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Edens Zero Chapter 166 Review/Recap

In Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos spoke about how much it sucks to lose. To feel like you’re in the right, only to fail all the same. It’s a sickening feeling, yet also one we cannot avoid in life. And in this week’s chapter of Edens Zero, even though the heroes beat Shura, it feels like they still lost the war, and Witch is the one who has to make the final sacrifice.

Recap

Everyone aboard the Edens Zero is panicking with only one minute left before the anti-matter bombs go off. However, Witch calmly tells everyone that she will protect the ship no matter what. Down on Nero 66, Shura’s crawled away from his fight with Shiki, only to be confronted by Ijuna. Rather than take revenge, Princess claims the feelings of love between the two were real, and then the two embrace as the bombs go off. Stockholm. Syndrome.

As the bombs detonate, everyone on the ship watches as Witch goes outside and uses the full extent of her powers to shield the ship, even as the bombs begin to annihilate everything in their path. Even as a tearful Shiki orders her to stop, Witch refuses, vowing to protect Shiki and her family. In her last moments, Witch remembers when she and the Shining Stars first met Shiki as a baby and how she promised to look after the child. Thus, after giving everyone words of encouragement, Witch smiles as the explosion vaporizes her body, while Shiki can do nothing but cry.

Review

Hiro Mashima can be an absolute master of hitting his readers right in the feels. Every time he has an important character die, he doesn’t hold back, making sure it’s as big a tearjerker as possible. He did with Simon in Fairy Tail. He did it with Valkyrie earlier in this story. And now, he did it for Witch!

While there is the chance that Witch may not be dead, or Rebecca may deus ex machina her out of this, Mashima will probably anger people even more. After such a tear-jerking sacrifice, bringing her back will make it seem disingenuous, like it doesn’t matter. Either way, this is going to affect the plot going forward majorly.

As for Shura and Ijuna, the less said about what happened to them, the better. Everything I said about Ijuna having Stockholm Syndrome proved to be right, and that got her killed. People, if someone you know somehow goes through this, get them help. This isn’t love. It’s a perverted form of sympathy and pity. 

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I will go try not to cry about Witch’s death.

I Give “I Love You” A 4.5/5

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Edens Zero Chapter 165 Review/Recap

Three times. That is how many times we have now seen a planet that Shiki and the heroes have been on come under threat of destruction. Firstly, we saw the Chronophage wipe away the filth of Guilst. Then, we saw the Muller almost destroy Foresta. Now, Nero 66 is about to be on the chopping block thanks to Ziggy. Worse, there’s nothing that Shiki can do to stop his grandfather. His only option now: run.

Recap

As the heroes look on helplessly, Ziggy activates the antimatter bombs and prepares to have them detonate. In less than twenty minutes, they’ll destroy not just Nero 66, but the entire sector. With the All-Link terminal disabled, there’s no way to stop this. Nero 66 is doomed.

However, Shiki stubbornly refuses to give up. It’s only when Xiao Mei directly addresses him that he realizes that this is one fight they can’t win. With their goals accomplished, the Crew of Eden return to their ship and warn everyone of what’s about to happen. As a result, everyone hightails it away from the planet. Yet Ziggy’s not done; remotely hacking the Edens Zero, he freezes the ship in place, keeping them from fleeing as the bombs prepare to go off.

However, they’re not going down without a fight. Now fully healed, Witch prepares to live up to her reputation as the Shield of Edens and drive her former master out.

Review

Well, I definitely wasn’t expecting any of this to occur. It seems like a very bittersweet way to end the Nero 66 Arc. Shura’s defeated, but Nero 66 is about to blow, and Shiki can’t stop his Grandpa. Were this any other situation, I’d like him to stay and stop the bombs somehow. But there’s no way to do so! Thus, retreat is the only option.

One thing that I think is noteworthy is how the chapter emphasizes the importance of knowing when to fold’em. In this case, the Admiral in charge of Nero’s forces wanted to stay and keep fighting anyway. He wanted everyone under his command to die a pointless death. Thankfully, he gets relieved of command before that happens.

On the plus side, Witch is all better now, and ready to fight Ziggy. Rebecca called her the Mom of Edens Zero, and right now, mama bear is not happy! This is gonna be good!

Also, Shura’s gone missing, and I doubt we’ve seen the last of him. Or of Princess.

I Give “Fork in the Road” a 3.5/5

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Edens Zero Chapter 156 Review/Recap

If there was any doubt that Shura was a piece of garbage, then let it be silenced now. Shura is like Ramsay Bolton from Game of Throne if he had superpowers, which makes him ten times as dangerous. Worse, he’s got no loyalty whatsoever to his adoptive father, and this chapter proves it!

Recap

As Xiao Mei recaps what’s happened in the fight for the All-Link, the scene then shifts to another planet: Nero 1, home to Poseidon Nero’s Temple. While his comrades are attacking Nero 66, Jaguar of the Oracion Seis Interstellar’s launched an all-out invasion of Nero’s capital to bring him down for good. And the warrior demonstrates that his name isn’t just for show: his Ether Gear lets him transform into a humanoid Jaguar. Then, he wastes the only member of the Ocean’s 6 that’s on-planet, Fabiano. As a result, Jaguar’s able to directly confront Poseidon Nero, but before the two can fight, they’re met by an unexpected guest: Ziggy himself!

Back on Nero 66, Shura gets word that his Dad’s throne world is under attack. Instead of getting scared or annoyed, though, he bursts out laughing. This was his goal the entire time: to get Nero and Ziggy to fight each other. With his Dad out of the way, Shura can seize control and rule over Aoi Cosmos all to himself.

What the heck, Shura?

Review

Like I said, Shura is an absolute bastard. Not only is he willing to destroy every Android in the Aoi Cosmos to draw out Ziggy, he’s willing to sacrifice his adoptive father. And for what? So he can rule over the ruins of his Dad’s empire? What an utter dirtbag!

Honestly, this chapter did little to surprise me, as we already knew that Shura was gunning for his Dad’s throne. However, what did surprise me was the fact that he planned to pit his Dad against Ziggy. On paper, it’s a good strategy to weaken them both. In practice, it won’t work. Nero and Ziggy are too strong to lose against the likes of Shura.

If Shiki wants to save the Aoi Cosmos from this wannabe Caligula, he’s gotta take him down. HARD. I’m looking forward to seeing how he does that.

In other news, I thought that Jaguar’s beast form was pretty cool, even if it borrows from the Zoan-Type Devil Fruit User’s from One Piece. From my perspective, at least.

I Give “The Beast Lord” a 2.9/5

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Edens Zero Chapter 155 Review/Recap

When we last left off Edens Zero two weeks ago, the Rutherford siblings were locked in battle with Lyra and Callum of the Ocean’s 6. At first, their wind Ether Gear let them put up an impressive fight. However, Jinn got caught off-guard when he realized that Callum was his old sparring partner from his dojo days on Guilst. Thanks to that, the two were forced on the defensive as Callum started to turn Jinn’s body into mist! In order to win, the Winds of Edens will need to dig deep to unlock their latent power!

Recap

As Jinn’s body continues to turn into mist, Kleene can’t do anything to help her brother as Lyra pins her down. As a result, Jinn quickly begins to dissipate. That’s when he remembers what Laguna said about Callum’s type of Ether Gear, Empire Ether. According to Laguna, Empire Ether affects other people by messing with their ether, rather than boost the user’s own abilities. There is a way to reverse the process, but that requires knowing oneself. Thus, Jinn thinks back on his life thus far, from Muller maiming him, to working under Drakken Joe and the fake Sister. But most of all, he thinks about the Edens Zero and her crew. Thanks to them, he can be whoever he wants. This revelation lets him stabilize his ether, freeing him from Callum’s powers.

No longer holding themselves back, the Rutherford siblings begin to transform. Declaring that their wind will be the Winds of Edens will carry their ship forward, the siblings unlock Overdrive. Thanks to that, Callum and Lyra are taken down for the count.

In another part of the city, Shiki and Rebecca’s team (with Rebecca now having regular clothes) reach the fortress where Shura’s likely holding Witch. However, they’re being watched by Ijuna from within the fortress.

Review

At this point, I think it would be a better use of time to count the members of the crew who haven’t gone through Overdrive. First we had Shiki back on Belial Gore. Then this arc has seen Homura, Weisz, and the Rutherford siblings unlock it in rapid succession. At the rate the story’s progressing, I wouldn’t be surprised if all the non-machine members of the crew unlocked Overdrive!

Some might see the rapid succession of power-ups as overkill, but I think it’s just Mashima’s way of demonstrating how strong the heroes have gotten thanks to their training. And they need to get stronger if they want to make it to Mother. In other words, I’ve got no problems with it right now.

Having said that, I liked the flashback sequence the Rutherford siblings had. It shows just how far they’ve come as characters in the series. Now, instead of being trapped in villainy, they’ve become the winds that will carry their friends forward. “The Winds of Edens” is a pretty badass epithet if you ask me.

It looks like the battle for the All-Link System is nearing its climax, so I expect Shiki and Shura to start their rematch in the next few chapters. And I hope that it’s as epic as Mashima’s building it up to be.

I Give “The Winds of Rutherford” a 3.5/5

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