MSR January 2024 (MAJOR BLOG CHANGES)

 

MSR January 2024

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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Going into 2024, the blog is going to be downsized, since I really want this to be more casual, getting news out there about new series, giving more concise summaries and trying to give more attention to works that get less focus in Shonen Jump.

 

As a result, World Trigger will be removed, even though it’s technically the most fitting to the blog’s name in monthly release. And One Piece is something I cannot in full conscience continue to follow with the fervor I do for My Hero Academia and Black Clover, because of a massive gap from the last bit of the Baratie Arc leading into Thriller Bark, where I resumed in 2007-2008.

 

 I’ll be following My Hero Academia and Black Clover to their conclusions, but otherwise, the major notes will be regarding anime releases, such as Mashle’s second season starting this month, as well as new series as they come out, even if I don’t add them to the recaps, like with Shadow Eliminators recently and conclusions of series, keeping up with the state of the magazines overall, which includes Shounen Jump + and Jump SQ

 

 

 

Shadow Eliminators 5-8

 

Asakaze is running on a Sunday, meeting Aoba’s grandmother, who explains about her grandson’s isolation due to the supernatural powers he has, requiring his training at a waterfall nearby. The trio does brief training to test their abilities and Asakaze takes a surprising risk, vowing to train harder himself to catch up to Aoba. Meanwhile, an Eliminator is set to track down Aoba, since he isn’t following proper procedure.

 

 

 

The class has a field trip at a botanical garden, Asakaze remembering his training, where Grandma Aoba explains how the otherworld works, roots opening holes in our world, the Threads attaching to the shadows in people’s hearts and becoming Kasane. But she also explains that not all Eliminators are the same and after a Kasane emerges at the gardens, it’s stopped by the mystery Eliminator from before, who attacks Asakaze and says he will take down Aoba, who’s allied with the Kasane in his eyes

 

Aoba fights the new Eliminator, seeking to destroy all Kasane without exception, Aoba just wanting an apology for Asakaze’s injury. We learn that the harshness of the new Eliminator is because his father, also an Eliminator, died after turning into a Kasane due to his despair, his sister injured in the attack. Aoba says he was using the Kasane to form relationships, but now he has things he cares about. The tables turn as Aoba’s weapon changes form and he explains it can’t hurt people, that he plans to make the world such that Kasane don’t form, the Eliminator agreeing to stop for now

 

 

Nue’s Exorcist 33-35

 

Nue learns from one of the captains that Gakuro’s group is sealed in, Karasu Tengu trying to keep the artifact in the village. Gakuro uses Karasu Tengu’s ability to find Fujino and Kasuza after they’re kidnapped by one of the enemy spirit’s agents. Shitotsu agrees to preemptively stop a ritual that may involve sacrificing the captives. Meanwhile, Kazusa and Fujino overhear that their friends are coming and since Tsuchi, the leader of the spirits, is a powerful level 3, they decide to try to escape instead

 

 

 

Shitotsu and Gakuro plot how to get to Kazusa and Shiroha with Karasu Tengu’s power, which allows them to conceal a person’s presence. But they have to deal with a level 3 spirit, resembling the one that killed Gakuro’s father. And Shitotsu, also remembering that monster, recalls how she was trusted by her former captain to transfer to squad 6. This makes her snap in anger, attacking it in spite of the plan being stealth

 

We’re refreshed on the formation of spirits from level 1 to 3 and as Shitotsu and Gakuro fight the Level 3, the situation with Kazusa and Fujino is complicated when they think they can outwit a dumb looking spirit, actually the most dangerous.  Meanwhile, Shitotsu tells Gakuro to go save the others while she stays as a decoy, not willing to stop fighting her father’s murderer. Gakuro almost wants to turn back, still guilty about leaving her behind when told to protect her by his father as he died. But thankfully Kyokotsu appears thanks to Nue’s help, tasking Gakuro with handling the level 3 while he saves Kazusa and Shiroha

 

 

 

4 Knights of the Apocalypse 134-136

 

We see the group end up elsewhere and Gowther explains he’ll be fine, a magical doll that can be repaired. But he is concerned about the Green Knight. It turns out Thetis, Liones’ mage (replacing Merlin at some point), has stabilized the portal between Camelot and Liones, but they have to be careful where they use it. And after running into several massive wolves, their user, Pellegarde, reveals himself and offers to talk (possibly talk of betraying Arthur)

 

 

 

At Pellegarde’s house, the two sides discuss the situation of Camelot’s ongoing war. Anne brings up the oddity of people brought into Britannia outside of Camelot disappearing into dust. Pellegarde explains that the power of Chaos allows people’s wishes, at least specific ones, to be brought into reality. But he also acknowledges that Arthur’s behavior has been weird since at least 10 years ago. And Pellegarde’s wife wants to maintain the illusion of their son who died young. After the older brother comes to terms with his sister’s death, she disappears and Pellegarde is told by Anne that Percival is alive somewhere

 

The group is pursued by another knight who has hollow servant dolls he can utilize. When Pellegarde, forced to attack based on his loyalty to Arthur, is affected by Gowther’s Mind Jack, his familiar turned on him and even confused himself

 

 

 

 

My Hero Academia 411-413

 

We see in the mindscape Tomura taking the Fourth, Shinomori, and his Quirk factor and Shigaraki pushes Deku towards Mt. Fuji with plans to make it erupt, utterly decimating Japan in the process. But Deku insists Shigaraki is still human in spite of his inhuman behavior, pushed against the wall

 

 

 

The fight is still a tightrope between Shigaraki’s Decay and Deku struggling to use what he has and knows about his Quirks to maintain his defenses. Even when Nana and the others say he must end Shigaraki, Deku refuses, sticking to his principle that everyone should be seen as human, even someone like Shigaraki. And it appears the plan may involve surrendering One For All to Shigaraki

 

Star and Stripes’ embers challenge Shigaraki, while we see All Might is feeling a link to One For All. The plan proposed by the Second is to throw the Quirk as a form of transfer and weaken the ball that contains Shigaraki’s core memories and heart, a mental scar making a tiny weak point. But Deku is reluctant to do so, since he regards One For All as a special gift from All Might. He agrees though, taking on a new form as he uses Blackwhip to reinforce himself again