#edens zero chapter 3

[rebecca-granbell-blog]

Considering that Shiki already is so protective of Rebecca despite knowing her only for a really short period of time, just imagine how he will turn out to be as the two of them continue to become closer and closer. ^-^

[moeruhoshi]

UMM

Team Shadowgear omg

[moeruhoshi]

Shiki is so pure, you fools are gonna regret not being his friend ｡ﾟ( ﾟஇ‸இﾟ)ﾟ｡

[moeruhoshi]

I probably won't respect you if you don't give Edens Zero a chance

[arkus-rhapsode]

Eden’s Zero Chapter 3 Review

So here it is folks. The last time I review Eden’s Zero. Will this chapter be one worth going out on? Will I be able to make a prediction like a shounen jump editor and see where this series is going? Will EZ mark a new beginning for Hiro?

I already know these answers cause I read the chapter, but Imma let you read my reviews.

We have out cover page of SHiki floating upside down. Honestly, I’m glad Hiro is keeping the tradition of cover pages for chapters alive. Most authors it is only for a color cover, but this shit is the stuff I love.

We open on Meteor Torch and if you can see, Levy and Shadow Gear make a cameo. In fact, there is many cameos from FT characters in this chapter. Now this would be a nice little easter egg like Rave characters in FT, but here’s the thing, Hiro already literally reused Erza and Happy’s designs for what seem to be important characters. You can’t have your cake and eat it too, in this situation. Unless this is going to pull a buffy and Angel thing, I don’t think this is a smart call.

We are then introduced toooo... Mira. Yeah its just Mirajane only her gimmick is she cries over everything.

Okay, Hiro, do you know what laws are? Do you know what internal consistency is? Because there is no way in hell that this is such an easy conflict. Any writer who would know how to world build would be able to explain in basic why this is important and how you get one. In FUllmetal Alchemist, we clearly are shown that this is all in one country and that our main characters are able to freely practice and study certain things because of the ridged militaristic system that they’re in that they even need to still pass evaluation for keeping it. It was so quick and so simple.

IS there a universe government? How does one obtain the papers? What effect does that have on the population? This is not one piece where our main characters are technically criminals so laws literally don’t work on them.

We then see that in the guildhall is a hologram of the giant lady from last chapter. Her name is mother and apparently she exists outside of the Sakura Cosmos and they only know from an adventurer (Who I’m sure is robo arm) that once saw her, and travelers have since worshiped her as a goddess of space. And I would make fun of that logic, but twilight zone taught me that being a giant in a world of tiny people literally is enough to make them revere you as god, so this isn’t too crazy.

We seemed to have entered the Black Clover Universe because all the side characters just start laughing and demeaning Shiki for no reason other than his claims. I guess you could say, plainly meeting the goddess of space is tantamount to a sin, but then why is Mother only adorned in guilds? Why not towns or live under the thumb of religious zealots who manipulate the populous?

Nope. People are just dicks apparently.

We are now introduced to Lavilla Christ. Christ is the word I mutter as I look at her design. She is older Wendy and her personality is that she is a bitch. Literally, she’s a stuck up B-cuber who is in love with her own popularity and even forces to pay for interaction.

Shiki makes Lavilla float and then drops he. Which I’m surprised. Mainly cause Haru and Natsu never actually have fought or really directly hurt a woman.

I’m really hoping that she just thinks she mean capitalizing on Shiki’s unknown powers, instead of shitty love triangle in the future. Unfortunately with the blood dripping down her nose I unfortunately see the latter in the future.

Also I have this question, what is with her hair? I get the idea of a floating ponytail and we even saw that in the last chapter some humans have modified themselves, but Lavilla here (unless this is like a clip on piece or something) literally has a cybernetic piece implanted into her head for the sole purpose of having that detachable ponytail.

Suddenly we cut to a restaurant for some reason, I don’t know and it is staffed by Nikola or Plues.

Oh Plue, I can never be mad at you.

Hiro I’m glad you went this route, but here’s the thing, you seem to be sighting your flaws, but you don’t seem to get what the problem with the guild family idea was. The problem with it wasn’t it took away from the work aspect and people should be dicks, its that you tried to make a narrative about a family without focusing on the importance and nuance of a family in the series. I’m sure your going to replace it with a “My crew is my family”, but here’s a radical new idea, your story doesn’t have to be about expressly stating friendship or family, the audience can just infer that by your writing skill.

So is Ether basically your lacrima? Also another point to Hiro, the license. Because the guild mark is a cool design choice, but couldn’t any average idiot at a tattoo parlor fake it?

Okay, time for another breakdown: So this makes me hate the first chapter even more. Because I get why the big, “Shiki Granbell” moment was important, but that is lessened by Shiki not coming up with it and it not officially being stated by a character till chapter 3.

Then there’s this rank E thing. I want you to remember that.

Okay, I know we can’t actually see what the video is about, but I think Hiro had a missed opportunity here. We know there are different types of B-cubers with Rebecca’s being about travel, couldn’t Lavilla’s be about I don’t know, Pop Idol? Because that was one of the last things we saw with Wendy as a Sky Sister and it would make sense why she is so popular, due to idol culture. And it is easy to see that going to her head, because I highly doubt making a Dan and Phil like show would result in that level of douchedry.  Also why does she need to travel? I know I can’t see her video in full, but from the way it looks you could do it in a studio.

And here is our plot. And here’s where I bring up the vclass E thing, why and how? Clearly there seems to be a government system in place and rules, so what would allow inexperienced low rank adventures potentially leave their area? That seems like an S-class mission? Are there no safeguard or punishment? If so then getting this license is too damn easy.

Wow, an actual end goal. Though I know Shiki’s is to make friends, if he comes back with proof of mother and then everyone wants to be his friend, I think we should question the authenticity of that.

And here’s a problem with Rebecca and Shiki’s relationship, they are both Shiki. I mean one has moments of acting more mature than the other, but they are literally the same character at times. Loud, hyperactive, big eater, fun loving, but get serious when the time comes. And that makes their relationship, so much more boring. Haru was basically the straight man to a ,lot of Elie’s insanity, but like Ichigo and Yusuke, Haru could easily get into the silly stuff. Natsu and Lucy were polar opposites so watching how they pushed one another was important, but these two, Are the same person. The have the same nuances and same attitude, with the only thing separating them is just their gimmicks. It just seems to suck away the potential that discord or conflict creates between people and the story potential of over coming it.

How much of different series would One piece be if Luffy could just google search for the stuff he needed?

We then cut to space pirates all of the sudden. Yeah, I’m serious. No transitional panel showing them land or anything, they’re just there.

Time for another page breakdown, so like I said this shot does not display time has past since Rebecca and Shiki left or Elcy’s landing. Second, so is space pirating legal? I’m guessing not, but no one is stopping her. I guess that goes to show how strong she is, but a good writer would take this moment to hint at her power by having some jobber try and attack her. Third, the guy with bangs from the cover is on her crew and he is probably the second in command. Fourth, for an ARMORED pirate, Elcy is showing off a bit of thigh. Thanks Hiro.

They’re still looking for Shiki and some random asshole says they’re heading for planet River.

So we end on Shiki and Rebecca going to this planet where this doctor is supposedly who fixed happy and is apparently dead according to Elcy.

Post chapter follow up: So what even was that? Well positives out of the way first. I do again need to praise Hiro for his structural point like the license and skipping the Guild = Family shit. However they’re are still structural problems. How can an E rank traveler somehow go out side the cosmos, is no one vetting that? Why is mother considered a goddess and what is the significance in a practical sense to travelers?

There is some funny moments, like Shiki pointing out fantasy classes and Rebecca pointing out a series about guild’s being a family. And that the story telling is a lot more focused. It actually makes me think of how long this series will last. Hiro often sets a minimum of of 10 volumes for himself on his series, but he then extended it past that (Rave because he felt ending on King vs Gale was contrived and FT because it was really popular) I can see this adventure being pushed to 10 volumes, but if it goes past that... Pray. Cause it’ll be hit or miss when Hiro is winging it.

As for whats wrong with the chapter, my  biggest problem is pacing. This is an awkwardly paced chapter that seems to want to fit tons of stuff in an get you invested, but not actually sink in. Like why Shiki dwell on what it was like to get laughed at for wanting friends or watching Elcy’s crew land, should be this big deal, but we don’t even see it.

Another problem is that it feels like we’re repeating the lesson Shiki learned from last week about not all people being interested in friendship and some just are bad. The world building is also a mess with there being such ambiguity to everything on what is running this system and why any of this is important.

Final Verdict: 4/10

Fine for a breather

Throws way too much shit at you with its pacing

Hiro seems to want his easter egg cake and eat it too

Inconsistent/no attempt to world build properly

Just kindaa dull

So here is my moment, what do I think will become of this series? Well unlike its predecessor, EZ is not bad enough to be loathed for how it piles up into an awful mishmash of problems, but it isn’t like FT in the sense it has this sense of endearing charm at the start that makes me feel a connection and want to see end well for the world created. I think I discovered this series reminds me of Boruto. Not cause next gen, but honestly its really boring. Everything feels so by the numbers and identity-less that there isn’t really any reason why this should be popular outside it being tethered to a famous author and his former hit. Seriously it is like Boruto.

Its so in the middle of the road that there’s not enough to hate or like so your own enjoyment is the clincher. If you’re like me and read FT and Hiro long enough to figure out his flaws as a writer and see it popping up, I guarantee you will not like EZ. But if you’re not bothered by it, nothing Hiro can do can make you drop the series. People who like Hiro Mashima and EZ, look I’m not gong to judge. I think we have a right to a stupid story that isn’t great, but we need that dose of sheer entertainment. If this is the series you choose to do that with fine.

Guys who hate hiro mashima, I’m telling you this, there is no morbid curiosity worth something like this. It is dull and if you’re looking for outrage it’ll be pointless salt instead of actually true awfulness. So here is how I’m going to get across my message directly on how I feel about Hiro as a writer and EZ. I’m not going to read it, im not going to pay for it, and I’m not going to acknowledge it. I’m sure one costumer not buying a volume won’t change a thing, but my point is still me saying that I just don’t want to spend my time on something that isn’t entertaining me and on an author I know won’t reach the standard I want to see out of him because unlike others this man has been making manga for 20 years and he spent 11 years doing a series that all of his tropes are able to be figured out.

FT was a ride I had no idea how it would go so I don’t regret getting on it. But EZ is a ride I can feel where it is going and I’m choosing to not get on. SO I’m I’m doing what I want and leaving. It was an interesting 3 weeks, but I’m out. Thank you for reading and I hoped you enjoyed, I’ll be returning to my usual MHA reviews.