Fairy Tail Chapter 381 Review - Where Demons Live

Written by: Shiggins

I call this chapter the Take Over Special.

This week's chapter starts off where it ended last week.With Sayla (I know translations have changed her name but I'm used to Sayla and I'm keeping to it) having attacked them all. It turns out she has trouble controlling her power, so even Lamy is getting swept up by her attacks now. Mirajane keeps trying to use Take Over on Sayla but it doesn't work and Sayla proceeds to try to slash Mirajane apart while Lisanna is forced to watch by Lamy.

It's hard to tell but this is actually an extremely loving hug.

As is the case with most near-death moments for anime characters, we are given a flashback to the Strauss siblings as children who are hiding in their house as angry people who are trying to get the Strauss' to leave the village. It turns out that Mirajane fought a demon in a church and now her arm has transformed into the demon's, causing people to think she's possessed. 

Am I the only one who thought of this?

Soon, the Strauss' did as told and left the village, eventually arriving in Fairy Tail where Makarov tells them how she wasn't possessed but instead used Take Over, which was magic. Mirajane shows an inner dislike towards the idea of having the demon's power. A month later, Erza tries to befriend Mirajane but is given the cold shoulder (possibly the start of their childhood rivalry.) As Mirajane leaves, it turns out she feels she isn't human anymore due to the demon inside her and is about to leave, knowing her brother and sister will be happy with Fairy Tail.

This is proof that people everywhere suck.

Luckily, coincidences occur regularly in manga because Elfman and Lisanna finally catch up to Lisanna to reveal that they've been learning Take Over too. Apparently, the two learned to use it as an attempt to get closer to their sister and make sure she wasn't alone when it came to Take Over. Although they can't use it properly, Elfman says that they'll use Take Over to protect each other.

That is FAR too revealing for a little girl that age!

Finally, the flashback ends where Mirajane tells herself that to protect her family, she'll become anything. Even a demon. As Sayla tells Mirajane it's useless against her, Sayla suddenly feels slight exhaustion and kicks Mirajane off. Sayla is confused at what just happened and decides that she must erase Mirajane right now. Apparently, Mirajane used Take Over on Sayla's curse ability to control others and she brought Elfman here to defend his sisters.

I LOVE last-minute rescues!

And so next week, the fight between Elfman and Sayla will finally begin as predicted. Admittedly, I found the pacing of this chapter a bit awkward because it went from fast and strong to suddenly slow in a flashback, to fast again. I do always enjoy seeing how each member of Fairy Tail joined the guild but I would have liked it to occur during a better time.

Manga Rating: 3/5

Character of the Week: Mirajane for her flashback and bringing Elfman to the fight.

Predictions: It's a special chapter where Elfman and Sayla go head-to-head and Mirajane, despite being torn up, still manages to provide support. Lamy is either going to get bitchslapped or run far away to the land that nobody cares about.

Best Part: The last-minute entrance of Elfman.

Worst Part: The flashback that slowed down the chapter's pace.

Clearly, the fact they didn't invite Mirajane to this moment proves just how much she means to them.

Shiggins:[Admin]
  .

Shiggins enjoys many strange forms of communication, especially those including cosplayers or presents or videos. However, until that wonderful day comes when people care enough to give him things for being him, you can contact him on his Skype; shigginsishere. He can also respond to you if you contact him through GMails at shigginsishere@gmail.com, and you can find out about him or ask him stuff on ask.fm/shigginsishere.