Needless

[Homura7]

Originally Posted by Sayo A.

I always thought number 11 was supposed to be Blade (his face being in shadow because at that point in the story it hadn't yet been revealed that he used to possess a Stigmata). But frankly, I don't think that picture can tell us very much, given that most of the Stigmata holders we know of just don't match those silhouettes. Actually, I suspect Imai hadn't decided who the holders were going to be, and simply made up a bunch of likely-looking candidates (who would probably have ended up as cannon fodder for Arclight if they had ever been introduced), but then changed his mind and parcelled out the Stigmata to existing characters instead. I know it's somewhat heretical to suggest he hadn't planned out every single detail of the whole story years in advance, but there you go.

Actually, it's "drawing the rest of the silhouettes as ambiguous as possible so the readers won't be able to guess who is who." Many authors resort to that kind of tactic when drawing the outline of characters who are yet to appear, or in order to hide the identity of certain characters.

In that same chapter that features the 12 apostles there appears also the silhouette of Toria after being modified by Mengroze. Other than the eye and the extra pair of arms, it's hard distinguishing anything else.

Spoiler for spoiler:

As for Seth and Solva, I'd already said what. We just can't complain. They got to fight one last time and even went as far to infiltrate Simeon HQ.

And we already were warned about this. TWICE, actually.

Spoiler for spoiler:

In the end what I feared most ended up happening. The Needless Hunt has finally catched on the members of the Resistance. It was just a matter of time.

So who's next on the list, you wonder. Yamada, of course.

[Avvesione]

Originally Posted by Ynot

I just always figured it was an old guy with a beard and staff.

Spoiler for redtrace:

Yeah, that's how I've always looked at it, too, an old guy with a beard. Which would mean...

Spoiler:

Wait, how did Disk get inside that building?

Or maybe someone we haven't met yet. But if it is him, wouldn't it be something if that shadowy figure was Darts (judging from the clothes and hair?)

---

Originally Posted by Sayo A.

I always thought number 11 was supposed to be Blade (his face being in shadow because at that point in the story it hadn't yet been revealed that he used to possess a Stigmata). But frankly, I don't think that picture can tell us very much, given that most of the Stigmata holders we know of just don't match those silhouettes. Actually, I suspect Imai hadn't decided who the holders were going to be, and simply made up a bunch of likely-looking candidates (who would probably have ended up as cannon fodder for Arclight if they had ever been introduced), but then changed his mind and parcelled out the Stigmata to existing characters instead. I know it's somewhat heretical to suggest he hadn't planned out every single detail of the whole story years in advance, but there you go.

I always thought 11 would be Strom, just appearing like that due to the shadow and lighting. But the silhouette has a bit too much hair compared to the Strom we saw, so it's likely that Shadowy figure we saw at the end of 105.

Originally Posted by Sayo A.

By the way, did anyone else notice there were no jokes in this chapter? Not a single one. That's pretty unusual for this series...

Yeah, this is the second chapter that I can recall where Needless didn't have any jokes: 100 and now 108.

---

Originally Posted by Kurusu-Shirudo

Actually, it's "drawing the rest of the silhouettes as ambiguous as possible so the readers won't be able to guess who is who." Many authors resort to that kind of tactic when drawing the outline of characters who are yet to appear, or in order to hide the identity of certain characters.

In that same chapter that features the 12 apostles there appears also the silhouette of Toria after being modified by Mengroze. Other than the eye and the extra pair of arms, it's hard distinguishing anything else.

Spoiler for spoiler:

Yeah, I agree with kurusu that it's more draw the characters as ambiguous as possible than just draw character shapes and hope it works out. I'm sure if he didn't know who all the Stigmata were, he wouldn't have drawn all those characters. Would've been just a big, shadowy blob or only a few characters like Riru and Uten or something.

Originally Posted by Kurusu-Shirudo

In the end what I feared most ended up happening. The Needless Hunt has finally catched on the members of the Resistance. It was just a matter of time.

So who's next on the list, you wonder. Yamada, of course.

Maybe not. Consider how surprised Arclight was when Cruz repelled his attack... HIS attack. Not only that but he noticed something off about the color in his eyes. I don't think Arclight will want to do anything with Cruz yet.

---

And regarding all this Stigmata talk, anyone else thing the extra boost of Eden's Seed into Eve might be enough for her to awaken as a Stigmata bearer for Doppelganger?

[Solace]

Originally Posted by Ynot

I guess it goes with the territory when cloning technology is available to have suspicions, but as much as I like Solva, I really hope it was the real Seto and Solva which got devoured by Arclight. We've already seen people turning out to be alive when they were supposed to be dead, but if Seto and Solva join those ranks it becomes harder and harder for me to take death serious anymore.

Meh. I don't take death in this story very seriously at all. The main characters have plot armor, and everyone else is a red shirt. The only reason I could see Set and Solva being gone for good is that they just don't have a role to play anymore, like Arca. But even that isn't a sure thing, given the cloning technology and other fantastical things in the setting.

It's one of those things where I liked the characters, and I don't want to see them gone for good, but they make such little impact on the overall narrative that they really only serve as plot advances. So if they're gone for good or not, I just don't feel much about it, but I'd rather see them around than dead. Sorta like Setsuna....I do want to know about the blood, but I'd rather see this arc move forward. When you have a monthly release and the plot has this much going on, it's incredibly frustrating to have the story split off into something that isn't relevant to what is immediately happening.

Now if Set and Solva are actually relevant (the ones fed to Arclight are fakes or something), and/or some other character like Arca or Setsuna are relevant to the immediate plot, by all means keep going with them. But if not, the less screen time the better, at least until the immediate climax is over.

[Kurohane]

Originally Posted by Avvesione

And regarding all this Stigmata talk, anyone else thing the extra boost of Eden's Seed into Eve might be enough for her to awaken as a Stigmata bearer for Doppelganger?

Interesting point. If so, why didm't Blade give the Eden's Seed pill to Eve instead of Cruz? A stigmata holder is more valluable than a needless just coming into his powers. .I would think the risk was to great. He does care for Eve more than anyone else. Then, what does that say for Cruz? Am I the only one disturbed that Blade so readily gave Cruz something that could have easily killed him? The ones who can overcome Eden's Seed are few and Cruz wasn't the most likely of successes.

[Avvesione]

Originally Posted by Kurohane

Interesting point. If so, why didm't Blade give the Eden's Seed pill to Eve instead of Cruz? A stigmata holder is more valluable than a needless just coming into his powers. .I would think the risk was to great. He does care for Eve more than anyone else. Then, what does that say for Cruz? Am I the only one disturbed that Blade so readily gave Cruz something that could have easily killed him? The ones who can overcome Eden's Seed are few and Cruz wasn't the most likely of successes.

It is dangerous to give Eden's Seed to people, but to Needlesses, it's alright. Large doses, like what Uten ended up giving to Seth, are dangerous, but something small like that pill should be alright. And for Cruz, Disk was able to find Eden's Seed when she was analyzing his panties, so it seems like he has Eden's Seed in his body already. That dose was small enough in that capsule so that it should not have been a problem. Plus, after he collapsed, we don't know what they did, so they probably waited around to make sure he was okay before leaving him in Mio's care.

[Homura7]

Originally Posted by Solace

Meh. I don't take death in this story very seriously at all. The main characters have plot armor, and everyone else is a red shirt. The only reason I could see Set and Solva being gone for good is that they just don't have a role to play anymore, like Arca. But even that isn't a sure thing, given the cloning technology and other fantastical things in the setting.

It's one of those things where I liked the characters, and I don't want to see them gone for good, but they make such little impact on the overall narrative that they really only serve as plot advances. So if they're gone for good or not, I just don't feel much about it, but I'd rather see them around than dead. Sorta like Setsuna....I do want to know about the blood, but I'd rather see this arc move forward. When you have a monthly release and the plot has this much going on, it's incredibly frustrating to have the story split off into something that isn't relevant to what is immediately happening.

Now if Set and Solva are actually relevant (the ones fed to Arclight are fakes or something), and/or some other character like Arca or Setsuna are relevant to the immediate plot, by all means keep going with them. But if not, the less screen time the better, at least until the immediate climax is over.

I wouldn't say that so lightly if I were you. This is Needless we're talking about. Sure the main characters are the most important of the cast, but even a main character can die when his/her role in the story has come to its end.

If a character doesn't die even when the story is coming to its conclusion it means that character still has a big role to play.

And while Seth and Solva are apparently gone for good, I remind what I said before. There's a girl who goes by the name of Seth in the Black Spot spinoff that takes place during the second part of the story.

And I must say, I like how Imai made his readers believe the main characters can't die due to what happened with Cruz, Eve or Teruyama. This may result in making the impact of the irreversible death of a main character greater.

I also must be the only one who thinks Uten is already in the holy ground.

[Sayo A.]

Originally Posted by Solace

The main characters have plot armor

Looks like Arca left hers at home today.

Originally Posted by Kurusu-Shirudo

And while Seth and Solva are apparently gone for good, I remind what I said before. There's a girl who goes by the name of Seth in the Black Spot spinoff that takes place during the second part of the story.

And what does that tell us? They're clearly not the same person, just as Cain isn't the same character as in N1.5. Imai simply recycled some of the names. (Just as he recycled other elements such as the police chief, and Jephunneh.)

I also must be the only one who thinks Uten is already in the holy ground.

There's a definite possibility that both Uten and Kafka are present, lurking invisibly (and perhaps the rest of Arclight's henchmen too. And not forgetting the mysterious Big Guy #2). It would explain Gido's sudden appearance, for one thing. And when our heroes finally work out how to defeat Arclight, it would give them the opportunity to wipe out the rest of the bad guys all in one go...

[Homura7]

Originally Posted by Sayo A.

And what does that tell us? They're clearly not the same person, just as Cain isn't the same character as in N1.5. Imai simply recycled some of the names.

While is not canon for the meantime, the Cain from that doujin and the one who appears in the Sacred Sword of the Reaper prologue are exactly the same character. I also must point out that the Black Spot spinoff takes far beyond the middle of the second part of the story. For further info you have this.



This aside, I'm not sure if the Seth who appears there is the same we know.

[erapath]

Oh! Saten will have been supported to be a antagonist! It's bad, he is one of my favorist characters.

Originally Posted by Kurusu-Shirudo

While is not canon for the meantime, the Cain from that doujin and the one who appears in the Sacred Sword of the Reaper prologue are exactly the same character. I also must point out that the Black Spot spinoff takes far beyond the middle of the second part of the story. For further info you have this.



This aside, I'm not sure if the Seth who appears there is the same we know.

Have you some of Cain's pictures from that doujin?

V Thank you.
V

[Ynot]

^ Here's a link to the first part of the doujinshi on Imai Kami's site. Just flip the first few pages and you'll see Cain.

[Homura7]

I have something to say.

Yesterday I got myself a new laptop with W8. After installing some programs I needed and other applications of interest, I noticed Share wasn't working. This is due coz the current version of the program isn't operable with the new interface, so I have to wait for a new version that works with W8.

Fortunately, another program of mine, Perfect Dark, runs fine and I dare say even faster and much better.

So to sum it up, I can deliver you the raw whenever you ask for it, and though there're plenty of means to get it such as direct download and others, in case I'm not available you can always count with Ynot.

That's what I wanted to tell you. Happy new year everyone!

[Kurohane]

Happy New Year to everyone!

Edit: 6 days till a new chapter.

[Avvesione]

Anyone else predicting quite a bit of backstory with this current chapter now that Gido is back? I'm actually looking forward to how everything works out with regards to Gido, the Adam/Eve Projects, Kasumi, Triple Six, and maybe Mizuha and the Resistance and the datachips.

That and I don't think anything significant will happen in regards to the fight right now considering how overpowered Arclight and everyone else is.

Or, whatever happens, should be great (unless someone dies). Can't wait to see what 109 is like!

[Xiammes]

I was wondering if we were going to get some back story. I imagine if we are going to get some back story it will be quick.

[Homura7]

Backstories don't last very long, at most 6 or 7 pages.

I for one am expecting Saten to make his move and also to have a look at Setsuna's current condition. She mustn't be able to do that much, but knowing her she would rather die in the battlefield than leave the place, so she and Kuchinashi are probably heading there.

[Solace]

Originally Posted by Avvesione

Anyone else predicting quite a bit of backstory with this current chapter now that Gido is back? I'm actually looking forward to how everything works out with regards to Gido, the Adam/Eve Projects, Kasumi, Triple Six, and maybe Mizuha and the Resistance and the datachips.

That and I don't think anything significant will happen in regards to the fight right now considering how overpowered Arclight and everyone else is.

Or, whatever happens, should be great (unless someone dies). Can't wait to see what 109 is like!

I don't think there's much choice but to do a flashback to explain all of this. This is it, the big climax. Blade is less than an insect to Arclight, Ruri just activated all the clones, Set and Solva are "dead" (we'll leave that debate/wishful thinking for another time), and everyone else is pretty much useless.

Unless Gido hasn't really turned and has a plan, and/or Saten acts, I can't see what else will happen at the moment outside of a power up for Team Yamada. In short, a miracle. Plot exposition in the form of a flashback could introduce that, though.

[Kurohane]

^ However, Imai-san has a unique way of doing flashbacks. The only normal one was back in the beginning chapters, when the gang encounters Disk. The flashback in the church when Aruka told Cruz about the Second Christ. Anyone ever notice in some of Cruz's memories as a kid, Aruka is a teen in some and kid not much older than Cruz in others. Like she was the only one growing.

[Skieth]

I'm betting on a multi-chapter flashback, similar to the one we got way back in chapter 45. There's so many loose plot points I think it would it would be hard to explain them all in a single short flashback. I'd like to find out more about what's going on with Setsuna, but I don't think we'll see her and Kuchinashi again until this is all over.

[Avvesione]

Originally Posted by Skieth

I'm betting on a multi-chapter flashback, similar to the one we got way back in chapter 45. There's so many loose plot points I think it would it would be hard to explain them all in a single short flashback. I'd like to find out more about what's going on with Setsuna, but I don't think we'll see her and Kuchinashi again until this is all over.

Actually, according to the ad in Volume 15 advertising for Volume 16, it shows Eve, Teruyama, Riru and Setsuna and says them by name which is why I'm thinking we'll get an Eve Project flashback soon (explaining Eve and Riru) and something on Setsuna sometime.

Then again, it might just be ads for Volume 16 with material from 106 since that was the only chapter out when Volume 15 was published.

[Homura7]

^Do not forget authors tend at least to be 5 chapters ahead of the most recently published one.