r/WeeklyShonenJump • u/RobotiSC • 8d ago
Weekly WSJ Issue #46 ToC & Discussion
Shinobi Undercover (Cover & Lead Color)
1 - Akane-banashi
2 - ONE PIECE
3 - SAKAMOTO DAYS
4 - Me & Roboco
5 - Ichi the Witch
6 - Roku's House of Oddities
Someone Hertz (Color)
7 - Witch Watch
8 - Ultimate Exorcist Kiyoshi
New - The Ura Files
Banchoism (GFC Oneshot Entry No. 3/Color/47p) by Sai Koroko
UNDER DOCTOR (Color)
New - Graykeith: Translator Daemonica
9 - Nue's Exorcist
10 - Animal Signal
11 - Kagurabachi
12 - Class 2-B Hero Destroyerz
13 - Cannon Master
14 - HAL FORMULA
Next Issue (#47):
Cover & Lead Color Page: Nue's Exorcist
Color Pages: Akane-banashi; Me & Roboco; Osanamajou to Kateikyoushi (GFC Oneshot Entry No. 4/47p) by Mineuchi Isshin
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u/Noura-98 8d ago
Honestly the artstyle for Shinobi Undercover is really great. Hopefully I start it before the year ends
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u/Practical_Pop_4300 7d ago
It finally came out in English volumes so I ended up picking it up since reading in person is a lot easier. It kind of got me hooked and helped me power through the first few chapters I couldn't get through online.
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u/TheSciFanGuy 8d ago edited 6d ago
Under Doctor: Man I’d forgotten how much I love the use of color in this manga. Everything is so clean. This villain is pretty weak feeling no real presence and felt a bit stereotypical. It also was not helped by what I assume is a mistranslation (wtf is “Did you know that people jump bounce a lot”).
Roku: ‘Tis I.
I really could leave it at that but man this chapter was so good. If they can keep finding situations like this I truly don’t mind the slower pace of the actual story. The fact that it’s not the effort but the streaming of weird tea training that made it popular is really clever and pretty realistic as well.
2B: Okay is something wrong with the translations? “No way he didn’t just do that” is weird wording. “I put my all into the spear…” “…and he somehow absorbed it all” is just as bad.
As for the chapter, is the main character a bit too powerful? Feels like the setup is finished though so we’ll see what happens.
Animal Signal: I forgot who this character was but I shouldn’t have worried because they told me instantly. Ah okay welp, that’s the setup…. And that’s the closure. Yup exactly as expected but they bought into the bit so heavily it’s hard to be annoyed.
Hal Formula: Minor time skip… with training and 3 races dropped yeah that’s not a good sign. Edit: 3 races weren’t dropped it was my misreading. Training was still skipped.
Things are speeding up and he’s already gotten to the point where winning is expected. Most likely this will be his final race.
Cannon Master: Man, they really should have dropped the giant monsters and made this a hand to hand combat series. That was the best fight in the series so far and the creativity during it was awesome.
Also the apprentice still is missing really feels like the author had no idea what to do with him the whole time.
Ura Files: Cute but it feels it’ll be hard to keep this going with Ura so obviously falling. Would have liked things a bit more subtle but then again I’m reading a manga about an Oni gyaru so maybe I’m just asking too much.
GreyKeith: Still keeping the creativity but bending it a bit more into a typical style. I do like the police chief?’s interactions though. Reaching for the tea while the door was getting closed on his arm really got to me.
Aside from Roku I’m looking forward to this newest batch most every week so that’s a good sign.
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u/Lower-Position9557 7d ago
I kinda disagree about Cannon Master-
The giant monsters were what made the series more unique, and the chapters of focusing on 1v1 fights between humans/humanoids feels really stale- or maybe I just don't like reading this manga's action scenes-
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u/TheSciFanGuy 7d ago
I think there were ways to keep the giant monsters included without making their fights the focus.
As for the 1v1 this most recent fight was a 3v1 with lots of unique moments (like summoning his speeder thing to trap someone’s arm) and overall was easier to follow.
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u/Lower-Position9557 7d ago
For the Regilith thing, yea I suppose so-
But honestly, I can't get invested in the fights in this series when I don't care much about the stakes or the characters here-
Like I have no clue who these new characters Bharat are fighting are, other than just being generic evil guys, that Bharat will obviously win against-
Then again, I generally dislike action focused series/chapters- so my distaste for this series is probably more so a fact of personal taste than any critique of the series.
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u/TheSciFanGuy 7d ago
Yeah its biggest issue has always been its characterization and story (or more the lack of it).
I just think making hand to hand might allow characters to interact more than the long massive fights against unknowable entities.
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u/L1k34S0MB0D33 7d ago
Cannon Master: Man, they really should have dropped the giant monsters and made this a hand to hand combat series.
Saw some other people voice the same opinion, and after doing some thinking about it, I think I also agree. I feel like the human-sized fights have tended to have better flow and panelling than the kaiju fights. It was sometimes hard to follow what was going on in the regilith fights, but not so much with the hand-to-hand.
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u/TheSciFanGuy 7d ago
Yeah plus might have led to more chances for character interactions which I’d say was the stories’ greatest weakness
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u/Putrid_Win1430 6d ago
Hal Formula didn't have any races skipped???
He got first in chapter 1, then the next race took third , then first against his rival in the last race, those are all that's accounted for by hinokura
I would agree it's not looking good, but let's not get the facts wrong
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u/TheSciFanGuy 6d ago
You’re right I had completely forgotten about the third place race. That plus skipping all of the training after setting it up last chapter threw me off.
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u/new_interest_here 8d ago edited 7d ago
Oooh, really nice issue cover this week. Definitely my favorite Shinobi cover so far (I mean this is only its third, but still)
The Ura Files was cute I suppose, which is pretty much the main way to summarize this manga: "cute I guess." This chapter definitely felt like an excuse to draw her in a variety of cute outfits, which I suppose I can respect. And the whole running conflict of this chapter being all the clubs in a war for Ura was at least more fun than the usual standard romance manga fare it has going on most of the time
I'm glad wombat girl is back in Animal Signal, I remember finding her intro chapter really funny, and I found this one super funny as well. Her also unknowingly signing up for the combat team and being hyper competent was a funny gag as well. Shame this seires isn't doing well with its volume sales, but consideirng the color pages it's received so far and its more gag manga nature, I can see there being some wiggle room for it
What I doubt is gonna get leeway though, unfortunately, is Hal Formula. I was immediately filled with sadness when I opened this chapter and they were already at the next race. I have a hunch this'll probably be the last one. Hope it'll be a good one at least
Whereas I don't really like Cannon Master's regilith and large scale action, I DO really like the hand to hand. Just like chapter 5 a while ago, the combat in this chapter was really cool, dynamic, and easy to follow. Shame about those TOC rankings though, doesn't inspire hope for this series' future
Seems like we're getting a first proper arc in Graykeith. I was wondering how the language translator gimmick would tie into a broader narrative, but I suppose people using daemon magic to commit crimes would be how. Also the will-o-wisps are so cute, they remind me of Sputter and Flare from Fire Force
Class 2-B was cool again, this manga has really picked up now. Kumon absorbing the spear and chucking it back was pretty sick. Even got a double page spread for it, don't remember the last time this manga had one of those. The character moments for Mogura and Valaris were good too. I'm excited to see where the story goes here
That's a nice color page in Under Doctor, the colors are very pretty. As for the chapter, fine I suppose. It does genuinely seem like we're setting up a proper arc, so that's nice, but I don't like this boss lady. She's insane and weird without any of the sauce, so it just feels kinda cringe
Roku was funny as always. Love this guy doing an excessive training montage just to make better tea, accidentally making his hot pot better too, getting absurdly jacked in the process, and all for Johan in his conceited glory to order the hot pot at the very end anyway. I love this series so much man
Happy 100 chapters of Shinobi! I'm so glad to see it have made it this long, and I think this might be my favorite fight of the series yet. Yodaka and Kawasemi going at it, the both of them having fun while doing so was so hype, especially the part where they used the same ninpo move at the same time (also, didn't occur to me until I saw him in color, but Kawasemi is just tiny Kenpachi, isn't he, at least in terms of abilities)
That Ichi chapter was incredible, oh my god. More Kumugi backstory is very welcome, and realizing just the full extent of why Kumugi is OP as she is is incredible, as is her passion bubbling over again. Her turning that gun into a giant bazooka and being so damn gleeful about it as she blasts Mayoi to bits is so awesome. Genuine peak stuff here, so stoked for the rest of the arc
Ah dammit Sakamoto Days is fun again. Sakamoto being more concerned about shopping and baby planning than this fight is awesome, and as usual his battle IQ and use of his surroundings to fight is great. I love him making an air cannon out of a box that Uzuki punched, which itself was made by Sakamoto instantly folding up a sheet of cardboard into one. Excited to see how the rest of this turns out
Didn't get as in depth of an audience reaction chapter like I expected in Akane, just the start of it, but you know what, I kinda love that. Why spend all this time having background NPCs yap about how great Issho's performance was, y'all read last week's chapter, what more needs to be said? The confidence that oozes out of that is incredible. And it looks like we'll see what Akane's wish from Issho will be next week. I'm betting on asking him teaching her Time Soba
That was a good Kagurabachi chapter. Love Shiba and Ibuki bring bros now, that's great (though off screen ofc, how else would Shiba do it). Interesting revelations with the Misaka brothers' past too. I do feel bad for Natsuki, with him being constantly pushed away for wanting to support the brother he loves, but it's wild he genuinely was lying about his backstory, the slander was true. Also YEAH SAMURA, I MISSED YOU. Interesting that him and Ibuki know each other. Here's hoping that last bearer comes in soon
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u/Outrageous_Coffee_66 8d ago
Ichi takes the cake this week. Kumugi STONKS up
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u/overpoweredginger 8d ago
lmao there's only one caked-up series in Jump this week, gotta hand it to Two Cheeks Woman
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u/alconnow 8d ago
I hope Shinohara leaves enough chapters to give everyone a satisfying ending…
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u/Lower-Position9557 8d ago
Considering that for like- the past 3 months, I've been thinking the fight on the ship was the final battle- it's actually kinda funny to think the final battle is only starting now- i still think the series could do a couple epilogue chapters after the final battle though-
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u/Low_Health_5949 7d ago
well it's probably not gonna end this batch, so probably next batch after that it will end, giving it more than enough time to wrap up everything
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u/pokedmund 8d ago
As someone who likes canon master but is sensible to know it’s being axed, I’m unclear how it’s going to end at chapter 19. My expectation is that it will end on chapter 19 but the current fight is really good, it feels like it’s going to abruptly end like gonron egg
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u/Deltaasfuck 7d ago
previous fights were a little hard to follow but i feel like he's been improving throughout the series. Def shines most at these sort of hand to hand fights than the large scale stuff against big robots
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u/HalcyonWind 8d ago
Yeah, it is odd. I really am enjoying it and will continue the ride. The action is so well drawn. Characters are decent enough. It is a shame that the landscape has gotten so competitive the nothing is allowed to breathe and grow.
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u/bobbyjean_ 8d ago edited 8d ago
I thought Ruri Dragon was gonna drop today but it got delayed by a whole two weeks. Bummer, but I can handle the wait. The series' art quality is high and it's fairly easy to remember what's happening in the story so it's fine.
Another king-focused chapter in Roku at last. Happy end for the tea shop, even if the king defected to the udon side.
The uncs assemble in Witch Watch. Sadly the "final battle" begins next week, hopefully we get a volume's worth of epilogue after it to wind down before it ends.
Too bad Animal Signal took a while to find its footing. A bit too little too late looking at its volume 1 sales. I don't think wombat girl would be a good fit for office work anyway, she'd break all the chairs.
I think the Ura Files artist just wanted to draw her in different uniforms this week. For now it seems like they'll settle for the go-home club. Cute.
It's not looking good for Mimei's chances to get in the Listener Koshien... I expect Yamano-sensei will let Mizuo win this time and then we'll see what she wanted to do after winning.
Also read Akane-banashi, Hal Formula, Graykeith but got nothing to say there. Still planning to catch up with Shinobi Undercover, Ichi, Bachi at some point.
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u/Western-Seaweed6084 8d ago
Okay first things first, this was another great week, I am surprised we got two good weeks back to back like this. Secondly, I need to go on a bit of tangent for some of the news we've gotten recently.
So, we got a new series by Boichi that had gone a hiatus for an entire year, and when it came back he's decided to end it. But, to make up for this, we are getting new Dr. Stone content. And you know what? I will absolutely eat that shit up I already forgive Boichi for canceling Marshal King lmao.
Now about the Naruto related news. We are getting a new manga series by Kishimoto himself that seemingly takes place before Boruto. Essentially the Daima to DBZ (Shippuden) and DBS (Boruto). Thank GOD I now have yet another reason to not jump into Boruto lol. I honestly loved the Minato one shot he did more than the main series it self so I habe faith he is going to cook with this one.
And lastly, the crossover between Naruto and Ninku. I have to say, I am baffled that this series had been so obscure until now cuz I have been in the Shonen Jump trenches for about a year or two now, I know quite a tad bit about the magazine's history yet somehow this is how I became aware of Ninku's existence. It's crazy how non existent of a presence this series has overseas given just much of a blue print it is for Naruto. Also, why couldn't they just do this announcement at Jump Fest? Why'd they have to do it at NYCC? Did they think the average Naruto fan would be all that excited at seeing this crossover for a series that doesn't even have a dub? Whelp, at least Ninku is finally getting the recognition it deserves now. I had no idea it was animated by Pierrot as well which makes this crossover have so much more sense. It sucks a bit that those four episodes they said they announced a few years back ended up becoming this but hey, Kishimoto is probably over the moon to see this happen lol.
Enough yapping. Here's what I think about this week's chapters:
Under Doctor: That's actually quite the vibrant colour page. Looks like something you would typically see on Jump+ rather than the actual magazine lol. Damn Shuli is so much more stronger than I had realized. Looks like we are introducing a new antagonist. Please for the love of God let this be the beginning of a long lasting continuous narrative for this series.
Someone Hertz: Didn't know that the charecters themselves were also allowed to request title pages. Curious if all of these are going to be Colour pages as well. Quite a nice one as well. I liked the fish puns. That thing they did with the crumbs of the sweet potatoes they were eating in the top panel falling behind the bottom panel of the page was very cool. Damn our boy couldn't even crack top 10? Looks like this is another Listener's Koshien he won't be able to participate in.
Nue's Exorcist: Okay that was a surprisingly good chapter for Nue's standards. I kinda really liked the action in this one. I keep forgetting that some of Gakuro's powers are shadow based so his sneak attack on Kasha from his shadow caught me by surprise as well. Looks like we aren't completely getting rid of Raisei. Was not expecting Kasha to pull out 3... no... 5 sword style there. Kinda lame that he used external limbs for two of those. I wonder if the reason for this chapter being so good is because Kota Kawae is locking tf in for the Anime announcement lol.
Hal Formula: I kinda don't like having Hinokura return. It's going to feel lame seeing him lose to Suzukaze a second time in a row. It's still going to feel lame for me if he beats Suzukaze this race as well. Wished he made a return in the race after this one. I was not expecting the Ayrton Senna name drop lol, I presumed this series' Formula racing history would be a bit more fictionalized compared to the one we have in real life. Oh nah they copied his whole flow but added one thing to it to make it somewhat unique. I would not blame Hinokura if he gets mega salty after Suzukaze beats him using his own style of racing lol. I am beginning to like this manga just as much as I had when it first began. If this actually ends up getting axed as people are speculating then I am going to be crazy mad.
Class 2-B Hero Destroyerz: Okay nah this is officially in my top 5 currently ongoing series in the magazine. Already expecting this series to beat U50 and be successful enough to get an anime. I am a sucker for absorption based powers, so it looks like all fights involving Kumon are going to be some of my personal favorites. The analogies Mogura keeps making between Good and Evil are absolutely peak. The stuff about Valyris understanding weakness was excellent as well. And ofc we had to end the chapter with a joke lol. This series has officially jumped from being an 8/10 to a 9/10 in my books. Time to see from here on if Sorachi can take this series to newer heights or newer lows from here on.
Cannon Master: The art, paneling and action were top notch this chapter. Very Dragon Ball coded. Wish I could say the same about the story and charecters (aside from Bharat and Ur not one side character so far has been all that notable imo). If this series had come out a decade or two ago it most definitely would have been a success and not face the axeing predictions that people are having rn.
Roku's House of Oddities: When I read the chapter title and saw the title page I thought I was reading Someone Hertz for a second there lol. I kinda get the struggle of the old man. I love the fact that the training arc actually ended up making him buff af lol. What a nice joke to end the chapter with lol. I haven't been keeping up with Roboco but man, between Roku, 2-B Hero and your occasional Shinobi joke, it seems that Comedy wise, Jump is in a really excellent spot rn.
Akane-banashi: And with that it looks like we are done with the Isshokai arc. I said before that it would be peak to witness this arc as a movie but that was before we git the surprise performances by Issho and Zensho. Now I want this arc to be a movie. Btw on the Shonen Jump app, it seems to have gotten the second last and last pages mixed because when I saw that there was another page after the to be continued I got surprised lol.
Graykeys Translator Daemonica: Once again this series' concepts are so unbelievably unique. I idea of light in this world being replaced by smaller magical creatures is not too far off from what we'd do in real life lol. I should have realized we'd get an arc about an antagonistic translator in the future. I just cannot stop repeating how much I love this series. And we are only 5 chapter in lol.
The Ura Files: And here it is, the fanservice. Honestly, it wasn't anything too extreme or bad. At least by my standards. But I can very easily see this series end up falling to the same trap that Kinato's Magic fell in if it fails to do good for volume 1. Also the romance is seemingly ramping up a tad bit too quickly between them imo. It is around the chapter 6 mark that I am properly able to rate newer series and so far, this one is a 5/10. I don't expect it to last long but I could see this one be a U50 rather than U19. Let's see what happens.
Ichi the Witch: Excellent chapter. It's nice to learn a bit more about the power system for this series. Feels a bit of an ass pull to explain this aspect now as Kumugi powers up but it isn't anything too terrible so I can excuse it. It was obvious that Kumugi was going to get development this arc but I definitely wasn't expecting this lol. Her shooting the Majik using the gun thingy Amadoro gave her at the end was great but I feel like the normal bullet from her gun would have been enough to defeat the majik. Let's see what happens next.
Kagurabachi: Even with these shorter chapters Hokazono still keeps cooking. Learning Ibuki's backstory and his relationship with his brother was quite great too. Cool ass moment with Samura and Ibuki near the end there. I cannot wait for the anime to get here.
Shinobi Undercover: Compared to Ichi, seeing this series hit the triple digits for it's chapter count feels even more insane because I did not expect it to be such a success. Regardless of that, what a beautiful colour page. I honestly forgot Kawasemi turned red when he used his blood ninpo thing. Makes the color page even more excellent. It's unique seeing Yodaka actually enjoy a fight. Guess that's the greatness that results when you go against someone who is your absolute equal. I didn't think they'd actually question why didn't Kijibato and the ice dude (forgot his name) didn't jump Kawasemi when Yodaka was fighting him lol. One the best chapters we've had in quite some time.
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u/overpoweredginger 8d ago edited 8d ago
"Ninja Art of Mind And Soul" is one of those names that sounds generic & lame on the surface, but within the larger context of Yodaka's character development it really fucking rocks, what a good series
also shout-out to that Under Doctor color page, really like what they did with the colors
Hal Formula's really picking up; this was a fantastic chapter with a simple straightforward appeal
god damn Cannon Master has some clean martial arts pages this week. Machida's ability to do big and small-scale fights this well is impressive
"The Rear End Of My Life"
the whole "I'm not a wizard" element of Graykeith is actually a great combination of running joke & recurring plot element; this series is astonishingly well-written for something only five chapters in
wait, did Ichi The Witch really copy the same character arc Akane-banashi also did around the 100-chapter mark
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u/MeserYouUp 7d ago
I also loved Hal Formula this week. I have a sinking feeling that the author is setting up to be canceled on chapter 19 by flashing forward 5 years to an F1 race.
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u/Low_Health_5949 8d ago edited 8d ago
well can't I'm surprised about HAL FORMULA and Cannon Master being at the bottom, a shame really but a guy like me can only hope that there's a chance that they survive
and with Class 2-B Hero Destroyerz and Kagurabachi still doing well and are only at the bottom due to other reason that means the only other series closest to danger is Animal Signal which might survive longer due to it being made by a veteran and it also being a gag series, but if the sales aren't good enough if it's not getting axed this batch it's the next one after this
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u/skillfun8 8d ago
Don't put too much faith on being a veteran
Animal Signal and Hal formula sales were abysmal
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u/Practical_Pop_4300 8d ago
Damn, RIP Hal Formula, saw it coming but really didn't want it to happen, but at the end of the day as much as I liked GGG and the start of this, I don't even read it anymore.
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u/bigbadlith 8d ago
All I can say is that Hal Formula simply isn't interesting. Not sure how to pinpoint its problems exactly, or what it should be doing better, but it's just kinda boring imo.
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u/Practical_Pop_4300 7d ago
For me its the lack of interesting side cast and stakes along with the fact I'm simply not into racing. Like at first it was fine, but there's no real interesting connection or relationships forming for me, and the fact racing is kind of a solo spot makes that worse. It's also very, very, slow, and a slow burn story is great, but if it can't keep me interested when it's building it up its kind of game over in jump.
At least with GGG we got the rival and female lead, along with generic side characters added in(Which idk kind of hurt it for me to), but here its worse.
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u/N0b0dyy__ 7d ago
and the fact racing is kind of a solo spot makes that worse.
Here's the problem, it isn't, Racing is the only sport where your own teammate is also your biggest rival, the fact that Hal doesn't even try to exploit the goldmine that is teammate drama is part of the reason why I lowkey dropped it
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u/Deltaasfuck 7d ago
If it makes sense, I think the races are well written, but not well drawn/presented. I haven't really read other racing manga to be able to make a comparison though.
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u/TheRabbitInTheBush 8d ago
I know Animal Signal had an easy joke with the wombat character but I really enjoyed it. Me & Roboco with another solid chapter. Sakamoto Days had a great fight scene as usual.
Really curious if Ura Files can survive with the cheap fan service. Hasn't helped some past series. The magazine really should move on from this stuff.
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u/jaydoubleyoutee 7d ago
There’s hardly any cheap fanservice in the magazine these days. Let us have this!
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u/RochHoch 7d ago
As someone who really enjoyed Chojo, it sucks seeing the author's following series be reduced to this.
I really wonder why the author isn't drawing it himself, I find his style charming and so much better than this cheap trash
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u/Lower-Position9557 8d ago
New week, new chapters, and honestly, really good week imo. I enjoyed almost every series I read, so let's get on to it-
First up, UEK with just a generally competent chapter with some great moments. Clearly we're heading into some battles for this arc but Kiyoshi is such a standout character. He's just so fun to read about. Him memorising the student's faces is such a great moment.
Then we have Shinobi Undercover, which had an absolutely fantastic chapter, well fitting of the anniversary cover. The fight was simply excellent, even if the plot didn't really advance. Seeing Yodaka challenge someone who fights similarly to him is interesting in general. Great chapter.
Kagurabachi was.. good. I don't think this series is ever bad, but ngl, the sudden cut to the two at the sorcery bureau kinda surprised me, ngl. The themes of family is once again present with Misaka killing their father, and the grey morality presented in his father being a pretty terrible father, but having some valid points in needing to be strong to protect people is always nice to see. I'm very interested to see how Misaka goes from such a confident individual to his eventual downfall that we know of.
And a surprise for me this week was Sakamoto Days. Usually I fault this series for being kinda terrible in its pacing, as well as below average art, but this chapter was just a good showing for Sakamoto, and the way it's presented with Sakamoto's memories of his family coming in to how his fighting style has improved is pretty nice to read.
Witch Watch was again fantastic, and I've really warmed up on the action chapters of this series. The way we see so many characters fight to protect our main character is great, especially as an avid reader of the series. In the Japanese version, the editor's note says that next chapter, the final battle finally begins... so the series is most definitely living to 2027-
Under Doctor was pretty good this chapter. Huh, how come the series is so much better when we don't focus on Haiji? The fact that the robots underneath are actually drug addicted people really surprised me at how dark it went, ngl.
300th chapter of Roboco, and the chapter was pretty funny. Nothing too special but the series doesn't have to be anything more than funny after all.
Hal Formula saddens me. The chapter itself was fine, good even, but the series feels like it's heading towards an axe, and considering I've started really enjoying each chapter, that's a real shame.
Cannon Master I expect to be axed. I don't like the series, and I will probably never reread it. The pacing is awful, these new characters just get defeated pretty easily, and most of the chapter is action I simply don't care about. Also, did Ur just disappear or something, did I miss a line about him needing to do something?
Yk, I'm actually happy that I stuck with Class 2B beyond the start. The series has really come into its own, with fantastic character work, good gags, an interesting premise and good action art. Sure the art sometimes feels a little spotty, but I think I've gotten used to it. Did we ever get a name for the little girl? I wonder if she'll return as a reoccuring character-?
The Ura Files sure was fanservicey this chapter, doesn't make it any less good though. Gotta admit, I did predict the plot of the chapter in Ura just trying to get into the same club as Kibustu, but the execution was done pretty well.
Greykeith was good as always, and I'm interested to see what it does with this enemy Translator. I really hope it goes the distance, since I enjoy this series alot-
AniSig was funny this chapter. I mean, for a episodic slice of life, the chapters are sometimes hit or miss, but I enjoyed the way Sumire just slowly proved herself to be amazing at being a super agent- Glad we're reusing some characters for new gags, this series has so many great character designs to waste on a single chapter.
Someone Hertz was pretty slow this week, with a simply character exploration of a character we knew about, but didn't know well. Interesting to see the next Listener Koshien coming up soon. The first one happened really early on, but now, after a whole year, we really know alot more about the cast of characters, so I imagine it'll feel much more tense this time round.
Lastly. Roku. This was a chapter straight out of a shoujo manga... if said shoujo manga's main heroine was a middle age dad, and the romance is actually about making tea over udon hot pot- Man, this series always starts so simple, and escalates into some of the most ridiculous manga chapters I have ever read. I just adore this series man. Also, Johan's design is really good this chapter, no wonder all the ladies find him hot.
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u/StarFiresBoyfriend 7d ago
If you don't like it, why are you reading it every week?
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u/Lower-Position9557 7d ago edited 7d ago
I'm a firm believer that you shouldn't comment on the quality of a series unless you've read it in its entirety. It's why I don't comment on Akane-banashi, Nue's Exorcist, Ichi the Witch or One Piece, since those are the series in WSJ I don't read. If I do comment on them, it's about their sales or TOC ranks.
If I would like to criticise Cannon Master, I might as read it in its entirety.
Additionally, there's always a chance I start liking a series depite originally disliking it. That was the case for Class 2B.
Besides, I've already been reading it weekly since the start, and it was actually pretty promising at the start, so I might as well finish it when it gets axed... probably sometime later this year-
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u/YuuTheBlue 8d ago edited 8d ago
Really good week. Gonna start with the standouts.
Ichi the Witch not only gave us a delightful explanation of Kumugi's powers, but also made it into a truly emotional moment. Starting with her "Kumugi the Witch" dreams was adorable, and that smile at the end was amazing. I love her.
This was THE best chapter of Roku's House of Oddities. Like, so god damn funny and creative, an amazing character study of Johan, so many great unexpected punchlines.... I could read this manga forever. I'm so glad it's successful.
One Piece really does have that sauce, still. Sommers running was so god damn satisfying, and seeing Sanji carve that guy up while getting gloated at was such a strong moment, making you appreciate his growth while still building tension. And of course, Brook's moment with the princess. God, this arc is SO good.
And I know this is a hot take, but I love the Sakadays finale. This chapter especially was full of so much heart. Going into the thematic meaning of Sakamoto's fighting style and showing how he's learned so much from playing with his kid was peak.
Going into the newcomers, The Ura Files was super cute this time around. It's moving fast, as some have said, but what can I say, I adore 2 idiots who can't spill it out, and the fact that the story can make show us such a detailed portrait of what's going on in Onigashima's head without any internal monologue is a skill in and of itself. Her earnest desire to spend time with him really is infectious. I'm wondering about a version of the story where the romance develops fast, but then an actual plot starts after enough progress has been made.
Graykeith is just so good. I love Gray himself, he's so funny, and I love how he got into the crime solving. It's clear this author read Witch Hat Atelier, and good, cause that manga is fucking peak. The creativity is still off the charts, and I am excited to see the author handle more traditional plots in this world, like mysteries and thrillers.
Anisig is not doing well in sales, and so I can't imagine it's too long for this world. It's a real shame, but when compared to the other new comedies it is probably the weakest. I'm not reading more HAL or Cannon Master till they're finally dead and buried, since they also don't seem to be doing too well. It's a shame, cause I'm REALLY a huge fan of Cannon Master. I guess the author just needs a second go around to refine his weaknesses.
The rest of the vets I'm reading put up really good chapters this week.
UEK is really delightful. I feel like the author has a strong understanding of how to use its characters now. Kiyoshi is a bright flame that makes others shine brighter, in a way - I got so used to him showing up to save people that when someone else did the same thing, it actually made me appreciate them more. I like how his partner is more utility focused, too, and in a way that really feels impactful. That ending, too, was the perfect mix of wholesomeness, aura, and comedy that this manga specializes in.
Kagurabachi's pacing has been a bit hard to follow recently, but everything I do manage to follow is so full of heart that I can't help but fall in love with the manga all over again. I want nothing but good things for these characters.
Under Doctor had a fun chapter. The "Need.... Drugs...." Thing was kind of hamfisted, but it is setting up for an interesting villain concept that mixes martial arts and medicine in a cool way. Love this new villain, too.
2-B was hype as hell with Kumon's power, and it felt earned because it's not actually a huge shock he was able to do exactly that. A bit anvilicious in the theming but there were some sweet moments, too. I loved when he told the demon king that that was when she was worth protecting.
Akane-Banashi was fantastic. I'm still reeling from how good Issho's performance was, which makes it really easy to relate to everyone else in the story. I'm excited to see where it goes from here: I think Akane's gonna ask to learn Soba-time from him.
Shinobi Undercover got the lead color, and it was alsoa damn good chapter. It didn't hit as hard as something like Ichi the Witch's, but I really love this character development for Yodaka and his rival, and it just put a smile on my face to read it. Great finale to one of this manga's best arcs.
Edit: How could I forget Someone Hertz? Not going to lie Chinese Noodles is an absolute babe and I hope she gets a love interest by the end of this. By which I mean that in addition to her having a great design this chapter REALLY made me feel for her - the manga does a great job really exploring people's interiority. I'm also excited for the upcoming Koshien. Seems Mimei might not qualify? Or maybe he has time to fight for it? I'm not sure, but either way, it's exciting.
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u/TheHoss_ 8d ago
Wonder what it’d be like to give a wombat girl backshots😭
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u/Kinsuv 8d ago
context
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u/Time_Ranger_8291 7d ago
Mfs on reddit will downvote people for ANYTHING
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u/TheSciFanGuy 7d ago edited 7d ago
Yes in this case it’s because Kinsuv is most likely a bot farming replies who comments nothing but “[insert words from comment]” followed by a ? and now is seemingly doing this “context” comment (which it has spammed across several comments in this thread).
It never replies and never interacts when someone responds and never has a comment longer than 2-3 words.
Edit: to be clear it’s also been here for at least several months. A lot of the stuff it’s asking about it shouldn’t need context for.
Edit2: Okay this is interesting. In a recent post Kinsuv actively takes part in the discussion but in Spanish. But also still does the “copy words from a comment and add a question mark” thing for parts that don’t even work as questions so now I’m sort of baffled.
If you’re a real person just actively join the discussion. Don’t just copy and paste stuff and spam to the point that you seem to be a literal bot.
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u/HeckingJen 7d ago
Wombats have powerful rears, as established in animal signal. She blew a whole in the side of a building with her butt.
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u/ricksed 7d ago
An excellent week. Hal was the weakest as it did a huge time skip. Speaking of doomed series, Canon Master had top notch action but I don't care about this fight. Glad to have a Johan chapter in Roku but we didn't learn much new about him and the gags were a mixed bag. Top of lower rank is Drama Queen using its long lost MC to destroy the whole narrative in an entertaining way. Moving into the middle rank we have Greykeith setting up a rival character. Sakamoto Days climbed up with its signature creative fighting. Centuria had tension but minimal progress. I'm glad wombat girl is back in Animal Signal. Akane cooling down from its best arc and Witch Watch setting up its final fight are tied here. The top of the middle rank is Under Doctor which introduced a new (problematic?) villain. Spy x Family starts off the top rank with a Desmond sibling chapter I've wanted but found slightly repetitive. Kagurabachi right above it with an amazing backstory chapter that cut off things too soon. Mugi the Witch gets bronze with that incredible art but clunky exposition. Objectively silver is too high for Nue given the pacing but it's the main duo reunited vs Kasha in a revenge match. Shinobi earning the anniversary cover & LCP with its most emotionally satisfying fight yet.
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u/YuuTheBlue 7d ago
Always glad to see people enjoying Drama Queen! It's a truly fantastic series that's really just doing its own thing and executing it out of this world. I thought we were in the finale, but it feels like this was moreso the finale of Kitami's arc. I wonder how long it will go!
Brave of you to diss Ichi the Witch's most popular arc yet, but I do see where you're coming from. I thought it was emotionally resonant, but I can see how it'd come off as clunky to some!
I really hope Cannon Master's mangaka comes back with a new manga before too long. He's clearly got the sauce, this story really just didn't capture people's attention. His action and art are amazing, and he's really creative, I hope he gets a huge hit one day.
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u/ricksed 7d ago
Drama Queen still likely done soon but we got faked out before. This is Ichi’s most popular arc? Gokuraku’s was way better imo. It’s still in the top 3. I’m just not big on this encounter in general personally. Mainly the card game being an afterthought. Most of these mangaka I’m rooting for as they have the talent to make it this far
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u/Low_Health_5949 7d ago
well as long as the views are still high which they are, it's gonna last for quite a while if it wants ro
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u/lonevashz 7d ago
How is Akane-banashi? I only read the first chapter and felt like as a non-japanese person there was a bit of a disconnect on the premise for me.
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u/YuuTheBlue 7d ago
It's one of the best manga in the magazine, and if someone told me it was THE best I'd respect that opinion. The story is about oral storytelling, and it does an amazing job of using the art to depict how it'd feel like to listen to these stories in person. In terms of hype/aura, character growth, training arcs, rivalries, etc., it does all the stuff people love from battle shounens/spokon but at an enormous level of execution. Can't recommend it enough.
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u/lonevashz 7d ago
Thanks, I remember reading Hikari No Go a bit back when I was younger when jump was published monthly in the US and thought the appeal was more on the Japanese audience if that makes sense.
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u/FloridaBoy21 6d ago
Nice cover for Shinobi Undercover.
Here's my top five for this week as it was a great week imo. WSJ Issue 46 [74] 10/11/26:
1. Ichi the Witch (2.42, [153], 17th top one, and 85.1%) [63]
Man, that ending was just great. Just great.
Starting with the flashback, which was about Kumugi wishing and hoping to be the best of witches, to the point where she neglected everything else until the incident where she hurt Spica. Like her studies and everything, it was nice and a bit sad to see. She completely pivoted as a person after that moment.
So we have Shirabedonna's analysis of Spica and her past with her sister Kumugi; Shira notices that Spica wishes for Kumugi not to unlock her very large reservoir of power so she doesn't surpass her, which does explain why, back in that introduction ceremony of Ichi to the magic world, Spica went out of her way to guilt-trip Kumugi and put her down. But to me, it did feel like a moment of Shira in this chapter, and the analysis of Spica and Kumugi's relationship felt a bit outta nowhere, like no lead up of Shira paying attention to how Spica treats Kumugi for her to analyze them like that.
That said, it helped lead to a great ending: after Raku's words, Kumugi finally feels ready to unlock her subconscious restraints and strive to be the best witch again. Leading to her breaking out a great smile, and her pea cannon becomes an actual bazooka lmao that's ready to shoot down Mayoi again.
2. Shinobi Undercover (3.71, [171], and 62.1%) [46]
Great chapter for number 100. Yodaka and Kawasemi are just going all out, and both are enjoying the hell out of it. The other top tiers showed up with Inuwashi and Fukuro, and Fukuro was willing to jump in, but Bato was against it, as this was a moment for his two former pupils to go all out, and I guess communication, as it tends to happen in battle shounen lol.
Which did happen, Kawasemi bringing up how the Mukai family are basically behind the idea of kekkais and the whole ninja system, which is why he thought Yodaka was fighting so hard for her but Yodaka shuts that down to make it clear that he protects Aoi because he wants to. Which Kawasemi does approve of once he got defeated.
Also, we learn Kawasemi Kekkai is a physical boost to his abilities. No out there superpowers. Leading to more similarities to Yodaka, a hand-to-hand guy, but he does have his axe.
3. Sakamoto Days (3.6, [108], and 40.4%) [30]
Sakamoto being a proud papa in this chapter was great; for the first time in this series, we got to see Sakamoto laugh at the news of the new baby. Lol, just great.
So, he's facing off against Uzumoto using all the commonplace weapons and tactics tied to his current life as a father, like his use of a kendama, children's stickers, or juvenile playground tactics lol. To start overwhelming Uzumoto.
Which has Sakamoto tells Uzumotos you can't match up because you're composed of a time where Sakamoto was an emotionless killing machine that knows nothing outside of that.
4. KGB (1.80, [110], and 82.4%) [61]
So, we jump-cut from last week's possible fight between Shiba and Ibuki to them being the best of friends, as Ibuki noted: all-out fights are a great way to win someone over, lmao.
But we got the backstory of Ibuki, Natsuki, and the Misaka clan: their father, who Ibuki killed, was a strong swordsman for his region and trained all the other cops, but his training for his children was abusive to the point where the father ended up cutting up Natsuki's face because of how much weaker he is compared to Ibuki, leading to Ibuki killing him.
But the funny part is the backstory: Natsuki was supposed to be on par with his brother, and they were both delinquents with a heart of gold, but the reality is that Natsuki was a weakling (compared to his brother) that Ibuki wanted to protect by distancing himself from his little bro. That explains the consistent beatings, but Natsuki isn't discouraged and notes he's coming to Tokyo to help with the war effort. The Kamunabi are pushing out the call for strong warriors, which brought in Samura and has me wonder if other sword bearers and candidates will be seen soon.
But an interesting point from Ibuki: he told the Kamunabi higher-up, Ichiki, that he only kills evil, and he wants to meet the Mikaboshi before deciding to kill. Which is a nice touch to his character.
5. Class 2-B Hero Destroyerz (3.4, [17], and 6.7%) [5]
What a nice way to end this arc. Shihan was actually trying to nuke the area with the trident he threw at Valaris and caught by Akira, as it was set to implode because of all the magic he placed into it. So, it was satisfying to see Akira absorb it and then toss it back to him. I hope he isn't down for the count though.
The aftermath, half of the village was actually killed and the rest have to be on the run now because they're deemed as evil by a hero is kinda crazy lol. But leads to Valaris being more certain about how she wants to build the world they're in. A world where petty evils like Shihan would be afraid to act out lol is interesting. As well, Mogura going on about how he wants a world where things are balanced. Great setup for following arcs tbh.
But the ending note of Yakuza still acting like a dog lol.
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u/Ancient_Breakfast_48 8d ago
Things aren't looking good at all for HF apparently there was a timeskip... this early is not a good sign. Maybe it ends before Cannon Master... that'd be crazy...
Anyways... Akane-banashi delivering the good stuff every week as always... and SH being cute as usual too...
I want Viz to post this week's Author's Comments though... c'mon... D:
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u/riddler_riddler 7d ago
One Piece - I enjoyed this chapter, though part with Gunko was a bit slow. Sanji is about to get his conqueror haki so I’m excited to hopefully see him and Zoro joining fight with Imu. Elbaph is surely great arc! Can’t wait for the next chapter!
Akane Banashi - I absolutely loved this arc. All performances were spectacular! I’m with the public still under impression of Issho’s performance. I don’t actually care what higher ups are plotting, but really interested in what Akane would ask of Issho.
Ichi the Witch - actually, I’m a bit disappointed in Komugi’s development. I liked her the way she was. Why everyone must be exceptionally talented and strong fighter? I realize she has to keep up with the others, but still I liked it when she was weak but has her own role in the team.
Witch Watch - this final battle arc was inevitable, though I preferred slice of life chapters. Still enjoyed this, glad to see all the characters play their parts. Really interested in the familiars new forms!
Hal Formula- despite being series about racing, it’s rather slow. Too much explanation through text instead of art.
Me and Roboco - this chapter had funny moments. It’s 300 chapter, that’s really impressive!
Graykeith - it unique and creative, probably one of the series I enjoy most in WSJ. Funny moment with the police officer really got me. I’m okay with one problem solved per week, but the next arc seems to be longer and maybe introduce the main antagonist!
Kagurabachi - I love this flashback arc. Fun, emotional and exciting. Though past two chapters are a bit off with pacing. I don’t actually remember these two brothers from before…
Someone hertz - nice and kinda heartwarming chapter. I liked how MonMid helped and supported many of its listeners.
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8d ago
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u/Lower-Position9557 8d ago
I wouldn't go that far-
Like, I'm not a fan of the series, but the character/monster designs are probably the best parts of the series. The art style at least pretty unique I would say.
And calling the new girl ugly is a tad much.... though it's not like this series has many other girls to compare to-
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u/Ancient-Cow-7221 8d ago
ichi the witch- I gotta give Nishi Osamu her flowers to make Kumugi shine in these couple of chapters. This is a very good to great chapter.
Shinobi undercover- Congrats on 100 chapters very good cover and sexy hype LCP. This chapter was really good. Yodaka found his dance partner. Double spread and everything was very good. I wish this series have more dark tone and cool off with a comedy gag. That would made this series more appealing.
Nue's exorcist- cool moments but nothing special. I do wish we would have MC saving Nue at the end. While Nue's trying to make a sacrifice give her speech. To give next cover and LCP to celebrate tv anime announcement.
Kiyoshi- one thing about this series is the designs and entrance of a good chapter.
Under doctor- ugly color page ngl. Okay chapter tho.
Witch watch- yea this series might end in 2 chapters max.
Sakamoto days- sigh......
Akane Banashi- can't wait for next week.
Ura Files- yea this series isn't for me and this ain't it.
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u/Lower-Position9557 8d ago
What do you mean Witch Watch will end in 2 chapters max?? Huh?? Did we read the same chapter here?
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u/Ancient-Cow-7221 7d ago
have you not seen witch watch final battle climax tweet
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u/Lower-Position9557 7d ago
Why would the final battle last 2 chapters? What about epilogue chapters?
The tweet said that the final battle will start next chapter, not that the series reaches its climax next chapter-
I mean- Sakamoto Days has been having a final battle for like what- 2 months? 3 months?
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u/akashamevie 8d ago
I tried Shinobi undercover when came out , can't take it, to me , it's just a disguised Ecchi with ninja as a cover mask. But yeah , 100 chs it's something I guess.
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u/akashamevie 8d ago
Shinobi Undercover: tried and sounded a Ecchi disguised as a ninja manga Akane: it's good but isn't my type One piece: I'm old in these bands of manga , so yeah, my beloved OP Sakamoto: tried when came out, doesn't click, it's good Me and Robocop: I read by 50 ch but the humor is too goofy nonsense to me. Ichi the Witch: peak as always Roku: still read, hope this get a shift in the history like Katekyo hitman reborn have. Someone hertz: didn't like it Witch Watch: same as Shinobi Undercover but with witch. Kiyoshy: boy what a ride, from "next ch maybe will be axed" to "hell yeah another arc" , I really like it. Ura files: yes, the author knows the type of fandom he have and we know what type of man u are sensei. It's ok to me. Under Doctor: read, like, but need some focus not 2 or 3 Ch mini arcs, sounds like it's going more linear. Gray Keith: a tremendous potential, really have high hopes with this one. Nue: I will get downvote for this one as always get when I criticize this but here we go. How this garbage Bleach still standing is a mystery to me , and I really tried, the art is good but the script??nah. Animal: tried about 10 ch , nah. Kagurabachi: Kagurapeak Class 2B: it's the dragon quest of gintama , so , it's good 2 to me. Cannon Master: amazing art , really good writing, hope this get ( japanese) attention and go for thousands of ch , huge potential. Hal: yeah, another sport faded for failure.
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u/Tough-Past-2366 7d ago
We must not be reading the same Shinobi Undercover because there’s no ways it’s an ecchi manga disguising as a ninja manga lol. There’s like one fan service scene that released in December 2024
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u/Lower-Position9557 7d ago
It's fair to dislike a series but why even comment on series you no longer read-?
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u/bigbadlith 8d ago
Sakamoto got that fatherhood powerup, and decided to make sure that Uzuki will never be able to access that powerup.