Welcome to This Week in Shonen Jump, our weekly check in on Viz’s various Shonen Jump series. Viz has recently changed their release format, but our format will mostly remain the same. We will still review the newest chapters of two titles a week, now with even more options at our disposal. The big change for our readers is that, even without a Shonen Jump subscription, you can read these most recent chapters for free at Viz.com or using their app.
This week, Ken and Robbie check in with “One Punch Man” and “Spy vs Family.” If you have thoughts on these or any other current Shonen Jump titles, please let us know in the comments!
Spy x Family Ch. 19
Written & Illustrated by Tatsuya Endo
Reviewed by Ken Godberson III
“Spy x Family” is quickly reaching it’s one-year anniversary in Weekly Shonen Jump and now that the book has found it’s legs, it seems poised and ready to finally take over. Loid, Yor and Anya have been fleshed out enough to make them compelling enough and it shows with the current storyline of Anya being kidnapped. But as Yor makes her panicked pursuit, little Anya gets some unexpected help.
At its core, this chapter is about a little girl and a big adorable dog vs kidnappers. Now, normally when I hear “little girl,” “big dog” and “manga” my thoughts immediately go to “Fullmetal Alchemist” and the thoughts of “Please no, not again!” begin to crop up. However, “Spy x Family” seems to be a much more wholesome series, so it doesn’t veer into any of that territory. However, while the antics between Anya and the dog, as well as Yor’s overly dramatic worrying, are enjoyable, Endo makes sure to add a line of pathos to it all as we learn some of the background on this unique dog. It provides a sense of immediate kinship between the young girl and her canine companion.
I have to say, I find Endo’s art style to be one of the more fun styles in Weekly Shonen Jump right now. It’s nice and fluffy (including Fluffy Dog!) without ever going too soft to be childish. The artwork in Yor’s scenes of panicking on what may happen to the kidnapped Anya are genuine laugh out loud moments without ever falling into parody levels. Furthermore, Endo’s action scenes are crisp and energetic, allowing for the series to get serious at the right moments. One such moment is when Anya is merrily boasting about her and the dog going to save the day… right before turning a corner right into the kidnappers. It made me burst out laughing before the moment became incredibly serious.
“Spy x Family” is probably one of the most underrated stories going on in Weekly Shonen Jump right now, but I feel it’s only going to get more notice as it goes on. It’s lightheartedness without ever feeling saccharine combined with some nice action makes it a bit of a palate cleanser from the darker affair. Get in on the ground floor with this one. I feel it’s going to be worth it.
Final Verdict: 7.8- A fun adventure of a girl and a big fluffy dog.
One Punch Man Chapter 112
Written by ONE
Illustrated by Yusuke Murata
Reviewed by Robbie Pleasant
“One Punch Man” has grown from a superhero gag series about an overpowered hero to a massive hero universe in and of itself. In fact, it’s reached a point where we can often go several chapters without Saitama (the titular One Punch Man) even showing up. This chapter is no different, focusing on other heroes within the Hero Organization and their battles against monsters.
Story-wise, there’s not too much to say. We see the hero Pig God, a hero who eats monsters like they’re popcorn, battling against a larger monster who also eats his foes. There’s minimal dialogue, because the story moves through action and illustration alone. What we do get, wherein a smaller monster screams as Pig God eats him, works well to illustrate just how powerful the hero is.
The other half of the story follows Atomic Samurai’s pupils as they move on to the next monster fight. The monster design itself is fantastic – what first appears as a fish tank with eyeballs floating in it turns out to be two different, equally powerful foes. We have killer fish that leap out of the water and eat anything in their path, but the water itself is a monster too. It’s a great reveal that adds another level of danger onto the fight.
Continued belowAlthough the chapter lasts a good 23 pages, it feels surprisingly short. This can be attributed to the excellent pacing; the art and story flow so well that readers find themselves flipping through to keep up with the fast pace of the action.
But while the story in this chapter may just be a series of fights, it’s the artwork that makes it incredible. I’ve spoken highly of Yusuke Murata’s illustrations before, and this chapter continues to show why his skills are worthy of praise.
First, we have the designs for both the monsters and heroes. They come in all shapes and sizes – monsters range from the fish monsters to a spiked beast to a walking stomach with massive jaws, while the heroes range from the utterly obese Pig God to a samurai warrior to the crossdressing Okama Kama. Then there’s the way the artwork carries the story – look at the full-page illustration of Pig God eating his foe, where we view the scene from the monster’s perspective as Pig God’s empty mouth fills with utter darkness. The next page tops that by showing an even larger set of jaws emerging from the darkness behind him, about to chomp down on the hero as he’s still eating the reptilian monster he slew.
When combat begins, it’s filled with intense action lines while remaining entirely clear. The flow from panel to panel is impeccable, and every hero and monster remains beautifully detailed.
While the chapter itself is mostly just fight scenes and monster introductions, Yusuke Murata’s illustrations and designs make every page a work of art. It may not be a climactic moment or provide any character growth, but every new chapter of “One Punch Man” is always worth reading.
Final Verdict: 6.9 – The chapter goes by fast as it transitions to a new fight, but the artwork and monster designs alone make it well worth reading.
