*reads new Bleach, Claymore and D.Gray-Man Chapters*

[meganbmoore]

 

Bleach:  This arc has actually made me like the Vaizards(or however you spell it.)  Before, they just annoyed me.  Did anyone else want to get all sing-songy  "Heeeeerrrreee he comes to save the dddaaaaaaaayyyyy!" when Urahara showed up at the end?

Claymore: I just knew Helen loved to get drunk.  I'll bet she's been holding it in for seven years.  Also, without looking, I can hear the entire fandom screaming in agony and ranting that the fandom will be invaded by yaoi fanbrats now.  Anyone who just wants m/m slash isn't going to wait 14+ volumes just to have two good looking guys available.  If they just want the slash, it won't be worth it to them to wait that long.  I don't think we need to worry about anyone-het, gen, slash, whatever-reading the book if they don't like the Claymores and put them first.  Plus, something like this was obviously going to happen for about half the series now.  This is so going to turn into Return of the Condor Heroes. 

D.Gray-Man:  Kinda starting to get tired of the crack SL.  Not even Allen's evil side helps.

Comments

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

I am really tired of the DGM crack. I think I would enjoy it a lot more if I were reading it in tankobon form rather than spaced out over weeks and weeks.

I'm really enjoying the whole backstory with Bleach, though. So much awesome stuff going on.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I suspect the current DGM arc will add up to exactly 1 volume, and will read as pure awesome crack at the time. But once you got used to it, it started getting old. I mean, I usually love it when Allen's evil/badass/OMG-WHAT-DID-CROSS-DO-TO-THIS-BOY???? side shows, but even that didn't perk me up for long.

The Bleach arc is awesome, but I'm starting to worry about how long it'll last. I thought it meant "years ago" but I's starting to fear it means "chapters until we get back to the main story."

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

"chapters until we get back to the main story."

LOL! Only 98 to go!

Do you read One Piece? It can be like that, too. Sometimes the mini-arcs go on for so long I forget the goal of the mini-arc isn't the main goal. (Which would be why it's at like 50 volumes with no signs of stopping.)

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

...

Don't tell me that about One Piece. I was half thinking of checking it out...

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

Oh no, I love One Piece! Seriously, it's really good. But it's basically a series of adventures and so theoretically could go on forever without them ever reaching their destination. It's one of my favorite series, though.

[anime-babble.livejournal.com]

I LOVED that Helen liked to drink. Also, while the reveal was predicable, it was still awesome.

NOW WHO IS THAT CHILD? I think Claymore is the serial I'm most interested and invested in at the moment.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I've been saying since I binged that I just knew she was going insane from not getting to go out and get drunk, and now I'm giddy.

Yeah. I've never had issues with Raki, but that he was be a grown up warrior eventually has been obvious almost from the start. I like that he seems slightly insane, and did you notice that he's supposed to be looking for Clare, but is looking for an "it"? (I kind of feel for him...I just peeked at the comm and the poor guy is getting the normal "EEW! Girl threatening our slash!" reaction...)

As for the kid...verra verra interesting. I can't help but notice s/he is very small, and it's been 7 years, and he seemed to have hit puberty and Priscilla was all over him(I so hope that's just me being weird.) There's also the deaged Priscilla possibility, or Priscilla and Isley's child...

[geckophobe.livejournal.com]

Yes, Urahara to the rescue!!!
I used to see people spell it "visoreds" and I read it in a very hooked-on-phonics way, emphasizing each syllable. Vie. Zore. Eds. It seemed like a really stupid romanization. Only recently did it hit me that their hollow masks are like visors. I'm an idiot. But I still prefer the Vaizard or Vizard spellings.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

With this chapter, it looks like things are leanings towards the "mass exodus" thing as far as "did urahara/yoruichi/vaizards all take off together?"

But now...THEY ALL KNEW AIZEN WAS EVIL!!!!

I really hope Kubo has a good explanation for no one saying anything...

[geckophobe.livejournal.com]

I KNOW! I was talking about that last week ( in bleachness (http://community.livejournal.com/bleachness/152597.html?thread=2255125#t2255125)). I suppose the vaizards may have kept mum because they were hollowfied and/or holding a grudge. But Urahara? Okay, so he's Urahara. Maybe he kept the secret because his master plan depended on it. Or maybe SS wouldn't listen to him, seeing how he's an exile. But surely there would have been some opportunity for someone to relay this information, right? Or does Aizen now have memory-wiping "flashy-thing" powers, too? I just hope the explanation doesn't feel like a cheat.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I can easily see the Vaizards not saying it all because they wouldn't be listened to, and Urahara keeping quiet until he could put his plan in motion. I should find out what volume his creation of Rukia's gigai and his knowledge of Aizen's plan was talked about in.

I'm also wondering if Yoruichi knew about Aizen's plan, or if she left and joined Urahara later. She was off somewhere early in the series, and Urahara was acting like he hadn't seen her in a long time(the kids, iirc, didn't know who she was) so maybe she was with the Vaizards? OTOH, I have a hard time picturing her agreeing to keep mum about this...

[geckophobe.livejournal.com]

You're right, I forgot Yoruichi was MIA when the series timeline started. Maybe she was keeping the vaizards in line with her special forces powers while they mastered their hollows. I'll have to dig back through the chapters when Shinji and Co. showed up in Karakura, and when Yoruichi and Urahara saved Ichigo from Ulquiorra. There's probably some seemingly innocuous comment that's a blatant clue in hindsight, knowing Kubo.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I just pulled vol 22 out of the TBR pile(I'm even more prone to falling behind on hard copies if I read scans) and it's when Yoruichi and Urahara save Ichigo. All I spotted was a comment from Yoruichi afterwards about how Arrancar skin was tougher than they thought it was, which does sound like it was a part of a plan.

[woodburner.livejournal.com]

"Also, without looking, I can hear the entire fandom screaming in agony and ranting that the fandom will be invaded by yaoi fanbrats now. Anyone who just wants m/m slash isn't going to wait 14+ volumes just to have two good looking guys available."

AHAHAHAHAHAHA YES.

(They totally were, btw. And I was thinking the same thing.)

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I mean...even if Raki/someone slash does pop up and start getting attention, the simple fact is that no one is going to wait EIGHTY CHAPTERS just for Raki to get hot. If they do read that long and get into Raki/Isley(or whoever) slash, they're also going to be appreciating the girls, because it will be a very unsatisfying experience for them otherwise. (Honestly, I looked at the thread after posting and some were acting like just what they were complaining about. Swapping character genders doesn't change the behavior!)

[woodburner.livejournal.com]

Exactly! I mean, I would totally consider writing Isley/Raki and if it someone wrote a good one I'd be all over that shit, but obviously I did not stick around for 14 volumes to oogle hot guys. I stuck around for 14 volumes to oogle hot chicks, natch. No fanbrat who only cares about the buttsecks is gonna wait that long for a few glimpses of hot guys.

And yeah, they totally did sound like that! "I was hoping he'd die in the wars!"??? JESUS PEOPLE, WHAT DID RAKI EVER DO TO YOU. :< I do understand their apprehension, I am a little apprehensive myself - but that was just ridiculous.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Raki exists! He's a boy! He's near the hot chicks! He might be the main character's love interest! He might be pertinent to the plot! One of the hot ones canonically cares about him!

He sucks!

Wait, why does all this sound familiar?

(Seriously, Raki's never interested me, but he's always been several steps above the average manga kid, and now that he's back, he seems to be slightly insane, which has potential, and one must wonder about the sword-Isley's?-and the kid-Isley's and Priscilla? His and Priscilla's? Priscilla?-and even though I'm obviously not reading for the cute guys, I really have no objection to one, as long as he serves a purpose. Look, if he starts hogging attention, we'll just get Helen drunk then tell her he's stealing pigtail pulling rights and he'll be taken care of...)

[woodburner.livejournal.com]

I never had any especially strong feelings about Raki either, but he's been gone for so long! How can it not be exciting that he's back! And he's changed so much! And no matter who that little kid is, it's probably BAD NEWS. (Especially if it's the most obvious person.) OOH, PLOTTY. I don't know how people can not be excited...

(And people were complaining about his Stuification... But, um, it's a shounen manga??? What did you EXPECT? And people were complaining that they LIKED that Clare wasn't superpowered, that she was weak and yet clawed her way up anyway, so they don't like this superpowered Raki! ...BUT IT'S THE SAME THING. Going from weak to strong, how is this any different from Clare? I don't understandddd. ;o;)

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's so weird, because that's what I USUALLY see directed at female characters. Part of me kinda wants to crow at the reversal, but really, I just pity him...

[may-flyer.livejournal.com]

I am so baffled by all of the Raki hate! It's not like the Claymores suddenly got less awesome because he developed a six-pack.

I just hope that the author introduces a new character design for Isley. If the only two important male characters have to share a hairstyle, then I am probably going to get very confused.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

As near as I can tell, the Raki-hate stems from 2 main things:

1) The reaction so many female characters in shounen get of "EEEW!!! A boy near my hot girls! Who will probably be the main character's love interest!"

2) The fact that, for a lot of people, a big part of the appeal of Claymore is that it's a shounen action series where the girls don't get pushed off to the sidelines, but instead are the badass fighters.

#2 I can understand, though I think it's a major overreaction, #1 I have the same response to as I have when it's directed at female characters, which is "get over your issues."

There also seems to be a fear that he'll be more powerful than the Claymores, and Clare will suddenly be a damsel in distress. Which seems to ignore the fact that Clare's already needed rescuing a few times as it is...

Honestly, I've seen the "he's a normal human who's as strong as the Claymores because he doesn't have yoma energy," but really, we don't know that...he can't detect yoma, so he didn't have the Claymore process done to him, but that doesn't mean Isley didn't do something else to him.

I also wonder how much attention people actually paid to him here. He doesn't seem to be acting very heroic(I read it quickly at work, but the only person whose safety he seemed remotely worried about was the kid) and even though he's supposed to be looking for Clare, he referred to the object of his search as "it." I've seen the complaint that he took down the yoma faster than Clare did when they first met...but Clare was also making sure no one else got hurt. That does affect how you fight.

I agree on the hair thing. So far, though, only Raki and Miria seem to have different hairstyles post-time jump...and Raki's is just longer, and Miria's a ponytail...

[may-flyer.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I suppose I can understand the second point, but I feel like we haven't seen enough of Raki to judge where this arc is going. All he's gotten so far is a bombastic entry scene.

Honestly, I've seen the "he's a normal human who's as strong as the Claymores because he doesn't have yoma energy," but really, we don't know that...he can't detect yoma, so he didn't have the Claymore process done to him, but that doesn't mean Isley didn't do something else to him.

I'm sure he's had something done to him. Though hi entry made him seem a bit unbalanced, he's still almost too functional for someone who spent an indeterminate amount of time playing house with Isley and Priscilla. I expected him to be a lot more broken when he appeared after the time-skip.

Raki having been implanted with some of Isley's flesh might make sense for thematic purposes, since it would draw a direct parallel between him and Claire. If that were the case, he might simply be too weak in that area to sense youma energy effectively.

Or, he could have undergone the traditional Claymore process, but be taking those suppressant drugs for some unknown reason. Those kept Claire from sensing youma energy, but didn't entirely diminish her physical prowess.


I've seen the complaint that he took down the yoma faster than Clare did when they first met...but Clare was also making sure no one else got hurt. That does affect how you fight.

I've also used fighting style used to argue that he's human, because where a Claymore would have taken hits, he used his swordsmanship to deflect and defend. But I don't think that's very conclusive. The Claymores could easily learn to incorporate more feints and parries into their fighting style. To my mind, they fight without regard for bodily damage because they've been trained to see themselves as disposable, and not place a great deal of value on their own comfort or survival. Raki doesn't have that problem.

I guess I should post this sort of thing to the Claymore comm, but I'm a little intimidated by the big negative reaction there. Whatever's going on, I think it's very interesting!


I agree on the hair thing. So far, though, only Raki and Miria seem to have different hairstyles post-time jump...and Raki's is just longer, and Miria's a ponytail...

Now that I think about it more, it's probably good that a lot of designs are staying the same. The mangaka can really only draw one face shape, so if he didn't keep the hair consistent, it would be impossible to tell who's who.

[wistfulmemory.livejournal.com]

I feel very silly about just noticing the countdown on the most recent Bleach chapters. I'm debating whether or not I'm worried that the flashback chapters are going to continue for close to 100 more chapters.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I really don't see HOW it can last close to a hundred more chapters. Tite Kubo would probably have to do 10 chapters of gaining control for each Vaizard or some such. Which I probably shouldn't say too loudly. He might hear and decide it's a good idea.

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

I admit to being ambivalent about the return of Raki. I have just experienced way too many stories that start out with awesome, powerful female characters, only to have them become eclipsed by male characters as the series moves on. I don't know that is going to happen in Claymore, and rationally, I can even argue that it's unlikely. BUT I can't help but be wary.

Sure, it's not uncommon in a shonen manga for a callow young man to become a mighty warrior in order to protect the person/people he loves. But I like Claymore because it is DIFFERENT.

Well, at least Warrior!Raki looks to be a more interesting character than Sidekick!Raki was, even if he is taking panel time away from my girls.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

What I can't understand is why no one is jumping on the potential Clare-angst.

Letus observe:

1. Arguably the living person she cares for the most.

2. Who, last seen, was well on his wat to becoming the boytoy of her mortal enemy, but eh doesn't know about the mortal enemy bit.

3. Who was raised and trained by the person responsible for her exile, and who was responsible for the deaths of a couple dozen of her comrades, including one who was arguably in love with her, and who gave up her own life to prevent Clare from becoming an awakened being.

4. Who is accompanied by a kid who is most likely the child of the two enemies listed above, of himself and said mortal enemy, or is the deaged version of mortal enemy.

The angst potential here is beyond amazing.

Also, Raki strikes me as probably being not-quite-right in the head. I don't think I'll believe he's looking for Clare out of Twoo Luv because he's finally old and good enough to fight alongside her until I'm told he is.

But I completely get the wariness. Most of it, though, seems to be the venom most shounen fandoms seem to spew at the female characters for getting near the pretty boys, which is another thing altogether.

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

If Warrior!Raki turns out to be an antagonist for Clare's gang, that'd be great. He didn't seem particularly crazy to me, but his creepy little kid companion certainly lends an ominous air to the proceedings.

4. Can hybrids even reproduce sexually? I wonder because that's something I'd think the WatchersOrganization would be all over, if it were possible. OTOH, maybe Awakened Beings are different.

Re: outraged shonen fans: I generally avoid Internet fandom groups like that, 'cause, yeah.