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 “Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V” and “Dr. Stone.” If you have any thoughts on these titles, or “My Hero Academia,” “One Piece,” “The Promised Neverland,” “We Never Learn,” “Food Wars,” or “Black Clover,” let us know in the comments!
Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V Chapter 37
Written by Shin Yoshida
Illustrated by Naohito Miyoshi
Duel Compositing by Masahiro Hikokubo
Reviewed by Robbie Pleasant
The “Yu-Gi-Oh” franchise is known for several things. Perhaps chief among them for players of the card game is the series’ ability to make a single turn stretch out for several episodes or chapters, and that’s never been more evident than in this chapter, which is almost entirely dedicated to playing a single card.
However, this is the card that the series has been building up to for its entire run, the Genesis Omega Dragon (or G.O.D. for short; this series does like is biblical symbolism). So taking the time to show off its power and significance is warranted. It builds up to the summoning well, showing the physical effects it has on those who have been impacted by the card and adding a sense of power and will behind it.
Design-wise, it looks intense as well; the immensity of the monster sells its power, along with the flaming wings emerging from its arms and the chains around it. Naohito Miyoshi’s illustrations do a fine job demonstrating the intensity of every moment. The swirling chaos building up to and around its appearance, the way those connected to i have their very skin peel away and the action lines that come with its attacks all illustrate the power an end boss should have.
The rest of the chapter also has perfectly fine artwork; Naohito Miyoshi has got the character designs down nicely, and gives everyone in each scene some good expressive moments. The chapter shows us some of the defining moments in some characters’ lives, and the emotion is properly portrayed in each one.
As the chapter is dedicated to the summoning of the Genesis Omega Dragon, there’s two things we need to look at: the villain’s motivations and the hero’s response to it. As far as motivations and means go, it’s a moderately unique idea – it will bring about despair by granting happiness, placing people in time loops until humanity no longer progresses. It’s an interesting concept, and works well with what we’ve seen it do for characters before; many of its followers made a deal to relive the moments of their greatest moments or to avoid their biggest regrets, and we’ve seen how doing so has caused them pain and loss.
So to contrast that we have Yuya. Naturally, as the protagonist, he has to stand up to G.O.D. and argue for choice and progress. It’s a decent enough speech, showing how people can move on without being trapped in the past, although it’s a pretty standard shonen hero speech. Still, it’s a good character moment, and his ability to smile in the face of immense danger is an important aspect of who Yuya is.
As much as I’d like to talk about the duel, this chapter doesn’t give us much of it; first the antagonist avoids defeat and summons G.O.D., which has an effect that will continually make it stronger, then Yuya manages to avoid getting defeated with a card he played earlier. It’s pretty standard fare, setting up the final threat and building the stakes before the duel’s endgame.
Overall, this chapter of “Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V” does a fine job setting up the next stage of the final battle. We get to meet the Genesis Omega Dragon that’s been driving the plot since early on, see Yuya and his brothers face it down, and learn what its final plan is. It’s a fine setup for the final part of the duel.
Continued belowFinal Verdict: 7.5 – We finally meet G.O.D., and he’s impressively powerful. It’s a good setup for the villain and the hero opposing him, accompanied by artwork that adds to the impact of the moment.
Dr. Stone Ch. 71
Written by Riichiro Inagaki
Illustrated by Boichi
Reviewed by Ken Godberson III
With Senku and the others walking into a trap, it is up to the captured Chrome to free himself in this chapter of “Dr. Stone.” Something that this series tends to run the risk on is that it’s fascination with science and the desire to explain it can overrun both plot and character and mess with the pacing of the series. However, I’m glad to say that isn’t the case for this chapter. It’s much more focused on Chrome as a character, his predicament and how he differs from characters like Senku.
“I don’t think. I take action and search! That’s how my science starts!” This is the statement Riichiro uses that really sets the difference between Chrome and Senku. Where the former has wheels and wheels turning through his head, the later is more direct and hot-blooded and works with what he has, whether its dirt or dry sticks or a variety of plants. There is one comedic moment where Chrome finds a four-leaf clover and goes into a nostalgic reminiscence of him and Ruri as kids before comedically throwing away the plant as useless.
Chrome’s attempts to escape have to be kept hidden from the warden, Yo. Someone else from the Old World, Yo serves as a bit of a foil to Chrome, having the same hot-blooded tendencies while also being more vicious, considering being “free” from his old society as opportunity to build himself up. I applaud Riichiro for the characterization: it’s brief but enough to already find Yo a detestable little scumbag.
Boichi’s artwork is the true calling here. He balances zanny, over-the-top comedy and the serious and emotional moments amazingly. We have moments like the above four-leaf clover moment and when Chrome has to exercise a lot around his cell to work up a sweat are genuine laugh-out-loud moments from the expressions Boichi draws on Chrome. Conversely, when the story is delving into the science of the world, Boichi turns up the detail in his work to a very high degree without ever feeling overbearing and keeps the interest.
The final statement of the chapter is simple: Chrome is not like Senku, but that doesn’t make him inferior. The ending shows that, while they may have different methodologies, they can reach similar conclusions to problems. This chapter was a good, character-focused chapter that gave a bit more depth without being bogged down by the science.
Final Verdict: 7.8- Riichiro finds a balance of character and science to give Chrome a bit more depth combined with great cartoon work from Boichi.
