USOGUI^2!
Other Volumeshttps://pastebin.com/9HGt1efZVolume 43 1/2>>291902490
An unprecedented "timing" which nobody could have seen coming...
>>291923889>I am the one who breathes
>>291923943I AM A BIG LIAR!
>>291924009>AH
CINEMA!!!!Really a great antagonist 10/10 for me
>>291924106Nice callback to hangman
>>291923889An OP with patience doesn't exist
>>291924159I saw something I should not have seen..
>>291924085Kek usogui is such a salty bitch
Fantastic arc and Gamble.I understand now why Air Poker is considered so great.I enjoyed every moment of it.Maybe im a little too much into it because i like poker but its really great arc.
>>291924106How would the audience react if Baku took off his pants and started masturbating here?
>>291924178His victory was decided when he let go of the kariume, after all you can only enjoy it while above the water
>>291924185I couldn't wait longer to continue!!!!
>>291924159RIP Lalo. Honestly don't think he deserved this death, but from Baku's perspective he did.
THE LINE
>>291924229Yeah I think it's one of the best gambles in the series so far as well. I will say I think I enjoyed some of the smaller Kaji gambles more, but I had already read those and then re-read them with the thread, whereas this one I read for the first time. On rereading I might love it even more, it's what happened with almost every other gamble for me.
>>291924269From Usogui's point of view, it's almost exclusively payback for Kyara
>>291924290USOGUI DAKARA DESU
>>291924229Rate the air poker arc
Pretty amazing we’ve spent over 200 chapters on video game larp island and the whole thing just works
>>291924296NEXT USOGUI STORYTIME IN 4 YEARSProbably i try if no one else does it
>>291924308I just consider Air Poker and Protoporos one big arc since this gamble is still part of the ban and to decide who will win it. Whole thing is a 9/10 for me
>>291924251the utter DISBELIEF on Manabe's face
OHHHHHHHH SHITTTTTTT
>>291923889>Lalo is so flabbergasted at being outsmarted that he didn't even bother to swap to his reserved airHOLY
>>291924348holy shit he lost his jaw
>>291924348This makes Bai Long look like a bitch, Ikon should have stayed dead
>>291924348Nanpou and Ikon...LIVED
>>291924348lmao Nanpou is giving Ikon the side eye
RE-ENTER
>>291924395Who is this guy again?
>>291924395>introducing new allies 400 chapters inA bold move
>>291924290YOUBIGLIAR
>>291924395>introducing a new character at this stage in the manga
>>291924310Oh yeah I forgot the spectators still identify both of them with their chosen kingdoms kek
>>291924290kino
>>291924416Kyarabros...are we uncs?
>>291924442Marco just looks like buff Kaji here
>>291924302
>>291924348Look I like Ikon, but having him live is a mistake IMO
>>291924442MARCO!
>>291924442>proceeds to do nothing for the rest of the manga
>>291924464Yakou still wants to kill everyone?
>>291924395Who's this?
>>291924269Lalo absolutely deserved to die like this, as early as Hangman it was clear that there's nothing worse for a villain to do than to have the gall to die with peaceful resignation
>>291924489Not technically true, he does 2 minor things.
>>291924442I dunno Marco I think you're at the top of the power scales in the world right now since most of your competition is fucking dead.
>>291924492Lmao
>>291924178>He let the Kariume float so he could enjoy it later, after total victoryFUCKING KINOPEAK FICTIONYOU NIGGERS WEREN'T KIDDING
>>291924308Tsubarashi/10. Possibly the best gamble in the series between the build up, imagination, and delivery. If not a 10/10 and number 1, it's at least in the top 3.
>>291924492>MY REFEREE SENSES ARE TINGLING! DO I HAVE TO KILL A BITCH?
>>291924514/ourrapist/
>>291924514Kaji looks so happy to get praised by Baku here it’s cute. Like a little brother getting acknowledged by his big bro
>>291924464Pour a cup of Yakou's coffee into Lalo and he'll come back to life
>>291924514CLEVER CREEP
>>291924514My little rapist can't be this cute
>>291924442Marco already beat Kyara in Kyara’s fight debut, lol
>>291924514kino dynamic
>>291924442Rodemu would win against Kyara 6 times out of ten btw
>>291924290Wow, man.I this really was amazingSuch an amazing give and take game, and all in the span of 5 rounds! no more, no less.Baku dragged Lalo to his realm, and he ended up devoured.
>>291924308Beautiful/10
>>291924574>Fukurou already switched sides
>>291924526and there is still more to come…
>>291924574Eyy I'm glad Fukurou doesn't hold a grudge against Hal, he's a cool dude.
>>291924606I mean his side doesn't exist anymore.
>>291924585The bullet beat Kyara
>>291924348>Ikon, being half dead, bet agaisnt nanpou that usogui would winKino detail.A bit mixed, but i like Ikon so much i can forgive sako for keeping him alive.
Looks like I got the "timing" rig- WHAT THE HELL?!
>>291924593>>291924615I don't know how to explain it, but these dialogues, this dynamic, feel so perfect, so ethereal.
>>291924652Lalo's greatest ally...
>>291924492Oh shit, that's right.Kaji couldn't help Baku, as it was in the middle of a gamble. Silly detail, but it also makes that scene even more powerful.Kaji quite literally risked his life just to give baku the clue, and still managed to fool every other referee in.He really earned his spot on the table.
>>291924673Marco sissies….why don’t we get a nickname from Baku?
>>291924695Dentist fodder
>>291924673Old Baku looks like a character out of the Simpsons
>>291924327>nanpou got a gf
>>291924542To think Leader is the underdog of this match.
>>291924692sick suit bro
>>29192430810/10
>>291924718I mean as far as they know he is, because they don't know he went super saiyan during the match
Why is my daily "nutrient" is so early?
>>291924736hehe le premonition xD
>>291924673Really, the glowup in art is insane
>>291924713Says a lot about the wedge Usogui left in Lalo if Lalo literally writes out a will before entering that gamble.
>>291924736Could Rolon Donaire have taken him?
>>291924751>Douji starts blurting out his spiel as fast as possible so Anoma can't interrupt himIt's the based little moments
>>291924751Oh so he was in the house shootout.
>>291924776He did that moderately.
>>291924770>>291924788FUARK?!
>>291924773If Lolong moves... It's a win under Kakerou rules.
>>291924808>yourAlso it's already been an hour wtf
>>291924829Daiba has really grown on me.
i thought the "we will consider you drowned at stage 3" rule was so that Someone could dive in and save Lalo at the endI also thought that the poker hands would be fucked up because of Baku folding, not because of Hal purposefully losing a round so I might just be an idiot
>>291924851This must be like when Epstein died...the fun is over
>>291924845That rule is probably so the other person doesn't have to keep waiting underwater until the opponent is fully dead, considering they'd have a limited supply of BIOS at that point in the gamble
>>291924865>fearlessly downing a cup of Yakou's coffeeEven perfect Leader wouldn't be capable of such a feat...
I AM THE ONE WHO BREW THE COFFEE
>>291924865>Kaji can drink Yakou coffeeHow strong is he?
>>291924865>that top left panelGod damn
>>291924851Surreal we've been on this island for roughly 150 chapters.ANd never once felt protoporos dragged on, on the contrary i think it was pretty snappy and engaging with the pacing.
>>291924883Taka became a recruiter for Kakerou
>>291924883Taka is getting a sweeper team?
Wait, I'm a bit confused here. The gamble is already over at the point where Lalo left the chair for 10 seconds, Lalo lost. There's no way for him to get his key so all he could have hoped for is to see Baku die before him. Even if he had gotten out Kakerou would have purged him. Was it really just a last moment of spite or am I missing something?
>>291924395>2035>usogui sequel comes out>kyara's corpse is still there
>>291924912Just a last moment of spite.
>>291924865Kaji the fearless
>>291924883So how does one join kakerou as a referee?Manabe and Taka are special cases, since they basically ended that way as part of management restructuration. But say, Kadokura was a gangster, did he meet another ref and said ref vouched for him? Is there a secret code oonly those who figure it out get to join?
>>291924935Pachanga...
>Protoporos vs Air PokerI think it's not only reasonable to consider them seperate arcs, but also seperate gambles AND consider the question of who "won" Protoporos. Just like with Tower of Karma, Lalo managed to flip the table hard enough to turn a formal loss (in ToK Suteguma literally lost the gamble, in Protoporos Lalo was unable to be the Kaiser at the deadline while Baku "guaranteed" he would become the Kaiser next, immediately) into a position of advantage, both times acting quickly and surprisingly to gain enough leverage to force a further gamble with the potential to reverse his prior formal defeat. If Baku didn't play Air Poker then the reallotment would have found 2/3 of the high-level vests in Lalo's possession on an island he has completely dominated. It's no sure-thing but his position is better than Baku's in terms of the game itself - of course outside of the game Lalo and Baku both knew that the latter would just have to hide for 1 day in order to no-contest the game, have Lalo get purged, and go back to square one for his StL attempt. In this sense I argue Lalo "won" the Protoporos gamble and his prize was the right to play Air Poker, and to keep his own ambitions alive.Suiting the nature of someone who so skillfully abuses the context of his gambles, Lalo is a martingale gambler. Whenever he loses he immediately doubles down. It is an underappreciated part of his genius that he is able to actually play such a strategy when the stakes he is gambling over are so extreme and abstract
>>291924942They probably get sorted into sweepers first but if they're exceptional they can skip the sweeper stage
>>291924942Kakerou members talent scout you. Kyara got in because Nowa scouted him iirc.
>>291924912Just before the gamble, Baku said "so you want to be killed by me, huh?". And that's exactly what happened
>>291924870>>291924851kek someone should make an edit
>>291924972OUR HEROES
>>291924942Clearly referees can vouch for a new Kakerou operatives, whether they become sweepers or referees is decided later.Kyara got in because Nowa Sr. found him, Nanpou got in because of Kadokura, Manabe and Taka got in because of Tatsuki and so on.
>>291924955Are they gonna register this on speedrun.net?
>>291924987KEK
>>291924972>>291924983Really liked Champ, my favorite side character next to Oshi. Wish he became part of the gang. He was one of Baku’s best allies in the ban
>>291924955>>291924972KINO
>>291924987it's a modded copy >>291924829shit wouldn't count
>>291924985We also saw in Amen's backstory that she "caught the attention of a referee", so it probably is mostly scouting
>>291925011How is it modded?
>>291925016>well you gotta die boy
>>291924442remind me who is this guy?
>>291924955>Champ having his 'When you finish a truly great game' moment>>291924972Amazing page, actually one of my favorites in the whole arc.No matter if you are a slave, as long as you find a way to live life in a way you see fit, you'll be freer than everyone else.100 chapters in the fucking making, what an amazing arc, man.
>>291924983Champ had a better and complete character arc than most MCs in weekly manga he was just a minor character that appeared in less than 100 chapters
>>291925036To be fair a lot of weekly manga last less than 100 chapters
Did our heroes win?
>>291925032Kinda cute both Baku and Hal ended up finding close friends after their friendship ended
>>291925045>tfw champ becomes a gambling addict after this
Reminder that the moral of protoporos is that some gamblers are good, but gamers are always evil
>>291925057Yes, the game of life
>>291925060What does ArataP think about lolidols?
>>291925078Nietzsche...
>>291925109>Thanks for betatesting, suckers
>>291924972>Sako-sensei: I think there are no characters whose inner self is like me, but "Champ" from the Protoporos arc, his appearance is based on myself.Makes you wonder how much Sako ended up self-inserting into him
>>291924972>I want to live like they doI don’t think you do, two of them are self destructive gamblers and the other is a retard
>>291924834>>yourImplication being he was going to ask "Your name?"
>>291924935kek Marco
>>291924290Baku is such a fuckable twinkI get why that one politician wanted to keep him as a sex toy
>>291925149I see...team duwang I kneel
UP
GOD'S NOT DEAD 4
Still don’t get this Richard Arata body double thing? Who was the one that created the game, why create a body double and who exactly was the double? How did he get manipulated?
>>291925227>the real protoporos starts now
>>291924921https://youtu.be/FvvR-uGw_Ls
>>291925245>also btw that body double that was trying to use a mob of outlaws to kill you? I told him to do that, no hard feelings, right?
>>291925213>>291925227>>291925245ENTERRicardo Arata (Verdadero)
HOLY KEKNo chance that would be like that. The neighboring countries would go into war for that land
>>291925213>>291925227>>291925245>>291925260>>291925276Best character form this whole arc. Shame only the double had the awesome hair.
>>291925276I really hope Champ and Ryusei got on the right ship.
>>291925288Which is the "right" ship?
>>291925288Same
>>291925311They open a card shop, that wasn’t a dream but the actual future. They’re doing fine
>>291925288Anon they are "gamers" no chance they wont go play Version 1.0
>>291925276Man this whole Protoporos shit is so fucking retarded really bring the manga downYeah go do a coup on an island
>>291924290I see, so BK and Baku were Usogui(The lie eater) the whole time. Another great twist 10/10
>>291925360angy leader
>>291925377Not angry eyes, that's the eyes he gets when he's about to get amnesiaSo he forgot at just about the time he was pulling the trigger
How did Kaji become a rapist again?
>>291925153Cute ass
>>291925416Hal, Kakerou can't be this understaffed
>>291925435The news reported it
>>291925245What the fug
>>291925416Damn i want to see Fukurou be a referee too, based leader.
>>291924159USOGUIIIIIIIII
>>291925494Really feels like an epilogue with these scenes showing various different characters discussing their future escapades.
>>291925494>Kaji raped me...
RANKOPISSER DON'T LOOK
>>291925494Kaji charmed Floyd, good thing he didn’t kill him. A seed has bore fruit
>>291925494>Kaji made the ultimate blow whistler fall for himAnother victory for our clever creep
RE-ENTER after like 200 chapters or so
>>291925494really love floyd's energy, total 180 from him making fun of kaiji for getting diddled as a kid
>>29192430810/10 even if there is one other arc I consider to also be a 10/10 I also love Air Poker.
>>291925494Worst ref
>Kaji and Floyd investigating corruption and exposing itYou can create a nice short spin off story over this.
>>291925534HOLY SEX
>>291925416While this is a cool idea, can Fukurou do the kung fu bullshit expected of a referee?
>>291925534BEST GIRL IS BACK IN TOWN!
>>291925534Ranko... i can see your panties...
>>291925494hey that's Kaji's gf (not raped yet)
>>291925558He’s faster than Shion and withstood 2 agonies while Shion jobbed to one. He’s also a war veteran
>Mogamihttps://youtu.be/MZsspTYH674
>>291925494The rapist conquers another one
>>291925582No way that guy is Chinese
>>291925476Qween sexo
>>291925534RETURNKO
>>291924464>I can't wait to warm up with hot water.>THAT'S ALL I NEEDBaku... drink the coffee or else.
>>291925582this is some epilogue shit we still got almost 80 chapters to go
>>29192558220M bucks and you pee on me.
>>291925567That's part of her dress>implying she's not going nopan
>>291925585I don't think he can be a veteran of a war that happened when he was 6
>>291925636JACK-SAN NO! CONTROL YOURSELF!
>>291925635Every single thread has been resolved except for one... the buildup of the entire series.... SURPASSING THE LEADER ENTER
>>291925582Adventures of Robert K and Suteguma, what would these two do together? Suteguma has no motivation besides surviving
THE REAL GAMBLE STARTS TOMORROW
>>291925625>>291925647Time for the final boss.One more game, Madarame
>>291925647I really prefer this version of Hal over the moe one
>>291925666FUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK
>>291925666The real protoporos starts here
>>291925663>Suteguma has no motivation besides survivingFixing that would presumably be the whole point of whatever adventures they go on.
>>291925647Nyarlathotep?
>>291925647Perfect Souichi is number 1 in the verse. He has a lot of abilities >peak intelligence>can manipulate his mind and body at will >photographic memory>super strength >THAT
>>291925666This image radiates advanced conqueror’s haki
>>291925693Can't believe this storytime has been going for 10 years
>>291925666That's what you wish, enjoy the scramble for the rights to decide the final game.
>>291925713Hara... not that chin angle...
That's it for Volume 43!Thanks for reading and dont be a liar anon or the AYYs will come for you!See you tomorrow for the first half of Volume 44!
>>29192569310 years manga btw
>>291925708But can he tear a chunk out of a deck of cards?
>>291925713Oh my god, a drawing from that angle and the ears are properly aligned
>>291925635That's because every single one of these volumes, every single one of these chapters, every story brought to its conclusion, every sacrifice, existed and has existed for this one single momentSURPASS THE LEADER.
>>291925734Araki doesnt give a shit does he?
>>291925713>>291925726>>291925740Motherfucker really decided to mog Sako at his greatest aspiration.Now if only he could draw horses as well as he can draw ears from below
Rate the Protoporos arc!
>>291925713
>>291925734If araki wrote Usogui, everyone would have Leader’s amnesia. Shit would be forgotten every chapter
>>291925713>Baku suddenly gets a lot more Riboku
>>291925734Thanks OP. This really feels like it could be the end of the manga if it wasn't for the StL setup
>>291925749He hasn't for a long time.
>>291925786i blame part 6
>>291925747I wonder for how long sako planned STLThese next volumes literally have "climax" on the cover so it's clear he understood the gravitas the story ended up giving STL
>>291925734Thank you for posting OP!The Pastebin is now up to datehttps://pastebin.com/9HGt1efZSee ya tomorrow for the start of the final battle!
>>291925713Could Baku beat Riboku's teleportation abilities?
>>291925767I... Forgot the majority of it.
>>291925779How would Reebok fare in the Usogui world? His teleportation and ability to manifest generals out of thin fucking air would surely give him a big advantage
>>2919257679/10, the biggest peaks>Kyara’s death >Hal 25>Kaji overcoming his wish to die for Baku and solving the law before everyone >Hal becoming perfect
>>291925767Protosporos: 3/10Air Poker: 10/10
>>291925798>I wonder for how long sako planned STLanon....you have no idea
>>291925767Hmm...8/10. Close to a 9 though.
>>2919257678-9/10Really enjoyed Champ and other minor characters doing stuff
>>291925821To be honest when you read Kingdom all in one go Riboku comes across as a massive jobber even though he keeps getting wanked as a divine military strategist
>>2919257679/10As i said, it never felt slow or a pain to read. I was a bit scared that we would enter 'Gamer Namek'. But the pacing was very frantic and things were always moving forward. Champ had an amazing character, and hell, we got some great stuff for Kaji (game of contradiction and his moment in Air Poker), Kyara (his battle against jingleballs) and even Baku got some nuance during Protoporos Nightmare.Really, it was just a very well made arc.
>>291925786he definitely gave a shit during part 7
>>291925886more like he made a shit
>>291925875Didn’t feel like a drag despite being over 100 plus chapters. Introduced nice minor characters and Kaji, Hal, Kyara and Baku got great development. Lalo was great and lived up to his hype. Some of the highest peaks of the series all happen within protoporos
>>291925853It's a consequence of wanting to introduce him early to build him up as the main antagonist, but having to connect him to a bunch of losing battles to do so. IRL the guy was undefeated.
>>291925875It's one of those things that makes you raise an eyebrow at first, but once you finish the story, you realize it couldn't have been told anywhere else. It was simply the perfect setting.
A more interesting question, how does One Poker fair against Air Poker.
To any "green" Anons here, do you have any predictions about what the final gamble could be?
>>2919257679/10the island descending into madness is fantastic and air poker is 11/10 but i really despise kyara dying to a korean schizo with an awful design
>>291925924Which games could Kaiji realistic win from the ones we have seen so far?
I kinda understand why people say Marco got shafted compared to what Kaji, Hal, and Kyara got to do, but him fighting a few jobbers wouldn’t make his role any better. Besides, he still has a part to play
>>291924998Justice...
>>291925907I suppose it keeps you on your toes knowing the guy was a big deal IRL
>>291925481I remember now
>>291925936My "premonition" as a "green" anon is that the final gamble will be a children's game centered around "timing"
>>291925924I love One Poker and will forever cope that it one day gets an adaptation...but not before Air Poker!>>291925767Third read for me, still an absolute masterpiece. 10/10 and when I realized I was reading something formative and transcendant beyond the pages.>>291924972This and the callback to the fireworks page with Kyara hits me in the feels every time.
>>291925938Bull and Contradiction.I think Kaji and Kaiji (lel) are roughly very similar characters in terms of personality and feats.I can imagine him doing fine-ish protoporos for the most part too.
>>291925950Sako realized he couldn't have Marco have a right where he accepts Rodemu and unlocks kaioken x20 for the third time
>>291924442EXIT MARCOENTER MACRO
>>291925998Kaiji isn't a rapist...
>>291925567>yes and?
>>2919257679.5/10 for Protoporos, Lalo is an entertaining villain and he didn't disappoint as the leader of IDEAL.
>>291925936What I want is going to be different from what I expect. I have no idea what's going to happen, but I'd like a simple game. I think that's the most poetic way to end things.Something not as complex as the tower of karma or air poker, but one that allows for plenty of interactions and psychological battles. I think this would make sense, since what I can predict is that a large part of this final act will revolve around the dynamic and relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist. If I were the writer that's what Idd do.
Would Billy and Voja have made a difference?
>>2919257676/10 I failed to get interested in the "gamer island" and in some of it's shenanigans. Kaji became the best gambler and that's kino!Marco too strong to do anything was derp.Kyara retiring from the business by a Korean schizo was a kick in the nuts.Leader was... There? Lalo broke his back by how fucking much he was carrying the arc! He really was a diamond! Air poker was SOME FUCKING GOOD GAMBLING!
>>291925998Pretty much, Kaiji as smart as he is, is still very human. He’s not a wizard like Souichi or Baku. He’s very naive and impulsive, he’s even more naive than pre Bull Kaji. In short he’s a self destructive gambler
>>291925666Holy Satan!
>>291926048Caracal? Hell yeah! Voja... Nah.
StL will be the first major gamble that Baku partake in by himself. In every other arc, he’s gotten help from his allies. Here it’s a true 1v1
>>291926097
What's the song you anons associate with Usogui the most? I know the obvious answer is Paradisus-Paradoxum, since it's the song used in the most viewed Usogui video on YouTube, but I'm really a fan of how FACT by Error fits thematically with Baku and the Leader's relationship (plus its also used in an MMV).
>>291925767Protopos as a whole is 9/10Air Poker 10/10While island part is 8/10
>>291926163For a specific arc I think Wekapipo fits very well with ToK
>>291926163https://youtu.be/sX1qIfeW7Kc
>>291926163>it's the song used in the most viewed Usogui video on YouTubeYou shouldn't know this
>>291926163When I first read Usogui I had this rappists songs playing in the background, so they are forever connected in my mind. Sort of like WoW and Metallica.https://youtu.be/R26Qus-yGYw?si=hAHZnVnMLW76x4K2
>>291926048Billy was a monster in combat and pretty smart, he would have been really useful to have around.Voja was pretty lame.
>6 volumes remain>12 days of storytime
>>291925666Devilish
>>291925666>Baku (Numero del Diablo)
>>291925708which all great but he still didn't fix his amnesia
>>291926394+Yakous first gamble spin-off
>>291926097I can’t even say either would’ve been an upgrade to Floyd since that would inherently turn the Azura fortess arc from a gamble against Kaji into a fight against MarcoEven in Billy’s case it’s a matter of whether or not you personally scale him above Jonglyo
>>291925666SATANku
>>291911657Great job anon. Good thing I checked the last thread before reading today's dump.
>>291926507Meant for >>291926048
Air Poker was excellent in lots of ways but I put my finger on what I didn'tt like about itLalo had no strategy beyond playing optimallyAnd Baku's plan was insane and was entirely banking on the fact Hal would randomly fix his amnesia.
>>291926507>Even in Billy’s case it’s a matter of whether or not you personally scale him above JonglyoBilly is cooler and not a gook so he'd easily win
>>291924808Oh, and to be clear, Torpe talking to Anoma in chapter 409, which establishes Anoma's existence, is the first foreshadowing we ever get about Verhzoma and Gonen being a thing, or more generally, a proof that Sako had thought about a cast of characters that would exist beyong StL.
>>291924972Our fuarking heroes.......and Kaji the rapist for some reason
>>291926526Billy vs Kaji would be cool but like you said, his strength will overshadow his gamble. His best opponent would be Hal
>>291926048I guess they'd replace Fukurou and Floyd?Hard to imagine Billy doing any better than Fukurou at poker, Voja might lose to Kaji at mindgames but would have murdered him the second she got the gun or sword unlike Floyd
>>291925936Pooyan
>>291926048Lalo would have stood a much better chance with them.
>>291925936Rock paper scissors
>>291924251How many layers?
>>291926546It’s definitely very reliant on sheer convenience for Baku to win. Hal in general is just a very silly character desu, anyone else woukd have been a more interesting partner for this gamble.
>>291924891yep. phenomenal.
>>291924269Motherfucker, in Protoporos alone he stirred so much shit, people are going full anarchy until my fucking hero GACKT the lawchad calmed the situation. Not to mention all the shit stirring Ideal did too. So I'm on the opinion that he got it coming, though he is a very entertaining villain.
>>291924348Man i love fake out deaths. I can see where Sando go all of his worst impulses from
>>291926857There is also the fact that Lalo was at the helm of a worldwide criminal organization...he's not some cute teddy bear, he's a psychopathic monster
We only ever saw Lalo kill asians.That doesn’t count.
>>291926927Kakerou is a criminal organisation as well and Baku’s friend is in charge of it. Lalo just made it personal with Baku since his side took out Kyara and almost killed Kaji and his other allies.
>>291924514MY RAPIST MURDERER!
>>291926982Kakerou operates outside of the law but it is not their express intent to commit crimes or enrich themselves. As long as the person in charge is not a monster, the organization would be limited to overseeing gambles
>>29192701499% of kakerou members are human garbage who use the gambles to fuck over random innocentsKakerous as an organization is beyond fucked
>>291927047You're blaming the gun for the murder, Kakerou can be exploited for good as much as it can be for evil, but the organization itself is not dedicated to any one morality. Kakerou is NEUTRAL
>>291924692So this guy is Lalo's Diamond Jonglyo.
>>291925229Arata basically runs a cult
>>291924865Look at him downing "Yakou Coffee" without flinching, what a fearsome man.
>>291927069Kakerou may strive to be neutral but the individuals working for it aren't. This is the entire point behind the referees. They shouldn't be absolved of any responsibility for the choices they decide to make. Yakou, midara, literally everyone goes through some sort of arc like that
>>291927186Ok, name a referee who sets out to commit crimes then
>>291924998L-lawchads...?
>>291927203I never said they're out to commit crimes but their very existence is a grey area at best
>>291925229The island was always a beta for his plan to run a country.He had to be part of it himself, so he avoided going crazy by making his brain washed body double act as the leader of the Outlaws.Now to be clear, the real Arata was there building the island. The body double happens after the island is done.
>>291925582I'm so fucking invested in these two meeting again. Sako, please, give us SOMETHING
>>291927232Should have visited his expo and asked him in person
>>291927249He would spit in your face for being a gaijin
>>291926546Lalo's thing in both the Kaiser race and Air Poker has always been to play optimally in all vectors possible, compare to the gamblers he's much less dedicated to a single plan. Baku's willingness to commit long term to a bluff and his weird bond with Hal are the only 2 things he cannot wrap his head around
>>291925416Is he the weakest referee now?
>>291925924The final round of that game still gives me chills. Just so peak, fukumoto really gets those characters
>>291925666THE DEVIL HIMSELF!
>>291925713>RibakuWhat the fuck.
>>291925734Thanks OP.
>>291927069Kakerou is almost never used for goodThey’re literally just a criminal organization that takes a cut from evil retards gambling
>>291925713>riboku enters a battle>the entirety of zhao is at stake>Shin detects him with instinct nen and kills one of his entourage, our antagonist is in BIG TROUBLE>"ahem">riboku suddenly gets more attractive>teleport to another region>summon 10 millions soldiers led by the 7th 3 great heavens>cut to Ousen watching from a hill, same place he is 100 chapters ago>"Riboku...is a general">proceed to do nothing>Riboku enters a battle
>>291924212>>291924085I don't get itWhy "except for Usogui"? He's literally staring at him face to faceis the implication here that those other faces other people are seeing are just illusions shown by the water and his real face is another one?
>>291925767My ranking for these 3 years has never changed after several rereads over the years.Protoporos 8/10ToK 8.5/10Air Poker 10/10 ToK *is* Usogui. It's completely flavoured and drenched in everything that gives Usogui its personal identity (both the good and the bad). Protoporos feels more like an art experiment that needs Usogui's characters to justify its own existence. I understand that to some anons the quicker pacing and tighter grasp on events is seem as proof of "higher quality", but I never felt it was a good trade for the absolute confidence Sako had during ToK that his art and storyboarding could CARRY THE FUCK OUT of anything he felt like writing because he knew he could deliver jaw-dropping shit every single chapter. Protoporos Sako is older, more careful, and saves his strenght for key moments. That is undeniable. Panels got smaller, pages became more cramped, the characters became less detailed outside of the "Designated Double Spread of The Chapter™", fight coreography became MUCH simpler and less ambitious, and so on. Now, you might notice that I seem to be talking shit about Protoporos while glazing ToK while having them just 0.5 points apart. That's because the CONTENT of Protoporos is just better, as one would expect from a later arc of a manga that uses foreshadowing and payoffs extremely well. The emotional bits are amazing, but that would be true of any arc that finally pushed Baku and his allies to the extreme limit. But you see, neither ToK nor Protoporos are books. I don't read them exclusively to "learn" what is happening, I also consume this visual media in order to be amazed at what I am looking at, and in this aspect ToK Sako is just a monster (especially after you finish the manga and reread it). Did you like the art in Air Poker?All those gorgeous spreads, characters looking handsome as fuck, slow narrative that lets every scene breath and settle in properly? ToK is more similar to that than Protoporos ever was.
>>291927581Everyone else is seeing an enraged monster while Usogui is seeing what's really there, a man giving in to pure despair at a preventable lossThis connects back to Baku's belief from the Hangman arc that his opponents shouldn't be allowed to die in a gracious or elevated way since they're ultimately just humans that lost a gamble
>>291924574>Fukurou helping HALkino
>>291924865Kaji... strong?
>>291927638>ToK *is* Usoguiif nothing else, it's the ultimate "usogui enters a gamble" arc, with the way it starts immediately after the TV show arc
>>291924972Immaculate
>>291924972Reminds me of EoE pic rel
>>291925767It's my favorite arc so far, protoporos nightmare is the best stretch of the whole manga imo, can't imagine how it will be surpassed, but im expecting STL to be a neat closure of the story regardless. Lalo is a top 5 character for me
>>291924054so much aura........
>>291925362u can do anything if u have enough money and manpower
>>291924348A kenganesque outcome
>>291925786>>291925749isn't Jojoland shaping up to be good?
>>291925734>Sako himself is more interesting to Araki
>>291925767early protoporos is slow but it really does consistently build up into the biggest peakeasy 9/10 as a whole, with late protoporos + air poker being 10/10
>>291927506It's not about what it gets used for, it's about their stated objective. Leader isn't like "go! My referees! Go out and murder to the extreme!" like sure things like the karamete expand Kakerou's paper considerably when they happen, but the intent remains for Kakerou to just be an organization that promises impartiality in gambles.
>>291924746Wedge....
I'm just gonna say itBaku should have kept the eyepatch
>>291925936Something simple yet extremely complicated, like a coin toss or rockpaperscissors.
>>291927506I think kakerou just tries to embody that bull analogy from way back in the tower arc about how if bulls simply formed a line, they'd be unstoppable versus predators but they cant because they're animals and cant think like that
>>291925936a single dota 2 matchwould be pretty funny
>>291926077>>291926622You're underestimating how intelligent Voja is, remember she was the one actually running the Jalloud with so much subtlety not even Lacy realised he wasn't the one making the calls. I think she was a "complete package" like Billy.
>>291924246They would all stand up and clap, all the referees also start masturbating (even Nowa), and Shion awards Baku with 1 kakerillion SP
>>291928109imagine reading jojo after the trainwreck of part 8
>>291927565Kek
>>291928635I wouldn't know, I dropped out from reading jojo past part 8 too
>>291924308We all know it's just an excuse for Sako to flex his hair drawing skillsRegardless, a solid 10/10
what was the point of Amen?
>>291928529That’s srill her one and only intelligence related feat, with all her behavior after that painting her more as a brute than anything.
>>291924308Hmm, I think my "problem" with Air Poker is that the two <games>, while great individually, don't complement each other very well.Airbios Poker is about survival: Lalo going for a final breath before the game starts, Baku going all in and almost drowning, how "not thinking about the rules" matters for oxygen preservation and so on. Imagination Poker, idk, breaks the momentum because Witch Pain is a cop-out of sorts. They feel an unbelievable amount of pain in ~3 pages and uh, that's it. They're graphic, but Usogui had more interesting deaths already like the fat guy hallucinating the Behelith while burning inside the bull.
>>291928696https://files.catbox.moe/ar82t2.webm
>>291924891>>291926761what is it about
>>291928696https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amen_break
>>291928696Referees introduced during Labyrinth, KY Declaration and ToK mostly become iconic mainstays with their own fanbases.Referees introduced in Protoporos are hit-or-miss but even the best ones will rarely crack people's Top 4 lists.
>>291928635well, both masterpieces that are part 5 and part 7 came after trainwrecks of 4 and 6, so this isn't the frist time
>>291924954Good read, I agree.
>>291928793Baku is telling Ryuusei to go call home so he can figure out what phone line the island uses. This will be important later.
>>291928740 (me)But then again, it's not like adding more stakes would solve this problem for me. It's purely subjective, probably, but I don't think you should "interrupt" an intense death game with another storyline. I'm feeling torn.
>>291928835part 4 is the best one of the 3 you named
>>291928865nta but lol no
>>2919243088-9/10Kinda ruined by the nosferatu and amnesiac being involved
>>291924376so they alive or is this another post-mortem fantasy like billy on the plane
>>291924954I think if we consider protoporos and air poker separate, protoporos was a draw. Yes Lalo managed to get to play air poker, but the only reason he had to claw at the opportunity to do so was because he got beaten by Baku in the first place. His achievement in protoporos was turning a loss into a draw and forcing a tie breaker, if it was a clear win for him he wouldn't have had to play air poker in the first place.
>>291928865nta but you're correct
>>291928816Does nu-Kadokura count?
>>291928909Would people like nu-kadokura if original kadokura didn't exist?
>>291928855OOOOHHH GOOD EYE indeed holy shit
>>291928740I think the point of the top floor is that it is extremely limiting in information. No physical cards, only knowing your opponent's number and hand at the end, no real way to exclusively communicate with your partner. The witch pain's trauma furthers enforces that the only strategy is to just make the best hand.Hence the breakout of the game is that Hal overcomes the trauma and properly cooperates with Baku, while Lalo and Fukurou simply perform the "optimal" strategies on their own. It's kinda a microcosm of Protoporos as a whole, Lalo has Fukurou acting on his own as a wild card in reserve while Baku and Hal cooperate from their own kingdom.
>>291928816i like shion
>>291928950Fukurou just didn’t expect his opponent to have quasi magical bullshit
>>291928980He actually did (kinda) expect it, he just didn't overcome his instinct
>>291928793Ryuusei and Baku here are already trying to figure out a way to confirm if the island falls under UTC in order to use the leap second during StL. Ryuusei asks the developer for a phone later in order to confirm it.
>>291928816My personal ranking is>Top 3Yakou, Kadokura and Ikon>Bottom 3Mogami, Amen and the guy that Taka killed. I guess there's also that guy that guy that oversaw Baku's gamble against Kaji's mom, but that guy is such a non entity i don't even remember his name
While we're at it do you consider the Hachina Saga™ to be a singular arc too? (Bee - Battleship - Bookstore)
>>291928980he did properly guess Hal's mistake was intentional but he couldn't scale the wall himself
>>291928909>>291928920Kadokura is superior to nu-Kadokura and even Sako thinks so given the direction he takes the character when it's all said and done.>>291928958I like him too, Kado/Mida/Yak/Tats is just too hard a list to try to sneak into.
For me it's ManabeHe's just way too goofy not to like
>>291929117I think it was such a fucking devilish choice for midara to assign the guy that literally just arrived the other day into the organization to the fucking leader.
>>291929031If I have to divide the manga by saga>Abandoned Building + Hangman >Labyrinths + Bull>KY Declaration + Tower of Karma>Hachina&Gakuto's buddy cop adventure >Protoporos, including Air Poker>Scrambling handkerchiefs + StL>epilogue
>>291929117Manabe and Taka are also arguably the best new Referees in Protoporos, but they wouldn't have been nearly as interesting if they weren't ToK refugees.
>>291928992Yeah I realized. This is peak shit man
>>291924673man, look at this art evolution
>>291928865kira stretch is amazing but it takes forever to get there
>>291924106Baku may not be evil... but he's definitely not a good guy. hHat one last act is vicious.
>>291929668it's just and moral to bully lalo
>>291924615That Baku smile seems mischievous as fuck
>>291929668This has been said multiple times. But i do believe Baku is about as kind as someone in his position could be.
>>291925708His greatest asset is that despite all his abilities, he doesn't really have an ego. Well, not that he could keep a stable one anyways, but that turned out to be an asset because he's personality at its most basic form is about responsabilities and duty.
>>291924615This is Usogui's real face, he can only exist 100% earnestly when gambling against someone of Hal's prowess
>>291925708>THATI don't think Baku is interested in dolphin sex, Kaji on the other hand being the consummate rapist he is would surely enjoy it.
>>291927565Anon fuck you kek
>>291926254Hmm let's seeArrow of Destiny from SRW for most of the Air Poker GambleHole by Kikuo specifically the moment Lalo started drowningPerfect Steel of Zero and Azure Arbitrator for moments where Leader transcends his limits and acquires perfectionDecisive Collision Super Arrange for the decisive moments in the final gamble.
>>291924308Best gamble, that simple
>>291926973Billy...
>>291925924Kaiji is better, the only thing better than Kaiji is Akagi
>>291930640Meant for>>291926163
>>291924954I like this analysis and I do somewhat agree with it, though id argue Protoporos itself and the Protoporos Nightmare portions are two different stages and perhaps Air Poker can be examined as the best 2/3 of the overall Protoporos gamble between Lalo and Usogui
>>291925362To be fair a big theme of the manga is that the power of the hardened individual is stronger than the collective, therefore a collective of hardened individuals must be the strongest
>>291925461To be fair, at least one ref died on Protoporos, a few are out of commission a while, AND, Lalo kidnapped and murdered one ref
>>291927565Usogui anons having eclectic tastes and impressive understanding of those tastes will never cease to amaze me. I kek'd. RIBOKU DEATH NEVER EVER LONG LIVE OUR GLORIOUS KING RIBOKU VON CARSTEIN
>>291926927What sort of criminal nonsense did Ideal even do? Arguably they just hire really sketchy people and Lalo himself is really fucked up but besides diamonds they never really do anything criminal
>>291927638if Protoporos Sako made ToK, Tatsuki's introduction would get cut to half the amount of pageson the other handif ToK Sako made Protoporos, we definitely get Marco Kaiokenx20 vs Soda Maker (it lasts 3 chapters)
>>291931792There was the whole using revolutionaries to try and create a panic to short stocks thingThat's pretty fucking criminal in like three different ways
>>291924972we're missing someone...
>>291931792Weapon smuggling seemed like the big thing Jalloud/Gallop was supposed to do.That's probably only a small thing.
>>291927638tower of karma is definitely the best usogui artwise but it's so narratively weak you can't reasonably call it the flagship arc of the mangasutegama loses to baku doing the exact same trick sutegama was trying to do, tatsumi's death is incredible but we're with him as an audience for a grand total of half an hour before he bites it, and the less said about the non-manabe/taka parts of the private funeral division part of the arc the better
>>291925494>I need a... hero!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWcASV2sey0
>>291932326Suteguma gets dumber the more I think about himHe was still kinda cool though
>>291931792They were helping Sadakuni doing 9/11 to short stocks, Lacy/Voja's group was smuggling F35s, and during Protoporos they smuggle in LSD. Lalo just gets his grubby hands onto everything like how he juggles multiple plans.
>>291924376>>291928890I think the implication is she is crying. Whether they're tears of relief or tears of sadness from imagining them alive is hard to say.
>>291928890You people can't fucking read
>>291932326>you can't reasonably call it the flagship arc of the mangaI can, because a flagship arc doesn't need to be the best arc. Every single questionable point of ToK is already an improved version of similar choices in previous arcs, and those are all "Usogui". Too much fighting that doesn't necessarily mash well with the gambling scenes? That's Usogui. Slow pacing caused by extremely cinematic presentation of a character or scene? That's Usogui. The irrational confidence that people will keep reading even if one gamble leads to another gamble with no time for the reader to rest a little? That's Usogui.If the "flagship" of Usogui can only be the likes of Air Poker and StL, then do we even like Usogui itself, or do we only like the feeling of reading a polished finale by a competent author? Can "Air Poker" even be a flagship arc when it's mostly payoffs that only hit hard because we already invested the time of reading hundreds of chapters to get there? >sutegama loses to baku doing the exact same trick sutegama was trying to doLalo loses because he manages to not notice that maybe a guy hitting a table rhythmically over TWENTY TIMES might perhaps be using morse code (fucking Amako wouldn't fall for that one).>about TatsukiUsogui characters come and go with a bang. Minowa was the same. Bai Long was the same. They might not spend much time with us, but they leave a very lasting impression.>private funeral divisionRandou is a better character than Torpe, fake Bai Long, Veronica, every DEV except maybe Daiba, and I'm pretty sure I could remember more Protoporos lazily-written mobs if I tried.
>>291932411For all the credit Sako deservingly gets for writing engaging mental clashes, it's a genre with a very clear limitation for allowing both competitors to shine until the end. In a martial arts fight, you can get punched a lot and persevere through grit. But in a mental duel, somebody needs to be the "sucker" and have their intelectual limitations laid bare in order for the other part to look smart and cool. The more you reread Usogui, the less impressive all of the antagonists will look (Lalo is the same). You kinda have to grade Baku's opponents by how much trouble they caused him in the early game, because at the end of every arc, they have to look silly in order for Baku to look extremely handsome.
What is our consensus between Lalo and Suteguma, both as characters and as antagonists?
>>291933335I think we can all agree Lalo is a power bottom who gets Suteguma to reluctantly top
>>291933335My most damning opinion of Suteguma is due to how Baku treats him. No ill feelings, no wanting to make him lose his composure/make him human. He even did some post-victory glazing the loser for him. Baku never felt emotion against him. No desires, just another opponent. He was insufficient as a villain. Since it felt like Baku didn't take him seriously, I can't take him too seriously either.Lalo though, Baku went in with the determination to not only kill him, but break him. Lalo mainly had the benefit of a whole arc building him up too. Suteguma just showed up out of nowhere and had his game immediately.
>>291933487I think Baku did respect Suteguma's bluffing skill and his gambler mindset to protect a long con. It's fairly reminiscient of Baku's usual planning. Also similar to Yukiide and kinda Nero, Baku recognized that he's pretty much just a grunt doing his best surviving, so there's no hard feelings and sense of justice like against Sadakuni, Amako and Lalo.Lalo on the other hand is the ultimate liar, the very kind of egoistic and greedy manipulator that Baku intrinsically despised, on top of their beef lasting much longer.
>>291924912Spite. Baku even deliberately swam closer to him as bait, he wanted to call out Lalo's 'graceful loser' act.
>>291924416My poor, big softie.>>291925734I referenced it before but, when Usogui didn't have translations, this Baku used to be used as a bait image for Jojolion spoilers as it being Yasuho's dad or the final boss.I like the design. Anons say about Araki not caring but you look at his other Ultra Jump tributes they're pretty much his generic fashion sketches. The Peach Pit and Yabuki ones look really bad. I couldn't even tell what TLR he was trying to draw.>>291925767On the re-read i'm more mixed on it. One of my favourite gambles still holds up. I'd moved some things in my memory like I thought the Kyara fight came after this arc and everyone visiting the corpse happened after the arc. I don't know why, but Marco visiting now also feels weird. wouid have more sense why he entered the four way fight too.Once again all the little details and side characters did a lot for me in comparison, I feel myself not apologising for Lalo as much as I did before, I remember almost really disliking Baklu a lot more than being charmed.>>291925924Air Poker is better on a level but One Poker was man vs themselves more than the game. Also because of the nature of the magazines they were serialized in, Air Poker has too many explanation pages and recaps but that's just the nature of different magazines. I'm looking forward to the live action adaptation. The actor who plays Kazuya apparently is a massive FKMT fan and keeps teasing he really wants to play into depth of (my other son) Kazuya. >>291933487I always take that as Baku's cold/warm interaction between people is a good measurement of how much he respects. Gives Kaji the same send off just before Battleship as Suteguma because that's just the demon being slightly touched. Midara gets the same treatment, Yakou is like "you created a contradiction" about the situation but Midara charmed Baku by sticking 100% balls to principles and the game. Which Baku himself is almost chamred by.
>>291925143That actually explains his cute stubble.
>>291925734>Araki have more respect to Sako then Watsuki
>>291925527K-Kaji inserted his seeds into Floyd?!
>>291933487>Since it felt like Baku didn't take him seriously, I can't take him too seriously either.That’s an absurd misreading of the arc
>>291931792Adding onto what other people said, Billy tried to take over the Mexican cartel's drug routes in the prison flashback, so Ideal sells drugs as well.
>>291924510I think Sadakuni's death was a bit different. In a twisted way Baku let Sadakuni die as a human, and Baku didn't really have any reason to hate Sadakuni.
>>291924290Lalo wasn't really a liar desu.
>>291924348Not a fan of this desu. This is the biggest flaw of Protoporos.
>>291934340He literally lying by pretend to surrender
>>291924542Ironically, during the Bee arc people were saying "How is Baku going to beat Leader?"
>>291924615He looks like Young Baku with the straightened hair.
>>291924746I think so too.
>>291924778Yep.>>291924776lol nice catch.
>>291926574I guess so.>>291924895Yeah the whole manga is like that isn't it. 500 chapters and the pacing still feels good.
>>291924865Kaji the iron stomach.Yes I see "that".
>>291925262Love this song.
>>291924935Man...
>>291924955>>291924972>>291924983Truly impactful pages.
>>291925032Old Nowa face.
>>291925184It's Raoh.
>>291925229First off, it's a metaphor for a player avatar in a game. Real Arata controlled Fake Arata.Consider how much more objectively you would see the world if you controlled yourself like a video game character. You'd probably be more bolder, but also have more self-control.From what I inferred, Real Arata had a feeling that something was always watching over him, and he wanted to be on that side. Therefore he created a body double that he could control, so that Real Arata could be the one that watches.
>>291925276Pls tell me Champ, Ryuusei, and Minoru got back safely.>>291925288Even if they ended up in Huger, they can surely make it out alive right...
>>291925476lol
>>291925534She's trying to scam the winners again...
>>291925582That's nice.
>>291925276The real Protoporos starts now!
>>291925534Leo? More like kitty
>>291927565lol I dropped Kingdom at like chapter 200
>>2919243089/10. Almost perfect, but Baku betting on Hal regaining his memories was not as logical as I would have preferred, like the whole gamble hanging on that... My favorite gamble so far, even tho Tower of Karma was more logical.>>2919257678/10, again almost perfect but the fakeout deaths really bother me.Still, it's literally the best arc in manga imo. I'm just very critical.
>>291925713here's a little oc for ol' Hara's sake
>>291934864My BRUTAL KING Kaji!
>>291934864Perfect
>>291924972
>>291935240Nice.>>291924972
I know I just said it but Protoporos is the best arc in all of manga imo. Anyone else agree / disagree, if so what is your best arc in manga?>>291925276Bad ending acheived.
>>291929031Yes.
>>291927638I understand what you're saying and I don't agree with the ranking, but the sentiment. ToK is *the* Usogui arc.
>>291935844I *do* agree with the sentiment, I mean.
Check out this break chart
>>291935844>ToK is *the* Usogui arc.the more I think about it, the more I agree with this "sentiment" you're alluding too, even if the arc has its flaws. ToK is the usoguiest Usogui we get before Baku's relationship with Leader gets properly explained. it's Hangman, Labyrinth, KY Declaration and the Ideal subplot chapters all rolled into one. every quirk introduction (ONE MAN), every dramatic narration and every chaotic "there's too much shit happening at the same time" sequence gets cranked up to 11. it's like the ultimate climax and farewell party for "early Usogui"
