Imagine the thirsty nerdrage if Megishima actually beats Rindou.

 

New chapter.

Spoiler

We get to see more of the Kuga v. 1st seat fight. Mostly 1st seat wank, but everyone's favorite Faker saves the day (maybe).

Also, best page of the entire chapter:

Spoiler

Now I really want to see Mimasaka v. Rindou.

 

I don't think this chapter's developments will actually change the outcome of the match. Too early for Eishi to get taken out just yet. Would be nice to see Kuga at least push him to a split decision with the judging, though.

 

I think it'll be 2-1 rather than a clean sweep with them losing all three matches, and I wouldn't be too shocked if Kuga was the one who won.

I mean, they'll explain it away, but I wouldn't be shocked.

I don't see Subaru winning, so it's between RamenG and Kuga I think.

 

Yeah, I think out of the Rebels, the one most likely to win is actually Kuga.

 

Huh. Tbh, we're getting a lot of time showing all the efforts put into taking down Tsukasa, but I'm getting some serious smackdown vibes.

I dunno, it feels like one of those moments where we're waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the boss to enrage, for the plan to go badly. This isn't even Tsukasa's final form, imo.

 

I can't see Tsukasa losing to Kuga in any way. Because this is shounen manga and Tsukasa beat Soma the main character it is 90% sure that Soma will be the one to defeat Tsukasa. Kuga is here to just give us a taste of how much more powerful Tsukasa really is.

 

Kuga and Subaru lose, but Kuga manages to get a point on Eishi. Much will be made of this, as it will be the first time Eishi has ever had any result other than a clean sweep victory in a shokugeki. Megishima manages to win his match with Rindou, and we come away from the round with a 2-1 win for Central that really feels like a loss and keeps a sense of momentum with the Rebels. Azami's side will have lost the Second Seat and the First Seat will have only managed to just barely squeak past an opponent that he was expected to completely crush. That's my guess.

 

I think we'll get Megishima just beating out Rindou, and Subaru losing to Saitou gives Takumi a easy chacne to show how much he's evolved. Beating the person that Subaru lost too.

I did want Soma vs Rindou and Soma vs Eizan but I think only one of those is happening (Eizan).

 

Chapter's up, and it's about as terrible as I could have ever imagined.

 

228 was stupid.

It's soured me a fuckload. I hate that shit.

 

229's out at the usual place.

I guess we'll get to see how Tsukuda plans to bullshit Megumi into a win here, as it seems obvious that she isn't going to get pushed out of the battle without getting at least one. Takumi should hold up his end, and Souma had better damned well follow suit.

 

Is there a reason why Erina isn't participating? This arc has been going on for like half a year already, I forget.

Or are they just gonna wheel her out to beat Tsukada?

 

Plot twist: Everyone has always assumed that Erina is an amazing cook since she's the best judge there is, to the point where no one thought to teach her anything so Erina actually can't really cook beyond the theoretical level and taste-testing.

 

She'll be the one to carry the day in the end, yeah. Everyone else is just getting the lower members of Central out of the way and softening up Eishi for her to move in and finish off. It's not a bad strategy, given this dumb exhaustion angle that Tsukuda randomly threw in (cooking one dish makes you too exhausted to compete again for a full day, orly now?).

God, I just want the Central arc to be done with so that this manga can hopefully get back to what made it enjoyable. Every week is just more disappointment lately, but there's nothing to be done for it but to slog through to the end.

 

That'd be funny, but we already know she can cook as she breezed through both the training camp arc and the stagiaire arc.

 

In other news, Season Three of the anime starts next week, and I am still legitimately surprised it is getting one.

As far as things in the manga....eh, I've found the battles so far to be okay. But honestly, I feel like it would have been loads better if the author had incorporated the thing he made a big deal of before now and that we will be, presumably, getting with this next round. Teamwork. Beyond the one thing with Subaru, there was none of it in the first two rounds. If, from the very beginning, that had been something that distinguished the two sides, I feel that would have been very impactful.

Instead we got...eh.

On the whole Exhaustion thing, I'm fine with it. It is a bit of a cop out, but at the same time I can see the logic. Cooking isn't all that physically exhausting, but it can be very mentally straining. So many things to keep track of, the need to do this this and this at certain times and intervals, etc. Then you add in the fact they need to make up these dishes almost on the spot. And you can't take it easy, either, because you're opponent is going to do their best to beat you.

Now, I doubt it'd be anywhere as exhausting as the manga makes it out to be, but at the same time, the manga has a well established habit of going ham and over emphasizing things. Both as a parody and reference. Sadly, I don't think it was framed much in that light, but if it had been, it would have been right at home and felt right.

If it had been approached from a comedic, over exaggerated gag angle, I feel like that might have gone a ways to lessening the complaints of it.

Really, that emphasizes a bit of the problem this whole last arc has had. It's taking itself a bit too seriously, where as before it always seemed well aware of itself and wasn't afraid to parody that.

Does that seem apt to you guys?

 

This is the first time in a good while that the manga has surprised me. And hoo boy, the salt is real as can be judging from reactions I've seen in various parts of the fandom.

 

I've got a feeling whatever cook-foo Megumi did will somehow affect the punch of Soma's dish.

They just seem to be emphasizing teamwork a bit too much for it not to make sense.

 

Oh, certainly. But holy hell are the Megumi fanboys in a hot frothing rage right now. And the likely reality that her main contribution to the battle is going to seal a win for Souma rather than one for herself is going to make it worse (in addition to the other likely reality that Erina is going to step in and vulture the win against Momo in the next round).

I get how they feel. If Tsukuda had done this to Souma instead of Megumi, I think that might have been the last nail in the coffin for me.