Month: December 2023

‘Zom100’ Came Home for the Holidays!

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Zom100: Bucket List of the Dead Eps. 10-12 Review

It’s been three months since the last episode of Zom100 came out, thanks to delays with production from behind the scenes. Many people despaired that one of the year’s best anime would never be finished. However, after three months of hiatus, Akira is back for the holidays! When we last left off, he and his friends had settled in his secluded hometown in the mountains, safe from the zombies. Unfortunately, their oasis was about to become a battlefield thanks to another quartet looking to do whatever they wanted. Unlike Akira, though, this group wants to hurt everyone around them! It’s up to Akira and the others to save his home in this three-part finale!

Getting to Know Everyone in Akira’s Hometown

At this point, Akira, Kencho, Shizuka, and Beatrix have integrated themselves into Akira’s hometown. Akira is helping his parents work in the field. Kencho has taken to trying to cheer up a little girl named Angie, who lost her parents. Beatrix has learned more about how the villagers keep the zombies out. As for Shizuka, she works as the village’s unofficial doctor. As a kid, she always wanted to study medicine and become a doctor, but her dirtbag wouldn’t let her because it wouldn’t be a high-paying job, which doesn’t make sense. After all, being a doctor is one of the best-paying jobs in the world. 

All this downtime allows everyone to relax and bond with the villagers and other refugees. Akira, in particular, tries to devise a way to repay his parents for everything they’ve done for him. As someone lucky enough to still have both his parents, it’s a sentiment I can greatly relate to. Plenty of kids give up so much for the sake of their kids, and not every kid can fully repay or express that gratitude while they still have a chance. It’s a genuinely wholesome moment and one I enjoyed getting to see.

It’s too bad the moment gets ruined by a group that’s the yin to Akira and his friend’s yang, who open the barrier, keeping the zombies out so they can destroy the village.

Higurashi and his Group of Haters 

Meet Kanta Higurashi, a 24-year-old shut-in and the anti-Akira. Like Akira, his life before the zombies was terrible, with no friends, family, or job. This made him bitter at the world and blame everyone else for how his life turned out. Thus, when the apocalypse happened, he decided to indulge in everything he wanted and found others who wanted to do the same thing. In other words, he’s a mirror version of Akira.

Here’s the difference, though. The problems that Akira and his friends had before the zombies came were external, resulting from things that weren’t always in their control (bad job and worse boss, bad Dad, etc.) Higurashi’s group? As the zombies come pouring in and each member of Akira’s group has to fight a member of Higurashi’s group, it becomes clear that most of their gripes are self-inflicted.

  • Kurasugi hated his wife because she always complained about him never being there for her. In reality, though, he failed to put in the effort that came to a successful marriage, expecting his wife to do everything for him and ask for nothing in return. That’s not how marriage works!
  • Atenbou (who tries to French kiss Shizuka) complains he’s had bad luck, but it was due to his lazy and careless nature. I.E., he forgot to put out his cigarette in the restaurant he worked in, which burned down.
  • This woman named Kanbayashi got fired from her job, but it was because she had an overbearing attitude, insisted she was always right, and was generally a Karen.

Thankfully, Akira’s friends all beat each other while shutting down their arguments about why they’re jerks.

  • Shizuka points out how Atenbou’s lack of care for anyone but himself means his bad luck is self-inflicted. Then, she helped all the elderly people capture him.
  • Kencho outsmarts Kurasagi by diving into a cesspit to hide himself from the zombies. Gross, but effective.
  • Beatrix shuts down the water mill, providing power to the electric fence, trapping everyone, and points out the fact that so many different cultures and ways of thinking in the world mean that no one can be right about everyone. She’s then eaten by zombies instead of crushed by a water wheel.

As for Akira, he outsmarts Higurashi by disguising himself as a zombie to get close enough to pin him. Higurashi (who went to college with Akira and Kencho) then breaks down in tears and complains about how miserable his life has been.

Happiness is Something that Has to be Worked for

As sad as it is to see Higurashi cry about how miserable his life was, like his friends, a lot of his misery was self-inflicted. While his introverted nature did make it hard for him to reach out to anyone, it wasn’t like no one tried to. Akira did offer to befriend him in college, but his fear and loathing at how carefree Akira seemed to be led to him refusing this offer. 

According to T.V. Tropes, Higurashi is a deconstruction of the NEET archetype that’s become popular in many skis. Unlike someone like Rudeus Greyrat, who puts in the effort to be a better person, Higurashi doesn’t. He gave up on the world, so the world gave up on him and led him to what he is today. Unfortunately, Higurashi gets bitten by a zombie amidst his epiphany, denying the chance for a redemption arc. Instead, he sacrifices himself to lure the zombies away.

On to the Next Adventure

In the end, everyone’s able to escape the zombies, seal back in the tunnel, and rebuild the village. And, though I’m not sure if it’s shown onscreen, Atenbou’s the only one still alive and works to help rebuild and make amends. The bigger question, though, is what Akira and the others will do now. 

As it turns out, Akira’s father is suffering from a painful illness. The good news is it’s hemorrhoids, something a doctor can take care of. The bad news is that zombies make that pretty hard. Not wanting to let his Dad die this way, Akira comes up with a new goal: find the cure for the virus.

In almost every zombie story, one of the top priorities for survivors is to find a cure for whatever’s creating the zombies. Barring that, it’s trying to get them under control and rebuild society. Thus, the fact that Akira wants to eventually find some way of ending the zombie apocalypse is kind of expected. Given who he is, though, some people might not believe Akira can be the guy who could save Japan or the world if it’s spread that far. However, I think he might be able to do it.

No, really. Akira might be the guy who saves the world. He’s outgoing and friendly, bringing out the best in others and inspiring them to be better. If he managed to win over Shizuka as he did, then he might be able to get everyone to unite and stop the outbreak.

Thus, Akira, Kencho, Shizuka, and Beatrix all head out on their next adventure: finding a cure for the plague and completing more on their now-shared bucket list. Thus, the first season of Zom100 came to an end. 

A Season Two on the Horizon?

I will be upfront about this: I want to see a second season of Zom100 under better circumstances.

This anime is one of the best out of 2023; there’s no denying that. The problem is that it was plagued by production issues that led to delays and more. As a result, much of the hype around this amazing series started to fizzle out. This is sad; I’ve taken to read the manga, and it’s pretty good. This anime has much more potential, and I hope it continues. Until then, though, I will enjoy what we’ve gotten.

Happy Holidays!

I Give “Hometown of the Dead Pts 1-3” a 4.5/5. Each

‘One Piece’ Getting a Remake from Studio Wit

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2024 Shall Be the Year of One Piece๏ปฟ

This year, One Piece fans got to eat well. Next year, One Piece fans will be eating even better than before. 

One Piece is a modern-day epic that few can measure up to. It’s a story about following your dreams and living life to the fullest. And right now, it’s more popular than ever. It’s the latest film earned big money in North America. Luffy got his balloon at this year’s Macyโ€™s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The live-action Netflix series broke the curse of lousy live-action adaptations. And when Crunchyroll posts clips from the anime on YouTube, they trend. Bottom line, One Piece is more popular than ever. And next year, it’s going to get even better. 

Early One Piece is getting a Remake

Next year marks the 25th birthday of the One Piece anime, and it will be commemorated In a big way. In an announcement on Twitter, Netflix announced that they would be remaking the anime from the start. More importantly, instead of being made by Toei, this remake, named The One Piece, will be produced by Studio Wit. Wit is renowned for creating the first three seasons of Attack on Titan. More recently, it’s also Co-animated another popular Shonen anime, Spy x Family, alongside CloverWorks. 

This is big news for One Piece fans. Despite being more popular than ever, One Piece can still intimidate a lot of potential fans from enjoying it. At 1,100+ chapters and 1,078+ episodes long, it takes a lot of dedication for newcomers to work through. Even factoring in the movies that abridge some of the earlier arcs, it will still take a while to get through! An ongoing fan project, One Pace, cuts out much of the filler and padding by Toei, but it’s still long.

This remake offers a chance to retell the earliest days of One Piece better than ever. With updated animation in the vein of Attack on Titan and the ability to not include filler, One Piece can retell its early days and attract even more fans. 

In Other One Piece News

In addition to the remake, there are plenty of other things that One Piece fans have to celebrate going into 2024. In January 2024, Netflix will be debuting the ONA Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation. Based on a one-shot One Piece mangaka Eichiro Oda created in 1994, the ONA tells the story of the Samurai Ryuma as he travels his country and fights powerful monsters. It’s also a story that’s been retroactively added to the timeline of One Piece, so this is official lore.

There’s more: The live-action One Piece series is getting a second season. Making huge waves in the summer of 2023, the series broke the trend of bad live-action adaptations of popular anime. It helps that Oda actively guided production, and Netflix listened to him. 

Lastly, January 7th will mark the animeโ€™s official start to the Egghead Island Arc. Currently ongoing in the manga, this arc has already seen multiple jaw-dropping moments and reveals that fans are eating up:

  • The official introduction to the mysterious Dr. Vegapunk. 
  • The backstory of the enigmatic Bartholomew Kuma
  • The rapidly changing status and allegiance of several named characters.
  • Confirmation that one of the most hotly anticipated locations in the series is imminent.

The bottom line is that now is a great time to be a One Piece. With the series directly into its final saga, it’s the perfect time for people to participate in this legendary story. One Piece could go down as one of the greatest stories ever told. Stories like it only come once in a generation or even generations. 

Itsuki Gets Curb-Stomped by Rishia

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The Rising of the Shield Hero S3, Ep 11 Review

At this point, it should be obvious that the Four Cardinal Heroes are in need of some serious therapy. None of them were mentally ready to handle getting summoned and told that they’re heroes meant to save the world. Now, Motoyasu can only see women as talking pigs except for Filo (who he now stalks like crazy.) Ren went through his bandit phase after losing his party and getting conned by Witch. Naofumi’s the most stable of them thanks to making friends he can trust. But Itsuki might be in the worst state of them all. He’s so in denial over the fact that he’s wrong that he’s letting Witch string him along.

Man, Witch sucks.

Itsuki Has Started to Lose It.

From the start of the episode, it’s clear that Itsuki has started going off the deep end. He’s mentally monologuing about how he’s on the side of justice. He’s telling himself that he’s not inferior to anyone and denying the fact that he’s messed up a lot. Then when he sees that Naofumi’s behind his match with Rishia and that he brought all the Demihuman kids, he accuses him of gathering more slaves and using them for money and profit. Then, he tries to attack Naofumi, putting everyone’s lives in danger in the process!

It becomes apparent to everyone, especially the viewers, that Itsuki is not in the best state of mind. And we get a glimpse into just how deep-rooted these issues he has are. In his world, an alternate Japan where people could have psyhic powers, he wanted to be a hero, but then he found out that he wasn’t as strong as he thought he was. Unlike Deku, though, Itsuki never got the chance to become stronger; he just got bullied and made to think that he was weak. 

Then he got summoned to Melromarc and told by everyone that he was one of the people meant to save their world. He had an entire country brown-nosing him, and that went too much to his head. Because when you’ve spent your entire life being told you’re not special, you’re willing to believe those who sing your praises, no matter their intentions or sincerity. Thus, like the other Heroes, he fell for Witch’s lies hook, line, and sinker.

Thankfully, Rishia is there to give him a reality check.

Rishia is a True Friend

Rishia is probably the only person who genuinely believed in Itsuki from the start. He saved her from imprisonment, so she followed him and admired his sense of justice…until he threw her out. Now that’s started to overcome her own inescurities and become a badass, she’s ready to help Itsuki in this time of need. And help her she does.

The fight between Rishia and Itsuki is less of a fight and more of a one-sided curb-stomping. Despite being in the thrall of the cursed Bow, Rishia still manages to curb-stomp him. To rub further salt in the wound, Rishia also criticizes his views on justice. Itsuki thinks his form of justice is the only form of justice, but that’s untrue. By its nature, Justice is different between person to person, culture to culture. One groupโ€™s idea of justice is anotherโ€™s idea of tyranny. The fact that Itsukiโ€™s refusing to acknowledge this doesn’t make him a hero; just a self-righteous bully. 

It gets to the point where even Itsukiโ€™s Bow gets tired of its wielders nonsense, and gives its power to Rishia to end things. She does, but Itsuki still refuses to listen to reason and runs off to find Witch.

Itsuki is a Broken Shell

What happens next surprises no one but Itsuki. Witch and the rest of his So-called partyโ€™s long gone. They spent all that money he won on themselves and left him with a Mountain of debts, utterly breaking him.

It’s not fully explained in the anime, but the light novels reveal that whatโ€™s happened to Itsuki is even worse than people thought. Because he used the Cursed Series of his Bow, the Pride Bow, he’s lost his free will. As a result, the sight at the end of Rishia leading Itsuki is because of PTSD. He can no longer do anything without being ordered to do so. It’s that bad.

The only consolationโ€™s here are the fact that Itsuki is with someone who actually cares about his well-being. The Four Heroes are now United under Naofumi. And they now have an army of strong companions to help them. Things seem to be looking up. 

Since there’s only one episode left this season, I’m waiting to see how things go wrong again. 

I Give “Justice vs. Justice” a 4/5

Raphtalia Must Be Protected at All Costs!

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The Rising of the Shield Hero S3 Ep 12

Raphtalia is one of the best waifus in the history of the Isekai genre. She’s beautiful, kind, and strong, and she was the big reason that Naofumi never entirely gave into the despair from his early days as the Shield Hero. While Naofumi either ignores or remains oblivious that she’s in love with him (for now), he will still go to war against anyone who would hurt her. That is precisely what happens in the final episode of this season of Shield Hero. When an entire country targets Raphtalia for reasons straight out of Game of Thrones, Naofumi marches to war.

A Ridiculous Misunderstanding

Having spent the entire season tracking down the three Cardinal Heroes and setting them straight, things seem to finally be going right for Naofumi. The Heroes are cooperating, Lulorona Village is flourishing despite some setbacks, and everyone’s getting stronger. Gaelion’s even started teaching Naofumi, Raphtalia, and Sadeena how to use Dragon Veins. Things finally seem to be doing well for the Shield Hero.

Then, due to a ridiculous misunderstanding, the Heroes get caught in another conflict.

It all started when Naofumi asked Erhard to make Raphtalia a Miko Outfit based on the one she wore in Glass’ world. While the anime doesn’t explain why he did this, the Light Novel’s do: because he thought she looked cute. It was for cosplay, plain and simple. However, when Sadeena comes back and sees Raphtalia wearing it, she freaks out and begs her to take it off.

Then, all hell breaks loose as the village comes under attack from demihuman ninjas.

Q’Ten Lo and their Stupidity 

The ninjas prove tough enough to fight on even ground with the Cardinal and Vassal Heroes, cancelling their powers. It takes everyone’s help to take them down, but then they blow themselves up before they can talk. And the whole time, they were going about “Heavenly Emperor” and not letting Raphtalia claim it. Thankfully, no one dies, but one kid’s left in bad shape.

Afterwards, Sadeena took everyone aside and explained everything. To the east of Melromarc is the country of Q’Ten Lo, which is a stand-in for Feudal Japan, complete with an Emperor and isolationist policies. In the past, the royal family went through a whole Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon scenario, fighting and killing to decide the next Heavenly Emperor. By the time the dust settled, only two people were left, and one of them was Raphtalia’s father. He and her Mom didn’t want to get involved in that nonsense, so they bailed and moved to Melromarc before she was born. Sadeena, whose family had guarded the royal family for generations, went with them. In other words, Raphtalia is a Princess, and those assassin’s tried to kill her to prevent her from claiming the throne.

It turns out, the Q’Ten Lo government had had assassin’s watching Raphtalia and her parents all her life, ready to kill her at a moment’s notice. And when they saw her wearing that miko outfit, they misunderstood it for her gunning for the throne and overreacted by picking a fight with her and the Cardinal Heroes. Like idiots. Like a bunch of idiots. 

A Pissed off Naofumi Goes to War

So, let’s look at the evidence:

  1. A bunch of Assassin’s overreacted to Raphtalia’s innocent cosplaying (because Naofumi thought she looked cute.)
  2. They attacked Raphtalia, her village, and the people in it.
  3. They tried to kill three of the Cardinal Heroes, the one’s supposed to save their world from the Waves, which would screw over everyone.
  4. By doing so, they risked an international incident with Melromarc.

The thing that Naofumi cares the most about, though? These people knew about everything that Raphtalia went through. Losing her parents to the Waves. How she and her friends got enslaved with many of them dying. They knew about everything she went through before she met Naofumi and since, and didn’t do a thing to help her. 

Naofumi’s response: he’s going to war. 

While revenge is a part of Naofumi’s decision (and in this case, an understandable response), there’s logic behind it. This country was willing to kill the people meant to save their world for reasons that, in the grand scheme of things, are incredibly petty and stupid. In addition, the Phoenix, the next of the beasts after the Spirit Tortoise, will revive in two months. They can’t afford to be distracted like this. So, Naofumi tells everyone present that they’re headed to Q’ten Lo to put their leaders in their place. However, to get there, they must first travel to the one nation Q’ten Lo interacts with: Siltvelt. AKA, the land that worships the Shield Hero like a God. Thus, the season ends with Naofumi flying ahead on Gaelion to give the others a spot to teleport. 

Things are about to get Game of Thrones in here.

The Next Season Should be Fun

Full disclosure: I’m a fan of stories that have political intrigue in the vein of Game of Thrones. Since the show ended, though, I’ve also come to love these stories for another reason: to laugh at how trivial, petty, and stupid the scheming is.

No, really. After seeing how badly Westeros was ravaged from people fighting over a throne that, in the end, no one claimed, made me realize how pointless the whole thing was. Especially given how the entire thing took place while an army of ice zombies gathered in the far north. Replace the White Walkers with the Waves of Catastrophe and the Phoenix, and the Shield Hero deals with the same thing. They’re ready to destroy the world, and idiots in power are playing politics. And unlike Jon Snow, Naofumi has far less tolerance for their nonsense.

So, whenever the next season comes around, we’ll see Naofumi going to the country that worships him and then overthrowing a country dumb enough to make an enemy out of him. Not a bad way to end the season.

As for the season, it doesn’t quite reach the height of excitement that the first season did. Nor did it have quite as interesting a premise as the second season (even if several factors ruined it). However, this season feels like it was meant to be a breather before a potentially big storm. The storm in question being what will go down in Q’ten Lo.

I’m looking forward to it, regardless. 

Also, I’m with Naofumi on this. Anyone who tries to hurt Raphtalia will suffer. Like these two.

Chainsaw Man is Getting a Movie!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime , , , , , , , , ,

Chainsaw Man fans are going to eat well soon. They’re getting a movie soon.

Chainsaw Man is one of the hottest Shonen series out right now, and for good reason. Part of a recent wave of dark Shonen manga and anime, Chainsaw Man has taken the world by storm. Set in an alternate 1990s Japan in which Devils are real and the manifestations of mankindโ€™s fears, Chainsaw Man tells the story of Denji. After getting killed by his Yakuza handlers, Denji fuses with his Devil companion, Pochita, to become Chainsaw Man. Now he works as a Devil Hunter for the government hunting down other Devils in exchange for good food, a roof over his headโ€ฆand the promise of getting laid. 

Chainsaw Man isn’t like previous Shonen hits, and it shows. It’s dark, gritty, and filled with so much blood and gore that it would make concerned parents faint from shock. Thus, it’s pretty popular and liked by people in the Shonen demographic and adults who technically outgrew it. The anime was released in Fall 2022, and much like the manga, it was immensely popular. While the reviews for the anime on this blog were critical towards the end, one cannot deny that Chainsaw Man is good. And while thereโ€™s no word on when Season Two comes out, the movie will continue the story with the Bomb Girl arc.

In the manga, the Bomb Girl Arc takes place in the wake of the Katana Man Arc. As Denji continues his duties as a Public Safety Devil Hunter, he seemingly meets the girl of his dreams, Reze. However, even those who have watched the anime know that when good things happen to Denji, they tend to get ripped away from him. Hard. And that’s all I’m going to say without spoiling anything.

I don’t know when this will come out of if it will be out in theaters. However, if it’s released in theaters, I’m going to want to see it on the big screen. Regardless of whatever problems I might have had with the anime, I can’t deny how great Chainsaw Man is. It’s going to be fun!

A Founder’s Thoughts with D.J. Lewis: Naruto 220…

Aside D&A Anime Blog Anime, Anime Conventions, Blog Updates, Filler Posts

Time. It’s the one thing we don’t get enough of, and the one thing we always wish we had more of. For many of us we feel like if we had more time to do the things we like, we would feel a greater sense of joy and less stress in our daily lives. However life can throw you a curveball when you least expect it, and now you have to make adjustments in the time you spend to those things you like to do. There’s one other thing about time that secretly scares many of us; it always moves forward. This post isn’t really about time, but its more like…its time to move on.

If you’ve noticed by the title, I indeed do have a Naruto episode reference that talks about the 220th episode of the first half of the series. That is the series finale where Naruto leaves the Hidden Leaf with Jiraiya for about 2 years and 6 months. Well…as for me and D&A, let’s just say I’m on that ‘Naruto 220 Type Beat’.

In 2016 Aaron and I made the decision to go on this crazy ride, to become one of the best anime blog/websites out there in the U.S. and the world. Our first anime convention was Animore in Baltimore, MD during its first year on January 11, 2016. From there we would go to various other conventions; such as Zenkaikon, Otakon (our original convention), SaikuCon, and Thy Geekdom Con. Just this year we made appearances at Stellar Con, PuchiCon, and Ocean City Comic Con. Around January 2020 we were receiving reports of the first few cases of coronavirus in the U.S., however it didn’t really start hitting close to home until March of that year. We spent the next two years with no in-person conventions, so we made a podcast on Youtube called “Nerdz of the Decade”, to help us keep our sanity while also nerding out about anime and video games.

It was also around this time that we wanted to take what we do seriously, and start a business. I’ll admit, at first I was a bit confused due to the fact that when we started this, we really didn’t have any intention of it going as far as it did. So adjustments were made and we backed away from the convention circuit until Fall 2023; when we made our return to cons through Stellar Con, PuchiCon, and Ocean City Comic Con. Even though a part of me was happy being back on the circuit…it didn’t really feel the same. Although I was among cosplayers and other anime fans, the ambiance was a little different. Maybe it could be with conventions marketing and targeting a younger demographic, old heads like myself have either stopped going to those “family-friendly” cons, or just went to some of the afterparties held offsite from some of the semi-major/major cons.

Maybe that’s where I’m at. Maybe its time to chill from the con circuit for awhile. Maybe its time to acknowledge that fact that I’m having a “Naruto 220” moment, and depart for a new chapter in my life as an anime nerd. If it means I gotta peace out from D&A, then that’s what I’ll have to do. I know last time was really a hiatus to get my head together, but this time is much different. Aaron and I are still friends, and he’ll always have my back no matter where I go or end up on this new chapter. The blog and business will still be here, it’ll just be under new management. For those who want to become contributors, you can still hit up our “Contact Us” page.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank each and every one of you guys for making this journey with D&A a fun one. Perhaps somewhere down the line we may cross paths again. I may be out the door, but make sure you support Aaron as he goes on his new venture in making D&A one of the best businesses out there. This is D.J. Lewis on his “Naruto 220” saying thank you, and stay nerdy!

Itsuki Needs to Get Some Sense Knocked Into Him

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews , , , , , , , , ,

The Rising of the Shield Hero S3 Ep 10 Review

Two Cardinal Heroes down, one to go. Naofumi managed to find Ren and Motoyasu and, more or less, got them under control. However, there’s still one Hero unaccounted for: Itsuki, the Bow Hero obsessed with being this symbol of “Hidden Justice.” Or, in other words, he’s a kid who’s trying too hard to be Batman, but he’s coming off as Red Hood or Damian. If Naofumi and the others want to help Itsuki, talking won’t work for him. They’ll have to use force, no matter how much his former companion, Rishia, might not like it.

It’s worth it. He needs to get taken down a peg for his own good.

“Perfect Hidden Justice” Sounds So Cringe

Thanks to the Gaelion debacle, Naofumi sends Filo and Melty out to gain more levels to compensate for the loss. Beyond that, though, life in Naofumi’s village has returned to normal. The peace proves short-lived, though, when S’yne (conveniently away fighting in the arena) returns with surprising news: she’s found Itsuki.ย 

Ever since the Spirit Tortoise incident, Itsuki has handled things very poorly. Rather than figure out what he did wrong, he decided to double down on his negative traits and step into full-on cringe territory. Now he’s fighting in the arenas as the gladiator “Perfect Hidden Justice,” a name everyone agrees is cringe. Worse, when Rishia tries to talk to him, he slaps her out of the way, much to everyone’s disgust.

Itsuki’s Paradoxical Hero Complex

This is something other than what gets touched upon in the anime, but web and light novels gave us greater insight into the character of the Three Cardinal Heroes. In Itsuki’s case, he’s a contradiction. On the one hand, he wants to be like Batman or Spider-Man and deliver justice from the shadows. On the other hand, he also wants people to sing his praises and to look cool while saving the day. This contradiction makes him very ineffective as a hero; he has a bunch of insecurities, and unlike Naofumi, he’s not with people with his best interests at heart. At least not anymore. Now, he’s working with the personification of the corrupt elite, Witch. She and the rest of his party have him fight in the arena to get money to save slave children. However, no, but Itsuki buys that. Witch is using the cash for herself.

What’s incredibly frustrating about this is that Itsuki should have no excuse to listen to Witch. He knows that she framed Naofumi; the slave crest the Queen put on her made it clear she’s a liar. Yet she continues to get away with this well past the point where she can. Either she’s got a silver tongue on the level of Starscream, or the Heroes mental states are so fragile since the Spirit Tortoise that they’ll listen to anyone who says anything nice to them. 

It also doesn’t help that Itsuki’s unlocked his cursed series for his bow.

Rishia Steps Up to Knock Some Sense into Itsuki

So, to recap, Itsuki’s unlocked his cursed bow and is being strung along by the Witch. He’s entirely given in to his delusions of being a Batman, but he’s coming off as a Damian or Red Hood. And he’s using an alias that sounds like an edge-lord would come up with. As Atla points out, there’s only one way to make Itsuki see reason: they have to beat him up. 

There are better solutions than this, but it’s their best. When people can’t see eye-to-eye or reason in real life and fiction, settling things with fists and weapons might be the only option left. It’s like when Naruto had to defeat Sasuke at the end ofย Narutoย to get him to see reason. Except in this case, Rishia is Naruto, and Itsuki is Sasuke.ย 

The decision to have Rishia fight Itsuki is important on several levels. Rishia has always struggled with self-esteem, which Itsuki and his party made worse. She’s grown more substantial and more confident since Naofumi’s group took her in, but beating Itsuki will prove to herself how strong she’s gotten. Additionally, losing to the person he thought was weak might be the reality check Itsuki needs. 

Gearing Up For the Season Finale

This episode was a pause for what was to come. Itsuki is the last of the three heroes Naofumi needs to help see sense, thus the toughest. Motoyasu buckled after Witch, and the other girls turned their backs on him. Ren went through that bandit phase, but Eclair beat him and Wyndia helped him start to come to terms with his past mistakes. However, Itsuki pushed away the one person who could help him, Rishia. Now, Rishia needs to beat him to bring him to his senses. It happens a lot in anime, but the emotional weight of a friend fighting another friend to save them from themselves works. 

There are only two episodes left in the season, and I’m hoping that the next episode gives us a good showing. It’s time for Itsuki to get help, whether he wants it or not. That, and his alias is super-cringe.

I Give “Perfect Hidden Justice” a 4/5

‘The Boy and the Heron’ is a Heartfelt look at Miyazaki’s Childhood

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime , , , , ,

“The Boy and the Heron” Review

When I was a kid in 2006, I remember watching Cartoon Network and seeing a commercial for a month-long event that Toonami would be putting on called “A Month of Miyazaki.” Every week, Toonami would air one film made by Hayao Miyazaki, and while I only watched Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind in its entirety, the event left a lasting impact on me. From then on, I became a fan of Hayao Miyazaki, one of the greatest minds in animation history. Combining thought-provoking themes and ideas with otherworldly animation, I became a huge fan of Miyazaki. So when I heard that he was coming out of retirement to make one more film, I knew that I had to go and see it in theaters. And while it doesn’t have the high stakes of Nausicaa or Princess Mononoke, The Boy and The Heron is an excellent film for one reason: it’s personal for Miyazaki.

Miyazaki’s First Memories Are of Fire

At its core,ย The Boy and the Heronย is a story about grief and how we deal with it. Taking place in Japan in the middle of World War II, the film centers around Mahito, a young boy who, after losing his mother to the carnage, is forced to move with his Father to their Mom’s family home in the country. While trying to deal with the massive upheaval in his life, Mahito stumbles upon the ruins of an abandoned tower. More importantly, though, he runs into a gray heron that seems determined to annoy him. However, things take a turn when the Heron begins to speak, telling him to go to the tower if he wants to see his Mom again. From there, Mahito gets isekaied into a strange and magical world that will test him in more ways than one.

When I first read the synopsis to this movie, one thought went through my mind: this movie is different. It contains most of the hallmarks found in Miyazaki’s other films. The abhorrence of war and the affect it has on people isn’t absent from the movie. However, rather than being focused exclusively on that or about why we should protect the environment,ย The Boy and the Heronย deals mainly with coping with grief. While he didn’t lose his parents during World War II like Mahito lost his mother, the latter’s relationship is meant to parallel the one Miyazaki had with his Mom. Mahito adored his mother, and after seeing her die, he retreats into himself to cope with the loss. In a way, his eventual decision to travel into the other world via the tower is merely an extension of that retreat inward.

Don’t Get Too Sucked into a Fantasy World

Part of the reason why the Isekai genre is so popular is because it’s a form of extreme escapism. When things in life aren’t going the way we want, we tend to start wishing we could be living someplace more interesting. It’s a coping mechanism to help us get through rough times in our lives. Thus, it should come as no surprise that when Mahito thinks he can get his mom back, he doesn’t hesitate to follow the Heron into the tower. Unfortunately, though, he quickly realizes that there are some things that we can’t get back, no matter how much we may want them. While the events of the film see Mahito accept that what he’s lost is gone forever (his Mom), he shouldn’t let his grief blind him to what he still has.

As Mahito realizes throughout the film, he still has people in his life that he cares about. Case in point, there’s his Mom’s younger sister, now married to his dad and carrying his child. At first, Mahito acts cold to her, seeing her as a poor attempt to replace his own mom. By the end of the film, though, Mahito understands that his Aunt isn’t trying to replace her sister. More likely, she’s suffering just as much as he and his father are, and that they all need to stick together on this.

If this is the Swan Song of Miyazaki, then it is Glorious!

Now, the film can get a little out there, even by the standards of a Miyazaki film, and it doesn’t always make its message clear. However, when you look at from the perspective of Miyazaki himself and his own life, things get a little clearer. The start of his life wasn’t easy, and he had to witness things no one should see at such a young age. But instead of letting them drag him down, he embraced life’s positives rather than the negatives. Mahito could allow his mother’s death and his Dad marrying her sister make him bitter and resentful, but by the film’s end, he chooses to embrace his new family. In other words, he’s saying we can choose to be better than the world we live in. And by doing so, we can help make the world a little better for the next generation. 

While I wouldn’t rate this as among Miyazaki’s best films, I can’t deny that it probably holds a lot of significance to him. If this is truly going to be his swan song, then its best for him to tell a story inspired by his own life. And in this regard, The Boy and the Heron soars. It’s one of the best films of the year.

I Give “The Boy and the Heron” a 4.5/5

Convention Reviews with D.J. Lewis: Ocean City Comic-Con!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Anime Conventions, Con Appearances, D&A Studios, Filler Posts

In the fifteen years that I’ve been attending anime and gaming conventions; a lot has changed in terms of demographic, atmosphere, quality, and structure. I think about the time I went to Otakon in 2008, and how much the convention scene has changed since then. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy that there are more conventions now than ever that fans can go to; thanks to anime being among the mainstream ranks (even to the point where we now have Luffy alongside Goku, in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade). However a part of me misses those ‘grass roots’ fundamentals that conventions used to have; where there was a greater emphasis on the art, passion, fandom, and creativity found in the medium itself. Basically, a part of me misses the days when conventions used to be about the ‘Art’, and less about the ‘Celebrity’!

One thing I’ve noticed since the pandemic ended (sort of), is the rise of more traditional anime and comic conventions. Back in 2022 I had the opportunity to attend Stellar Con in Bel-Air, MD. It reminded me so much of comic conventions back in the early 2000’s; with a more chill out and laxed vibe compared to modern conventions. I returned again in 2023 alongside my D&A partner, Aaron Goldman, and with a little bit of networking, I suddenly found myself on the road to another convention located in Ocean City, Maryland. This…was Ocean City Comic Con.

Ocean City Comic Con 2023

The last time I was here in Ocean City, “Who Let The Dogs Out?!” was the hit of the Summer! I had a small feeling that if there was a small population of nerds in the Eastern Shore, they would probably be in Ocean City. (And somehow I was right!) We were able to make our first appearance as Press for this convention thanks to being invited by the convention chair/owner, and I gotta say, we had an amazing time! It really felt like Baltimore Comic-Con with a bit of a modern-retro twist; meaning that there was a mixture of old school and new school fans across all fandoms.

Of course when it comes to conventions being held at convention centers, one of the biggest gripes fans have is ‘Line-Con’. This ‘convention’ comes with the territory so there’s no way of absolutely avoiding it (unless you’re Press or VIP), but with OCCC (Ocean City Comic Con) they really had the line structure well put together. I wish there was a better way to explain that, but let’s just say they did a great job keeping the line moving, while making sure everyone got in safely.

There were vendors, guests, and artists galore! There really wasn’t a dull moment found inside this con at all. In fact I’d say that I got the same feeling from this convention, as I did when I attended Stellar Con – only magnified! Fans from all ages and fandoms were in attendance (with anime rep only coming in second to Marvel and DC), as the staff was really cool and laid back.ย 

So, What Else About Ocean City Comic-Con?

After touring through the Dealer’s Room/Artist Alley, we found ourselves in a couple of panels. The programming of the panels was actually pretty good and had variety, so whether you were a Star Wars geek or an anime nerd, there was always something going on for you to check out. If there was one gripe I have about Ocean City Comic Con, I wish it was longer than just one day, but it looks like my prayers have been answered, because 2024’s convention will now be 2 days long!

I never really thought about Maryland’s Eastern Shore being a nerd culture destination, but with Ocean City having both an anime convention (as well as its very own comic-con), it allows ‘The Bay’ to wave its own flag and embrace its nerdy side. I’m a bit excited to see where this convention goes now that its growing into a two-day venture, and somewhere in the mix we hope to be a part of that journey.

All in all, this is a convention that you’re going to love!

Until next post, stay nerdy! ๐Ÿ˜‰ย  ย 

Dragon Emperor Dungeon Boss Fight

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews , , , , , , , , ,

The Rising of the Shield Hero S3 Ep 9 Review

Last week, things weren’t looking good for Naofumi and his allies. Their baby dragon, Gaelion, got possessed by the spirits of two angry adults. Filo’s being used as an unwilling battery as they drain her levels like a parasite. The whole group’s barely hanging on against this pseudo-dungeon boss. And like the boss to any dungeon in an MMORPG, everyone has to work together to slay the dragon.

This might be among the best fights of the entire season.

First Step to Beating the Boss: Find the Weakspot

With the Dragon Emperor bearing down on them with its flames, Naofumi’s barely able to keep everyone alive. It’s only thanks to a well-placed attack by Atla that they managed to escape with their lives. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that by the next day, the dragon will have drained all of Filo’s XP. To make matters worse, Atla, the only one who can hurt it, can’t do so without risking her own life. As everyone regroups and re-strategizes, though, we get a better look at her past through flashbacks.

Gaelion Was a Great Dad

As Wyndia explained, Gaelion is her adoptive father; her biological father died from injuries while (likely) fleeing slavers or persecution. He only lived long enough to tell Gaelion her name.

What follows is one of the most genuinely heartwarming moments of the season. There are a plethora of examples of real-life babies raised by animals, and while Gaelion’s considered sentient, he still counts. Seeing him try in vain to soothe a crying baby Wyndia with raw fish (and treasure) is something plenty of dad’s can relate to. And seeing Wyndia imitate Gaelion’s roar tugs at the heartstrings. It goes a long way to show how important they were to each other, and only makes what happened all the more tragic.

There is a point to this flashback, though. Wyndia remembers that she accidentally discovered her Dad’s weak-spot: an upside-down scale on his chest.

So now, they have to hit that.

Might Not be an MMORPG, But It can Still Play Like One

Shield Hero has made no attempts to hide its MMORPG influences from day one; that’s a known fact. At the same time, it’s also made it clear that, while some aspects of it function like an MMORPG, real life is still real life, as the heroes have all had to learn. In the case of fights like the one against the reborn Dragon Emperor, though, the show knows how to play its roots to its advantage.

Anyone who’s played MMO’s like World of Warcraft, Star Wars: the Old Republic, and more know what the final boss of a dungeon’s like. It’s a fight that tests them to their limits and requires perfect teamwork and not pulling a Leeroy Jenkins. Thankfully, not only did Naofumi’s group come to play, but so did the animation.

The fight that follows, while not quite as tense as the previous episode, makes up for things with letting everyone get at least one good hit in. However, despite everything, it’s not until Atla and Fohl show up that the tide truly turns. It shows that the studio put much of its budget into Atla’s final attack, because it is breathtaking to watch.

In the end, Naofumi and others manage to free Gaelion jr. and Filo from the Dragon Emperor, and Sadeena rips its core out. Boss fight won!

They’ve Got a Dragon Now!

So, despite having to say goodbye to her father for a second time, Wyndia manages to make peace with what happened, and starts to forgive Ren. The show makes it no secret that had Ren known the truth, he wouldn’t have fought Gaelion. Thus, it’s satisfying when afterwards, Naofumi tells the villagers, “you all duped Ren into killing that dragon for its treasure and steal his daughter. You brought this on yourself and got what you deserved.” Knowing what he can do to people who make him mad, they got off easy. It’s also satisfying to see Wyndia take the first steps to healing by thanking Ren for saving her.

Except the OG Gaelion isn’t gone for good. Part of his soul’s now rooming in Gaelion Jr.’s body, which he asks Naofumi to keep quiet about. Sadly for Filo, Jr isn’t giving the XP back, and who can blame him? He can turn into a dragon big enough for the heroes to ride!

Thus, the Sword Hero manages to make amends for one of his biggest mistakes, but the season’s not done yet. Itsuki’s still MIA, and the title for next week’s episode makes it clear the search for him’s about to start. 

This could be the hardest attempt yet.

I Give “Emperor Dragon” a 4.5/5