Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha Recap April 30 and May 7, 2012

Derek: So, we never did get around to doing last week's commentary, did we?

Monorum: No, we haven't.

Derek: Yeah… wonder why that happened.

Monorum: I have no idea but as that saying goes, "Better late than super late."

Derek: Mh, yeah, it couldn't possibly have anything to do with both of us being horribly lazy slackers, would it?

Monorum: Err, let's cut to the chase. So, how about you summarize what's happened in One Piece?

Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha Recap April 23, 2012

Derek: Hey there folks, in our ongoing effort to provide content for this blog, we're starting a brand new weekly segment, Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha Recap or WSJAR for short. In it we'll summarize the events of the most recent chapters published in WSJA, and provide a little commentary on said chapters. I'm Derek...

Monorum: And I'm Monorum.

Derek: And we're two lazy hacks that need to force ourselves to actually update this website.

Monorum: I'm not a lazy hack, I just have a lot on my plate besides writing itself.

Derek: Sure… So anyway, why don't you tell the good people how this column came to be?

Monorum: Well Derek and I happen to frequent a forum on fanfiction.net. A One Piece forum, mind you. Ever since I bought my subscription for Weekly Shounen Jump Alpha to show my support for making digital manga more fruitful, I had to cut down on reading manga online. Which also meant that I had to avoid any spoiler threads on forums. At first I was reluctant to stop, but I wanted to provide my input on the recent chapters of series I enjoy reading so as to enjoy them more, even if I am just expressing my own heartfelt opinions on them. Derek here, happened to catch on to that and decided that since we both are subscribed to WSJA, why not do the WSJAR together and that is why this article is here.

Derek: Mostly I figured that if he was going to be sharing his opinion on the chapters, he might as well do it on the site. And since I wanted to do the same, I decided that we could try out a conversation kind of piece. Now, here's how it's going to work, one of us will summarize what happens in the chapter, and then we'll both give our opinions. Starting, this week, with Bleach. 

Manga Reviews: Bakuman Volume 2

The try-fail cycle is common in many different types of narratives.  Characters do their best, have some successes, but ultimately fail for any given reason.  Bakuman typifies that sort of narrative.  Mashiro and Takagi face failure and success with both manga and romance.  While volume 1 focused on the leading pair, volume 2 introduces what will eventually start to carry this manga.  A supporting cast.

Anime Reviews: Bakuman Episode 25 - Yes and No

Well, here it is, the last episode of the first season.  I sincerely apologize that it took me so long to get around to posting this review, the date tag notwithstanding.  I only just recently finally finished the semester, and don't have to worry about any more papers, or studying.  You'll be seeing a rush of old reviews, as the week that follows when I write this is also the start of my one review a day marathon.

Anime Reviews: Bakuman Episode 24 - Call and Eve

 

Second to last episode.  Go!

Well, we're almost there, the end of the first season.  It's been an interesting several months for me, watching this show.  On the one hand I find the slow pacing of this series somewhat deplorable, especially in the early stuff; but with how things are picking up it looks like the second season could be a definite winner.  And then again, at least there was an ongoing story to this one that actually kept me coming back, as opposed to some other anime (that will remain nameless) that I've been loosing hope for.

Anime Reviews: Bakuman Episode 23 - Tuesday and Friday

I didn't plan for this to happen, but it's appropriate nonetheless that I review episode twenty three of Bakuman on the twenty third of March.  Including this one there are only three more episodes left of the first season, and after that several months before the second season starts.  I've said before that I wouldn't be continuing the reviews through the second season, but since I've gotten the hang of three reviews a week I have been considering continuing to review the series.  We'll have to see how my circumstances are in the fall, but chances are good I'll be picking up the second season for my weekly reviews.

Anime Reviews: Bakuman Episode 22 - Solidarity and Breakdown

Fukuda and group head up the editing department and start to raise a fuss about KOOGY using dirty tactics to get votes.  The editors argue against doing anything because now that he's announced his entry they can't remove him without raising an uproar.  Mashiro notices Hattori looking at him, and remembers how Hattori commented about not wanting to see a manga like Colorfusical win.  After Fukuda argues with the editors for a while Mashiro reaches a decision and convinces him that they just need to beat KOOGY's use of fans with their superior manga.

Anime Reviews: Bakuman Episode 21 - Literature and Music

Mashiro starts loosing sleep trying to keep up with the schedule that Hattori set for them.  He has trouble staying awake during school, and even has trouble walking without almost passing out.

Anime Reviews: Bakuman Episode 20 - Cooperation and Conditions

Mashiro and Takagi discuss their new manga, and play around with ideas for characters and stories.  They decide to turn in ten names to Hattori with their new idea, before telling him that they are working together again.  Still thinking that the two year plan is in progress Hattori sent Takagi several boxes of reference material that he wants him to take his time and study.  Miyoshi volunteers to read and watch all the material and take notes on them.

Anime Reviews: Bakuman Episode 19 - Two and One

Every time I sit down to write one of these I am always frustrated by how little there is to say on an episode by episode basis.  Then I remember that if there is little to say, then I don't have to write as much and can get this done much faster.  So it's a question of convenience for me, or creating something worth reading.  Either way I think I have learned a valuable lesson from trying to review Bakuman on a weekly basis.  A slice of life series like Bakuman does not lend well to weekly reviews.  In the future I'll stick to reviewing action series like Fairy Tail, much more satisfying to write every week.  And if all goes well I'll be writing Fairy Tail reviews for a long, long time.

Anime Reviews: Bakuman Episode 18 - Jealousy and Love

Fukuda reveals that he has some beef with how Jack runs things, and brings them up with the Editor Yujiro.  Who tells him to get serialized before talking about changing Jack.

Anime Reviews: Bakuman Episode 17 - Conceit and Kindness

Finally!  These are the characters that I’ve been waiting for!  Yes, I know that the only way that I could know about them is if I’ve been reading the manga online.  Well I would like to direct the attention of anyone that has a problem with that to the three volumes of Bakuman manga on my shelves.  Neither Viz, nor Shueisha, nor the original creators have lost any money on me.  They have all the money I am capable of giving them.  So I would like to tell all those who take issue with my online reading to respectfully go suck it.

Anime Reviews: Bakuman Episode 16 - Wall and Kiss

 

Mashiro and Takagi think of a concept, that includes all of the things Hattori suggested, for a manga that involves an angel fighting evil angels.  Who kill humans to give themselves more souls to collect and advance their status.

Anime Reviews: Bakuman Episode 15 - Debut and Impatience

Hattori explains to Mashiro and Takagi what they need for a good mainstream manga.  Namely good characters, simple, exciting battles, and a cute heroine.  He also mentions that humor is important.

Anime Reviews: Bakuman Episode 14 - Battles and Copying

 Mashiro practices developing characters for a battle manga by practicing drawing characters from other manga.  At the same time Nizuma decides he wants to serialize an earlier manga, Crow, instead of the one that was scheduled to be serialized.

Anime Reviews: Bakuman Episode 13 - Early Results and The Real Deal

Apologies for the lack of a title card.  For some reason there wasn't on for this episode.

Miyoshi finally manages to convince Mashiro to send an email to Azuki.  He spends an entire night obsessing over getting the wording just right.  When he sends the email Azuki replies almost immediately with a much smaller email.  The scene is pretty funny, and kind of cute.  Especially as a nostalgic kind of feeling, looking back on worrying excessively over saying something stupid to the one that you like.  Trust me, I know all about saying stupid things.

Anime Reviews: Bakuman Episode 12 - Feast and Graduation

Mashiro and Takagi meet with Hattori to go out to eat, in celebration of getting published.  They eat BBQ, and then go back to the office to go over their name, frame by frame.

Anime Reviews: Bakuman Episode 11 - Chocolate and NEXT!

Nizuma's editor, Yujiro, visits Nizuma's new apartment to see how he's doing.  He finds Nizuma blasting music on his new stereo system, and tells him to turn it down, or he's going to bug the neighbors.  He comes to pick up the manga he's working on, and realizes that it wasn't what they had been discussing.  Still, he takes it rather than arguing, and asks Nizuma if he can get a one shot done for the beginning of next year, for NEXT!

Anime Reviews: Bakuman Episode 10 - 10 and 2

The Bakuman recap experiment continues as this episode there is in fact no recap, but instead a scene right before the opening theme that shows Takagi has come back to school.

Anime Reviews: Bakuman Episode 9 - Regrets and Understanding

This time the recap of the previous episode has a theme playing behind it.  Looks like they're experimenting with the recaps.  Which is fine by me, I like seeing something new every time.  I've also been noticing that the music has been improving.  Can't say much just yet, but overall it's looking pretty good.  The recap ends with Takagi punching Ishizawa, when the opening theme song starts playing, the love ballad working wonderfully against the image of Takagi ground pounding the kid.