Joint Review of D. Gray Man 212: Searching for A.W. / Calling For You

[Quantized]

Look....a Cez...nice seeing you here...I'll be looking forward to work with you, when we'll actually review something I read(smacks alpha)....but until then I'll be watching you guys...so give it your best guys!!

wut? am a thing?
But glad to be here, and will be looking forward to working with you too

Wait, why did I just receive a smack?


You told me that you wouldn't be writing any reviews 'till your exams were over!!

---------- Post added at 11:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:04 AM ----------



Last page of 212. "D-grayman will be on a break next issue"

ohhhh, there it is, damn it's small !
Can't believe I missed it

Nooo, there wasn't any break since the 207 chapter
http://www.mangafox.com/manga/d_gray_man/ <<< just look at the release dates, since 207, one in every month and like alpha said in the post above mine xD the last page is the source that we won't have the 213 chapter in march

hehe aye, I see it now, sorry about that m8
I just sleeped 13 hours out of exhaustion, been up ~48 hours working, so I guess I keeped staring blind on that page without seeing it was because of that

So tonight, it's back to normal sleeping patterns, lmao

 

[alphabeta]

Cez, 1111 post

Anyway, I'll post a small plan of our actions in the next couple of mins

---------- Post added at 11:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:03 PM ----------

I don't why it took me so long to copy/paste a post I made 4 days ago

Anyway, let's get things started. I propose a 4-days preperation phase where you'll... prepare for the review... (), after that we'll start writing. In the meantime I'll get us someone who will do the banner and try figuring out who is best suited for what section.

Part 1

The first task that we have to clear is give you guys a basic understanding of what a review is and how it is structured. This'll be done in two stages. The first one is really simple. Read reviews. That's it. Every reviewer, started like this. Just take your time, and read other people's reviews. Personally, I recomment blackjack's Naruto Reviews and Underscore's Bleach Reviews, though you obviously can read whatever reviews you like.

Part 2

Predictions:

The predictions are more or less the easiest thing to write in a review, however, the secret between writing a good prediction and just making up random guesses is a little tricky. The thing is that in order to come up with a reasonable prediction you need a good understanding of how the mangaka handles things. You need to know the manga on a very good level. If someone asks you in which chapter a certain event happened you should be able to guess the correct chapter within ± 10 chapter range (though, I’ve never actually tried this, lol ^^).

In the end, just like with everything else, you’ll just learn it after a couple of times. It’s nothing hard. Though you probably won’t need it in your first review, but predictions are divided into short term predictions and long term predictions. In 90% of the cases, a review features short term predictions, but periodically, long term predictions appear as well.


Impressions:

If the predictions require a good amount of knowledge about the series in general, the impressions section focuses on one individual chapter instead. Generally, this section can be divided into three main “sub-sections”. Plot, Art, and Characters. Obviously, these section can have an endless amount of their won sub-sections, but that’s something you review when you’re confident enough.

For beginners, just make some comments about those three sub-sections I mentioned and everything will be fine. Add a small remark about your opinion of the whole chapter and the impressions section is ready.


Analysis:

I daresay, that this section is the toughest one. It’s kinda like a “reverse-prediction”. A prediction requires knowledge about the previous chapter to imagine how the future will look like. The analysis requires the same knowledge, but instead you have to explain how this chapter fits into the storyline of the chapters before it. It’s actually rather complicated to explain, especially since there are no strict rules or guidelines for a review format and additionally every reviewer evolves his/her own writing style, so that easiest thing to do here, is really just read other people’s reviews and try do it “like them”. You’ll develop your own style in the process.

One of the biggest mistakes beginner reviewers make is writing a summary. DO NOT EVER WRITE A SUMMARY! You mention what happened in the chapter, and after that you explain what it means. The explanation part is the most important thing in this section. If you don’t write it, the analysis section becomes a boring text version of what the reader has already seen in pictures.




To sum it all up. Right now, you’re all beginners, and all this stuff that I just mentioned will most likely have no effect. But that’s okay. When writing reviews, there’s only one thing you have to remember.
Have fun.

 

[Niko_kun]

hehe aye, I see it now, sorry about that m8
I just sleeped 13 hours out of exhaustion, been up ~48 hours working, so I guess I keeped staring blind on that page without seeing it was because of that

So tonight, it's back to normal sleeping patterns, lmao

Haha i know how its like G_G when you sleep well your day is awesome but when you don't... xDD So, sleep well!! haha

 

[Quantized]

Cez, 1111 post

Anyway, I'll post a small plan of our actions in the next couple of mins

---------- Post added at 11:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:03 PM ----------

I don't why it took me so long to copy/paste a post I made 4 days ago

Anyway, let's get things started. I propose a 4-days preperation phase where you'll... prepare for the review... (), after that we'll start writing. In the meantime I'll get us someone who will do the banner and try figuring out who is best suited for what section.

Part 1


Part 2

Yippy! then here comes my 1.112th version of insanity

Looks really interesting, got a feeling this will be fun, and as you said to which I entirely agree, the most important is to have fun, for more reasons
Lets smith those readers with our happy mood *evil laugh*

I'll think about it and the chapter during the day, possibly come up with my analysis, impressions, predictions tonight or tomorrow.
Got a really busy weekend, University is nuking me !
Combining that with the stupidity of pulling an all nighter

Just a question though, how will the process work out from ground work of analysis, impressions, predictions, to final product (review)?
I realize it's basically a review in 3 parts as you said, but we'll combine the good parts, or how do you plan this should work out? :3

Haha i know how its like G_G when you sleep well your day is awesome but when you don't... xDD So, sleep well!! haha

Tell me about it, I'm so wasted xD !
But atleast in a very good mood, that helps ^_^;

 

[Niko_kun]

Tell me about it, I'm so wasted xD !
But atleast in a very good mood, that helps ^_^;

haha, you know that day when it's raining and the bus pass so fast that it throws water on you? that day is when you don't sleep well xD seems like everything helps to make your day worse xD



About the review, i've been reading some... i hope i can do it right xD

 

[alphabeta]

Just a question though, how will the process work out from ground work of analysis, impressions, predictions, to final product (review)?
I realize it's basically a review in 3 parts as you said, but we'll combine the good parts, or how do you plan this should work out? :3

IMPORTANT!!!​

Not only, cez, but everyone read this. I'll also copy/paste that in the other JR threads.

Let's make this clear. The most important aspect of a Joint Review is that there are multiple people working on it. As a person who has written somewhere around 20 "full" reviews I know how f*cking hard it can be to come up with stuff. Long story short. A JR is divided into sections to make it easier for the people who write it. Everyone has his or her own section for which he or she is responsible. (writing "he/she" all the time is f*cking my life ). If you check out the Bakuman JR thread you'll see in the OP that the different sections are divided between the various participants. That applies to every review.

One person writes one section. That's the simplified concept of what's going on. There are cases, where two people work on one section, but there are NO CASES, when one person writes three sections and then the parts that don't seem good enough are cropped. We're not the Washington Posts, for f*ck's sake, there is no good material and bad material.

 

[Lomahongva]

Hi!! I'm glad to see how motivated you're!!! Alpha suggested me to join you but it's impossible for me in this moment. May be I could do it in summer, when I'll have more time (and also if this poject is still working but I have the impression it'll be!!! I belive in you, guys! ;D.

Summin gup, I only passed through to wish you good luck! I'll be reading you!.

P.S.: An for the release of the new DGM volume see my post: http://mangahelpers.com/forum/showthread.php/6975-DGM-Hang-Out-Thread?p=2794716&viewfull=1#post2794716

See you! And be brave!

 

[Niko_kun]

Well, I've made mine. Was really fun and I hope you guys enjoy as much as I did.

obs: was fun, but difficult HAHA I don't know if i made it right ):

Spoiler: The 212th Night Review by Niko-kun

The 212th Night : Searching for A.W / Calling for You​

The chapter starts with Johnny and Kanda looking for –moyashi- Allen. Who still running without a place to go –poor guy.
Johnny show us his invention that could be helpful if the evil timcanpy hadn’t destroyed it already haha.

I'm so f*cking jealous

Die.​

Suddenly, Allen grabs his stomach where mugen injuried him... seems like an incurable injury. And Wisely, that only appears to tell half secrets –damn, why doesn’t he spit everything out? Haha- starts talking to him.

Then, Allen –with creepy hands G_G- has the saddest moment the chapter: he thinks that everything is gonna be ok, and it WON’T! Don’t you get it Allen? Hoshino is S-A-D-I-C , she wants to make us suffer just like you T_T

Omg, the last thing you are is fine.

And after years of doubt, we finally sees Mana’s face in the 14th memory. And I don’t know why every male envolved with the 14th looks like Tyki –weird- but he is unlike The Earl –i’m glad that theories like Mana could be The Earl died with this chapter... at least for me .

Those akumas are annoying, when the memory is getting it's climax, they appear and with them, Kanda and Johnny –nothing that we weren’t waiting right?- And after Kanda kills them, Allen shows his mad face at Kanda –why did he came back to the order?- and Kanda came with Alma's things again –Honestly, I’ve got enough of Alma- and then we have the dramatic scene again and again –Allen cries like a baby and collapses.

I get it Allen...

We don’t wanna hear about alma too.​

Kanda feels something like an aura but it’s too late, he didn’t see anything –haha.
Johnny, a good friend –who wanna sees Allen naked xD just kidding- Opens his clown fantasy to see his injury and then –OOOH- Innocence feathers! Crown Clown saved Allen’s life once again.

Johnny cries as Always and Kanda doesn’t know how he feels about Allen to me –I think that is just guilty for what he did in the 197th night ):

When they go to an inn, the most touching scene happens: Johnny showing his very kind and friendly face once again. Allen is lucky for have just a friend like him. He’ll help him in everything he needs.

Oh Johnny...

I wish I had a friend like you :')​

Kanda –who was had enough with that scene- get out of the room without say a word just to make the end of the chapter interesting...... He goes out and starts talking with.... the person that I’m not sure is Link .

The cliffhanger was nice because I wasn't expecting Link to appear so fast! Well, she showed Kanda faster but he's the most popular character.

This chapter was good, but, once again she completly forgot Lavi. I know she wanna show us everything about the Kanda-Allen-Johnny thing and Allen-Mana-14th relationship but, why the 3rd most popular character isn’t appearing?

Well, the art once again looks really good, looks like since chapter 205 Hoshino gets a new art style and it’s getting awesome in every single chapter.

The storyline was interesting, we finally sees Mana’s face that we Always have seen like an freak crazy clown -scared-, Allen once again cries a lot and made my heart broken :/ Johnny really showed how a best friend is like and when Kanda came with his dirty little Alma secret seemed a little yaoi to me xD but, I guess is Hoshino pleasing fanbases haha We didn’t saw the apo-kun –just in allen’s flashback- and I was hoping him to catch the Kanda group and fight with him. D:
The cliffhanger was the bad thing, I mean, HOW I AM SUPPOSED TO WAIT TWO MONTHS TO SEE HOW IT WILL BE? Damn Hoshino, I don’t know why you like to make us suffer like this every single month! T_T

I was hoping a little more fighting but, in the whole thing, I liked the chapter.

I have NEVER made a predction and it became true , Hoshino knowns how to troll me haha, and this time it won’t be different because I have so many point of views of how the next chapter can be like.

Since Allen is fighting with the 14th memories, its a half sure that we could see a little more of this memories, but an akuma could suddenly appear and f*cks everything because Kanda is out there with –is really him?-Link.

That is another interesting point, I can’t be so sure that is Link in the last page. Since I saw that necklace that apo-chan has. I was wondering why would he appear and hide himself? He has nothing to hide right? ANd then, more possibilities came to me, if that is Lullubel –that we haven’t seen since chapter 195, and it wasn’t in action- or even Cross? But Cross’s possibility was eliminated when I realized that he doesn’t k now what happened to link –i guess.

To next chapter, I’m really waiting for Lavi –what seems really improbable- but, I guess the most important thing will be what’s Link's goal and will Allen win against 14th’s memories? It’s time to see a little conversation between them?

This chapter receives 4 out of 5.​

Hope to see you in the next chapter’s review and hope you enjoyed.

 

[alphabeta]

niko, read my posts

We're doing seperate sections. One person - one section

Don't make me crop material when you worked so hard

 

[Niko_kun]

niko, read my posts

We're doing seperate sections. One person - one section

Don't make me crop material when you worked so hard

omg, i get it wrong hahaha but well, you can choose any section you want... I was excited writing and didn't realize what was doing haha! so sorry :x

or would be better if I choose just one? and the other sections I delete

 

[Jaymie]

I'm kind of an analytic person, so I hope you guys don't mind if I hijack the Analysis section.

The chapter begins with Johnny and Kanda chasing after Allen. However, Kanda notices a sinister-looking silhouette that was, in turn, following after them. The way the silhouette was vaguely formed is interesting, because it could be a number of characters, including Fiddler, Link, or even Lulu Bell, whose human form matched the silhouette (not to mention her troubling shapeshifting abilities, which are underused by Hoshino). Throughout the chapter, Kanda repeatedly notices this mysterious person following them, which is Hoshino's way of saying "THIS IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT GUYS!" But more on that later...

Allen is, once again, succumbing to the Fourteenth's memories, but this time it seems like it's actually going to happen. He also has an interesting hallucination. It's unclear whether Allen was just imagining what he saw, or if he actually saw a bit of Nea's memories. Either way, it is very obvious that it was a younger version of Mana asking Nea if he hates him. The fact that Allen never saw the younger Mana before (Mana was a middle aged man when they first met in the canon novel D.Gray-man Reverse 3) is what really leads me to believe that it was indeed Nea's memory of the past. I hope Hoshino expands on this in the (near) future instead of teasing us even more.

In the next scene, Kanda and Johnny come to the conclusion that Crown Clown is still protecting Allen despite the fact that he's a Noah. This is an extremely significant revelation. It shows that the Innocence has the same "ends justify the means" stance as the Order and, most importantly, that Nea may not be as evil as he appears. Crown Clown's behavior also addresses the massive plot hole about why Allen isn't dead yet since he's a Noah with an Innocence attached to his body. Jasdevi's arm practically mutated when he came into contact with Innocence, so it was always curious why Allen wasn't affected by the Innocence he was always in contact with.

Hoshino could pull another deus ex machina to delay Nea's awakening, but I don't think it would be in the best interest of the story. The perfect pieces are now in place for Allen to turn into the Fourteenth. Johnny, Allen's biggest supporter, Kanda, who owes Allen a great debt, and the suspiciously not-dead Link, who was revealed to be Kanda's stalker during the cliffhanger ending. It's quite possible that Link is Lulu Bell in disguise, but I personally believe that it is indeed the real Link at the end of the chapter. Remember when Lvellie asked Zu to save Link because he needed Link to save Allen (and the Fourteenth)? It is likely that Zu saved Link's life, which resulted in Zu's death because he had already used up most of his life force on healing Allen during the Alma Karma arc. It is likely that we will find out what Lvellie wants Link to do in the next chapter. Unfortunately there is a hiatus next month, which is just cruel on top of the cliffhanger, but Hoshino hasn't disappointed in these last few months. Next chapter should be a great one!

 

[alphabeta]

Fellas!!!

At least either wait for me to post my POV on who should write what section or tell me beforehand what section you want to write. Look at the OP. We have six people participating in this review. "One person - one section" is a metaphor. I'll most likely end up dividing the analysis and predictions section between two people and add an additional art corner, I dunno, but don't rush things.

 

[Quantized]

sorry Alpha, but was a bit funny to read

But yeah lets not rush it, the deadline could for example maybe be longer than the weekly based mangas, since ours is a monthly.

Will keep checking this thread regularly for updates, hope everyone will do the same

 

[unknownymous]

sorry Alpha, but was a bit funny to read

But yeah lets not rush it, the deadline could for example maybe be longer than the weekly based mangas, since ours is a monthly.

Will keep checking this thread regularly for updates, hope everyone will do the same

Yep. There's no need to rush that much, and I'm up on the regular checkups. Just waiting for the go signal.

 

[alphabeta]

After a long night 5 minutes of thinking I came to the conclusion that it's pointless to think too much into it, so I just made a more or less random distribution of the sections. Needless to say that we'll switch the section in the next reviews.

So, here's the list as in the OP.

Jaymie (Analysis)
Cez (Impressions)
Kisame (Impressions)
Niko (Predictions - short term)
Anon (Predictions - long term)
Alpha (Art Corner)

I'll explain the double impressions section in a bit.

 

[unknownymous]

After a long night 5 minutes of thinking I came to the conclusion that it's pointless to think too much into it, so I just made a more or less random distribution of the sections. Needless to say that we'll switch the section in the next reviews.

So, here's the list as in the OP.

Jaymie (Analysis)
Cez (Impressions)
Kisame (Impressions)
Niko (Predictions - short term)
Anon (Predictions - long term)
Alpha (Art Corner)

I'll explain the double impressions section in a bit.

That was quick. Didn't think I'd catch anyone online today. Lol

Anon (Predictions - long term)

Copy boss.

 

[alphabeta]

That was quick. Didn't think I'd catch anyone online today. Lol

You can add people to your contacts and then check who of them are online. Besides, the so called "FF'ers" - Fun Forum'ers log on multiple times a day

 

[unknownymous]

You can add people to your contacts and then check who of them are online. Besides, the so called "FF'ers" - Fun Forum'ers log on multiple times a day

Thanks. I'll figure out how to do that later.

BTW, The assignments are out, but I doubt it's the go signal just yet. There's still the timetable and well, do we start reviews from Chapter 212 or are we going back a few chapters first?

 

[alphabeta]

Thanks. I'll figure out how to do that later.

BTW, The assignments are out, but I doubt it's the go signal just yet. There's still the timetable and well, do we start reviews from Chapter 212 or are we going back a few chapters first?

There's no real "timetable". More like rough deadlines. I'll bring that topic up later.

 

[unknownymous]

There's no real "timetable". More like rough deadlines. I'll bring that topic up later.

Gotcha. I'll just sit tight and wait for further instructions.

And oh. Since when did Natsu join a Yakuza Guild? Lol.