Medaka Box [Manga]

[KLGChaos]

Originally Posted by _kurusu_

^Pfft... Again with this? If it was much later maybe, but the foreshadowing of the first real fight began in volume 2 already, not to mention Medaka's abnormal capabilities were shown one by one during the first 10 or 12 chapters. When will you understand that Nishio never intended to write a comedy/romance story in the first place?

And about your statement...

Spoiler for spoiler:

You're saying that Kikaijima is abnormal. In wich page that's said, please? Oh, well, each abnormal excel in certain capabilities, and that's what differentiates them.

If so, then this makes 2 abnormals, 1 special & 1 normal? in the student council.

I understand it. I was just saying that if you took the first 10 chapters of the manga and said it was going to be a super-powered battle manga, no one would believe it. I swear you guys get offended by anyone who doesn't follow your exact train of likes and dislikes.

As for Kikaijima...

Spoiler:

I didn't say she's abnormal, but being able to knock people down and shatter glass with your voice is definitely an abnormal ability wouldn't you say? Of course, so is Zen being able to create earthquakes underground with a stomp. It's got me wondering what is it that actually separates an abnormal from a normal. If a normal or special can gain super powers like Kikaijimas, then what makes them any different from abnormals? Is it their personalities? Or is it that the abilities of abnormals just appear out of nowhere instead of needing training?

[Homura7]

Originally Posted by Lummie

Skipping through some chapters and i think i found something important:

http://www.onemanga.com/Medaka_Box/21/03/

Zen: "If you rip off her personality, you'll be left with that rampaging beast"

I wonder if the 13th party//director is aware what happens when she loses her original personality.

Signs of this were shown in the latest scanlated chapter. Medaka who cares for everyone, friend or foe, went to Koga with crystal clear intention of giving her a beating, and she did, but lost due to lack of knowledge of her abormal capabilities (memory lost).

Put it bluntly, judging by Zen's words, this means: Mindless Medaka with no personality = Perses mode Medaka, the rampaging beast.

Good find, Lummie, I'm doubting the chairman is aware of that

[Homura7]

Originally Posted by KLGChaos

I understand it. I was just saying that if you took the first 10 chapters of the manga and said it was going to be a super-powered battle manga, no one would believe it. I swear you guys get offended by anyone who doesn't follow your exact train of likes and dislikes.

Not offended, but that kind of comment has been made so many times already that I run out of patience.

As for Kikaijima...

Spoiler:

I didn't say she's abnormal, but being able to knock people down and shatter glass with your voice is definitely an abnormal ability wouldn't you say? Of course, so is Zen being able to create earthquakes underground with a stomp. It's got me wondering what is it that actually separates an abnormal from a normal. If a normal or special can gain super powers like Kikaijimas, then what makes them any different from abnormals? Is it their personalities? Or is it that the abilities of abnormals just appear out of nowhere instead of needing training?

I suggest you reread back from ch.1, so you can remember some important things. Just if you want, that's it, but I will explain nonetheless.

Spoiler for From normal to abnormal:

The King himself said it.The whole student academy could become abnormals. Going from one stage to another comes only and only from hard training, but abnormality can be gained too through other ways. Some examples:

-Naze told that she struggled her own way and went from special to abnormal.

-Koga was a normal who became abnormal after going throught Naze's surgery.

-Even though many are born with the gift, they aren't aware of their abnormal capabilities until something big concerning them happens (like Takachiho's car accident).

-As for Kikaijima, she's a swimming athlet, an expert. She exceeds in her swimming capabilities and has been training only in that category since she was a child, so it's no wonder she can make loud sounds with her pitch voice, she's like a siren. In ch.29 she was of great help, and now it can be noted that her capabilities increased considerably. If she's not abnormal already, I'm sure she's close to become one.

And now, if you have read paying attention, you'll notice the following:

By centering soleily on a single category or training (boxing, judo...) someone's capabilities will exceed the rest:

-Kikaijima exceeds in swimming.

-Akune exceeds in judo (though he's still special),

See? However, as I'm sure you guys already noted, Medaka exceeds in everything, and that's because she has been training in every category, study... That without mention she was born with her abnormality.

But there's another one. There's someone who too trains in all categories: Boxing, judo, swimming...

Indeed, guys, that person is non other than Zen.

[DJ Trouble]

Abnormality has next to nothing to do with training. If you could just train to be an abnormal, you wouldn't need the Flask Plan to begin with.

Koga shouldn't be mentioned, because she was turned into a cyborg. Naze has two abnormals for siblings, so I"m doubtful that she really did anything special. If anything, I think her abnormality might have just taken its timing blooming, like Maguro's. Or that instead of turning on all at once, it slowly came on in stages, so she went from Normal to Special to Abnormal. There's also the fact that her Stoicness (that's totally not a word) was called abnormal at some point, so I'm really hesitant to say that she was ever a normal.

The Flask Plan isn't about making a training program for people to become Abnormals, it's about making a drug that will turn anyone into an Abnormal. No training necessary.

[Homura7]

Sorry, I meant that abnormal capabilities are improved through intense training, hence why Kikaijima's voice pitch is so loud and strong. You can say all the students are abnormal in fact. Why? Isn't it obvious? It's a student academy were all them are AB bloodtype.

I'm also beggining to believe that there're are two types of abnormals.Those who improve their capabilities through hard training, and those whose abnormality is even beyond abnormal, or to put it bluntly, through cheating, like Koga's case.

To sum it up:

Common abnormality: Superhuman strenght (for example).

Abnormality that goes beyond abnormal: Gravity (Flask Plan).

[Napoleon's Hat]

So Medaka with her memories but without her abnormal abilities was able to beat Koga, but Medaka without her memories yet possessing her abnormality was not. How?

[KLGChaos]

Because her strength comes from her personality, I guess. I find that a bit hard swallow myself, but we'll see where it leads.

As for training in everything, I don't think the reason Medaka exceeds at everything is because she actually trains in everything. If you look back on the chapters, it's noted how she's good at anything she tries without needing much effort-- like making her calligraphy teachers retire in elementary school or becoming a red belt by middle school. Conversely, Zenkichi has to train really hard to get good at that stuff, and just to keep up with Medaka, but he's still nowhere near her level.

It was stated already that abnormals excel at one thing, specials are pretty good at everything, and the only thing that really makes people normal is the ability to get discouraged and lose heart (if you buy Maguro's explanation as to why Zenkichi is normal anyway).

BTW, good luck finding raws again. Looks like raw-paradise has shut down.

[Westlo]

Originally Posted by Lummie

blah blah blah blah

Pro tip, not every sarcastic comment on the internet has a following it.

[Homura7]

Bad news what happened with raw-paradise, though it's not the first time they have to stay away for a while and change the name of the web, they did that once.

Meanwhile you can use mangahelpers. It's no wonder raw-paradise was found, how the hell they had the guts to leave watermarks on the scans, seriously...?

And don't panic, this happened once and will happen sometime again in the future, but nothing will change.

[Led_Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by _kurusu_

Meanwhile you can use mangahelpers. It's no wonder raw-paradise was found, how the hell they had the guts to leave watermarks on the scans, seriously...?

And don't panic, this happened once and will happen sometime again in the future, but nothing will change.

is a really long story, but trying to make it short, mangastream and money.


also, is almost a year since this manga start, i'm with KLG in this one, in the beginning of the manga if someone told me that this will be something like "kongou banchou" + "x-men" + "tits", how would belive that after just 10 chapters?

but i do like some stuff from the current idea of the manga, how abnormality is changed by the personality, the felling of loneliness of some of the abnormals (Takachiho, Munakata, Miyakonojou, maybe medaka) but with the difference that is not product of the discrimination agains abnormals.

[Homura7]

Originally Posted by Led_Zeppelin

is a really long story, but trying to make it short, mangastream and money.

Just checked one of their scanlations randomly...



Shit, remove those damnd watermarks...!

[KLGChaos]

Originally Posted by Led_Zeppelin

is a really long story, but trying to make it short, mangastream and money.


also, is almost a year since this manga start, i'm with KLG in this one, in the beginning of the manga if someone told me that this will be something like "kongou banchou" + "x-men" + "tits", how would belive that after just 10 chapters?

but i do like some stuff from the current idea of the manga, how abnormality is changed by the personality, the felling of loneliness of some of the abnormals (Takachiho, Munakata, Miyakonojou, maybe medaka) but with the difference that is not product of the discrimination agains abnormals.

I'm finding the loneliness part a bit hard to grasp. Normally, I'd say yes if people pushed them away because they're different, which as we've seen, isn't the case. Everyone accepts the stuff Medaka does as normal. It could also be from them idolizing her or something, but that doesn't seem to be the case either, as they talk to her like a regular person.

So, the only place where the feeling of loneliness comes in is if their abnormality isolates them in some way, which seems to be the case. Hard Wrapping can't be touched, Last Carpet has to keep himself away from people because he wants to kill them, Naze hates her own abilities, so she purposely isolates herself as well, Koga has no interest in "normal" people, Unzen hates everyone and thinks the worst of them, etc. Not sure what King's beef is... maybe he's just too damn arrogant and I'm also not sure what it is that makes Medaka feel lonely. At first I thought it might be because she's so good at anything, no one would want to compete with her, but that isn't the case as Nabeshima seems quite willing.

I guess it's some food for thought. Personally, I think I'd rather have the focus off of Medaka and on the other characters like it is now, and judging from the rating, the Jump readers feel the same. Whenever the focus is on her, it drops to the bottom, but seems to leap out when someone else takes over.

[Kurosu]

Originally Posted by _kurusu_

Bad news what happened with raw-paradise, though it's not the first time they have to stay away for a while and change the name of the web, they did that once.

They weren't shut down, they just chickened out after the announcement came out. There was an editorial form JUMP concerning scans, pleading for them to stop and my guess is raw paradise decided to close shop because of it.

But that's neither here nor there, translation for 45 is out.

Spoiler for Medaka 45:

Doesn't seem like there were many developments, though it seems pretty amusing.

[Homura7]

Originally Posted by Kurosu

They weren't shut down, they just chickened out after the announcement came out. There was an editorial form JUMP concerning scans, pleading for them to stop and my guess is raw paradise decided to close shop because of it.

Should we be searching for another website or wait til raw-paradise makes a move, because even though the raw distribution is down, the forum is still active. Otherwise, there's mangahelpers, but I don't know if there're more websites wich release raws from many magazines.

[Last Carpet]

Originally Posted by KLGChaos

As for Kikaijima...

Spoiler:

I didn't say she's abnormal, but being able to knock people down and shatter glass with your voice is definitely an abnormal ability wouldn't you say? Of course, so is Zen being able to create earthquakes underground with a stomp. It's got me wondering what is it that actually separates an abnormal from a normal. If a normal or special can gain super powers like Kikaijimas, then what makes them any different from abnormals? Is it their personalities? Or is it that the abilities of abnormals just appear out of nowhere instead of needing training?

The way I see it is Kikaijima is similar to Naze/Kujira-chan. A Special who's working her way into Abnormality. Which, in turn, brings me back to Zenkichi who is obviously not normal anymore. He's a Normal who worked his way through Specialty straight into Abnormality. I don't think anyone but the Chairman has realized it yet.

I figure we might see him strapped to one of their examination tables soon.

[Lummie]

Originally Posted by _kurusu_

Should we be searching for another website or wait til raw-paradise makes a move, because even though the raw distribution is down, the forum is still active. Otherwise, there's mangahelpers, but I don't know if there're more websites wich release raws from many magazines.

There is Jcafe24 which has a considerable amount of raw manga, daily updated.

[Homura7]

No worries, guys, MH is still providing us the raws, and with no watermarks

Meanwhile I reread the chapter again and must say Kikaijima has officially become my favourite MB female character

[ziggi92]

I think Zen is abnormal who is equal to Medaka because there is no way that he can finnish same training like Medaka and still hold also having to be with Medaka childhood friend since he was two years old I got to say that normal person would not last one minute with Medaka so think Zen is like what principal said that he just wolf in sheep clothes and also I think that Medaka is key ofhis abnormal power just read one-shot where Zen is in judo fight with some giant and his knocking down so many times and still holds after his permission for Medaka he busted the giant. Think he is one of few that can withstand Shiranui big mouth.
One last thing he as sence of charisma that can get even wanted man to be friend and also being childhood friend of Medaka show that he is not typical normal guy.

[Rejuvenation]

In regards to this manga's first 10 chapters or so, people do need to remember that this is shounen. Mangaka often use those first few episodic chapters to build their story's framework before jumping right into the plot. This has gone on for years even before any of the current manga in WSJ were running.

Look at Part 1 Dragonball. No way from its first 10 chapters would you expect it to become as fast paced and over powered as it did in Part 2 with Frieza and Cell etc.

Yu Yu Hakusho's first two volumes are another example since Yusuke was hardly doing any kind of fighting at all in those. He was just a ghost trying to get his body back by doing good deeds. Hell, Medaka Box had more fighting than early Yu Yu Hakusho and look at what the latter became. Everything after volume 2 were tournament arcs or fighting to stop an evil plot.

Of course one of the more recent examples is Reborn. It went through at least 60 chapters before it shifted into a battle manga from a gag manga.

So at least in terms of WSJ, I don't think Medaka intending to be a battle manga from the start is all that surprising when I re-read the first volume and a half of chapters. There were hints along the way and yes even battles. I think the transition could have been done better but I believe it worked out well enough since the current arc is the most I have been excited about a manga in terms of doing things in different and abnormal(couldn't help myself) ways.

[Sol Falling]

w00t, ch. 45. That was awesome again. This current arc is really exciting. Haha, Unzen is still definately my favourite character, although I could do without him being soft on Zen. His bratty 'lead character in a drama' aura is coming through in full force.

Shiranui summoning everybody via twitter: LOL, brilliant. Man, Zen voiced my thoughts exactly though about the reinforcements being a bunch of cripples. Everyone being injured except of Onigase--lol, the fools. Btw, Onigase was super moe this time too.

Heh, actually, thinking about it, can you even measure the amount of awesome that was in this chapter? Nabeshima's cheap 'warp' plan being foiled, and being called out on it--that was gold. Unzen's sister making undecipherable boob jokes--awesomeness must run in the family. Unzen living like a king 'cause he thought he'd managed to dump all the work in Medaka--brilliant, and that also ties into Miyakanoujou's statement that he'd thought Medaka would crush everything in her path down to him. I also figure Unzen's ability to work the elevator is a result of his mathematical abnormality--with the Plus Six showing up, everything seems to be coming together.

Plus Six themselves are looking to be plenty interesting characters. The guy everybody's calling a Zen-lookalike seems to have a frivoulously strong code of honour/loyalty. Bubblegum, boobs, and overalls girl is hot, and the too-much-hair lady amuses me with her non-sequitor identity crisis. The guy with the pixelated face seems to have some awesome convoluted robotic/logical dialogue, and the tiny-glasses chibi-girl really stands out as the single cute one out of the lot. The only character I'm not really feeling is the uptight megane-prettyboy, and at 5/6 when we've pretty much only even seen their introductions, that's pretty impressive. I can't wait to see how all this plays out.

Anyway, the thing this chapter's really made clear to me is (again) that the scanlated chapters are much more satisfying than people's raw impressions. So I'll just have to end on a note of thanks for the scanlators, and also mention that I hope we catch up with the raws soon!