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

[SharkBait]

okay that explains what that first page of this chapter was referring too, I was like thats random.

 

[Teennitro]

Red Hood had some questionable character design and questionable angles, like did we really need to focus in on her thighs and butt from behind as she is walking into the facility, and also what is up with her chest. Just distracting and weird

I'm so glad I was not the one that found the new female character design distracting

 

[redon]

I wonder if this means new series in #42, if there's three One Piece specials in a row announced. Generally they don't have two groups of stuff happening at the same time.

105 pages until now (chapter 1 - 35 pages, chapter 2 - 39 pages and chapter 3 - 31 pages). If next chapters have around 30-35 pages each one, I think we need at 2 or 3 more chapters to compile all of them in a Volume.

And I think we will see it next year, for One Piece 25th Anniversary (and Boichi's novel Ace Volume too).

 

[Pietro]

The great chapter of this week...

One piece: GREAT, nothing to say about this to say how much epic it was
Mashle: I found it very funny unexpectedly
Magu chan: oh my God, they were all so cute all together (even if I still can't like the new squid form of Muscar) and Une san in beach costume was like a goddess. I love her
Red hood : the giant girl was so hot and the story is deepening more and more with the mayor apparition in the last page
Yozakura: here we are finally, the last match and the most frightening one with the siscon. Anyway, I really loved the flashback, they are so in love.
Blue box: Oh my God, poor Hina's heart

--- Double Post Merged, Aug 22, 2021, Original Post Date: Aug 22, 2021 ---

105 pages until now (chapter 1 - 35 pages, chapter 2 - 39 pages and chapter 3 - 31 pages). If next chapters have around 30-35 pages each one, I think we need at 2 or 3 more chapters to compile all of them in a Volume.

And I think we will see it next year, for One Piece 25th Anniversary (and Boichi's novel Ace Volume too).

I believe new series will begin in 3-4 issues

 

[Mankichi Togawa]

My top-5 this week is clear:
1. Mission of Yozakura Family
2. Undead Unluck
3. Red Hood
4. My Hero Academia
5. I'm between One Piece, Black Clover, and The Elusive Samurai

Red Hood has been very good. And Yozakura has been superb.

Also, 6 more chapters for Yozakura chapter 100

 

[ItsSamu]

Another strong issue - it's always nice when the latest batch of serialisations are among your favourites to read (at least until they prove to be unpopular and potentially get cut).

Great:
1. (+1) One Piece - After getting lots of Straw Hat vs Tobiroppo fights, we now get a cut between lots of various scenes happening and while sometimes I find these a waste of a chapter when little happens, this was definitely not the case. We got a good moment from each of the fights we're seeing, and now that Zoro and Sanji are back in action I think we might just be heading into the (real) endgame of this never-ending arc. That might take another 30 chapters at this rate but that seems to be where it's going. I just started Dressrosa in my re-read as well, fingers crossed these lengthy post-timeskip arcs work better for me on re-read.
2. (+5) The Hunters Guild: Red Hood - Easily the best chapter of the series, and almost of this entire issue! This set-up is giving me Hunter Exam arc vibes from HxH in the best way. I personally like the new character introduced and got a real sense of the area they're in, which I can't say for the hamlet. The best moment however was when Velou looked out the window to see the old man rowing away just a few pages after it seemed like we were setting up for the opposite. Such effective storytelling in that single page. And then we've got that ending, which will be the volume 1 finisher and hopefully a way to attract more readers and survive.
3. (+4) Jujutsu Kaisen - I'm really enjoying this current mini-arc we have right now. The new villains are interesting and we got some classic JJK action this week. Nothing too major this week otherwise.
4. (+1) Neru: Way of the Martial Artist - Another fun chapter even though I think we've spent a little too long on this part of the exam. I'm glad it's moving on with that very memorable and bonkers final spread. I'm sure we'll get an explanation but that gave me a good laugh.
5. (+1) Blue Box - Ugh, this is painful. I'm not rooting for this ship in any way, but seeing these feelings form naturally is both lovely and painful to read knowing that there's no way in hell it will turn into anything. Hopefully Hina gets her own romance in the future (Kyo, maybe?).
6. (-3) My Hero Academia - Quite a wordy chapter with a nice build-up. You can see both sides of the argument which is why it's quite a compelling topic to focus on. I'm glad Uraraka is getting more panel-time to shine.

Good:
7. (+10) Black Clover - What an improvement on a fight that I've had so little investment in throughout. Black Clover flashbacks often feel hollow and don't get any emotions out of me, but this one worked well and now we're wrapping up this battle. Nice!
8. (+1) High School Family: Kokosei Kazoku - This was a really funny chapter, the best gag manga of the week for sure. I knew it would be cringe when the chapter focus was revealed. That final joke was the best.
9. (+2) Undead Unluck - Back into the action and it looks like we're getting a fight with a bunch of characters who aren't exactly my favourites, but I'm liking the overall set-up for this Spring conflict.
10. ( = ) Sakamoto Days - I have to admit, this gambling focus isn't my favourite. The characters are doing the absolute most as you'd expect so I'm still enjoying it, but I'm looking forward to this mini-arc wrapping up. Lovely colour pages this issue and last.
11. (+3) The Elusive Samurai - This isn't ever going to be my favourite in the magazine but it's pretty much in a comfortable middle right now where I have grown to enjoy the mood and all the characters, especially Tokiyuki - those moments of outbursts like we saw this chapter are my favourites. Also, I just read the Wikipedia page for the real Tokiyuki and oh boy I'm even more curious now for what Matsui's long-term plan for the series is.
12. (+3) Mission: Yozakura Family - That was a really sweet and rewarding finish to this second round.
13. (-10) Me & Roboco - After such a great chapter, this one was pretty low in my M&R rankings; the knee stuff was funny for a few pages but lost the humour after, however that Pell/One Piece parody at the end was a big win.

Fine:
14. (+2) Mashle - A chuckled a few times and I liked how it came together in the end, but damn the art in these pure comedy chapter is really low effort that it's a little distracting.
15. (-2) Dr. Stone - While I was a fan of the science focus (for once) last time, it was lost on me again and them getting a fax already just felt... silly. The chapter was saved from the depths thanks to the shift in focus on the brothers' relationship and a nice outcome between them.
16. (+2) Ayakashi Triangle - By Ayakashi Triangle standards this was another good chapter, thanks to the new villain we have. Compared to the rest of the magazine however it's still nothing too noteworthy.
17. (-5) WITCH WATCH - One of the things I feared happened: now that the series in introducing the more serious storylines I don't think the magic we've seen up until now fits with this shift in focus. The mood was off and what moments of comedy there were didn't land. Such a shame after last week's successful twist.

Bad:
18. (+1) Candy Flurry - Even though going for the gags in recent weeks wasn't a terrible decision considering the chance of survival, the villain turned into such a joke that I didn't care in the slightest. Now it's just a guess of when this week end, I give it 3-4 chapters.
19. (+1) Magu-chan: God of Destruction - I'll be honest, this was the last series I read this week and I skimmed the second half of the chapter to save from ending on a major sour note. Nothing here that would give me anything that I enjoy out of this series, so I'll skip until that time comes around again.

 

[Aipom626]

This week's top 5:
1. Magu-chan: God of Destruction - Cute incapable gods doing cute things: a premise that can never go wrong.
2. Mission: Yozakura Family - Beautiful chapter. The flashback was quite nice for a variety of reasons, and rather heartbreaking for just about everyone. I'm glad to see the fan designs showing up again too.
3. Blue Box - Another solid chapter. Focusing on Hina makes an otherwise boring story quite interesting. Keep it up!
4. High School Family: Kokosei Kazoku - Super funny chapter, and I'm pretty surprised I didn't see this type of chapter coming.
5. Witch Watch - Wasn't expecting that ending part whatsoever, but that surprise development at the ending was pretty funny.

The best of the rest:
6. Sakamoto Days - Nice color page, and this chapter felt pretty good. The villain this time around is a pretty interesting character, and I hope we get to see him again once this is done.
7. Mashle - Mashle's color pages usually are pretty miss for me, but at least the cover looked nice. The chapter itself was pretty good, and I'm glad Finn was the one to bring Mash back to his senses.
8. Undead Unluck - The chapter itself was alright, but I'm a bit more curious about how these upcoming battles will unfold. I'm guessing a series of quick fights between all the members of both sides.
9. Ayakashi Triangle - One of the weaker chapters from the past few months. This development felt like it came out of nowhere, so I'm hoping it slows down and explains things a little more.
10. Me & Roboco - Another lackluster chapter. I don't think I'll ever understand the knee fetish lol.
11. Candy Flurry - Super fast-paced chapter this week, and the developments are flying left and right. Major ax vibes incoming.

 

[Discomusic]

This time I tried something different and I wrote my rankings starting from bottom to top, instead of the usual top-bottom. I suppose nobody cares about that, so let's just start ranking stuff.

1. The Hunters Guild: Red Hood: Not necessarily chapter of the week, but I want to reward the series for how much it has improved. The exam arc started up well, with not too much new characters introduced. I liked how the perspective of failure was handled (I'm not even sure that Velou will make it) and at the end was some great reveal that justifies a bit why we were stuck to the hamlet for that long. Next week it's first ranking, it's time to look at some results!
2. One Piece: One of the best One Piece chapters since the start of this war. There's a lot of things to be hyped for: the reveal about the Killer fight really raises up the stakes, and the strongest non-Luffy strawhats working together...that's a big level of hype over here.
3. The Elusive Samurai: Great chapter with some things to reflect about regarding the importance of choosing life over death. An update on Assassination Classroom re-edition: it's very good now.
4. Blue Box:

Blue Box was great, I think I might be team Hina, as doomed of a team that it is

Count me with you in this hopeless club.
5. Jujutsu Kaisen: This Hakari is really an interesting fellow. It would be a great addition if the negotiations will end up well.
6. My Hero Academia: So, a horde of desperate citizen are angry towards a system that promised so much but wasn't able to mantain any promise, and all it gets to calm them down is an inspired pep talk? Yeah, that can happen only in mangas (thumbs up because we're not sure yet if that really worked).
7. Undead Unluck: Although the chapter wasn't anything particularly inspiring, it featured SPRING! And he said something cool! I hope the manga ends with him winning via time limit.
8. Black Clover: I liked how this finght ended, mostly because it was ended by the right people. I would have never forgiven Asta if he were the one to deliver the final blow.
9. Ayakashi Triangle: I'm more or less convinced by the explanation given by the new Ayakashi about her hatred towards humanity. I still think there she shouldn't be so bitter but maybe the brighter part of her personality is currently restrained? Oh, being able to make theories about the plot without getting too distracted by the "plot"!
10. Mission: Yozakura Family: We get a flashback that wasn't really needed but surely was good, estabilishing even more the current best relationship in all of Jump. Overall, this exam stage was a bit weak but I'm definitely pumped for the last one!
11. Dr. Stone: The first half was the usual science yadda-yadda and I'm not even sure that Inagaki comprehended completely the subject, the explanations felt messier than usual. The second half about the brothers saves the day.
12. Neru: Way of the Martial Artist: The thing about this manga is that it's a very light read, you can turn off your brain while browsing through the chapter. If it keeps following this path, it can find its niche. Of course it will eventually get serious, let's hope it will be able to perform even then.
13. Highschool Family: The first half about health class was very funny and I felt sorry for Kotaro (my low-key favourite character for how much he is relatable). The second half with the class president was not that remarkable. The last page was great.
14. Sakamoto Days: Although the idea of resolving the quarrel through not-fighting was great, we have too many examples of great gambling arcs in mangas and unfortunately this pales in comparison. All in all, I have to admit that this series is meant for action.
15. Witch Watch: I'm more interested in the other fight than in this skirmish and I think that the enemy has been defeated way too easily (although there could be more). Sooner or later I expect the reveal that Sergeant Punch was the true main villain in disguise all along.
16. Mashle: Despite the low ranking, I kind of liked this chapter, that shows that there is one thing Mash isn't invincible against and he has to struggle to barely make it. Maybe I would have given more space to this exam and worked it into a "mini-arc" of sorts.
17. Magu-chan: God of Destruction: The premise was interesting, but overall the chapter felt kinda uninspired. Muscar as a serious chibi doesn't work as good as when he was a serious grown-up.
18. Me & Roboco: There are a few funny moments here and there, but overall a forgettable chapter. The highlight is the reference to Nappa's "Kung", one of the favourite moments of my manga childhood.
19. Candy Flurry: Yep, it's time to get cancelled. Although I didn't hate the idea of handling the 2vs3 battle offscreen, even if we don't know if it is an artistic choice or a consequence of the axe rush.

 

[tirakai]

Candy Flurry clearly just skipped a fight, so I definitely think it's in ending mode now.

I'd guess at there being 4 chapters left if we do indeed see the next batch start after the 3 One Piece special chapters are done (since there's still a gap which should give it one extra week).

Has the Candy Flurry creator done any oneshots that we know of? I'm wondering how they'll fill v3 if it ends around ch 20.

 

[Minsel]

My Rankings
S tier
1. Yozakura Family
2. Blue Box
3. Black Clover

A tier
4. Dr. Stone
5. The Elusive Samurai

B tier
6. Ayakashi Triangle
7. Undead Unluck
8. My Hero Academia
9. Red Hood

C Tier
10. Jujutsu Kaisen
11. Candy Flurry
12. High school Family
13. Neru
14. Sakamoto Days
15. Witch Watch

D Tier
16. MASHLE
17. Magu Chan
18. Roboco

 

[Ctkk]

Since MHA's latest volume is doing pretty well, I started thinking it could become the best sold volume above 21. But then I started looking around and 29 was already above 500K second week, yet apparently it failed to rank anymore due to the ridicolous JJK/KnY combo wall from the beginning of the year. Is there any other source we could use to see how much it sold in 4 weeks? It's very possible this is actually the best sold volume of the series.

 

[SharkBait]

Based on impressions here, Id say Red Hood has to be one of the most devisive new manga.

 

[tirakai]

Red Hood I think so far is showing signs that it could become great later on, but has also had some rather clumsily handled stuff too (kind of like early Undead Unluck in a way).

Like the intro of the major villains was great, and there's plenty of foreshadowing and hints being done that helps it feel like the beginning of a big story, but having a whole second wolf fight was pointless and it really needs to work on the main characters a bit more.

 

[ItsSamu]

Based on impressions here, Id say Red Hood has to be one of the most devisive new manga.

It's hardly that divisive. Comments have varied from mixed but overall positive impressions on the first chapter, critiques on the hamlet chapters, more positive comments (often from the same people critical of it) on this recent exam arc, and your dislike pretty much every chapter. I'd say it's most people just agreeing it's getting better than fans and haters fighting over it. And outside of here I'd say it's gotten a better reception online than Neru has, at least.

If people on this forum were a good measure of real popularity (we're not) then the amount of Magu-chan fans here would make you think it's way more popular than it actually is with the readership.

 

[Rukasu]

At least using online western metrics, Red Hood has to be the best received/most popular new series from the past few years. It's constantly getting over 2k upvotes on reddit's r/manga, above basically anything that's not MHA or JJK, and it's #13 in MangaPlus, just below Mashle and even outranking Sakamoto and Blue Box

 

[KagamiKuroko]

Anyone have the JumpPlus views numbers for Red Hood and Neru chapters 1-3?

 

[Wookitake]

Ooooh, so that's what Red Hood is about. Nooooow thinks get interesting. I just wish Velou was a tad older.

The other chapters that caught my attention where Blue Box (as always) and Mashle.

 

[Shinuki no Reborn]

MANGAHELPERS "TOC" POLL ISSUE #38 (2021) - VOTING

The thread for Poll & Comment voting of SJ issue #38 is open, you can vote HERE!

The extra series this week are:

Dragon Ball Super 75
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations 61
Spy x Family Extra Chapter 6
Kaiju No.8 42
Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective 32 & 33
Excuse me Dentist, It's Touching Me! 32
World's End Harem ~Britannia Lumiére~ 22 (Final)

Thanks for your participation, good votes!

 

[Newkerzy]

5. (+1) Blue Box - Ugh, this is painful. I'm not rooting for this ship in any way, but seeing these feelings form naturally is both lovely and painful to read knowing that there's no way in hell it will turn into anything. Hopefully Hina gets her own romance in the future (Kyo, maybe?).

My thoughts as well. It’s worth noting that Kyo was already noticing Hina’s changes two chapters ago. Plus, the author has already set up their dynamic well, so it’s likely him. If we do get a protracted love triangle though..... *Great Shipping War of 00’s flashbacks*

 

[SharkBait]

If people on this forum were a good measure of real popularity (we're not) then the amount of Magu-chan fans here would make you think it's way more popular than it actually is with the readership.

really? magu chan is pretty divisive here