ITP the mafia discovers Hot Topic.
Well, Gokudera already discovered it years ago, but the others are playing catch-up now.
1. Wow, talk about underwhelming--chapter 300 and we don't even get a fancy splash page? I hope that's because there was too much going on in this chapter for Amano to fit it in.
Anyway, we at least got an amusing close-up of Talbot's derpy |D face which is an expression that more characters in this manga should definitely make. The more I see of this guy, the more I adore him.
2. SUGAR... SPICE... AND EVERYTHING NICE. THOSE WERE THE INGREDIENTS CHOSEN TO CREATE THE PERFECT UPGRADED VONGOLA RINGS.
BUT--PROFESSOR TALBOT ACCIDENTALLY DROPPED AN EXTRA INGREDIENT INTO THE CONCOCTION...
CHEMICAL X
...okay, that all sounded a lot funnier in my head. Anyway, at least you all have some new insight into my completely random thought processes now. XD
Oh, there's the splash page! THUS, THE POWERPUFF RINGS WERE BORN... sorry. I'm sorry. Stopping now.
3. Oh, hell yes. I am liking this page. I would have been satisfied just with seeing the guardians being hot and brooding, but the fact that Ryohei is getting his fair share of these angsty let's-sit-down-and-contemplate-the-full-impact-of-this-horrendous-betrayal panels is even better. I think this may be the first page in KHR history where I'm actually more attracted to Ryohei than Gokudera (and it's not like Gokudera isn't trying, either). Yamamoto getting KOed was the best thing that ever happened for Ryohei's character development, I swear. Sad but true. XD
Also, that is a really hot panel of Shitt P. I did feel like these last few chapters hadn't been "P" enough for my liking.
4. "I can't believe these guys who were suddenly introduced as our counterparts in the beginning of this arc and who at several points demonstrated vaguely suspicious (and at times even overtly suspicious) behavior turned out to be our enemies!" I would lol, but in truth I am once again distracted by just how hot Ryohei is being. RYOHEI PLEASE BE CALM AND SERIOUS MORE OFTEN, IT IS SUCH A GOOD LOOK ON YOU. *_* *FANS SELF*
I like the way Reborn notices that they're all starting to have second thoughts about all this, and just WHIPS OUT THE YAMAMOTO CARD without holding back. Say what you will, but the man knows how to motivate people.
Man, Tsuna looks so depressed in that last panel that I can't believe he isn't just attracting zillions of hugs like some sort of Care Bear-esque magnet. Seriously, how can people look at that face without instantly falling all over themselves trying to make him feel better? The urge is overwhelming, at least for me.
5. --then BOOM, IT'S LIKE A 180 DEGREE TURN RIGHT BACK INTO ">:|!" MODE. GOSH TSUNA IT'S ALMOST LIKE THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT SIDES TO YOU, ONE OF WHICH IS SAD AND FAILISH AND THE OTHER OF WHICH KICKS ASS AND TAKES NAMES! Someone should write a manga about a character like that!
No comment on how unbelievably attractive he looks in that main panel, because I already feel creepy enough perving over the other 14-year-old boys who at least don't actually look fourteen. >_>
6. SWEET JESUS THAT WAS FAST. Eight freaking pages! That's got to be some sort of record. WHAT WAS EVERYONE ANGSTING FOR IN THAT LAST CHAPTER, AGAIN? Oh, KHR, just when I think I've got a handle on predicting you, you take all of the "oh noes what will they do without the rings they'll have to spend a whole new arc hunting for upgrades!" and laugh in everyone's faces and have some guy fix them in less than half a chapter.
Except, Talbot, we ordered rings, not... conversation pieces? Fancy soap dispensers? Paperweights?
7. --sdlfkajs oh my God L-LAUGHING SO HARD. I LOVE IT WHEN THE CHARACTERS SAY EXACTLY WHAT I AM THINKING.
"What are those?!" "Rocks...?" AND THEN TIMOTEO DOING A GODDAMN FACEPALM, HOLY SHIT. I take back every single bad thing I ever said about you, old man. That one gesture has endeared you to my heart forever.
Okay... okay. CALMING DOWN NOW. All right, so I guess this pre-ring state is basically the original form of the 7^3? This is what they looked like before someone came along and said, "You know what those rocks would be good for? MOTHERFUCKING JEWELRY." I guess that works. It makes as much sense as anything ever does in KHR, anyway.
8. Oh, come on, now this is the most pathetic attempt to create tension yet. XD OH NO, WHAT IF THEIR RESOLUTION ISN'T STRONG ENOUGH. As if the odds of that happening weren't so impossibly small that I can't even think of a joke to make about it because I literally cannot picture the scenario to mock it. OF COURSE THEIR RESOLUTION IS STRONG ENOUGH. Like. Talbot. DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHICH MANGA YOU STUMBLED INTO, OR WHAT??
And yet, they all look so nervous now. Oh, you guys. XD
9. AARGH!
AAAGH!
GRAAGH!
NGH! UGH! I commend IEM on coming up with all of these different onomatopoeia for their grunting noises. XD
But aww, even though I knew it was coming, I still felt a burst of fangirl love seeing them all think of Yamamoto and Chrome and then immediately light their paperweights up with HELLA RESOLUTION, BABY. YOU GUUUUUYS. YOU ARE SUCH A GOOD FAMILY. ;_;
10. AAAAAND IT'S UPGRADE TIIIIIIME. BULLET POINTS, ACTIVATE!
- THE DAY GOKUDERA GETS A POWERUP THAT ISN'T SEXY IS THE DAY I EAT THE HAT THAT I AM NOT ACTUALLY WEARING, BECAUSE IT'S A METAPHOR, AND ALSO BECAUSE I WOULD NEVER NEED TO EAT THE HAT, BECAUSE HIS POWERUPS ARE ALWAYS INCREDIBLY FUCKING SEXY IS WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY HERE.
- FOLLOWUP THOUGHT ON GOKUDERA'S UPGRADE: I HOPE THIS MEANS THAT WHENEVER HE ACTIVATES HIS RING IT WILL LOOK LIKE HE IS STRAIGHTENING HIS PANTS.
- RYOHEI'S BLING IS WAY MORE SUBTLE THAN I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED FROM A RYOHEI POWERUP, AND I FUCKING LOVE IT. I WANT ONE. IF I CAN ONLY BUY ONE OF THESE, THAT'S THE ONE I AM GETTING.
- HIBARI WHEN DID YOU GET HERE??! WELL WHATEVER, THE BRACELET IS COOL.
- NOOOOO WAIT, I CHANGED MY MIND. THIS IS THE ONE I AM GOING TO BUY. *________*
So when Yamamoto, Chrome, and Lambo (he... still exists... right?) get their acts together, we're going to get three more of these, yes? A necklace/pendant, an anklet maybe, and perhaps... dare to dream... earrings? PLEASE LET THERE BE EARRINGS. And I know if there are earrings they are totally going to be Chrome's (...or Mukuro's, lol), BUT YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN I CAN'T PICTURE YAMAMOTO WITH THE EARRINGS ANYWAY. Chrome can get like a fancy barrette or something instead, maybe.
Now I wonder if we're still going to get a training arc to go with all this bling, or not. I hope we do. I kinda went and got my hopes up for one, so. XD