UQ Holder Manga Chapter 10 Review (Of maids and fools who can do anything.)

ユーキューホルダー!/UQ Holder Chapter 10 Review

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis: 

Karin is attired as a maid and serving Yukihime tea when she inquires about the two boys they sent below. Yukihime says they'll return before the eight year time limit, but when she later says that she used to live with Touta, Karin crushes the tea cup in irritation, surprising herself. Karin is not happy to hear Yukihime suggest that should humanity die, Karin and Touta might be the only people left alive due to their type of immortality. Karin reminds Yukihime that Jinbee is still down there, whom Yukihime had sent down there as a joke, but she'd forgotten about him.

Meanwhile, Jinbee is with Kuroumaru and Touta at the Gravity Blade. Touta can't remove it from the stone, but as Jinbee speaks of those who've tried and failed to remove the sword, suddenly Touta removes it, having discovered a weigh dial on the handle which makes it heavier or lighter.  Touta starts getting cocky, so Jinbee causes the sword to get very heavy, causing Touta to lose his other hand for a bit. Jinbee cranks the weight of the sword to 500 thousand times normal. Touta doesn't believe it can actually be that heavy, so Jinbee throws the sword, causing the tower building they are on to be cleaved in two.

After retrieving the sword and returning it to a mere 200 times its normal weight, Jinbee gives the sword to Touta, asking the boy why he became immortal and why he came to UQ Holder. When Touta explains, Jinbee is not impressed. He tells Touta that if he can master the sword at its current level, which Jinbee figures will take about six months, he'll train Touta on the next step.

With that, Jinbee leaves, so Kuroumaru agrees to help Touta train. A month of intense training later, Touta and Kuroumaru return to the tower and Jinbee, who's surprised to see them. Touta announces he's mastered the sword as requested and tosses it to Jinbee, who's sitting on a rock ledge. The weight of the sword causes the rock Jinbee is on to break off. Jinbee discovers the sword is set at 2000 and is impressed that Touta could handling it at that level, whereupon he tosses it back to Touta.

Thoughts/Review:

As many of you expected, we continue to skip forward in time.  Touta and Kuroumaru aren't getting out as soon as I thought they would, but I find myself wondering how many years Akamatsu-sensei will keep them underground.

Touta's ability to master anything in a short period of time is something I'm not finding that interesting. I think it would be more interesting if there were more elements to flesh Touta out, but he's just an arrogant punk who probably could use several punches to the face.  After all, there have been other characters (Negi from Negima! for a start) whom were much more interesting in their rapid growth.

As to Jinbee, he's turning out to be the Jack Rakan of this series, only not so mercenary. Beyond that, I really don't have a feel for him as a character.

Karin serving as Eva's maid is unexpected in that I didn't expect for a member of UQ Holder to play servant to Eva. Heck, Karin even addresses Eva as "Yukihima-sama", which in and of itself is rather interesting as well.  Why not "Eva-sama"? Other than Akamatsu-sensei's apparent desire to keep Eva semi-separate from Negima! by mostly addressing her as Yukihime, I'm wondering why Eva would have UQ Holder not address her by her proper name.  In public, if Eva is trying to avoid bounty hunters and the like, sure; go by Yukihime. In private, Eva (or Evangeline).

I did find it somewhat interesting that UQ Holder uses the test to exterminate the pests underground. So, how are these magical beasts coming across? Through the one gateport under Mahora? Is there some other method of transport?

I guess Al's place is no more. Bummer.

Finally, the Kuroumaru gender identity joke continues. Sorry Akamatsu-sensei, but I'm weary of that. Just settle it and have done.

Oh well. At least the Twins are officially doing this for Crunchyroll and Kodansha Comics.