Weekly Shounen Sunday #43 (2018) Editorial Section



And now the part you've been waiting for(?) The editorials! (These are slowly gaining in popularity so I'd like to believe I'm not just imagining things.)




After a bit of a detour last week in regard to Xeno's mysterious past We're right back on that mystery solving, evidence gathering train on this week's chapter. It really does feel like the series has reached it's most comfortable state (and merely 30+ chapters in!) Though I feel like a lot of this is attributed to Nanatsuki being a veteran around these parts. I don't know for sure if the reason why he was paired with the relative newcomer --Sugiyama was to raise the reputation of the latter, but I could imagine it since a guy of Nanatsuki's reputation could have any (available) veteran artist he wanted. Looking at his resume, Nanatsuki has a very...particular niche in story-writing --mostly super-powered humans and assassin stories, so to see him shift gears to mysteries is surprising especially when there's no precedent for it. To the chapter itself, the mysteries of the cave seem to range back from the era of feudal Edo --or even further back according to Xeno, and although they wind around, it seems Hina had a means of traveling through the paths --writings in the ceiling above --drawn to lead people deeper into the cave....and it's here that Ichizou Kuga might have met his end due to someone playing tricks with the written notes. Ayla asks the important question --is this a locked room murder? Xeno says it's a bit different than Kai's works, and begins to comment that if this were Kai then--but as you can see above, the fallen soldier who kidnapped Manami is back for round two, almost as if it doesn't want them to explore any further....the mystery only deepens! I'm not in a rush for answers though because Nanatsuki and Sugiyama have done a great job managing reader expectation with the morsels they've been giving so far! 



Its double spreads galore for Souboutei this week! Shino is out to end the invading group, but Zanka and Seiichi aren't about to let that happen! Fujita really doesn't spare any expense in drawing his action scenes to be over the top yet very appealing. Even the decapitation in the page right above this paragraph is detailed in what it depicts but doesn't waste any time with gratuitous shows of gore. Zanka and the others don't have time to stop and smell the bloody roses. There's a house to destroy! Or well they'd like to, but Seiichi can only kill aliens --harming the one sister who's still under Souboutei control isn't possible for him due to her being human despite her appearance. 


Not forgetting his expression game, the sis under possession looks absolutely ghastly here as she explains why they can't touch her --all of the people here are former humans and it just wouldn't do for these folks with consciousnesses to kill them would it? It's an old ploy but it gets play because it works, obviously. Despite this Takoha says they can't run --and Zanka for the first time agrees with him. Even though they're at a disadvantage they can't possibly give up here, and it's then that Rokuro realizes he understands where everyone's coming from even if he doesn't quite understand why. He does know he's fully sold to the cause as the chapter ends, and I like this subtle development for him --he's been brave, sure, but until now "bravery" has been doing what has to be done despite one's personal feelings --now he's fully committed to their cause and that's what I think will take his bravery to new heights. Bravery is the gulf between ability and will, and Rokuro has made that leap right over. 



If you want to check out the color page, have a look at the features section. Otherwise here be my warbling about Evans this week and his copy --and obvious difference is obvious fake Evans has a harem! Other than that the two cowboys look pretty similar but we can't see what's under the "mask" so to speak. It'd be hilarious he really is just Evans from head to toe, but my thought is Kuriyama will throw a fast ball in the coming weeks --is what I'd like to say but it seems we won't even have to wait that long. Turns out fake Evans can do everything the regular one can, and he has no problem attracting the ladies. Not only that he's a snide so-and-so --I was really expecting fake Evans to be all bark and no bite, but I was wrong. Though this puts Evans in a pretty awkward place --it's one thing if his imposter sucks and he reveals that in front of everyone, but how can he announce he's the real Evans when the fake guy is better in every way that counts? (Look at that harem tho.) 


Though here's where the chapter gets kinda cool. Fake Evans is a great shot and has the ladies, so how can the original stack up at all? Simple, he has one of Fake! Evans' ladies come in and make the shot for him --she has no experience with guns and only has Evans instructions to go by but she hits a bullseye! Fake Evans is intrigued and invites real Evans in for the "mixted bathing" time which almost gets the original to forget his mission until they catch Pheobe lurking around --luckily for her the fake thinks she's a part of his harem due to her looking a little (but not really?) similar to another girl, Julia.  Now Pheebs is a part of this infiltration into fake Evans' layer and this is undoubtedly going to make the real Evans' life much harder, though I wouldn't have it any other way. Kuriyama is really at the top of their game during these longer arcs, and I hope even after this ends they take a page from Xeno and do more of them! 



Memesis continues down an odd path with this chapter, though I'm cautiously optimistic as several things happened here that indicate the series will be around a while yet, and this isn't Yagyuu being forced to end things quickly yet. For example, Runlun isn't dead but reduced to a infantile state thanks to Leon's attack. It's likely that maybe she'll be back as a future threat which fills me with anticipation for future events. The rest of the chapter is Ash and Kijira stewing over their ill-will over Leon as he gets a heroes welcome and they're treated like extras. Another thing that's interesting is the bevy of characters introduced don't get much notice this week either and with the introduction of alternate universes last week, I can't help but wonder if we'll get more on that later. Granted I don't fully trust Yagyuu to have not used that as a one-off gag for the moment, but that'd be too cruel of him and he wouldn't...right? 


Though the most pertinent thing that occurred this week is Leon asking Ash and Kijira to once again pick up their blades and travel with him again. If their expressions on the bottom most panel on the right don't make their reaction to this clear, I don't know what will. Though I'm honestly not all that surprised since Leon did note during their fight that they had improved, and something I have been noting all along is how Leon seems more interested in teaching the duo than belittling them? So it's not out the realm of reason that he noted their improvement and now deem them worth partnering up with again. Now of course the question is do Ash and Kijira feel like they'd gain anything from trusting Leon again....we'll have to wait till next week to find out that.



This arc of Saike (since Calim's assist) has been great because there's a sense of cat and mouse that I really enjoy. Fukuchi doesn't try to hide the fact that Saike and his friends will win their fights --as is the shounen condition, really, but there's a sense of dread behind the scenes that keeps even the most successful forward momentum perilous and gripping. It's been almost too easy for everyone to make their way through Will's henchmen on this second attempt, and as we know so far Will isn't the kind of opponent who's as crafty as he is arrogant. There's the type of arrogance that will lead to hubris and then defeat, and then there's another type that's fully deserving of that arrogance. I think it's easy to tell which one Will fits into. Part of me was kind of disappointed by Saike falling into this trap so easily despite his acumen up until this point, but I'm willing to throw the kid a bone since his target --Hizu is right in front of him and you know what they say about the closer you get to your goal...



Fukuchi even mentioned it on this week's "Sunday Backstage" (that's a part on the Shougakukan Weekly Shounen Sunday site that acts kind of like an artist blog with infrequent updates) that he was most proud of Will's expression at the end of this chapter, as one that a normal 6 year old would never make, and I agree. It's so diabolical that one can't help be fascinated by it --and even though it seemed Will had a folly by allowing Saike to roam free, he's actually turned this into his advantage by leaving Saike and Hizu in a room together except the latter is hypnotized to believe that Saike is the one who needs to be saved and the one before him is a fake. With his lack of eyesight, this hypnotism is even more effective than usual and it shows Will really has covered all of his bases. On that note, I do question his thought to control Hizu rather than get his plan over with as it's really giving Saike a lot of leg room. If he can convince Hizu of his intentions (and identity) then Will really is in a tight spot, but that just loops back to what I mentioned in the opening of this writeup --that sense of peril makes things all that much more interesting. It's also funny (in a screwed up sense) that in this possibly final arc that we'd get a full circle effect with Saike fighting Hizu (or the other way around) like they did when they first met eleven volumes ago. It's a great bookend even if thinking about the series ending fills me with sadness. 


Speaking of ending and sadness, it brings me no joy at all to write about this final chapter of Shinobi no. A series really cut down in it's prime due to low audience interest despite Shougakukan's best efforts (even getting veteran artists to reign in with their support!) I have no idea what didn't resonate with readers as there are many factors (Was it because it's a historical series? The age of the protagonist? The fact that it's in a magazine more known for it's heroines rather than heroes?) That could have lead it to this fate, but none of them seemed more pronounced than the other. 


On the note of cutting things down....man Ogaki, I'm sure glad that even with everything that happened you're going out on a high note. If possible you should save these images and flip back and forth through them --it almost looks like a little animated scene. The anime we're never going to get sadly...



And with that Sakamoto dies. It's sad and a little ironic that his last words are "So this is death? How boring..." I know it's keeping with his character of course, but it almost feels like Ogaki is making a statement on Shinobi no's rise and fall. After that the rest of the pins fall in Sakamoto's scheme and although when I was glancing through the chapter and posting the images I thought this ending wasn't terrible considering the circumstances, my mind has changed a bit. Of course I don't blame Ogaki for what happened, I don't know how long in advance he was told to finish the story and some artists are better coming to a graceful stop after a full tilt dash than others, but seeing so many character's fates being decided off screen with little to no dialog really drives home how much ambition Ogaki had that will never be realized. At least Toudou's monolog about how this was achieved thanks to the hard work of others offers a differing viewpoint from Pops's that Shinobi-ing is something done in solitude --a great lesson that could have been more with more time. 


This scene between the two of them was great too --Pops strikes Toudou down later on just for the latter to stand back up and point out he's losing his touch. When asked about what he wants to do later, Toudou is unsure so pops just says "Welp, you'll be Sawamura Jinsaburo for now on" irritating his student even now, hah. He's able to sweet talk Toudou into taking the position (while inwardly mocking him). Looks like he still has a ways to go. 


I'll admit I'm a little sad that Kaede got regaled to this in the end too as she had potential more than to be shafted off to the side, but I guess those were the times then and now (except now it's just more of a cancellation thing.) I would have loved to see more of her taking a more focal focus in the series. We're not explicitly told who the father of her child will be (as she states above she's not even sure where Pops and Toudou go on missions) but to see them working together in the very end still brings me great joy. They just look awesome together don't they? And with that the final chapter of Shinobi no is done --I gotta say I wasn't expecting Pops to live to the end like this. This also marks the second series I've covered all the way through since starting this blog and it's bittersweet to say the least --especially since not even scanslators touched this work, and now that it's been cancelled it's unlikely they ever will. A real shame since it has great art, great characters and was genuinely exciting to read from week to week. The notice at the end gave me some relief as it implies that Ogaki is indeed working on something else and will stay with Sunday --his tongue in cheek comments on twitter made it sound like he was upset with the company so I was afraid he'd leave but that doesn't seem to be the case. Hopefully he can take the experience he gained from Shinobi no and make something even greater for his next serialization. Until then Ogaki-sensei, I thank you for the past year of Shinobi thrills! 


Marry Grave is now almost back at it's first chapter which suggests this flashback is about to come to an end. It's great to see how things got to the point where we saw them in the beginning as now with the further understanding of these characters and how they met, the direness of the situation that Rosalie finds herself in --thus kicking off the events of the story. Plus look at them --you can't tell me watching these two lovebirds take down the isle doesn't tug at your heart strings. Though by now you have to know that in Marry Grave that every moment of happiness is accompanied by an undercurrent of death at it's highest and lowest.  



And thus we are treated to the forces that will likely be the end of this marriage before it truly began. They were faceless, nameless specters on chapter one, so to see them up close and personal really drives home how unfair the world of Marry Grave is. Though man, Yamaji's artwork and sense of scale/composition is at it's peak here. I only say this because it does seem like Marry Grave is another one destined to end sooner than later but it almost seems like a waste for him to be drawing weekly manga with art as good as his --he really should be an illustrator for video games or something. I can't even begin to fathom how long this took to arrange, much less draw with such detail. The monsters all look unique, and some designs go from outlandish to downright cool. I wish I could have shown more of them off but that's how it goes running this blog. It's not outright said but I kind of get the feeling the group in the first dual page spread above may not necessarily be in cahoots with the ones in the second if their designs are to be taken into consideration....their conversation (The ones on top) seems to suggest that too but it's all terribly vague. Could there actually be another faction involved in the machinations of this day? Hmm...in any case here we are back at the beginning for the second time and what comes with it is the despair and possibilities that are linked with a story in progress.




This week's Youkai Giga features a fairly popular Youkai who's popped up in several anime and manga I've seen --the Zashiki Warashi. The name of this particular Youkai can be translated as "guestroom child" and are gods who live in storage rooms, playing pranks. It's said whomever sees one would be blessed with good luck. This is the premise of Satou's take on the youkai --one taking the shape of a small girl has been living with a couple for over a year but their luck hasn't turned around for some reason --they're still miserably poor despite her best efforts. (She says she's a Zashiki Warashi in training which might explain a few things.) Turns out however that a god of poverty is also living in the house, and thus their powers are clashing. The God of poverty offers to leave, realizing that while the couple has been kind to it, it's not doing them any good, but upon leaving they stop the God and thank it for bringing them together even in unfortunate times. It's then the Zashiki Warashi who decides to leave but the God of Poverty says it's thanks to her that they've been fortunate in the face of adversity and while adults can't see the little youkai, their soon to be born child will be able to and thus she'd be a boon in helping them raise it. Thus it becomes a kind of rivalry between the two --one bringing poverty and thus trust, and the other bringing fortune and thus happiness. Sorry to ramble on there describing this chapter but it was such a cute story (and in 8 pages) that I couldn't help myself! It's been a while since I've had a lot to say for a Youkai Giga chapter and I've missed it. Great to see Satou can still write stories like this despite the limited page count.


And that's it for the editorial of this issue! Until the next time we meet, take care --and read the features piece for news and color pages! 





































Comments

  1. I do admit, volume 13 which is the first half of the Will arc was one of the weaker ones in the series. But I suppose it's understandable as it was more to set up the pieces for the main event, still really enjoyable at points however. But every chapter since Calim's redemption has been great.

    I agree this last confrontation with Hizu is a fitting finale for the series. Nice work noticing the resemblance to the beginning of Saike's hero duty when Hizu was his first opponent and now may just be his last. Also, quite sad, it gives me flashbacks to volume 6 when Hizu died to snap Saike out of his brainwashing but it's now the other way around. Hopefully it won't end the same way however and Saike gets a happy ending.

    But even though the series seems to be wrapping up, there's still no news of Saike ending despite being so close to the end of the arc. It certainly wouldn't be out of place to announce it whether by Sunday or Fukuchi himself as fans can easily understand why this would be the finale. In fact, I think Fukuchi actually just called this the climax of the arc, not the series. It gets my hopes up that we'd have more Saike but I really wonder how the series would continue. We certainly need a whole new arc now that we're done with Kuroda's whole group that was introduced 11 volumes ago. Looking forward to it anyways.

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