Art Volume Covers and Official Art Thread

[Reebi]

Natsu seems to fit the role of Momotaro pretty well. I can't tell if Lucy is in Wonderland or at witch's house from Hansel/Gretel.

Alice in Fairy Tale land

 

[Cat Sidhe26]

Alice in Fairy Tale land

Well I know Lucy is Alice but the house looks like the witch's house from Hansel/Gretel since the house is made out of candy. But I like how you called Lucy Alice in Fairy Tail Land it really fits Lucy at the moment.

 

[Reebi]

Well I know Lucy is Alice but the house looks like the witch's house from Hansel/Gretel since the house is made out of candy. But I like how you called Lucy Alice in Fairy Tail Land it really fits Lucy at the moment.

Natsu did show her another world when she joined fairy tail

 

[Cat Sidhe26]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">So Hiro Mashima&#39;s volume commentary is a bunch of justifications for why he ended the series the way he did. He couldn&#39;t stick to his rules.</p>&mdash; YonkouProductions (@YonkouProd) <a href="">September 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Reebi]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">So Hiro Mashima&#39;s volume commentary is a bunch of justifications for why he ended the series the way he did. He couldn&#39;t stick to his rules.</p>&mdash; YonkouProductions (@YonkouProd) <a href="">September 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

With his insane schedule for ten years, I can see why the ending was weird.

 

[Raven]

This make a lot of sense actually. It could be better if Mashima continued the Dragon route instead of creating the biggest disaster which is END.

Anyways "What is done can not be undone".

I respect that Mashima admit his flaws. Better than making up excuses.

 

[Doughboy]

It doesn't excuse the fake deaths which burned me the most of anything, I'm really chill and tolerant to manga and anime in general but some shit just doesn't slide after awhile. But I respect anyone who can admit when either them or something regarding theirselves isn't perfect. The final arc went waywards for me after Irene's stuff was over but the final chapter itself was pretty good and felt something accustomed to seeing throughout the series.

 

[Linali]

Does Mashima admit his flaws tho? When in one afterwords he told about "story growing when new elements that just came to my mind are included" it didn't sound like something bad for him. Same with "First I draw, then make plot to fit the pictures" in his interview. Does he admit his flaws in this afterwords or not, let's wait for it to be posted first

 

[Gabo]

But what a mistake, I think we have to understand that the Mangakas have no control over editorial decisions, remember that each episode must be accepted by the publisher, which in turn will tend to force them to create something.

Often authors for these reasons tend to blame themselves for the same, because they can not complain against the Editorial unless they risk losing their job (as happened to Hiroyuki Takei) or end up doing a tantrum and they end up everything of trancaso repairing until years later (As happened to Ken Akamatsu with Negima).

Perhaps Mashima explains why he decided to end the plot in this way or perhaps attach extra leaves to the final fights giving them a better view. Even so, it does not mean that in Japan it was more successful, because the vision of the Japanese is very different from that of the Westerners, who sometimes forget that in Japan we manage a whole scheme of ideas and values very different from ours.

 

[Doughboy]

But what a mistake, I think we have to understand that the Mangakas have no control over editorial decisions, remember that each episode must be accepted by the publisher, which in turn will tend to force them to create something.

Often authors for these reasons tend to blame themselves for the same, because they can not complain against the Editorial unless they risk losing their job (as happened to Hiroyuki Takei) or end up doing a tantrum and they end up everything of trancaso repairing until years later (As happened to Ken Akamatsu with Negima).

Perhaps Mashima explains why he decided to end the plot in this way or perhaps attach extra leaves to the final fights giving them a better view. Even so, it does not mean that in Japan it was more successful, because the vision of the Japanese is very different from that of the Westerners, who sometimes forget that in Japan we manage a whole scheme of ideas and values very different from ours.

Yeah, I agree with this bro. Hearing this actually gives me hope for the anime for these reasons. Hiro said himself that FT has a fast pace, even though after the timeskip we've gotten the 3 longest arcs in FT (GMG, Tartaros, Alvarez) when everything before was pretty much no more than 30 or so chapters. This caused super issues since things would get left out and we're left to speculate how this occurred and so on. Some things are easily to put two and two together, things get implied all the time which is no issue. But it began a trend in Alvarez where scenes will just get skipped and battles will get off-paneled which was lowkey annoying cause it was some cool shit I would want to see get explained. Just look at the Tartaros arc in the anime, it was things cut out of the weekly series (Laxus vs. Tempester, Crime Sorciere filler) not to mention extended scenes in basically every episode. Idk how they'll fix the glaring flaws but stuff not included in the weekly series will probably be good and make the silly parts flow better since Hiro is leading the 3rd season himself with the anime team.

 

[Linali]

But what a mistake, I think we have to understand that the Mangakas have no control over editorial decisions, remember that each episode must be accepted by the publisher, which in turn will tend to force them to create something.

Often authors for these reasons tend to blame themselves for the same, because they can not complain against the Editorial unless they risk losing their job (as happened to Hiroyuki Takei) or end up doing a tantrum and they end up everything of trancaso repairing until years later (As happened to Ken Akamatsu with Negima).

I'm fully aware, that editors have much to say about manga's plot, but they can't decide the way Mashima writes his manga. Was it editor's idea to make Erza one big "recent made-up"? Was it editor's idea to first draw then write? No, it is Mashima's style of writing, not his editor, and it's Mashima's fault, that he can't think of the plot few chapters ahead. Some mangakas have story decided since the beginning, Mashima prefers to improvise and because of that his manga has tendency to have plot holes and other inconsistencies.
Ofc, he's free to write/draw as he please, but it doesn't mean, that we have to like it. "It's Mashima's manga" - yes it is, but he creates it for us, readers, and we're free to judge it.

Perhaps Mashima explains why he decided to end the plot in this way or perhaps attach extra leaves to the final fights giving them a better view. Even so, it does not mean that in Japan it was more successful, because the vision of the Japanese is very different from that of the Westerners, who sometimes forget that in Japan we manage a whole scheme of ideas and values very different from ours.

If you're interested in Japanese readers' opinions, there are reviews on Japanese Amazon. For example:
volume 59 (chapters 501-509) - 2 five-stars reviews and 3 one-star reviews link
volume 60 (chapters 510-518) - 5 five-stars and 1 three-stars link
volume 61 (chapters 519-527) - 3 five-stars, 1 four-stars, 1 three-stars and 2 one-star link
So no, in Japan not everyone love it too.

 

[Doughboy]

Japan tends to like things more than westerners do, that's been proven multiple times over. But it's funny and not really a big coincidence that volume 60 had the most 5 star ratings, great fight and great backstory. Volume 59 it was hard to feel emotional about Makarov with Juvia's fake death just previously happening while END vs. Gray had a bad setup. Volume 61 had a dumb conclusion chapter with how August died and the plot twist of August being Mavis' and Zeref's kid, which felt glued and a silly way to kill off August even if you can see how it was foreshadowed during Kagura's fight with Larcade.

 

[Anti Hero 3:16]

I'm fully aware, that editors have much to say about manga's plot, but they can't decide the way Mashima writes his manga. Was it editor's idea to make Erza one big "recent made-up"? Was it editor's idea to first draw then write? No, it is Mashima's style of writing, not his editor, and it's Mashima's fault, that he can't think of the plot few chapters ahead. Some mangakas have story decided since the beginning, Mashima prefers to improvise and because of that his manga has tendency to have plot holes and other inconsistencies.
Ofc, he's free to write/draw as he please, but it doesn't mean, that we have to like it. "It's Mashima's manga" - yes it is, but he creates it for us, readers, and we're free to judge it.

If you're interested in Japanese readers' opinions, there are reviews on Japanese Amazon. For example:
volume 59 (chapters 501-509) - 2 five-stars reviews and 3 one-star reviews link
volume 60 (chapters 510-518) - 5 five-stars and 1 three-stars link
volume 61 (chapters 519-527) - 3 five-stars, 1 four-stars, 1 three-stars and 2 one-star link
So no, in Japan not everyone love it too.

I am glad that the author is admitting the mistakes he made in the last arc especially in the fights with 2 main villains. The END plot was abruptly left and the natsu- zeref relations was left in background in favour of zervis ship which ruined zeref's character. These are some of the few biggest screwups he made.

 

[strikefreedom]

He recognizes his err is very good.

But the main defect remains that the last arc especially the last part was too accelarated.

Whether END has been forgotten, or the acno fight and zeref that are too short.

And other tricks, but it is not "forgivable" "no matter who is responsible, whether it is he who mismanaged or its editor who tells him" "no" "on ceratin trick.

Final fights are important, if there is a part not missed in the last bow that is it.

For END he could still do things even at the end, as I said at least the black claw that we saw, for me his would have been enough.

For the couples it's the same what he did is "" good "but he could have done better.

That's why we have a lot of waiting for the animated, that this one will correct and put what mashima really wanted to do in the manga.

He also participates in the animated for the directed so I hope he will do that.

 

[Rax]

I'm fairly certain it's why he'd directing the new anime.


That way his manga editors can't fuck with what he wanted with the anime like they did in the manga

 

[Winterliebend]

I doubt that the editor has so much power over Mashimas plot desicions. He changed his editors multiple times through the course of his manga but you can still notice Hiros inconsistent writing style through the years.

 

[Cat Sidhe26]

I'm fairly certain it's why he'd directing the new anime.


That way his manga editors can't fuck with what he wanted with the anime like they did in the manga

Well if that's the case I hope your right. Also speaking of the anime maybe there can be a filler arc about Juvia/Gajeel past when they were apart of Phantom Lord as well as more of Gajeel/Rogue's past during that time.

 

[Doughboy]

What Winterliebend said, FT has had at least two editors we know of since Hiro's former editor was the one who interviewed him in the Magapoke app discussion about the conclusion. Editors gives their thoughts on the plot, for example in Vol 52's afterword Hiro's editor wanted only 5 or 6 people in the Spriggan 12 while Hiro argued for 12. So they have above-average say in things but it's mainly corrections and input to keep the audience entertained in the story in the highest way. Some plot decisions seem glaringly more towards what Hiro wanted compared to his editor. My main takeaway is Hiro recognizing the retcons and flaws gives you even more hope than before for the anime to flesh things out.

 

[Rax]

If Hiro does direct the anime then it'll take precedence the manga and be the canon.

 

[Cat Sidhe26]

If Hiro does direct the anime then it'll take precedence the manga and be the canon.

That's true. As for filler arcs Hiro can do a filler arc between the Avatar arc/the Alvarez arc about the Dragon Cry movie and another filler arc about Gajeel/Juvia's past when they were apart of Phantom Lord as well as the other rest of the omakes are animated along with the 3rd light novel/4th light novel. While another filler arc about Lucy searching for Aquarius's Key and animate the 5th light novel since the 5th light novel seems like it takes place during the past year. Also a filler arc about Team Natsu going on the 100 Year Quest and what certain characters are doing now.

--- Double Post Merged, Sep 12, 2017, Original Post Date: Sep 12, 2017 ---

If Hiro does direct the anime then it'll take precedence the manga and be the canon.

I just thought of something what if Mashima kills off characters for good in the anime like Makarov and since Mashima is directing the anime it will be canon.