Ah! My Goddess Manga/Oh My Goddess! Manga
ああっ女神さまっ Chapter 265
Ah! My Goddess Ch. 265 Manga Review

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

Mokkurkalfi is stunned that Skuld can use magic, seeing that she created this giant Banpei-kun in moments using spare parts.  Skuld denies it is magic but Mokkurkalfi can see the magical energies flowing emitting from Skuld’s hands.  Skuld assumes Mokkurkalfi’s further reactions are ones of pity for a goddess who can’t use magic and she has Banpei-kun attack Mokkurkalfi’s mecha, sending it flying across the room. As Skuld has Banpei-kun press the attack, Belldandy explains to Keiichi that Skuld is using direct manipulation magic and has always done so to construct things or control Banpei-kun.  As such, she doesn’t need an activation like Belldandy and Urd.  However, she only has a low magical capacity at the moment but she could become quite powerful in the future should she mature and grow her powers.

Urd tells Keiichi to not let Skuld know this so as not to give Skuld a huge ego.  Urd gets embarrassed when Belldandy compliments her for looking out for Skuld since both she and Urd want Skuld to mature and not stagnate with a big head.

Despite having had the advantage, Mokkurkalfi has her mecha grab both of Banpei-kun’s arms and use its third arm as a drill to rip apart Banpei-kun’s head.  Skuld is horrified by this as Mokkurkalfi gloats about Banpei-kun’s impending destruction.  Belldandy forces Skuld back to reality, pointing out that Banpei-kun hasn’t fallen and trusts Skuld, therefore Skuld is the only one who can get Banpei-kun’s power out.  Urd backs up Belldandy and with Keiichi, they all say they are in the fight with Skuld. Thus encouraged, Skuld picks herself up but in reality, neither Skuld, Belldandy, nor Keiichi have a clue about what to do.

Thoughts/Review:

If I may, I’d like to quote myself from last week.

I know the story has Skuld not using magic to build this new version of Banpei-kun in what appears to be just a few seconds.  However, I would state that Skuld IS using a magic of sorts, just not the kind Urd and Belldandy use, which requires the usage of verbal spells and spirits.  I’ve long suspected that Skuld might be using magic of some sort going back to the Sentaro arc when she was able to perfectly repair his bicycle.  That’s why I think Mokkurkalfi wanted her machine to cancel Skuld’s spells but Skuld isn’t using spells, thus is not canceled.  We’ll see if Fujishima-sensei completely shuts that door down, but I rather hope not.  I’d like Skuld to have the ability to use spells like her older sisters, but her special magic being in the mechanical sciences, which would apparently be a rare gift where they come from.

Excellent.  My theory was confirmed but one never knows what Fujishima-sensei might have done.   Granted, Fujishima-sensei set it up pretty well last chapter but there has always been this insistence that Skuld doesn’t use much if any magic.  I’ve always thought this was wrong but until now, Skuld hasn’t had much chance to shine in the last while.  As such, it hasn’t come up for a topic I could discuss until now.

Still, I like how it is implied that Skuld could become very powerful in the future and I’d guess even surpass Belldandy.  I think both Urd and Belldandy exclusively use spells or have their angels do stuff.  I don’t think either of them can use magic without incantations, otherwise they’d be doing something now.  However, Fujishima-sensei may change that but I rather hope he allows Skuld to win this one before the group moves on.

Beyond that, there’s not a whole lot to discuss in this chapter.  At 25-pages (counting the chapter splash page), the chapter was Skuld attacks with Banpei-kun, Mokkurkalfi is surprised, Belldandy explains, Mokkurkalfi counters, Skuld appears defeated, Belldandy, Urd, and Keiichi rally her to fight again.  Hopefully, this sub-arc will wrap up next chapter with an aftermath the following chapter so that we can move on.