Freelance Manga has hi-res scanlations up now.
I was wrong. I honestly never in a million years thought Sesshomaru was going to get his left arm back in the series. It looks like that's what's happening, though, so all of you who had predicted it, give yourselves a pat on the back!
I'm not sure what I think about it though. I've always hoped Sess wouldn't get his arm back. But in a series that regularly cheats death, I suppose "magical arm rebirth" isn't so big a stretch. While I think Sess with two arms looks weird and will probably be hard to get used to, at least he earned it back. It's not like he actively went out and found a demon or something that could grow him a new arm. Now that Sess keeps growing up and changing (giving away Meidou zangetsuha was a big sacrifice, even if the manner leading up to it was less than friendly), he's become much more selfless and good. He's not the same guy who lost his arm trying to kill Inuyasha. So, I guess in that way I can see him deserving to get it back.
Have to say for some reason I didn't find this chapter very suspenseful though. Seeing Sesshomaru get his arm shredded one or two chapters ago was more gripping for some reason than seeing him get punctured through the lungs. I guess just because I never feared for his death? Although usually RT is good at making me worry for characters I know won't die. Strange. It's probably just me, lol.
The cover page was very striking, and as soon as I saw it I knew that there was "DOOM" ahead. Sesshomaru was particularly well-drawn, and then the caption over Inuyasha looking worried with "Seeing his brother fight so proudly... What is Inuyasha thinking?!" just did not make things look like they were going to go good for Sess. He was in for a thrashing.
I really loved Inuyasha in this chapter. So concerned for his brother, I loved the way seeing Sess in danger really shook him up and how hard he tried to save him. I think he was feeling guilty for having Meidou zangetsuha, which left Sess vulnerable to Magatsuhi, in the same way he was guilty when Mouryoumaru stole kongosouha and trapped Sess with it in a similar manner to the way Magatsuhi completely enveloped Sess. Oh that reminds me, the last time Sess almost died like this, Tenseiga got its weapon upgrade... could another one be far behind?
Also, the look on everyone's faces when Magatsuhi said that Sess would be absorbed into Naraku's body. Even Shippo looked pissed.
It's too bad Kagome and Kohaku were out cold, as I would've liked to see their reactions throughout this thing.
One of the most interesting things to me was how this chapter showed just how mature Rin is. Compared to Jaken, she really is the grown-up of the two. Jaken is very dependent on Sesshomaru; he would just fall to pieces if Sess died. Whereas Rin already went through losing her family and being independent. Jaken had tears in his eyes much sooner than Rin did when Sess looked like a goner, and at one point Rin was even sort of consoling him like he was the little kid. (Btw, sweet though it was, when Jaken says "Sesshomaru-sama... knew he might lose but chose to die fighting," I thought that's probably one of the quotes Sess is going to give Jaken an intimidating look for later on for daring to imply that he could be defeated.) ;)
Interesting thing-- On the last page where it shows Sess breaking free of Magatsuhi and a glowing light where his left arm should be, both his sleeves are torn off. How convenient that just his sleeves were ripped. ;)
Two weeks to the next chapter.
So what do you guys think? Will Sess get more to this upgrade than just a new arm?
I think so, because he still needs to be able to defeat Magatsuhi, and again, it looks like he alone can do it. Right now Inuyasha is in Magatsuhi's clutches. Perhaps Tenseiga got an upgrade along with Sess's arm? And what triggered the new arm anyway? Just Sesshomaru's selflessness, or was something else happening while he was caught?