Mag Talk Weekly Shonen Jump [2021] - Discussion and ToC Talk

[ItsSamu]

Last chapters of 2020 and a good mix to finish off the year. One Piece is using this momentum for the 1000th chapter to deliver some really enjoyable moments this week; with an arc that's been so scattered in trying to show every ongoing storyline that each one ends up feeling mediocre as a result, this week felt much more impactful by showing the flashback with Ace and having that conversation about the Rocks at at the end. Great stuff, can't wait to see what Oda does for the big one next week. I was however tempted to put Me & Roboco as my favourite of the week again just for that effortless My Promised Neverland parody. It shouldn't come as a surprise since the author already did a whole spin-off on the series but this was really funny stuff. I'm once again thoroughly entertained.

My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen feel like they're ending their longest running arcs now, and while MHA is continuing to make an impact in its final moments, JJK frankly feels a bit all over the place. I wish I was a mega fan of this series since I can see early Bleach in it, but there's something about the panelling/passage of time/pacing that makes even these climactic moments seem underwhelming and less rewarding than I'd like. Mei Mei is my favourite so I'm glad she showed up again but even then it feels so removed from the rest of what's happening. At least Undead Unluck and Black Clover are still going strong with action-packed chapters this week. Phantom Seer is also in my good books again just by how well Riku and her new powers are being utilised; I'm so used to seeing female main characters written to be incapable sidekicks beside the protagonist so even if the content of what's actually happening isn't anything particular unique, that at least feels refreshing.

Mission: Yozakura Family and Magu-chan: God of Destruction both really impressed me, the former for building on from that impactful chapter last week and opening up the story to even more serious territory (plus that hug was adorable), while the latter had its best chapter yet with real emotional weight rather than the comedic daily life chapters that sadly do nothing for me. I wish I could say the We Never Learn ending was as noteworthy, but it wasn't. As someone who doesn't take it too seriously I'm not over or underwhelmed by this middle of the road conclusion, but I can imagine long-time fans of the series might feel like its a kick in the nuts after sitting through each heroine getting their ending. Fingers crossed the next romance in Jump (excluding Ayakashi Triangle) engages me a bit more. At least I can officially say that Asumi had the best route by far, as she should!

Moriking feels like it could end any week now, and I hope it does at this point. The gag has long worn off. With any luck Our Blood Oath will follow it (perhaps along with Agravity Boys going by the way its wrapping up as well).

1. (+6) One Piece
2. (-1) Me & Roboco
3. (+6) My Hero Academia
4. (-1) Undead Unluck
5. (+1) Black Clover
6. (-2) Sakamoto Days
7. (+3) Mission: Yozakura Family
8. (+3) Phantom Seer
9. ( - ) Jujutsu Kaisen
10. (+8) Magu-chan: God of Destruction
11. (-6) Agravity Boys
12. ( - ) Hard-Boiled Cop and Dolphin
13. (+2) Mashle
14. ( - ) High School Family: Kokosei Kazoku
15. (+1) We Never Learn (END)
16. (-3) Dr. Stone
17. (+2) Build King
18. (-1) Ayakashi Triangle
19. (+1) Moriking
20. (+1) Our Blood Oath

 

[savethecat]

I'm not sure what the problem with the final chapter of WNL is supposed to be. It's a cute wrapping up chapter that shows many of the characters while basically telling the reader that all of the routes are possible, which means, as it was before, the canon one is the one you like the most. I liked it.



I mean, what did you expect? Did you think after all the routes were done, Tsutsui would declare one to be the canon route in the final chapter?

The problem is the “everything was just a Dream” type ending is generally seen as one of the worst storytelling troupes of all time.

The different routes were fine for the people who wanted to choose their favorite girl. However this final chapter basically implies that all of the routes didn’t even happen; which just makes the last 45 chapters feel completely pointless

 

[Magister Xehanort]

The problem is the “everything was just a Dream” type ending is generally seen as one of the worst storytelling troupes of all time.

The different routes were fine for the people who wanted to choose their favorite girl. However this final chapter basically implies that all of the routes didn’t even happen; which just makes the last 45 chapters feel completely pointless

That is not what happened.

 

[Serinox]

The problem is the “everything was just a Dream” type ending is generally seen as one of the worst storytelling troupes of all time.

The different routes were fine for the people who wanted to choose their favorite girl. However this final chapter basically implies that all of the routes didn’t even happen; which just makes the last 45 chapters feel completely pointless

No, the final chapter implies that all routes do happen. And this is certainly not a "Everything was just a dream" type of ending.

 

[Halloween]

You guys aren’t discussing open spoilers for WNL in here, are you?

I don’t follow it, but just in case you guys are, you should know by now that that’s unacceptable.

 

[OtterBrigade]

No, the final chapter implies that all routes do happen. And this is certainly not a "Everything was just a dream" type of ending.

how? a few of them take place after graduation so they wouldn't "remember" them before graduating if they actually happened.

 

[Serinox]

how? a few of them take place after graduation so they wouldn't "remember" them before graduating if they actually happened.

Because infinite futures and infinite possibilities, as the narrative caption says. They are "remembering" stuff from parallel worlds, so to speak, aka the futures where their route happened. Asumi even says that it is too real to be a dream.

 

[tirakai]

On a non-spoiler note about WNL, since it's finished now that means the last 3 successful romcoms in jump were the longest, second longest, and then 3rd longest in their history. Yuuna would've been the longest if not for Nisekoi and WNL would've been the longest if not for Nisekoi and Yuuna.

 

[Aeneas]

By the way, forgot to comment on this. At the Jump New Heroes Stage, all editors appeared cosplaying characters from their series, and we finally got to see who Ayakashi Triangle's editor is.

I don't have a full picture of his name, but it should be 今村, Imamura, one of the guys from Murakoshi's team.

EDIT: Yeah, it's absolutely Imamura.

Spoiler: Editors

Nice find. Added Ayakashi to Imamura. The source also has Takano and him as just in charge of Cop and Dolphin and Ayakashi (respectively) and that they didn't launch them, which is very likely for someone as new as Imamura. So who knows if we'll find out who launched those.

All that's left now is to see who was given Magu-chan (and HxH) after Monji left.

 

[OniluapL]

I disliked WNL's ending, but I hated the whole concept of the routes to begin with (and then disliked the stories within each route as well). I didn't really expected anything diferent for the finale, considering that. Anyway, glad the series is over.

 

[Blink22]

Hope Tsutsui has another work in store for the future and doesn’t disappear from the industry like Komi

 

[Discomusic]

1. Mission: Yozakura Family: I often compile my ranking imagining that Yozakura would place in the middle, and when it's completed it turns out to be at first place. Beautiful chapter that gives Mutsumi something to train about (kind of) in this training arc, and evolves nicely the bond between the main couple.
2. Magu-chan: God of Destruction: And thus Magu-chan saved Christmas. In an hypotethical anime series, this would make for a perfect season finale.
3. Sakamoto Days: Great action packed chapter, this series can make the best out of the most tyipcal action-comedy tropes. I wonder if the group of heroes is now complete or there will be other additions, I suppose that the rental shop can't afford too much salaries at once.
4. Mashle: When I like a chapter of Mashle I have to admit it. I liked the comeback to the first chapters and the chance of reflecting on how much the main character has evolved in almost a year of serialization. I also liked that we stopped fighting for a while, although I suppose we will return to that soon.
5. Me & Roboco: Maybe the real reason for such high ToC placements is that this series serves as promotion for upcoming Jump events? If so, I hope for the Gintama parody next week. I would never turn off TV if the commercials were always this funny.
6. One Piece: For the first time in a while, it looks like we are moving somewhere. There were many interesting revelations scattered here and there and at the end I was left thinking: what is going to happen in the 1000th chapter?
7. Undead Unluck: Not much to say apart from great action and nice job from all the characters involved. The relationship between the duo benefited greatly from this experience, but isn't it time to return back to the main timeline?
8. My Hero Academia: We are closing the arc, that is a very good news per se. The dynamic between the MC and the villain is also set up in a way that it will be interesting to explore further in the future.
9. Jujutsu Kaisen: We are wrapping up here as well, but there was a lot of confusion at the beginning so I didn't enjoy the chapter as a whole. The second part was very interesting though, with the actual main villain finally making some moves (and proving why he's the main villain).
10. Hard-boiled Cop and Dolphin: Transitional chapter that hopefully is setting up a great arc. I may be the only one that enjoyed the previous chapters that went nowhere, they gave me a feeling that the series is in no rush or in need to impress. Now I am worried again.
11. Dr. Stone: An episode focused on teamwork with the implication that they cooperate just because thay share a common goal. Will it be enough to complete the mission? (yes, it will. Everybody ends up being reliable in Dr. Stone).
12. Black Clover: Good action, but it fell transitional all around. If I was to choose in which order show the upcoming fights showcase, this isn't the one I would start with.
13. Build King: I could swear I saw Goku running along that long road! The upside-down castle is still feeling original but in the end this series keeps feeling a bit too much like Toriko (I promise to not reiterate this concept every week).
14. Ayakashi Triangle: Episodic chapter with the occasional panty shot. It didn't do me any favor: I liked Lu as a side character because she seemed detached from the events, and with this new characterization I now like her a little less.
15. Phantom Seer: The new villain girl is really interesting, but her master is just the standard manipulator character type. More of the same, once again.
16. We Never Learn: Didn't read the series, but I never miss a final chapter, expecially given all the buzz that this one generated. I think I can understand why many fans were disappointed, but I don't know the series enough to say more than that. Now I only need for Agravity Boys to end and I can say that I read all of Jump!
17. Highschool Family: As usual, nothing really connects with me. I think I am cheering a little bit for Kotaro, though. Don't give up on the girl while your dad delivers the best spokon of recent times.
18. Our blood Oath: The new character roll seems a desperate tentative to generate interest and doesn't move me away from the idea that the series might be axed soon. Also, In my recent binge of KnY I encountered a situation similar to what happened in this chapter. Should I consider it a problem?
19. Moriking: For a final fight, it could have lasted at least another chapter more. Less inspired conclusion of them all, the author has clearly given up, so let's just end this already.

Retro binge update. Kimetsu no Yaiba: 60 chapters in. Our hero now has finally some friends! Then we got an arc involving spiders or something. Then the pillars were introduced and I also made the acquaintance of the famous Rengoku, I always wondered if he was friend or foe. Now they are fighting inside a train, my little birds told me that this train part is so cool they could make a movie out of it, so I'll pay attention.

 

[Aeneas]

 

[Franz]

Jujutsu is bigger than Hero.....

 

[Koni]

Jujutsu is bigger than Hero.....

Jujutsu has the anime running, so of course it's gonna get the most promotion. It's building up a lot of momentum, too.

 

[c3pman]

I'm really curious about the direction that Sakamoto Days is going to take... it has potential for a nice story and plot, but the author could also take the comedy and "gag of the week" direction...

 

[Franz]

Jujutsu has the anime running, so of course it's gonna get the most promotion. It's building up a lot of momentum, too.

And Black Clover is overshadowed by Stone and Chainsaw Man

 

[SharkBait]

I'm really curious about the direction that Sakamoto Days is going to take... it has potential for a nice story and plot, but the author could also take the comedy and "gag of the week" direction...

hasn't really felt like a gag story though

 

[Lil meen]

Even though I personally like sakamoto days now, I wish it was more similar to the oneshot.

 

[savethecat]

And Black Clover is overshadowed by Stone and Chainsaw Man

Well, JJK is legitimately bigger than both of those