MSR January 2020

 MSR January 2020

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So only about 3 chapters for each series this month (1 week break expected for the magazine in general, along with the New Years’ One that preceded it). Dr. Stone also took an unexpected break, Boichi overwhelmed with doing art for the main series and the spinoff over the last few months

We have 2 new series for 2020 this month. First is Undead Unluck by Yoshifumi Tozuka, where our leads Fuuko and Andy have bizarre abilities of Unluck and Undeath, Andy wanting to use Fuuko’s ability to generate bad luck on anyone who touches her directly to finally die, all while being pursued by an organization who wants to use them.

Second is Mashle: Magic and Muscles by Hajime Komoto, featuring a protagonist who can’t use magic in a world where magic is key to societal advances. But it turns out his physical training given by his adoptive father has allowed him to be able to easily deflect powerful magic and do amazing physical feats

World Trigger 190

While the other teams go after the lower numbers of Ikoma Squad, Tamakoma-2 manages to trick Yuba’s sniper with Chika, but he’s taken out by another squad, each squad getting a point in the chaos, the chapter concluding as Yuma fights off against Yuba Squad’s Obishima.

Dr. Stone 135-136

Senkuu, using Chrome’s tactic, manages to calculate the rate at which the petri-beam progresses and throws the revival fluid flask so it drenches him when he gets petrified. And he sets up a “self driving” car to rush at Ibara afterwards

Ibara manages to recover from being hit by the car with shell armor under his clothes and attacks Senkuu, who throws bottles that appear to be acid. But in spite of it seeming like Ibara has the advantage, Senkuu also managed to free Ryusui, who then pilots the drone to attack the petrification device as Ibara throws it

We Never Learn 142-144

Yuiga, Rizu, Fumino, Uruka, Asumi and Mafuyu are on a graduation trip at a ski resort, Nariyuki still remembering Uruka’s confession (not wanting him to rush to a decision)

Yuiga falls feverish from the strain of studying catching up to him, Uruka, Rizu and Fumino all volunteering to watch over him. Uruka notes how she wants to care for Nariyuki, but Fumino, divided between her own feelings and not wanting to lose her friendship with Rizu and Uruka, moves to kiss Nariyuki while he sleeps, Rizu and Uruka walking in on this

Fumino, Uruka and Rizu all reconcile, realizing they can all seek happiness, even if Yuiga only chooses one of them. Yuiga, meanwhile, talks to Miharu about how she, as an aspiring athlete, thinks romance can be distracting, making him wonder about his feelings while he visits the aquarium with the girls.

My Hero Academia 256-258

UA Class 1-A shows off their progress through work studies, while Aizawa and Present Mic discuss what they want to do going forward with the Noumu investigation, Eri’s horn getting bigger, likely connected with her Quirk. And All Might gives Deku a notebook with notes about the past successor’s Quirks for future training

Deku and Bakugou learn more about the past All For One successors, though the 2nd and 3rd are unknown because of how far back it was. But Deku does get an implication he might be gaining the Float Quirk of Nana, All Might’s master, next. The students have a hot pot party to celebrate the second semester starting, but at a hospital we see Dr. Daruma (likely) and we’re told that soon all heroes will disappear from the city (ominous)

Hawks remembers how he learned more about the Meta Liberation Army’s structure and their plans, Twice recognized as a major threat by the double agent that the others don’t seem to realize. Meanwhile, in the present, Deku and other UA students are doing a new exercise with their Hero work studies in the city.

Fire Force 202-204

The quest for the orichalcum, set up by Vulcan, leads Arthur around an RPG-inspired quest through Asakusa, but he misinterprets the final clue, meant to direct him to the first place he looked, thinking the legendary metal is in the Nether.

As Arthur travels with the group, Vulcan, Lisa and Yu all talk about how this is leading them to eventually clashing with the White Clads, particularly Giovanni. But the biggest shock happens when Arthur’s parents, who left him to go on some journey, appear from the Nether shadows

Arthur's parents seem to be the real deal, his father much like him in having wild fantasies, his mother a bit more rooted. They serve as a resistance, seeking out the truth of the world, finding technology from before the Cataclysm. This includes a part of a spaceship, the alloy just what they need, the Orichalcum to forge a true Excalibur

One Piece 967-969

Oden leaves Toki at Wano when she falls ill, the crew continuing on, discovering the other Road Poneglyphs, hearing about the prophecy of Shirahoshi’s birth as Poseidon, and arriving at Raftel, learning the truth about the world. And Roger laughs at the treasure, the One Piece (left unknown as to its nature), the crew naming the island Laugh Tale (more double meanings?)

Roger disbands his crew, leaving for the remainder of his life, the rest of the crew leaving Oden back on Wano, where he learns Orochi has taken over, going to stop him, not caring about Kaidou’s threat

Oden tries to attack Orochi, but one of the Kurozumi clan, along with the old lady, has the Barrier Barrier fruit and Oden is forced to make a fool of himself for 5 years, everyone regarding him as worthless now. Orochi approaches Kuri, revealing that he took out Hyogorou’s family, enraging Oden to the point he and his retainers move to attack (which will ultimately lead to their being sent forward in time, as we know)

Black Clover 235-237

Yuno arrives at the scene after William protects some of his subordinates, the Dark Disciples of Zeno able to enhance their magic greatly, like the captain who Asta fought previously 

After learning how cruel Zeno’s disciples are, wanting to use their power to make others suffer, Yuno uses his Wind Spirit Magic: Sword of Zephyr to slash through the enhanced Stone Magic

Yuno, with Letoile’s help and her Compass Magic as well as Klaus, manage to defeat the Mist Magic user that served under Zeno. But he bursts through the wall, his Bone Magic having defeated even William

Seven Deadly Sins 337-339

The lake itself, revealed to be the Lady of the Lake (Nimue?), connected to the Chaos entity, explains how Merlin was a prodigy in Belialuin, saved by Meliodas. But he didn’t return her feelings and she sought more knowledge, learning of Chaos and desired to create new imbalance and fill the hole in her heart. That involved many things, including creating the Seven Deadly Sins, reactivating Elizabeth’s curse, setting up various circumstances to utterly destroy the Demon King. And this reveal infuriates Meliodas, Nimue thinking the two may not be able to understand each other

After we learn that Hawk’s mom was basically a shell for Chaos’ essence, Arthur’s power manifests again, the bond such that it cannot be broken. But Arthur’s inspiration by Merlin was what kept him going to become a king. Cath appears, but bites off Arthur’s arm, the lake revealing Cath is a fragment of chaos (or is otherwise such that it desires to consume Arthur for his power)

Cath is revealed to be Cath Palug, a beast that tried to overtake Chaos, but was sealed by the Goddess Clan. Arthur regains Excalibur, his function as the key finished, and defeats Cath with one slash. Merlin teleports everyone away, thinking she has to help Arthur on her own, not wanting to drag them into things