manga roundup: computer is dead edition

First, a eulogy to my computer.

I bought you to play Half-Life 2.

But before the game even fully came out,

Your life was through.

RIP, 2004-2010.

Actually I think I can fix it I think just the one hard drive is corrupt, which kinda sucks.


Anyways:

Fairy Tail 170 - I kinda like how he's just made things "different" instead of the "reverse". Allows him more freedom. Looks like this arc will be interesting, lots of cool plot points and such, but I think in terms of the overall story of missing dragons, Ur-Tear, etc., it will be more Skypiea than Marineford, and I don't know how I feel about that. Some cool things like Lisanna being alive and such, that should be interesting but dangit this is going to be another arc where Erza isn't insanely cool. Remember when she was the most badass character in the series? - 7/10

Claymore 100 - Clearly they would go with a pivotal chapter for chapter 100. This is the showdown that's been hinted at since the beginning, and luckily for us they seem to be doing a decent job of it too. Depending on how they resolve this, it could be a really cool way to further establish a villain for further arcs, or Claire will get an even more ridiculous power up and kill her, which will probably look cool at least. Really though, it seems weird that they're wrapping up all these plot points at once. What will happen after this? A completely clean break into a new saga with the organization and the new continent? Dunno what to think about that. - 7/10

Naruto 481 - Boy I have certainly been hating on Naruto a lot lately, and... it isn't about to stop this week. Danzo's flashback is kind of interesting, but also I don't really care. And it doesn't seem to help add up to Danzo's character today. It just seems sort of irrelevant and weird. Danzo's sacrifice thing at the end was dumb too, as was his little philosophic spiel. Stupid useless party continues to be stupid and useless as they prepare to affect things in a very dumb way. Remember when Rock Lee was cool? But I digress. Sasuke and Madara head for the charred wreckage of Konoha (hey remember when Konoha blew up and everyone forgot about it a chapter later?) and the art keeps on getting worse. - 4/10

Bleach 391 - This is about the best I can hope for from Bleach. Aizen mocks everybody and wrecks stuff up and there's a few decent action shots. And then there's a big twist that makes no sense but is kind of interesting because hey why not. The whole idea of using the secret techniques on Aizen just for them to fail the next page is kinda getting old but not as bad it could have been were he to actually prolong the stupidity for each of them. Anyways so what happens next? Probably Aizen lives again or maybe Gin will end up being the villain I dunno, but I'm decently OK with Bleach riding out like this. Not as good as it used to be, but a whole lot better than it's been lately. - 5/10

Beelzebub 47 - Well that got wrapped up in a hurry. Still left some mysteries I guess but I think things were resolved in a less than satisfactory way. Now he wants to go back to high school rumbles? Well I guess I did like that a bit better. Oh well. Funny scenes, Furuichi is laughs a plenty, etc, etc. - 7/10

Bakuman 72 - Lots of good times here. Funny scenes, arguments, dramatic confrontations, and setups of hilarity to come - specifically, the meeting with the parents! Ahh! Lots of excellent little gags, like uh, Yoshida's otter slippers, for instance. This is like wackiness to the extreme. The next few chapters will either be really wacky or really serious, there is material enough for either interpretation and both could be very good. I'm thinking it'll actually be more serious than anything as this latest arc, which could have been very serious, was actually made pretty silly most of the time. Anyways yeah, look forward to debates over the sanctity of marriage and the viability of manga as a career. Should be interesting. - 8/10

One Piece 573 - Don't quite know what to think about this one. Again, really amazing scenes and battles and heartwrenching conflict, but it also seems sorta Bleachy at times, especially the last "twist". Why does Akainu burn Ace, anyways? Ah, I don't really care, they're both cool characters at the moment, even if Ace did go from whining to sticking up for Whitebeard when he shouldn't, too sort of annoying characteristics that seem kinda Narutoy. I really like the idea that Whitebeard is regarded as sort of a joke by some characters and seen as overly sentimental and soft, even though he's so strong. Please, please, please give us a Whitebeard flash back.He's just so interesting. Anyways, this chapter keeps me guessing, and it continues the tradition of the war arc just being crazy fun to read. - 9/10