Shonen Jump Featured January 21 2019 Columns 

This Week in Shonen Jump: January 21, 2019

By and | January 23rd, 2019
Posted in Columns | % Comments

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, Brandon and our newest reviewer, Kerry, check in on “The Promised Neverland” and “ne0;lation.” If you have thoughts on these, or any other current Shonen Jump titles, please let us know in the comments!

The Promised Neverland Chapter 119
Written by Kaiu Shirai
Illustrated by Posuka Demizu
Reviewed by Brandon Arnold

After a low output for the last month (only one chapter has been produced since December 21st), “The Promised Neverland” came back in a big way this week.

The game-changing, revelatory return of Norman at the end of the last chapter left readers with a lot of questions. For those who don’t remember, Norman was a starring character at the beginning of the series but was seemingly killed and eaten by demons a long time ago. Now, after he’s revealed himself to Emma, Ray, and the rest of the children, everybody wants answers.

This chapter is mostly dedicated to filling in plot-holes, which could’ve spelled disaster, but thanks to Posuka Demizu’s superb art, it manages to stay engaging. Demizu’s character work shines through like a brilliant ray of sunshine as he skillfully uses close-ups and single-shots that focus in on emotion. At the top of page four are two panels separated by a single word balloon as Norman lovingly calls to Emma at the moment of their reunion. The first panel focuses on Norman’s face as his eyes well up, his cheeks get flush, and his mouth is wrenched into a wide smile of relief. Alternatively, the other panel shows Emma with tears already streaming down her face as she’s undoubtedly reliving the trauma of losing Norman the first time. Her face is wrinkled and quivering with disbelief, and likely a little anger towards Norman for never telling her that he survived.

This attention to detail prevails above everything else in this issue. Ray has his moment when he slaps Norman out of frustration, then proceeds to tearfully embrace Norman and Emma. All the younger children from the original farm pile onto Norman like a beloved family member who had been away on a business trip for a very long time. This emotion is the lynchpin of this chapter that is perhaps best shown in two different two-page splashes: one when Emma runs to embrace Norman, and when she stands in front of her entire gang and proudly proclaims, “This is my current family!!”

The rest of the issue focuses on Norman explaining how he survived his perceived end and how he ended up taking of the mantle of William Minerva. The pacing here is the low point of the chapter. A long-winded exposition dump, the final sequence reveals that Norman was sent to an “experiment site for children.” He escaped, but his accomplice was killed. He inherited this compound from a network of demon-fighters and has since dedicated himself to killing demons and destroying farms. During this, the lettering gets a little confusing, especially during an exchange between Norman and Ray.

Norman’s backstory is interesting, but not particularly mind-blowing. Most of what he reveals could’ve been deduced before reading this chapter. However, the chapter does end with Norman asking Emma and the gang (and by extension, the readers) some interesting questions that have never been asked before: Why do the demons have to eat humans? And more importantly, what exactly are the demons?

Final Verdict: 8.0- While moments in this chapter lag, the emotional resonance and cliffhanger ending make it very worthwhile.

ne0;lation – process 5: Unlock
Written by Tomohide Hirao
Illustrated by Mizuki Yoda
Translated by Christine Dashiell
Lettered by Brandon Bovia
Reviewed by Kerry Erlanger

Continued below

The latest chapter of “ne0;lation” begins where the last left off, with ne0, Daigo, and new friend Yukko in the middle of the hunt for missing student Saki Miyauchi. It’s the third chapter in which readers have been treated to this particular story arc, an interesting choice since it seemingly has very little to do with the original plot of the manga (that Daigo and his sister owe the Yakuza a debt), but Tomohide Hirao manages to make it feel seamless. Frankly, this new plot adds deeper characterization elements, particularly to ne0, who up until now was being pitched as a devil-may-care, self-proclaimed bad guy. It’s a welcome addition; despite being vehemently opposed from the outset to helping Yukko find her friend, the reader is getting clued in to the notion that it might not be his whole story. Sure, there’s his oft-repeated refrain that he enjoys watching bad guys suffer and ultimately wants to rid the town of them so he can be top dog, but for someone who claimed that he didn’t want to be involved in this rescue mission or that he didn’t care about it, ne0’s pretty involved and cares about it.

In that sense, Anzai, the newly introduced antagonist, provides an interesting foil to ne0. Their technological knowledge is on par with one another, but there’s no question that Anzai is evil. He’s built a game that purposely drives students to suicide, using technology for his own selfish gains with very little regard for anyone else. Ne0, on the other hand, has so far used his skills to help the less fortunate. Anzai brings that into sharp focus.

Meanwhile, Daigo starts to prove he’s more than the muscle to ne0’s brains. Towards the end, he makes a quick decision that very well may be the difference in the team’s ability to save Saki’s life. Both Daigo’s and ne0’s growth are important if this manga is going to have staying power, and Hirao pulls it off well.

The stakes feel higher as the story progresses and that’s reflected in the artwork. Mizuki Yoda is good at creating a mood with her drawings, fluidly switching back and forth between soft curves and sharp angles depending on the demands of the story. One scene in particular really stands out, where Yoda’s ability to manipulate perspective and play with shadows heightens an already tense situation between Yukko and Anzai.

Overall, “ne0;lation” remains enjoyable. Despite a cliffhanger that promises readers another chapter of the Lemming mini-arc, it doesn’t feel tired. Short chapters and generally good pacing ensure that this plotline won’t be forever, which is a trap that manga can sometimes fall into (insert “Dragon Ball Z” joke here). It also hints at more “mission-based” stories to come, which could give this series staying power.

Final Verdict: 7.8 — A quick and easy read that moves the story along, both in the immediate and overarching plot, and signals potential for growth.


//TAGS | This Week in Shonen Jump

Brandon Arnold

Co-Creator of "4 Panel Madness" @Vague_Hearts on Instagram. Bass player and vocalist of A Bad Night for a Hero. New to the game... more coffee please.

EMAIL | ARTICLES

Kerry Erlanger

Kerry Erlanger is a writer from New York whose accolades include being named Time Person of the Year 2006. She can be found on Twitter at @hellokerry.

EMAIL | ARTICLES



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