Medaka Box [Manga]

[Qilin]

Originally Posted by Sol Falling

I'd say, it's not necessarily the "always losing" condition which is important. Kumagawa's desire to win is his principle character motivation. It's the most central component of his character, so of course I think by the end of the story he will have somehow succeeded in resolving/surpassing it. I think the greater or more permanent significance of Kumagawa's character is like Ajimu said this chapter, that he is a "star of hope for those who know despair". Or back in the climax of his battle against Medaka, where Maguro described him and Medaka as having "different burdens to shoulder". The significant thing about Kumagawa is not that he always loses, but that he knows all-encompassingly the pain of the losers. Because he shares their pain, other people are willing to put their hope into him; and because he understands others' pain, Kumagawa is able to find the strength/will to reach to them.

At heart, moreso than being a loser, what Kumagawa truly is is an ally of the weak. Even if he manages to win someday, I don't think that will ever change about him.

To make my position a bit clearer, I believe that Kumagawa's strength comes from his mindset. I would agree with you that Kumagawa's desire to win accounts for his power as a minus. However, to be more precise, I'd say that it can be attributed more to the feelings of negativity borne from this very same desire. Because of his spite, he wanted to drag those "winners" down to his level or somehow sabotage the efforts made by others. This is also reflected by the nature of his minus abilities (Book Maker and All Fiction).

While I agree with everything you said, I still think that Kumagawa's inner strength, which he constantly denies, is something completely foreign to his strength as a minus. It's a different thing altogether. While his minus status represents his bitter resentment towards others, he is slowly discovering his own strength of character to be able to uplift himself without dragging down others.

In a way, this is his opportunity to graduate from being a minus, so that he can stand on his own without relying on his minus.

[Wolfenstein]

Originally Posted by DawnEmperor

Obvious as it was, I enjoyed Zenkichi's recollection. For me at least, it serves to ask us "what is real", and that sometimes it doesn't matter how we're drawn in.

I'd say "what is real" is definitely a clear trope of Hitoyoshi's character.

You know? That's what his personal skill kinda served for - he himself said that he wanted to really win against Medaka, instead of the win just be a byproduct of fate. He wanted his win feel real, to feel like a reality that he himself made, Devil Style is in essence the creation of a true unbiased and real reality, equaling that playing field.

This ties in with his whole normality + effort issues going on for the entire manga. It's a really good character development for Zen, and best of all, it's consistent.

Originally Posted by DawnEmperor

Don't really understand the double standard, both Kumagawa and Zenkichi's scenes were re-affirming what we already knew(though the mystery of Kumagawa's other skill). Kumagawa's always going to be fighting to win, and Zenkichi will always put his full idiotic sincerity in what he does.

You'll have to forgive summers. He has a stronger liking to Kumagawa than most do, so it's only natural he'd gravitate to that part and somewhat disregard the other.

Though that's rather meaningless from both sides. No story is objectively superior either way. As much of a Kumagawa as I am, I do like Zenkichi almost as much as I like him, I just enjoyed Zen's part better this time because it touched upon his absolute best relationship and connected that to his whole.

Shiranui > Ajimu. Real talk.

[LeaD36]

Originally Posted by Inarius

Spoiler:

hah, with this page Kumagawa is confirmed to win every single char poll till the series ends XD

so I guess this means best girl really is dead QAQ

I just hope hipster-kun will be seen throughout the entire arc and won't just vanish at some point....also hipster-kun's father is a seinenf4g from that page.

From those last pages I take it this is the final arc unless Nisi will bring out another guy even more OP

When she was introduced she was already dead.
Basically she still isn't dead
And never will be.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Wolfenstein

I'm sad that apparently Ajimu is gone for good,

How sure are you about that

[DawnEmperor]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

How sure are you about that

Because it's more shocking that way, and I don't see any reason Nisio would lie ..... i mean, he's not a troll right?

[kenjtr]

I think zenkichi will combine altered mode + devil style + slient eraser and save shiranui by beating shishime , this arc seems to me as medaka shooting her own leg by giving zenkichi to shiranui since i dont think medaka would be able to beat shiranui in love . I dont think medaka will be good match for zenkichi and even if they come together it wont last long so this arc may be for zenkichi to see who he really loves . I will be honnest i never liked medaka and i dont think she is suited for him , zenkichi would probably out of story with shiranui after this arc which is the best for him .

[Randrak42]

Originally Posted by kenjtr

I think zenkichi will combine altered mode + devil style + slient eraser and save shiranui by beating shishime , this arc seems to me as medaka shooting her own leg by giving zenkichi to shiranui since i dont think medaka would be able to beat shiranui in love . I dont think medaka will be good match for zenkichi and even if they come together it wont last long so this arc may be for zenkichi to see who he really loves . I will be honnest i never liked medaka and i dont think she is suited for him , zenkichi would probably out of story with shiranui after this arc which is the best for him .

I think you're kinda delusional if you believe Zenkichi's gonna end up with anyone other than Medaka and that this arc is made for him to realize he loves Shiranui.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love it if Zen ended up with Shiranui since Shiranui > Medaka but it has as much of a chance to happen as him ending up with Emukae...

[kenjtr]

Originally Posted by Randrak42

I think you're kinda delusional if you believe Zenkichi's gonna end up with anyone other than Medaka and that this arc is made for him to realize he loves Shiranui.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love it if Zen ended up with Shiranui since Shiranui > Medaka but it has as much of a chance to happen as him ending up with Emukae...

I know chances are slim but cant a man dream medaka will also succeed kurokami family so she will seperate from zenkichi while shiranui goes to school with him and when that happens shiranuixzenkichi will likely bloom .

[zigantz22]

Originally Posted by kenjtr

I think zenkichi will combine altered mode + devil style + slient eraser and save shiranui by beating shishime , this arc seems to me as medaka shooting her own leg by giving zenkichi to shiranui since i dont think medaka would be able to beat shiranui in love . I dont think medaka will be good match for zenkichi and even if they come together it wont last long so this arc may be for zenkichi to see who he really loves . I will be honnest i never liked medaka and i dont think she is suited for him , zenkichi would probably out of story with shiranui after this arc which is the best for him .

Shiranui's friendship with Zenkichi is infinitely better and more believable than anything more would be. I've never seen any signs that Zenkichi will ever love anyone other then Medaka, and it's practically set in stone that a Zenkichi x Medaka ending is inevitable. This arc seems to solely be set for a reaffirmation of their friendship; certainly not a realization of love by Zenkichi. Plus, even though Medaka seems likely to succeed the Kurokami family, I don't see Zenkichi departing from the story, and I don't think it will suddenly ruin Zenkichi and Medaka's engagement either.

[Meltyred]

Maybe the 2nd ability that Ajimu left Kumagawa will finally be used when Kumagawa turns into a "plus".

[Teorenz]

Originally Posted by Inarius

Spoiler:

hah, with this page Kumagawa is confirmed to win every single char poll till the series ends XD

so I guess this means best girl really is dead QAQ

I just hope hipster-kun will be seen throughout the entire arc and won't just vanish at some point....also hipster-kun's father is a seinenf4g from that page.

From those last pages I take it this is the final arc unless Nisi will bring out another guy even more OP

So are they ever going to post the results for the popularity contest?
The manga does seem like it's about to end and yet still no sign of it any time soon.

I also have mixedfeeling about Ajimu's death.
On one hand, having a character that follows the Main characters around while going "LOL I could actually finish this all up in 1 second but won't because I don't feel like it." during arcs kinda makes things a lot less exciting.
On the other hand, If this were to be the last arc then I would disagree with having to kill Ajimu off since it would be a be pretty sad to just leave her dead, so if there are to be more arcs in the future then this move would make things a bit more interesting.

Spoiler:

Kumagawa getting brother-zoned is

[Wolfenstein]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

How sure are you about that

I obviously have no way to predict the future, I'm just going by what the chapter said now.

PS: Personally, a non Zenkichi X Medaka ending, at this point, is pretty much an impossibility. No matter how terrible the thought might be.

[Tyabann]

Personally, I really hate Medaka as a character and consider her a blight on an otherwise enjoyable manga, but at this point I feel Zenkichi deserves to get what he wants, ie. Medaka. The guy goes through so much shit for her sake.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Wolfenstein

PS: Personally, a non Zenkichi X Medaka ending, at this point, is pretty much an impossibility. No matter how terrible the thought might be.

Nisio might decide to do it differently

[Wolfenstein]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

Nisio might decide to do it differently

Really seems inevitable to me.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Wolfenstein

Really seems inevitable to me.

which might be why Nisio decide to go a different route.

[Wolfenstein]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

which might be why Nisio decide to go a different route.

To me, I thought that if he was going to do something different, the best chance he had was with Emukae.

Being straight-forward, the only other two options for him are Shiranui and Emukae. Nishio will never have Shiranui/Zenkichi, since the former is, well, a loli, and he seems to have thrown out the concept of Zen/Emukae.

So I really can't see it. But like you said, we can't really predict this guy anymore.

[silvercover]

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

Personally, I really hate Medaka as a character and consider her a blight on an otherwise enjoyable manga, but at this point I feel Zenkichi deserves to get what he wants, ie. Medaka. The guy goes through so much shit for her sake.

sadly this. as much as I want zenkichi to be with someone "better", he's too dedicated to medaka for me to ship off with someone else. I end up agreeing with him even though I dislike medaka.

[Randrak42]

Guys...guys...I believe the most important part of the chapter is that Wolfenstein got himself a signature!

Originally Posted by silvercover

sadly this. as much as I want zenkichi to be with someone "better", he's too dedicated to medaka for me to ship off with someone else. I end up agreeing with him even though I dislike medaka.

This is mostly what happened to me, Zenkichi just pushed so hard for it that one can barely bring himself to pair him with someone else. Though honestly I still like the two other choices much better...hell, I'd even agree with our little Zombie Samurai School Girl winning Zenkichi.

[Wolfenstein]

"I still remember that time when you bit me, you know"

Best love story in the manga.

Nienami is just awesome all-around.