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, Brian and Rowan check in with “F-Ken” and “Samurai 8.” If you have thoughts on these or any other current Shonen Jump titles, please let us know in the comments!
Samurai 8 Chapter 13
Written by Masashi Kishimoto
Illustrated by Akira Okubo
Reviewed by Rowan Grover
The first high-stakes arc of “Samurai 8” comes to a burning climax in its thirteenth issue. There are some good character moments here, though they mostly lead from development in previous issues. Kishimoto finally provides a redemption moment for Hachimaru, as he cleverly uses his technical knowledge to boost his own samurai strength. We don’t get much inner monologue from Hachi himself, however, Kishimoto gives us a lot more of his support cast’s reaction especially Ann, who’s now changed from devastatingly let down to admiring Hachi’s classic shonen purity and strength. The real MVP this issue, however, is Daruma during his battle with Ata. His approving words to Hachimaru are immensely satisfying before he takes over, feeling like gratification for our investment in his development. Kishimoto’s dialogue for him is totemic and powerful, as he declares Ata no longer his pupil before firing off a potentially planet-destroying attack with all the grandeur that this kind of moment should have.
Another thing that’s interesting to note is that this is delivering on a lot of worldbuilding and narrative seeding from earlier in the series, whilst showing that Kishimoto is handling pacing a lot faster than in his previous series like “Naruto”. We’ve been on and off with how powerful Daruma truly was, with his level being whispered and awed upon from secondary characters like Hachimaru’s father Furuta and the world’s samurai guardian, yet to truly have him step up feels like good long-form storytelling, whilst still withholding enough to keep his identity a mystery for further storylines. Similarly, Kishimoto played another long-teased hidden hand this issue with Furuta. Hachimaru’s father was always teased as having a secret agenda, so giving him not only notoriety as a mechanic but a connection to Ata makes him even more interesting to readers and links Furuta and his son to a greater conflict. It’s evidence of a well-planned out story, which is not surprising for someone like Kishimoto.
Okubo provides ever-stunning work in this issue, especially considering the big spectacle. The action from the start of the issue is smooth and fluid, drawing influence from European artists like Moebius in the use of the abstract character design and classic samurai artists like Hiroaki Samura in the perfect freeze frames of action that still ooze movement energy. However, this does reveal one of my peeves with Okubo’s work, that the action can get too abstract to follow at times. It took me a few reads to realize that what Hachimaru was forming was supposed to be a flight booster that propelled his attack forward, which took me right out of my immersion. That being said, the abstract design from the samurai bodies constantly regenerating is a fun addition that also works well to move the narrative forward.
Moving on to the more cinematic moments, Okubo goes huge with page structuring and perspective. Okubo cleverly positions the camera either directly or diagonally above the characters in fights, with enough breathing room that readers can see that, for instance, Hachimaru has jumped in to protect his father and Ann, but close enough to notice that Ata has stabbed him through the chest. Going even bigger, I love that even though he only dedicates three-quarters of a double-page spread to it, Okubo makes the Atmos Fangs technique look massive. Although we can see it, the technique is partially obscured by the panel frames, and the two fighters are insignificant specs within its giant, whispy visage.
Continued belowThe latest chapter of “Samurai 8” shows that it can deliver high stakes action in early arcs whilst still seeding for future storylines. Kishimoto gives some good character moments, while the real star here is Okubo’s cinematic-as-heck art.
Final Score: 7.9 – A great cap to the first arc of “Samurai 8” that features huge, spectacular art.
F-Ken One Shot
Written and illustrated by Yusei Matsui
Translated by Stefan Koza
Lettered by Rina Mapa
Reviewed by Brian Salvatore
For a long time in the West, there was a reputation that manga was sex obsessed and masochistic. This has been slowly chipped away at, which is obviously a very good thing, but sometimes when I’m reading Shonen Jump, I encounter a story that reinforces that stereotype with a vengeance.
“F-Ken” is that story.
This story revolves around a middling Kendo team that suddenly becomes unbeatable when a mysterious, demonic girl becomes their manager. Her tactic is to enhance the fetishes that the various male team members have – hands, necks, waistlines – and refocus that energy into being brutal with the kendo stick in those areas of their opponents. She turns them into literal monsters, and more than half the story involves the captain of the team trying to break the spell.
Matsui’s artwork is shockingly restrained here; based on the first few pages, I expected some serious upskirt/unnatural back arching action here, but that’s more or less kept to a minimum. We don’t see the fetishes in action, we just see the effects of the fetish taking hold. That’s maybe the best thing I can say about this story.
Because even if you’d be on board with ‘demon uses teenaged fetishes for kendo success’ storyline, the back half of the story goes totally off the rails, with such plot points as: the need to defend ‘my woman’ (someone he hates and wants gone), fetishes for championship flags, and a lot of instances of kendo sticks as dicks. Exhibit A:
Final Verdict: 3.1 – Ick.
