Following up on last week’s Manga “Hunter x Hunter” Chapter 411 Review & More, I’m writing about the latest Hunter x Hunter chapter and impressions of some games I’ve been playing recently.
Hunter x Hunter Chapter 412 “Question”
Summary: Through his questions to Queen Oito, Kurapika confirms that Prince Woble here and now does not qualify for the Succession Contest.
So, the “Prince Woble is not qualified for the Succession Contest” reveal Kurapika dropped at the end of the previous chapter was not a bluff, but the truth. Kurapika and his group were completely outplayed by Queen Oito.
This whole sequence where Woble’s identity is confirmed was excellent, and the way it shifts from a comedic scene where Kurapika cannot pronounce Kakin words properly into a reveal of Queen Oito’s strategy, presented like a narrative trick the reader could hardly notice, through Bill sensing something off, was very fun to read. I can only admire Togashi-sensei’s skill in structure, resuming serialization with that cliffhanger and then revealing a shocking truth.
Also, when read together with Volume 39 released last week on 7/3, the current point in the story takes place before the declaration of special martial law, continuing from the first half of Volume 39 when the focus was on Kurapika and others involved in the Succession Contest. After the declaration of special martial law, if the statement “Only four princes remain” by First Prince Benjamin, who is presumed to have been taken over by Ninth Prince Halkenburg, is interpreted literally, the princes’ situation has changed drastically, so the events leading up to that are likely to be depicted. Is Benjamin’s personality now Halkenburg’s, and what exactly does that statement mean, I can’t wait for the upcoming developments that will likely resolve these questions.
Switch2 “The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales”
I finished it and wrote my impressions. It took 30 hours for the true ending. For details, please see that article, but in summary, I mostly agree with the negative points often mentioned in Steam reviews, though I didn’t go in with broad expectations and wasn’t thinking much about cost performance, so overall it felt like a fun game to me.
“The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tale” Review
PS5 “OneeChanbara ORIGIN” (PS Plus Game Catalog)
Played for about two hours. Last time in Stellar Blade the enemies felt way too tanky, so I wanted to play an action game with more exhilaration and decided to try this since it was in the catalog. Leaving the exhilaration aside, I laughed at how absurd it was that the protagonist, a gal-like character in a mysterious outfit of cowboy hat, scarf, and bikini, turns into a blonde dark-skinned gal in berserk mode. The concept is so over-the-top that it’s funny.
SteamOS “Cyberpunk 2077”
I already cleared it once on PS5 including the DLC as a female Street Kid V, but with a new Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime coming and having bought a SteamMachine, I bought it again on Steam and am playing through it.
As for SteamMachine, I really want to write a review article since I went to the trouble of getting it, but whenever I think about writing one, I end up feeling that if it’s a game machine I should just be playing games, so I’ve left it alone. Well, I do intend to write one since it really would be a waste not to. I’ll write it someday. I’ll probably write it. Maybe I will. Maybe I won’t.
Wrapping Up
With Hunter x Hunter resuming serialization, I’ve had more reason to look forward to each week lately and it feels great. On top of that, from mid-July onward we’re getting new titles like Culdcept Begins and Splatoon Raiders, and there are almost too many things to look forward to, but I want to take care of my health so I can enjoy all of it fully. That’s about it. See you next time.