Welcome to the latest installment of SJ Weekly Roundup, a weekly post where I discuss Shonen Jump Magazine's latest and greatest chapters of manga! So, yet another roundup where I don’t even talk about the series in the thumbnail, huh? Worry not, dear reader! I am steadily chipping away at many currently running series, including this week’s featured Me & Roboco which just got a TV anime series announcement, so expect a few of those series to pop up on here soon!
My goal with these posts is to cover as many currently running series as possible. However, please understand that I do not possess superhuman manga-reading abilities, and I am not caught up on every series in Jump. Check out the list below to see my current progress with series I am reading, which will be added to the roundup upon completion.
CURRENTLY READING:
Witch Watch (Ch. 5/63)
Blue Box (Ch. 14/54)
Me & Roboco (Ch. 8/90)
PPPPPP (Ch. 8/34)
Sakamoto Days (Ch. 11/72)
Undead Unluck (Ch. 10/112)
One Piece (Ch. 24/1050)
As always, Shonen Jump offers the oldest and newest 3 chapters of each series on their website completely free of charge, If you would like to read along with me. Without further ado, let's get in to this week's chapters!
Super Smartphone
Story by Hiroki Tomisawa
Art by Kentaro Hidano
Chapter 4
Synopsis: Q and Yuika have been cornered by a gang of robbers, and Q cleverly finds a way out! By “calling the gang’s leader”, he is actually searching for their names with his Superphone, using that info to fool them into thinking he has some sway with their boss, sending them running. Police have finally arrived to the scene, and with the remaining robbers scattering, a full-blown investigation begins. Nagi is of course at the scene, and she concludes that both the instigator of the robbery and the anonymous informant (Q) must be using the same technology. Meanwhile, Q and Yuika are traveling home, and Yuika is in a state of confusion, ruminating over the events of the past day and Q’s mysterious actions lately. Despite this, she trusts Q and promises him that if he ever needs help, she will always be there for him. Q has had something on his mind as well: the possibility that the high-rise robbery instigator could be the same person responsible for his brother Shu’s disappearance.
My Thoughts: The short high-rise robbery arc has drawn to a close, and the main thing on my mind is that the stakes Q is facing are quite high considering how new this series still is. Another thought I had is that Nagi is incredibly sharp, and would be a force to be reckoned with if she got her hands on a Superphone. I’m honestly more excited about Q and Nagi’s future encounter than I am about the main villain. She brings a touch of suspense, with it not being quite clear if she will be friend or foe once they meet. I thought the dynamic between Q and Yuika’s friend group was really cute, and I hope we get some chill time between arcs that lets us get to know our main cast a bit more.
Akane-Banashi
Story by Yuki Suenaga
Art by Takamasa Moue
Chapter 15
Synopsis: Akane gets a chance to see Koguma’s rakugo, finding that woven into his performance of “Foxes of Imado” is a lesson for her about the art of education through storytelling. Akane feels like she has hit a roadblock, not being able to get further without being more knowledgable about the stories she’s telling, so she seeks out any books she can find about the Edo period. With three times the amount of applicants as last year, the Karaku Cup is going to be brimming with talented young competitors. Akane is more determined than ever to get through the qualifiers, getting one step closer to her goal: a conversation with Issho.
My Thoughts: I am enjoying seeing how vastly different each Arakawa rakugoka’s styles are. Koguma for example takes a very educational approach, sparing the comedic aspects of rakugo in favor of a very satisfying to follow story told entirely through narration. It’s a very unorthodox style compared to what we’ve seen so far, but surprisingly effective. We’re essentially entering Akane-Banashi’s first tournament arc with the Karaku Cup, and I am absolutely thrilled to see what the other competitors will bring to the table. Akane is like a sponge that soaks up information, and I feel like this competition will be critical to her growth as a rakugoka, even (especially) if she loses. Having that goal of confronting Issho has lit a fire under her that will surely take her to great heights.
Earthchild
Story & Art by Hideo Shinkai
Chapter 14
Synopsis: Commence: Operation Peek-a-Boo! It’s finally time for Reisuke to go back into space with Mamoru in tow, the both of them having completed a rigorous training regime to prepare them for their mission: bring Kareri home. The mission will be incredibly dangerous not only due to its complexity, but also due to an oncoming meteor shower that serves as their deadline; they MUST save Kareri before then or they will most likely lose her. A lot of things need to go right in order for this mission to succeed, and thankfully the first strike of Mamoru’s telekinesis is a perfect hit!
My Thoughts: Emotions are high, with stakes even higher as we enter seemingly the last leg of Earthchild’s story, or at least this arc. The common consensus seems to be that this series will end very soon but it’s entirely possible that the author has more planned! I cannot for the life of me imagine what that could be though, outside of a few wrap-up chapters and cute slice-of-lifey looks into their family life post-rescue. I’d be pretty happy if this story said what it wanted to say, and ended by its own volition rather than by cancellation. I’m still not staunchly decided as to how I feel about this manga. I realize that my thoughts about this manga have mostly been about the future rather than the events of this chapter, but I have seen enough to give me faith in the series’ mangaka, Hideo Shinkai, and I hope he takes what worked from Earthchild and builds on those qualities. I hope he gets another chance to publish in Shonen Jump as I feel like he has brings a unique brand of potential to the magazine.
If any of the series mentioned in this post caught your interest, Shonen Jump offers the first and last 3 chapters of each series on their website, completely free of charge.
Stay tuned here at the Jo's Tomorrow blog for future manga roundups and all things Shonen Jump; Happy Reading!
(DISCLAIMER: This roundup only includes series that I am caught up on, meaning some weekly chapters from the magazine may be omitted. My weekly chapter roundups do not currently include monthly or bi-monthly releases. I will not be covering every currently running series, but I will do my best to keep you up to date with my personal favorites at the very least!)
