328/329 DOUBLE REVIEW SPECTACULAR!
OR SOMETHING! I GUESS!
1. One of the benefits to being extraordinarily slow is that I get to read IEM's version for the first time in ages! Not that there's much difference between their version and Mangastream's when it comes to this first page. I did enjoy the hyper-specific title in both versions, I must say. Seeing as when you've got a chapter with as many villains as this chapter has (count 'em, folks, three!), one does need to be a little more specific.
For page two, however, I definitely have to give the prize to IEM, since I couldn't even begin to make heads or tails of the MS translation. By the way, Spade sure does have awfully helpful and expository thoughts.
HELLO, PAGE THREE. YOU'RE MY FAVORITE. |D
2. "Don't think you could defeat me with that attack just now." No, of course not. This is Reborn. (You can tell, because Spade just made a reference to using only ten percent of his power.)
"WAIT, CHROME! I HAVE SOMETHING TO GIVE YOU!" IT'S A... NAVAL MINE...? OR A FOSSILIZED SEA URCHIN, PERHAPS??
Oh, wait, it's just her paperweight. I do like the way Gokudera sputters, "YOU'RE GIVING IT TO THE CONTROLLED CHROME???!?" With the "OH MY GOD, ARE YOU THE BIGGEST IDIOT" unsaid, but understood.
Yamamoto, don't chuck spiked things at people, that's how accidents happen.
3. AND BABY, PLEASE DON'T PUSH YOURSELF TOO HARD. D: And look at him apologizing all manly and shounenlike--YOU WERE IMPALED, JESUS CHRIST. IT'S OKAY TO TAKE FIVE.
Incidentally, Tsuna wins Best Line of the Chapter in this chapter already filled with hilarious lines, with his exquisite, "Don't tell me... the doctors tried to stop you..." Well, Tsuna, they sure would have been the shittiest doctors in the world if they didn't. And I like to think you guys like Yamamoto enough not to have hired the world's shittiest doctors to take care of him. Hopefully.
And oh, I'm sorry Hibari, I guess a FUCKING YAMAMOTO FIGHT wasn't enough to keep you entertained. I GUESS THAT HELICOPTER FLIGHT DONE GONE AND TUCKERED YOU OUT.
4. AND AT LAST WE COME TO THE REVELATION WE ALL TUNED INTO THIS CHAPTER TO HEAR. Looks like Byakuran did indeed heal Yamamoto's wounds. "Probably from some knowledge he gained from a parallel world." I like how he adds the "probably" qualifier, like there's even the remotest chance of there being any other possibility. "Oh yeah, Byakuran healed me because it turns out he's a wizard." ...well, then again, in this manga...
I am really enjoying Gokudera and Tsuna's reactions to this. "BYAKURAN'S ALIVE??! DON'T WE HAVE ENOUGH VILLAINS IN THIS ARC ALREADY?!?!" No, it's cool, though, you guys. It was Byakuran but he had a refreshing face. (Tsuna, I agree with your dots.)
5. But I actually have a theory about Byakuran suddenly seeing the softer side of Sears! It makes perfect sense, you see: he already knew he was going to lose the 2011 Dick Olympics to Spade--it wouldn't have even been a contest so much as a slaughter--so what did he do? He abandoned his dickish ways altogether. So when Spade inevitably tries to lord his title over him, Byakuran can be all lofty and "dude, I don't even care anymore, that thing is so 2010. Why don't you grow up a little and come back when you're ready to play nicely with the other children."
Which, if you think about it, really makes him more of a dick than ever. !!
6. Gokudera's face on page 10 is so pretty I could just wibble into a little puddle right here. And Hibari, if you roll over on your pet in your sleep, you will die. Then again, this is Hibari Kyoya we're talking about, the guy who when he does push-ups, he's not pushing himself up, he's pushing the earth down. So I guess he's good.
7. Yamamoto's face on page 11 is so pretty I could just wibble into a little puddle right here. ALSO! Tsuna, despite everything that's happened, I really hope you weren't even doubting for a second whether or not the Simon family were good people. :( And gee whiz, seems like someone sure did a good job of conveniently forgetting that the last two flashbacks in no way exonerate his more immediate ancestor.
That said, Tsuna's face on page 12 is so pretty that... yeah, okay.
8. Tsuna, honey, don't Full Name your boyfriend, it feels awkward. By the way, that is easily my favorite image of you of all time, I am one hundred percent not kidding. AMANO, MY DUDE, YOU CAN FUCKING DRAW.
Not to miss out on this sudden bounty of exceptionally drawn pages, Nuts gets in on the action! Or as Tsuna likes to phrase it: "Nuts! Finally, you came out!" The fact that this speech bubble accompanies a suspiciously zoomed-out image delights me to no end.
Speaking of which, Tenth, why didn't you bring your Nuts out in the battles before now? Well, you see, Gokudera, it's not that he didn't want to bring his Nuts out before; it's that he couldn't bring his Nuts out. Because he likes Enma too much. Wait... that seems kind of backwards...
9. So based on this page, either 2700 is canon, or Nuts/Enma is. Either way, I'm pretty sure we win.
More importantly, Reborn is finally bringing up the tough subjects! Thank you, Reborn, forever the relentless voice of the blunt and painful truth. NOW BRING ON THE ANGS--
--wait... what? Does this mean... there actually won't be any more angst? :( WHAT WILL MAKESTE FEED ON WITH NO ANGST? I can't subsist off of strangely hilarious panels of solemn Nuts expressions (VILLAINS, PREPARE YOURSELVES TO STARE INTO THE FACE OF TSUNA'S SKY LION AND BE JUDGED) alone! But seriously, those panels, oh my god, I loled so hard there were tears. XD
10. MEANWHILE BACK IN CASTLE VON SIMONBURG, HOLY FUCKING SHIT. ENMA MY POOR BABY, WHAT THE JESUS. DID SOMEONE SPIKE YOUR SIN???! You know, especially given Byakuran and all, I really thought the wings would be a prettier sort of Van Fanel-ish thing, not this mess. Well, live and learn.
Anyway! So ends chapter 328, which means that I can now move on to 329, which is the chapter that I haven't actually read yet or even spoiled myself for so I am very excited! Reveal yourself before me now, chapter!
1. Wasting no time with the splash page, that's always an encouraging sign. And oh, Spade. "I hardly even recognize you, Enma!" On account of you turning into a reanimated cicada corpse!
Oh dear God, this is actually frightening. I think this chapter just gave me what the kids refer to as "the willies." And I am not liking it one bit.
I do like that Super Saiyan Enma apparently just set the floor on fire, though.
2. Also that he's making Kaimon Spadelie work for his villain supper. "Down, Frankenma! I'm on your side!" NO, ENMA, DON'T LISTEN TO HIM, YOU GO RIGHT ON BLOWING SHIT UP WITH THOSE DOPED-UP GRAVITY FLAMES. ENMA SMASH.
And Simon Cozart, just what the fuck were you doing with a ring that "eats up and controls weak hearts"? Son, I think we could use that last flashback sooner rather than later, because you still got some splainin' to do.
3. I have to say, though, that "crush his skull like glass" line was above-par for Amano dialogue. I just really like the image, idk. Of course, then he ruined it by hiccupping a bunch of NUFUFUs and vanishing into the night. See, this is why Byakuran quit while he was ahead.
4. Well, hello again, Do Not Want. I thought we readers had made it clear by now that we're not really enjoying making your acquaintance time and time again. :\
But it looks like there's a purpose to this scene other than some sort of seriously fucked-up fanservice? Having successfully brainwashed himself an Enma, I guess Spade's done with Chrome for now? Plot is happening!?! RODKUDOU MUKURO IS COMING shush AGAIN??!
5. Dammit Spade, stop using so many pages to explain what you're doing so that you can actually start doing it so I can actually have something to comment on. YOU BASTARD.
6. See?? Like this! Now this is a page I can work with! LET'S PUT SIXTY SECONDS ON THE CLOCK!
- GUYS... WHERE ARE WE?!
- WE HAVE TO GO BACK, NINTH! WE HAVE TO GO BAAAAAACK
- THE ISLAND'S TRUE FORM IS AN ISLAND! SHOCK OF SHOCKS!!
- HOW BIG A ROOM DOES HE NEED TO SUMMON MUKURO, ANYWAY? HE'S A SKINNY LITTLE DUDE, IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE SUMMONING KING KONG, COME ON NOW.
- I WANT TO SEE GANAUCHE SHOOT A POLAR BEAR.
7. Chrome, you should really look into Byakuran Therapy too, I hear it works wonders. He's very refreshing. And it's gotta suck having your body crap out on you anytime the plot decides it's convenient. :|
But the thought that Mukuro really is just going to drop everything and leave his busy prison life to come rescue the one person in the world he begrudgingly can be persuaded to admit he gives a shit about is kind of heartwarming, I guess. I don't like Chrome being the damsel in distress, but for what it's worth, I do like what the inevitable result says about Mukuro's character development.
8. And here he is now! Good old Chuckles, making his overly dramatic entrances as he is wont to do. CAN'T BE OUTDONE BY THAT GUY IN THE HELICOPTER AFTER ALL.
Actually, this is our first time seeing TYE!Mukuro in a long, long time, isn't it? I think I got so used to the Future Arc that I was actually expecting the older him to show up for some reason. XD Kinda weird seeing younger him in Amano's newer drawing style, but it's something I'll have to get used to, I guess.
And just look how fabulous! Spade, you're sure that you want this particular body, now? Oh, what am I even saying, forget I asked. I'm just wondering now how his showing up here in any way furthers your goal of taking his actual body which is presumably still thousands(?) of miles away. Then again, knowing this manga you'll probably just go down into the center of the island after defeating him, and wheel-warp yourself to Tunisia.
9. "You're the epitome of everything I hate. Care for some tea?" Everyone, it just occurred to me that somehow, impossibly, this battle just might turn out to be the most amazing thing that's ever graced the pages of this manga. Except that's not true because Squalo rode a shark. But still, it has that potential. WE SHALL SEE.
10. LASTLY, WE FINISH THIS CHAPTER WITH A PAGE OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS STUMBLING ACROSS A CAVE. IT'S LIKE A GIANT HOLE. IT SURE IS DEEP! Ladies and gentlemen, our heroes.
Lol, for a minute I thought the chapter was going to end right there with the random panel of them standing there and going, "LOOK!" and I was all ready to be like, "...okay" and just accept that that's where Amano felt like leaving us, but no, we got one last page with a giant castle instead.
And I'm really not sure that's any less abrupt, but hey, whatever. XD
Happy Oh-So-Belated Birthday to smiles1777, ojuzu, snapdraw_gone, and melissa_42! ♥ And Happy Birthday to gameazel as well! And sawako_shota and ever_free since I'm kidding myself if I think I'm making another post before the 16th. XD Anyway, much love to all you guys, hope you had, are having, or will have a wonderful day. :)