HST Report

I am tentatively doing this thing. Jury’s out on whether I keep doing it or not.

In case the title wasn't a giveaway, Hazard is doing three short reviews of this week’s Naruto, OP, and Bleach.

Yeah, it has been done before (plenty of times), but that’s never really stopped me.

One Piece

After a short a break due to author health issues, One Piece is back.

Honestly, not much happened here, mostly set up.

Okay yes, Bro Mode Bellamy is cool. There is something really fun about seeing a former jerk show up and go “Yeah, my bad for before. I’m cool now.”

Anyway Law along with Ussop, Robin and Caesar travel to the meeting place. Ussop and Caesar made a rather good comedy duo. Law remains as cool as ever, and the island may not be entirely uninhabited.

We have dwarves now. On top of the fairies and living toys. This place really is a fairy tale land. Kind of. Wonder if Oda is going somewhere with it.

Okay chapter but I really wish we could get into the meat of the arc already.

Bleach

Evil All Along

… you know at this point I’m not exactly sure if Kubo makes this stuff at the last minute or if he plans it. 

I cannot say I liked the “Fix the sword” plot. Partially because it feels weird to see Ichigo having to, well, follow the rules, and do things the “normal” way. He’s a freak of nature (in the nicest sense of the word). The manga should just embrace it already.

The other part is that I like old man Zangetsu. Come on, we have had so many scenes with the guy already. I liked the relationship Zangetsu and Ichigo have. Now he has apparently always been his Quincy powers disguised? Seriously what the hell!  

Naruto

There are some points in a story where you can spot an author making up for lost time or opportunities. Like here.

In this chapter we get Teams 7, 8 and 9 showing their stuff.

Except Sai. Poor Sai.

They were cool showings. I'll admit. One or two pages for each one. I especially liked Team 9's team attack.

Anyway, Hazard’s point is that it was only one or two pages for each of these guys. The War Arc (because the Juubi fight is an arc by itself) should have been the ideal moment to portray how the Rookies had grown, with full chapters for each one. 

Of course that arc ended in such a sudden way (Kakuzu capture off-screen, Seven Swordsmen likewise defeated, Hiashi vs Hizashi skipped, etc.) that it leads me to believe it was an editorial decision.

This seems to me Kishimoto’s attempt to make up for that by trying to at least give the kids some panel time to show how they have grown. Personally, though I note it, I am okay with it.

Also, that is one cool last page. Not a fan of the whole “Here are your new Sannin” but giant summons are awesome!