Downtown Khazan: Ice Cold Utopia

[Guy1]

The English Dub Of Komi-San Is Now On Netflix.

[Len Ikari145]

PlatinumGames Hideki Kamiya would like to revisit Scalebound.

Don't get my hopes up, Kamiya.

[Guy1]

Did Barry just use his speed intelligently?

[Postmania]

[Len Ikari145]

[bruceleegreyhulk]

[Nik Hasta]

A reasonably strong closing chapter from UQ Holder.

I've really enjoyed this series and think it really represents Akamatsu maturing as a writer. He surprised me in how he handled a lot of the relationship dynamics, the setting remained very imaginative and fun, the characters had some solid arcs and the art, of course, is top notch.

The final arc did feel a bit rushed. I tried to hold out hope that we might get some more time for the series to breathe as things picked up but it wasn't to be.

spoilers:

I liked the sort of utopian post-human future and the sheer economies of scale involved in the telling of this story. It did feel, perhaps a little too saccharine by the end - a bit too wish fulfilment-y? I don't know. It didn't quite hit with the emotional weight of previous Akamatsu works I think. Akamatsu is definitely a sentimental soul and it comes through in his works but this one just felt a bit... I don't know... a tad blasé maybe? But then I guess that's kind of inkeeping with the attitude of the immortals. I don't know, I think I need think on it some more. Perhaps for 12,000 years haha.

end of spoilers

A really strong series, in my opinion, conceptually very out there and with a good solid emotional core to it. Probably my favourite Akamatsu work, equal with Love Hina (which occupies a special place in my heart as it was one of the first manga I read to the end as a teenager.)

All in all, worth a look if you don't mind the series occasionally being "haha, naked people of questionable age," in a sort of good-natured way.

[Sharpandpointies]

Terry, no. Garou Densetsu outfit, enough with the Pizza Boy.

.....

Ah, well. At least Iori has his flames.

[Sharpandpointies]

A reasonably strong closing chapter from UQ Holder.

I've really enjoyed this series and think it really represents Akamatsu maturing as a writer. He surprised me in how he handled a lot of the relationship dynamics, the setting remained very imaginative and fun, the characters had some solid arcs and the art, of course, is top notch.

The final arc did feel a bit rushed. I tried to hold out hope that we might get some more time for the series to breathe as things picked up but it wasn't to be.

spoilers:

I liked the sort of utopian post-human future and the sheer economies of scale involved in the telling of this story. It did feel, perhaps a little too saccharine by the end - a bit too wish fulfilment-y? I don't know. It didn't quite hit with the emotional weight of previous Akamatsu works I think. Akamatsu is definitely a sentimental soul and it comes through in his works but this one just felt a bit... I don't know... a tad blasé maybe? But then I guess that's kind of inkeeping with the attitude of the immortals. I don't know, I think I need think on it some more. Perhaps for 12,000 years haha.

end of spoilers

A really strong series, in my opinion, conceptually very out there and with a good solid emotional core to it. Probably my favourite Akamatsu work, equal with Love Hina (which occupies a special place in my heart as it was one of the first manga I read to the end as a teenager.)

All in all, worth a look if you don't mind the series occasionally being "haha, naked people of questionable age," in a sort of good-natured way.

I agree with the above.

spoilers:

The somewhat blasé feeling you note felt...pretty natural to these beings, who have watched all of this happen for 12K years and lived essentially like gods. I didn't so much mind the utopian part, given how much struggle is noted - that a whole lot of stuff happened in the last 12K years that we didn't see. And that it's pretty clear that things aren't perfect out 'at the frontier'. That the human race managed to keep itself from killing itself - despite its best efforts, as noted - for 12K years, that for me means at least parts of the culture would have become somewhat utopian.

end of spoilers

The ending was a very different take on immortality, I will say. One that I liked. People often go with the whole business of 'immortality is awful because everyone you know dies, and you've done everything, and etc etc'. This was refreshing.

In all, like you say: somewhat rushed, but otherwise to me it worked.

[Sharpandpointies]

One thing I'm currently reading is Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.

So, heroic party of the usual manga sort forms, grows, eventually fights the demon lord and saves the world. That would be a pretty normal story for manga (usually with some kind of twist).

But what happens afterward to the elf sorcerer? They live centuries like we live decades. How are things for that sorcerer, as the decades pass following the battle against the demon lord?

Good art. The story isn't tightly written at all (deliberately); rather, it's a whimsical wandering through situations and emotions. Oddly compelling, for me.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

[Sharpandpointies]

Better.

*limit dance*

[Len Ikari145]

Seven Deadly Sins:KotA - spoilers:

So, it looks like we're going to see Meliodas and Elizabeth in the next chapter.

end of spoilers Awesome.

Eden's Zero: Okay, Mashima, you got me. I officially like Labilia now. Here's hoping that Sister can actually do something for her. And Shiki, you're not taking enough precaution, boy. This is going to bite you hard in the ass.

[Dark Soul # 7]

UQ Holder: It's been up and down with this series for me. Mainly because Touta has never really clicked with me as far as main characters go and the same goes for the harem aspect. So that's two major aspects of the series down for me.

But it has some great concepts that are really well-executed, some of the best coreographed action scenes I've seen in a shounen series and solid world building based on a previous series. There was plenty to enjoy with it and kept me coming back (even if there were certain chapters were I skimmed like 60% of it). The rather optimistic exploration of immortality and the way it was used for some major story shifts (and rather gruesome fights when you think about it) was the most fascinating part, and if there's any series that deserves the "And the adventure continues." style ending it's this one.

Fun series, too bad about the rushed final arc.

Fire Force: Shinra keeps casually stomping all kinds of threats. Now to see if he can deal with the manifestation of death that he helped create. ...seriously, Shinrabanshō-man's abilities are just kind nuts.

Hajime No Ippo. Oh dear. It seems like Mashiba is getting his kicked and has all his options locked down. Not sure how he's gonna pull out of this bout.

Seven Deadly Sins:KotA - spoilers:

So, it looks like we're going to see Meliodas and Elizabeth in the next chapter.

end of spoilers Awesome.

Eden's Zero: Okay, Mashima, you got me. I officially like Labilia now. Here's hoping that Sister can actually do something for her. And Shiki, you're not taking enough precaution, boy. This is going to bite you hard in the ass.

Knight of the Apocalypse: spoilers:

It could be a semi-fakeout with Meliodas and Elizabeth being out of town for some reason and leaving a proxy behind. And writing that made me realise that the proxy is probably gonna be Hawk. Which would be funny.

end of spoilers I do like how Lancelot shows respect to the opponents he's killed.

Edens Zero: I'm ok with Labila in general and her situation does draw sympathy from me. But I can't say that I like her. And if anything is going to bite the crew in the ass here it's that they probably don't know what Holy is really after. Just like we don't know.

[Nik Hasta]

Dark, with regards to the harem aspects of UQ Holder, what didn't work for you?

Akamatsu has always been "soft harem" (as in many potential love interests but only one or two who are actually viable and has always pivoted to a singular obvious couple endgame at the close) in his previous works, whereas this felt like a significantly more mature look at actually polygamy and the emotional interplay involved in that kind of dynamic.

I actually found the relationship dynamics pretty refreshing when compared to his other works. Felt like an actual evolution to me.

What didn't work for you, if I might ask? And how do you compare it to say, Love Hina and Negima?