Episode 324

[Aazealh]

Title:　人魚(メロウ) - Merrow

Finally the merrows arrive! Just as planned. And it looks like Guts' body is reaching its limit...

In other news, there'll be a break starting with the next issue.

[Gobolatula]

Holy Christmas Isma is adorable as a merrow. GAHHH!

That shot of them with the moon in the background is great.

I'm glad to see all the merrows coming to the rescue.

[Aazealh]

Holy Christmas Isma is adorable as a merrow. GAHHH!

That shot of them with the moon in the background is great.

Yeah, adorable is the word. The Moonlight Boy eating her tail is cute is well.

I'm glad to see all the merrows coming to the rescue.

Looks like it's high time they did, too. It seems that Guts might not be able to make it alone this time... Oh who am I kidding, of course he will!

...Right?

[Walter]

The undersea cavalry has arrived! Now... what exactly are they going to do against the Sea God? Act as a bulwark to stop him in his tracks, or will we see some merrow-magic?

[Aazealh]

The undersea cavalry has arrived! Now... what exactly are they going to do against the Sea God? Act as a bulwark to stop him in his tracks, or will we see some merrow-magic?

Hmm, they don't carry any weapons in the shot of them we have... So, magic? Unless they can summon harpoons somehow (Isma's skill with it as a fishergirl is a hint towards the "traditional" merfolk weaponry). But I wonder what they'll do exactly if it's magic.

[Gobolatula]

Hmm, they don't carry any weapons in the shot of them we have... So, magic? Unless they can summon harpoons somehow (Isma's skill with it as a fishergirl is a hint towards the "traditional" merfolk weaponry). But I wonder what they'll do exactly if it's magic.

The merrows will sing a song and The Sea God will go to sleep.

[Vampire_Hunter_Bob]

This is so awesome.

[Aazealh]

The merrows will sing a song and The Sea God will go to sleep.

That's not a bad guess actually... That could be how they defeated it back in the day: lulling it to sleep, then imprisoning it.

[RaWManiac]

That's not a bad guess actually... That could be how they defeated it back in the day: lulling it to sleep, then imprisoning it.

only this time, guts will bring his contribution to their song, with a stab in his heart 

[Aazealh]

only this time, guts will bring his contribution to their song, with a stab in his heart 

Let's hope so! He's not doing too well at the moment.

[TheBranded1]

Thanks! Hopefully we get to see the leader of the merrows, and I hope it's Isma's Mother.

[IncantatioN]

Thanks for the preview!

Good thing - Merrows arrive ^_^. Bad thing - Guts is in trouble >_<. Wonder what Puck's saying.

[jackson_hurley]

Nice I get up for my second day of vacation to find the preview already! It's really indeed to see the merrows are coming! Thx Aaz!

[Señor Caudillo]

Awesome, the merrows are finally showing up  
And as for how they would fight against Sea God, perhaps they will incapacitate him with a some sort of high-frequency ultrasonic screech, which would be inaudible (thus harmless) to humans, but extremely painful and paralyzing to Sea God  

[Rhombaad]

Thanks for the preview! Too bad about the break; hopefully it'll be another short one.

[Skeleton]

I absolutely love Isma’s “new” eyes.  (Her eyes were like that when Schierke saw her for the first time back in episode 312 so ‘new’ probably isn’t the right word.)  And it’s great to see the merrows finally arriving!  Honestly, I was expecting something more… martial.  But now that I think about it, I like the way Miura has presented the merrows more than if they were armed and armored sea-warriors.   It’s more traditional plus it leaves me feeling curious and excited to see what they do next, something that a group of armed warriors with a relatively straightforward intent probably wouldn’t be able to accomplish.  I can’t wait to see the them in action.

[Walter]

It may be moot at this point, but I'd like to know if Isma's awakening as a merrow was triggered by the group of merrows arriving, or was it the other way around. Or simply a coincidence...

[Rhombaad]

It may be moot at this point, but I'd like to know if Isma's awakening as a merrow was triggered by the group of merrows arriving, or was it the other way around. Or simply a coincidence...

Based on the voice(s) she heard in the last episode, I'm guessing her transformation was triggered by her response to them arriving (where she spoke her true name), and not the other way around. They probably sensed the Sea God awakening after the merging of the Worlds; either that, or the merging prompted their return to the solitary island to make sure everything was still okay.

[Walter]

either that, or the merging prompted their return to the solitary island to make sure everything was still okay.

Or they heard the island being demolished 

[Draculoid]

Nice episode! Isma flopping around the deck trying to cover herself is quite cute. I wonder what exactly Guts is going through in there....on a side note I feel quite satisfied with the number of episodes we got before this break ! Too bad it's reaching the climax.

[Rhombaad]

Or they heard the island being demolished 

Haha, true. Sound does travel quickly in water.

[Aazealh]

I absolutely love Isma’s “new” eyes.  (Her eyes were like that when Schierke saw her for the first time back in episode 312 so ‘new’ probably isn’t the right word.)

Astral style.

And it’s great to see the merrows finally arriving!  Honestly, I was expecting something more… martial.  But now that I think about it, I like the way Miura has presented the merrows more than if they were armed and armored sea-warriors.   It’s more traditional plus it leaves me feeling curious and excited to see what they do next, something that a group of armed warriors with a relatively straightforward intent probably wouldn’t be able to accomplish.  I can’t wait to see the them in action.

There's also the fact that plain warriors would likely not be very successful against the Sea God unless there were many, many of them. Thing's huge and its "beard" in itself is a huge threat to humans and merrows alike.

It may be moot at this point, but I'd like to know if Isma's awakening as a merrow was triggered by the group of merrows arriving, or was it the other way around. Or simply a coincidence...

I'm curious as well, and I think we'll get the answer. I definitely do not think it is a coincidence, though. The two are linked.

Isma flopping around the deck trying to cover herself is quite cute.

Indeed! Poor girl.

I wonder what exactly Guts is going through in there...

I think the pressure/environmental hazard caused by his surroundings/the heartbeat might be starting to wreck his body. Notice that he's bleeding from the nose in that shot.

[Lithrael]

I absolutely love Isma’s “new” eyes.

It's one of those little touches I love so much - different shaped lenses on her eyes for focusing in water instead of in air..   

[Aazealh]

Looks like Guts really isn't doing well. Like I thought, the environment he's in is taking a huge toll on his body. Meanwhile Isma says that things are happening exactly like her father said (all the merrows arriving). She then tells what happened, mentioning how she pronounced her real name, but Ivalera chastizes her, telling her that elves or spirits have a real name that should never be told to a human. If they tell their real name to somebody, they'll be under his or her control, which is why it should never happen unless they really trust him/her. Notice how Magnifico tries to discretely hear Isma's name.

As she leaves, Isma says that as a merrow, she has to fight the Sea God for her island.

[Griffith]

Looks like Guts could use the help.