(L) Saki manga

[Candle Light]

Originally Posted by Chitanda Eru

I really want Saki will take the first place from Nelly. Why? Because she is super monster who take down Koromo and the one who can beat Teru (according to what she said in the begining of the seri). But the most important reason is Achiga beat Shiraitodai, so why Kiyosumi has to stay in 2nd place? That's not fair for Kiyosumi if Ritz really did it.

They did get a big scare when they met Toki's crew in the quarters. Remember, they just barely made it through to the semi finals (when Shizu almost blew it). They haven't been 1st every time like Kiyosumi.

[Chitanda Eru]

Originally Posted by harue

They did get a big scare when they met Toki's crew in the quarters. Remember, they just barely made it through to the semi finals (when Shizu almost blew it). They haven't been 1st every time like Kiyosumi.

That's the point I want to talk about it.
Kiyosumi had to overcome Ryuumonbuchi and Kazekoshi to get a ticket to the national tournament while Achiga only face a lower level team.
The same thing happened in the national tournament. Kiyosumi vs Himematsu, Eisui and Miyamori whereas Achiga has only a high-level rival is Senriyama.
Then every Achiga players seem doesn't match with Nagano's player: Kana, Mihoko, Momo,... especially they're far from Senriyama until the quarter. And one day, only one day they're getting stronger so that they can beat Shiraitodai. That's unbelievable!
And about Kiyosumi is at 1st place every time before. They come to the national with good preparation: Yuuki can still win though the flow is interrupted, Mako's stronger thanks to many match, Hisa bad waits, and of course Saki too, possibly we can count Nodoka cause she practice to awake Nodochi mode very soon (though she didn't help so much). So they deserve it. They didn't get stronger in one day like Achiga.
I can accept that Kiyosumi might in the 2nd place this time but only when Achiga didn't beat Shiraitodai. The idea of Achiga's power is failed for me.

[Proto]

It has been established several times in the series that a large component of your performance in the game is related to how much you believe in yourself. It just works like that. Just let it go.

[Marina2]

There is no such thing as 'deserve' or 'not deserve' in competition. Only the result is matter.

I don't understand why people want Kiyosumi, especially Saki to be so invincible. Making Kiyosumi get 2nd place here will benefit the series more in many ways. Mainly, it will make them (especially Saki) know that they are still need to train more, create more tension for the final round and create oppotunity for character(s) development.

Also, it will also make the series less predictable. Back in the match with Ryuumonbuchi, it is really intense because it made readers wondered "how is Saki (Kiyosumi) going to win against all of these strong opponants?" from the start to the end, but right now that feeling is gone somehow. Currently, what we are thinking when reading Saki is`: "it doesn't matter how good are other teams or how many points they have: Saki will make Kiyosumi win anyway. lol~" So, that is why I want to see Kiyosumi 'lose' for once now even with full power Saki.

.................................................. ................

BTW, how many flashbacks should we expects from the incomming round?

[tarajis]

I have a question to our resident majhong experts...

If by chance Saki at the start of the game goes into demon overlord mode and spams yakuman tsumos... will she ends up with the highest score at the point someone goes bust?

Well... it's a possibility and surely a lot of people will ask what the hell just happened.

[Requiem-x]

Originally Posted by Marina2

.................................................. ................

BTW, how many flashbacks should we expects from the incomming round?

I'm expecting at least two chapters worth of flashbacks, since we need to know how Zennou came to be such an influence on Kyoko, as well as some background on Nelly.

[Bladezer]

Originally Posted by Chitanda Eru

That's the point I want to talk about it.
Kiyosumi had to overcome Ryuumonbuchi and Kazekoshi to get a ticket to the national tournament while Achiga only face a lower level team.
The same thing happened in the national tournament. Kiyosumi vs Himematsu, Eisui and Miyamori whereas Achiga has only a high-level rival is Senriyama.
Then every Achiga players seem doesn't match with Nagano's player: Kana, Mihoko, Momo,... especially they're far from Senriyama until the quarter. And one day, only one day they're getting stronger so that they can beat Shiraitodai. That's unbelievable!
And about Kiyosumi is at 1st place every time before. They come to the national with good preparation: Yuuki can still win though the flow is interrupted, Mako's stronger thanks to many match, Hisa bad waits, and of course Saki too, possibly we can count Nodoka cause she practice to awake Nodochi mode very soon (though she didn't help so much). So they deserve it. They didn't get stronger in one day like Achiga.

I think something you need to except is that Achiga have always been stronger then Senriyama, and before you get annoyed I'd like to remind you all of something, because of the current tournament rules, meaning the red dora, her hand becomes ridiculously easy to read, remove the red dora, and Kuro would probably be regarded as a monster player herself.
Also as team Senriyama are effectively trash with Sera as their only saving grace. When you factor in Toki's over zealousness, Izumi's cockiness and overconfidence and Ryuuka clearly being unable to take on monster players without an ability. Even with Hiroko's analysis, which just to remind you all is nearly all that good (remember she only looks at the records, not the recordings), which makes her average at best and Sera's playstyle of winning big doesn't really do well against Achiga who actually cover each others weakspots, Kuro with her dora would be able to cover Ako's playstyle of going for cheap and fast hands, Yuu's ability allows for Kuro to screw up with her able to make the recovery, Shizu having the confidence to not give up when faced with a monster, remember when she lost Koromo, she just asked for another game, not to start moping.

Except it should be clear that Achiga weren't able to pull out their full strength because of Toki being able to read Kuro so easily, and Kuro's only easy to read because of the red dora, remove them and you might find Kuro is able to surpass Toki's predictions.
Although do try to remember that day was spent training with the 2nd strongest high schooler in Japan. Also can we really say that Achiga's victory can be completely attributed to them, you all to remember that ins captain's round Ryuuka got a autowin button out nowhere right, who knows how things would go if we remove that, then we might have actually seen a Shiraitodai in 1st, Achiga in 2nd.

Originally Posted by Chitanda Eru

I can accept that Kiyosumi might in the 2nd place this time but only when Achiga didn't beat Shiraitodai. The idea of Achiga's power is failed for me.

Also can we really say that Achiga's victory can be completely attributed to them, you all to remember that ins captain's round Ryuuka got a autowin button out nowhere right, who knows how things would go if we remove that, then we might have actually seen a Shiraitodai in 1st, Achiga in 2nd.

Also with regards to Shizu's powers hers as to be the most asinine and annoying to setup, fist she's needs people to have abilities, then she has to adapt to their ability, which depending on the player she may never able to negate because of the players history, as shown with Himeko's ability. So an honest question I have is Shizu going to be able to negate Saki's ability when we factor in, that Saki's rinshan kaihou is what she feels is what connects her to her sister. So unless Shizu views her deep mountain control as a strong connection to Kuro and Ako, how is she going to stop Saki's rinshan Kaihou?

[juventus95]

Originally Posted by Bladezer

Except it should be clear that Achiga weren't able to pull out their full strength because of Toki being able to read Kuro so easily, and Kuro's only easy to read because of the red dora, remove them and you might find Kuro is able to surpass Toki's predictions.

Toki has ability to see one turn into the future; it's not prediction. So if Kuro was able to overcome her weakness, Toki could still read her hands.

And anybody who takes time analyzing players, for example Himematsu's captain, will figure out Kuro's game and realize that Kuro attracts dora. It's not rocket science

[tjalorak]

Re: Shiratodai - Teru aside, coasting on reputation and a bad match up for their Sgt. The rest are new players so they're not the ones that won the championship previously. It's probably a combination of new powers in the tournament and their team being weaker than previous years.

Re: Rinkai - Teru might be the best player, but Rinkai probably has the best team across the board / average team member strength. That said, they're facing 3 other teams and there'll be enough quality that most teams can contribute 1 or 2 challenges in different rounds such that every round will have one from another team contest. Also, generally, I imagine it's harder to catch up than to defend and almost everyone will end up below after the vanguard. ... I honestly can't wait for Satoha vs. Teru. I'm going to be very disappointed if Rinkai doesn't make it through.

Re: Senriyama - Basically their Sgt. lol. 1st years can make or break your team. And in this case, she broke it. Similar to Kazekoshi and Bundou. Very few teams can make up for an unforced disastrous performance like that (i.e. not against a monster) and Senriyama were very close to doing so. Shiraitodai has no excuse - their make or break player in the Vice Cpt. round wasn't a 1st year!

[Bladezer]

Originally Posted by juventus95

Toki has ability to see one turn into the future; it's not prediction. So if Kuro was able to overcome her weakness, Toki could still read her hands.

And anybody who takes time analyzing players, for example Himematsu's captain, will figure out Kuro's game and realize that Kuro attracts dora. It's not rocket science

You missed my point completely didn't you...

What I'm saying is remove the red dora and Kuro maybe able to forgo some of Toki's predictions, and they are predictions, because I believe its stated that if Toki calls what she sees changes.

So you see remove the red dora and Kuro isn't looked into hands that need to accommodate 5s for the sequence tiles, allowing for a more robust hand.

And I never said no one wouldn't spot Kuro's dora magnet, even without the red dora, people would still spot it because all of Kuro's hands would have dora in it...

[Candle Light]

Regarding Rinkai, what Nelly said about possibly hiding abilities for the world juniors was interesting. We really are seeing a team that is being tied down somewhat.

Nelly - Secret savings
Megan- Unclear about true powers, coach doesn't even know
Choe - Can't sing much during the tournament to get her full strength
Hao - Still getting used to the different rules
Satoha - Not sure about her. It seems like she is hiding her identity at least?

[King-Slayer]

Kanna and Rena play off of each other real well in 19. But the girls keep getting their ass kicked by random people, which is really different. Nationals would be fun seeing others but i'm expecting Shino to bow out early.

[Chitanda Eru]

Spoiler for Chapter 142:

The captain match hasn't started >.<. And I love this face :">

[The Green One]

Got to have the obligatory interlude chapter(s) to introduce the new captain crew and possibly tease at Kyouko's new mojo.

[Proto]

Kanna and Rena play off of each other real well in 19. But the girls keep getting their ass kicked by random people, which is really different. Nationals would be fun seeing others but i'm expecting Shino to bow out early.

To be fair Saki has always been consistent in that the gap between elementary/middle school/high school students is indeed tremendous. Nothing to be surprised about on that front.

[Peanutbutter]

Manga on hiatus for one month. Good luck again, Ritz-sensei.

[Bladezer]

Originally Posted by Peanutbutter

Manga on hiatus for one month. Good luck again, Ritz-sensei.

Right who betted April? Come and get your bragging rights!

And of course she goes on hiatus right when we get to the captian's match...

[Flower]

Well ... in a way it is not unexpected, but Ritz always delivers whenever Saki plays in my opinion, so part of me does not mind (though I would be lying if I would say I am not impatient to see the chapters)! ^^

[Kamieichi]

Can't help it.
Ritz has to finish up those incomplete pages for Tankoubon.
Also, has to draw the illustrations for Tankoubon bonus items.

[Chitanda Eru]

TT^TT. Hope we don't have to wait a month for a flashback
Love Saki and Teru!