MSR March 2021

 

 

 

If you enjoy this monthly blog, I also put out bi-weekly animated film reviews among other content. Check out my Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/kyoukasuigetsu) and Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/kyoukasuigetsu) to support my endeavors. Any contribution is appreciated, even sharing to friends.

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: Scanlations and official sources both have a place in the community, but buy official manga volumes to support the author. If you can, also subscribe to Crunchyroll and/or Shonen Jump through Viz Media to read chapters nearly simultaneous with Japan. Most of the series covered can be found through legal means, so please encourage the industry that gives us what we love

 

 

World Trigger 206

The A Rank squads do an initial assessment of the provisional squads, both on how they’ll do overall and in the sealed environment and long term combat phases of the tests. Some squads seem more capable than others, but the general opinion seems to favor Ninomiya’s squad, while Rokuro is not seen as capable by contrast

 

 

 

 

4 Knights of the Apocalypse 6-7

 

We see the other knights that Pelgart is associated with and more of the prophecy is revealed, visions of the 4 Knights of the Apocalypse shown (all very likely meant to be not just Percival, but Tristan, Lancelot and the child of King and Diane that is likely around as well). Pelgart and Ironside clash about how to deal with Percival, Ironside saying it is more important to stop his son than try and recruit him. Percival refuses to believe he’ll destroy the world, but the fox, Sin, says he can take him to where Ironside and the others are, Camelot, though since 16 years ago, it was destroyed by Arthur and he’s gone into hiding. The group then heads off to Liones

 

 

 

Percival is hungry, so he suggests he, Donnie and Sin have a hunting contest. But while the kid heads into the Valley of Tree Spirits, said to be extremely dangerous, Donnie and Sin meet a giant nun (possibly King and Diane’s child?), who explains that Percival is likely in danger from the one who made the previous land where the giants and fairies lived a living hell, the Mad Herbalist Nasiens

 

 

Build King 15-18

 

Shizuka manages to defeat and frighten the Preta Spiders, his Yellow Vigor (one of 8 colors that Builders can manifest, literally part of their lifeforce and lifespan, so a precious resource) rotting one away. The mysterious Builder, Smith speculating they’re from Satan Hills, says that the Annexes are also arriving, shown to be in the House Robots we saw before, one of the Ten Edifices appearing to fight, since that’s their duty with Vigor

 

More people associated with Satan Hills, explained to be a group that wants to take over the world (of course!), including some of the competitors, reveal themselves, Renga captured in a bubble that is seemingly impenetrable. But while Shizuka is approached by more Satan Hills members, the nature of Tonkachi’s Vigor is discovered, something that Satan Hills desires.

 

While more of Satan Hills’ builders arrive, we learn Smith has Rainbow Vigor an extremely rare type that is almost unbeatable. But Renga is taken away by Konechika, who wants to help his friend in spite of being afraid. And Tonkachi seems to be getting more enraged, paralyzed by Brown Vigor so he can’t move, but possibly holding a rarer type of Vigor than even Rainbow, along with Renga

 

Konechika fights off Maguni, one of the traitors of Satan Hills within the Vigor Construction competition with a Troll tool, which shaves off much more life in exchange for a powerful ability. And we see the Build Soldiers, House Beasts that are controlled by Builders, attack, Tonkachi refusing to believe Satan Hills’ ideology that houses are meant to be symbols of power rather than peace, revealing to Haka that he has Gold Vigor

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Stone 188-190

Kohaku, Tsukasa and Hyoga team up and manage to defeat Maya and the others, but are taken down by gunfire after Kohaku destroys the transceiver. Tsukasa is the last one standing, reminiscing about how he now trusts Senkuu after trying to take down the Kingdom of Science, hoping the Medusa can revive him and the others

 

 

Senkuu’s group sends Luna and Chelsea away under a pretense of being the ones to revive them, with Suika and Francois’ capture, but Chelsea thinks it’s to get them away to safety. Stanley’s group suspects something about the tactics and presses on. As the attack starts, it seems like things are going in Xeno’s favor, but Ryukyu reminds him that Senkuu’s science will win out because of how it’s built up in a more creative fashion than the brute force of Xeno’s group.

 

Joel manages to create a working Medusa with the help of Kaseki (in a flashback sequence of sorts, the chronology is a bit unclear) and as things are turning bad for Senkuu’s group, they send one last message to the Corn City group, all the fighters there mobilizing to try and reclaim the Medusa that was taken by Brody from Joel.

 

 

 

 

My Hero Academia 304-307

Deku speaks with the predecessors, who reveal that not only was All Might Quirkless, but his being such allowed him to imprint his consciousness directly versus the lingering Quirk factors of previous holders. And one holder died of rapid aging, their body unable to hold One for All because they already had a Quirk, versus a Quirkless body that is suited for the Quirk that is passed down. And with the Quirk singularity, Deku may be the last holder of One For All, due to Quirkless individuals being less common. Nana asks Deku if he can kill Tomura, seemingly to end the cycle of violence somehow

 

 

Deku acknowledges that it may come to killing Tomura, but also says that One For All is a power meant to save people and he’ll do everything he can before the last resort of putting the monster down is on the table. The predecessors offer their support, 2 tasked by the original holder of One For All with aiding Deku in unleashing the Quirk’s full power.

 

As All Might reveals the truth of One For All to Best Jeanist and Hawks offscreen, Endeavor and others apologize to the public and announce UA and other hero courses will serve as shelters to allow better management of limited Hero resources. And Deku leaves UA, telling Class 1-A his secret, focusing his efforts to confront Shigaraki in the future.

 

Deku saves Yoh and Tatami from Ketsubetsu Academy, on patrol to try and convince some of the people staying behind to go to their shelter. The attacker is Muscular, now called Jailbreaker, causing carnage and havoc across the city

 

 

Fire Force 256-259

 

The 8th Division tries to inspire hope in the people, but Licht and Joker think that more people are going to be so simple minded that they’ll just be fuel for the fires of despair. A Doppelganger of Hague as well as one of Rekka appears, things still not looking good for the Cataclysm being stopped

 

 

Rekka and Hague’s Doppelgangers fight their respective opponents, who struggle against their power and also find it hard to not despair at the situation. Arthur heads to the 8th Division Cathedral with Vulcan, said to be undergoing some kind of trial

 

The trial, it turns out, is a Dragon Quest type game that Arthur cannot beat, Vulcan suggesting a new method as “Merlin”. Pan manges to defeat Hague’s Doppelganger, stacking his buffs to become strong enough to stop his former captain

 

 While Arthur and Vulcan struggle with a development in the game where they must fight a former ally, Karim has to face Rekka, who he was good friends with and how his dream to save people has always been twisted in some way by Sister Sumire

 

 

 

One Piece 1006-1008

 

Sanji heads off to help Yamato, Shinobu and Momonosuke, while Carrot has been beaten by Perospero. Hyogoro fights off Kaidou’s crew, protecting Chopper while he makes the antidote to the Ice Oni virus, everyone on the verge of turning back in spite of Marco’s flames keeping it at bay.  Marco is fighting back against Queen and King, but it’s not looking good as Perospero seems to want to back the two Calamities. And Hyogoro begins to turn, the other yakuza leaders fulfilling his wish to end his life before he takes any more in his Ice Oni rage

 

 

 

Queen mocks the Kaidou crew members that are low ranking, either failed Smile Fruit recipients  or those waiting for it in vain, his Ice Oni virus meant to cull them. Chopper manages to create a counter virus, spreading it by a mist, punching Queen as he angrily says he’s not a raccoon dog (which everyone has mistakenly called him). Momonosuke still blames himself for the cowardly behavior up to this point, while we learn that the Devil Fruit he ate was likely derived from Kaidou’s blood (already having consumed the original Devil Fruit that was “dragon” in nature). And Oden, surprisingly, appears before the Akazaya Nine, seemingly the one to tend to their wounds after the battle with Kaidou

 

The Oden is actually a detailed painting made with Kanjuro’s powers and Ashura recognizes this, sacrificing himself as the Oden painting uses an explosive to try and kill the Akazaya Nine. But they encounter Jack, Inuarashi holding him off, while we see that Orochi has somehow survived, setting fire to the palace. Luffy, along with Zoro, Kid, Killer and Law are still trying to take down Big Mom and Kaidou, their forces seemingly evenly matched so far.

 

 

 

Black Clover 284-287

 

We learn that even humans can utilize the Ultimate Magic if they have the Heart Kingdom’s Magic Array to draw natural mana, Dryad also introduced more properly (possibly another spirit distinct from the 4 Cardinal Elements). The power of the Ultimate Magic is impressive, even allowing the user to fight and defeat even the mid-level devils that appear. However, inside the castle, the high tier devils have attacked Nacht, pierced by ice. 

 

 

 

Nacht transports the two high level devils elsewhere, leaving Jack to fight Dante. And as he sees the tough situation in just occupying the far more powerful threats, we flashback to Nacht’s past, one of twin brothers, the Nacht we know a rebellious one, while his brother Morgen, resembles his present appearance, his hair bleached blonde seemingly in the past.

 

We learn that Nacht was chosen as the one to succeed the Faust family in their study of devils, but Morgen, a Magic Knight in the same squad as Yami, intervenes and saves him from a dangerous supreme devil Lucifugus. It’s left uncertain whether there was a body swap or such (Morgen’s body could be inhabited by Nacht’s soul), but in the present Nacht pushes himself further to try and stop Lilith and Naamah

 

Nacht combines the powers of 2 of his devils, sacrificing them to utilize a spell that has the strength of a Supreme Devil, but he’s still unable to best the Devil Ice and Flame magics that can affect even shadow. But thankfully Asta arrives to fight, his antimagic able to fight on even ground

 

 

MSR February 2021

 

If you enjoy this monthly blog, I also put out bi-weekly animated film reviews among other content. Check out my Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/kyoukasuigetsu) and Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/kyoukasuigetsu) to support my endeavors. Any contribution is appreciated, even sharing to friends.

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: Scanlations and official sources both have a place in the community, but buy official manga volumes to support the author. If you can, also subscribe to Crunchyroll and/or Shonen Jump through Viz Media to read chapters nearly simultaneous with Japan. Most of the series covered can be found through legal means, so please encourage the industry that gives us what we love

 

World Trigger is on break until April’s issue, unfortunately, even the anime had a delay due to an earthquake in Japan this month

 

Black Clover took an unexpected break at the end of the month

 

2 new series this month, continuing from late January

 

Witch Watch by Kenta Shinohara (Astra Lost in Space his most recent work) has a world with witches and familiars, as well as ogres, a particular offshoot of familiars that gained human form and interbred with normal humans. Niko, a witch who was friends as a child with Morihito, an ogre, is prophesied to be in danger and he has to protect her, though she’s also clumsy enough that she puts herself in danger within the first day she arrives. Sort of a romantic comedy for the most part

 

 

 

Nine Dragons’ Ball Parade (Kowloon’s Ball Parade in Japanese, the first word Chinese for Nine Dragons) by Mikiyasu Kamada and Ashibi Fukui, features a lead, Azukida, who wants to join a famous team, Hakuou, but fails in spite of a newcomer he befriends, Ryudo, getting approved at the tryouts. However, because he inspired the pitcher with his passion for the game and his capacity for analysis, Ryudo rejects the offer and suggests he and Azukida form their own team to beat Hakuou.

 

 

 

 

And the sequel to Seven Deadly Sins, 4 Knights of the Apocalypse, began in late January. We’ve met Percival, the grandson of Balgis, a former Holy Knight. They live together on God’s Finger, high in the clouds above Britannia. But Ironside, revealed as Percival’s father, kills Balgis and Percival travels down to seek answers. He meets a group of performers and saves a village from a monstrous wolf as the story continues

 

 

 

 

4 Knights of the Apocalypse 3-5

 

Percival clashes with another Holy Knight, Pelgart, who was behind the monsters that we’ve seen with a mysterious symbol on them, and Percival manifests an unusual power

 

 

Percival’s ability, which appears to be a magic power, much like Ban’s Snatch or the like, manifests in a number of ways, which confuses Pelgart. Even when it seems like Percival is defeated by Pelgart’s Blaze magic, he summons tiny magic golems that look like himself and then heals his wounds. It’s thought he could be using Hero Magic and could even be from the rumored 4 Knights of the Apocalypse

 

Donnie, one of the performers, intervenes, trying to help Percival get away, but Pelgart unleashes more of his power. However, a mysterious fox Percival saw as he arrived on land uses a magic ball to teleport them away. The fox, revealed to be able to talk, says that the Four Knights of the Apocalypse have been prophesied to come in the future, Pelgart part of a group that seeks to recruit them. And Percival is one of those knights, seemingly Death (the final Horseman of the Apocalypse)

 

 

Build King 11-14

 

The Vigor Method Construction exam begins after we see Cork give the new schematics for Upside Down Castle, getting compliments intended for Renga and Tonkachi. But Smith, the proctor, throws out a challenge that Nana observes is especially difficult, Whack-A-Nail Moles.

 

 

 

We learn about Vigor and that not just anyone can use this method for construction, only .01% of the Buildon Builders using it (about 600K out of 60M). And while the Whack A Nail Moles are meant to be tough, there’re still several besides Renga and Tonkachi that move onto the next round.

 

After learning that Two By Four was notorious for destroying a Build King in the past (a building said to be indestructible by normal means) and that the Buildon organization is mobilizing similar massive House Beasts or such, we see that 9 people, including Tonkachi and Renga, passed the first stage. Tonkachi is told by Smith that his Vigor is likely so strong that it explains why his houses kept falling apart, the materials unable to handle it because Tonkachi hasn’t learned proper control. The second stage begins at the Valley Styx, a bottomless pit that they’ll have to build a bridge over.

 

The exam’s difficulty continues to increase, the Valley Styx something incredibly variable in how to build a bridge over it. And while the examinees are given a week and materials, only needing to make a bridge across, Tonkachi and Renga are a bit taken aback. And Konechika, an examinee from a ruthless and dangerous area, explains more about his background and how he wants to be a Builder to help his country. Shizuka, one of the top candidates, is noted by Smith to be a Shinobi Carpenter, using Silent Construction methods, but it seems that something underhanded is going on, a person appearing out of nowhere talking about their own goals, while Shizuka is in danger from Preta Spiders as he walks along a thread, his bridge.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Stone 184-187

The group makes a fortress as a start to Super Alloy City, but Senkuu reveals he knew that Xeno was signaling Stanley’s forces to attack at Araxa. But the Medusas can’t be utilized as easily with their complex and tiny parts, so the one working device will be weaponized to petrify everyone and someone will be out of range (Suika?) to de petrify their side.

A small discovery is made regarding the Medusa batteries, seemingly composed in a way that they’re fragile enough to specifically crack down the middle, Kaseki trying to make one like that. Suika and Francois head out to scout the area, Suika spotting Stanley and his soldiers sneaking into the forest through the river. But one of them is bitten by a spider that was spooked away by the army ant scent that Suika and Francois have, Suika saving her with some nitroglycerin that jumpstarts her heart. But while Xeno notes that Stanley will not hesitate to kill, Suika is targeted by Stanley’s men.

 

Matsukaze manages to free Ginro when Francois throws a knife desperately to help in some way and the coward manages to get the courage up again to save Suika. But he’s quickly captured, Francois making a split decision based on a deduction that the soldiers are behaving as such and won’t harm civilians. Thankfully this works, and Francois also sends out a message to Senkuu’s group, which allows them to deduce where Stanley’s group is

 

 

Kohaku heads off to try and save Suika’s group, but Tsukasa and Hyouga arrive to support, trying to figure out a strategy that’ll aid in fighting the modern military combat training. They manage to distract them slightly with a recorded sound resembling gunfire, but Kohaku, Tsukasa and Hyouga still have to clash with Maya and her unit to try and destroy the transceiver, so Stanley can’t use the hostages in Corn City as collateral.

 

 

 

My Hero Academia 300-303

 

Heroes begin to retire, people putting more pressure on them to deal with the problems, something that society has begun to realize was a problem of their own creation in a sense. Stain is shown mobilizing for some goal (more Hero hunting?). And Endeavor is struggling with his guilt, Rei and the others appearing to discuss Touya

 

 

We see more of Touya’s past, the expectations of his father weighing on the eldest son, pushing himself in spite of his physiology more like his mother’s, the fire Quirk stronger, but also more prone to self harm with overuse. And this emotional clash overflows as Endeavor tries to get Touya to give up, but the boy lashes out at his mother and Shoto.

 

Touya gets worse, his own expectations related to how his father basically regards him as a “failure” pushing him to continue his training until it results in the burns we see at present. Rei tells Endeavor how she regrets not acting sooner, saying that the family as a whole, including Shoto, must face Dabi together. 

 

Hawks and Jeanist, having eavesdropped, offer their supports, Hawks even suggesting that he, Jeanist and Endeavor form an alliance, since the Public Safety Commission is basically shut down and can’t do the requests for outside assistance (because the whole world has Heroes, not just Japan) The mystery of One For All is something Hawks wants to investigate and we see that All Might is sensing something in Deku, who appears to be in communication with the predecessors for One For All

 

 

 

 

 

Fire Force 252-255

 

An eyeball looks down on Tokyo, absorbing the thoughts of everyone for some purpose. Charon, not quite disintegrated, unleashes an attack powered by all that massive energy he absorbed that is redirected by Maki and Hinawa at Dragon, though Arthur thinks he still managed to survive somehow. And the planet is starting to change, seemingly warping into the sun that the White Hoods planned it to become

 

The fire and destruction that begins only encourages the despair that Haumea emphasizes as she shares the emotions of humanity’s collective unconsciousness to the other 8 Pillars. And doppelgangers begin to appear as well

 

As it seems like things are getting worse, Joker appears, explaining to the 8th Division that humanity’s despair is causing the Cataclysm to progress, so Obi tries to send encouragement to others. And Dragon, floating in space, decides to return to Earth to challenge Arthur, who wants to go back to the 8th’s headquarters for something

 

Obi contacts the other divisions, saying they need to spread hope to counter the despair fueling the Cataclysm. And we see Sumire remember her life before the Cataclysm 250 years ago, her own cynicism at how humanity, with all its intelligence (also supposedly coming about because of a separate Cataclysm) had fallen so far and needed to be culled

 

 

 

 

One Piece 1003-1005

 

While it seems like the New Generation is doing well against the Kaidou/Big Mom alliance, Cipher Pol, there as guests, thinks this is to their favor ultimately as the pirates winnow each other down so they can end up on top when the balance shifts with the possible defeat of Emperors.

 

Tama’s Devil Fruit turns the tide, assisting both Nami and Usopp as well as Franky fighting Sasaki. But as the Akazaya’s location is revealed, Black Maria is heading to take them out, also under orders to get Robin for some reason, who may be in disguise amongst her allies.

 

Sanji calls out for Robin, seeming to be desperate to get help. And Robin assists, along with Brooke so Sanji can escape, the Tobi Roppo squaring off against the duo. Meanwhile, Yamato and Shinobu try to keep Momonosuke safe from attackers

 

 

 

 

Black Clover 281-283

 

Zenon explains briefly how the 2 massive demons were sealed away by the Grinberryall family, released now to distract and destroy the Clover Kingdom’s forces. The power is such that even the trained Magic Knights can barely hold him off, even Mereoleona’s strength faltering. The Wizard King manages to combine efforts with Damnatio, but it only slightly works before he reverts to his young form. But Asta comes in and begins Devil Union with Liebe to save the day.

Asta’s Devil Union power, only lasting about 5 minutes total, lets him defeat the Demon God with a massive slash from hip to shoulder, but he senses Nacht is in danger, heading to the Spade Kingdom

 

Unfortunately, Asta can’t make it, but is teleported elsewhere to an unknown group of people who plan to go with him (so Finral’s with them?). Meanwhile, the devils coming out from the Qliphoth are overwhelming the Spade Kingdom, Fuegoleon offering assistance. But then unexpectedly, Noelle’s group, including herself, Mimosa, Luck, Charmy, Leopold and Nero, as well as the Spirit Guardians and Patri arrive to help as well