(L) Saki manga

[Flower]

I am still curious as to how they are going to do the over the top mahjong plays. XD

Be interesting to see if they do Hisa's thumb flip the tile in the air and slam it on the table move.....

[alex_drian]

Originally Posted by Kamieichi

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news...ostume/.108155
At least the comparison images amused me.
Now I wonder whether Kyotaro got deleted in this live-actin Saki world by Ritz or not.

Nnnnnnnnnnnel, I can't I can't

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by judasmartel

Pretty much the only gripe I have with the LA is that LA Nodoka is now flat (and much more cute, lol) unlike Manga/Anime Nodoka.

Flat? Nah, I don't think so.

NSFW

Warning: Not safe to view at work or school!

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I think the promo picture just took her on a bad angle and her clothes hide her assets. But she's not lacking on boobs and is actually pretty cute too.

[Requiem-x]

Originally Posted by King-Slayer

Shinohayu is out.

Finally get to see Kanna's mom but she doesn't do much. I like Kanna and Hayari being more motivated for club activities. Also liked seeing Rena keep on winning.

Also, Kanna channeling Dia and Shino's boyish point of view, the latter being my favorite part of the whole chapter. Even for perverts, Shino is an angel

[judasmartel]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Flat? Nah, I don't think so.

NSFW

Warning: Not safe to view at work or school!

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I think the promo picture just took her on a bad angle and her clothes hide her assets. But she's not lacking on boobs and is actually pretty cute too.

I did a search on Nodoka's actress, and, holy shit, I was amazed to know she's actually famous for her "baby girl face" and a huge rack for her age! I mean, how many 17-year-old Japanese girls have chests that big?

Okay, still not as big as I thought Nodoka was, but yeah, I think it's close enough. It's just that her clothes did a great job at hiding her assets.

[Flower]

Hmm....

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news...isuals/.108461

[judasmartel]

All I could say is, "Wow, all of them look like idol group members!"

Why they decided to give Koromo's actress a blonde wig in the poster, I have no idea.

[Bladezer]

So who's ready for another healthy dose of really long post?

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

I doubt it. Izumi won't make the same mistake again. She learned her lesson back in Achiga-hen.

Well, my only pont wasn't that she would overestimate herself, it also has to do with the fact as player Izumi is worse then Yuuko and Yoshiko, plus data on Chikako is limited, so I doubt Hiroko would be able to give Izumi good advice for dealing with her, meaning that Izumi is going to be hit with not being able to read the board properly again.

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Toki's ability evolved because she almost died. I don't think we'll see more powerups like that. Except maybe Nodoka, since she was foreshadowed to get a powerup related to her left hand.

I was merely saying I wonder if Kirame's and Kuro's ability had evolved and if anybody had any ideas how they could evolve, after all the way Toki's ability has evloved is that she's able to now see multiple paths, was wondering if there could be improved versions of Kuro's and Kirame's as well. Best way I can see Kirame's evolving is that she becomes able to get back all points that she may lose, another way for Kuro is for her to know where the dora in the wall will be, like how Saki knows when she'll be able to form a Kan.

Originally Posted by night_sentinel

Went and read the whole fifth rank vanguard, the mahjong is surprisingly good considering I thought that this will be a throw away match. Toki-Hanada cooperation play is well and alive even at that stage heh. And it seems that Senriyama or at least Toki is targeting Himematsu... hopefully it will bear better fruit than in the semifinals.

Anyway, made a bet on which is order the schools will came out in this fifth ranking match. I'm saving it here for posterity so I can tell myself I told you so or laugh myself silly for being so wrong. Also, less temptation for changing it. ^^

For 100,000 pokedollars. night_sentinel ranking bet is

1@ 2 Senriyama and Himematsu
3 - Shindouji
4 - Uzusan

1-2 I could see Senriyama or Himematsu be the 1st for plot and team strength reason. I wrote a bunch of that regarding here. Shindouji and Uzusan go last because I don't think their team line-up would effective now. Not to mention Uzusan's captain would probably weaker this coming round.

Not to be rude, but I kind of feel your underestimating Shindouji a bit here, do remember that Hiriko had trouble against Mairu, plus with Ako and Sumire not present Hitomi and Yoshiko should be able to put in better results this time around. Mainly what I'm saying is Shindouji has chance to be winning as well, since because the factors that tied them down are pretty much gone, which means they'll have an easier time. Something else to remember is that Ryuuka can not use her power while Himeko has a key, so I'd say its an equal competition for Shindouji, Himemastu and Senriyama for first.

Originally Posted by Flower

Yeah ... I was surprised, although having Suzu exploding may have helped, but even so I like how the first match further illustrated Toki's strengths and shortcomings. Of course we finally got to see What and Hanada showing what they can do too, which sheds some light back on their previous matches as well.

Still think Senriyama is going to take this one, but we will see. ^^

Actually I have a bit of doubt that Suzu exploding helped all that much, since Kirame had faced Toki before, and pretty much I find if Suzu hadn't exploded Kirame would've spent much of the match trying to screw with Toki's hands, since it seems Kirame focuses on messing with the most dangerous opponents on the board. Plus also Kirame already having played Toki, shows that she knows to go for defense for when playing against her, since playing defensively stops Toki from being able to really trick you into playing into her hands.

Originally Posted by night_sentinel

Yeah. Toki seems to be targeting Himematsu. Beside Hanada's cooperation play, earlier in the match she allowed Naruka to score in order to lower Himematsu's score. Toki hasn't really learned from the semifinals it seems. That said, its not a bad strategy. And I think it would work here better, since its a ranking match and Senriyama may need/want 1st place instead of 1st-2nd. And I do agree that Himematsu is the biggest threat to Senriyama for that.

Also, no one wants to make a bet with me? ^^

What bet?

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

She did learn. She's very much aware of the risks of her strategy (she actually says so at one point during the match). But nothing ventured nothing gained.

Actually I'd disagree, since Toki seemed to have not realised she could've just used Naruka to up her points.

Originally Posted by Peanutbutter

Spoiler:

I've only seen the chinese translation, but the Ai used is the one for love.

And their mother is apparently half-Japanese, and was a pro mahjong player that was prominent for awhile. The full maiden is apparently "Ai Arctander". Arctander apparently implies Norwegian link.

So yeah, both Miyanagas have 1/4 non-Japanese blood in them.

P.S: Kuma sensei (i.e. Miyamori's coach) was talking about forming a Team Japan. And she states, that the potential key players are Arakawa Kei (if anyone remember who that is), and both Miyanagas. Aim? To be No. 1.

I won't know if I will ever live to see that portion ever drawn.

P.P.S: Apparently, people dug out Ritz sensei's past works, which included the Fatalizer series. The MC of that is apparently mixed-blood too. Now people are starting to speculate what other Fatalizer stuff Ritz will bring into Saki.

Interesting.

Maybe Ritz plans to make Saki become a Battle Manga after all the Mahjong Championships are over? Or maybe some of the Fatalizer cast we show up in the World Championship arc?

Originally Posted by King-Slayer

Chapter is out.
So much info at the last bit and the moment we've been waiting for since 2009 arrives in December.

Huh, so maybe that ending scene of season 1, does have some canon stuff in it.

Originally Posted by The Green One

Some interesting info is trickling in.

Now watch as we get all worked up with expectations and Teru just walks by and doesn't say a word and completely ignores Saki who's too timid to speak up and say anything and that's all that happens. Oh the glorious trolling.

Yeah, that's pretty much what will probably happen, its not time for the 2 of them to interact properly yet.

Originally Posted by Requiem-x

First and foremost, Ritz, have you lost your mind!? You're actually aiming for a world championship in this manga!? I am LITERALLY going to grow old reading this, won't I? To be clear, I don't mind the idea at all plot-wise, is the time factor that bothers me.

World Championship, Requiem X? Don't be riddiclous knowing Ritz, she's probably aiming to take this series into Saki's pro carreer and beyond!

Originally Posted by Requiem-x

And the Miyanaga family mystery... thickens? I mean, its awesome to get new information on the subject, but I still don't see the connection between their foreign ancestry and the family falling apart. I do wonder if this means there could be some connection with Shinohayu, though, like the german kidnapper having learned mahjong from Ai or something like that.

I doubt there's any kind of connection, plus dount the person in Shinohayu is a literal kidnapper. Still we've met more of Saki's family, but still no Mother. Just watch somehow her Mum's going to be someone from Shinohayu...

Originally Posted by night_sentinel

Is anyone a bit disturbed by the insinuation that Mama Miyanaga the the public know of might be a fake or at least disguised? And if that's true, does Saki know?

I don't think that was implied at all, possibly more that she retired before she got married and didn't publicize it, so no one knows she had kids.

Originally Posted by night_sentinel

On one hand, Saki has a lot of reason for not knowing. Since she isn't really net savvy or technology-savy in general. On the other hand, Saki not mentioning or attempting to reconcile with her Mom who is also in Tokyo is NOW making a lot of sense if Mama Miyanaga that the public knows is a fake.

Well, think is it has been mentioned, that Teru is the one Saki needs to make up with, not her Mum. In early chapters, it did say that when she went to Tokyo, her Mum talked to her and Teru didn't, so no real need for her to make up with her Mum.

Originally Posted by Fragment off

The chapter is also your friendly reminder that 6 Years old Saki was an absolute monster.

We knew she had to hold back against her sister, but we weren't sure she was that strong yet back then.

Now we know she also had to hold back against a former predominant PRO-player. And still got the exact score she wanted.

Well, can we really say she was holding back, when she was using her ability to come out with +/-0 against her family, which is regarded as being way harder then winning in Mahjong.

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

^ I think all that was retconned. The problem between Saki and her family now revolves around the blond girl who appears in Saki's flashbacks.

No, nothing was retconned, remember Saki developed the +/-0 strategy to stop her new years allowance from being taken from her, sure the family problems having to do with the Blonde girl is probably true, but not Mahjong itself.

Originally Posted by night_sentinel

While, I think that the possibility above does have some merit. Ritz has been introducing a few conspiracy theory in the manga like what happened to Shino's mum...

And whatever happened before the fire and after seems to be extra fishy for me. It seems like Mama Miyanaga current look is drastically different from Ai Arctandar. Nishida-san is particularly shocked when the old lady confirmed that "Ai-chan" and Arctander the Pro is the same person. Unless, Nishida is that easily spooked. Either Mama Miyanaga disguised herself or she's not the same person is my bet.

That said, I don't think were going to get any confirmation until Saki decides to meet her mom in Tokyo.

It is possible that Mama Miyanaga dyed her hair or something, so she could retire easily, so I doubt she's a different person and all. Unless it turns that Saki has an aunt that is her Mum's twin sister, which wouldn't be to surprising actually.

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

I'm not talking about her playing style, but about the fact she could easily do it with her family, and the fact that her family would get angry if she won and all that stuff. I think all that was retconnect. It wouldn't make sense for her familly problems to be that trivial, and all the most recent hints suggest the actual cause of her those problems is related to the blond girl instead.

But yeah, let's hope we'll get more clues soon.

Yeah, do remember, Saki developed the +/-0 stuff so she didn't have to win or lose against her family, so that they wouldn't get angry or take away her New Year allowance and such. The Family's problems probably only start with Mahjong and that's it for where Mahjong is connected the Family's problems.

Originally Posted by AsterM

I'm starting to think that Saki and Teru have different mother or something. They look extremely similar but... I don’t know, the idea just suddenly invaded my mind.

This could easily be a case where one daughter looks more like their father then they do their Mother, so probably isn't anything to big.

Originally Posted by judasmartel

Wow, did shit just got real?

Spoiler for holy cow:

- The Miyanagas being actually a world-level Mahjong family with ties to the best international teams in the world (though it's kinda odd to me how European teams are the powerhouses in Riichi Mahjong in the Saki-verse when we all know that China dominates everyone at standard international mahjong)
- Ritz actually aiming for the World Championship!

I don't think it said what World team the Miyanagas are connected to.

Originally Posted by judasmartel

Some random thoughts I had:

- Ritz decides to take a 2-month break? It's part of the plan, guys. Just relax.

- It's been a while since we have discussed about the potential roster of Team Japan in the World Youth Mahjong Championship. So far, we have:

- Kei Arakawa
- Saki Miyanaga
- Teru Miyanaga
- ???
- ???

Who would you choose to fill those two slots? Are "naturalized" foreign players allowed in international mahjong?

- Since Ritz is quite likely to aim for the World Championship arc, and assuming international mahjong does not allow foreign players on each team, it would be nice to see those international players suiting up for their home nations.

- Aislinn for New Zealand
- Nelly for Georgia
- Megan for Team USA
- Hao Huiyu for China
- Choi Myeonghwa (as much as I like her to play for South Korea, she would probably play for France because "no Koreans allowed" in Japanese manga)

We're all used to Ritz breaks by now, although this one makes a little more sense with the Live Action adaptation coming out and all, so she's probably doing some paper work for it during her break, as well as finishing all the untoned pages for the Saki volumes.

To be honest I get the slightest feeling the 2 remainder spots would possibly go to Shizuno and Nodoka, Nodoka pretty much speaks for herself, but as to why I think Shizuno will be picked is because, in the Achiga-hen manga Shizu being able to act on instict was brought up and Kumakura seemed to have picked up on it.

However with that said, I think Yumi might get pulled into it, since Fujita has taken special note of her, and we saw Fujita handing data over to Kumakura in the recent chapter, is another reason for why I think Yumi could be in.

I have doubts of Aislinn will show up in the World Championship, since she was very much, I'm going to win this with my friends, and not I want to win cause winning feels good.

Well Choe could be South Korea, depends on how Ritz feels about it, and since she's the story teller, the Anime production team can't really tell her to not do it.

Originally Posted by judasmartel

@ On-Topic:

1. About Europeans possibly dominating Riichi, I guess China does not dominate international Riichi like they do in standard Mahjong.

2. Oh, there really is such a thing as a World Riichi Championship, but it just got off in 2014.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe...i_Championship

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Riichi_Championship

Maybe that's where Ritz got the inspiration for the World Championships? When was the first time the World Riichi Champs was mentioned in the manga anyways?

3. Anyone thinks Ritz will go straight up to the World Champs or will she go through the Asian Champs first?

Well, do remember that in Saki, Mahjong is much more popular in the real world, so Ritz may have been planning to do a world championship for a long time.

I think Ritz is doing something else before the Asian Championship, you know that whole League that Fujita was scouting for, unless that WAS the Asian Championship.

Originally Posted by Kamieichi

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news...ostume/.108155
At least the comparison images amused me.
Now I wonder whether Kyotaro got deleted in this live-actin Saki world by Ritz or not.

Well, considering that Kyotaro exists literally only to get Saki to the Mahjong club, it wouldn't be surprising if he was adapted out, since his role could easily be replaced by Yuuki, since Yuuki is very friendly and all, its completely possible for Yuuki to make friends with her and all, and the writers can just go from there.

Originally Posted by judasmartel

So the Live-Action only covers the prefectural tournament?

Goodness, the cast looks like they're members of a J-idol group!

So does that mean Saki is crossing over with Love Live then?

Originally Posted by Requiem-x

Also, Kanna channeling Dia and Shino's boyish point of view, the latter being my favorite part of the whole chapter. Even for perverts, Shino is an angel

Dia who?

Originally Posted by judasmartel

Why they decided to give Koromo's actress a blonde wig in the poster, I have no idea.

Probably because they couldn't find a Japanese actress, who is both short and blonde, that's my best guess.

Okay, now that I'm done with the quotes, here's some stuff I wanted to bring up and discuss.

So something I noticed about Nodoka, she has only ever called the way that others have won coincidence, stuff like Saki winning through Rinshan Kaihou and Hisa's bad wait, she's never really said that winning that way was impossible, cause remember she still knows that Mahjong is a game of luck, as well as skill, so she won't really call others out for winning in unusual ways.

Another interesting thing I picked up on, when rereading the Side-B Captain round match, Saki has the way to be able to deal with Shizu, that being to play completely normal, and use no special ability what so ever, so Hisa really has covered one of Saki's weaknesses really well.

Also on the recent Shinohayu chapter, when Kana says she started to see the others a reliable teammates, I don't think this was her being whiny, I feel its more that she feels because she no longer sees them as rivals, she's become stagnate and isn't developing as well as she feels she could be.

So are we going to talk about the latest Toki chapter? Cause I get the slightest feeling, Ryuuka is about manipulate the game so she loses, so no one can has to stop being friends with her. Plus doing that could actually help to make Ryuuka a little bit more intimidating, without her Toki Lap Pillow and all.

Also not sure if I mentioned this before, but on Ritz blog she said that she regards all characters as important, and well this makes me think, Ritz wanted to do a lot more in the side-a quarter final, since the anime covered the backstory of Kentai a bit, although that could also just because their Vice-Captain, that being Yuuka Norigaki, is probably going to show up in the Individuals.

And going of off what I said above, seems the anime adaptation really did hurt Achiga-hen even more then it did already.

Also, it seems Ritz may have given Yuuki a Yuri partner finally, with her putting Kirame's hair style on in Chapter 166 and all.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Bladezer

my only pont wasn't that she would overestimate herself

But that was the point I was replying to. She might not be that good, but she won't overestimate herself again.

I was merely saying I wonder if Kirame's and Kuro's ability had evolved

And I was merely saying it's unlikely.

Something else to remember is that Ryuuka can not use her power

Ryuuka doesn't have powers of her own. But if you're talking about the Toki tulpa, she probably will be able to use it. I saw Touki sleeping on Ryuuka's lap in one of the previous chapters.

Actually I'd disagree, since Toki seemed to have not realised she could've just used Naruka to up her points.

I'm not sure what you're referring to. She did use Naruka to fuck Himematsu up.

nothing was retconned, remember Saki developed the +/-0 strategy to stop her new years allowance from being taken from her

That was what she said at the beginning, but in hindsight, it doesn't make sense. You think Teru and her mother wouldn't have known she was deliberately going for +/-0, which is harder than winning? If they truly got angry and took her allowance for winning, they would outright kick her ass for pulling the +/-0 trick. Nah, it doesn't make sense. Either Saki misunderstood something, or this whole thing was retconned as it hasn't been mentioned again since back then.

[Bladezer]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Ryuuka doesn't have powers of her own. But if you're talking about the Toki tulpa, she probably will be able to use it. I saw Touki sleeping on Ryuuka's lap in one of the previous chapters.

I was referring to that, Ryuuka's Toki foresight is her power...

And it was shown in the side-a semi-finals she can't use it while Himekp has a key.

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

I'm not sure what you're referring to. She did use Naruka to fuck Himematsu up.

I'm saying that Toki could've deliberately kept on attacking Naruka, like how she did to Kuro in the Side-A Quarter finals.

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

That was what she said at the beginning, but in hindsight, it doesn't make sense. You think Teru and her mother wouldn't have known she was deliberately going for +/-0, which is harder than winning? If they truly got angry and took her allowance for winning, they would outright kick her ass for pulling the +/-0 trick. Nah, it doesn't make sense. Either Saki misunderstood something, or this whole thing was retconned as it hasn't been mentioned again since back then.

Actually, do remember that Kyouko didn't realise that Saki did +/-0 until after their first match together, so it is possible that Saki's parents didn't realise about it, since spotting +/-0 right after a match probably isn't easy, and especially if your not really taking notes on each round, which Saki's family would've been, since the game obviously would've been a causal one. And I doubt Teru minded that much at that point, since at that time Saki and Teru were still close.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Bladezer

Actually, do remember that Kyouko didn't realise that Saki did +/-0 until after their first match together, so it is possible that Saki's parents didn't realise about it, since spotting +/-0 right after a match probably isn't easy, and especially if your not really taking notes on each round, which Saki's family would've been, since the game obviously would've been a causal one. And I doubt Teru minded that much at that point, since at that time Saki and Teru were still close.

That doesn't fly. They must have played a lot together, and her mother was a pro. There's just no chance they wouldn't have known what was going on (provided it wasn't retconnet, which is my take for the time being).

I'm saying that Toki could've deliberately kept on attacking Naruka, like how she did to Kuro in the Side Quarter finals.

She didn't do that because Suzu was in explosion mode. If Toki didn't do anything to stop her, she would have kept winning with big hands and close the point gap.

And it was shown in the side-a semi-finals she can't use it while Himekp has a key.

She still can use it in the turns for which Himeko doesn't have a key.

[Flower]

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news...tamaki/.108635

A few more updates on the Saki film cast....

[judasmartel]

It seems they're going all-female here. I am not surprised, Japan.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by judasmartel

It seems they're going all-female here. I am not surprised, Japan.

Yuki Tamaki is a guy.

[judasmartel]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Yuki Tamaki is a guy.

I know. I was just kidding.

[Kamieichi]

Kyotaro...

[judasmartel]

The yuri is strong in that PV.

[Bladezer]

Originally Posted by Kamieichi

Kyotaro...

Honestly, wouldn't be surprised if Kyotaro got cut, cause let's be honest here guys, he literally only exists to Saki to club room, so her and Nodoka can play the first Mahjong game together, which is what really got the series going, and that role can easily be filled in by Mako or Yuuki

[eavein18]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

That doesn't fly. They must have played a lot together, and her mother was a pro. There's just no chance they wouldn't have known what was going on (provided it wasn't retconnet, which is my take for the time being).

my current theory is that :

(young) saki : 'uuuu I want to win!'

(young) saki use supernatural power

a light bulb break/earthquake/fire/something went flying/etc etc

mother : 'not again'

mother : "Saki, I'm confiscating your new year allowance" 'to fix the house'

(young) saki : "eeeeee but why? ;_;"

eventually (young) saki arrive at the (wrong) conclusion that mother take away her allowance for winning

=0=0=0=0=0 the next new year game 0=0=0=0=

(young) saki plays normal/badly because she want her allowance

mother : "... Saki, are you purposely losing?"

(young) saki : "e? eee.... um..."

mother : 'I don't need that kind of attitude from her' "Saki, I'm confiscating your new year allowance"

eventually (young) saki arrive at the (not really wrong) conclusion that mother take away her allowance for intentionally losing

=0=0=0=0=0 another new year game 0=0=0=0=

(young) saki plays +-0

mother : "..." +-0 needs concentration/skill and it have the bonus of not destroying the house (as long as she isn't place in a too bad spot that she need to use excessive power)

mother : "saki here is your new year allowance"

[tarajis]

.... been a while....

hmm... what really got my attention on the latest chapter of Saki was when the grandma said "Fortunately, no one was injured" .... I was like "YEY!! Blondie is all good!" .... that burning wheelchair scene really made me imagine a lot and never gave me peace of mind...

Now looking forward to the reunion of the Miyanaga sisters and blondie... I'm now thinking that blondie is a cousin on the mother side...


Regarding Team Japan... the Kuromo is a must and maybe Awai... just imagining a demon lord in vanguard and then high level boss charas and then the final boss demon lord for the finale... I'm starting to feel sorry for those unfortunate souls that will be sacrificed for aiming for being number in the world...

Oh... and Misa for manager...

Originally Posted by AsterM

I'm starting to think that Saki and Teru have different mother or something. They look extremely similar but... I don’t know, the idea just suddenly invaded my mind.

Maybe Saki is special because her pointy hair is on the right side while the others are on the left... basing on the picture that is...