After a brief hiatus, we are back for another edition of the JUMP-IN, and just in time for Jump to take its own break. That’s fine by me though, as the quality of the chapters this week were so good that they can definitely carry the hype along until the next issue.
Some efforts were not the most exciting, such was the case with Jujutsu Kaisen’s latest efforts. I’ll admit it is hard to follow up the insane four-way fight that has excited me these past few weeks, but immediately cramming in another sorcerer's origin in a single chapter, and immediately following up with a fight just feels rushed. I understand that now we have a new piece on the board with Akari and that it’s exciting to explore his techniques, but I feel like Akutani is trying to keep the momentum going too quickly.
That said, there were some cases of series presenting their best work ever, which I can say in terms of My Hero Academia last week. I don’t even have two chapters to talk about and I’m still tempted to put it into the top 5. The action on display between Shoto and Davi was intense, with Horikoshi uses of flames being the strongest the series has seen. The fight is proving to be living up to be worth the buildup and I can’t wait to see more. Horikoshi is seemingly being given extra time for this fight, as there won’t be a new chapter for another week, but if this is the end result then I’ll gladly take bi-weekly chapter.
The only reason I feel like I couldn’t put MHA in that spot is that the material these last couple of weeks wasn’t just strong, but had this incredible cohesiveness. They tell not only great stories that tie to the overarching narrative each mangaka is building, but they either act as little windows to the relationships the characters have, or they are stories isolated enough that feel cohesive and engaging enough to become seminal chapters of that greater narrative.
5. Blue Box Presents Chinatsu’s Conflicting Feelings (Blue Box Ch. 49 & 50)
Starting things off is a story of absence making the heart grow fonder as Chinatsu moves out of Taiki’s home and a newfound distance is presented to them. Even if the new living arrangements are temporary, it's really great to see how much the two actively miss each other, and the two chapters almost act like direct parallels to one another.
Chapter 49 shows just how much Chinatsu being gone affects Taiki, as they just miss each other at morning practice. Miura has already been laying the groundwork and seeding doubt into Taiki’s mind and wondering how close the two would be if they didn’t live together. Now that this scenario has become his everyday reality, it almost feels like he has to put in the effort to maintain that connection, which should make for a great challenge for him.
That is especially the case when we get Chinatsu’s perspective in chapter 50, as we understand her conflicted feelings for Taiki and how they continue to grow. She feels guilty for liking him because she knew Hina liked him, and now that she thinks the young gymnastic star has confessed and they started dating, it makes her feel like she should step aside. The newfound distance seems like it should help with that, but in reality it only makes her feel worse. I am a sucker for this arc that she is going through, and her character has been developing spectacularly.
Chinatsu went from being this voyeuristic crush of Taiki’s into a young girl dealing with pressure from all sides of her life, and finding someone she can actually talk to about even the smallest things. With the cultural festival coming up, a staple for romantic shenanigans in manga, I cannot wait to see how these two are going to face future challenges both internally and in terms of their feelings for one another.
4. PPPPPP Presents Lucky’s “The Joyful Island” For One (PPPPPP Ch. 29 & 30)
Now we once again find ourselves in the realm dimension warping musical genius in PPPPPP, and this time, Lucky Sonoda finally takes the center stage. In many shonen manga, it’s not uncommon for chapters to focus on the other characters to flesh them out, especially when it comes to the side characters and the antagonists to give them depth. We have been spoiled by some great material the last few weeks, from Meloli’s descent to the arrival of the strongest of the septuplets Sorachika, the world that Mapollo 3 has been building is becoming one of my favorites in the magazine.
That said, it's great to see Lucky take agency again, for the sake of not only his friends, but his sister and her love for the piano. The discussion with Sorachika gives us a great insight into Lucky’s mind as he prepares for his performance. Throughout this arc, Mimin has often been portrayed as the chaotic tyrant in the music world, only wanting to play the way she wants to play. This has led her to crush anyone and everyone, with Lucky having to see this malicious side brought out by their father, even to the point of saying he would defeat her. It almost felt like he abandoned his desire to reconnect, but as he and the audience learn, the dominating princess is just this scared girl losing grip on the things she loves.
Lucky is the prime example of a reactionary protagonist, he observes his situation and then develops his approach, and seeing as being so proactive in the incoming battles went against his character. It wasn’t unwelcome, and led him striking a blow against his father, but our favorite star-shaped pianist shines brightest when he performs for the sake of others. That’s what makes his rendition of “The Joyful Island” so beautiful, as he is performing solely for Mimin. He brings back her love, her fairies, to save her from the despair brought about by her situation and it's incredibly moving.
Seeing Mimin’s eyes have life brought back into them, even if it means no one else can connect with the performance, shows just how powerful Lucky is at conveying the emotions he wants to bring out through his music. With the next chapter being the fallout, I cannot wait to see how Mimin and Lucky more forward in this wonderful world of music.
3. Sakamoto Days See’s Uzuki’s Forces Strike and The Rookies Strike Back (Sakamoto Days Ch. 67 & 68)
We last left off in the world of Sakamoto Days with the battle between Shin and Toramaru concluding and Uzuki’s team invading the exam in a rather unique way. Seeing Gaku essentially using a VR headset to take out not only Toramaru, but almost the entire group of pro assassins who were operating the exam, makes this chapter a wild ride.
A common argument I hear about these one-sided beatdowns is the question of how effective they can be as a storytelling device compared to more well-balanced fights. It’s hard to argue, especially with Suzuki’s knack for action, as the most recent battles have allowed for characters introduced in this arc to feel more fully realized than they would simply with exposition. You understand their quirks and eccentricities through combat, and in turn when Shin or Sakamoto fight them they make for great parallels. The fight Shin had with Toramaru works because of their clashing ideologies being presented both through their interactions and their contrasting fighting styles.
While the exam has led to some great back and forth battles and great pacing, this cold-blooded decimation on display here has a completely different energy. It changes the mood of the battle and progresses the narrative in a new way without feeling repetitive. You get this sense of dread that was lacking from the arc while still keeping Uzuki’s sense of malice and menace to the reader.
What makes it even better is the eventual comeback attempt by Shin, Mafuyu, and Toramaru working as a unit to take down this behemoth. This is the first real time we have a group fight since Lu and Shin’s battle with the serial killer Saw, but it was more each employee of Sakamoto’s shop taking a turn getting their attacks in. Here we have that and full blown team strategies including a straight up fast-ball special with Toramaru and Mafuyu that brings the hype. We even have Kaji about to join the fray as the chapter ends, culminating in what I was hoping for from last time.
What sets these chapters apart, at least in terms of action, comes Yuto Suzuki’s understanding of how to set up action. We go from an intense one on one to a beatdown and then a desperate team-up to take down an impossible enemy. We run the gamut of emotions from fear and excitement and lose ourselves in the narrative because everything has this level of cohesion, making this section of the arc feel like one continuous conflict, rather than a series of smaller battles.
My excitement never really seems to stop for Sakamoto Days lately, and I don’t think that will happen anytime soon.
2. Witch Watch Soars the Skies and Reaches New Heights
(Witch Watch Ch. 58 & 59)
Kenta Shinohara continues his incredible streak, as the latest chapters from Witch Watch take the silver medal this time. Focusing more on everyone’s favorite awkward werewolf Keigo, we see his more reserved side struggle with feeling useless when he can’t transform during a battle. Seeing his struggles, Nico offers him a magic item that has a spell to help him float, and we even have a little reunion between him and Nemu.
The tone of these chapters is very welcomed, as we shift from supernatural slice-of-life comedy to one more dramatic to tackle the heavier emotions weighing on Keigo. We get less exaggerated facial reactions and frenetic layouts that have dominated the more recent chapters. Instead we have more emotional character staging and well sequenced panels to keep a steady flow and not intrude on the development that Keigo is going through.
Then we get the great x-factor to the story in Nemu’s return, with a little bit of comedy thrown in through her cat for good measure. Shinohara has been going with this slow burn between both sides of Keigo and the feline witchlet for a while now, establishing an agreement to help the savage Wolf break loose now and again. This has caused this hilarious dynamic, as she not only lets him out because he forced her hand, but instead she has the hots for the fiercer side of the young man.
At the same time, we get these great one on one scenes between her and the less attractive side of our wolfman, further developing their bond . These chapters brought that kind of emotion again, as they both share a common feeling of feeling inadequate as a witch and familiar respectively. I am a sucker for love triangles, and it feels like Shinohara is presenting a less often seen approach to that plot device.
This connection to both personalities makes for some great character building for Nemu. She could find someone who understands her feelings while also building the kind of connections she has been looking for since her introduction. Her backstory and relationship with her mother is even further explored, showing that her mother means well, but is also causing her daughter to bottle up her emotions. This leads the young witch to lose control of her powers and fly across the sky, with Keigo chasing after her.
This causes Keigo to experience the growth he needed, connecting his experiences with skating to master the spell and save Nemu in a spectacular chase. Shinohara shows that he can still present great action while developing the bonds between characters, with Keigo and Nemu’s connection growing ever stronger.
I love the idea that these two will bring the best out of one another as the story goes on, with Nemu finally having a true confidant for emotions in this oddly likable lycan. The same could be said for Keigo, as I feel that Nemu will be the one to finally bridge the gap between both of the personalities inhabiting his body.
Only time will tell for sure, but I think Witch Watch is presenting some of its best content so far. There were times I thought about dropping this series and I’m so happy that I didn’t. The series has had a few chapters that didn’t land, but when we get content like this, this series shows it can soar as high as some of the best in Weekly Shonen Jump.
1. Undead Unluck Unveils Unfortunate Betrayals and Upsetting Origins (Undead Unluck Ch. 107 & 108)
We find ourselves at the end of this selection once again with Yoshifumi Tozuka’s insane battle series with some spectacular twists to boot. As I alluded to last time, we had a big last minute save and return in the form of everyone’s favorite slice and dice master Rip, but even I wasn’t expecting what came from the material here.
Before that, however, we have to tackle a major betrayal, as Nico betrays the Union by killing all the UMA’s they've collected, ensuring that Ragnarok is at hand. Knowing that Ruin is behind this, cackling maniacally as God’s victory is seemingly assured, adds an even greater amount of dread to the situation.
While it is true that someone betraying the Union isn’t unfamiliar, as Billy did the same thing not too long ago, we have gotten small clues to build on why Nico betrayed the team, making his betrayal more understandable. There is also a more impactful clash incoming as well, because his daughter Mico will have to deal with his actions, leading to some major family drama and backstory ahead.
That isn’t the only double cross on the menu, as Rip prevents Andy from catching up to Ruin, all to kill him and take the points Juiz gave our undying hero. This leads into my favorite of the two chapters as we finally learn of his and Latla’s origins, and in turn revealing the tragedy that befell them both. We get to see them grow up alongside Latla’s terminally ill sister Leila, and how they rose to prominence in medicine and fortune telling, all to try to change her fate. Seeing these character’s grow up and all the smaller details on their relationships with one another adds the perfect tinge of tragedy to one of the best duos in the series.
Rip actions throughout the series, while still selfish and wrong, are given a much needed level of depth that allows him to be more than just one of the cooler combat focused negators. Latla is also given some well-deserved development, as I’ve felt she has been one of the more under-utilized characters within this series. She has her own conflicted narrative told, albeit much more subtly than Rips, and I feel it will be paid off in a major way in the chapters to come.
Admittedly these chapters weren’t the biggest action set pieces like some of the best chapters are in Undead Unluck, but they didn’t need to be. Tozuka focused on establishing bigger battles ahead and giving the earliest rivals to Andy and Fuuko page time to lead into an emotional battle. With that clash between Andy and Rip on the Horizon, I wait to see just how intense the clash will be between these two titans.
I know that this came out a lot later than I planned, but I appreciate anyone and everyone who reads this. Things have been crazy for me and my family these past few weeks, and it has been hard to make time for any form of content to be put out. I want to try to get back into reviewing series more, and I have been finding new inspirations everyday to keep me going.
For now though, I will present you guys with this week’s rankings, and I will see you next time for more Shonen Jump content!
| 6. My Hero Academia (Ch. 351) | 11. Jujutsu Kaisen (Ch. 181 & 182) |
2. Witch Watch (Ch. 58 & 59) | 7. Ayashimon (Ch. 20 & 21) | 12. The Elusive Samurai (Ch. 59 & 60) |
3. Sakamoto Days (Ch. 67 & 68) | 8. Akane-banashi (Ch. 10 & 11) | 13. MASHLE (Ch. 103 & 104) |
4. PPPPPP (Ch. 29 & 30) | 9. Doron Dororon (Ch. 19 & 20) | 14. Earthchild (Ch. 9 & 10) |
5. Blue Box (Ch. 49 & 50) | 10. Mission: Yozakura Family (Ch. 126 & 127) | 15. Protect Me, Shugomaru! (Ch. 19 & 20) |