User blog:Retro7/Fairy Flush Reviews: Chariot

Hey all and hope your enjoying the first week of Spring. And hey another FT chapter, joy!

Chapter 276: Chariot

Skinny: We dive head first into day two of the games with the second event, Chariot; a foot race on a train like row of moving platforms. Natsu, Gajeel and Sting all compete in the event only for all to suffer motion sickness. The rest of the competing teams easily get ahead of them with Bacchus scoring first place for his team. The three dragon slayer push themselves to reach the goal with Natsu and Gajeel getting further. Sting decides to let FT have their points thinking it won't matter before asking why it's so important to them. Natsu gives a speech about how they're friends waited years for them during the time they were missing, so competing in the games is proof of their unwillingness to give up. Natsu crosses the line first earning his team six points and Gajeel one for his. Most of the audience seems moved by this showing and even applaud the guild. Sting unfortunately hasn't gotten the message from Natsu's speech

My Thoughts: Well this was a rather clumsily handled chapter. We just move right into the event with no build up withsoever and pretty much finish it off just as quickly. The last chapter seemed to promise Erza vs Bacchus, instead we get this footrace that felt more like filler then anything. I don't know if it was time constraints or what, but I seriously wasn't feeling the storytelling flow.

The only interesting points we get here is that we see more of Bacchus's power, practically overturning the wagons to beat the others (hungover too I might add, damn he is gonna be tough). Risley's gravity magic (and yet another excuse for Mashima to do fanservice =P). The fact that it seems all Dragon Slayers have motion sickness. I don't know if Wendy's an exception since she deals in healing magic and I'm surprised Laxus has this too considering he's an artificial dragon slayer but hey there you go.

Loved the cover too of the three dragon slayer literally butting heads, might've been better used in the chapter itself.

Natsu's speech is the usual friendship spiel we've heard countless times in other shonen manga, so its really nothing special. Yeah its sweet he loves his guild, we've known it countless times before so there was no need to make another big to do about it. If he has to do it, at least put it near the climax of the final battle not in some rinky dink track and field game. And why exactly was Natsu used for this? Just for the speech and some laughs about his weakness. This would've been better suited for Elfman (thats just me though).

Last but not least, Sting's character showcasing more of his cockiness and his pride, dude didn't even try which really says something about him if he thinks the FT taking some points won't make a difference, yeah he's going to fall and hard come the endgame. One question though. didn't he say in his introduction how leaving behind your comrades makes you trash? What's with the 180 all of a sudden? Just to make us hate his character? I would think that would've given him more incentive to fight Natsu later. Instead its just, "Meh whatever". Seriously Mashima keep tabs on your characters please, he's either cocky but knows the meaning of friendship or a smug prick that's only focused on being number one. Make up your mind!

Overall, a rather lackluster chapter that just reaffirms that Fairy Tail won't give up. You know, what we established last chapter but apparently needed another reminder about it. Like Sting's attitude at the end, I really couldn't give two ticks about it.

Grade: D