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, Ken and Robbie check in with “My Hero Academia” and “Dr. Stone.” If you have any thoughts on these titles, or “One Punch Man,” “We Never Learn,” “The Promised Neverland,” or “Black Clover,” let us know in the comments!
My Hero Academia Ch. 192
Written & Illustrated by Kohei Horikoshi
Reviewed by Ken Godberson III
Warning: We’ll be going into some discussion that will involve spoilers.
There are a myriad of subplots that weave in “My Hero Academia,” often times shifting from the back burner to the front but I think the one that perhaps gets the most desire to see followed through is the one involving the Todoroki Family (“The Todoroki Family,” itself the name of this chapter). There’s a couple reasons for this: Shouto Todoroki’s popularity, it being the center of one of the most speculated on fan theories (this chapter adding more fuel to that fire; we’ll talk about it) but I think at the top of it is really simple: how this story line is the most “realistic.”
“Realistic” may be a loaded term, but the more we learn about Endeavor and how his abusive nature has affected all his family, the more I appreciate the messiness of it. On the whole, I am not one that is completely willing to give Enji Todoroki a chance but I do appreciate how Shouto, Fuyumi and Natsuo all have different responses to the trauma they’re dealing with: Natsuo is completely unwilling to forgive Endeavor and just wants him out of their lives, Fuyumi is trying to get Endeavor to change and for them to have the good family experience they were always denied and Shouto isn’t exactly willing to forgive but is willing to meet halfway an honest attempt at change. They’re all very different, but valid ways to approach this. It’s further contrasted with Endeavor’s public image becoming more and more positive as the Number One Hero with no one knowing the truth of his private life.
But what of the fourth child? And this is where we dive into a bit of speculation.
We learn in this chapter the name of the fourth Todoroki child, the eldest son: Touya Todoroki. Something happened to this child, and this arc the evidence has been piling up and up that the villain Dabi is Touya (like, it has reached the point where if he isn’t then Horikoshi will pull one of the most illogical swerves in a recent manga). If we go on that assumption, his reactions to Endeavor bring up another reaction to abuse: complete and utter hatred of the abuser. And now with this addition of a fourth sibling, it plants more seeds for the future and makes us want to see the next encounter between the family and this perhaps wayward son.
Horikoshi’s artwork is always really good but there is one thing that stands out in this chapter I wanted to talk about: Visual Passive Aggression! The running gag of Shouto and Natsuo slurping their soba noodles could’ve spoiled the seriousness in this chapter, but it runs a very fine line where the intended emotion can be expressed and provide some much needed lividity. Maybe some of Natsuo’s reactions could go a little over the top but when he finally lets loose on Endeavor, the “passive” part of that aggression is out the window and Horikoshi has that on full display that makes you empathize with Natsuo’s anger.
The end to this chapter has us moving to a new story and a return to another big plot point, but this mini-arc continues to show: this thread involving the Todoroki Family is one of the most interesting ones weaving throughout “My Hero Academia.” Horikoshi’s careful attention brought to this subject makes it one of the more complex stories in the series and it makes you impatient for the next time it’s brought back to the forefront.
Continued belowFinal Verdict: 8.2- An actionless chapter, but a very good conclusion to a mini-arc that furthers one of the most interesting stories in the manga.
Dr. Stone Chapter 68
Written by Riichiro Inagaki
Art by Boichi
Reviewed by Robbie Pleasant
As much as I’ve been enjoying the discussions of science and the advancement of Senku’s kingdom, I won’t deny that things have been going a little too well for our protagonist these past few chapters. He’s won over new allies left and right, sometimes with little more than a promise of cola or keeping a record working.
That’s why this chapter was a refreshing shift towards failure, as we see Chrome in trouble. Captured by Tsukasa’s forces, he could very well either let important information slip or die. Of course, either case would be bad.
In doing so, Riichiro Inagaki sets up quite a few important notes. We get insights for a few characters, starting with Chrome and his dedication to Senku’s cause. It’s a powerful establishing moment for him, showing his willingness to put his village and friends before his own life. However, we also get a little hint that Tsukasa’s men might have plans of their own, nicely setting up future twists and turns.
On the other side of the manga, we have the usual kingdom of science at work. By this point we know the drill – Senku explains the basics of the science, and everyone starts working to create the individual pieces that make his latest invention. While the science is slightly simplified in explanation, it’s still legitimate. While we’ve seen this before, it’s always fun to see how they create stone age equivalents of modern science with the tools at their disposal.
Of course, Boichi’s art continues to impress and provides no small amount of the energy that carries through the entire chapter, as well as “Dr. Stone” as a whole. The amount of detail put into the scenery, the shading, and the little touches on everything shines through in each and every panel.
Boichi’s art style is unique and constantly impressive, combining the comedically exaggerated with intense detailing at the drop of a hat. His work on character expressions is equally great, running the gamut from wide-eyed excitement to calm acceptance of fate. The way he works in light and shading works wonders with selling the mood for each moment, and is one of the strongest things about the art.
Overall, this chapter is another small piece of the overall journey. But in it we get some good character moments and another amusing invention montage, all accompanied by the stellar artwork from Boichi. If it weren’t for Chrome’s moments as captive in Tsukasa’s village this would have been an otherwise unremarkable chapter, but with it there, it’s all the better.
Final Verdict: 6.8 – While “Dr. Stone” remains an enjoyable series, this chapter would have been more of the same if not for the new plot points that Chrome’s capture creates. But it still looks damn good.
