Sealing Release
"Sigh, as expected, every time I read the Porter's 'Cooking Master Boy,' I have to have some food on hand."
Daniel took a bite of the dumplings beside him and sighed, "Otherwise, I just get hungry, ugh."
As he spoke, Daniel burped contentedly, closed the Picca Comics magazine, and smacked his lips a couple of times.
Even though he knew that the food in the Porter's 'Cooking Master Boy' was all fake and enhanced with special effects, every time he read it, he felt hungry. So, he made sure to have some food ready before diving into the manga.
"Well then, let's move on to these two," he muttered to himself, turning his attention to the magazine from Flowing Shrine.
This magazine featured the Porter's new works 'Bleach' and 'Cardcaptor Sakura.'
Daniel was particularly interested in 'Cardcaptor Sakura,' given his vivid memories of 'Madoka Magica.' Even though this one was titled 'Cardcaptor' instead of 'Magical Girl,' Daniel couldn't shake the feeling that the Porter might be trying to deceive young readers with a different name while still delivering something just as tragic.
With this suspicion, Daniel decided to start with 'Bleach' and save the potentially heartbreaking 'Cardcaptor Sakura' for last.
The first page featured a boy with spiky hair, looking like a typical rebellious teenager.
"Is this the main character?" Daniel frowned.
To many people, students with dyed hair and wild hairstyles were often seen as troublemakers. Daniel's impression was no different.
However, contrary to Daniel's initial impression, this boy named Ichigo, despite looking tough and mean, was actually kind-hearted. He defended a little girl ghost by beating up the bullies who knocked over her flower vase. So, he wasn't really bad after all.
Daniel took a bite of pickles and continued reading.
The early chapters introduced Ichigo's background: a boy who had been able to see things others couldn't since he was young. What could he see? Naturally, ghosts.
He lived with two sisters and a seemingly strict father (though not really strict, given how they played around together).
The next day, the ghost girl Ichigo had helped was attacked by a monster. Just in time, a girl dressed in ancient warrior clothing, wielding a Tang sword, appeared and saved her. (After checking the manga, it seems the ghost girl wasn't saved in the first chapter, unlike in the TV version. Considering some people might have only seen the TV version, I'll stick with that. Also, I decided to keep the characters' outfits as traditional warrior attire instead of changing them to Ming dynasty guards' uniforms since some readers didn't like the idea.)
That night, as Ichigo lay in bed, curious about the identity of the girl who had saved him, a butterfly flew into his room. Following it, the warrior girl from the morning passed through the wall and...
...got kicked to the ground by Ichigo, landing face-first.
This made Daniel chuckle, especially at the girl's bewildered expression.
Later, Ichigo learned from the girl, named Rukia, about Soul Reapers and spirits.
When another Hollow attacked Ichigo's family, Ichigo and Rukia fought together. Rukia was injured and couldn't move, leading to the crucial moment where she transferred her powers to Ichigo, turning him into a Soul Reaper.
As in many shounen mangas, Ichigo's spiritual power was exceptionally strong, and he wielded a massive Zanpakuto, much larger than most Soul Reapers'. He successfully defeated the Hollow.
The storyline was typical of a shounen manga, with the protagonist being incredibly resilient and growing stronger with each battle.
But it was still a solid start, even if it was a bit conventional. Daniel felt that even if this manga didn't become a hit, it was understandable given how difficult it was to consistently create top-tier stories in such a short time. After all, the Porter was a person, not a god.
However, Daniel was optimistic about this work's future, as its setting was intriguing.
In this story, souls that die peacefully ascend, while those that die with regrets or under evil influence become Hollows.
When thinking of Soul Reapers, most people imagined scythe-wielding skeletons in cloaks. But in this work, they were portrayed as ancient warriors, turning Soul Reapers into righteous protectors fighting evil Hollows.
Moreover, the world of Soul Reapers, called the Soul Society, sparked Daniel's curiosity. Would it be like the Yama King's Palace or more akin to hell?
Next, Daniel turned to 'Cardcaptor Sakura.'
He took a deep breath before starting, fearing that it might begin with a gruesome scene like a head falling off.
However, to his surprise, there was no such scene.
The story was about a lively fourth-grade girl named Sakura.
One day, Sakura discovered a glowing book in the basement. Inside the book were mysterious cards called Clow Cards, which had been sealed away.
By opening the book, Sakura accidentally released the cards.
A small, toy-like creature named Keroberos, the Beast of the Seal, emerged from the book.
This creature reminded Daniel of Kyuubey from 'Madoka Magica,' raising his suspicion.
Could this Keroberos be similar to Kyuubey?
Looking at the small creature with beady eyes, Daniel couldn't help but be wary.
But as Keroberos and Sakura chatted, the silhouette of a Clow Card appeared, not in card form but as a giant bird.
Sakura and Keroberos chased after it. With Keroberos's encouragement, Sakura pulled out a staff typical of magical girls and recited an incantation: "Key of the Seal, there is a dark force hidden inside! Reveal your true power to me... Release!"
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