Ah! My Goddess Manga/Oh My Goddess! Manga
ああっ女神さまっVolume 38 Chapter 239

Summary/Synopsis: With the program processed and people singing all over, Belldandy thanks everyone for their help. Chrono still frets over having broken the ball that contained the program in the first place but hearing that the program had to be broken in order to be properly processed and that she was chosen because she is clumsy, Chrono is not happy with Peorth. Belldandy feels that Chrono was chosen because Peorth has confidence in her. Chrono is becoming convinced until she learns that Belldandy has no idea about the maid costume being an official uniform. With that, she’s off to see Peorth and Belldandy embraces K1.

In the heavens, an angry Chrono confronts Peorth, accusing the 1st Class Goddess of lying about the maid outfit being an official costume. Peorth counters that only those under her jurisdiction sent on assignment wear the maid outfit. Case closed.

With Chrono gone, Peorth talks with Lind, who’d been observing Chrono’s activities on Earth. Based on her performance, Lind is going to recommend Chrono be given her Silver Wings. Peorth remarks on how Lind’s time on Earth changed her to which Lind agrees.

Back on Earth, Urd has Belldandy, Skuld, and herself in maid outfits to greet Keiichi when he returns home. However, Belldandy flubs up the line, forgetting to called Keiichi “master.”

Thoughts/Review: The whole idea of the program needed to be broken apart before being re-assembled just came across as a massive pile of you-know-what. I realize Fujishima-sensei needed a way to give Chrono props and a promotion but I kept thinking, “why make the program whole at all if it needs to be broken down first?” Bah, that whole bit is just nutty.

The unexpected (and not at all nutty) appearance of Lind — yay! I liked that she had been observing Chrono’s mission on Earth and that Chrono would be recommended to receive her Valkyrie Silver Wings. I think what I liked most about seeing Lind again is that she smiles now.

The end of this chapter still makes me laugh every time I look at it. It is just funny seeing Belldandy, Urd, and Skuld in maid outfits with Urd teaching Belldandy to say “Welcome home, Master” (“Goshujin-sama” being the otaku term of choice here) as a greeting to Keiichi. So there’s a positive end to things.

This story arc was pretty boring to me despite all the cameos along the way. Now, were this story to be table setting for some interesting new story arc where the Valkyrie (including Chrono) have to deal with some threat, joined by K1, Belldandy, Urd, & Skuld, then it wouldn’t be so bad to me. However, I’m trying to think of the last time Fujishima-sensei did such a story. Was it the Angel Eater story? I miss those days of the manga.

Next month should see a new story arc. See you then.