Soul Eater, Vol. 4

ソウルイーター [Soul Eater] #4

by Atsushi Ohkubo

At Maka's request, she and Soul meet with Doctor Stein for an intensive tutoring session. Although Stein warns that they may never be able to resonate again if they fail to complete the training, Maka insists, desperate to become stronger so that Soul is never hurt again. But Soul's strange nightmares have made him reluctant to seek power, and his unwillingness to share his fears only frustrates his partner. With their soul wavelengths pulling apart, will Maka and Soul be able to come together when danger emerges on their next assignment?

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Shonen, Comics, Comics Manga, Action

208 pages, Paperback

First published August 22, 2005

About the author

OHKUBO Atsushi

Atsushi Ōkubo ( 大久保篤), also romanized as Atsushi Ohkubo, is a Japanese manga author and fantasy artist known for his work on the manga series Soul Eater, which has been adapted into an anime. Okubo worked as an assistant under Rando Ayamine, on the manga series Get Backers. He also created artwork for various cards for the Lord of Vermillion game.

Atsushi Ōkubo was not a model student and was more attracted to drawing than to learning. At the age of 20, after finishing studies at a manga school where he met Rando Ayamine, the author of Get Backers, he became Rando Ayamine's assistant for two years. Finally, he won a competition at Square Enix's Gangan magazine with his first manga series B.Ichi and it was published for four volumes. After the end of his last manga, he created Soul Eater, still for Square Enix's Gangan magazine, which brought him worldwide success.

Reviews

[Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yo ya estoy enamorado de los personajes y que me hagan reír todo el rato. Es el pico alto de comedia voluntaria muy bien hecho.

Las escenas son súper naturales y aunque sé que es un shonen y las peleas también son emocionantes lo que me está dando la vida ahora mismo son el día a día y las relaciones entre todos ellos.

Me he disfrutado el capítulo del examen escrito muchísimo. Y la parte de Kid y las gemelas en el barco.

[Mary ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

WEREWOLVES
THAT'S THE ONLY THING I HAVE TO SAY

[cherish𝜗𝜚⋆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

•*⁀➷ 5 ✰

i want to hug chrona sooo bad. such a misunderstood character fs

[Ronald · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh, its been too long I don't remember any of this from the anime.
Kid Death is such an idiot, he let all those innocent souls die. I don't even with Maka & Soul.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
When it comes to Crona, I don't think there's a fictional character I've wanted to hug more.

[﹔rhyan ᥫ᭡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

꒰ ☆☆☆☆☆ ꒱

﹔‶i will be stronger.″


°*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚

honestly the soma angst is sooooo real like soul is being such an idiot i need them to be happy already

multiple times during this volume kid made actually laugh out loud what do you mean he took A MONTH to perfect tweezing liz's eyebrows HELPPP

stein sniffing out medusa almost immediately SO REAL GET HER ASS STEIN !!!!



extra quotes

﹔‶power... when it comes within your grasp, do you know how to use it? where is hell? do you know? ... it's inside your head.″

﹔‶if you really want to lose your fear, strengthen your soul.″

[Nakarem]

Just random comments but;
I wanna protect Maka - also there was not enough Tsubaki.
And Patty, Liz and Kidd; amazing trio.
Ohhh and did I get that right that the one guy with a normal died? (Or did he really..?)

[Grace, Queen of Crows and Tomes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great volume! This one was completely action packed and also funny!! We also get to see some of the things that Medusa has been working on. Can't wait to read the next one!

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

[Lory Blanco (areaderheart) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

[smalls · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️❤️❤️❤️ black star. so silly <3

[Blake the Book Eater · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fights and the character interactions are getting better. But it’s still missing that X factor for me.

[J.P. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Them taking the test has always been one of my favorite episodes.

[Mélaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Medusa et Stein.........

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Summary:

In a world where witches, minions, and tainted souls exist, there must also be those that stand against them. These people are known as Weapon Meisters and their Weapons. They are charged with devouring tainted souls and protecting the world.

We all learn differently. This is true even for the characters of Soul Eater. Maka is the studious type. Soul is the cool type. Black⋆Star is well... Black⋆Star. You get the drift. Yet Maka is determined to get stronger than ever, if only to protect Soul from getting hurt again.

My Review:

Man. I had forgotten how emotional Soul Eater Vol. 4 is. It still hits hard in the feels, even all these years later. Don't worry! I promise there's plenty of humor to balance out all those emotional notes.

No really. This is probably the first volume of my re-read that had me bursting with laughter. I had forgotten about a specific character and his penchant for swearing (following a spell he messed up, naturally). It absolutely tickled me.

Soul Eater Vol. 4 pushes forward the main narrative while teasing several other elements. We have everything going on with Doctor Stein and Medusa, the corrupted blood plot, etc. I've listed several arcs and elements, which doesn't cover everything in this volume. It's a lot! And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Highlights:
Shinigami
Paranormal
Humorous
Has an Anime

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[jzmcdaisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Soul Eater anime is what got me back into the medium. I grew up watching Sailor Moon and Pokémon, but when I grew into a tween, I said I didn’t like anime in order to fit in with other kids at school. Kids are going to be shitty to each other whether they like it or not, so my efforts were fruitless. By the time I was a senior in high school, I stopped trying to make myself palatable to others and focused on being happy. Took me a bit, but getting back into the stuff I really enjoyed helped a lot with self-acceptance. Soul Eater isn’t the best anime OR manga, but it was instrumental in allowing myself to like things that I like.

I liked the show, but its disappointing Power of Friendship ending directed me towards the manga. Overall, I’d say the 25-volume series is better, even though it diverts pretty hard from the anime about halfway through. The end of the anime focused more on the Kishin’s threat to the school. The end of the manga however focused on the corruption of Justin and Stein and Maka’s effort to learn Genie Hunter. I liked the manga more, but the resolution of the series goes from Maka learning one slash to her learning, well, a bigger slash. My biggest criticism of Shonen series is its reliance on tropes.

What I like about both series is the resonance part of the story. I’ll admit that Soul Eater stands out from other series like Blue Exorcist because of its fun worldbuilding and rules. The meister-weapon pairings are all about characters with differences coming together to confront their world’s problems. While I think the manga explores this more than the anime, it still has some of the same filler pitfalls that other series do. I think the gender-swap escapade that gives Blackstar tits embodies this more than anything else. Still, I recommend Soul Eater to anyone who wants a solid, above average manga with some flaws.

[Katherine Velasquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

We see the frog witch help out Medusa set free the man who stole the head witches eye
He names himself free and attacks Maka, soul, black*star, and tsubaki
Makas and souls wavelength are out of sync and ends up burning Makas hands
Soul is able to force their wavelengths but causing Maka to have black blood
Medusa gives her some ‘herbal’ medicine to help
But really is to aim to speed the process of the blood
Stein catches her though both keep their cover
Stein sends sid to her house and ends up caught in an explosion

[Miss Ryoko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5

I really am enjoying this series! It's super interesting and fun. And.... I think Dr. Stein is now my new favorite... though Maka's dad is pretty great too!

I really like all the characters, and it has a good balance of seriousness and silliness. And at the end of each volume, I can't wait to see what happens next!

Also, Ohkubo-san seems like a hilarious guy with his bonus manga. He's just the best.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a perfect continuation of the story. Everyone gets their little moment to shine and they do not disappoint. Soul and Maka are making me nervous with this black blood business. I need them to be okay since they're pretty much soul mates. Black Star and Death the Kid were both hilarious are ever. I think they're overdue for another main story line.

[Kat (Lost in Neverland) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best of the series so far! Three stories, two of which were hilarious, and one of which was a complete 'Death the Kid adventure'. :D

[Julie Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Medusa uses Eruka to free a prisoner from the witch jail. Surrounded by prison guards, the prisoner shows why he is no ordinary man. Back at DWMA, Maka tells Soul, to his dismay, that she has requested special tutoring from Dr. Stein. Stein warns them that if they fail, they may never be able to match soul wavelengths again. But Maka decides to take the risk, wanting to get stronger so she will never put Soul into danger again. When Stein tells them what they need to do, it sounds simple in theory, but doesn’t exactly work out that way.

Make, Soul, Black Star, and Tsubaki are in London! While attempting to cross a bridge, they encounter the escaped prisoner, who’s now working for Medusa. They realize he is on Shinigami’s list, so think their assignment is off to a good start. But this man isn’t what he seems, and he is stronger than they think! Medusa watches from the sideline, waiting to see how Soul’s black blood will react to the situation.

Stein warns his students that it is almost time for his “ultimate written exam”, which is required for meisters and weapons alike. Some students are more excited than others, and Maka is determined to rise to the top of her class. Unknown to her, her father is sending her “good luck” vibes. Maka finds getting Soul to study is difficult at best, while Black Star’s methods leave something to be desired. As far as Death the Kid is concerned, he has no need to study because he’s a Shinigami.

Death the Kid and his father are in a rowboat being rowed by the Thompson Sisters investigating the sighting of a mysterious black dragon that has apparently bitten off part of the Baltic coast! They come upon an old ratty ship, the ghost ship Nidhogg, and the pursuit is on! Presuming this is the terrifying Black Dragon, Kid and the girls board the ship ready to do battle. In the process, they learn disturbing news concerning the DWMA.

Maka confides in Dr. Medusa her concerns regarding the black blood she coughed up, but Medusa assures her all is well and offers her some medicine. Stein may be on to her. Suspicious, he sends Sid to investigate her, which doesn’t end well. Kid tries to speak to his father of his concerns, but that doesn’t go well either.

I love the humor in Soul Eater, and I love the characters Atsushi Ohkubo has created. I even think Maka’s dad is cute, although very flaky and unreliable. Soul and Black Star are goofy and immature, but they are both good boys underneath it all. Maka and Tsubaki provide the stability in their lives. I like Death the Kid too, even if he has issues of his own. I liked the adventure with Kid and the Thompson sisters on the ship. I think it’s the first time, I haven’t seen him leave the scene to check on a supposed asymmetry.

The arc with Medusa continues, Now that they seem to be on to her, hopefully they can take measures to counter everything she’s done or plans to do. We see Crona and Ragnarok again. Hopefully we’ll see the end of all of them soon, including this new guy, Free. I’m sure there will be other villains, of course.

Another good volume of Soul Eater, looking forward to the next one!

[Daniel Shellenbarger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several memorable episodes in this volume: Maka, Soul, Black Starr, and Tsubaki face the immortal goofy bumbling (but very powerful) werewolf Free while Maka and Soul are feuding, endangering their ability to work as a team; the crew has to study (or attempt to cheat) in preparation for the Ultimate Meister-Weapon Exam (with comic results); Kid, Liz, and Patti go hunting for the Ghost Ship Nidhogg in the Baltic after it devoured a coastal village and end up in a confrontation with Crona and Ragnarok; and Stein and Sid make a move against Medusa, suspecting her of being a witch and worried over her interest in Maka and Soul. I decided to add the horror tag to the series. It's something I've been wrestling with with each volume. It's not hardcore horror by any means, but although it's pretty easy-going about it, there's frequently mass-deaths going on just off page (or on page obscured by clouds or VFX art) with both heroes and villains killing others to consume their souls, and there's some body-horror stuff as some of the stuff the witches are up to can have nasty effects, again mostly played in a cartoonish way, but the more I thought about it the more I figured that despite the usually breezy comic tone of the series, it really does frequently go to some dark places, hence the tag. This volume provided the material for some of my favorite episodes from the anime series and it didn't disappoint. Free is that most difficult of villains to actually carry out, someone who is simultaneously legitimately funny (and not in a Joker "funny" way) and terrifyingly dangerous. Any time we get a Kid, Liz, and Patti on their own episode it's gonna be a good time because the three of them are all so delightfully quirky in their own ways (Kid is EXTREME OCD/perfectionist, Liz is comparatively sensible but also a scaredy-cat, and Patty is endlessly cheerful but also just plain nuts in an "I'm just gonna do whatever pops into my head" sort of way) and Ohkubo makes great use of that weird dynamic for comic effect. Similarly, the Ultimate Meister-Weapon Exam is a great opportunity for Ohkubo to play out his comic sensibilities as each of the characters deals with the exam in their own unique way (my favorite is definitely Patty, cheerfully turning her exam sheet into a 3d model of a giraffe (somehow) and then abruptly fighting it to the death). All that comedy was probably a deliberate move by the mangaka to get it out of his system before the next arc which is far more serious in tone as Medusa and her minions are about to make their move on the DWMA.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soul Eater, Vol. 4 continues where the previous tankōbon left off and contains the next five chapters (10–14) of the on-going manga series.

Medusa enlists the immortal werewolf Free to test the black blood in Soul Evans. Maka Albarn and Soul Evans defeat Free, but Maka Albarn discovers that she has been infected with Soul Evans' black blood as well.

The Death Weapon Meister Academy (DWMA) students have a major examination which Soul Evan, Black Star, and Death the Kid fail miserably, though Maka Albarn scores the highest in the class. Death the Kid, Liz and Patty Thompson are dispatched to investigate the living ship Niddhogg, which has been stealing human souls.

Crona and Ragnarok arrive and absorb all the souls on board the ship before retreating despite Death the Kid's best efforts, but not before warning was given to him about one of the DWMA's darkest secrets.

This tankōbon is written and illustrated by Atsushi Ōkubo. It mainly focuses on the three main protagonists Maka Albarn, Black Star, and Death the Kid as they and their partners tries to pass their remedial lessons – but failing rather spectacularly. The second half of the tankōbon has Death the Kid and his partners Liz and Patty Thompson to investigate Niddhogg, a living ship, but only to come a tad too late as Crona and Ragnorok has already devoured their souls.

All in all, Soul Eater, Vol. 4 is a wonderful continuation to a series that seems really intriguing and I can't wait to read more.

[˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚HIATUS˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

And now we're at the point of which I hoped for. A new way of taking in this story, without having some... unpleasant setbacks.
I liked this volume. It has both Crona and Death the Kid in the same chapter, how could I not love it? And having Crona call Maka "Usagi-chan" is just the cutest thing ever. On a more serious note, I like the small philosophical statements that were inserted into this volume. It actually helps in my opinion to understand these characters' motivations and ways of thinking. Death the Kid wishes for a "neat and tidy" \ "symmetrical" world, and finds the balance between good and evil to be necessary for this balance. That would make him Lawful Neutral, no? Although he does lean into the Lawful Good section, I think it would be wrong to call him that.
For Crona, his whole solitude from other people makes the whole "you would never understand me" thing actually fit really well. Even if a character could theoretically understand Crona, Crona is so isolated into themselves, that this understanding would never reach them. They need to see someone as their equal before they could fully believe in this understanding. That could never happen with Kid, because he IS superior in many ways even to the other main characters, so if Crona finds himself inferior\misunderstood by Maka, he would never find that feeling in Kid. He wouldn't find it in Black Star either, I believe.
Anyways, time for the ball chapter, aka the "Stein tries to convince himself he isn't gay" chapter. Oh and also the end of the world, probably.

[Ellyn → Allonsythornraxx · Rating 3 out of 5]

31/08/2025
3.25 ⭐
Every single volume I'll be enjoying myself, and then BAM, a boobs jumpscare will take me completely out of the volume!

✨ 144/100 read for 100 Graphics in a Year Reading Challenge ✨ + Graphicsathon 24 Hour Readathon ⏰

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[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book in the series of soul eater pretty good it had lots of action scenes but it kinda made up for it with quite a bit of changing character relationships and revealing more of the upcoming story. Chapter 3 or 12 was more of a filler chapter and I would have liked it more if that wasn't in the book or they added something of greater importance into it something to get out of it. Like at least properly introduce us to a new character that they mentioned for a brief moment. But it was okay the things I didn't like were masked by the good things so that makes it good because some people like the things I don't so good book overall.

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

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I Might be a Sci-Fi Girlie 💫 -- August Wrap Up || 14 books!

4.5 stars~

Oh hell yeah, we’re officially diving into the long game plot and I am HERE FOR IT. Maka and Soul’s struggling relationship makes me root for them all the more and Kid’s investigation into the plot has me so excited.

[Sandra Girard-Demontigny · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** Absolutely not for children
Wow seriously I'm completely crazy about this series. I really like the fantastic universe that we find in story. I can't wait to read the next book. I just hope Soul's nightmares won't come true!

*** Absolument pas pour les enfants
Wow sérieusement je suis complètement folle de cette série. J'aime beaucoup l'univers fantastique que nous retrouvons dans l'hisoire. J'ai tellement hâte de lire le prochain tome. J'espère simplement que les cauchemards se Soul ne deviendront pas réalité !

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still following the anime pretty closely thus far so that's cool.

Medusa, wanting to test the black blood in soul, has her witch minion free a werewolf so that soul and maka can fight it.

There's a major exam going to happen for the students and we go through their various ways of preparing. Maka passes with being #1 and since spirit doesn't think Maka will take a gift from him, he enlists the cat blair for help and it goes wrong.

Death the kid, Liz and patty are tasked with investing a ghost ship and run into Crona and Ragnarok.

On to the next book.

[Lili · Rating 4 out of 5]

J’ai vraiment adoré! Je devrais lire plus de ses mangas car ils sont simples à trouver et vraiment bons. Je ne pensais pas que j’allais aimer à cause du style de dessin mais finalement il ne me dérange pas trop. Maka est un personnage principal vraiment attachant loin du personnage principal typique de manga un peu ennuyant. J’aime moins la partie combat de soul Eater et à certains moments je ne comprends rien du tout. Le chapitre de l’examen était mon préféré c’était juste une compilation de désastre.