i originally read through chapter 20 on my phone. when i realized i wanted to add this to the blog, i wanted to read through it on my computer so i could have more control over saving panels i like and want to talk about

this series is so committed to the style of the jewel and i love it. the long legs are such a good touch that i think help make them seem non-human despite their anatomy

and when the moon people first appear, it's a visually overwhelming sequence that really makes the fighting jewels look even more capable. they dance through the chaos and seemingly well coordinated onslaught of moon people

realizing the jewels on the arrows had been one of them (Helidor specifically) at some point was really unsettling to read. these are sentient people being abducted as jewels for décor and utility

"you have this country's beginnings memorized, correct? repeat the introduction for me" okay that's one way to have an exposition dump loll

so the planet got so busted from the meteors that all life runs to the ocean, they're eaten by tiny organisms in the ocean and "crystalized", then thrown up on the beach, in the shapes of random genderless bodies w major thigh gap

this girl has had eternity to find a job and has fucked it all up loll

what the fuck is sensei then??? he literally snaps and the moon people just disappear

they look so broken up after that fight :(

but seeing how quickly they come back together helps, it also informs their view on fighting/being injured/death when they're immortal.

they are filled with "inclusions" aka more micro organisms that live off light and move within them

jewels with a lower solidity/hardness must wear clothes or cover to touch another jewel w a higher hardness than you

"i wouldn't take something from someone else… YEAH YOU THOUGHT I'D SAY THAT GIVE ME THE SWORD" lmaoo

who is the only one she can trust? who is phos referring to in the final panel?

cinnabar as a concept is so interesting. the name isn't a gem and what could this "silver poison" be?

this landscape shot is so gorgeous

"no one expects anything from him, or worries about him, or praises him… he oughta just quit."

phos has such a focus on others perception of her, sensei's perception of her. she's 300 years old but still the youngest by far

i just love how this fight looks. cinnabar exhaling this poison in front of the army of moon people is so gorgeous

then phos goes to catch cinnabar and his arms just snap off

phos permanently loses the sections touched by cinnabar's poison

it's so sad that they all are just at a loss for how to "handle" cinnabar. it's such a logical approach to the situation, no emotional distance really. objectively, you are so dangerous that you could kill us all

cinnabar is waiting to be taken by the moon people…

phos declares that she will find her a more fulfilling job. and she works her ass off for it yayyy

and omgggg, cinnabar has a crush on phos

i like the humor of this story. sometimes you have to re-read a section bc the tone doesn't always come through though

there's hardness and toughness: hardness tends to be relative, compared to other gems what gets you. toughness is how hard it is to break generally

tbh i don't really get the full difference

dia is such basic "omg im a character based on diamonds" in the classic anime girl style loll

it feels so epic to see the jewel standing before the moon people every time

because you also know they're about to fuck UP an army. the build up and understanding of power from the character alone is really cool. every fight is so graceful too, it makes it look like this is nothing for them

and bortz is so cool too, the perfect opposite to dia

and i just feel like they've gotten more personality and most of the cast in just this fight. maybe because they visually are more distinct than rutile but what about morganite and goshe? they just disappeared

interesting that the name is different from the gems so far

jade is so chill about the invasion just bc diamonds are there

phos trying to avoid checking out the NEW HISTORY THING on her HISTORY JOB

she just doesn't wanna mess w it lol

loll "it's too big of an honor for me"

AND PHOS JUST GETS EATENNNN

and they just GUT the snail thing

is phos just dead then?? (tbh i know what happens im not going to act like i don't)

i love rutile loll "lets just start by taking it apart"

and its literally just bc that's how they all work, the parts immediately reform and shape to this human form even from dust

i love dia being the one to take the slug

"ik i told you to change a lot, but this is a bit much" loll

yeah everyone really just said "damn, well this is probably better than wtv she was before"

dia saying tho "you got to be friendly to people" SHE ISSSSSSS

LIKE YESSS, CINNABAR NEEDS PHOSSS

i love the full color panels ahhhh

dia shines even at night

cinnabar covering her to hide the light from the moon people

they cover their body with powder but not their head, would it reduce the attacks if the moon people couldn't see their shine?

cinnabar is the only one that talks about the reality of the situation to dia

i wonder if it's because the others didn't think of that reality and just believed her or they didn't want to give truth to the thought. i want to say they genuinely didn't care either way tbh. they don't have a concept of death

dia wondering if phos confessed to cinnabar and that's why he doesn't like him or is like shit talking him is soooooo funny

AND BASED ON HIS FACE LMAOOO HE WAS HOPINGGG

cinnabar making a mini phos with the poison omgggg

"i wont call him a liar. not just yet" YOU'RE HOLDING OUT HOPE AHHHH

her being instead incorporated into the shell is so interesting

and she does just mold back together like nothing happened

AND SHE CAN TALK TO THE SLUG NOW AHHH

she really has changed