Thread: Chapter 214 Discussion *Mostly Spoilers*

i feel sorry for umezu, his girlfriend doesn't even remember being in the other guy's car...

as for eri, hopefully in the next chapter harima is gonna be like "what? I thought we were supposed to be acting and I even took the heroic path etc etc"

Short of a lucky guess, I don't think that it's possible to predict the next chapter. So many unpredictable variables are in play: Eri's reaction, Harima's reaction (okay, his rage is easy to predict), Tenma's reaction, Akira's reaction, even Tougou's next move (remember that he has a crush on Tenma... will he challenge Harima?).

But I'll try anyway. Harima will be mad. Tenma will be flustered; maybe she'll be confused or upset that Harima chose her over the manga since she doesn't understand the true motive yet? She might even call him stupid for it... or she could be touched and impressed. Or both.

Eri could do almost anything. She could turn and run off, with Harima, Tenma and/or Akira in pursuit (not to mention the camera crew). She could take shelter in her role, cackle evilly and declare that Harima will lose the girl, too, and have her henchmen drag Tenma away... but that's silly. Or Eri could silently fume while Tenma acts confused over why Harima chose her and suddenly interrupt by shouting out the truth to Tenma; this is the most exciting possibility but also the least likely because it would trigger the climactic confession from Harima... then again, it would be great for the DVD.

And there's also the possibility that we could get a fast forward past the cliffhanger, but as this was almost as explosive as the Slap, that isn't very probable.

Entertaining chapter. Looks like Swampstorm was right about Akira getting Tenma into the action.

Originally Posted by NeoSapien

It's good to have vindication that Eri has suspected that Harima loves Tenma for some time now (since 207). Otherwise, she wouldn't have suddenly changed the script to make it a choice between the manga and Tenma. And now, even if she isn't completely certain, her suspicion must at lest be far greater.

I wouldn’t be so sure about this, since we can’t be sure that Eri changed the script on her own accord.

Right before they go to shoot the scene, Akira takes Eri aside and talks to her alone about the scene with Harima, and mentions Tenma helping out in the scene. Akira seems to know about Harima and Tenma working on a manga, judging by how she seems to have gotten Tenma to get Harima over to the manga room and her knowledge of the manga being important to Harima.

Considering Akira had a plan involving Tenma and the manga, it’s probable she told Eri to change the script, and didn’t tell anyone else about the changes.

Originally Posted by NeoSapien

I don't think that this chapter is particularly good or bad for any faction; on the surface it seems to be incredibly negative for Flag, but it could be a trigger for future positive development like Eri's shaving of Harima's beard and hair.

I agree, here.

Though, I give the advantage to positive development happening to Flag, since the movie is being orchestrated by Akira, the literal embodiment of Deus ex Machina, and Akira is on Eri’s side.

Originally Posted by NeoSapien

Is Akira happy or upset in the last panel? Her expression looks more negative than usual, but it's Akira... she could be either unhappy that her plan backfired or happy that everything is going as she had foreseen.

Who knows? The makeup she’s wearing makes her expression look darker than it is.

Trying to read Akira’s facial expressions isn’t usually a good idea, though; since her expressions are so neutral, whatever expression you see is bound to be influenced by what you want her facial expression to be.

Originally Posted by NeoSapien

And finally, Yakumo ain't got nothing on Eri when it comes to playing the villain.

Indeed. It’s nice to know that Eri is better at acting than Yakumo, although I already knew this after the play arc.

Originally Posted by reinard-fox

Yakumo's eyes shows some kind of pity (not to Eri I think, pity that such a situation occured). Eri's are a kind of empty. Which is worse?

How are Yakumo’s eyes showing pity? Her eyes are neutral and empty.

Originally Posted by NeoSapien

Hmm. Comparing the two pictures, Yakumo is actually a little worse since she acted intentionally, while Eri probably tore the manga out of disappointed shock.

Uh, premeditated assault is far worse than tearing up some paper in the heat of the moment, not just a little.

Originally Posted by NeoSapien

On the other hand, Harima was entirely an innocent victim here while Eri deserved some sort of chastisement in 211. So Eri still leads in overall villainy.

If Eri acted out of shock because she realized that Harima loves Tenma, then Harima would have just seriously hurt her feelings, making him not innocent by your logic.

One thing you’re not mentioning is that Eri reacted after possibly being hurt in this chapter, while Yakumo slapped Eri with absolutely nothing being done to Yakumo.

Also, physically attacking someone> tearing up some paper in terms of villainy.

Originally Posted by ratzuei

This is looking interesting. I dont think that this will end the flag, the most it could do is to left the faction in the same status as onigiri(in coma).

Onigiri is in a coma for three reasons: first reason, neither side is interested; second, the plot never focuses on it; and, finally, neither side is interested.

Unless Kobayashi stops focusing on Flag and/or makes Eri seriously lose interest in Harima , Flag isn’t going to be disappearing.

Originally Posted by Lith17

You have to admit, Harima is getting closer. This is pretty much the closest he's been to having Tenma notice him in that light.

I didn't notice Tenma suddenly changing her opinion of Harima in this chapter. Harima looks no closer to having Tenma notice him in this chapter than any other.

Originally Posted by NeoSapien

But I'll try anyway. Harima will be mad. Tenma will be flustered; maybe she'll be confused or upset that Harima chose her over the manga since she doesn't understand the true motive yet? She might even call him stupid for it... or she could be touched and impressed. Or both.

Harima getting mad at Eri likely wouldn’t do much for his chances at Oudou, since he’d be focusing his attention more on Eri than Tenma; putting his (angry) feelings for Eri above his feelings for Tenma. Besides, his claim that the manga isn’t important to him won’t look very honest if he starts freaking out about it.

As for Tenma, I don’t see her interrupting the scene as anything strange between Eri and Harima (they fight a lot in front of her, and she did witness the shaving incident), and I bet she’d credit any extreme bickering between the two and Harima’s confession to her to “acting” on their parts. They’re filming a movie, after all, and Tenma is dense.

Originally Posted by NeoSapien

Or Eri could silently fume while Tenma acts confused over why Harima chose her and suddenly interrupt by shouting out the truth to Tenma

Why should Eri do this? Eri implicitly says that her friendship with Tenma is more important to her than Harima last chapter, so I doubt she’s going to do any shouting at Tenma.

Originally Posted by NeoSapien

this is the most exciting possibility but also the least likely because it would trigger the climactic confession from Harima...

Not really the most exciting, since Harima confessing won’t be the climax of the story right now. For one thing, the plot has not been building up tension for Harima confessing his feelings for a long time; the story switched towards building up Eri’s feelings being revealed to Harima a long time ago (that’s the reason Akira changed the movie last chapter, in case you forgot). Also, Harima’s confession would be outweighed by the melancholy felt by Eri, making Harima’s “rejection” of Eri the climax of the scene, not Harima’s confession.

Originally Posted by ultraness

I wouldn’t be so sure about this, since we can’t be sure that Eri changed the script on her own accord.

Right before they go to shoot the scene, Akira takes Eri aside and talks to her alone about the scene with Harima, and mentions Tenma helping out in the scene. Akira seems to know about Harima and Tenma working on a manga, judging by how she seems to have gotten Tenma to get Harima over to the manga room and her knowledge of the manga being important to Harima.

Considering Akira had a plan involving Tenma and the manga, it’s probable she told Eri to change the script, and didn’t tell anyone else about the changes.

It's not probable at all. That's not the sort of detail that would be left out of the manga. Akira may have expected that involving Harima and Tenma would lead to something happening, but Eri's improvisation was entirely her own decision. Note how her eye narrowed at the top of page 5, just after she remembered that Akira told her that Tenma would help get a raw reaction from Harima. That was definitely her own decision to test Harima's feelings.

Look at it this way. Why would KJ have Tougou and Fuyuki note that Eri had gone off the script if her lines were still "written" by Akira? You're invoking a conspiracy theory to escape from the obvious implication that Eri really did suspect that Harima loves Tenma, as I've been saying all along.

I agree, here.

Though, I give the advantage to positive development happening to Flag, since the movie is being orchestrated by Akira, the literal embodiment of Deus ex Machina, and Akira is on Eri’s side.

But Akira is not infallible, as proven in 156. Her reaction on the last panel shows that her plan may have backfired. Possibly. As you said, she is hard to read.

If Eri acted out of shock because she realized that Harima loves Tenma, then Harima would have just seriously hurt her feelings, making him not innocent by your logic.

But it was unintentional. Harima still doesn't know about Eri's feelings. Eri, on the other hand, was fully aware that she was hurting Tenma's feelings.

Harima getting mad at Eri likely wouldn’t do much for his chances at Oudou, since he’d be focusing his attention more on Eri than Tenma; putting his (angry) feelings for Eri above his feelings for Tenma. Besides, his claim that the manga isn’t important to him won’t look very honest if he starts freaking out about it.

That's a good point. Maybe he'll restrain his anger because of that. I suppose that he would then demand that "Eri-jou" release Tenma as she promised.

Why should Eri do this? Eri implicitly says that her friendship with Tenma is more important to her than Harima last chapter, so I doubt she’s going to do any shouting at Tenma.

She might if she gets angry enough. But it is unlikely, admittedly.

Not really the most exciting, since Harima confessing won’t be the climax of the story right now. For one thing, the plot has not been building up tension for Harima confessing his feelings for a long time; the story switched towards building up Eri’s feelings being revealed to Harima a long time ago (that’s the reason Akira changed the movie last chapter, in case you forgot). Also, Harima’s confession would be outweighed by the melancholy felt by Eri, making Harima’s “rejection” of Eri the climax of the scene, not Harima’s confession.

It would be most exciting for me.

I think that Akira's plan went as the way she planned it. I dunno about her reactions, but it really is impossible to tell if it worked or not. I'm guessing her plan worked.

About Tenma and Harima.. We may see that Harima is really getting closer on proposing to Tenma. But there is a major problem....

...maybe she didn't quite get it...

Tsukamoto Tenma, the queen of misunderstanding. Confirmed.

Yes, agreed. Maybe Tenma wouldn't even get what Harima was pointing about.

One simple comment : I love the chap . At least now Eri would know exactly who is the most important thing to Harima if compared to his manuscript. Tenma > Manuscript. About the villainess. Up 2 ur guys lah to ensure who is the one who is more villain

Originally Posted by ultraness

How are Yakumo’s eyes showing pity? Her eyes are neutral and empty.

How are Yakumo's eyes neutral and empty? Anyways, Trying to read Yakumo’s facial expressions isn’t usually a good idea, though; since her expressions are so neutral, whatever expression you see is bound to be influenced by what you want her facial expression to be. This goes for both of us, of course.

Originally Posted by ultraness

If Eri acted out of shock because she realized that Harima loves Tenma, then Harima would have just seriously hurt her feelings, making him not innocent by your logic.

No, he is still innocent: the one who created this situation is Eri, not Harima, she has to take full responsiblility for consequences. If you have started a war, you are not blaming your enemies for kicking your ass; if you wanted to test someones feelings you have to prepare: you can be hurt.

One thing you’re not mentioning is that Eri reacted after possibly being hurt in this chapter, while Yakumo slapped Eri with absolutely nothing being done to Yakumo.

Also, physically attacking someone> tearing up some paper in terms of villainy.

Destroying one's property is, actually, a crime. Just as hurting someone with slap.

Originally Posted by vekou

About Tenma and Harima.. We may see that Harima is really getting closer on proposing to Tenma. But there is a major problem....

...maybe she didn't quite get it...

Tsukamoto Tenma, the queen of misunderstanding. Confirmed.

Looking at her face at last page we can say - she didn't undarstand.

Ojou looked scarier than normal in this chap with all the setup for the play. Anyways, I feel that this chap is just a setup that will force Ojou and Harima together in the long run. She'll probably find out about the manga now and be forced to help out of obligation. Seems like a perfect plan that Akira concieved.But the immediate effect would probably be having Eri pissed but hiding it and Harima upset.
I doubt Tenma saw Harima's true feeling, even now. She'll probably compliment him on his acting or freak out with Harima at his destroyed manga.

Question everyone... I curious whether if Eri has already known that Harima is making manga, and we can see in chapter 214 she held it... And what with that script change? the D team was obliterated by Eri herself! The person which D team want to save... And everyone knows who can beats that gorilla power of Lala except Ichijou?

As far as i think there are two possible options of what tenma is going to react:
1. if she sees that this is a movie(like harima) she would think that this is on the script and dont care very much.
2. if she dont see that this is a movie, she will only be puzzled. And probably only ask eri why did you do that.

Also about the slap thing, can you stop, it its turning really supid