Reviews for Shaman King, Volume 23

The average rating for Shaman King, Volume 23 based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-03-02 00:00:00 Petter Steen Fuck, spent too long between volumes that I forgot I was in the middle of the fight against Golem.... More examples of Takei trying to turn this manga into a mecha series. Spirit of Fire is seen flying in a jet-like form (with fuckin' wheels in his feet). Chocolove returns with a new Spirit and an armor-type Oversoul that seems like a Power Rangers "Battlizer" (which isn't a thing in Japan's native Super Sentai series, so I guess it's more a Saint Seiya reference?). We're still wanking over power-levels here, but they seem almost less significant. Camel mentions Golem's furyoku level as being far higher than Horohoro or Ren's, but Ren briefly mentions techniques to make up for lower levels, somewhat similar to Son Goku's bursts of the Kaio-Ken multiplier in the Saiyan and Namek arcs of Dragon Ball. Well, until Ren mentions just overloading furyoku output to make up for power-level gap.... I like how Yoh's dad is just talking to himself to narrate his background with Camel. Fits in with his zaniness, especially as he's still in the process of fuckin' dying. As with previous volumes, there aren't really any big developments about which I might type a huge wall of text. I'm left passively commenting on the direction of the story as it continues the same trajectory it began a short while ago, as well as remarking on the cool pseudo-mecha designs Takei keeps doing. I guess I can mention Chocolove is probably my favorite character at this point. He keeps getting cool shit. Good emotional moments. He's trying to beat Camel into recognizing that he's dead, which is neat. Atonement for his (Chocolove's) past sins as a gangster. He can summon the ghost of Machu Picchu now, too! EDIT: Just remembered I did have something to say about this volume. Jeanne and Hao are more clearly acknowledged as opposing forces of Law and Chaos, resembling the primary metaphysic-politics at the heart of Shin Megami Tensei JRPGs. With Jeanne's law, people will be punished for transgressing against the X-Laws' established values. With Hao's lack of law, no one will be punished for any transgression, and are thus free to transgress as they please. Yoh takes a third option, roughly based on his brother's beliefs: "do unto others" and smoke weed e'r'day. Just like Christ and the Buddha before him. People who can see spirits cannot be bad people. Hao fights Golem to distract Camel from killing Hao's little brother. Jeanne, I know, will fuck Tao Ren in the future. The classic battle shounen manga trope of "the power of friendship" will prevail!

Review # 2 was written on 2021-01-08 00:00:00 Kevin Walter As the Hao tease dies quickly at the beginning, the story returns to the Golem until we get the surprise arrival of Chocolov and his sudden transformation. What's most annoying now is how death is simply a process utilized to grow stronger rather than an end attached with an emotional edge. Yours truly, Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer Official blog: