Discussion New cover pages counting down?

[Asgaraatth]

The new cover pages have been recalling old memories from the beginning of the manga. I believe that this may Mashima's style of countdown to the end of the series as it will go through everything that has happened till now and the last one might be on the last chapter. Any thoughts?

Letters so far - SA I GO MA DE O

Spoiler: FT memories covers

 

[Brandish μ]

I'll add the covers to the OP from the countdown (525).

 

[natsu x777]

Hi .

Well, watching on Twitter I notice that a Japanese fan made his theory regarding how much time can be left to the manga seeing the hidden message that comes to us showing mashima from their front covers.

And then @Linali was to see that is what they theorized since for me everything would fit until 539, but this image shows it until 545.

Thank you and then to see that you can be theorizing over there in japan xD

 

[Linali]

Date of release	Magazine	Letters on the cover	Chapter	Memories	Arc
8.03	No. 14	Sa	525	1	Welcome in FT arc
15.03	No. 15	i	526	2	Daybreak arc
22.03	No. 16	go	527	Color cover	Start of Hiro Mashima's exhibition
29.03	No. 17	ma	528	3	Lullaby arc
5.04	No. 18	de	529	4	Galuna Island arc
12.04	No. 19	o	530	Color cover	One month until showing the movie
19.04	No. 20	u	531	5	Phantom Lord arc
26.04	No. 21-22	e	532	Color cover	Right before showing the movie
10.05	No. 23	n	533	Color cover	Movie is a great hit
17.05	No. 24	a	534	6	Tower of Heaven arc
24.05	No. 25	ri	535	7	Battle of Fairy Tail arc
31.05	No. 26	ga	536	8	Nirvana arc
7.06	No. 27	to	537	9	Edolas arc
14.06	No. 28	u	538	10	Tenroujima arc
21.06	No. 29	go	539	11	GMG arc
28.06	No. 30	za	540	12	Dragon King Festival arc
5.07	No. 31	i	541	13	Tartaros arc
12.07	No. 32	ma	542	14	FT ZERO arc
19.07	No. 33	shi	543	15	Avatar arc
26.07	No. 34	ta	544	16	Alvares Empire arc
2.08	No. 35	Last chapter	545	Color cover	Ending

Very detailed predictions, let's see, if it'll turn out to be true

 

[Rzerox21xx]

Date of release	Magazine	Letters on the cover	Chapter	Memories	Arc
8.03	No. 14	Sa	525	1	Welcome in FT arc
15.03	No. 15	i	526	2	Daybreak arc
22.03	No. 16	go	527	Color cover	Start of Hiro Mashima's exhibition
29.03	No. 17	ma	528	3	Lullaby arc
5.04	No. 18	de	529	4	Galuna Island arc
12.04	No. 19	o	530	Color cover	One month until showing the movie
19.04	No. 20	u	531	5	Phantom Lord arc
26.04	No. 21-22	e	532	Color cover	Right before showing the movie
10.05	No. 23	n	533	Color cover	Movie is a great hit
17.05	No. 24	a	534	6	Tower of Heaven arc
24.05	No. 25	ri	535	7	Battle of Fairy Tail arc
31.05	No. 26	ga	536	8	Nirvana arc
7.06.	No. 27	to	537	9	Edolas arc
14.06.	No. 28	u	538	10	Tenroujima arc
21.06	No. 29	go	539	11	GMG arc
28.06	No. 30	za	540	12	Dragon King Festival arc
5.07	No. 31	i	541	13	Tartaros arc
12.07	No. 32	ma	542	14	FT ZERO arc
19.07	No. 33	shi	543	15	Avatar arc
26.07	No. 34	ta	544	16	Alvares Empire arc
2.08	No. 35	Last chapter	545	Color cover	Ending

[td][/td]

--- Double Post Merged, Apr 5, 2017, Original Post Date: Apr 5, 2017 ---

we'll see if its true or not when we see the chapter cover this coming weekend whether is a the colored chapter cover like it said, or a cover showcasing phantom lord. I notice the Sun village arc is not there I assume the Loke mini arc between PL and TOH is too small.

--- Double Post Merged, Apr 5, 2017 ---

we'll find out once the next chapter cover is seen whether is a colored page or a phantom lord cover. I notice Sun village is not there, and I assume the Loke arc between PL and TOH is too small.

 

[natsu x777]

Date of release	Magazine	Letters on the cover	Chapter	Memories	Arc
8.03	No. 14	Sa	525	1	Welcome in FT arc
15.03	No. 15	i	526	2	Daybreak arc
22.03	No. 16	go	527	Color cover	Start of Hiro Mashima's exhibition
29.03	No. 17	ma	528	3	Lullaby arc
5.04	No. 18	de	529	4	Galuna Island arc
12.04	No. 19	o	530	Color cover	One month until showing the movie
19.04	No. 20	u	531	5	Phantom Lord arc
26.04	No. 21-22	e	532	Color cover	Right before showing the movie
10.05	No. 23	n	533	Color cover	Movie is a great hit
17.05	No. 24	a	534	6	Tower of Heaven arc
24.05	No. 25	ri	535	7	Battle of Fairy Tail arc
31.05	No. 26	ga	536	8	Nirvana arc
7.06.	No. 27	to	537	9	Edolas arc
14.06.	No. 28	u	538	10	Tenroujima arc
21.06	No. 29	go	539	11	GMG arc
28.06	No. 30	za	540	12	Dragon King Festival arc
5.07	No. 31	i	541	13	Tartaros arc
12.07	No. 32	ma	542	14	FT ZERO arc
19.07	No. 33	shi	543	15	Avatar arc
26.07	No. 34	ta	544	16	Alvares Empire arc
2.08	No. 35	Last chapter	545	Color cover	Ending

[td][/td]

Very detailed predictions, let's see, if it'll turn out to be true

Thank You, if it is, will be very interesting.

I don't want finish the series, T_T

 

[Laxus chan-yo]

Date of release	Magazine	Letters on the cover	Chapter	Memories	Arc
8.03	No. 14	Sa	525	1	Welcome in FT arc
15.03	No. 15	i	526	2	Daybreak arc
22.03	No. 16	go	527	Color cover	Start of Hiro Mashima's exhibition
29.03	No. 17	ma	528	3	Lullaby arc
5.04	No. 18	de	529	4	Galuna Island arc
12.04	No. 19	o	530	Color cover	One month until showing the movie
19.04	No. 20	u	531	5	Phantom Lord arc
26.04	No. 21-22	e	532	Color cover	Right before showing the movie
10.05	No. 23	n	533	Color cover	Movie is a great hit
17.05	No. 24	a	534	6	Tower of Heaven arc
24.05	No. 25	ri	535	7	Battle of Fairy Tail arc
31.05	No. 26	ga	536	8	Nirvana arc
7.06	No. 27	to	537	9	Edolas arc
14.06	No. 28	u	538	10	Tenroujima arc
21.06	No. 29	go	539	11	GMG arc
28.06	No. 30	za	540	12	Dragon King Festival arc
5.07	No. 31	i	541	13	Tartaros arc
12.07	No. 32	ma	542	14	FT ZERO arc
19.07	No. 33	shi	543	15	Avatar arc
26.07	No. 34	ta	544	16	Alvares Empire arc
2.08	No. 35	Last chapter	545	Color cover	Ending

Very detailed predictions, let's see, if it'll turn out to be true

From 530 to 545 one of those chapters is going to be titled Laxus vs Acnologia

 

[Rzerox21xx]

well the fan theory is off by a bit, this week chapter we got a Phantom lord cover but next week we are getting a colored cover.

 

[Crescent Jinx]

At this point I'm fairly sure Mashima trolls the Asian sites and probably read the theory.... and was like "Oh? They think they can predict my chapter schedule?"

--- Double Post Merged, Apr 8, 2017, Original Post Date: Apr 8, 2017 ---

 

[Doughboy]

I just wanna know how they knew it was gonna be a double issue and ft magazine cover for 532. They even got the "O" right. Shit starting to get creepy. Whose uncle gave this fan these exclusive deets?

 

[darkenedreality]

Double issue comes every golden week. That's why they know when in regards to that.

 

[Crescent Jinx]

Not sure if I should put this in the volume thread or here. But here is a pattern I see with the current chapters

Volume 61

519 - Erza cover - Conclusion of Erza's battle with Irene

520 - Lucy and Natsu cover (Lucy wearing Natsu's scarf which was made by Anna) - I truly believe this was symbolizing a connection between Anna and Lucy........

521 - Gray, Happy, and Lucy cover (These three are together right now and about to open END's book) - I believe this is symbolizing a team up of these three in the future.

522 - Colored opening page of Gray vs Zeref; August vs Gildarts; Natsu, Lucy, and Happy (Two of these subplots have been concluded - Gray's trump card and August's defeat, but Natsu/Lucy/Happy have not had any closure) - I believe this is foreshadowing the a switch in goals with Alvarez being defeated.... And Zeref being promoted.

523 - 2nd chapter that week - Happy and Charla with a dragon behind them (ok, don't see a parallel here, but it was also released same week as other chapter; although there is a dragon behind them, and they seem to be celebrating a festival) I believe this is a symbol of the dragon king festival...

524 - Cana with the background spiraling behind her - (Symbol of the environment wharping for some reason?)... I think this background looks like someone is waking up from a dream or everything being reset..... Which I think is symbolizing either END's awakening or that Zeref will reset everything or Lucy waking (see below theory)

525 - Memoirs chapter 1 - Happy, Lucy, and Natsu meet (Lucy and Happy leave Natsu for Gray) - I believe this was connected back to why Mashima always refers to their meeting as a fateful encounter. Sidenote: Natsu caused the spell on Lucy to break in chapter 1; this time I think Lucy will cause the spell on Natsu to break.....

526 - Memoirs 2 - Daybreak with Natsu, Lucy, and Happy- (Initially I thought this Daybreak was parallel to August and Larcade and their father issues because of Daybreak being a book left by a Father to his son; but now I think this was foreshadowing that just like Daybreak ended up in Lucy's hands before she read the book to unlock its secret; I think this was foreshadowing that she would open the book soon)(Sidenote parallels : Natsu wishing to destroy Daybreak's book; Gray at one point wanting to destroy END's book)

527 - Colored Natsu, Lucy, and Happy cover - No memory cover - (Mavis gives Lucy END's book) - This correlates with the END of Volume 61 so I think Mashima was concluding the Dragneel family storyline...

And think 527 means that Hiro will be moving on to all the things he foreshadowed - Anna (520), Gray/Happy/Lucy team up (521), Zeref as major villain (522); Dragon king festival (523); END awakening or Zeref resetting world (524); Lucy breaking the spell (525) on END's book (526);

Volume 62

528 - Memoirs 3 - Eisenwall with Gray/Erza and Natsu, Lucy, and Happy playing with the tornado in the background

Anna appears.
We continue with Acnologias POV
Natsu, Lucy, and Happy were not in this chapter

529 - Memoir 4 - Galuna with Gray, Lucy, and Natsu (in ice)
More about Anna is revealed
Lucy is distraught over END's book; Gray and Happy are in shock
Natsu vs Zeref continues

530 - Memoirs 5 - Phantom Lord with Lucy as the prize between Natsu vs Gajeel, while Gray gets Juvia as a prize and Makarov is still single - The PL arc was about Lucy's background..... while chapter 530 explained what happened to Layla and how Anna came to the future; Lucy and Gray are also about to open END's book

So unlike the previous chapters and the previous memories, these chapter covers don't fit with the chapter as well except for Phantom Lord's cover being about Layla/Anna. You can stretch that Erza had the main role of the Eisenwall arc as the "fairy queen" so she appeared in chapter 528, but that doesn't explain the lack of Gray in chapter 529 which only had a small panel of him.

But look at the parallels to the previous chapter covers.

Therefore, I predict that volume 62 will center around the Heartfilia's (like with the previous volume being about the Dragneels).... To know if the chapter covers have some pattern beyond being memories. We will have to wait and see.....

So in theory, the next 6 chapters should center around either Anna or Lucy or Both....

My previous prediction was that Mashima was being a troll and counting down to END's awakening (as oppose to the end of the series) with these being Natsu's memories......

But now I wonder if we are counting down to the climax and these are Lucy's memories....... Or even Star Memories.... Like in this early chapter cover...

So it will be interesting to see how Mashima does Fairy tail zero as a chapter cover since that had neither Natsu or Lucy in it. I am also awaiting to see the Tower of Heaven's chapter cover since unlike Galuna island where Natsu and Lucy supported Gray.... Tower of heaven revolved around Jellal, Erza, and Natsu.

So I think ToH chapter cover will be the true key to see if there is a pattern or if these are just general reviews of the arcs.

 

[Rzerox21xx]

The fan theory chart was only off by having the phantom lord cover go before the color cover which in the chart, its the other way around. so except for maybe pull a switcharoo, we can still use the same prediction with the chart, we just have to wait and see in the coming weeks.

 

[Arjuna]

What was the last chapter number we got double issue?

I assume we will get some colour covers now.

 

[thatsvicchan]

Anyone found the code in today's spoilers yet?

It's U (it says 4 U <3 in the cover)

Like the Japanese fan predicted

 

[Nomi]

It's U (it says 4 U <3 in the cover)

Like the Japanese fan predicted

Where exactly can I find it?

 

[Rzerox21xx]

Spoiler

Well guys, looks like the fan theory list been thrown out with the window. yes we got a chapter color cover but we also had a double chapter and the 2nd chapter has a memory chapter cover. but its not Tower of Heaven. its the small Loke arc in between PL and TOH. I assume that means the bigger arcs like GMG will get more than 1 chapter cover and Sun Village will get one. that probably means FT will end beyond chapter 545

 

[Crescent Jinx]

Spoiler

Well guys, looks like the fan theory list been thrown out with the window. yes we got a chapter color cover but we also had a double chapter and the 2nd chapter has a memory chapter cover. but its not Tower of Heaven. its the small Loke arc in between PL and TOH. I assume that means the bigger arcs like GMG will get more than 1 chapter cover and Sun Village will get one. that probably means FT will end beyond chapter 545

On top of that hiro could add more color pages in future that would delay it even more. Plus the covers could be counting down to something specific like the defeat of Zeref or something and not like the actual last chapter.

Aka...... Mashima trolls fandom again.

 

[Brandish μ]

How am I supposed to spot that letter with Lucy (un)dressed like dat

On top of that hiro could add more color pages in future that would delay it even more. Plus the covers could be counting down to something specific like the defeat of Zeref or something and not like the actual last chapter.

Aka...... Mashima trolls fandom again.

For sure this would fit Mashima to a tee. Also if he miscalculates the amount of chapters left he might delay it as well (to time his message right)

 

[darkenedreality]

I wouldn't count the theory out just yet. They're still spot on with the message so far: SAIGO MADE OUEN

It won't be perfect, and I personally never expected that. But ending on August 2 still makes sense even with the double chapter. It may just not end with 545.

 

[Gabo]

In this chapter no letter put in the cover... that theory is broken now?