All Hail Demon King Shiki

Edens Zero Chapter 98 Review/Recap

Folks, ever since the announcement came last week that Edens Zero would be getting an anime, I have been over the moon! Hiro Mashima’s an amazing mangaka, and his stories have always been able to put a smile on my face. What this means for my blog, though, is that I’ll have something new to write about when it comes out. Plus, you can’t go wrong with Mashima’s blatant mastery of fan service. Speaking of which, turns out that this week’s chapter has two surprises. The first is a color spread for the first chapter as we see the birth of Demon King Shiki. The second, I’m saving for the end.

Recap

Now in a strange new form, Shiki isn’t just able to keep pace with the evil Drakken Joe. He completely outclasses him! His Gravity Gear has the gravitational pull of a black hole, sucking everything towards him.

As for Rebecca and Homura, working together alongside Happy, they manage to pry themselves free from Joe’s grasp, and proceed to annihilate his appendages as one. Aboard the Edens Zero, Witch, Sister, and Hermit are able to power up the ship’s main cannon enough to obliterate Joe’s superweapon, saving Blue Garden from destruction. It took draining part of their Ether Cores, but it was worth it in the end.

Enraged, the monstrous Joe clashes with Shiki one final time, only for Shiki to get glimpses of his past: years ago, Joe was a boy on a world where no one lived long. He wanted to change that, and began to study alchemy to take other’s life and live long and make friends. In the present, Joe figures out what’s going on: Shiki’s gravity is so powerful, it’s actually pulling in the memories of those around him. As a result, he saw Rebecca’s memories of World No. 29. Declaring that he’s lived long enough, Shiki tells Drakken Joe to sleep, before launching a final, limit breaking move at him, defeating the crime lord at last!

Review

HOLY CRAP, THAT WAS AWESOME!!!! I’ve been a fan of Hiro Mashima’s work for years, and I’ve picked up a thing or two about his writing style. And when he does an action sequence right, the mere sight of it can get my blood pumping. And this chapter got my blood pumping in excitement!

But let’s breakdown what made it work so well. First, there’s the fact that we see each of the heroes giving their all and bulldozing their way through the invincible Drakken Joe. And watching Homura, Happy, and Rebecca go to town on Joe is something that will look gorgeous in anime format.

Then we have Joe’s backstory and why he was so obsessed with immortality. He was denied the chance to live long, and like Shiki, he wanted to go out into the cosmos and make friends. It makes him a dark foil to what Shiki could have turned out like if he was left alone on Granbell. Still no excuse for what he did, though.

This may be one of the best chapters of the manga yet, and with the news of it getting an anime in the future, it’s one hell of a way to celebrate. Not to mention, the defeat of Drakken Joe will signal the rise of Shiki Granbell, the Demon King!

Plus, Mashima gave us this summer spread of pin-ups as a bonus. Way to work with the fan service.

I Give “The Advent of the Demon King” A 5/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.