Despite being a kind of "filler arc" between 2 bigger ones, the current Culture Festival arc in
My Hero Academia is the most fun I've had with the series in a while. The premise is already overused, the execution was average and both the villain and the character to rescue had been introduced just a little while before. It kind of felt like the author has ran out of the material he had when he started the series.
This feels quite fresh, however. Despite being a kind of no-stakes arc in the great scheme of things, Deku is actually invested in the conflict here for various reasons. First, the failure of the culture festival will suspend all the "student-like" activities in UA for a while. Second, Deku is invested in seeing the festival succeed because of Eri (was it Eri? I'm awful with names lol). He is showing some courage and resolve here, and the most visually striking attack in his moveset is back.
It's going to sound weird, but MHA should learn a bit from Shokugeki no Soma. It's much better at mixing it's "battling" with slice of life segments and character development, at least up to the end of the second anime season. Seeing its success, I just hope next season reduces the fanservicy foodgasms further, it could be a nice source of humor if used well instead.
And
Gintama keeping being weird as usual, but I love it for it. There was quite a bit of fighting, but the comedy hit in the right spots too. The Live Action references always make me chuckle and the One Piece reference (although used before) was entertaining too. The Kanna twist was something I actually expected.
But I still can't figure out what Takasugi is actually planning either. Seems like both him and Gintoki are unable to actually move on from the events of the last two arcs. I wonder if Takasugi is trying to use the Tendonshu to try to bring him back, or something along those lines. Utsuro last words sure hit him hard.
Matako has grown on me quite a bit in the last few arcs too. I like how she is kind of shown as the last straw of humanity in Takasugi, even if he hasn't really shown any kind of romantic feelings towards her.
And it's been stated that
Tokyo Ghoul: re is in its final arc, but I can't help but wonder if there is going to be a third series, that starts a few months after the aftermath of the current events, and is devoted to close the remaining plot threads and give a proper closure to the series. I don't think it'd be possible to properly finish it in 20 chapters.
One Piece ch. 900
Man, the whole song bit leading into that cliffhanger was really cool. Big Mom's expressions, the cemetery in her mouth - everything, actually. Great chapter.
How Many Light-Years to Babylon? ch. 6-7
Sixth chapter is honestly kind of w/e, but the seventh is vintage ass Dowman Sayman.
Oda likes to have big stuff reserved for X00 chapters. Chapter 800 was the chapter were the Strawhat fleet was formed. Wonder if we may get a flash back next week. Overall, this arc has been really good too. Much more focused than Dressrosa, which was good but a bit too long. I don't really care all that much about Sanji, but Jinbei joined the crew, seeing Luffy struggle again in a fight was good, Jinbei joined the crew and Brook vs Big Mom double page was amazing. My opinion about him did a complete 180 in this arc, and for the better.
I just hope next arc doesn't have the crew spliting up.
Shinobu Ohtaka (Magi's author) is going to publish a new manga in Shounen Magazine this month. She changed Shogakukan for Kodansha.
Was Magi actually interesting from beginning to end? I was planning to watch it once it ended, since I don't really like following too many series at once.