Template:TMITM/Mar2013

 

This month I was busy, so I didn't have much time to devote to the article. Thus, the whole thing will be more of a series of impressions of the whole monthly thing, rather than distinct, individual reviews. The length will, predictably, decrease, and the same goes for the usual random bullshitting and the images.

Let's get this started.

So, what to say about this month's Fairy Tail chapters? There's a whole ton of them (one was still around from February, to tell it all)... and I must say we really, REALLY reached the bottom in some. I'm not kidding. Though, let's take our time, as short as it might be.

Chapter 320 was pretty straigth-forward, nothing special. Gray and Juvia not managing to best Lyon and Chelia sounded a bit off, but hey, what do you know. Orga's lightning-fast downfall (yeah, that was supposed to be a joke) was kind of expected, since it's Mashima we're talking about, but I still couldn't help but feel a bit shocked. That Charged Particle Cannon move had some pretty cool effects, and Jura was suddenly gave up Magic to simply smash foes into the ground.

Oooooh, the good old days when Mages chose to train spirit at the expense of strength and speed.

Laxus NEEDED to be struck down as he tried to attack Jura directly... just as he NEEDED to deliver a nice blow to the Wizard Saint's mug. The Thunder God always stays classy.

Sigh... Now come the sore points. Chapter 321 was one of the series' LOWEST POINT. The fight between the two strongest Mages in the Grand Magic Games, the epic clash which pitted "the strongest human Mage" against one of the strongest Mage of the formerly (though really, it's not like Sabertooth's done much to hold such title) strongest guild in Fiore... was just a showoff of flashy attacks. No strategy, no use of brain whatsoever. It was only a competition of "pull out the flashier move", and most of it wasn't actually SHOWN.

Not to mention how Laxus' Raging Thunder, supposedly one of the top techniques of Fairy Tail's strongest Dragon Slayer, wasn't even flashy.

Oh, yeah, Erza's new armor. Mashima should just have made it official and called it Plot Armor. This would have made things easier even for battles yet to come.

IMMEDIATE PASSAGE TO CHAPTER 322, GO! Minerva gets her face smashed on the ground for good without us actually realizing what her Magic is really about. Great. Lyon and Chelia go down just as easily, a single Unison Raid-like flashy move (remember? FLASHY?) from the now collaborating Gray and Juvia (wasn't Fairy Tail about COLLABORATING with your guildmates? Are the two of them away every time Natsu spits his Nakama Crap or what?) is enough to handle them.

Wait, say what? That leaves Sting as the guild's only opponent, right?

Riiiiight.

The guy's "King's Scenario" (yeah, the one from some chapters ago) is to take down all of the heavily injured Mages at once. Well, it's not like you'll be called Alexander the Great, but Mashima isn't called like that either, so, yeah, a passable plan... which you don't carry out because the bruised guys you were planning to beat the crap out of are still standing on their feet. Say, had they been standing on their hands or running around balancing themselves on huge rubber balls, things would have been different? Maybe we should ask someone it's reasonable to think you've spent some time with.

So, yeah. Fairy Tail wins X791's Grand Magic Games.

Sigh.

And Lector is returned to Sting.

Alright.

I know something like this would deserve more dedicated space. But it won't get it.

GO CRY TO YOUR MOMMY, NEGLECTED TOPIC!!!

Chapter 323, on the other hand, was one of the series' highest points, at least recently. The fact that the persons from the future were actually 2, was unexpected... and the same goes for the fact that the second person from the future is be Rogue. This has to be the most surprising instance we've had in tens of chapters. It wasn't only interesting, but it also gave a viable explanation of the "Shadow" possessing the "current Rogue" during his battle with Gajeel. The Shadow Dragon Slayer ' s new look, while a bit creepy, is also suitable to show the change which people who survive a draconic apocalypse tend to undergo. A nice chapter, for real!

...

And then comes chapter 324. Everything Mashima gained with the previous one is lost with a death scene (Lucy 2.0's) which isn't only badly planned and pathetic, but also useless. Why is everyone crying and grieving? Hell, Lucy from the future is LUCY, the one at you guys' side! This Lucy will become her at some point, she's not dead! And Lucy did something wrong. Who'd think she was the culprit, since Carla's vision's been a pain in the ass for ages? Not to mention how we're back to Natsu spitting Nakama Crap and then tackling the current villain by himself. How original.

The only good thing about this chapter was probably Rogue's sword-like attack.

On to chapter 325, the last in this month's review.

I kind of liked the Mirajane x Yukino moment... Don't know why, but I think Mirajane's Nakama speeches are somewhat better than Natsu, Erza or the rest of the crew's. We finally got to see Fiore's king, kind of confirming he was indeed Mato, and were treated to the beginning of what many people (me included) expected (and thus weren't surprised of): all of the Games' Mages preparing to fight the incoming dragons... which I guess will be an excuse to FINALLY show off their skills. If I get to see some nice techniques from the guys who didn't get a chance to shine in the actual competition, in the end I might even be satisfied with the current arc.

Well, more or less.

Oh, yeah, and Jellal came to ask Lahar and Doranbolt a favor. Guess Mashima didn't forget about these guys' previous encounter either. That's already something, considering how it's him we're talking about.

Anyhow, this extra-brief review ends here...



... just as the Eclipse Gate is opened before Lucy's eyes.

See you next month, folks. Hope by then I'll have something longer and more articulated for you.