Manga Review 08 – The Qi Xing Qiu is Found

Yamucha Densetsu returns with its shining legacy; myself overreacting to everything in the manga. We’re now at Chapter 015 of 519 (!!), in Volume 2 of 42.

So, last time (erm, more than a half year ago) Kame Sennin blew up Mount Frypan and Yamucha somehow knew everything, ever, about the Kamehame Ha. Just like last chapter, Yamucha doesn’t have a headline role (and won’t until around Chapter 019!) but he’s there and we’re here so let’s get to it.

The Qi Xing Qiu of the Japanese title for this chapter (The Qi Xing Qiu is Found) refers to the Chinese name used in the series for the 7 star Dragon Ball. VIZ localise this chapter as “At Sixes and Sevens” which is a reference to an old British idiom used in Shakespeare which itself is based off an Ye Olde Englishe dice game that eventually became craps.

What that means, by the way, is that some literati at VIZ obviously feels he needs to channel his superior intellect into Dragon Ball manga chapter titles. Yeah, that masters in English not serving you so well now, eh, buddy boy? Okay, I’ll start the review now.

As everyone stands in the ruins of Gyumao’s castle, Yamucha, still “hiding” behind a wall smaller than he is, remarks that “That’s one old man…” Well, yes. I guess it is, Yamucha. Thanks for sharing. Oh, actually he’s not done. “We do not want to antagonize!” Him and Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino, am I right?

Following this, Goku masters the Kamehame Ha because he’s the Chosen One and all that and no one can be more awesome than him or else the fanboys will piss themselves. Shonen spirit!!

Kame Sennin remembers Son Gohan (the old, dead one) telling him he picked up a boy with a tail. 20 years or so later, he will also remember the part Gohan told him about Goku being found in a crater, inside an alien spacecraft but the cogs in Kame Sennin’s brain seem to move at a glacial pace so don’t be too mad about it.

He then gives Goku a personal invite to be trained by him sometime. This really burns Yamucha’s gears as the old man never takes disciples. Pff, as if training under him ever helped you out anyway, you bum.

Pu’reh decides that this puts an end to the great Dragon Ball scheme for some reason. But it’s only Pu’reh so Yamucha ignores him. After all, he has a plan. Grab his tail somehow then something something MISSION COMPLETE!

But Pureh does point out that Goku just blew up the car with the homing device with his Kamehameha. Yamucha replies that “we’ll just have to tail them — so to speak (hahaha oh I hate you) — from a safe distance.” If it’s that easy why did you give them a car with a homing device in the first place, you berk?

Anyway, the main group find the seven star Dragon Ball, Gyumao gives them a car and Oolong pretends to be Bulma and lets Kame Sennin “puff-puff” away at his breasts, which says a lot more about Oolong than the Turtle Hermit, to be honest.

Eventually, they leave and Yamucha seizes the moment and begins to drive after them. But, oh no, Gyumao’s car is too fast for them! Luckily, Yamucha remembers he actually has a better car, the Silver Star Mark 4, in a capsule and now Akira Toriyama can draw something new next chapter Yamucha can keep up with the others.

The final shot of the chapter shows our heroes (barf) driving onward, with only one Dragon Ball to go, with Yamucha and Pu’reh about 10 feet behind them. Good thing Gyumao’s car doesn’t have rear view mirrors, although that probably breaks some laws somewhere, even out in the sticks. But it’s a known fact rear view mirrors, like air bags and seat belts and emergency services, kill more people than they save anyway so I’m all for this stylistic choice.

What the hell? This review is even shorter than the last one and that had even less Yamucha! Do you know why? Because nothing happens in this chapter. It’s pretty much all about Goku, Bulma and Oolong taking their damn time shuffling off from the smoldering ruins of Gyumao’s house. And people say the anime had filler?

Speaking of filler; Did you know my first manga review was only 687 words long? I seem to do around 900 on average with chapters where nothing happens. Also, wasn’t the Garlic Jr. arc lame or what?

Still, if you thought these last two chapters were bad for Yamucha, wait until you see next chapter. It technically has more of our hero, it’s true but… well, you’ll see.