February 4th, 2015 
AstroNerdBoy ユーキューホルダー! Manga Review
UQ Holder Chapter 67
SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:
With Touta announcing his departure from UQ Holder, Karin encourages this. Kirie berates him for this, especially since he is a member of the Numbers, making him high in UQ Holder. Ikkuu tosses him the keys to the amphibious buggy, so Touta takes off, leaving Kirie frustrated with Ikkuu.
Touta arrives at the old slums and spends time at the church he’d previously assisted in helping. Sometime later, Touta travels on into the nice part of town, where he recalls Sayoko’s words about not being complacent.
Leaving town and building a camp as it starts raining, Touta thinks of his grandfather and great grandfather before drawing Gravity Blade and expresses a desire to save the world, but then takes out his frustrations with himself on a nearby set of boulders. It is then that Gravity Blade begins to speak to him. Touta thinks it is a phone, but then gets very excited to learn that the sword really talks.
Touta asks Gravity Blade why it never talked before. The sword responds that Touta never addressed it, and its current setting only allows it to talk to Touta when they are alone. The sword reveals it was created by a wizard and given orders to assist anyone connected to 3A, which Touta doesn’t understand. Touta is happy with the talking sword despite the fact that the sword has not accepted Touta as master.
Touta continues his journey, ending up in city areas again on the rooftop of a tall building. There, he discusses the situation between himself and Yukihime with Gravity Blade. As they chat, a bloodied man in an afro is knocked down near Touta’s location on the roof, apparently under attack from someone or some people.
Thoughts/Review:
So, Touta leaves, and he goes on a solo journey. So no Kuroumaru nor Santa nor anyone else.
I did like that Touta stopped by the church to see the orphans again as he journeyed. That was a nice touch.
As to Gravity Blade’s ever so convenient sentience…
I’m not really a fan of this kind of plot device. The sword claims that it was set to ONLY talk when it was alone with Touta. Further, it states that it never spoke to Touta when they were alone before because Touta never addressed it. Well, as best as I can tell, Touta never addressed Gravity Blade in this chapter either. But, Akamatsu-sensei needed a plot device and a companion for Touta, so a talking sword it is.
Now that we have this plot twist out of the way (’cause NO ONE would have guessed the sword would suddenly become sentient), there will be the standard “is this Al” question or the like. How would it know someone connected to 3A, which was the class that Negi was the homeroom teacher of? Does that mean the Jinbee is connected to 3A since he wielded the sword? 😉
I just can’t get worked up over Gravity Blade having sentience though. Whether it is Al or whether it is something akin to the ensouling that Eva did to her Chachazero puppet-doll, I find I just don’t care. The reason I don’t care is because there was nothing setting up the sword as anything other than some magical sword that manipulates gravity and was probably made by Al.
So, who is afro-dude at the end? He doesn’t appear to be UQH, so maybe his attacker or attackers are UQH. Or is afro-dude going to be some figure for Touta to level up on?
Now, as to the future is now tech that Touta was riding, that’s a Gibbs Sports 4XD Quadski. So in reality, by the time frame of UQ Holder, this would actually be really old equipment. I don’t normally say anything about the lack of technological advancement in UQ Holder, but since I was already in a negative mood, and since I was already aware of the Quadski from friends, I thought I’d mention it. You’re welcome. 😉
(It is a cool vehicle though.)
Oh well. We’ll see what happens next. I do apologize for such a negative review that might be harsher than expected, especially since some of Gravity Blade’s remarks and Touta’s reactions could be considered funny.
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I liked this chapter, I used to think that Tota had too much self-confidence to be interesting, I enjoyed seeing him doubt himself and look up to Negi and Nagi.
I’m guessing Tota’s connection to 3A could be related to what Tota is, I haven’t forgotten that he’s four years old. Although it could just be that Tota is Negi’s (supposed) grandson.
Jinbee only used the sword after Tota gave it to him so that’s not too weird.
Also the bottom panel of page one is the funniest panel in UQ Holder so far, Karin’s barely in the chapter but she still steals the focus.
That’s true.
Also total underreaction from Kuroumaru and Santa about their friend running off. If Kuroumaru is already downgraded to just blankly repeating a name, that is a bit out of character for someone desperate for Touta’s acknowledgement.
I agree about the sword being pointless, he’d have been better off going to a confessional at the church haha. Although this does allow the sword to be upgraded since it’s not been ‘helping’ him before, and remain the primary weapon when shit gets real later.
And the exposition gets conveniently cut off again…
It is the “Senpai, notice me” affect. *lol*
And I think the whole mention of the swords current settings goes along with that — Touta will change the settings and the sword will be able to do more.
Of course. Heh.
really liked how touta lamented his poor swordsmanship, maybe that’s why Eva never told him about Eishun and his connection to touta.
I don’t know about that, but Touta was awesome with the sword until it was decided that he should have doubts about his awesomeness.
I know this is not the first time the word “Chao Bao Zi” appeared, but I don’t remember if this is the first time the stand itself makes an appearance. Well, Satsuki’s legacy lives on. As expected of someone who’s respected by Eva.
Even though your review this time is full of negativity, I think it’s spot on. I would even say that my favorite part of this chapter is the first page.
I was thinking the stand did make an appearance earlier, but I’d have to look through to find it.
Karin’s reaction?
Exactly. I find hers more interesting than others’.
I was actually hoping that Ikku or Karin put some kind of tracking device, but after I finished this chapter, I kinda doubt it.
I like Karin, but Akamatsu-sensei has kinda written her down of late, which is disappointing.
And yeah, I don’t think there’s a tracking device on Touta or his belongings.
I personally found the sword to be funny and liked the fact it is sentient. While there was nothing hinting that, nothing against it too, it is a magical item created by a very powerful wizard after all. Al himself may even be sentient book, considering some hints on the story.
While Ken likes hinting lots of future happenings in his stories, there will be also some that we won’t see it coming. For example in Negima, Misora was, as a member of the class, someone who would appear here and there but there was never any hint of the later revelation that she was aware of the magic world and worked under one of the magic teachers.
To why the sword didn’t talk before, maybe it has it’s own agenda, or just got bothered by Touta’s complaining and went and said something. I don’t think Jinbee is related with 3-A, he only wielded the sword after Touta took it out. Also while that scene was played for laughs, maybe instead of never noticing the switch to lower the gravity, the switch wasn’t there because the sword didn’t want to be wield by Jinbee. As a magical sword, the switch may be something that can disappear.
I also thought that it may be Al in the form of a sword when it first started talking. But so far I have that as something I wouldn’t be surprised Ken did. But there isn’t evidence for it yet, the way the sword talked it does seems to talk about it’s creator as if it was someone other than itself.
It does seems to me that the afro guy is just someone in a street fight or being hassled by someone else. at least nothing related with the UQs. He just is saying to the young and weak child (Touta in his eyes) to go away.
I’m sure my opinions were colored by my negative mood. (I’m behind schedule on a personal project.)
That’s true. In the beginning, I don’t think Akamatsu-sensei had fleshed out all of the class characters yet, so he had Eva’s first speak in volume 1 or 2 be short and really nothing like how she turned out to be in volume 3.
I’m wondering if it might be something akin to Chachazero, whereupon the doll was ensouled. The sword may be similar in that fashion.
Except they are on a rooftop unless Touta dropped to street level at some point and we weren’t shown that. That implies something a little more serious than a street brawl to me.
Well there was nothing to suggest that the sword was alive but that did not stop the theories about to bloom at the onset of the sword. In any case was the case in the French-web akamatsu ^^.
I think that this is a “spiritual clone” of Al, a bit like the scroll of Eva. The real Albireo is undoubtedly present elsewhere. In any case the sword has the same personality that him and his is great! I love how the sword on purpose to annoy Tota to push him to question himself. Is exactly what would have done Albireo !^^
I’m not sure if we’ll see Al or not. It is possible, but it is also possible he was killed.
Well, this chapter Touta appeared more that the others.
Karin, the expression of her face, that says it all lol
It must have been some days since he left UQ Holder
The sword speaks… lol all we need is for the sword be alike “excalibur” the same as in soul eater
Negi had Kamo, then, Touta has a sword. Mm… understandable XD
I think that at the beginning maybe Evangeline took Touta by the lifemaker or because he is descendant of Negi, but, with the time, she felt affection by Touta. then, I don’t think that she doesn’t care Touta now.
I though that the sword could be “Albireo” but, after the sword told that was created by a wizard, it can’t be. the wizard must be Albireo
Touta will learn the power of the “afro” XD
I suppose that Touta will help the person, maybe the afro person convinces Touta for come back to UQ Holder after that he tells his problem, although I doubt it.
I think that he will tell Kuroumaru that the sword speaks, I wonder how many chapters only will appear Touta,
Not surprising, considering this is Touta’s journey.
At least a couple by my reckoning.
Anyway, we’ll see where things go.
Talking sword? Zero no Tsukaima? 😀
I haven’t read/watched that series. I presume there’s a talking sword there?
You missed a great fantasy comedy series! The talking sword is only a second rate character in it.
I’ll have to add it to the list.
Okay, I’ll say it now:
I don’t think Touta “ran away” from home at all. After the encounter with the life maker, there is NO WAY Evangeline would let him go without monitoring. Touta must have been observed from the very moment he left the HQ!
You may have a point, since it seems a way has opened for Touta to enter the tournament, assuming the spoilers I read are correct (and that I read them correctly).