The countdown to issue #100 is almost complete! This issue starts out with the usual anime ads, though I’d like to point out the newest addition to Vizanime: Neuro. It’s based on a manga about a demon who eats mysteries. He comes to the human world after devouring all the mysteries in the underworld. He teams up with a human girl Yako who loves to eat and has a mystery of her own to solve. The anime is good, but what I really want to see is the manga licensed. So show your support and watch the anime! Maybe we’ll get the manga then!

The cover of this issue is dedicated to Yu-Gi-Oh! With a new movie set to debut at the end of the month, it’s not surprising the manga/anime/card game franchise is getting the star treatment. The new Yu-Gi-Oh! manga, 5DS also leads off the issue, a first for any Yu-Gi-oh! title I believe. Yusei’s duel with the Skeleton Knight continues, as the Skeleton Knight inflicts some heavy damage on Yusei. But he comes back after some encouragement from Sect, and deals the Skeleton Knight some heavy damage right back. It continues to be anyone’s duel. We should see an end to it next issue and I don’t think the outcome will be too much of a surprise. What I want to find out is where this will lead. Who is the Skeleton Knight, why did he appear now, and is there someone else pulling the strings. It seems like it’s not a Yu-Gi-Oh! manga if there isn’t some shadow figure, with some connection to Egypt, behind the scenes.

Naruto is next, with some surprises. First Naruto has to face off against Nine-tails and take over his chakra in order to gain control of him. As you might expect, things start to go south for Naruto, even with help from Killer Bee. But, his battle triggers another chakra to be released; his mother’s. She appears to him, and as they work to restrain Nine-tails, Naruto gets to talk to his mother, and find out not only about her, but how she and his father met. It quickly becomes clear where he got his impetuous and hot-headed nature. I have to admit, using the chakra is a rather original way to let Naruto meet his dead parents, and lets the reader see them in more than just flashbacks, as they can get rather tedious if used too much.

Bleach ends Mayuri’s and Szayelaporro’s battle with Mayuri taking the spoils, Szayelaporro’s specimens. The focus now goes to Zaraki’s and Nnoitora’s battle. Nnoitora’s invincible skin poses a challenge for Zaraki that he happily and eagerly takes up. It’s the battle of the eye patches, as we see what is behind Nnoitora’s and we know what happens when Zaraki loses his. All these battles are losing my interest, but this last one will be the worst. It’s another one-upping each other, but not in the clever way that Mayuri’s and Szayelaporro’s was. I really hope it doesn’t last past next issue.

Here is where Ultimo would appear, but, it “graduated” from the magazine this month. Yeah! I didn’t care for where it was going, and now I don’t have struggle through it. Yes, I could just skip the chapters, like I do the titles in Yen Plus I don’t like, but it’s harder for me to skip in print than online.

Psyren picks up the slaughter of the group who left Ageha and Sakurako. A creature with the name plate “Alfred” on the back of his head begins killing the participants, along with some bug creatures. The only survivors are Asaga, the tall man who taunted Ageha before leading the others away last issue, and Sugita. Ageha goes to save Sugita while Asaga gets Sakurako. Sakurako has a creepy psych-out moment when she recognizes Asaga. Ageha figures out how to kill the creatures, but it isn’t enough to save Sugita. He also figures out where they are, geographically. Sakurako reveals another ability and seems like it all over for her and Asaga when Alfred finds them, but Ageha comes to the rescue just in time. At least, he gives Alfred a new target. Even though it’s been a lot of fighting, this title is still interesting. I really want to know what the revelations we got in these chapters mean. Though, finding out where they are, might explain Sakurako’s outburst. I can’t wait to read more.

The Paramount War finally ends in One Piece. Trafalgar gets Luffy and Jimbei on his sub, but the 3 Admirals still do all they can to stop them from escaping. The Marines have had a taste of victory which turns to blood lust. It takes Coby and the surprise arrival of “Red-haired” Shanks to stop the fighting and return some order. Whitebeard’s death causes a power vacuum, and further turmoil in his territory. The Navy won this battle, but they are no closer to peace. Hancock follows Trafalgar and offers refuge to allow Luffy time to recover. He’ll live physically, but mentally and emotionally…? The appearance of Shanks in this issue was awesome. He is a force of reason among all the irrationality of the Marines and Pirates. Coby would have done Luffy proud if he could have seen him stand up to Akainu. But something else is starting to move in the shadows. Who is Doflamingo answering too? I can’t wait to find out more!

Death Note gets the spotlight treatment as the first omnibus edition came out this month. We get chapter 2, where L joins the game, and tricks Light into falling into his trap. Honestly, I read the first chapter of Death Note in a preview book I got from SDCC, and I didn’t care for the first chapter then, and this second chapter doesn’t change things.

Online, Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan gets 5 chapters which finishes up volume 1 and takes us into volume 2. Nura’s friends come to visit his house and the Yura thinks she senses yokai, but can never quite pinpoint any creature. The yokai do a good job at hiding. Then there’s another attempt to get Rikuo to resign, this time by the yokai rat clan Kyuso who kidnap Yura and Kana and demand Rikuo to resign as the Third. Human Rikuo folds like a house of cards, but after being confronted by his grandfather, Yokai Rikuo comes out and takes care of the problem. Then for summer break, Kiyo takes everyone to Mt. Nejireme where he knows a yokai professor. Unbeknownest to everyone, including Rikuo, the mountain is the headquarters of the Gyuki clan, who was also behind the Kyuso yokai attack. I’m really getting to hate Human Rikuo. He’s spineless and spend all of his time worrying that everyone will find out about his yokai heritage. Going back to my Yu-Gi-Oh! analogy, Yugi may have been pretty weak physically, but mentally he was strong. He didn’t remember the times Other Yugi took him over either, but he didn’t shy away from what was going on. Rikuo just keeps trying to run. I know the story is going to about Rikuo accepting who he is, I just can’t stand Human Rikuo to want to follow along.

Bakuman had a 4 chapter preview from volume 3. The boys are determined to do a mainstream manga and submit a storyboard to their editor, Hattori. Meanwhile, Eiji has been given a series, but he does the first two chapters of a different series than was agreed on. Of course this throws a wrench in the editorial department, and Eiji comes in while Saiko and Akino are there and they meet. It turns out Eiji was a fan of the boy’s Akamaru story. The boys go against their editors advice and continue on the mainstream manga submission, and the editor gives them an ultimatum. They submit a manga based on Hattori’s advice for the next contest, but it isn’t accepted. It seems several of the editors think they have potential that would be wasted on such an average story. While the boys are struggling, Miho makes her voice acting debut in a late night anime. These were some good chapters, especially with the boys getting slapped down for trying to a mainstream even though they are seen to have potential to do so much more. They’ve shown themselves to be competent at creating manga. Now they have to show that they can take it to the next level. I may have to get this volume to read the rest.

There was some good stuff in this issue. With the next being the big 100, I’m hoping it’s going to be even better. The removal of Ultimo already gets it off to a good start. The one shot crossover, “Cross Epoch” which puts Dragonball and One Piece together is an ever better. I can’t wait to read it. One Piece and Naruto have some good chapters coming up as well with jumps back in time to see them both when they were young. Next issue looks really promising as well!