WSR 10-7-13

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Magi 200

Magi will be on break for the next two weeks, so we’ll be short this series for a bit.

We continue with Sharrkan teasing Alibaba about dating Toto. He’s embarrassed about it, but admits that while she isn’t ideal to many people, she’s kind even as a female gladiator and he fell in love with her.

Meanwhile, Morgiana is still reeling from this shock, remembering all the time she spent with Alibaba, becoming infatuated with him, respecting him for his courage. She even has trouble sleeping, interfering with her training with Masrur. She asks him about metal vessel assimilation. He explains that some of the others besides Drakon have half assimilated, but Sinbad stopped them. The risk of them losing themselves to it exists along with their bodies becoming less and less humans. The Djinn could even absorb their entire being because of the process.

Morgiana says she wants to be strong, to protect Alibaba, but Masrur says that their masters are strong enough. He thinks their real purpose is not to be an “emotional risk”, as he puts it. The real goal is to support them through difficulties, which he wonders if Mor can do even if Alibaba has found another woman besides her, which reminds her of the issue she still has.

Back where Alibaba is we find out he was lying about being in a relationship with Toto. He felt pressured and overwhelmed by all the praise people were giving him, so he went along with their teasing and said he was dating Toto. This was because she was the first girl he thought of and he didn’t want to disappoint those who looked up to him and were younger, like Aladdin and Olba.

But it turns out he was referring to Garda, the giant baboon he fought the first time he became a gladiator. She became attached to him after he freed her and he was afraid she’d become jealous if people were suggesting he was being intimate with many women. He wasn’t dating Garda and it wasn’t like he was unpopular with women in Reim, but Garda scared them off.

He’s saddened, wanting a girlfriend, but he feels like there isn’t anyone who likes him. He plans to continue the lie with Toto after talking with her about the story he told. But she’s already told the others about Garda, ruining any chance he had of saving face. He owns up to it, saying he didn’t do anything with any women, just accepting any consequences with a straight face. His friends understand and the chapter ends with him being a bit forlorn, but otherwise happy that his friends still accept him.

This joke is wearing a bit thin, but it’s spaced out. Alibaba’s never gotten a woman that he’s interested in or interested in him that isn’t muscular or brutish in some way. Even the women at the parties he meets to serve him drinks are hulking behemoths, like Elizabeth from early on.

World Trigger 33

Osamu and the others establish their plan. Yuma and Chika will advance to B rank through the usual channels and when they do so, they’ll form a squad with Osamu and try to get to the Neighbor world through the exam that takes them there. They’ll look for Chika’s friend and brother, the overall goal. I imagine Yuma may find a new goal in the Neighbor world, which will further advance the plot

Shinoda introduces himself, welcoming the trainees and emphasizing their importance. Arashiyama squad proceeds to explain the rest. A few people say that Arashiyama squad, since they’re chosen for their looks, isn’t that great in terms of combat strength. Yuma says they aren’t lying, though Replica reflects that it’s possible they just don’t realize Arashiyama squad’s power, since they haven’t experienced it themselves. Not to mention they may just be as ignorant as those they criticize, the trainees who idolize Arashiyama squad, in that they believe rumors spread about the squad being weak because they’re more for Public Relations.

The groups are split into Snipers and Gunners/Attackers, Chika going off on her own for now. Arashiyama explains that since they’re trainees, C Rank can’t go into active duty yet. He further explains that the way for anyone to get to B rank is to achieve 4000 points through an indicator on their gloves connected to their Trigger. The points demonstrate mastery over the Trigger and most start at 1000, some having over 2000 if they show especially good skill in the provisional exam.

Kitora shows up, noting that for Yuma to advance fast he’ll have to get perfect scores in the exams and advance in the rank wars as fast as possible. He comments that’s pretty simple, but is excited.

The first exam is fighting in simulation mode against a modified simalcrum of a basic Neighbor we saw at the beginning of the series. They get 5 minutes and the faster they defeat it, the more points they get. Kitora and Osamu note that they’re familiar with this method, having done it themselves.

The chapter ends as Yuma demonstrates his prior experience, defeating the simulation in 6/100 of a second, astonishing everyone at the sheer speed. Some managed in 4-11 seconds, like Kitora or others, but Yuma has set a record that’ll probably never be beaten. A nice transition into the chuunin exam equivalent of World Trigger.

Bleach 552

Bazz B tries to scare off Cang Du by saying Juhabach won’t like him killing someone he was already fighting, but Cang Du brings up that Juhabach’s orders were to kill the captains with their stolen Bankai, so Bazz B technically shouldn’t have even tried to fight Toushirou to begin with.

Matsumoto falls nearby, wounded heavily. Cang Du caught her and brought her to his side, wanting them to die together. Cang Du prepares to kill them, explaining that he is the “Iron” of the Stern Ritter. He unleashes Toushirou’s Bankai. He praises it, saying he regrets having to kill its owner and allow it to survive afterwards.

Back with Mayuri and Kisuke’s discussion, Kisuke begins to explain that he found a flaw in the Quincy’s method of Bankai stealing and can prevent further stealing as well as reclaim the ones already stolen. Mayuri is a bit more concerned that Kisuke managed to bug his clothes, but before he can sever the communication, Kisuke appears out of a Senkaimon from the Dangai behind Mayuri. He proposes they work together, Mayuri saying that they’re crippled with the R&D Institute teleported to the shadow realm of the Wandenreich, but Kisuke notes Mayuri still has his own lab, complimenting him on discovering the nature of the Scahtten Bereich.

The R&D department starts to seek out the captains and vice captains, using every trick they can think of to either find them with their own technology they have remaining or modify the Quincy tech to suit their needs.

Kisuke presents his new invention, Shineiyaku (lit. Shadow Invading Pills), Mayuri noting the name is fairly simple. Kisuke notes this was something he developed while in Hueco Mundo, getting some clues from fighting Quilge. He notes that the Resurreccion is similar enough to a Bankai in power that the Quincy should’ve been stealing them as well, but not a single one has been taken. He theorizes there’s only two reasons: either they can’t or it would be a detriment to them to do so. Mayuri says from his research there’s no reason to think a Resurreccion couldn’t be taken, so the logical conclusion is that it’s indeed damaging to them.

The Tenteikuura, last used at the end of the Soul Society arc, is activated. Kisuke talks to them, explaining about the black pill he sent in the transmission. He says they only need to touch it with something, even their sword, and it will be absorbed into their soul

Mayuri contemplates why the Quincy would bear such a grudge against the Hollows when the Hollows are merely mindless soul eating entities with no formalized culture of their own, even for the ones who are sufficiently intelligent or advanced (Vastolorde,etc). The only conclusion he has left is that the Hollows are literally a threat to the Quincy’s very existence. This isn’t just that they eat their souls, which applies to even non Quincies. Kisuke further explains, saying that Quincies are completely vulnerable to Hollows, unlike Soul Reapers, their souls rotting away and disintegrating when the essence of a Hollow is introduced into their bodies. There’s no Hollowification, they just cease to be. Thus, they seek to eradicate them.

The solution to the problem, therefore, is to Hollowify a Bankai, even for a second, making the Bankai toxic to the Quincy and reducing them to their Vollstandig as a comparable power, along with Blut Vene and Blut Arterie. Cang Du is shocked as Toushirou’s Bankai begins to leave him, similar to when they stole the Bankai originally.

This battle is far from over, but this one tactic, hopefully not the last, has turned this battle in the favor of the Soul Reapers. We still have the issue of their Vollstandig and Sklaverei techniques, not to mention Blut Vene and Blut Arterie, but Kisuke no doubt has a counter to the latter and Bankai, well developed ones, seem comparable to the Vollstandig. The explanation about the Bankai stealing technique’s weakness explains a lot, including why Quilge Opie didn’t like stealing a Hollow’s powers, saying they tainted his holy body. And Ichigo’s Soul Reaper powers being part Hollow means they could never have been stolen.

Naruto 650

The chapter starts with the Kage moving to attack the God Tree, Hashirama at the lead. Even the samurai are fighting. Tobirama uses the connection between Minato and Naruto’s chakra as a way to allow the Shunshin technique to defend people from the tree’s attacks.’

Hiruzen asks Orochimaru whether he’ll help or not. Orochimaru replies that while the war doesn’t interest him, Obito’s plan would put an end to his experiments, so he agrees to help.

Obito then morphs the God Tree’s roots into dragons, attacking the shinobi, protected from the especially dangerous attacks by Tobirama. Sakura and Tsunade both use the Byakugou, enhancing their chakra so they can summon a portion of Katsuyu’s body to further protect the alliance with a stream of healing.

Naruto and Sasuke are still fighting Obito, who’s dodging their attacks. But both Naruto and Sasuke are getting a feel for his timing. But as they attack, Obito blocks them with relative ease and says he’ll put an end to this now. He grabs them with giant hands made of the black sage energy he’s been fighting with.

Kakashi, meanwhile, thinks to himself that Obito can’t deny that he still has the Will of Fire from when he was a Konoha ninja, but he’s been trying to push it aside. Fighting with Naruto has made it resurge after all these years. The chaos in his heart is still making him deny that, not even wanting to accept the possibility that Naruto could be right. As he says this, Obito slams Naruto and Sasuke on the ground, a huge shockwave resulting from it.

As Naruto gets up, Obito asks him why he’s fighting. He insists that his friends will betray him one day and all the suffering he’s gone through will start to warp him and turn him into the same person Obito has become. Even if that doesn’t happen, he says the pain and betrayal can arise again at any time, his friends, the villages, anything. Since, according to him, there is no hope, he asks why Naruto continues to fight, Naruto responding that it’s his ninja way.

Sasuke and Naruto then start to combine their attacks again, Sasuke saying they should finish this. Naruto ends the chapter saying he’ll dream on his own tomorrow after he rests from this battle.

One Piece 724

Last time Sanji attacked Doflamingo and now he starts a counterattack, slashing Sanji and seemingly defeating him effortlessly. He even seemed to dodge Sanji’s followup attack from Diable Jambe. Doflamingo moves to attack, but Sanji, as expected, isn’t down yet, assaulting him with a barrage of kicks. But Doflamingo then uses his unknown ability to freeze Sanji in place.

He moves to attack, Sanji telling the others to leave him behind, but Law manages to use Shambles to switch places with Doflamingo, who’s understandably irritated, his attack destroying a building nearby. Law moves Sanji to the boat

The group exchanges info, Sanji explaining about the factory situation and that Kinemon’s friend is in the factory as well, Law giving Caesar his heart back and telling the group to transport him elsewhere. Law says they have to go to the next island ahead of him, Zou, since when they destroy the factory, they’ll have no more reason to be on the island, but Nami says they won’t leave Luffy and the others behind.

Suddenly the marine battleship frees itself from the plants and attacks the Sunny. Fujitora sends meteors at the ship as well, Law managing to deflect it. Sanji’s wondering why Law’s focusing on Doflamingo so much, even though he understands why they have to keep Caesar as far from him as possible.

Doflamingo attacks again, Law managing to stop him and telling the group that they need to go somewhere without clouds. Doflamingo wields the String String Fruit and without clouds, he can’t use his threads to traverse over the sea.

They escape with Coup De Burst and Doflamingo asks him why he only let half of them escape, since he can still use the others as hostages to get Caesar back. But Law says his alliance with them is over. His primary goal was using the Straw Hats to stop the production of SMILE, so once that’s over, he doesn’t care if he dies in the fight with Doflamingo, since once that’s done, Doflamingo has to deal with Kaidou’s anger at losing the artificial Devil Fruits. Something happened 13 years ago and that’s what Law’s trying to stop with this plan of making Kaidou turn against Doflamingo.

Toriko 253

Turns out the Blue Nitro were going to take Frohze and Acacia somewhere. They leave with the two, Midora regretting that he didn’t beg Frohze not to leave. The Gourmet Eclipse happens, the ingredients stored by Acacia’s disciples allowing the famine to subside. But Midora begins to fall into evil, going back to why one should give food to those ungrateful for it. Frohze explains that things are better, they are at their fullest, when they are shared, Midora not able to understand.

Acacia brings back Frohze, very weak from their journey. He asks Jirou and Setsuno to look for ingredients and tells Ichiryuu something very important off screen, presumably about his Full Course

Midora inquires about Frohze’s state, which she explains was due to trying to prepare God, the ultimate ingredient that could end the war. He’s stunned, still not wanting her to waste her skills on those who can’t appreciate food. He goes to get Cure Water, hoping that will aid in Frohze’s recovery. The place is dangerous, one of the Eight Beast Kings residing there. Midora comes back with the water, badly injured, Frohze saying he shouldn’t have gone that far, but he insists that he should help her, since she’s helped so many others. Nearly fainting, Frohze goes into God Cooking mode and prepares what is her final dish, since she was still not healed enough and suffered mortal damage to her body and Gourmet Cells most likely.

The others return to see this, Jirou even trying to use Knocking, but realizing it’s futile. They bury her, Acacia noting that there is a cause and effect with food, death always a necessity, but what nature gives to them, they should share. And he emphasizes they should continue to eat Frohze’s share, living for her sake. Acacia then says he has to leave on his journey he spoke of before, Midora leaving in anguish. He continued to bring Cure Water to Frohze’s grave, eventually becoming hungry and furious at himself for his weakness.

The Gourmet War at its end, Midora rages at those who could not appreciate food. He leaves the grave, Ichiryuu stopping him. He says he knows Midora’s been searching for Acacia’s Full Course and he has to stop him. Midora responds that he’s just following Acacia’s admonition to eat for Frohze, consuming everything he can. The two then fight, Ichiryuu saying he’ll teach what Acacia and Frohze’s will was.

The chapter ends as something appears to come from Frohze’s grave. This makes me think the obvious connection has to be Midora’s bringing Cure Water for so many days, possibly weeks, to her grave. Now she’s revived, though not as she once was, most likely.

Fairy Tail 355

The group returns to Warrod’s house, the ancient mage complimenting them on a job well done. Wendy brings up their concerns that Tartaros is involved, but Warrod says they should let the Magic Senate investigate that. He jokingly gives them a potato as payment, the Fairy Tail members actually getting a hot spring visit as their reward.

The girls are the focus initially, even thinking that Natsu and Gray wouldn’t appreciate the hot spring, which they actually do. They’re actually in the same hot spring, supposedly there before the girls arrived. Even Warrod arrives. Erza brushes it off, saying they’re all friends here, a little skinship not a problem.

Warrod reveals he was previously a member of Fairy Tail, the others surprised. It does explain why Makarov was so shocked and insisted the group had to succeed, since it was his elder. He compliments them on their friendship, that it reflects well on the founder and her goals for the guild, the nakama spirit emphasized many times before.

This is further emphasized, Mavis’ words resonating; the bonds between comrades, the reliance of each upon the other and sharing hopes and dreams, among other things.

Natsu thinks that since Warrod is so old, he might know about E.N.D. and the demons. The relation between them and Zeref troubles Warrod. He says that while he doesn’t know anything specifically regarding Zeref or E.N.D., he says that Tartaros may be at the core of this, since it’s rumored they have the Book of Zeref.

The chapter ends as Natsu, enraged and pumped up about fighting Tartarus, accidentally hits Erza, who retaliates in kind. The next chapter will start the Tartaros arc.