Welcome to This Week in Shonen Jump, in which a rotating duo of Multiversity staffers take a look at two stories contained in each installment of Viz Media’s Weekly Shonen Jump. For the uninitiated, Weekly Shonen Jump is an anthology that delivers more than 200 pages of manga of all varieties. We hope that you’ll join us in exploring the world of Weekly Shonen Jump each week. If you are unfamiliar, you can read sample chapters and subscribe at Viz.com.
This week, Robbie and Ken check in with “Hunter X Hunter” and “Dr. Stone.” If you have any thoughts on these titles, or “Food Wars,” “One Piece,” “Robot X Laserbeam,” “My Hero Academia,” “Black Clover,” “One Punch Man,” “The Promised Neverland,” or “We Never Learn,” let us know in the comments!
Hunter X Hunter Chapter 366
Written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi
Reviewed by Robbie Pleasant
Being a fan of Hunter X Hunter means being patient. The creator’s health troubles have lead to many hiatuses, but they’ve all been met by fans saying “It’s okay, take care of yourself” and patiently awaiting the next few chapters we may get. These past few chapters have been a gift, and this one is no exception.
Fortunately, Yoshihiro Togashi has not let his storytelling skills diminish in the least. The story continues to move forward at a proper pace, setting up multiple plots in motion, complications, and character motivations. He’s weaving a tangled web, but provides clear directions, dilemmas, and decisions for each of the characters.
That said, there are a lot of characters, and they’re all introduced in rapid succession, with little time given to each of them. There are over a dozen princes, plus their mothers, and all their bodyguards, and all the hired Hunters working with the bodyguards. That’s a fair amount of characters to keep straight, and with only so much time given to each of them, it’s hard to get invested in anyone we haven’t met in previous arcs.
Of course, Togashi hasn’t forgotten his older characters; Kurapika has been the central character for most of this arc, but he’s brought friends, and even though it’s just in passing scenes, we still get to see them. There’s also the return of a familiar face and fan favorite, which is sure to build the hype for the next chapter.
Unfortunately, as a result of Togashi’s health issues, the artwork is not at its past greatness. It’s not the worst its ever been, but it’s become very simplistic, often times providing little in the way of details on the characters or backgrounds. The character designs are still very distinct, in terms of facial shape, build, hairstyles, and overall appearance, so it’s still easy to tell the characters apart, it just lacks the distinct details of earlier chapters.
Occasionally, the artwork does improve, with more distinct designs being given to the items, surroundings, and overall designs, so it can really vary from page to page. It’s also somewhat better than previous chapters, which is a positive sign, and still provides a number of unique designs as far as the Nen Beasts go. Thus, the best way I could describe it is “sufficient, but inconsistent.” Overall, though, the artwork is more than acceptable, and everything remains clear and dynamic.
Overall, the chapter mostly serves to further the plots and plans of various characters, while quickly introducing or reintroducing several more. It may not be the most engaging of chapters, but it continues to carry the story forward at a good pace, and sets up further story points.
Final Verdict: 7.3 – A solid chapter, properly paced, and introduces some important elements. May get bogged down with the multitude of characters, but still builds the story and tension properly.
Dr. Stone Chapter 21
Written by Richiro Inagaki
Illustrated by Bochi
Review by Ken Godberson III
You know, twenty chapters into it, I think it’s safe to say that “Dr. Stone” is a reccomendation. As one of the two series to make it full-time into WSJ this year (the other being “We Never Learn”, so at least this series is the better of the two), one cannot deny the uniqueness of its premise. With Senku and Kohaku back at a village of other unpetrified humans, Senku begins his plans to create his “Kingdom of Science”. But of course, you have to start small, and that begins with iron. Credit to the creative team on the science (including their consultant, Kurare), they aren’t taking the shortcut in the creation of iron, emphasizing how temperature differences are important in the creation of iron, the example used here being that the wood they’d burn would only hit about 700 degrees and they need to get it up to 1,500 to make iron.
Continued belowWith this chapter, you have to look for the small character moments that Inagaki sprinkles in. With Senku’s dramatic boasting in the beginning about the “Kingdom of Science”, his abject horror at Chrome’s telling of the Tale of Momotaro, Chrome’s feelings for Ruri (even if this one felt a bit more on the nose in its depiction, but hey). We’re also introduced to another character, Suika, a young girl who is called that for the watermelon rind she wears to conceal her face. She’s a well-meaning, but shy girl who doesn’t seem to have an inner monologue. It all makes for good banter between the four.
Bochi’s artwork really helps with the banter, able to thread the needles between comedic and serious without ever going overboard on either side. When characters make over-the-top expressions, like Kohaku’s super-detailed expression of anger at Senku and Chrome, it doesn’t feel out of place. The chapter also makes some nice use of flashback for comedic effect, like when Senku remembering Chrome’s never heard of Dragon Quest or Monster Hunter, but has heart of the Tale of Momotaro. Like the character moments Inagaki sprinkles, Bochi’s artwork is all about those little moments of comedy and pathos.
Final Verdict: 7.0- “Dr. Stone” is a good manga, with all the potential to be a great manga. It’s still making its way, but one day it’s going to be big.
