MSR February 2024

 

MSR February 2024

 

 

 

 

 

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Very busy month for Weekly Shounen Jump and Shounen Jump + partly

 

Cipher Academy finished right at the beginning of February at 58 chapters, a respectable run (and a challenging translation behind the scenes, the initial translator quitting about 1/4 through)

 

 

And Martial Master Asumi concluded unexpectedly a week later, opening up space for new series

 

 

Super Psychic Policeman Choujo by Shun Numa of Samon the Summoner fame, presents a world where psychics exist and deal with crimes. Our lead Choujo is only able to get a job as a local police officer, mistrusted because of supposed abuse of his psychic abilities. His new subordinate, Ippongi, is a kind girl with a strong sense of justice (and judo skills to match), hassled by yakuza thugs, who are intimidated and arrested. Chojo wants to part ways, but Ippongi has gained respect for him and they remain partners

 

Also debuting this month is Dear Anemone by Rin Matsui, focused on an investigation at the Galapagos Islands regarding an incident 10 years ago. Japan sends a team to gather more information and rescue the team that was lost. We see that while it initially seems harmless, there are various monsters that inhabit the island, some taking the appearance of the lost team members. But our lead, Hachiue, tries fighting back, his blood falling on an anemone flower, that struggle saving him as a new creature emerges via the bizarre evolutionary phenomena on the island

 

Jiangshi X concluded as well, the story rushing to a conclusion practically months ago, though the author did give us a heads up a month ago. The potential was there, but publication can pressure authors behind the scenes sometimes

 

 

Dear Anemone 1-2

 

A team of experts was sent to the Galapagos Islands after an explosion resulted in toxic fumes and virus that piqued humanity’s interest. But they were lost, another group of people sent with the promise of great rewards afterwards to retrieve the first team. Our lead, Hachiue, is weak willed, but fights back as the newly evolved monsters attack. An anemone flower nearby evolves into a humanoid entity after his blood falls on it

 

 

 

The anemone creature explains that the explosion 10 years ago awakened them, gave them powers, but they are physically linked to Hachiue, requesting they take them to the lab. While it rests, the group discusses the situation, eventually concluding they have to go forward. But a tentacle creature attacks from the nearby water and Hachiue, in spite of Anemone’s objections, goes to save them

 

Shadow Eliminators 8-11

 

Aoba’s grandmother tasks Aoba and Asakaze with investigating some phenomena while briefly explaining how Moribe City, the setting city, is a hot zone for Kasane appearances. A mansion has links to people disappearing and it appears to be people roped into a fake “family” by the main perpetrator. But Nagito, the new Eliminator from before, is also on the scene with his partner, Togami, the two parties converging on the incidents, Kasane being forced on people somehow

 

 

We see Asakaze got training to use the wandering house artifacts, now able to create protective barriers. Both Aoba and Nagito’s groups meet up and eventually face off against the true source of the artificial Kasane

 

The mansion owner, Rindo, is shown to have an obsession with preserving beauty, including his wife Satsuki, who is in a coma after an incident that killed the rest of his family and servants, all used to fulfill his bizarre fantasy. Everyone else is separated via pitfall, only Rindo, his wife’s double and Aoba remaining to fight above. Asakaze uses the wandering house to block the fall towards a disposal facility below

 

Rindo injects himself with the mysterious drug forced on his victims, able to control the Kasane by his own general understanding by scientific investigation. As they fight, Asakaze helps Nagito and Togami to attack a beast that’s got them cornered in the pit, seemingly involving an accomplice of Rindo’s. Aoba tells Rindo how they’re more similar than he realizes. Rindo is defeated and Aoba extends a hand of friendship. Unfortunately, Rindo is skewered by his collaborator, who recognizes Aoba as his older brother

 

 

Nue’s Exorcist 36-39

 

Kyokotsu saves Shiroha and Kazusa, the other spirits arriving to fight as well. Meanwhile, Gakuro and Shitotsu are facing the Level 3 spirit, Shitotsu saying Gakuro should stay out of it. And it seems like she can handle it, though it quickly becomes clear the Level 3 has more power still, Shitotsu’s left arm torn off in the fight, Gakuro ready to finally fight in a tough situation

 

 

 

Using Karasu Tengu’s ability to briefly erase presence, Gakuro gets the jump on the Level 3 spirit, but is unable to cut the weak point, a powerful weapon called the Grime Blade, also its regenerative core. Shitotsu, due to her arm being in the creature, can’t be hidden with Karasu Tengu’s ability and is taken hostage. Gakuro, with Shitotsu’s help, manages to power up the weapon, but it’s down to a single attack to take down the Level 3

 

Gakuro manages to cut the spirit, but in spite of the wounds, it changes hands with the weapon and wounds Gakuro heavily. He remembers when he and Shitotsu split about whether to join the Exorcist Association or live a normal life. Gakuro insisted they don’t go back to fighting like their father. Not wanting to let Shitotsu suffer, Gakuro persists, the Hollow Weapon breaking. But he’s approached by Nue in his mindscape, offered 3 possible paths

 

Nue tells Gakuro that only one of the 3 options for empowering his Hollow Weapon would be ideal (narrowed down from 116), but he admits he can’t win without taking this gamble. But he manages to pick the correct ability, upgrading Zeno Blade to not only be able to generate attacks from shadows, but unleash a flurry of slashes to a selected target, distracting the Level 3 to deal a finishing blow

 

 

 

4 Knights of the Apocalypse 137-140

 

Pellegarde summons a massive spiral of flames that appears to incinerate the party. But Thetis reveals they’re alright, having summoned the gate in the distraction, Gowther having communicated the plan to Pellegarde by his Invasion ability. The search for the Cauldron of Annwfyn continues, Chion and Isolde seeking out Tristan and we see Nasiens in the Fairy King’s Forest, testing out medicines with assistance from Tioleh, the daughter of Diane and King, who are involved as well

 

 

 

We learn Percival is kept in a sort of stasis within the Tunnel of Whispers, Nasiens still trying to bring him back with medicines. Afterwards, he meets King and Diane as well as 6 other siblings of Tioleh, who’s the youngest at 18 (confirmed by Nakaba-sensei in a 2023 interview). An incident with a changeling seems to hint Nasiens may be a changeling, swapped with a human baby by fairies, which angers Mertyl, one of Tioleh’s siblings

 

Mertyl and Nasiens clash, the latter refusing to leave until Percival awakens. But Nasiens’ poison doesn’t appear to affect Mertyl even when using hidden needles. Thankfully Tioreh intervenes and Mertyl, briefly harmed by the poison, heals himself and takes the human baby away. Tioreh assures Nasiens more people like him than others, only confused that Nasiens defended Puck, the changeling culprit. He notes how he was abandoned himself, feeling sympathy. The pair then goes to Lake Oloroso and Tioreh presses Nasiens, who may have been hiding their sex since we met them

 

 

Nasiens appears to be either intersex or nonbinary, neither a man nor a woman. Tioreh isn’t phased, one of her siblings Phao, in a state where they’ll establish sex depending on who they fall in love with. She also thinks Nasiens could be a fairy and this only seems more likely with Mertyl’s backstory, seemingly more a human than fairy, needing to take pills for resistance to the forest’s atmosphere. When Chaos Knights attack with a fairy targeting poison, only Mertyl is unaffected

 

 

My Hero Academia 414-415

 

Deku manages to trick Shigaraki with his blood, the Search Quirk mistaking it for him. And the attack seems to pierce into Shigaraki’s mindscape, Deku’s memories blending together with Shigaraki’s

 

 

 

The clash of wills seems to break away at Shigaraki’s armor very slightly, but Deku and the other inheritors must try repeatedly to make progress. Meanwhile, everyone else is trying to help, Eri trying to get somewhere, Ectoplasm noticing her escape attempt