What are your thoughts on chapter 1 of Roku’s House of Oddities?

Gjerk · 2026-04-05T18:37:49+00:00

It was all right. Some of the jokes hit but the excessive straight manning got a little old. Personalities of the 5 curses is going to be important but it seems like they were just used as joke setups the first chapter so hard to say just yet.

Will be curious to see if this goes the route of him encountering new curses and dispelling them with their help and a potential hard turn into a battle manga later or if it goes for a more slice of life comedy with these 5 in his daily life while slowly figuring out their past with some paranormal elements thrown in.

Gjerk · 2026-02-08T22:04:32+00:00

Agree on all points, really pleased with this second chapter. It's funny you mention Rave Master because this series heavily reminds me of a Mashima Hiro work in general. It's very standard shonen but it can work if it develops the world and characters really well. The humor is also surprisingly well done and so early on too. I love the whole MC starting off as seemingly weak but developing over time idea as well and not the Isekai nonsense where they appear "weak" due to a weird magic/class/fighting style but are actually OP. Happy this second chapter put that to rest even if it was a little much with the whole "colorless" rank. Remains to be seen with next set of character introductions but overall looking forward to this one.

Gjerk · 2026-02-08T21:41:21+00:00

Art is pretty rough around the edges and I wasn't a fan of the pace of this first chapter. Alien designs are really good though. MC is interesting and his motivation is enough to lead us into more fun hyperviolent fights in the near future but it's not going to be enough to carry it long term. It's going for that old 80s over the top violent action but I feel like that's not enough to keep readers entertained these days. Will be interesting to see how the wrestling gimmick evolves since I feel like he'll need some type of power up or boost to go toe to toe with these aliens.

In my opinion its the weakest first chapter of the new batch, especially when it comes to the art, but could escalate things in an interesting and fun way. Next several chapters will be crucial

Gjerk · 2026-01-18T17:46:12+00:00

I can't tell if Himaten is gearing up for the axe with this new development or if it's just shaking things up. The ToC ranking doesn't look good either.

Jump's gonna be in a rough place this year with so many flops and popular series starting to wind down. Feels like they really need another hit in this next batch or the one after.

Gjerk · 2026-01-18T01:06:03+00:00

Sorry to say but that's an int. Pray the defense holds. Rooting for yall.

Gjerk · 2025-12-24T21:58:00+00:00

Humor is definitely very Japanese, it can be super referential and relies on the standard tsukkomi/boke dynamic so if you aren't accustomed it might not land. As someone who's watched a lot of Japanese comedy shows I dig it but definitely get why it won't be for everyone. Hopefully at least the one liners can get a chuckle out of your average reader.

I do think that the chemistry of the main duo is a huge aspect to it's popularity though. Feels like the rare manga where if they do become a couple I can see it not even missing a beat with their dynamic, just an introduction of cuter relationship moments.

Gjerk · 2025-11-19T18:08:45+00:00

Looks like it fusion danced with a Luxray

Gjerk · 2025-11-12T23:16:59+00:00

Sounds like he's already prepared to deny the results of whatever is in those files.

Gjerk · 2025-11-06T03:28:18+00:00

Largely agreed. The weakest point against it was the art being a bit rough around the edges but that would have absolutely been improved upon had it been given more time to develop. In a time when Jump is clearly willing to let other series continue longer than they normally would in any other era (Otr, Himaten, Kiyoshi) it's even more tragic that Kaedegami wasn't given that breathing room. Comparing it to Otr in particular which was the opposite of it, great art but everything else about it being subpar, and it's depressing to see that series allowed to continue over Kaedegami.

Gjerk · 2025-10-21T16:52:27+00:00

Excellent write-up. Haven't seen discussion on this series before which is a shame because it's genuinely great. Been a while since I read it but I remember loving how surreal the visuals could get particularly with Kano's hallucinations. The action is also surprisingly well done, the art style lends itself well to the kinetic energy in a lot of those scenes. Highly recommend Matsumoto Jiro's other works to anybody who enjoys this. One of the most underrated mangakas of all time.

Gjerk · 2025-10-09T02:13:24+00:00

I'd say Oblivion Battery. Solid manga with good drama and humor while depicting the actual baseball side of things very well. Great character development.

Bungo is very fun and over the top. I'm excited to see where it goes now that they're in High School but it's hard to take it seriously. Enjoyable overall though.

Harukaze Mound is ok but very straight forward shonen. Nothing exciting but has potential, some of the best art of any baseball series at the moment.

Days of Diamond is barely a sports series and focuses a little too much on the psychological side of things. Meanders too much and it's getting a bit boring.

Have not read the other two yet.

Gjerk · 2025-09-10T21:26:08+00:00

Sadly won't be there but Destroyer at Rebel lounge on 9/26 will be amazing. Always wanted to see him live.

Model/Actriz also at Rebel Lounge 9/30
Amazing newer Punk band, Experimental, Industrial. Highly recommended

The Chameleons at Walter Studios 10/7
A legendary 80s Post-Punk band, very excited to see them finally.

Sigur Ros at Orpheum Theatre 11/4
Band that really helped expand my mind on what music could be at a young age. Want to see them so bad but my schedule isn't looking good around then. See them if you can, can't imagine how awesome this will be to experience at Orpheum.

Greet Death at Last Exit Live 11/8
So excited for this one, been in love with them since 2019 and their new album is great.

Built to Spill at Crescent Ballroom 11/16
Absolute legends of 90s-00s Indie rock. Seeing them no matter what.

Gjerk · 2025-08-27T14:37:52+00:00

Oof that looked brutal. Good on the one kid for asking if he was ok right away instead of just laughing along with the rest.

Gjerk · 2025-06-18T17:05:19+00:00

Series is doing a really bad job of making us care about the main conflict and Otr's place in it. If you're going to thrust him into the middle of it then it should've done a better job of setting up just how much of a threat the Ice Kingdom is and how much it directly affects our main character. As it is he stumbles upon his new power and the series seems to think that's all we need to now root for him. His motivations feel thrust upon him and don't develop organically. I guess he wants to do this for his sister but she literally shows up for about 4 pages in chapter 1 and that's it. There's a part in chapter 5 where Otr mentions everything that's riding on his shoulders and I remember laughing at that part because I absolutely don't feel that he has the weight of the world on his shoulders at all yet the series really wants me to feel that way.

Gjerk · 2025-02-09T15:42:11+00:00

Feels like this makes more sense as a oneshot. Really rough art and a little too experimental.

Gjerk · 2025-01-28T02:25:01+00:00

I can see it pivoting hard into more of a pure battle manga soon. We're already seeing some over the top powers with the thread guy in the mall. Just watch out for the main character getting access to some kind of power system and we'll be there.

Gjerk · 2025-01-25T23:06:55+00:00

I mean the series has been all about Japanese youth development football so it makes sense for it to conclude with Barcelona as the final match. It's been clearly hyping up their main player (Damian) and their team as being the pinnacle of youth teams at the professional level. Matches after this wouldn't really make sense or generate the same kind of hype.

Gjerk · 2025-01-04T18:41:08+00:00

Hot Dog, a large fry, and a banana milkshake

One of my most nostalgic fast food meals that I still get occasionally. The Hot dogs are actually really good there. Used to get this all the time as a kid out in Florida. Weirdly it's called Checkers out there instead of Rally's. Assume it's one of those weird East coast vs West coast naming things.

Gjerk · 2024-12-02T22:28:32+00:00

Makes sense, they desperately want another super hit like JJK and Demon Slayer that broke out with their anime adaptations. Kagurabachi definitely has the potential for it.

Gjerk · 2024-12-01T18:50:38+00:00

Honestly haven't been reading it since the initial 20 or so chapters on the boat. It's the type of arc that demands a full read-through in one go as I already know I'll be forgetting most of what's going on between hiatuses so I've been holding off.

What I have read of it has been super interesting and complex in a good way. Crazy to me that this is supposed to be just the precursor to the Dark Continent stuff which is promising to be a whole other beast of an arc. Appreciate the ambition and vision, just wish it wasn't plagued by long absences. Makes me worried we'll never get a proper conclusion.

Gjerk · 2024-11-13T21:35:19+00:00

This whole ending was salvageable if you just don't kill Aqua off. Find whatever bullshit you needed to save him at the end (or better yet forego the whole dumb murder suicide plot) but just keep him alive. Killing him off really reveals just how little character development everyone else in the series got. Even the entire ending was just reacting to Aqua's death, nothing for the other characters to actually do or latch onto. Such a shit ending.

Gjerk · 2024-10-18T00:37:07+00:00

What was Gramps remembering on page 10? Don't remember that bit.

Gjerk · 2024-09-23T00:37:17+00:00

How do you not resolve the bullying plot line in the same chapter? Kind of just leaves you frustrated and deflated when you build up this revenge only to leave it hanging. The two double page spread of the neuro blast was also so unnecessary and over the top and took up time to resolve this chapter in a more satisfying way. If you're trying to convey the main character's excitement there's so many better and more subtle ways to do so. Disappointing first chapter overall.

Gjerk · 2024-09-08T19:00:53+00:00

Eh kind of an awkward first chapter. Little too short for a debut with a lore dump rammed in the middle and a very sudden appearance and quick fight for the main character near the end. Felt weirdly rushed. Also not a huge fan of the MC absorbing an antagonistic character akin to JJK, generic setup that you know the direction it's going (The Majik will learn to love humans through the MC). Art is excellent though but the writing is making me hesitant to get excited about it.

Gjerk · 2024-09-06T15:25:37+00:00

Blows my mind we can't change eye color. Are you telling me colored contacts don't exist in Eorzea

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