Ah! My Goddess Manga/Oh My Goddess! Manga
ああっ女神さまっ Chapter 263
Ah! My Goddess Ch. 263 Manga Review

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

Puppeteer Mokkurkalfi declares that those without an aesthetic sense should leave.  She gives Belldandy, Urd, and Skuld a pass based on their appearance but rejects Keiichi.  Keiichi protests and in doing so, the watch Belldandy gave him catches Mokkurkalfi’s eye.  She agrees to give him a pass if he gives up his aesthetically pleasing watch, but he refuses since it was a gift from Belldandy.  Belldandy is touched and Mokkurkalfi decides to let him pass anyway, figuring on getting the watch in the end.

Entering her room, Skuld is horrified to see Mokkurkalfi’s mechanical creations, used in the mayhem on Earth, being used to fight each other, the loser machine often being destroyed.  She demands to know why the machines are being forced to fight.  Mokkurkalfi explains that it is the survival of the fittest with the strongest machines surviving to fight again.  Her answer belittles Skuld, who responds that she hates being treated like a child and she hates those who don’t love machines.  This puzzles Mokkurkalfi, who sees machines as simple tools which should be useful and if not, discarded.  Skuld rejects this idea but Mokkurkalfi continues, stating that machines move according to their programming and nothing more.

To teach Skuld that love and life in regards to machines are nothing but an illusion, she has them all attack Skuld.  As she has no more weapons, Belldandy and Urd come to her rescue with combined whirlwind and lightning spells.  Mokkurkalfi declares that they will no longer be able to use magic in her presence and has her machines combine into a single, large unit.  Urd attempts to cast a lightning spell but nothing happens.

Thoughts/Review:So, is this the story arc to allow Skuld to shine?  After all, we have the perfect setting — Skuld’s counterpart in the world of the mazoku (Mokkurkalfi), Mokkurkalfi’s machine critters, spare parts all around thanks to the destroyed machines, and finally, Belldandy and Urd no longer being able to use magic (Skuld either for that matter).

Still, I remember one of Skuld’s shining moments back when she first met Sentaro.  It was here that Skuld finally began to use her magic because of her feelings for Sentaro but since then, have we really seen Skuld do anything magical?  (I don’t count summoning Nobel Scarlett in that “magical” aspect.)  So my thought is that no matter what happens here, it will eventually be mostly forgotten.

Be that as it may, I do hope that Mokkurkalfi’s block on magic doesn’t end up effecting Skuld so that she’s still able to use it somewhat.  Also, I’m hoping that Skuld will be either able to create something spectacular to go up against Mokkurkalfi’s creation or even better, than Skuld wins over Mokkurkalfi’s machines.  That would rock.

Speaking of Mokkurkalfi, again Fujishima-sensei goes to the Norse myths for the name.  Since Mokkurkalfi is a created giant of clay designed to intimidate Thor (which it did not), I’m guessing this is also partly why Fujishima-sensei had the mazoku Mokkurkalfi’s create a giant, intimidating robot.

There was another Belldandy-Keiichi crumb thrown at us with Keiichi’s refusal to give up his gift watch.  Its pointless, but I still wish they had more of a romantic and true couple relationship.

So, not a bad chapter but not really much to say as it is simply setting up the next “fight” if you will.  Here’s hoping for a Skuld win.  ^_^