the rooms, specifically the vents, along with how the train can become a hospice in times of disaster.  It was during that time that this room was used as an impromptu place for surgery, where there should be vents as Kai was a guy who didn't skimp on details. It's there that Xeno has already figured out what kind of water they're dealing with --riverwater, thanks to a leaf he managed to find during a short investigation. After a few more questions the staff is able to determine that they have indeed procured the water needed for things like the lounge and dining room. Knowing this Xeno figures this must be back water or sewage they're dealing with since it would have been used in the aforementioned places. 

Next up is investigating the tank under the train where the water is stored. If the culprit was here and able to gather water from the tank, since it was raining they'd have to also be soaking wet. Ayla notices a depiction of an angel under the car and wonders if this is the company's emblem....though who on earth would be able to see it there? Xeno's figured out something from this, but little do they know that someone is watching them....and later inside when Xeno is creating a test with water bottles for his theory, he meets an overly friendly little girl who tries to show off her collection of objects, including a nail that has got Xeno's attention --but she won't give it to him leading to a chase around the train. The attendant comes to him and says his theory about the back water might just be correct, and Xeno with a smile (not pictured here) says that it's time to allow the locked room acting as the crime scene to run wild. 

Meanwhile the situation with Kamo has hit a critical level as the statesman has started losing his patience and is about to take it out on his hostages when to his surprise the train fills with water!? Xeno's hunch is seemingly right on the money but at what cost? 

Akuto's fortune goes from zero to hero in this installment of the voice acting manga! In an obvious nod to "Universal Studios" and "Disney" an American company named "Studio Universe" contacts Akuto to enlist him to act in their newest feature film. Akuto quickly informs them that he's quit the business (and to his credit when they basically kidnap him, he shows more concern over the kids he's supposed to be watching than his own safety), due to a little bit of a problem he's had --yup the scandal involving Nari. The producer --Christine, laughs this off and says that what she's offering will make his insignificant problems even more so. She wants him to act in a movie --Romeo and Juliet, and if it becomes a big hit then his problems in Japan won't matter one bit as he'll be on the international stage! Though to sweeten the deal, the one acting as Juliet to his Romeo will be no one other than his girlfriend --Nari Harusaka! It just doesn't get any better than this does it? 

Akuto hesitates as he doesn't want to involve Nari and possibly endanger her career again --but she shows up at a crucial moment and sma--er, punches some sense into her boyfriend and tells him to take the offer. This is their chance to make their dreams come true! This turn of fortune for the couple came fast and hard, but I'm once again intrigued as to what'll happen to them next, especially since this is supposed to be the final arc....how far is Hirakawa going to take this story? 

Kuro's back again, but has tragedy come along with this story that's been pretty happy so far? Although Kuro likes taking care of his master's son Minoru, the youkai looks forward to Mondays where it gets time with it's master all to itself --not that he can see him or anything. Still just being close to him is enough. He even comments to himself that he'll be fine with work as long as Kuro's around, aww. Meanwhile Minoru is looking for Kuro to play with it, and while one of Makoto's co workers comments that people find it strange that her son wears a scarf all of the time, she waves it off as admiration toward someone --though of course she can't say who. Minoru sees what he thinks is Kuro in some nearby bushes and goes to him when a wayward drive comes and....tragedy when it appears the poor kid's been hit. Kuro's stories have been relatively light on the heavy content, but it seems even this tale of a Youkai and the family it's attached to can't avoid drama....

And that's it for issue #19! We head right into issue #20 with an issue that somehow seems more jam packed than usual, with a new series by Atsushi Namikiri --"switch", the return of Mr. Shounen Sunday --Detective Conan, Dagashikashi's final chapter, Saike's final chapter (of the arc), an expanded 10 page chapter of Kuro maid, Hanzawa-san making a 26 page stopover and Maoujo, Marry Grave, Xeno and Evans all receiving color pages. Whew! It means a whole lotta work for yours truly but important issues like these are ones I like covering since it's what you fans love to read the most. Until then, stay rested, stay hydrated, and stay hungry for Shounen Sunday!