User blog comment:IamJakuhoRaikoben/Chapter 403: Erza vs. Kyouka, Review./@comment-203.215.121.225-20141008065903/@comment-1776824-20141008142907

We are criticizing his writing. Never once have we complained that the chapter came out earlier than it did in Japan, and we never will. We complain because Mashima pulls the same old stops when push comes to shove. Instead of trying something new or daring, or hell, even tweaking an existing cliche so that it has some semblance of originality, he just does the same shit over and over. It's annoying as fuck. FT character is clearly outclassed ---> FT character is beaten into a corner that should be impossible for them to overcome alone ---> FT character through "feelings of friendship" beats opponent who is obviously stronger than them ---> Repeat ad nauseum. Get the point? His writing fluctuates from excellent to pathetic, and this week was pathetic. When you cannot have a happy medium, there is a problem. Tartarus arc had the potential to be the best arc this series ever had, and now it is by far the worst. I love Fairy Tail to pieces, but it's a shame right now. I don't think we called Mashima the worst writer ever, but we said his writing for the chapter was less than satisfactory. I don't know how you're interpreting chapter criticism as direct insults to Mashima, but whatever.