Weekly Shounen Sunday #42 (2018) Editorial Section

Here we go with Part B of the mix tape that is all those heady Sunday Jams. You ready? Let's rock.

Xeno's past pops up in the most peculiar places in this week's chapter. I don't mind it since it means now the plot of the arc has a much more personal meaning to him and thus things get that much more interesting. On that note, he's actually conscious for this mind dive and asks if this somehow is the trigger to finding his lost memories? Normally this all happens in a flash with the character only asking questions later, but this take where he's fully awake and aware despite being incapacitated puts Xeno in the same seat with us in the audience --it's both unique and disorienting. 

Speaking of disorienting...I've heard that Sugiyama's artwork is probably the one barrier to entry that many can't quite hop over to get into Xeno, but don't let the first several chapters fool you. Sugiyama is really evolving into someone to keep an eye on. Sure the character designs are not as aesthetically pleasing as the typical manga/anime look but he does so many interesting things with the composition and paneling of pages that are a visual delight like this one. Also as I said above even in the recesses of his mind Xeno is trying to solve the mystery of who he is. It's kind of awesome. 

The rest of the chapter is dedicated to the mystery at hand which is almost a little disappointing. Not because the story isn't as interesting --I just really want to see more about Xeno's past. Not only that but Manami is missing and of course Hina's fate is still unknown. It's thanks to the help of Kyoshi that they're able to find another entrance into a cave that Xeno claims "is the call of destiny" There are secrets in that room and our intrepid detective is going to find them! 

Kaerikuro takes over this chapter of Souboutei, and I for one am gracious to see her get the spotlight. I mean the chapter title is "Kaerikuro's hair" so you gotta know what you're getting before going in. Souboutei is great when it's expanding on it's lore, but really Fujita's mostly at home with over the top pages of battle and bravado. Of course it means there's not a whole lot for me to talk about since the artwork more or less does that for me, but I'm definitely not complaining. 

And boy does it do a lot of talking. As you can see there are several two page spreads and each of them are better than the last by at least double. While the others are fighting for their lives, Rokuro finds his way into a picture gallery and gets an idea. What he's thinking isn't made clear by the end of the chapter, but considering a lot of the traction in this story has been because of him, I have no doubt that Rokuro is gonna deliver something big in the immediate future. 

Marry Grave has almost gotten to the point where we've looped around to the events right before the first chapter. I kind of like that big picture story telling as it fleshes out the characters and the world. We now know how Sawyer and Rozalie finally become a happily wedded couple, and it's now basically fact that they got married in Cape Side. When Marry Grave began the place they got married seemed inconsequential, but now I feel like it's as important as this flashback. For the most part this week however, it's just two awkward adults acting like awkward kids, as the others look on and make sport of their inability to just spit it out. It's classic stuff, really. 

The end of chapter text implies that this happiness can't and won't last long as Cape Side will be attacked. Again, big picture --it's most likely this attack that leads to Sawyer kicking the bucket right after his marriage and thus starting the events of the series proper. The pacing of the flashback has been kind of uneven from time to time thus making it feel like it's dragging a bit, but I do think this chapter was necessary (and adorable which matters a whole lot more.) but I do miss Grown up Sawyer (and Jean!) enough that I'd like this to reach a graceful end and bring us back to the present. With two series on their way out in the magazine soon I'm assuming Marry Grave's lease to life has been extended a bit, and my "shounen sense" isn't tingling to tell me that the events seem to be rushed (it's actually to the contrary), so at least for now the future is in Yamaji's hands. 

Starting off with a flashback between the three heroes in Memesis was a good idea on Yagyuu's part.  Though the first page takes place "a few years earlier". Ash and Kijira don't look that old, and while I could say they do seem more enthusiastic, in all honesty that's basically how they always are. I know it's not really important to know how old they are or how long they've been with Leon, but it does make me a bit curious. I like how the scene segues into the present with the last thought of Kijira and Ash being how much they admire and want to be like Leon just for their anger to almost cause Kijira to cut him down, hah. Also Leon seems to respond to most of their provocations and disdain with a mildly amused affect, and considering how strong the two heroes are that's interesting too. 

But the "main course" of this chapter is that Leon is a little more than what he seems on the surface, and flashbacks really do tell the story of the warriors. Although they've got nothing but ill will toward him, the thing is in the past they couldn't manage to get past their own issues and work as a team against minor threats much less pairing together and trying to take on the king of heroes himself. What's facinating about this is Leon noticed it then, and now --he even stops to be impressed that they're able to team up so easily when they couldn't before. Though he does comment that their closeness now is actually kind of creepy. Runlun is still a threat, though they're so absorbed with glaring at Leon that they forget this, hah. Luckily a well timed jab at them and their inability to get over the past enrages the duo enough to direct their anger at Runlun which manifests as that dragon aura above stopping her in her tracks for a few seconds. 

Which Leon takes advantage of and slices the once "almost-too-fast-to-be-seen" demon down to size. I got a great belly laugh seeing Ash, Kijira and their dragon aura outraged at this as seen above. The Dragon aura even says "well, see ya" on the next page when it realizes it's no longer needed, hah. It's anticlimax at it's best --Runlun has been defeated but now what? I don't think Memesis is ending soon either, but all of these events really get me wondering what else could possibly be in store for the series?

With one more chapter left before it's conclusion, Shinobi no has a lot to do and not a whole lot of time to do it. It's really a crying shame honestly --Although I'm probably as far as one can get in regards to Japanese history knowledge, even I could tell that Ogaki had to really shaft a lot of his plans due to cancellation. Even Izo who was built up to be a legitimate threat gets stabbed by Pops, lives to supposedly be a threat, and then is shot in the back by Sakamoto. Is it an allegory to how the series was treated by Shougakukan? I won't assume that, but I don't think it's too far off, really. 

There's not really much to say here after Izo dies and Sakamoto calls his death "uninteresting." Sakamoto states that he finds Pops to be the most interesting person he's had the pleasure of meeting, and it's because of this that he will be the one to kill him. Pops says that they're not too unlike --both looking for something interesting in an otherwise uninteresting world (I'm loosely quoting Takasugi here, but don't misunderstand --its not a line said in this chapter.) But Pops finds pleasure in being entrusted with a job and fulfilling it while Sakamoto is just getting off on the pain of others. Pops then takes it upon himself as the final shinobi to rid the world of Sakamoto. Their beliefs will collide next issue in the must see finale, and I of course will bring it to you, even if it hurts to say goodbye. 

Saike has been treading water lately at the bottom of the TOC which concerns me, but in all fairness I don't think the series has much time left even if it were on the top of the magazine. I'm mostly just glad that it seems Fukuchi is getting the time he needs to really give these final few confrontations the pomp they require. This week's chapter especially leans into that oh-so satisfying part of the shounen battle ethos: The analysis and understanding of a mystery ability. Except in this case Fukuchi flips it on it's  head and rather than the hero trying to get a one up on a villain who's ability they don't understand, it's Sieg who can't figure out why his abilities do absolutely nothing to Johann.  Johann has no problem talking about it --for most oracles there's an "anti" oracle that negates the original ability, which is what Johann is using to keep coming back from even the most fatal attacks. If Sieg's ability is to speed up time causing things to rot, then the simple solution to beating him is to have an oracle that does the opposite! Though as we know Johann's ability is to spin things, not manipulate time so what gives?

And this is one of the reasons why I adore Fukuchi. Minor details that seem completely arbitrary can get call forwards (or call backs) that almost seem deus ex machina-ish in their execution but upon further thought do fit right in with the current situation. Bax(I might have spelled his name differently before, so my apologizes if that's confusing) has such an ability --after all Will told them as such. Considering why they're here in the mansion and what Bax means to Will it's not surprising that he's there and ripe for the taking. Being brainwashed by Will means he's also unable to fight back against them, and Silva's ability to travel through the floor means he can loop around beneath their battle with Bax and simply use him to reverse time --so rather than being turned into a child, Johann is brought back from the brink of death. It's crazy, but all fits in with what we've been told about oracles, abilities, and most of all Will's scheme. I'm a little disappointed that it seems Sieg is going to be defeated without an explanation of why he's here, but I might be wrong on that. Still this was a satisfying end to the battle and played to Fukuchi's strengths of having a sense of forethought and tight planning. 

Evans has a pretty big problem on his hands as a new arc opens up --He has an impostor on his trail! The chapter opens up with a house fire supposedly caused by the sheriff, despite him appearing on the scene only moments after he heard of what was going on. On one hand this set up is kind of funny since Evans disguise is pretty crappy (and the one he uses to buy porn, apparently) so his ability to walk around town and not be detected really speaks to how little people think of him until they  need him. On the other hand it's a bit insidious that someone would be smart enough to use that fact against him, and not only that manage to get in the good graces of a very rich woman and live a life of style. Could this be what Evans could have if he played his cards right and joined the dark side? Hmm. In any case Pheebs shows up and tries to convince everyone that the Evans they're talking about is a fake, but instead makes it sound like he's not interested in women, while advancing her own agenda by carefully choosing her words to describe their "long" relationship. These two are amazing even in situations like this, and it's great. 

Meanwhile in the house filled with a bevy of beauties, the fake Evans seems to have lost track of one gal who goes by the name Julia. With the real Evans heading that way, a confrontation is only a matter of time. Despite being so low in the TOC, Evans keeps getting those color pages and will get another next week, so I think it's more or less safe for the immediate future even if it's sales have mostly stagnated (but aren't dropping.) 

Youkai Giga is just plain adorable, even in a time of graveness. Seiji wants to put down defenses to protect the house even as Makoto says she'll do it herself. Not only that, but Minoru their son has started talking revealing that time is indeed marching on. I can't tell how much specifically but it's good Satou isn't making any more huge leaps (since it bodes well for the series longevity.) Although Seiji wants to take on the protective role in the house himself, he finally acquiesces, but only if everyone does proper training, as seen on the final page of the chapter. Training is important, but family is moreso --so it's the best when you can combine both!

And that's it for Issue #42's editorial section! If you wanted to see the news and color pages, then head to the features section here. I can proudly say that this took me only 90 minutes to write so I really do think this blogging method is much more sustainable! I hope you're having a good time reading them as well, and implore that you stop in next week for more Sunday fun --in the middle of the week of course!