#chapter 407

We interrupt our regularly scheduled Skip & Loafer catch-up week to bring you...Konatsu. Because I woke up to a huge spike of love for an old Konatsu post. And because Konatsu & Ukyo are wonderful together. For this dynamic I'd not be into seeing play out in real life. Amazing single-chapter story about Konatsu, Ranma, and Akane trying to salvage the okonomoyaki shop while Ukyo is sick. Would love to see this animated in the remake because it's a hoot. You even get a pretty solid gag of our male kunoichi dressing for a gimmick as a "cute boy" but really it looks more like Lady Oscar or a Takarazuka actress.

This was a great gag too in the final chapter. Look behind the "Ran-chan!" panel. Konatsu's hiding behind it. Honestly? I was kind looking for an excuse to mention this one. Because it is a gag I've wondered about with Kiku. She never does quite like this where it's so obvious, but she has a habit of ending up blocked by speech bubbles and has that shy streak that her Academy appearances cranked up. So seeing it on another similar character in an iconic finale when we know Eiichiro Oda is a fan of Rumiko Takahashi? Especially right there in the same time period he'd be pitching Kamatari for Rurouni Kenshin. Definitely makes me think about that aspect a little more.

Light poured down on the entire world.

No, it was only my surroundings that were illuminated.

A sacred yet eerie feeling filled me.

The descent of an Absolute being.

A vessel of broken flesh.

I turned my head in the midst of it all, thinking this might be my last act of will.

I looked around at everyone.

Even after collapsing.

Even after being badly injured.

And yet, the Four Heavenly Kings, Artanis, and everyone else, are still fighting to save me.

Aged Kimchi, regaining consciousness, raised his head with difficulty and looked this way.

'It's been fun, thank you.'

For following a nobody like me.

For always being there with me.

I was happy.

I was joyful.

At least here.

I felt special.

Even the difficult and painful moments made me happy.

That's why.

'I hope you're all doing well.'

Am I crying?

Or is Aged Kimchi crying?

I don't know.

Why do my vision waver like this?

Why do the faces I long to see only blurs?

I wish we could end with smiling faces.

Me too.

And everyone else.

To each other.

I wish it were so.

Please, let it be so.

At that moment, the last conscious thought of life began to fade.

And then, the Archangel's descent was completed.

Oh lord it's one of those types of Togashi chapters again. You know it's leading to a straight banger scene but we have to spend a whole segment setting up Morena's little game. And that's what the whole chapter is about pretty much; during Halkenburg's procession one of the soldiers that grew up with Tserri gets nabbed by Morena's people. So we're seeing what's going on in the Heil-Ly HQ as the Phantom Troupe moves closer and closer to them, all while the Succession Contest proper hinges on some people making big moves over the next day. Got all that? Good.

Because I've been interested in Morena. And the subject of this chapter on top of her group's weird RPG level-up game really cements the character of Morena Prudo. Game Master, and honestly a young Amanuma being disaffected and down enough to go with Sensui's plan would totally make sense if you were trans all along. Glad we're seeing the real you.

I kid, but that really is the basics of this chapter. Morena sets up an interrogation game with Borksen. There's two sets of cards, all kinds of neat rules, you can read that yourself if you need to know all the ins-and-outs. What interested me most was this scene, where Borksen picks up on the simmering rage underneath Morena's placid demeanor. We know this lady is a maniac who wants to burn "this dung heap of a world" to the ground. Which really does start making me think of Shinobu Sensui again.

Nami!!!!

And I'm pretty sure this could be the same jacket He Tian gave him many chapters ago (or at least very similar to the one)

Every Solo Lucy Cover: Chapter 407