ONE PIECE
by Oda Eiichiro
Started in #34, 1997 (6 volumes available)

Overview: In the current arc of Oda's first series, Ruffy is trying to save the restaurant-ship Balatie from being taken over by a fleet led by Creek, in hopes that the assistant manager Sanji will join his crew as their chef.
In this update: (Issue #50) Episode 64: Large Battle Spear
Creek pulls out his ultimate weapon: his spear, which has a special contraption that causes explosions on impact. All Ruffy can do is avoid the explosions by hopping on pieces of wood floating on the water. He does get hit, though, when he was punching the spear back. The spear shatters after the fifth collision.

(Issue #51) Episode 65: Determination
Sanji muses that Ruffy is still in a bind, but Zeff tells him that Ruffy's one weapon, determination, will ultimately give the rubber-boy the victory. They watch as Creek throws bombs all over the place, but just as Zeff said, Ruffy manages to crack through the armor and damage Creek.

(Issue #52) Episode 66: The Spear Bitten Off
Creek encases Ruffy into a net, and tells his crew to shoot him with crossbows. Sanji is able to stop them. Ruffy manages to sink one last kick into Creek to defeat him; but he too falls into the ocean. Zeff tells Sanji that those that eat Devil Nuts can't swim, which sends Sanji diving to save Ruffy. Creek stands up again, but Gin comes out and drags him back, saying they should start over from square one.

(Issue #1) Episode 67: Soup
Gin says that he realized he had been hiding behind Creek for all this time, and Ruffy was the one that made him realize that. Sanji gives Gin a boat to take the Creek crew off Baratie. Ruffy wakes up a bit later and hears the message Gin left him: "I'll see you again on the Grand-Line." Sanji also tells Ruffy that he can't leave Baratie, but will someday go sailing the Grand-Line in search of the All Blue Seas. In the dining hall, the entire crew throws out the soup Sanji prepared, saying it tasted bad. Sanji storms out of the room. Ruffy asks why the crew was throwing out soup that was delicious; Zeff replies that he and the guys on Baratie wanted Sanji to pursue his lifelong dream of sailing on the Grand-Line.

(Issue #2/3) Episode 68: The Fourth One
Ruffy refuses Zeff's offer, saying that he wants Sanji to decide. Yosaku swims back to Baratie, saying that they had a basic idea of where Nami was headed. Ruffy is ready to leave when Sanji asks to be taken along on their search. Until they set sail, the cook thinks about the times he's had with Zeff on Baratie. As Ruffy and Yosaku board, Sanji thanks Zeff for all that the owner has done to him. The three men depart from the Baratie, with all cooks in tears.

(Issue #4/5) Episode 69: Arlong Park
Yosaku informs Ruffy and Sanji they are headed to Arlong Park, where a henchmen of the Seven Forces of the Sea (the seven pirates that are authorized by the government) rules. The scene shifts to Arlong Park, where the boss, Arlong, is seen paying his taxes to a Marine. Outside Arlong Park, a kid tells a woman that Arlong killed his dad, and that he was seeking revenge. The woman beat the kid senseless, and drops money next to him, saying that he should protect himself with the money instead of seeking revenge. The woman, who is a high-end member of the Arlong crew, turns out to be none other than Nami. Meanwhile, the ship carrying Zorro, Johnny, and Usopp reach the entrance to Arlong Park.

I"S
by Katsura Masakazu
Started in #19, 1997 (8 volumes available)

Overview: Things are starting to heat up in Katsura's latest series. With Itsuki now gone, Ichitaka can focus on his pursuit of Iori more than ever. But neither Ichitaka nor Iori can be honest to the other about their feelings, and when a fourth I, Izumi, enters the picture...
In this update: (Issue #50) Episode 77: Feeling Refreshed
Izumi explodes at Ichitaka for saying he knew how Kensuke felt, and that he has someone that he has liked for a long time. Ichitaka worries about Iori, who overheard the conversation, and sets to his studies in his effort to be accepted to the same college as Iori. One night, Izumi visits him in the rain, and he has a bad feeling about the situation.

(Issue #51) Episode 78: Fantasy and Reality
As Izumi dries off in Ichitaka's house, the boy starts having fantasies about Izumi coming onto him. He snaps out of it when Izumi asks (in real life) for dry clothes. When he returns with the clothes, he finds Izumi in her "waitress" uniform for the school festival. Ichitaka sighs that she came in the rain for just that, but Izumi confesses that she actually came to tell him that she was in love with him, and that she wanted him to sleep with her.

(Issue #52) Episode 79: A Promise for Christmas Eve
Izumi again tries to get Ichitaka to sleep with her. He sees a vision of Iori coming on to him, but manages to push all thoughts out of his mind and tell Izumi that he can't sleep with her, but will make up for it. Izumi smiles and asks for a date on Christmas Eve. Come December, Ichitaka gets an offer for a double-date from Teratani, with Ichitaka's date being Iori. Teratani asks Ichitaka to ask Iori. This puts Ichitaka in a bind—not only did she know about the plan, but she was looking forward to it!

(Issue #2/3) Episode 80: A Nervous Day
Iori says it was supposed to be a double-date, but she planned to leave the couple she was setting up sometime during the date. Ichitaka agrees, and tells Izumi that he will make up for the cancellation later (but falls on deaf ears). Ichitaka shows up for the double-date feeling guilty about Izumi, but his mind goes blank when Iori reaches out for his hand.

(Issue #4/5) Episode 81: Reversal of Expectations
Ichitaka gets a good feeling from Iori holding his hand. The four head into a karaoke box, and party with their cake and champagne. Ichitaka makes the mistake of saying he wasn't interested in Iori (out of bashfulness) and starts drinking out of frustration. The boy gets drunk. When he decides to ask if Iori likes anyone, Iori points out that the other two have left the room.

RUROUNI KENSHIN
by Watsuki Nobuhiro
Started in #19, 1994 (23 volumes available)

Overview: Himura Kenshin is a swordsman with the dark past who fights with his reverse-blade sword against evil in the Meiji era. In this story arc, the momentary peace granted after the battle against Shishio and company quickly comes to an end. Yukishiro Enishi, Kenshin's brother-in-law, arrives in Tokyo with one agenda—revenge. As Enishi's plans slowly jeopardize what Kenshin had been fighting for as a rurouni, can Kenshin see the truth behind the tragedies?
In this update: (Issue #50) 216th Act: The Two in Black Clothes (first half)
Gein asks Aoshi where his doll of Kaoru is. Aoshi asks Gein where the real Kaoru is. Neither answers, and they enter battle. Gein's metal wires chop the tombstones around Aoshi, but can't harm him. Meanwhile, Aoshi's two swords cut Gein's mask open to reveal the puppeteer's shriveled face.

(Issue #51) 217th Act: The Two in Black Clothes (second half)
Neither Aoshi or Gein want to reveal what the other wants to know. Gein suggests they each tell each other, and tells Aoshi where Enishi is located. Aoshi mumbles something, and Gein leads Aoshi into a trap of fire. He uses Gein's wire to drag the puppeteer into the deadly flames, while he escapes death by ducking into the hole that was dug for Kaoru's "corpse."

(Issue #52) 218th Act: Insanity Is Released
The Old Geezer of Rakuninmura brings Kenshin a bottle of hakubaikou perfume, saying it had relaxation effects. Yahiko tells Tsubame that everything will be all right. Meanwhile, Kujiranami breaks free out of prison, and armed with a grenade launcher, goes after Kenshin.

(Issue #1) 219th Act: Yahiko's True Battle (part 1)
The cops warn people that the streets aren't safe. Yahiko stands up to face Kujiranami because unlike the past, nobody else was there to save the day, leaving a worried Tsubame.

(Issue #2/3) 220th Act: Yahiko's True Battle (part 2)
Yahiko manages to convince the cops that they should fight so that Kujiranami doesn't reach the center of town. With the rookie cop Shinichi, he manages to land a blow into Kujiranami. Just when all the cops surround the madman, a child looking for his father wanders in front of Kujiranami. Yahiko jumps in front of the kid as Kujiranami aims his grenade launcher.

(Issue #4/5) 221st Act: Yahiko's True Battle (part 3)
Yahiko manages to protect the kid from multiple grenades. The cops get whipped out of the way as Kujiranami advances towards Yahiko. The madman sees the strength in Yahiko as Kenshin, and attacks once more. The cops try to grab onto the grenade launcher to stop Kujiranami, but get tossed aside. Meanwhile, Tsubame fears for Yahiko's life and starts running towards Rakuninmura in hopes that Kenshin can save Yahiko.