Shounen Assassination Classroom by Matsui Yuusei

[MangaPage]

The problem with the covers for me is what I had mentioned some time earlier, the first volume cover would have been perfect for an individual/isolated volume, it's really original and brave making such a simple design, but having all the volume covers like that doesn't look so great, and doing it for a fist volume cover pretty much forces the rest of the covers to follow that style. So it's a creative thing to do but maybe not such a wise choice on the long-run, especially since it might have quite a lot of volumes considering its success, and it prevents the author from using his great artwork for outstanding covers (and Neuro's were quito good too) since the surprise is gone after the first volume and it becomes all the same. Well, technically nothing prevents Matsui from breaking his cover pattern, but it would still be strange after two covers like that. But it still remains a very interesting choice a cover , and they might look cool with a more interesting choice of colors (Korosensei also supposedly has an unlimited color variation possibilities). And even keeping the smiley face design it's not only limited to basic color changes, Korosensei can create patterns or images with his face by changing his skin color, there are some interesting things like the half-wrong half-correct face in the latest chapter Raw and having an image of a human face, so the covers can start simple but then get more elaborate if Matsui incorporates some funny ideas for strange faces in that direction, and the covers might become something to look forward to instead of seeming repetitive (if Matsui's imagination doesn't betray us) .

Here's another spoiler I have to mention after skimming a few pages in, this time having to do with part of the story:

Spoiler

Page 6 made my jaw drop; I thought "bitch" was already vulgar enough.

You don't even have to know Japanese to realize that AC is going to have quite a problem if it ever gets picked up by Viz or Funimation.

Spoiler

It's true it can be quite problematic, there might even be some censure or something, but I don't think it will put at doubt the decision of licensing it if it continues it's current popularity in Japan. It just seems to be too big a success to ignore it .

And is that Korosensei chewing/eating a cup of tea in this page?

 

[k-dom]

It's possible to make great covers with a minimalist design. Again look at Punpun ones.

 

[MangaPage]

I agree too, of course. A minimalist cover design can be very good, and its peculiarity suits AC well too. I didn't mean to disagree with that with my previous post, but I do have some mixed feelings about the choice of continuing these covers. Like I had concluded in my previous post, it's a very interesting choice, as expected of Matsui's eccentricity, but I still don't know if it's a wise one. I'm not speaking of the first few volumes, but I fear it will become too repetitive if, suppose, it gets thirty volumes like that, or even just fifteen. Like Googlez said, it's nothing new anymore, the effect of Matsui surprising us is gone. By which I mean that looking at all the covers as a whole, it will be a very interesting group, I’m sure about that, but individually, each new cover won't be as interesting, it will not be something to really look forward to (and we also know that in shonen covers like this are more risky than in seinen like Punpun, because kids can base their opinion on if the cover looks flashy much more than adults - which is why Matsui's choice is also bold, it's kind of like a gamble). So maybe I didn't express myself totally well, I fully support the decision of making covers in this direction and I think it's great Matsui once again proved he can get away from the standard and be distinctive, but rather I was criticizing the fact that I think Matsui cut-off his room for maneuver while trying to be innovative, since I feel he had the imagination to surprise us at each new volume and not just with the first initial choice, and keeping such an inflexible pattern permanently might eliminate such a possibility, and leave behind some unexplored potential.

Of course, that doesn't mean I would dislike it like that, it just means I think I could have liked it more. And again of course, it's not a given that it will turn out to make me think that, so I'm still uncertain.
And then I guess it's also a matter of personal opinion .

 

[B'arzz]

This is the editor of Ansatsu?
http://www.shonenjump.com/j/sp_jf2013/

 

[Doraku]

This is the editor of Ansatsu?
http://www.shonenjump.com/j/sp_jf2013/

Yes, I assume he is. There is even a lame pun about Christmas "Merry Korosumas" . The event looks very fun.

 

[Asarii]

Personally I don't mind the cover being similar to the first one as long as Matsui is creative with the variation. Let's hope that the remaining time he has after working on the cover is used for extra supplements in the tankobons.

Spoiler

Page 6 made my jaw drop; I thought "bitch" was already vulgar enough.

You don't even have to know Japanese to realize that AC is going to have quite a problem if it ever gets picked up by Viz or Funimation.

Spoiler

Remember that it's the translators who are translating whatever Japanese word into "bitch". I'm not sure what word is used, but the Japanese term is probably not that extreme.

 

[lynxian]

Remember that it's the translators who are translating whatever Japanese word into "bitch". I'm not sure what word is used, but the Japanese term is probably not that extreme.

Aaaactually... it's not a matter of translation choice at all. The word used is ビッチ, which is "bitch" written in katakana.

 

[Asarii]

Aaaactually... it's not a matter of translation choice at all. The word used is ビッチ, which is "bitch" written in katakana.

Really? Damn, if anything I thought it would be 尼 if the word used was extreme.

Now I really have to wonder how the tankobon would work if translated by a publishing company.

 

[Sky]

This manga is really great. So much good gags.

Can't wait to see what kind of contest beween bitch-sensei and her master will occur.

 

[Juin Jutsu Team]

spoiler pics of chapter 26: HERE

 

[Maxy Barnard]

Really? Damn, if anything I thought it would be 尼 if the word used was extreme.

Now I really have to wonder how the tankobon would work if translated by a publishing company.

well bitch is still a thoroughly useable term by the standards of US publishers, so that's unlikely to be an issue. the subject matter would probably elevate it to a Shonen Jump Advanced label anyway, if it were licensed, which is like... 16+, so that's fine.

Also I'm not too surprised, but bitch is notable as a pretty rare instance of actual intended swearing in shonen jump, isn't it? I know a lot of translators toss swear in for some reason, so it's nice to see it actually... yanno, be there.

 

[Crude]

I'm pretty sure the word "bitch" shows up in Viz's Bakuman (volume 3 to be exact), so I think it's pretty unlikely for it to be censored in the event that they end up publishing AC.

 

[Maxy Barnard]

Yeah, I definitely recall that. Viz are totally looser on what they're cool with now. I remember around vol. 15 of Ultimate Muscle when they just went full-on with showing everything going on, and the marks for what makes for explicit content are pretty much full-ecchi like *spits* Strawberry 100% or *cheers* I"S.

It's pretty safe to say AssassClass would get by with minimal editing, save for puns, which... well, viz don't do it as bad as early Gintama anymore.

 

[Galactic Tomahawk]

Suddenly I like Karasuma a lot more.

 

[Sky]

That was just awesome... x'D
Koro-senseis scared face was priceless.

 

[FanOfAniManga]

Hey guys. BIG NEWS!

The VOMIC is coming online next month. And if any of you manage to catch Sakiyomi Jan Bang, you can see it earlier throughout this month.

 

[Teeba]

I am totally enjoying this new arc! I love how Bitch-sensei is really the underdog here. I can't wait to see how she defeats her teacher!

I know some people might be put off by Bitch-sensei, because she so easily falls into that femme fatale trope. But I think that's the point of her character: we're so used to seeing female assassins and spies using their charms to get the job done that its ridiculous. And now that her cover's blown, you have to wonder how she'll ever rebound from the humiliation. Personally I think she will.

Overall I like how AssClass is switching up having stories about the students and stories about the teachers. I wonder if we'll get more subject teachers along the line, like Redeye?

 

[world is wide]

Glad to get some character development from Bitch-sensei. Looks like "master" has her thoroughly dominated, relationship wise. Can't wait to see how some self confidence after winning manifests.

"Autonomously Thinking Fixed Artillery"-san is my favorite student, and going to back to her arc found that Utopia's foolslide reader skips from the end of ch. 21 to ch. 23. I almost missed a whole chapter about "Autonomously Thinking Fixed Artillery"-san

 

[FanOfAniManga]

Hey guys. Apparently, a few hours ago, someone with an eagle eye identified the figure of the peculiar monster as seen in page 3.

Can't figure it out?

Spoiler

It's Mewtwo.

Why the extra claws and horns were added to the silhouette is unknown, since the manga already features many other real-life copyrighted brands, but its pose matches that of Mewtwo, up to the curve of its tail.

I don't know why I didn't notice it earlier.

 

[Drmke]

Yeah I noticed that too lol thought it was funny.