Medaka Box

Kumagawa's also fairly sympathetic compared to many of the other characters. "I want to win" is a rather relatable motivation.

For me, he's enjoyable because I simply can't tell how much of his behaviour is meant seriously and how much is just him messing with people.

Also, the whole thing where the entire point of his character is that he can never win no matter how much better than his opponent he is… it held him back a bit as antagonist, but it works wonderfully for a protagonist; it allows him to be awesome and simultaneously not hog the spotlight.

I just like him because he's funny and is kinda not what you'd expect from a shonen hero.

He'd probably be horrible to know in real life though.

I dunno, I kinda act like him sometimes, and people like me enough.

edited 9th Sep '11 7:03:08 AM by fillerdude

You rip people's faces off to see if you like them for their appearance?

No, but I like... um... playing with my friends. With knives or cutters or scalpels.

But I don't really cut them! There's a big difference between wanting to kill and actually doing it.

New chapter.

Say it with me: KUMAGAWAAAAAAAAA

And still he loses. XD Still, an interesting development— a fight against Medaka herself!

And oh god Yojirou. It would've been freaky if it weren't so funny.

Well, that cracked me up. Yojirou seems like she'd be a dangerous person to know in real life. And Kumagawa continues to prove he's the best character.

Hilarious. Criminally insane. Hypocritical. That's Yojirou for you.

Oh, and dat Chronic Backstabbing Disorder.

edited 10th Sep '11 7:42:11 PM by Gilphon

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - if you're in a fight against Kumagawa, and your name isn't Medaka Kurokami...

*sunglasses*

...you're screwed.

Well, this looks to be an increasingly preposterous challenge, doesn't it? The final stage involves a fight against the one character whose defining feature is that she never loses to anyone. Be interesting to see how they solve this one.

Also: please tell me Zenkichi's going to pull a Big Damn Heroes moment at some point. He can't still be solving the riddle, can he?

edited 12th Sep '11 2:35:20 AM by RiotousRascal

I do think Zenkichi is still solving the puzzle, or stuck on some other trial. After all, so far this has been an arc in the limelight for the other Student Council members.

(I'm gonna sound like another annoying Zenkichi fan but...)

Is the author deliberately shafting him? Even Medaka(whose listed as Demoted to Extra on her character entry) has some role in this arc. Yet Zenkichi makes conspicuously makes no appearance or conceivable role at all. I don't want to say that "he's being planned for some big comeback" because yes, this arc is meant for the other student council members (and Kumagawa who is pretty much exempt from this spotlight issue). But does he really have to be the Butt Monkey again?

Well, for starters, Medaka was the one who kicked off this arc, and she still is an important character in their universe. Her presence in this arc (and all previous ones) is justified.

The Demoted to Extra trope on Medaka's character page should probably be removed, as the trope is meant for minor characters who become unimportant to the story. And while it's true that Medaka is getting less screentime, she is still fairly prominent in the story. She's not an extra. At least, not yet.

And about Zenkichi... his almost zero presence in this arc is also justified, given that he's not as smart as Akune and Kikuchi, nor as opportunistic as Kikaijima and Kumagawa. From the start I've already predicted that Zenkichi won't be showing up much in this arc.

So basically, I think it's just you missing Zenkichi. His absence is not particularly conspicuous given that previous events give plausible reasons for it.

edited 13th Sep '11 6:51:31 AM by fillerdude

Nah, to me it seems like an obvious set up for him come back and save the day.

It would make sense. Everybody else got their eigen plot.

The problem with him getting an eigen plot is that it would mean that he got through the trials that the others had to eigen-plot to win. Not that it's impossible, but in less time than Akune and company had to spend getting through them? Especially since the trials aren't fistfights— I'd imagine Zenkcihi would have a problem with Librarian Girl's, Nurse's and Witch Girl's trials.

If Zenkichi does come to save the day, they better have a damn good explanation for it.

edited 13th Sep '11 7:49:57 AM by fillerdude

Depends on the path he takes. He could trivially get past the ostracization test (because he's by himself) and I'd imagine he could probably cook like an expert.

Overall opinions on the manga so far?

Obviously he'd be given another trial, given that the chairman for the ostracization test was rather whimsical.

The cooking trial really is a free pass though, all you have to do is respect the food.

Anyway, no matter what path he takes, he's going to have to take on the Witch. And... okay, he might just be weird enough to get past that.

Besides, why would Zenkichi need to show up anyway?

It's fun to read.

edited 14th Sep '11 1:18:27 AM by fillerdude

It's so ridiculously over-the-top in every aspect it can't help but be awesome.

The reason it isn't too plausible is that he's still participating in the Treasure Hunt. Lack of focus was justifiable with Akune and Kikaijima in the last arc since they were injured (though I admit it was a cheap way to place the Abnormals in the spotlight). It's not even that he has another mission that he has to take care of; he's in the contest so there's not much reason there shouldn't be focus on him as well. (There, finished beating the dead horse).

Anyways, I like the variety of challenges and the way each character solves them. A lot more strategy and creativity from each character, instead of just fighting their way through each challenge.

So what if he's in the contest? He's still not showing up. Therefore it is reasonable to assume that he might be making a comeback (which I insist should have a damn good explanation), or he's still stuck somewhere and who'd want to read that, seeing as we've already seen all the trials because of Akune and company.

tl;dr He's not getting focused on because as things are at the moment whatever he's doing will be more boring than what Akune's posse are up to.

P.S. It was less a cheap way for the Abnormals to show off and more a good move from Kumagawa. :P

Erm, I'm sorry, I don't quite get it.

edited 14th Sep '11 6:53:06 AM by fillerdude

So Kujira is Shishio, Kumagawa is Soujiro...

If he solves the first test it'll be forever, and I doubt he'll solve the other ones. Reason? I don't think he's gonna bother.

We've seen him run up the side of a building once already, and that was while he was carrying someone else. He's just gonna run to the roof.

edited 14th Sep '11 5:07:10 PM by Ernie

And/or he'll miss the part of the clue in which the numeral was reversed, implying it's on the inside face. So he'll think it's the outside face of the clock and climb to building by accident.