MSR December 2023

 

MSR November 2023

 

 

 

 

 

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, if not all, of the series covered can be found through legal means, so please encourage the industry that gives us what we love

Dr. Stone’s limited series, 4D Science, which started in November, concluded in December, 3 chapters total. An interesting epilogue to the series, though I’d say you could skip it unless you really want more of the bizarre science that skirts the boundary of realism

 

 

 

Black Clover returns in Jump GIGA, though it will be quarterly, so the next time we see it will be March or April

 

Shadow Eliminators by Kento Amemiya. Our lead is Kuromori Aoba, who must fight Threads, otherworldly creatures that intrude on the human world and take the shadows in people’s hearts, manifesting monsters that take them over called Kasane

 

 

 

World Trigger is on break this month

 

Black Clover 369

 

As the battle continues, one of Lucius’ clones is beaten after Luck and Magna combine their efforts and use the hybrid magic they tried against Vett before and destroy Lucius, showing the anti magic properties make them even more powerful than they already were

 

 

 

 

Shadow Eliminators 1-4

 

Aoba Kuromori is responsible for managing the Threads, creatures that target the shadows within people’s hearts and form Kasane, monsters that take over people to cause mayhem. The school morals committee officer, Yayoi Asakaze, is a stickler for rules, inspired by his late grandfather, a police officer. But he realizes he was never focused on justice, but protecting people from injustice, like a teacher that was bullied, affected by Threads as well. Aoba fights the Kasane due to their own past guilt, hiding some kind of secret. The two decide to offer help to others so that this incident doesn’t happen again

 

 

 

Akio Watase, a popular student in the drama club, is the next to have a Kasane emerge, the expectations placed on him by others as a talented performer too much and when he’s rejected by the drama club teacher, he attacks. Kuromori fights him off, Asakaze bringing a tool Kuromori’s grandma (oddly youthful and also involved with the spirits) that creates a barrier where Kuromori defeats the Kasane. Akio is grateful and the pair spread the word about helping students with their problems

 

The students are drawn in by Akio promoting Kuromori and Asakaze’s service, and Kuromori saves Narukawa, a girl we saw making a wish at a shrine. She thinks her friend, Nana, disappeared because of that wish, but we see that guilt was misplaced, since she just wanted Nana to be happy and confess her love. The shrine is the source of a Kasane trying to latch onto those feelings, Kuromori ready to face it

 

Narukawa remembers her friendship with Nana as Kuromori is briefly sucked in by the Kasane, which has many smaller forms that can entrap one in a shell. Meanwhile, we see Asakaze talk with Narukawa about how he trusts Kuromori to do right even in using a Kasane himself. Kuromori’s grandma gives another tool that helps Narukawa find the core, allowing Kuromori to defeat the Kasane and free everyone, the conflict resolved

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nue’s Exorcist 29-32

 

We learn a bit more about Gakuro’s father, who died under mysterious circumstances that may be linked to higher level spirits. Meanwhile, Shitotsu is still stubbornly resistant to syncing up with her brother, but they bond over past recollections of enjoying sushi with their father, preparing it with his tastes in mind. Shitotsu agrees she’ll protect Gakuro, who’s still too self-sacrificing for his own good

 

 

 

The group heads out on the mission to acquire an item for Nue, making a trip of going to the mountain. But after stopping at a small lake near a waterfall, a bunch of high level spirits attack, Shitotsu holding them off while subtly nudging Gakuro to be alone with Kazusa and Shiroha, who are trying to get their swimsuit tops back on (fanservice!?)

 

Gakuro manages to keep Shiroha and Kazusa calm and they go into the tunnel that leads to the village, Gakuro explaining his nerves briefly, which Shiroha mistook at him being distant from them on purpose. Meanwhile, Shitotsu arrives in the village and it appears a spirit is there, already in control

 

Nue is worried, Kathy, a spirit friend we met awhile ago, saying there shouldn’t be spirits in the area. And as Gakuro’s group reunites with Shitotsu, it seems fine. They find an injured exorcist and Gakuro stays behind to give him first aid, Shitotsu insisting they have to push forward. He discovers Karasu Tengu, a small spirit he agrees to contract with and finds Shitotsu and the others. But they’re told a level 3 spirit is there and the other Exorcist Bureau captains head out, since they’re concerned about a potential group of level 4s, something only hypothetical

 

 

 

 

4 Knights of the Apocalypse 131-133

 

Ironside is chastised by his fellow knights, since Ban is powerful enough that even when weakened by a magic spell cutting strength to 1/10, he was still able to fight back one of the Four Evils, as other Chaos Knights are sent out to find Percival’s allies. We shift to 2 years later, Anne having found the true essence of her power, Interrogator, using it to full effect in defeating a Chaos Knight who is enforcing Camelot’s boundaries to someone attempting escape

 

 

 

Anne discusses how she plans to take down Camelot, intending to save a friend captured in Annwyn, the kingdom’s dungeons. Unfortunately the person who wanted to escape has to leave his sister behind, since she’s a remnant of someone who’s already dead. Sylvan, initially appearing with Anne as a winged majestic steed, is revealed as having transformed with a magic carrot, his original form still short and stubby. Donny assists when the Chaos Knight from before attacks. While they explain that the holes dotted through Camelot are linked, what appears to be one of the Four Evils appears to stop our heroes

 

It is the Green Knight Beltreipe, seemingly killing Anne and Donny with a powerful slash. But it’s actually an illusion, Gowther having infiltrated Camelot, but he’s injured by the Green Knight, the group escaping into one of the holes, but Beltreipe saying they cannot flee forever

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Hero Academia 408-410

 

Yoichi was actually All For One’s twin brother and Kudo is who Bakugou reminded him of, the one who took One For All after his brother surrendered it. In a desperate attempt to reach Shigaraki and take down Bakugou, All For One unleashes an Omni Quirk Factor, propelling him forward with incredible might, Bakugou seemingly thinking this might be the end for him too

 

 

 

Bakugou persists, using his Quirk in a few ways to weaken All For One further and as his own Quirk factors are weakening, the Villain is soundly defeated, Bakugou finishing the work done by many others in the ongoing fight

 

All For One, in the form of a baby, still crawls towards Shigaraki, but Bakugou takes his last ditch attack and the villain reverts to before he was born, finally defeated. Meanwhile, Shigaraki plans to rip out a massive chunk of Japan and manages to almost make contact with Deku, shocking him by stealing Danger Sense, able to utilize All For One’s Quirk in a new way

 

 

 

One Piece 1100-1102

 

Saturn demands Kuma join the Seven Warlords, become a weapon of the World Government and ultimately surrender his mind and freewill. In spite of how this would be a death sentence ultimately, Kuma agrees, even knowing he will most likely never see Bonney again and he cannot contact her, otherwise she becomes enslaved. Time passes, Kuma becoming an infamous part of the Navy’s pirate enforcers and he’s given a new assignment

 

 

 

Kuma Is tracking Luffy, Dragon warning him to not link Luffy to him, keeping his son safe. Bonney waits for Kuma’s letters, but they keep getting destroyed before they get in the mailbox. We learn Kuma will slowly have his human emotions and memories removed, Vegapunk promising he’ll maintain some essence until the last moment (explaining his progressively detached behavior relative to Thriller Bark and Sabaody). Dowager Conney swaps places with Bonney (disguised as an old lady with her Devil Fruit) and as the ship, decorated like a pizza, leaves, the government agent attacks, Bonney fighting back and heading out to find Kuma

 

We see Bonney trying to find Kuma, who continues to evade her, meanwhile Kuma and Dragon’s fates intertwine as Kuma seeks out Luffy, progressively becoming an enemy of the World Government. And then Kuma gives his memories to Vegapunk in the form of the paw aura, turned fully into an automaton for the World Government as he leaves his will behind in others, particularly for Bonney and Luffy, the latter seen as the legendary Nika

 

MSR November 2023

 

MSR November 2023

 

 

 

 

 

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, if not all, of the series covered can be found through legal means, so please encourage the industry that gives us what we love

 

The Ichinose Family’s Deadly Sins concluded this month, somewhat unexpected, unless this was what the author intended, but it may not have kept audience attention as much as it wanted to

 

 

 

Ice Head Gill ended at 20 chapters, just past the 19 mark

 

New series this month, to be followed by one more in December. In November we have Green Green Greens by Kento Terasaka, author of Beast Children from 2019. Our lead admires other people who have goals, but he’s shown real talent from hard work by a classmate who wants to go pro in golf. She notes how he doesn’t seem to have any motivation himself, but he sees the value of putting in work and collaborating with his new friend in golf.

 

 

 

 

World Trigger 238

 

The creation process is detailed, from stats to design to customizing the armor, though it’s based on Trion levels and shared amongst the group with a point cap overall, so there is a strong balance involved. With the rules revealed, we also learn from Yuma about how Trion soldiers are more complex than the settings for the simulation. Plus Yuma proposes that their team actually focus more on offense and throw off the others with varying designs so they can take the initiative early on

 

 

 

 

Ice Head Gill 19-20 (END)

 

The aftermath of the battle shows Greatest defeating Honest, Orden wounded, but victorious. Baal confronts Ond, the gates of hell having opened in the kingdom proper. Ond accepts his part in giving Dreki his axe, letting Gill kill both of them with an 8 spin axe attack

 

We flash forward briefly as Sana tells some children about the events, Ond managing to survive and vows to use the fire relic, though Dreki’s body steps in, retaining some of his soul. The liches are destroyed by Gill and the others. The gates of hell are destroyed, King Ond deciding to try and reconcile with the Rani clan. But we see Sana going to the coronation of a new king as we’re told that Gill took over as Ond’s illness took his life in time

 

 

Nue’s Exorcist 25-28

 

The Sixth Division barracks are formed and Nue explains they need to wash a shikigami that performs some of the functions in the building. But Kazusa, who’s been transferred there, doesn’t do well with spiders, which is what the shikigami resembles. She and Shiroha have a brief conversation, Shiroha letting her know she can read emotions, Kazusa apparently developing a bit of a crush on Gakuro, who helped her briefly during the cleaning, much more assertive now

 

 

 

Kazusa enters the occult club room, thinking it’s going to be shut down, though she finds Gakuro and Shiroha sleeping there (for safety reasons), though rumor gets out that Gakuro and Shiroha are sharing a house together, spread by Nue in order to find the member that was sent by the Exorcist Bureau. Another competition is held, Zenno involved, but Kazusa tries throwing the bottle with a spirit in it and it’s shattered, potentially having her reveal her secret crush on Gakuro

 

Kazusa does start to blurt out her concerns, though not the deeper feelings she may have for Gakuro. Nue ropes her into the competition, though he has to not hit her so they can find the actual member that’s present. He endures a strong blow (the spirit enhancing Kazusa’s power), admitting he’s conflicted and not confident in himself, but vows to become more secure in 10 days, weakening Kazusa enough to release the spirit, which then finds the mole in the classroom

 

The new member is actually Gakuro’s sister, Shitotsu, who resents her brother for leaving after their father’s death. They’re pushed to try and reconcile things, but she’s resistant to actually communicating her insecurities. Shiroha brings up the surface emotions she can sense when she, Kazusa and Nue host a welcoming party. Nue learns from one of the other captains that Gakuro’s father was a captain in the past, Shitotsu actually adopted (a different surname)

 

 

4 Knights of the Apocalypse 127-130

 

Mortlach, defeated, agrees to tell Percival all he knows. 16 years ago, Ironside was trying to help Diodora, deciding to try a forbidden spell on a lifeless infant he found, imbuing it with a life spirit. He was intended as a new vessel for Diodora, whose soul would be transferred in, but Varghese took him away and Percival gained self awareness, making his purpose moot. Mortlach even goes as far as to say the child never should have been born

 

 

 

Percival thinks about the suffering he may cause his friends and the life spirit version of himself offers him the chance to return, which he takes. The body expires, without life as Lancelot kills Mortlach in his anger, while Arthur summons the Four Evils, his strongest knights, including Ironside and Pellegarde, to destroy Britannia now that Percival has “died”, concluding part 1 of the story

 

We appear to flash forward to Arthur facing the Sins and Knights, but it’s actually just a vision of Guinivere, who realizes Lancelot will die too unless she can change it. In the present, after 2 years, the Chaos Knights continue to take more and more of Britannia, conquering the towns that refuse to submit. And this includes Bernia, where Mead, now grown up, tries to fight back, but is beaten by a Chaos Knight’s sound magic. And Ban arrives on the scene, taking the Chaos Knight’s heart out and unleashing a powerful blow to Ironside

 

Ironside fights back, summoning Djinn, a far stronger wind spirit than Chion’s Sylph, but Ban somehow ignores the cutting winds (in spite of not having been immortal for over 10 years, likely new techniques) and recalls how Lancelot was gone for years and returned, mourning the loss of a friend. And Ban hits harder with this emotion behind his attack, seeing Ironside as a monster to attack his own son, the other Chaos Knights casting a spell and retreating with Ironside

 

 

My Hero Academia 406-407

 

We’re told the status of the various battles, Izuku’s battle one of the few things left unresolved, along with Present Mic, Eraserhead and Kurogiri’s whereabouts. And Bakugou, learning how to use the added effect of his Quirk, manages to temporarily catch up to All For One, who recognizes him as bearing a resemblance to Koichi, the 4th holder of One For All. Deku prepares his final attack, betting everything on taking Shigaraki down

 

 

 

We see the backstory of One For All and All For One, actually twins born to a mother who had a Quirk herself, AFO taking it from her with his innate Quirk ability. He then became consumed by the desire for more power, eventually murdering the glowing baby that was regarded as the first child born with a Quirk (clearly not) and the rift between him and his younger twin deepened

 

 

 

 

One Piece 1097-1099

 

We see how the Sorbet Kingdom was oppressed by their king, Kuma and others fighting back. Eventually Dragon and Ivankov arrived and the Revolutionary Army was formed. Unfortunately, Ginny is captured and Dragon, Ivankov and Kuma must rescue her

 

 

 

The Celestial Dragon that married Ginny abandons her when she falls ill, Kuma rushing to find her before she dies. She had a child with the Celestial Dragon, Kuma taking her in as his own. But he learns she has an incurable disease called Sapphire Scales and likely won’t reach 10, Bonney currently 5. But a year later, Sorbet Kingdom is brutalized again, Kuma forced to take action

 

Kuma takes down the oppressive king, instated as the ruler (former king Bulldog actually running things). Unfortunately Bekori returns with the Navy for revenge, Kuma framed as a tyrant and given a bounty. He seeks to find a cure for Bonney, who somehow managed to eat the Age Age Fruit in the meantime, learning to use its power. Dragon introduces Kuma to Vegapunk, who in exchange for using Kuma’s blood to create a base for clone soldiers, will replace Bonney’s cells to cure the Sapphire Scales. But Saturn appears to have his own plans with regards to the new Pacifista