User blog:LastationLover5000/Fairy Tail 415 - In Which Hiro Finally Gains The Emotional Range Of A Tablespoon (And It Shall Become Your Will To Live)



"Dad...you promised me...that you wouldn't go anywhere...do break your promise...I...I've been looking for you for so long...I...I learned how to write...and my magic is so much more badass now...not to mention, I've made tons of friends...I got a job, too...I...I...I have things I want to share with you! Igneel!"

- Natsu Dragneel mourning his father

Welcome to the Chapter Review Corner



Every time I walk through that door...it feels like the first time. To those new to the blog, welcome, to my continued readership, all I have to say is thanks. SARA, how's it looking?



All systems are up and running TOM; are you ready?

LAST TIME, ON FAIRY TAIL

Igneel wanted a hand, but Acnologia didn't comply, so, he disarmed him. Sadly, he wasn't ready for Acnologia to penetrate his body. So, he was quite torn up about it.

And that's how you set the tone for a review.

So, is anyone else torn up about Igneel's death? I bet dying just ripped him apart. I'd lend him a hand, but I could see he's already got one. So let's move on, shall we? This is one of those chapters where I just have to give Hiro even the tiniest bit of credit on. I didn't review the last chapter, and to anyone disappointed, sorry about that. But I had more pressing things to do that week than review a chapter of a very crappy manga series. But now that I have some time to do nothing, I may as well review this. So let's grab some dragon jerky and dive into this.

So, the place where the Lumen Histoire is stored is the same place Peter Griffin keeps his porn mags?

So, yeah, we still have no idea what the Lumen Histoire does. Let's add that to the list of "Fairy Tail Plot Points That Go Nowhere", along with probably a bunch of other shit I could name if I felt like remembering (cookies for anyone who can name shit that went nowhere in FT in the comments). Mavis simply says this means it wasn't the time...again, whatever the hell that means. Okay, let's place bets: what do you all think the Lumen Histoire will be used for? I personally think it'll be used against Zeref; he'll fade into oblivion at the sight of the naked Mavis, revealing Zeira. Complaints? None? Good, let's move on.

And this is where I call bullshittery

And this is about the point in the chapter where I started to call bullshit. This, along with the Lumen Histoire, was the detracting part of the chapter. Let's start with those Dragon Slayers we love to hate. Sting and Rogue. Remember how they boasted to be so strong because they killed their parents and bathed in their blood? Well, as it happens....THAT NEVER HAPPENED! Yeah, Hiro just M. Night Shyamalaned your ass! No, the Dragons manipulated their children's memories, making them THINK they killed them and became stronger, hoping to produce some kind of placebo effect. Remember how Rogue and Sting got their asses kicked despite their "power"?

Like anyone could forget? Pretty sure Sting had quite the dental bill

Hiro literally explained his bullshit with more bullshit and it fucking makes sense which is why I hate it. BUT DON'T WORRY! Because we're still aboard the bullshit train and I think the track up ahead is damaged, because we're about to crash into a wall called "bad writing". I'm not a writer; really, I'm not. I enjoy writing as a hobby, but I don't give myself the title. But even I can tell when someone is just writing themselves out of a corner (like Kishimoto with Kaguya), and this is a huge example of that. So, the Dragons, guess what? They're already dead. This is already bullshit on it's own, but then they revealed its a "one-time-deal". Meaning Hiro literally wrote it this way because he needed SOMETHING to destroy Face because he had nothing else to do it; he had no other ideas. Also, I'm curious as to how Acnologia's Dragon Slayer Magic pulled their souls out of their body. Is he a Spirit Dragon Slayer? Does he consume Souls? HOW DOES THIS WORK!?. You're frustrating me, Hiro, and I am so close to the legal age of drinking in my state. Am I gonna have to start binging for every chapter I read? Should I start having a drinking game; a shot for every piece of bullshit per-chapter? I'd need a new liver just to finish the series.

Now at least comes the...good part of the chapter. Hiro took a few classes in emotion, because he sold this pretty well. Natsu grieving for the loss of his father.

I dare you to not feel even slightly saddened here

No, seriously. Not even cracking a joke at this one, this scene made me feel for Natsu in a way I never have before. I actually felt bad for him, and this scene nearly made me cry. And before all of you who do hate Natsu (and I am right in that camp with you, my tent is to the southwest), tell me if any of you remember what it's like to lose a family member? I'm sure quite a few of us have, probably even worse if they died in front of you. Imagine how you felt then, and you can see why I can at the very least feel for Natsu here. (To anyone who is so blessed as to yet not have anyone they care for die...well, try to picture it from someone else's perspective then). In addition to knowing just what it's like to have a family member I love die, I'm also very well aware of what it's like not to have a father. So Natsu's grief in this scene actually hit me. It's made even worse when I realize that this is at least one time where Hiro is writing from personal experience. The reason Natsu lacks a father (and Haru by extension) is because Hiro also lost his father when he was young. And to me, I could feel the emotion in this scene from Hiro himself, not just the normal crap he usually puts out. So, to Hiro's credit, I found this scene, and even the Dragon's departure, to be well done in terms of emotional impact. If I give Hiro the benefit of the doubt here, this should impact Natsu for the remainder of the series. Given his track record, it...won't. But I'll try and believe in him for this moment. Natsu swears revenge on Acnologia, which Igneel praises his son for, as all the dragons depart.



I'm literally not making a joke in this section. You deserve this moment to yourself, Natsu.

Score
Hiro's art is always his saving grace, so ✓+. The story, I am giving a ✓. It would have earned a ✓+ had Hiro focused entirely on the parents and their children, but he devoted time to explaining bullshit that was honestly more infuriating than anything. However, as I've said, the emotional parts of this chapter really did hit me, and because I know Hiro tried this time, I will give the story section a ✓. There was no fight, so no score. Overall, I rate this chapter as a ✓.



Fairy Tail is done for today, but it should be back next week, though I'm not sure, given the lack of a chapter title. If it comes back next week, I'll see you all then with another review. Until then, stay gold.