Year: 2024

Panzy, New Party Member, Acquired!

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Dragon Ball Daima Ep 5 Review

Last time on Dragon Ball Daima, the trip of Goku, Shin, and Glorio witnessed the cruelty of Gomah’s reign first-hand as they extorted a village for their money. Or worse, for their very life essence. Thankfully, a mysterious little girl with a penchant for engineering provided enough of a distraction for Goku to do his thing. The question is, who is this girl who seems oddly similar to the likes of Bulma? Fans, meet Panzy, the next party member and the Demon Realm’s equivalent to Bulma…in more ways than one.

Meet Panzy, the New Bulma

After escaping the hopeless soldiers in the village, Goku’s party gets a formal introduction to the mysterious girl seen in the OP and ED, Panzy. A native of the Third Demon World, Panzy is, for lack of a better term, a younger version of Bulma. Young being subjective here, since we learn that Demons can live a thousand years. At 82 years old, she’s basically the human/saiyan equivalent of an 8-year-old.

Regardless of her age, though, I wasn’t joking when comparing her to Bulma. She’s incredibly smart, resourceful, and extroverted for someone her age, being the one who made her failed bombs that she tried to use. She’s also able to get the group a faster route to the castle they’re headed to, which her father rules.

Did we not mention that she’s a princess? Bulma may not be a princess (unless being married to Vegeta counts,) but with how rich she is, she might as well be! The only difference between her and Panzy is that Panzy has magic telekinesis!

A Good Old-Fashioned Goku Beatdown

At any rate, now that they’re at the castle, it’s revealed that Panzy’s father, Kadan, hired Glorio to bring the guy who beat Majin Buu to him. This was so that that person could defeat King Gomah and allow Kadan to become the new Demon King. While the man may be a bit arrogant, even offering to let Goku marry Panzy (lol), given what we remember about Dabura and what we’ve seen of Gomah, he’d be an improvement.

Speaking of Gomah, we get an update as to what he’s doing. Instead of holding Dende captive, he’s treating him like he would any baby: with love and care. Granted, it’s pretty obvious he’s only raising him so that when he gets big again, he can make Gomah more Dragon Balls.

https://twitter.com/DbsHype/status/1854935719590199610

At any rate, Kadan is obviously unsure as to how strong Goku is given his current state. So, he has Goku fight the entire castle garrison on his own. What follows is a…well I wouldn’t even call it a fight for Goku. It’s more like him just getting a warm-up in as he wipes the floor with the soldiers. In the episode’s best moment, he even flexes by briefly assuming his Super Saiyan form just for the heck of it!

https://twitter.com/DbsHype/status/1854942373866090639

As someone who binge-watched the original Dragon Ball online during high school, this fight was incredibly nostalgic for me. It harkens back to the days when Goku fought enemies like the Red Ribbon Army on his own or with his friends. Good times!

By the end of the episode, Kadan gives his full support to the group as they set off on the next leg of their journey, giving them a new plane to use in the process. They even offer to leave a message for the second group of Vegeta, Bulma, and Piccolo that will be following them. The most significant thing that happens, though, is that Panzy decides to join the group as their fourth party member.

New Party Member Acquired

This entire episode easily cements Panzy as the best girl of Daima. Everything about her reminds viewers of how Goku and Bulma’s friendship formed in the early days, and it looks like history will repeat with him and Panzy. Unfortunately, the group’s bad luck doesn’t seem to let up. First, Shin continues to think that Glorio is sus. Secondly, their plane goes down as they’re headed to…wherever it is they’re going to. It looks like this is going to be one of those long Shonen series.

https://twitter.com/DbsHype/status/1854951424377151938

Who cares, though? That just means more Dragon Ball for everyone! Great introduction to a new character who will no doubt become a waifu.

I Give “Panzy” a 4.5/5

Naruto is What the World Needs Right Now

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime REvisited, Dubs & Subs , , , , , , , , , ,

Remember Naruto 10 Years After his Series Ended

November 10th, 2014 was an important day in my life. Not because I hit an important milestone or something good happened, but because a story that I had been following for the last nine years had ended. On that day, Naruto, one of the greatest Shonen manga of all time, came to an end as we saw that our guy, Naruto Uzumaki, had finally achieved his dream of becoming Hokage.

I learned about Naruto in 2005 when the English Dub made its way onto Toonami in the Fall. And while I thought the series was pretty interesting, it still took me a while to get into it. It didn’t help that I kept missing a few episodes or that more than half of the original series was filler. It wasn’t until I was in Middle School or High School that I became a hardcore fan, watching most of the episodes and reading the manga weekly. It became one of my favorite things when I went to lunch. I would go to the library, find a computer, and just read the newest chapter on whatever website I could find. And I’m pretty sure I almost cried on the day that the last chapter came out. These characters, who started no older than me, were now all grown-up and living their best lives, raising their own families and everything. And I went to my journal (I wrote in a journal then) and just poured out all my thoughts and feelings about the ending.

Growing Up in Unprecedented Times

I think the reason that I grew to like Naruto so much was not just because of the story or the flashy moves, but because of the message that I felt that it was trying to teach us. When we’re kids, we tend to see things as pretty black-and-white, good and bad, that sort of thing. As we get older, most of us tend to realize that things aren’t often as simple as they appear to be. Good people like Itachi can be forced to do terrible things to prevent something worse. Those with the best intentions can wind up being broken by the pain and suffering we all experience through life, just like Obito and Nagato. And some people just wind up being hated and spat on for reasons that they simply don’t understand, just like Naruto. The boy was born the son of the Hokage, but not only did he lose his parents within hours of his birth, but he didn’t even know they were his parents until he was in his teens. And everyone treated him like trash for something that, as the Third Hokage pointed out, should’ve been seen as a hero for. The world wasn’t always fair like that!

Such Pointless Hatred

I didn’t start getting full-time into Naruto until my teens, but I found it at the right time in my life. Because that was around the time when I began to realize just how bad the world could be for some people. I was reading up all these history books talking about atrocities like the Holocaust and all this other stuff, and I couldn’t understand why these people were being treated so harshly for, what I saw, the most trivial of reasons. And this wasn’t just an issue of the past, either. It was something that was affecting our world in the present day. Flash forward to a few years after the end of Naruto, and it seems like people are more divided than ever! People are being divided on all sorts of lines! And for my life, I still don’t get why everyone is making such a big deal about it. I understand rationally why there’s so much hate and discord. People are afraid of that which they don’t understand. We’re so scared of losing the things that we have because someone else is going to come and take them. We’re afraid that that new neighbor who moved here from another country will hurt us or our loved ones. And sometimes that does happen, causing that fear and pain to morph into hate. And that hatred leads us to continue the cycle of pain and hurt others in the process.  

I understand that, but I don’t accept it.

Naruto himself would learn that all too well when he lost his master and father-figure, Jiraya. He was motivated to avenge his master, especially when he realized that his killer was once Jiraya’s own student. And that need for revenge almost made him succumb to his dark side until the fail-safe his Dad left brought him to his senses. Afterwards, instead of just killing Pain, he chose to hear out how his life fell apart and what made him the way he was. And while he understood why Pain became the way he did, and still wanted to make him pay for hurting his loved ones, he chose not to. He decided to spare Pain’s life, and that mercy and empathy led Pain to undo everything he did, albeit at the cost of his own life.

We All Need to be Nicer to Each Other

Naruto had always been a person who was capable of great empathy, because he knew what it’s like to be treated like garbage. But this was the moment when he really started working towards finding a way to end the hate that seemed to plague his world. He didn’t know how he would do it, but he knew he had to do it. Granted, many people have complained about his “Talk no Jutsu” over the years and called it a cop-out. And it can be a bit of a cop-out at times. The way I see it, though, Naruto is just really good at trying to find the good in other people, no matter who they are.

https://twitter.com/GreninjaGoat/status/1854530070217470123

I know that Naruto isn’t always the most realistic of characters because of how he views the world, but then I remember just what his world is like, and what our world is like. More and more people are living in fear and hatred of each other, and given current events, it might even feel like there’s no hope for the world. As bad as things are, and I know that they can get worse, I don’t want to give up hope that they can get better. When enough people realize that’s it better to love each other rather than hate each other, then we can change the world for the better. I know that many people may feel like they don’t have a place in this world, but they can’t let themselves think like that. They need to keep working towards making things better. And maybe, when enough of us come together to do so, we can end up changing things for the better.

Just look at what Naruto was able to do by the end of his series. He had managed to unite the majority of his world together through his empathy and kindness. Through his sheer tenacity, he managed to slap some sense into Sasuke and made him turn his life around. And it looked like the world was on the way to becoming a better place.

Choose to Follow Naruto’s Example

Granted, Boruto has shown that that’s not the case, and many people hate the series for that. But no matter how great you are, you can’t expect to solve all the world’s problems in your lifetime. But if you manage to pass on your ideals to the next generation, they can continue what you started. And right now, our generation is in the position to do just that.

Our generation came of age in very uncertain times, and it feels like things have only gotten worse. But, as bad as things are, I still hear stories about people going out and doing things to try and make the world a better place. It may not seem like much, but all those small acts of love and kindness can add up to something greater. And right now, the world needs more love and compassion.

So, as we celebrate ten years since the end of Naruto, I’ve gone back and reflected on the message behind the entire series. What Masashi Kishimoto was trying to do was teach kids the importance of hard work and never giving up on our dreams. That we should not hate each other, but learn to understand one another. And from that understanding, we can work together to build something more significant than we ever could on our own. With how the world is right now, heaven knows we need to remember that kind of message. This world needs more people like Naruto in it!

Happy belated birthday to Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto. It was an honor to get to see you at NYCC in 2015, even if I never got to speak to you!

https://twitter.com/NarutoVibe/status/1854916911651316002

More Worldbuilding for Demon Realm!

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Dragon Ball Daima Ep 4

Last time on Dragon Ball Daima, Goku, Glorio, and Superme Kai arrived in the Demon Realm, a dimension full of wonder and danger. Unfortunately, whatever plans they had to quickly track down Gomah and rescue Dende are derailed by the loss of Glorio’s plane. Now they have no choice but to proceed on foot. However, what’s unfortunate for them is fortunate for the viewers, as it lets this episode take the time to further explain how things in the Demon Realm work. From the methods people use to get around to how they enhance their strength, this episode does the best thing it can do for a land fans know nothing about: it keeps worldbuilding.

SOMEONE STOLE THEIR RIDE!!

Picking up right where the last episode ended, Goku, Glorio, and Supreme Kai have woken up to find that their plane is gone. The thugs that Goku humiliated at the bar stole it as payback. Given the urgency of their quest to get to Gomah, one would think recovering it would be a top priority. Instead, Glorio opts to take the unexpected route and decides they’ll continue on foot.

And before any viewers can point out that they can fly using ki, the show reveals it already thought ahead. The dense air of the area makes it difficult to fly for extended periods, leaving Goku and the others stuck on Terra Firma.

It might not seem like a big deal, but filling up this potential plot hole demonstrates how much forethought the people put into Daima. When Toei said that it would be returning Goku to his early days, they meant it! They’re doing everything to ensure that Goku can’t steamroll his way through their quest. That’s a sign of good writing!

Good Worldbuilding

As an added benefit to traveling on foot, the episode gets to continue the series’ worldbuilding efforts for the Demon Realm. Most notably, their stop at a tea shop for supplies demonstrates new story mechanics in the form of medicines. The Demon Realm has a medicine that serves as its equivalent to Senzu Beans, and a herb that can allow people to fuse together! Then immediately afterward, we get a new method of transportation in the form of giant, rocket-like seeds.

In one scene, we get introduced to the equivalent to two kinds of potions and a method of fast travel. At this point, there’s no point denying that JRPGs inspired Daima.

Covering Up the Plot Holes

In addition to introducing these story mechanics, another big piece of information we get involves the Dragon Balls of the Demon Realm. Viewers already know from listening to Gomah, but no one has been able to use the Demon Realm’s Dragon Balls because three guardians protect them. If they can’t beat these guardians, the Tamagami, they can’t have the Dragon Balls. It’s not a new concept, since GT had the Shadow Dragons near the end. But it still feels novel because solves an issue that I think many fans might have with the concept of the Dragon Balls:

“If the Dragon Balls are so easy for everyone to find, then why aren’t they protected to keep them out of unworthy hands?”

Keep in mind, when they were made, they were supposed to be hard to find, but Bulma creating the Dragon Radar made that pointless. Having their location known but protected by powerful warriors seems far safer. That, and it makes it seem like Daima is doing its best to make it so fans like TeamFourStar can’t point out its flaws.

A New Party Member Appears

At any rate, Goku’s need to fight powerful opponents makes the group change course to find the first Dragon Ball, and that leads to yet another bit of worldbuilding. In this case, we see just what the Demon Realm is like under Gomah’s rule, and it’s not good. The self-proclaimed king has his own army that he uses to extort villagers. They either forfeit what little money they have, or give up part of their life-span. It’s a sadistic choice that leads to suffering no matter what happens. Goku naturally steps in to fight the soldiers, but not before someone else does. A young girl that we’ve seen in the OP and ED for the series.

We don’t get her name in this episode, but judging by the title for the next episode, it’s pretty obvious that her name is Panzy. And if it’s not obvious by now, Toriyama based the names of the Demon Realm characters on puns involving flowers. The man was nothing if not consistent. And even though she only appears in the episode’s final act, it does a good of establishing her character. She’s brave and inventive, but her creations don’t always work the way she wants to. She’s like a younger version of Bulma, which could make for some interesting character dynamics in the future.

This episode might not be as action-oriented as some people would like, with most of the action taking place near the end, but that doesn’t make it a bad episode. Far from it; fans should appreciate the amount of worldbuilding Daima continues to give us. This is a story taking place in a realm that, until now, we know almost nothing about. I, for one, want to learn as much as possible about the Demon Realm. If that means that the story takes its time to get where it wants to go, so be it. It will be worth it in the end.

I Give “Chatty” a 4/5

A Danmachi Fanfic Where Bell Does Pick up Girls in a Dungeon

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Familia Myth: Journey to Hero Review

If there’s series that we here at the D&A Anime Blog love that isn’t Dragon Ball, it’s DanMachi: Is it Wrong to Pick up Girls in a Dungeon. It’s not hard to understand why. The characters are fun, the setting is good, and it one of the most popular anime waifu’s of the 2010s and 2020s, Hestia. With her cute looks, signature ribbon, and sweet nature, millions of people agree that Hestia is bestia. Unfortunately for shippers, her love for Bell seems doomed to be completely one-sided since Bell only has eyes for Ais Wallenstein. In fact, Bell has managed to win the affections of multiple girls, yet remains completely oblivious to this, no matter how blatantly obvious they are. At some point, it can become very grating!

What if there was a version of the story where Bell wasn’t that oblivious? More importantly, what if that story had Bell start off as more competent? As a result, he not only gets acknowledged much earlier, but things actually happen with the many possible ships in harbor Cranel. This is Familia Myth: Journey to Hero. AKA what happens when Bell actually lives up to the name of his series.

Warning: the following series will contain explicit content only suitable for mature audiences.

Name: Familia Myth: Journey to Hero

Type of Fanfic: AU

Written By: Kairomaru

Started: Dec 2021

Status: Ongoing

What if Bell Was More Competent from the Start

The basic premise to this AU fanfic is that Bell doesn’t set out for Orario until he’s 18 rather than 14. It might not seem like much, but most people will tell you that those four years can make all the difference in one’s capabilities. Bell takes being an adventurer more seriously since he’s older and wiser than in the canon. He actively takes notes and jots down all the advice that his advisor, Eina, gives him. This leaves him much more prepared to deal with the perils of the Dungeon, allowing him to establish himself as the ideal rookie adventurer.

Bell is also noticeably more confident in this story. For example, that one scene where Bete from the Loki Familia badmouths him at the bar. Instead of running away crying, he decides to order them a round of drinks but deliberately excludes Bete as punishment. It’s almost like someone had blessed Bell with bonus stats before he ever set foot in Orario…*sideways glance*

It’s not just Bell who’s a little smarter in this fanfic. While she mostly remains the same, lovable goddess/waifu as ever, Hestia is noticeably smarter with their money. After they get a few windfalls they don’t have in canon, she doesn’t blow it on luxuries, instead choosing to invest in real estate. Not only can the Hestia Familia renovate their old church, but they can also afford to rebuild the surrounding district into shops and homes where they can collect rent. So they start knocking off the heavy debt she accumulated faster than in canon. Other than that, though, Hestia remains the same top-tier waifu whose madly in love with Bell, especially after they start dating.

…wait, what?

Shippers, Rejoice!

Despite the series title being “Is it Wrong to Pick up Girls in a Dungeon,” Bell does little of the sort in the series. After being saved by Ais, Bell falls in love with her and makes it his goal to get strong enough to be worthy of dating her. It’s an admirable goal, but he’s so single-mindedly devoted to it that he ignores the advances of all the other women in his life. Even when best girl Hestia makes it obvious that she wants to date him, he’s either completely oblivious…or flat-out in denial of the fact.

Every single man and woman who enjoys the series and wishes they had a partner like Hestia in their lives has to have felt frustrated at least once watching Bell.

For better or worse, Familia Myth does away with that particular aspect of Bell’s character. In this story, not only is he aware of the feelings of the women in his life, but he reciprocates each and every one of them. He already starts dating Hestia before the first chapter is even done, and more girls begin to follow.

And before you ask, yes. The story gets explicit with what Bell and the other girls do. It’s sprinkled throughout the story, but at one point, we get an entire chapter largely focused on it. Hope you’re happy.

It’s a Good Read if You Like Danmachi

The story itself is a decent length by fanfic standards (though I’ve read incredibly long stories), but nowhere near as long as the actual series. To put things in perspective, it’s only starting to catch up to the beginning of season two. Given its status as an AU, though, there’s no telling how long it may end up going, or even if it finishes. Then again, it’s about the journey, not the destination. And given how this story allows for ample opportunities for fans to see Bell get with their chosen waifu, it’s a good journey. With DanMachi in the middle of its fifth season, I’d reccomend giving this a shot.

Also, this story has a TV Tropes page. The fact that people spent the time to make that is a testament to how good it can be.

Click Here to Read it on Fanfiction.Net

Click Here to Read it on A03

Momo and Okarun Play the Deadliest Game of Tag

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

Dan Da Dan Ep 4 Review

Remember playing tag with your friends on the playground? With all the running, jumping, and dodging involved, it must have seemed like the most epic thing in the world. But in the case of Momo and Okarun, it’s about to be the most epic thing in the world. In order to restore Okarun’s manhood and freedom, they need to get Turbo Granny outside the city. What follows has to be the most epic game of tag in the history of tag! Complete with ghosts, crab monsters, and outsmarting that would make a JoJo proud in the best episode yet.

OFF TO THE RACES!!

The episode goes full throttle right out of the gate and doesn’t let off the gas. After getting trapped in Turbo Granny’s tunnel, Momo follows Seiko’s advice and challenges the ghost to a game of tag. She falls for it, but right off the bat, TG cheats. First, she abuses the time she gives them for a headstart. Then, she tries to repossess Okarun, only to get trapped in him thanks to Momo’s powers. After that, things just escalate. A giant crab spirit chases them, an army of ghost possesses the bystanders to chase them. It’s complete and utter chaos!

If I had to compare this extended game of tag best, I would say it’s like a Stand Battle from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure on steroids, only sillier. One of the big draws of the fights in that series is that no two battles are similar, and in the end, it comes down to who’s smarter rather than stronger. Usually, it’s the heroes who have to do the outsmarting, and Okarun and Momo manage to outwit Turbo Granny several times. Joseph Joestar would be proud of them!

LET STUDIO SARU COOK!

As usual, Studio Saru cooked with the animation. The chase scenes are incredibly fluid and well-animated, and the brilliant and extensive use of the color red emphasizes how dangerous things are for the pair. In addition, there’s also the choice of music. At one point, the anime uses a remix of the famous “William Tell Overture” and “Galop Infernal”, AKA “The Can-Can Music.” In other words, we got two pieces of music most often associated with chaos in one incredible scene.

The action and climax to this episode were superb, but what the anime handles just as well is the aftermath. The defeat of Turbo Granny and her giant pet crab leads to both dissolving, with the crab turning into the spirits of murdered, teenage girls. Later, Seiko reveals that Turbo Granny had a habit of visiting sites where girls met violent deaths. The anime treats the whole thing somberly and with dignity. And then makes a joke about the trio eating crab for dinner, much to Okarun’s disgust.

They’re Still Friends

More importantly, though, with the curse seemingly over, it looks like Momo and Okarun no longer have a reason to spend time together. The episode baits us into thinking that the two are about to go their separate ways. However, as different as they are, the bond they forged is undeniable. So, they don’t deny it. They intend to stay friends, with the two cheerfully promising to see each other at school.

But, as the title for the next episode shows, their troubles are far from over! Poor Okarun!

This was by far the best episode of the series to date! The action, the comedy, the animation. Everything was amazing from start to finish!

I Give “Kicking Turbo Granny’s Ass” a 5/5

Granny Supremacy is Real in Dan Da Dan

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Dan Da Dan Ep 3 Review

In the Shonen genre, there are several golden rules that most series follow. One of the most prominent ones is that if a character is on the older side of the spectrum, they’ll tend to be super tough. Dragon Ball has Master Roshi, Part 3 of Jojo has Joseph Joestar, and One Piece has so many examples that it’s hard to keep track. And as of this episode of Dan Da Dan, that series has its own tough old woman in the form of Momo’s grandma, here to save her and Okarun from the wrath of Turbo Granny. Except she looks so young that it might be strangest thing in the series yet.

Yes, that includes the fact that ghosts and aliens are real! And yes, the Rule 34 fan artists will have a field day with Granny Ayase.

Meet Granny Seiko!

The episode’s cold opening serves as the series’ formal introduction to Seiko Ayase, Momo’s grandmother. At first glance, she seems to be every bit the fake psychic Momo thinks she is as she seems to get everything wrong about a famous celebrity. But before the intro even starts playing, we get to see just how wrong that assumption is.

Seiko’s introduction to the story was an absolute joy. She subverts everyone’s expectations. Instead of being a fake, she knows exactly what she’s doing by managing to trap Turbo Granny and get Okarun to a shrine to suppress the curse. Rather than looking like someone her age normally would, she looks young enough to be mistaken for Momo’s mom or sister. Even what she seemed to get wrong about that celebrity ended up right!

As tough and as smart as she may be (and no doubt fans will begin making fanart of her), Seiko has some depth to her. Her first interaction with Momo shows that her granddaughter calling her a fake hurt her far more deeply than the former thinks. After all, few things hurt more than a parent or guardian getting called a failure by their child. So seeing Momo get down on her knees and apologize for doubting her Granny is simultaneously satisfying and heartwarming to watch. They care about each other, regardless of their differences, including sharing Momo’s initial belief that aliens aren’t real.

Seiko does likes to tease her granddaughter about her growing feelings for Okarun, which are pretty obvious to everyone watching.

The Deadliest Game Awaits

At any rate, Granny Seiko explains the only way to stop Turbo Granny is to get her away from her stomping grounds to exorcise her. She wanted Momo and Okarun to wait a few days to train themselves, but that would mean Okarun can’t leave the shrine. Which leads to a hilarious scene when he has to race for the bathroom and the two women have to decide whether to let him go or not. Unfortunately, TG (Turbo Granny) decides to force their hands by demanding they come that night…or she’ll kill them all.

For all intents and purposes, this was a breather episode. The next episode is going to ramp the action back up to eleven as Okarun and Momo fight for their lives…and Okarun’s manhood. And given what we’ve seen from the action so far, I’m looking forward to seeing this confrontation!

I Give “A Granny vs. Granny Clash” a 3/5

Watch ‘Murder Drones’ for Halloween!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Blog Music, Halloween , , , , , ,

Why Murder Drones is a Perfect Watch for Halloween (and Anime Fans)

As an anime blog, we here at D&A Anime tend to talk about anime and anime-related topics. That being said, whenever we find a show or something else that’s interesting enough, we don’t mind bringing it up. And with the Halloween season now upon us and the need to find creepy, kooky, spooky and scary stuff to watch and play, now’s a good time to talk about one of the best indie horror comedy shows online: Murder Drones.

Produced by Australian-based indie studio Glitch Productions, Murder Drones debuted on YouTube back in October 2021. It ended its run in August of this year, racking up eight episodes with an average of 28 million views per video. The series and its line of merchandise have proven to be extremely popular, and while it’s not an anime, if you look hard enough, you can find some anime influences in it. More importantly, though, it can get genuinely scary; TV tropes even points out how each episode outside the finale pays homage to a different famous horror film.

So, why not talk about it?

The Basic Plot

A thousand years from now, humankind’s spread out across the stars to create an intergalactic society. And to help them run it, they’ve created autonomous robots to serve as an easy source of labor, the Worker Drones. Then one day, on the exoplanet Copper 9, the core collapsed and left the planet a frozen wasteland devoid of organic life.

After that happened, the Worker Drones managed to form their own society and become self-sufficient and free. However, in what seemed to be a reversal of the “man vs. machine conflict,” the rest of humanity decided to destroy the remaining Drones using Disassembly Drones. AKA Murder Drones, AKA the gun-toting, sword-wielding, nanite-acid-injecting robots that feast on Drone oil like vampires do with blood. So the Drones all decide to hide behind three massive doors to survive. Then one day, Uzi, a young, angsty, and rebellious teen Drone decides to venture outside to fight the Murder Drones, only to discover that they’re part of something much, much worse.

Uzi Reminds Me of Eren Yeager, but Angrier

While Murder Drones isn’t an anime, I should point out that the initial plot has many similarities to Attack on Titan. A group of people hiding behind giant barriers from a seemingly unstoppable enemy. A rebellious youth that wants to free their people and wipe out their enemies. Even the part where they discover they have an eldritch power that’s both a blessing and a curse. The main difference is that unlike Eren Yeager, Uzi Doorman quickly abandons her “kill the Murder Drones and then all humans” mentality. She’s got bigger fish to fry.

I think Uzi Doorman is what everyone thought people who liked anime were like before it went mainstream. She’s an angry, rebellious goth who likes wearing Hot Topic, listening to nightcore, and pirating anime. Like I said, what people thought of those who liked anime before it was cool. But as the show, other characters, and even herself point out, a lot of her baggage stems from abandoment issues stemming from losing her mom at a young age and her dad neglecting her.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have N, the Murder Drone that Uzi befriends. Despite being supposed to kill the Worker Drones, N is easily the nicest character on the show. It doesn’t take much for Uzi to get him to quit his so-called “mission” after she points out how he’s just being used by whoever sent him. The two of them form that odd “opposites attract” friendship that serves as the heart of the show and provides much of its comedy.

Murder Drones is a Homage to Horror

Do not be fooled, though. Underneath the witty one-liners, jokes, and fights that wouldn’t look out of place in RWBY or a shonen series, Murder Drones is still a horror series. As stated at the start, almost every episode runs the gauntlet of horror films. We’ve got Alien, Carrie, Friday the 13th, and The Exorcist, and there are a ton of other horror tropes in effect. And that’s not even including the mystery surrounding the origin of the Murder Drones. And the more that gets uncovered, the more you start to realize that it goes beyond a man vs. machine conflict. It crosses the border into cosmic horror on a Lovecraftian scale.

All eight episodes of Murder Drones are now up on YouTube. If you’re looking for something that’s got clever writing, great action, a deep mystery that will keep you on your toes, and will downright scare you, then you should watch it. It’s good for a binge session during the day!

Welcome to the Demon Realm, Goku!

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Dragon Ball Daima Ep 3 Review

Toriyama was a mangaka, but his work extended beyond the pages and ink. He was also a noteworthy name in the industry of video games, having been the character designer for some of the most popular RPGs ever. Chief among them, we have the famous Dragon Quest series, often considered the grandfather of JRPGs. I’m not sure if Toriyama intended to do so when writing the story for Daima before his passing, but the third episode makes it seem like the series will take some inspiration from Dragon Quest. Given how Toriyama helped give that series its distinctive look, this feels like another appropriate tribute to the man’s legacy. That, and it gives us some pretty funny moments.

Welcome to the Demon Realm

Having left Earth behind, the trio of Goku, Supreme Kai, and Glorio head to Warp-Sama, the entity that can give them passage to the Demon Realm. And from here, the episode largely becomes a means of providing lore and information about this new world we’re going to see. From the outset, the Demon Realm is as breathtaking as fans had hoped, with the area the trio head to carrying a distinct fantasy setting. To further emphasize how much of a handicap Goku will be getting on this adventure, we even learn that the air in certain areas is heavier than normal, making it hard to move. The anime wants to make Goku return to his early days by making it as hard as possible!

Given how he’s still Goku, though, he’s able to hold himself pretty well in a fight. Though that may have more to do with the fact that they’re still in the starting area of the Demon Realm.

In many ways, this episode does feel like the opening to a JRPG. We get our initial party of heroes setting out for the first town, we see some of the enemies they may have to face, as well as the mechanics behind how this world works. If Toriyama wanted to channel as much of Dragon Quest into Daima, then so far, it’s working.

Too bad the journey is already running into a few problems.

A Conflict Amongst the Demon Realm?

The episode makes it clear that the Demon Realm is a place that seems to be deeply divided, whether by nature or by design. There are actually three separate worlds that make up the Demon Realm (again, JRPG elements!), but the group has to start on the third and lowest one. In addition, it’s revealed that access to the higher worlds is restricted behind barriers with those from the lowest unable to visit. What’s more, when Glorio and Supreme Kai make conversation, they bring up how Shin’s people come from the 2nd world of the Demon Realm. That alone is a major retcon for the Supreme Kai’s origins, but that’s besides the point. The point is that both Shin and Glorio are weary of each other, indicating some issues that remain unresolved.

To be fair, though, we still know little about Glorio beyond him being the Dragon Ball version of the scoundrel archetype. He’s guarded, able to handle himself in a fight, and seems to be hiding something from the others. I can’t say that he’s untrustworthy, but I’m hoping being around Goku will get him to open up more.

Those Jerks Stole Their Ride

To round out why Toriyama seemed to be pulling from JRPGs, the party manages to get their first quest before the episode ends. That quest being that some thugs that Goku beat up retaliated by stealing their “Plane.” Guess they’re going to get sidetracked!

This was a slow but fun start to the actual series, and if they keep using the JRPG elements, then I think that Daima is going to be one of the best things Dragon Ball has done in a long, long time. Also, those thugs are going to be so sorry when they realize who they stole from.

I Give “Daima” a 4/5

ATTACK OF THE CHIBI GOKUS

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Dragon Ball Daima Ep 2 Review

Last time on Dragon Ball Daima, Goku and his friends were minding their business when the sky suddenly darkened. A trio of visitors from the Demon Realm had arrived to make a wish on the Earth’s Dragon Balls. Led by the new King of the Demon Realm, Gomah, who saw Goku as a threat, they wished for him and all his friends to be shrunk down to the size of kids! And now, we get to see the hilarious aftermath as Goku’s next adventure begins!

For all the fan artists out there, get your drawing utensils ready to draw the chibi doing silly stuff.

Cool Intro!

As the second episode marks the start of the series’s plot, it also marks the debut of the show’s OP, Jaka Jaan. And like many anime OPs tend to do, it hints at what to expect as the anime progresses. In this case, we get a good look at the Demon Realm, and the results are pretty promising. It seems that Toriyama did not skimp on making this new addition to his creation as unique as usual.

CHIBI DRAGON TEAM!

Picking up where the first episode left off, the episode wastes no time diving into the aftermath of Gomah’s wish. As he asked Shenron, everyone allied with Goku has shrunk to the size of pre-teens and babies. Seeing what everyone looks like as kids is entertaining enough, but how the characters react to it seals the deal for us. Bulma can’t help but admire how great she looks. Roshi wastes no time in enjoying his youth to hit on women. And the fact that no one recognizes Mr. Satan as a kid? Hilarious!

The good news is that Shenron refuses to grant any more wishes to Gomah, saying the extra ones are for repeat customers. The bad news? He and Degesu kidnap a now-baby, Dende, and take him back to the Demon Realm. Which somehow means that the group can’t use their Dragon Balls to undo everything

Typical Toriyama, retconning his own rules. I miss him.

The Demon Realm Awaits

At any rate, upon hearing the news, Goku and the others know they have to go after Gomah. If not because he’s planning something dangerous to get Dende back. Unfortunately, the Demon Realm is sealed off from the rest of the universe, and only a particular ship can make the journey there. The Supreme Kai has one, but it’s in such bad shape that it will take Bulma days to repair. Thankfully, that’s enough time for Goku to re-adjust to his new size, but whether or not he can control his transformations remains anyone’s guess. Thankfully, he might not need them yet, because there’s another weapon he can use: the Power Pole.

Return of the King!

The trailers at NYCC 2023 had already revealed that Goku would be taking the Power Pole out of retirement, so it wasn’t exactly a spoiler to see him get it back. However, it hits differently once we see Goku retrieve his old weapon from *Spoiler redacted because it’s too funny*. Toriyama meant for Daima to take the franchise back to its roots, including Goku being a character made in the image of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. And unlike when Dragon Ball made its journey to the West 20+ years ago, more Western viewers are likely to be aware of who Sun Wukong is.

At any rate, the entire episode is pretty laid-back, as despite the apparent trouble, none of the heroes are panicking. At least, until another resident of the Demon Realm shows up and tells him who they’re up against.

New Character Glorio Appears

Meet Glorio, the mysterious new character that will likely play an essential role in Daima. Little is known about him beyond that he seems to oppose Gomah and serves someone else in the Demon Realm. Whether he’s trustworthy or not is up in the air, but he does have a ship/plane to get Goku and Supreme Kai to the Demon Realm. Vegeta and the others will have to wait.

Like I said before, this episode is pretty laid-back, and that’s perfectly fine. Dragon Ball can be a slow burn at times. It’s still a funny episode, and the only issues I had are a few plot holes that I’m choosing to ignore because they would stop the fun adventure we’re about to have. The next episode will see us finally see what the Demon Realm looks like, and given what we see in the preview (and the ED), it seems like it will be interesting.

Also…this. Thank you, Toriyama.

I Give “Glorio” a 3.5/5

By the way, here were those plot holes:

  • Beyond using him as a hostage, how does kidnapping Dende keep the group from using Earth’s Dragon Balls?
  • If Gomah planned to shrink down everyone who’s allied with Goku, how come Korrin wasn’t affected?
  • Couldn’t Goku and the others just head to New Namek and ask Porunga to undo everything? Or would it be too soon?
  • Popo has horns?!?

I’m just saying.

Uzumaki is One of the Scariest Anime I’ve Ever Seen

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Uzumaki Mini-Series Review

During the spooky season of the year, I like to ignore my usual tendency to avoid horror and find things freak me out. The problem is that there’s still that upper limit of what I can tolerate before I get too scared to sleep. I’ve gotten better at pushing that limit as I’ve gotten older, but that’s just made me look for even scarier things. And whether by fate or by coincidence, I managed to learn about Uzumaki, a mini-series on Toonami and based on a popular manga that people said would be terrifying.

They were not lying. I watched all of Uzumaki, and it’s one of the scariest things I’ve seen in years. An absolute cosmic horror from which there seems to be no escape.

A Horror a Quarter-Century in the Making

An anime twenty-five years in the making, Uzumaki was published as a short manga from 1998-1999 by mangaka Junji Ito. For those who don’t know who that is, calling him the “Stephen King of Japan” should be enough of a hint. Set in the fictional, Japanese town of Kurouzu-Cho, Uzumaki tells the story of high-school couple Shuichi and Kirie as a mysterious curse related to spirals (Uzumaki literally means ‘Spiral’ in Japanese) begins to corrupt the town. And the longer it goes on, the worse it gets as the town is slowly transformed by something that no one can fully explain, but everyone comes to fear.

The Uzumaki is Everywhere

One would think that a curse involving something simple as spirals wouldn’t be so scary, but if there’s one thing that I’ve learned watching this, it’s that Junji Ito can find a way to make things scary. And as the anime demonstrates, he made spirals pretty scary.

From the first few seconds of the anime, you are inundated with the image of uzumaki, both real and imaginary, in the form of the clouds in the sky to the bark on a tree to even some blades of grass. Things only escalate from there. As the anime progresses, viewers and people in-universe will start to see uzumaki in everything. Even the very inhabitants of the town start to morph and transform into grotesque abominations to conform to the spiral. Before long, you’ll be sharing in the paranoia of Shuichi, the first guy to realize something’s wrong yet refuses to get out while he can because of his family and girlfriend.

The brilliant part of this is the fact that the spiral is both natural and supernatural in nature. Spiral patterns are often found in nature in everything from shells to our fingerprints to even the part of our ear that helps us stay balanced. Spirals are also found in art and architecture, as though people have this unconcious desire to make things spiral-related. There’s something about them that gets people’s attention, and Uzumaki plays that up to levels that have to be seen to be believed.

Then again, that seems to be how the Uzumaki spread to engulf the town.  It’s like an Internet troll demanding your attention and doing crazy things to keep it, each more outlandish than the last. You have to actively resist looking at it, but the black-and-white world it’s in makes it hard to ignore.

They Had Five Years and Still Gave us Bad Animation?

One of the big draws to this series is the fact that it’s done entirely in black-and-white. This decision, plus the way the cast’s movement is animated, gives Uzumaki the feel of a motion comic…when it works, that is. The second episode managed to get flak from people for how poorly animated parts of it were near the end, and I have to agree. I usually either don’t notice bad animation unless it’s glaringly obvious, or just ignore it in favor of the story. But when I do see it, I’m going to point it out. What makes it even worse, though, is the fact that the studios had an extra five years to get it right, and they still messed up!

Just look at this in the final episode!

Uzumaki was announced at Crunchyroll Expo 2019, and was originally supposed to premiere on Toonami in 2020. However, like many things around that time, it got delayed by COVID-19 and then the delays just kept piling up.

Call the SCP Foundation if this happens to you.

Shortcomings in animation aside, Uzumaki seems to live up to the hype surrounding this terrifying manga. There were moments that didn’t just scare me but almost made me vomit in disgust. Word of advice: do not watch this alone at night if you don’t want nightmares. Uzumaki is as scary as any big horror film that you can think of. It might even be scarier since the antagonist is something that we can’t even fully comprehend or fight back against…unless you’re the SCP Foundation.

No, I’m not joking. After watching this show, the Uzumaki curse feels like something that you would have to call in the SCP Foundation to deal with. I can even see how they would handle it!

  1. Evacuate the remaining townsfolk via a non-standard method of transportation. Teleportation recommended as only viable means.
  2. Adminster amenstics to the surviving townsfolk so that they no longer remember the Uzumaki curse.
  3. Quarantine the entire town and create a false news story claiming that a disaster has rendered the area permanently uninhabitable to prevent any more victims from being taken.
  4. Monitor the town to confirm whether or not the curse is limited to the vicinity of the town.

Or if they had someone like Takatou, they could have him kill it.

I Give “Uzumaki” a 4/5