MSR July 2023
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Mashle concluded this month after around 4 years running. And it coincides almost with the end of the first anime season concluding recently as well.
World Trigger 235
The squads discuss the outcome with regards to point leads, Mizukami overall at the top, while Ninomiya and Murakami’s squads are much lower overall due to the battle sim performance. Kodera’s squad even has been aiming for a more long game success with the delegated and universal assignments and Kuruma has his eye on the actual battle portions coming up, Ema tries to confront Ninomiya on how callous he’s been, especially to former teammate Hatohara, Ninomiya revealing she didn’t leave Border, she was taken to the Neighborhood
Ice Head Gill 1-6
Gill’s father is framed for betraying the kingdom he serves, the boy shipwrecked on an island run by his aunt Mela. While Gill is put upon by Mela, she trusts his strength with an axe and he faces a lich that possesses one of the villagers, slicing off the host’s head and leaving to seek more answers about the prophecy
After travelling for a few days, Gill meets Rud, who was betrothed to Alison, her little sister Heidi worried when she starts behaving oddly, taking men into the forest. It turns out she’s been possessed by a lich, allied with another lich who possesses the mens’ bodies, needing replacements every so often. Gill manages to beat them, seeing the tragedy of the lich and how the body’s memories mix in, Alison surviving in some way. Rud gives Gill’s boat runners, the boy heading by land to the royal capital
At a town a few days from the capital, Gill meets Sana, who’s friendly at first, but hides a dark past, his clan labeled as criminal after a member attempted to assassinate the king. Gill relates to this infamous reputation and intervenes to help, but Sana still insists on stealing Gill’s father’s journal, to try and provide for his family that he hopes will arrive eventually. He falls down a chasm, Gill jumping after
After seeing the criminal that Sana helped before, now being chastised by his older brother after being beaten by Gill, we shift back to Gill and Sana getting out of the river. Sana brings up Dreki and how he’s a hero to the Rani clan, but Gill insists his father didn’t kill the prince. The older brother, Ulfgard, attacks, revealed to be blind as a punishment by Dreki in lieu of execution. Gill intervenes, saying he’ll show how his father’s strength is greater than Ulfgard’s bloodlust
Ulfgard reveals even stronger boomerang blades and unleashes 4 in a pattern that Gill can barely dodge. But in spite of the disadvantage of being surrounded, Gil makes an opportunity and cuts Ulfgard deeply. Before he can mount a counterattack, a lich impales the “Blood Chaser”, a horde of others showing up
The liches have infighting briefly, the leader Leraje claiming he will kill all the false king’s descendants. Gill is pushed back by the lich’s strength, especially as it uses 8 blades rather than the 4 Ulfgard could. Sana plans to leave as Gill distracts them, but after fleeing, he actually uses his bow to fire what appear to be magical arrows at the other liches to support Gill
Nue’s Onmyouji 8-12
We learn Shiroha’s weapon from before is called a Hollow Weapon, specific to exorcists or spirits. And as the two pursue Nue and Gakuro, she says he should be ready to eventually fight opponents this strong. But for now, she unleashes Zenoblade, potentially Gakuro’s weapon, in its full power, defeating them, though Kyokotsu is revealed as a clone and Nue disables Shiroha’s weapon, Zenri, offering a chance to redeem herself
The offer of a contract comes with a provision to beat Gakuro in a match 10 days from now. Meanwhile, Kazusa has a mission at the beach that she wants the others to join her for, Gakuro and Shiroha going to a café together with a coupon Nue gave them. Shiroha warns Gakuro to not trust Nue, but he says that she believes in him, so he’ll do the same, the coupon used when Shiroha gives Gakuro a kiss on the cheek (minor detail), the two considering whether they should go to the beach
At the beach, Kasuza and Shiroha are wearing swimsuits and 3 other exorcists, Machida, Koga and Tsujita, also arrive to help in swimsuits, making Gakuro awkward due to past trauma at being teased for accidentally seeming “perverted” in 5th grade. Shiroha helps him confront the trauma and they begin a competition against the other 3, Kazusa on duty elsewhere.
The competition seems to be close, but in Shiroha and Gakuro’s advantage. But things shift badly when Machida’s group draws the spirits with a tool and powerful conglomerations form. Shiroha defeats them after Gakuro breaks through the wall. Afterwards, it seems Tsujita might be developing feelings for Gakuro and Shiroha still is unsure about her feelings in general, very distant from even coworkers
We see Shiroha growing a friendship with Gakuro, but she’s punished harshly by her family head, left with injuries bandaged up the next day. And Gakuro, having trained hard under Nue, unlocks his Hollow Weapon’s true power
Fabricant 100 28-32
The Ayako found by Kugui is the fake, assisted by the Fabricant that was enabling them to imitate people. Ashibi uses his blood to verify Ayako is the real one and they meet up with Kugui, actually the Fabricant in disguise, Ayako verifying it, but hesitating before she attacks, stabbed by the fake Kugui
Ayako remembers how her and Kugui’s master died by a Fabricant attack, his self sacrificing nature rubbing off on her, realized too late as she lay dying. The Fabricant turns into Ashibi and their ally creates a distraction so No. 100 can’t be sure who is who, but she attacks regardless because the real Ashibi can regenerate. Ayako observes how No. 100 really only cares about herself as she fights without any restraint, a tactic No. 100 developed so she doesn’t have to ever feel pain again
No. 100 manages to kill No. 78, the Fabricant able to imitate people with specialized skin, but her master flees, taking advantage of specialized eyes and the house of mirrors to keep Kugui on the defensive, who avoided a vital wound. Ayako, with Ashibi’s help, arrives, directing her brother to land a finishing blow, even if it means she’s likely to die with her own wounds
Ayako perishes, happy to reconcile in some way with her brother, while No. 100 realizes that only humans sacrifice themselves for others, unlike Fabricants. And No. 1 reconstitutes No. 99 with a new body, ready to face Ashibi with No. 99 granted ice powers now
HQ tells Ashibi they can’t afford to send reinforcements, preferring to deal with the Fabricants attacking in droves at the main location. Ashibi and No. 100 are attacked by No. 99, his new form still humanoid, but lacking most of their reason, No. 1 thinking it must be because unlike other Fabricants, this was the first that No. 1 made himself. And Ashibi says this disregard for human life won’t stand
4 Knights of the Apocalypse 111-114
Tristan and the demon, Schwarz, fight, though the sheer power of the latter defeats even the Nephilim’s mixed heritage and skills. Meanwhile, Anne deduces more about her power, even testing it on Donny bragging about his training. Percival’s training is the most difficult, beaten bloody by Lancelot, yet concerned about Anne, clearly flustered at his selflessness. The first day concludes, 6 days left
Schwarz mobilizes the demons to tell the denizens of Percival’s return and their inspiration seems to power Percival’s magic (a theme we saw before, empowered by faith from his friends). It forms a facsimile of Percival, with much greater strength, telling the original he’s a piece of a Great One
After seeing that Chion’s 4 elemental spirits are shaking in fear at something, seemingly Percival when they first met, we’re left still wondering as Percival’s “clone” fights Lancelot, beating Pellegarde, level 3 and then challenging Ironside, level 4, Percival’s true power suggested to be far greater in what he can utilize.
The flaming rain concludes and Percival’s group heads out to the Behemoth on an Albion golem. Meanwhile the Camelot knights are right behind them, preparing to attack once they reach the Behemoth through the miasma cloud
My Hero Academia 393-395
Himiko remembers how she and Shigaraki both decided they didn’t want villain aliases like everyone else, preferring to live as themselves. In the present, Himiko still thinks this can only end with one side winning. Ochako persists, saying that she can at least admire Himiko’s passion, pushing forward as her Quirk evolves, allowing her to enact Zero Gravity on even bodies that come into contact
Uraraka opens up to Himiko, letting her express her feelings and they form a bond, both appreciating traits in each other, Twice’s Quirk disappearing as the time limit runs out
With Ochako losing lots of blood, Himiko turns into Ochako and donates as much blood as she can, seemingly dying, but happy to have realized her faults in the end, a way to make amends
One Piece 1087-1088
Garp’s fight with Blackbeard’s crew continues, impaled by Shiryu, but still fighting back. Even Kuzan, previously an apprentice to Garp when he was much younger, clashes fists, Garp seemingly dealt a solid blow. And Avalo, with his Isle Isle Fruit, moves a giant hand to smash the nearby boat, Garp confident things will turn out alright somehow
Garp smashes Avalo with a massive punch, giving Koby the opportunity to attack the hand, his own training such that he’s gotten much stronger himself as the others escape while Garp is likely held prisoner
Black Clover 364-366
The Black Bulls make a desperate effort to protect the Gate of Destiny’s formation, using every trick they can, but Grey and Gauche are critically wounded and the last ones standing are only assisted by Secre’s Sealing Magic, barely able to fight, but persisting for Asta’s sake
Asta arrives just as Damnatio has gotten to the gate, actually possessing Atmosphere Magic from Baal, gifted by Lucius to him as a high ranking Paladin, which lets him devastate the remaining Black Bulls
Arriving with Ichika as well, Asta confronts Damnatio and seemingly takes him down in one Zetten strike, even the Atmosphere magic not affecting him
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