User blog:Gauldros/Chapter 299... I liked it.

First off, none of you probably know me, since I'm a fairly silent member. So I suppose my opinion may not having much credence here, but I thought I should throw in my alternative two-cents.

I actually really enjoyed this chapter. While I agree it did nothing to progress the story, we should have all expected that to some point. I also agree the skeleton of the story wasn't particularly interesting, since it's been done and done before.

But I LIKED it.

I thought it was A) Interesting to do a silent chapter and B) I thought it was really funny. Fairy Tail has been one of the few I following every week, but for me it started fading recently since FT was always supposed to be a drama and COMEDY manga. Chapters like this really get back to it's funny roots. Gildarts was funny! And some of you don't like this because it supposedly detracts from his "badd-assery". And I think that style of thought is shallow and close-minded. Do you want your favorite characters to be two-dimensional. It's the juxtaposition of the strength and pride of the strongest FT mage against the gushy, hysterical father in him that makes him so likeable. Now as far as the silent element is concerned; I did not expect this from Mashima and I thought it was thoughtful and intelligent. I'm not saying it was necessarily the most well executed silent chapter to exist, but still. Personally I sometimes get so distracted by the words, the dialogue, that I miss certain elements of the story. For example in Chapter 297, I was so distracted by what Levi was saying I didn't even notice on one panel the smoldering ruins. It's one of those styles that really allow the author to show their ability to tell a story through words, and allow the reader to engage themselves.

So anyway, I think I'll end it here before I rant for too long. Please let me know what YOU think in the comments below.