User blog comment:IamJakuhoRaikoben/Chapter 364: Tartarus Arc, Part 1: Sins and Sinners, Review./@comment-4047931-20131221024001

Okay I haven’t done this in a while but here we go. First of all I didn’t get to read this till know because of work and drink and I have not properly enjoyed reading Fairy Tail for a long time, since the mess of the GMG arc to be precise and because of recent events in the series quickly dashed the hopeful expectations I had for this arc however it may just be the effects of the audio torture from listening to Christmas songs hours on end which numb the brain but this chapter was good. I’m surprised in how much I enjoyed this as I felt a good mixture of events made it great. Putting Erza and Mira together for a start is something even I can’t help but feel excited for and the two big reveals were pretty unexpected. One of them which I didn’t expect would happen at all and other one I realised after it was too late. Anyway I’m glad to have enjoyed a chapter in so long even though I’m still considering all the reasons to which why I enjoyed but let’s move on.

So the colour pages Hiro gave was for a start were very nice but seeing that he put in the effort into colouring in Happy’s afro black instead of blue is just a sick insult and reminder of what I’m going to say was the worst moment of this arc. Now while Elfman’s still choking a bitch we get to see Erza and Mira arrive at Santa’s Grotto, I mean the ex-chairman’s home. I like how this conversation with the ex-chairman set up the end of this chapter pretty well as Crawford came of like such a genuine nice old man and he makes tea for God’s sake. The only old men who make tea are Iroh and kickass butlers. I was just taken in by his kindness too well to see the twist at the end come. The conversation may have just been the three reminiscing and exposition but it did its job of creating a façade for that Santa and Dubledore’s love-child and it was a nice call back to the earlier chapters and overall a lot of this chapter was exposition and build-up. I did like finding out that the identity of those linked to activating the Face has been kept secret adding a layer security to the biggest threat in the series to date even though the smartest thing to do would probably be just to let the information and the ability to open seal die with those have sealed it and/or created it. I liked it even more though the Crawford is basically playing them for chumps though has he possibly knows the three sealers’ locations if Cat Councillor Words are true but if he doesn’t know it makes me sceptical of how Tartarus would activate it if they kill the members of the council who don’t give the any information on the white legacy/inheritance who I presume are the group of three key to activating the face, as if they end up killing them all would that leave the Face useless? I guess we’ll to get into that but it’s one thing on my mind. I am interested to find out who these three are whether they be normal douchebags of the council, powerful mages or even dead. Still with that out the way Kyouka’s dark knights finally showed up and the action gets under way. Kudos on the panel when they crash into the house as seeing the sword appear from Erza’s hand and Mira’s skin beginning to change just looked really freaking awesome, not to sound like too much of a fanboy. Pity we only get a glimpse of the action before it moves on but I can’t be the only one thinking that this fight is looking like some bondage party… oh wait I am… let’s just move on then.

Wow I can’t believe this is going to be the second time Elfman has almost killed his little sister. Still at least Miss Boobies McHorn-Face is giving him the opportunity to free himself from her control by surrendering his soul to her. Sounds just like my first marriage, ba dum tiss. Now here I was thinking that Kyouka’s ability was basic was taking the idea of one’s selling their soul for power but I guess it ends up that Sayla has filled in this demonic role. I’m guessing that if Elfman does agree in giving up his soul so I’m guessing it might just make him a complete puppet of Sayla or make him incredibly weak to the point were probably won’t be able to do anything. Still Elfman has like four souls including the beast souls so wouldn’t it funny if she just ending up getting the soul of, let’s say the Weretiger. If this is the case Sayla would be a genie. I doubt that will happen anyway but if it did…

Now we see Doranbolt and I am actually surprised he let them go. Cobra’s cell was empty (besides the lonely council mage) and that could only mean Doranbolt was true to his word and we had conformation on the motives Tartarus. I respect Dorenbolt for keeping his word but he knows this is risky however a few pages later we see he has this covered in a most specular way. I’m just hoping to see what Cobra and the gang will get up to and I also hope they don’t go down too easy when they get back to their dastardly bastardly ways. Anyway we now get a canon shot of the Oración Seis pre-timeskip and just have to that Midnight still looks a bloody woman. I think he looks like one more than he did in Key of the Starry Sky arc and how his face is drawn doesn’t help his case at all. On the bright side at least Racer doesn’t look as ridiculous anymore though. Angel is back to showing off the goods and I hope she still has her long hair as that looked a lot better than her post-timeskip hairstyle. At least Hoteye or is it Richard… hmm… at least he’s here and not some Teddie rip-off or a doll. Also good to see Brain again, oh wait, Corba’s slashed him. Well I like how we are getting to see them again and I’m curious to see how strong the alliance they have with Tartarus actually is but the page over shows they seem to be focused on the information gathering from and then eliminating the former council members so they seem evil, and I like it, it made them cool. Now we get to Doranbolt’s cover plan after releasing one of the strongest dark guilds, and what a cover plan it is. Jellal’s I’m-about-to-unload-a-massive-can-of-holy-whoop-ass-on-your-ungodly-arses face almost made me scream like a Jellal obsessed fangirl. I can’t help but look forward to when Meredly and Jellal duke it out against the Oración Seis as it should be good, but I’m going to try subduing my hype so my expectations won’t cause me to become disappointed if things turns out for the worst but there’s part of me this chapter has appeared to of rekindled is drawing me towards the hype. Still I’m just glad to see that Doranblot can take action unlike some other council mages. May God spit on their graves.

Now with the chapter on its last legs Natsu wakes up after the fight, you know the one, and Natsu appears to of had an epiphany. By the way was this the first time Wendy has shone so backbone and told somebody off for not resting, as most of the time it comes across more like advice rather than a command. Might just be me but either way it doesn’t work as Natsu is now heading for the ex-chairman’s house and that’s when I got worried. Still we get one last look of the Fairy Tail’s dream tag-team defeating Kyouka’s goons and then they begin to wonder why Tartarus only sent weaklings. I was wondering this too, but for different reasons. Should’ve gotten a proper fight… So we cut back to Natsu who was somehow able to realise, before all the other members of Fairy Tail who are smarter than him and that’s the majority if you don’t, that Tartaros shouldn’t have this much information of the council and the face and believes that there is a rat (snitch/ informer if you’re confused). I had been thinking this as well as if the Face was such a big secret how anybody outside those with authorisation would know would be dumb but I still don’t think Natsu would be able to put two and two together like this. Then then Mira and Erza fainted and when it looks pretty damn simple kind of magic I think it was safe to say that one of the Nine Demons wasn’t coming and that Crawford was a freaking bastard.

So I have to say this was a damn good chapter. A good twist, a good reveal and a good setup. It would have been good to give Erza and Mira more of a challenge but I’m not too bothered with what Crawford did as he used his brain, something I thought was impossible for most characters, and with the twist able to trick me I have to say it was good as we were given enough to think on when the face was revealed. I’m eager to see what occurs with Jellal, Meredy and the Oración Seis which I hope would at least get a chapter or two for this event if there is any confrontation. I’m wondering on the possibilities of what will happen to Erza and Mira as I hope if they are to get out of this situation they don’t get saved by Natsu or anyone else like as it would be great to see them work together more. Honestly if do get taken to Tartarus’ headquarters and a group are sent to save them that they would end up meeting with those who are trying to rescue them. I want to see how serious the consequences are with Elfman and Sayla as we must of all heard a story of how the devil would always make the deal turn sour to those who were greedy, foolish or desperate enough to make a deal with him. Finally Crawford’ deal with Tartarus should be big. Is he a demon or has he been promised a place where he would be safe from the hell that would ensue if Tartarus would achieve their goals? At the moment I want to see this whore destroyed. Still I’m happy with this chapter as it was able to surprise me in more ways than one and it had more than enough screen time of characters more favourable characters. If more chapters were enjoyable like this I won’t have much of a problem with the rest of the arc, however those chapters won’t all focus on expositions, especially those with fights and that’s what is going to make or break this arc.