User blog comment:IamJakuhoRaikoben/Chapter 404: 00:00, Review./@comment-4449950-20141012000503

This was typed up last night before I went to bed:

I wish this chapter could have been in two parts... I really do. Because the second half where Face activated, YES! Hell to the yes. Mashima is lucky he put that at the end. If it had been at the start I would have been happy and then hated the Erza fight at the end and thought the overall thing was just bleck. Because it ended on that good note, I went out at least feeling like I got something good.

Still, I'm not even going to comment on what actually happened in Erza's fight, because it made no sense. And that is sad. It is sad to me because there is a simple way Mashima could have made it make even a little bit more sense.

Here's what I mean:

So, Erza has stood despite all the crap Kyouka did to her... sure, we can't take 403 back, so I'm not going to try. But then... then she just continuously manages to hit Kyouka and the only explanation we get is "she's Erza"? For real!? Fuck me, I love Erza, but no... Just no...

And here's where things get bad, because in my mind, there is a simple, SIMPLE way Mashima could have made this go. All he needs if for Erza to hit Kyouka hard enough, right? Because then he can blame Kyouka's fatigue or weakness on the Lacrima sucker her powers, right? Erza can't move but Kyouka can, so that's where we're at.

So, HAVE MINERVA USE HER POWERS! Erza is standing there lost and confused. Kyouka throws herself in for a punch.... aaaaaand swap! Kyouka is where Erza was and Erza's body is now punching Kyouka. Kyouka goes wtf and tries to slash Erza with her claws. SWAP! Erza is slashing Kyouka with her sword. Kyouka backs up and surges forward for a final attack hoping to catch the two off guard... SWAP! Erza is pulling that final blow she impossibly pulled in this chapter, only more realistically. OR... SWAP and Minerva is in Erza's place with Erza's sword held out in front of her and Kyouka impales herself. Then the blood is not fully on Minerva's hands, but Face can still fire because they're too late.

I mean, really. That is like the simplest solution for the hole Mashima dug in 403 and it follows what we know about Minerva and her powers... but no, we get this impossibility that makes no sense.

Plus... and this is a big plus, I do not see where Erza can go from here. There is NO PLACE for people given God-like powers to go. Because in the next arc when Erza faces her big bad and gets punched and goes "ow", I'll be all "oh hell no gurl, you've survived having your pain maxed out and your senses taken away, just stomp this person." And that is not good... that is not a good place to have your character be >__>

Just THANK THE HEAVENS Face went off, because now Erza's BS is over and we can move on to hopefully something more interesting.

Nothing more to say.

Carrot out, bitches~