Year: 2024

Just Make Tanjiro a Hasira Already!

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba S4 Ep 3 Review

Now that Tanjiro is healed, it’s time for him to commence his anime training arc! To prepare for the final battle against Muzan, the Demon Slayer forces everyone to endure training from the Hashira. The reason boils down to the idea of the chain only being as strong as its weakest link. Having the Hashira get stronger won’t mean anything if the rest of the group can’t fight worth a darn. However, it’s not until Tanjiro joins the training under Tengen Uzui that we see how far the Corps needs to go. That shows just how strong Tanjiro is compared to the regular Slayers.

Can they promote Tanjiro to Hashira already?

Tanjiro Aces Boot Camp

In the real world, many elite special forces are known for their skill and prowess on the battlefield. There’s a good reason for that: they have to be the best to survive, which means they have to train their bodies until they collapse from exhaustion. And the training camp the Demon Slayer Corps is going through is like that, but on steroids. When the audience catches up with the Slayers working under Uzui, they are pushed to their physical and mental limits. It’s like Hell for all of them.

Then Tanjiro arrives.

The series has made it no secret that Tanjiro is stronger than most Demon Slayers despite only being a rookie. Seeing how he outpaces all of them in Uzui’s boot camp demonstrates how big the gap is between him and the others.

It’s actually funny to see how much better Tanjiro is compared to most of the Corps. Whereas the others are winded, out of breath, and barely able to complete their exercises, Tanjiro is the opposite. He barely breaks a sweat and does everything with a big grin. That’s how far ahead he is of the rank-and-file. But it gets to the point where the other trainees feel disheartened by the gap in strength.

Strength Through Unity

I’ve never undergone a training camp like the one the Hashira are running, but even I know they’re not working everyone like this to be cruel. Any good military instructor knows that soldiers need to be tough to survive on the battlefield. And since they’re fighting actual Demons, the Demon Slayer Corps can’t afford to rely on a small handful of elites to win. They need everyone to work together to bring down Muzan.

Lucky for the trainees, they have inspiration in the form of Tanjiro. In a late-night training session with Uzui, Tanjiro shows everyone how strong he has to be to fight a Demon. And seeing him hold his own against a former Hashira lights a fire in everyone that refuses to go out.

The rank-and-file of the Demon Slayer Corps may never reach the same level as the Hashira and Tanjiro, but that’s not the point. They know they won’t reach that level, but they realize they don’t care. They can still support the Hashira and ensure that they’re ready for the final battle.

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and thanks to Tanjiro, that link has gotten a little sturdier. His task done, Tanjiro moves onto the next part of his training with the Mist Hashira.

I don’t know how long this season of Demon Slayer will be, but I’m actually hoping that we don’t rush toward the final battle. The final battle against Muzan is going to need to take up an entire season on its own, its so big. So I don’t really care if we have to wait until next season to see Tanjiro wreck Muzan. This training will make it worth it.

I Give “Fully Recovered Tanjiro Joins the Hashira Training!!” a 4/5

Father and Son Reunited! Paul and Rudy Journey into the Labyrinth!

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Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2 Ep 20 Review

When the second season of Mushoku Tensei started, there were several moments from the Light Novel I looked forward to seeing. I wanted to see the moment when Rudy truly reunites with Sylphie. That tearful moment between Rudeus and Norn. I even wanted to see the time when Rudy went nuts on Linia and Pursena. I know it wasn’t right, but seeing him get so mad about his figurine was funny! But near the top of the list of moments I wanted to see was the start of the Labyrinth Arc. When Rudeus, his dad, Roxy, and everyone else team up to rescue his mother. So, after months of waiting (and finally reading Volume 12), how did the anime measure up to my expectations?

Meh, I think the light novel did a few things better. Mainly because it managed to leave a few things out.

Paul is Even in Worse Shape than the Anime Lets On

Having made it to the city of Rapan, it doesn’t take long for Rudy and Elinalise to find Paul’s party; they run into Geese at the local Adventurer’s Guild, and he brings them to Paul. And this is where some of my issues with the episode begin to unfold. To be fair, though, part of it has to do with some of the advantages of literature over animation.

Geese told the two going in that Paul was in a pretty rough state, but the anime doesn’t emphasize just how bad it is for him like the light novels do. Rudeus’ perspective describes how, despite lacking the stubble and scent of booze, Paul looks ready to drop dead from exhaustion. He’s so out of it that it isn’t until Rudeus mentions he’s going to be a father soon that he realizes he wasn’t dreaming. It’s that bad!

And for some reason, they push back Rudy revealing he got married to Sylphie to a later scene. It doesn’t make sense to me.

At the very least, the anime remains faithful to most of the scenes that come next. That awkward reunion between Paul and Elinalise is there, as well as him calling Cliff weird for wanting to marry her (LOL.) They skip over some details about the teleporter labyrinth, but the important part is how Roxy is missing. I did like how the dialogue faded out in the anime as Rudeus processed that piece of information, though. It just shows how horrifying hearing that was for him.

My favorite part of the episode is the scene in the inn afterward. Paul, Rudeus, and Lilia share the same room, and what follows is pretty heartwarming.

Like a Family Again

This episode marked the first time in almost ten years that Rudeus has managed to spend time with his father and Lilia as an actual family. They had managed to meet during Rudeus’ grand odyssey three years ago, but circumstances meant they couldn’t afford to enjoy their time together. This time, though, they all feel free to use their time together to the fullest, especially Paul.

You can tell throughout the episode that, despite their dire circumstances, Paul’s elated to see his grown-up son again. He’s happy that his son reunited with and married Sylphy, and they’re about to have their first child. He’s eager to show off in front of his son in the labyrinth. And as crude as it is, he enjoys being able to have some “locker room talk” with Rudeus now that he’s no longer a virgin.

It may seem like Paul’s overdoing it a bit, but keep in mind their circumstances. Had the Mana Disaster not occurred, Rudy would’ve eventually returned to Buena Village (assuming he didn’t get engaged to Eris.) Had that happened, the two would’ve had plenty of time to bond in that case. Thus, it makes sense that Paul wanted to make up for lost time, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

The descent into the labyrinth itself was about what I expected, besides leaving out some funny moments, like Paul learning Elinalise is Sylphie’s grandmother. At least until we see Roxy again.

Rudy’s Roxy Sense Tingles

Much like the scene with Paul, the anime could’ve better with Roxy’s reintroduction. The light novel does a much better job of emphasizing the fact that Roxy has spent a month trapped alone inside the labyrinth. Her appearance is unkempt, she’s got bags under her eyes, and she’s slowly dying from mana depletion and poisoning. The anime doesn’t show it, but she’s had to spend the last month or so eating monsters to survive, and that’s slowly sapped her strength due to having to detoxify them. By the time we see her again, she’s on her last legs. Her last thoughts being of her life up until that point, and how, if she got out of this mess alive, she wanted to become a teacher. She’s just begging for someone to come save her.

And then, as if the universe answered her prayers, Rudeus appears. And the episode ends.

I was not happy with the ending of the episode. I dont know if the anime intends to show what happens next in full, but let’s say this ends up becoming one of the funniest moments in the entire series. If you’ve read the light novel or my recap on Roxy’s life after she left Buena Village. I hope they adapt what comes next in full. I will be disappointed otherwise.

This was an okay start to the Labyrinth arc. I wish the anime had spent more time adapting everything, but you can only win some of them. I hope it gets better from here on out.

I Give “Into the Labyrinth” a 3/5

Is Rudy Making a Mistake Leaving Like This?

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Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2 Ep 19 Review

Rudeus has made up his mind: he’s going to the Begaritt Continent to help rescue his Mother. It’s going to be a long and hard trip (and I know how it ends), but this soemthing he has to do. The good news is that he’s not going alone. The bad news? It’s an eight-month trek to his destination and back. Factoring in the time he’ll be in the Labyrinth, he’ll be gone for two years. In other words, he won’t be there when his kid is born; a hard pill to swallow. But, Nanahoshi has a solution that might work.

I haven’t been able to bring myself to read the volume the anime’s adapting yet, but I still know the major details of what’s about to happen. As a result, I can say a few things with confidence: Rudeus is making a mistake rushing into this.

Maybe He Should’ve Asked More People to Go With Him

After making his decision, the first two people Rudeus tells about his decision are Elinalise and Nanahoshi. The former tries to talk him out of going, but since she’s unable to persuade him otherwise, they’ll travel together. And thanks to Cliff upgrading the suppressor device, Elinalise can go longer stretches before her curse hits her! Which is good, because that would make things super awkward.

Nanahoshi, meanwhile, gives Rudy something that could help them get there and back faster. Orsted showed her these teleportation circles around the world that they used to fast-travel. Since Rudy helped save her life, she shows him one that will take them within a month or so from their destination of Rapan. And it’s not far from Sharia.

After that, the episode segues into Rudy and Elinalise saying goodbye to everyone, with Cliff even asking Lise to marry him when she returns. Good on you, Cliff! You do have rizz after all!

As heartfelt as this moment was, I have to criticize the story at this point. There’s no easy way to say this, but Rudeus shouldn’t have left with just him and Elinalise. I understand the need to keep the circles a secret, but he could’ve asked any one of his super-strong friends to go with him as backup. Zanoba has super-strength; Luke is a pretty good swordsman; the Beast Girls have excellent hearing and smell. Badigadi is an immortal Demon God! Any one of them could be a big help in the rescue! Then again, they might not.

A Super Abridged Desert Journey

As for the journey across the Begaritt Continent, the anime leaves out much of the journey from the light novels. The one thing that they do end up focusing on is also the most unsettling. The pair get attacked by a succubus, a monster whose pheromones will drive men berserk with lust. And the only ways to cure it is by detoxification magic or…that.

Suddenly, I’m glad Eris isn’t around. I can only imagine the kind of beatdown she would have given Rudeus had that happened.

Joking aside, the anime leaves out some finer, world-building details about the Begaritt Continent. They don’t intend to stay for long, but since Mushoku Tensei is the kind of story that likes to build the world, it seems to be somewhat of a letdown. But that’s just my opinion.

In any case, the anime must not want to waste time on that, highlighting how urgent this mission is for Rudeus. By the time the ED roles, the two have already made it to their destination of Rapan. And this is where it leaves things off.

Rudeus Biggest Battle Yet is Just Beginning

Full disclosure: we are now at the end of volume 11 of Mushoku Tensei. The entire labyrinth arc will be the sole focus of volume 12 and the remainder of the season. And while I haven’t finished reading it myself, I can still attest to how big things are going to get. We need to prepare for action, drama, and probably a lot of pain and hardship. We have one week from the time I’m writing this, and for all I know, it could already be out by the time this goes out. Be prepared!

Quick plug, though: there’s a new Mushoku Tensei light novel out, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation: Recollections. It’s an anthology collecting a bunch of different short stories of events that take place during the first ten volumes of the series. Or, in other words, the start of the series up to not long after Rudy and Sylphie tie the knot. See how Rudeus secured his “Holy Relic” of Roxy. Or some of the misadventures Dead End got up to on their great odyssey. It’s the kind of slice of life stories that I think really flesh out a good story, in my opinion! You can find it in book form or buy it as an Ebook!

I Give “Desert Journey” a 3/5

Tanjiro Annoys a Hashira Until He Starts Training

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba S4 Ep 2 Review

Before we get started, let’s make it clear that I have every intention of covering the new season of Demon Slayer. The only reason I didn’t cover the season premiere is because I saw it in theaters months in advance and reviewed it. So we’re jumping right into the Hashira Training Arc starting now!

At least, that what is supposed to be happening. However, for the training to work, the Demon Slayer Corps needs all of the Hashira present. And, as Kagaya explains via letter to Tanjiro, Giyu Tomioka isn’t particpating. His inferiority complex and past trauma is keeping him from doing so. Thus, it falls to Tanjiro to light a fire in him. 

Assemble the Hashira!

The episode picks up where the previous one left off, with Kagaya summoning Ms. Tamayo and Yushiro to Demon Slayer HQ. With Nezuko having conquered the sun, a cure for Demons is at hand. That makes Tamayo a target, and all the more imperative that she works with the Corps on this. It would seem that Tanjro and Nezuko’s efforts to prove their trustworthiness have paid off. 

The meat of the episode, though, focuses on the task that Kagaya gives Tanjiro: getting Giyu Tomioka to join the training. That proves easier said than done, even for someone as friendly as Tanjiro. However, it’s still funny seeing Tanjiro follow and annoy Giyu for days on end. 

There’s a good reason why Giyu refuses to join in on the training arc, though: he doesn’t consider himself worthy of being the Water Hashira. And the reason behind that is pretty tragic.

Giyu Has Some Serious Survivor’s Guilt

Back when Tanjiro was training to become a Demon Slayer, he was assisted by the spirits of his master’s students that died during the Final Selection. One of those students, Sabito, was Giyu’s best friend. According to Giyu, he almost single-handedly killed all the Demons during their year’s Final Selection. However, he still died fighting the Hand Demon that Tanjiro killed. Ever since then, Giyu’s been dealing with an intense case of Survivor’s Guilt.

It’s not hard not to feel bad for Giyu. This moment will hit anyone who’s watched someone die protecting them right in the feels, but Tanjiro especially knows what Giyu’s going through. He still feels guilt over how Rengaku died protecting him, even thinking to himself how, had he lived, he could’ve taken down Muzan. It’s hard to keep going when someone you think was more deserving to live dies in your place. However bad he might feel though, Tanjiro understands something that Giyu’s forgotten: the importance to keep on living.

Don’t Give up on Life. Ever!

Before Giyu trained to become a Demon Slayer, his older sister was murdered by a Demon. Even though she was going to get married the very next day, instead of saving herself, she chose to save Giyu by hiding him, sacrificing herself in the process. That left Giyu with his first feelings of survivor’s guilt, until Sabito told him not to think like that. Thinking he should’ve died instead would be an insult to the memory of his sister. And by that logic, it would also be an insult to the memory of Sabito.

Finding the means to keep going in life when you lose someone trying to protect you can be one of the hardest things anyone can endure. However, the lesson that Demon Slayer teaches Giyu is that no matter how painful it is, he needs to keep living. Maybe if he does, he’ll find a reason why he was spared. 

Oh, and Giyu and Tanjiro get into a speed-eating contest, which was funny.

Now We Have to Learn about Shinobu

That’s one more Hashira that’s joining the training, but as the episode ends, another one is shown to be sitting things out: Shinobu Kocho, AKA the one that’s supposed to be working with Ms. Tamayo.

Uh-oh. That’s not good. 

As I said in my review of the compilation movie, I don’t know how long this season will be. However, I’m still going to enjoy it. Demon Slayer is one of the best Shonen series in the post Big-Three generation, and I’m looking forward to seeing the ending get animated. If the studio is smart, then it will air the final battle as a movie!

I Give “Giyu Tomioka’s Pain” a 4/5

‘Turning Point 3’ is the Biggest Change In Rudy’s Life Yet

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Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2 Ep 18 Review

If you’ve been paying attention to Mushoku Tensei, you should remember what a Turning Point is. A Turning Point is a moment in the story where things in Rudeus’ life get upended. It’s the series way of reminding us how fast a person’s life can change without warning. The first time it happened, the Mana Displacement Incident sent Rudeus and Eris to the Demon Continent. It took them close to three years to make it back home. The second time it happened, Rudeus ran into Orsted and almost died at his hands. That Turning Point was so traumatizing that it led Eris to run off for a training arc, breaking Rudy’s heart. 

The bottom line is that a turning point is always trouble for Rudeus, and the fact that they happen right when Rudy has things worked out in his life only makes it worse. And this next Turning Point will be the biggest one yet! 

Rudy Gets the Biggest Surprise Ever.

The first third of the episode focuses on how great life is for Rudeus and his loved ones. Rudeus is well-respected at school, has plenty of friends, his own house, and is married to his best friend, Sylphie. And to top it all off, he’s patched things up with Norn, with the two now acting like siblings. 

As the episode shows, the rest of his friends and family are doing well. Nanahoshi, Cliff, and Zanoba are all making great strides towards their goals. Zanoba found a way to make his own figurines, Nanahoshi’s experiments to get home are going well, and Cliff even made a rudimentary girdle to help suppress Elinalise’s curse. Life is pretty much perfect for Rudy. And that his life gets upended when he finds Sylphie waiting for him at home and…well, see for yourself.

I knew this moment was coming, but it’s one thing to read about it in a manga or light novel and see it animated. Rudeus is going to be a father. He’s only 16-17, but he’s going to be a father!

I know that Rudeus has plenty of critics in the anime community, and he does have plenty of faults. However, watching this moment, I couldn’t help but get a little teary-eyed. Rudeus let any chance at a happy life go to waste in his first life, and now, he’s married and expecting his first child. And it’s the image of the life that he’ll have when Paul finds his Mom that hammers home how happy he is. Life couldn’t be better for Rudeus!

Then, reality brings him crashing to the ground. With one short letter from his Geese, the real Turning Point begins. 

The Real Turning Point Begins

Oh, and the Man-God appears to him again. 

Having been told by the Man-God that he’d regret going to find his mom in the Begaritt Continent, Rudy is understandably mad at him. However, the Man-God does make some good points. Firstly, going to Ranoa reunited him with Sylphie. He got married, made plenty of friends, and created a home for his family. In addition, the Man-God tells him that if he stays in Ranoa, Linia and Pursena will try and pursue him romantically. He’s…not exactly thrilled about that. 

What makes this Turning Point harder than the first two is the fact that Rudy has a choice. If he goes to help his Dad, there’s no guarantee he can make a difference. Not to mention leaving his wife and family for months. If he doesn’t, then things could go wrong for Paul. 

This is what makes this Turning Point so important. Rudeus is learning a bitter truth: sometimes in life, we have to make decisions and not know if they’re the right ones. But not making any decision can be as bad as making the wrong one. And even though I know what will come next, I still can’t tell if Rudeus makes the right choice. It’s maddening!

Ultimately, Rudeus makes his decision: he’s going to ignore the Man-God’s advice and go save his Mom.

All the anime-only people who haven’t liked the school setting, congrats. Mushoku Tensei will bring back all the action we got from Rudeus’ globe-trotting adventure. As for anyone who has read the light novels…take this time to prepare. This is going to be…emotional. 

I Give “Turning Point 3” a 4.5/5

Toonami Rewind Set to Return Legendary Block to Weekday Afternoons after 20 Years

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Toonami is a name that almost every fan of anime in America should know about. After all, if it wasn’t for Toonami, anime might never have gained a foothold in the West. Beginning in 1997, Toonami served as an afternoon block on Cartoon Network and helping to bring anime to millions of American children. It proved widely successful, with many people (myself included) crediting it for being a big part of why anime is now mainstream. Much to my dismay, though, I was never able to experience that fabled afternoon block. In April, 2004, Cartoon Network moved it to Saturday nights from 7 to 11 PM, which is where I found it and where it remained until its original cancellation in 2009. Even after it got revived on Adult Swim in 2012, Toonami remained confined to the weekends. Those halcyon days of afternoon blocks, a distant memory.

Or they were. For the first time in almost twenty years, Toonami will be airing on a weekday. 

Over the past few months, Adult Swim has been pushing its runtime back earlier and earlier into the day during the weekdays. Then starting in August of 2023, they upped the ante with Checkered Past. For two hours, they air cartoons from the golden age of the late 90s and 00s, much to the delight of those who grew up with them (like me!) Now, they upping the ante again.

Starting Friday, May 31st, Adult Swim will be airing Toonami Rewind, featuring episodes of the anime that made anime big in the West: Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z (Kai), and one of my all-time favorites, Naruto. It’s only three shows right now, but it’s a start.

That’s not all. Unlike the ongoing Toonami block on Adult Swim, Toonami Rewind will be using the aesthetics of the TOM 3.0 Era. Which, arguably, was the best-looking era of the original Toonami run. 

I never got the chance to see the classic Toonami at its height, having only started watching it after it had moved to Saturday nights. For those who did, though, this is a big win. For an entire generation, Toonami was the after-school block to watch on TV. Not only did it provide an introduction to the world of anime, it gave them the perfect excuse to not worry about things like homework or tests that wouldn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. And while it only consists of three anime right now, who knows? If it does well enough, they might add more in. Either way, Toonami faithful win big!

Misty from Pokémon Needs Help Fighting Cancer

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They say you always remember your first. The first time you kissed someone, the first time you got behind the wheel of a car, and the day your first kid was born. But for anime fans, one of the biggest firsts is our first anime crush. For me, I am not ashamed to admit that it was Misty from the original Pokémon anime. Maybe it was because I liked her fashion sense, or her fiery nature. Which is ironic, considering she uses water-type Pokémon . Whatever the reasons, Misty holds the distinction of being my first anime waifu.

Which is why I am very sad to report this: Misty’s voice actress has cancer.

On Monday, May 13th, 2024, a new campaign went up on GoFundMe, organized by the sister of voice actress Rachel Lillis. Those who grew up watching Pokémon will best remember her as the voices of Jessie and Misty from the show. And, as of January, 2024, she’s been living in a nursing home in Los Angeles. The cancer in question, breast cancer, has already spread to her spine, making it almost impossible for her to walk.

A mere nursing home is not enough, though. If Rachel wants to get the best help, she needs to be able to pay for an assisted living home or at-home care. Thus, her sister has organized this GoFundMe campaign to help support her. At the time of this writing, it’s raised $70k, 50K more than the original goal.

Rachel’s co-stars and friends have also shown their support. Eric Stuart, her co-star and the original voice for both James and Brock, has helped to spread the word about it on Twitter. And now I’m wanting to do the same.

I freaking hate cancer, you guys. It is one of the worst ways that anyone can die from, especially since it is something that your body is unable to fight back against. I’ve seen family, pets, and even celebrities taken before their time due to cancer. And I refuse to let it take the woman who voiced my first waifu without a fight. So, please, if you have it in your heart, please donate to help Rachel. She doesn’t deserve this. 

GoFundMe for Rachel Lillis

They say you always remember your first. The first time you kissed someone, the first time you got behind the wheel of a car, and the day your first kid was born. But for anime fans, one of the biggest firsts is our first anime crush. For me, I am not ashamed to admit that it was Misty from the original Pokémon anime. Maybe it was because I liked her fashion sense, or her fiery nature. Which is ironic, considering she uses water-type Pokemon. Whatever the reasons, Misty holds the distinction of being my first anime waifu.

Which is why I am very sad to report this: Misty’s voice actress has cancer.

On Monday, May 13th, 2024, a new campaign went up on GoFundMe, organized by the sister of voice actress Rachel Lillis. Those who grew up watching Pokémon will best remember her as the voices of Jessie and Misty from the show. And, as of January, 2024, she’s been living in a nursing home in Los Angeles. The cancer in question, breast cancer, has already spread to her spine, making it almost impossible for her to walk.

A mere nursing home is not enough, though. If Rachel wants to get the best help, she needs to be able to pay for an assisted living home or at-home care. Thus, her sister has organized this GoFundMe campaign to help support her. At the time of this writing, it’s raised $70k, 50K more than the original goal.

Rachel’s co-stars and friends have also shown their support. Eric Stuart, her co-star and the original voice for both James and Brock, has helped to spread the word about it on Twitter. And now I’m wanting to do the same.

I freaking hate cancer, you guys. It is one of the worst ways that anyone can die from, especially since it is something that your body is unable to fight back against. I’ve seen family, pets, and even celebrities taken before their time due to cancer. And I refuse to let it take the woman who voiced my first waifu without a fight. So, please, if you have it in your heart, please donate to help Rachel. She doesn’t deserve this. 

GoFundMe for Rachel Lillis

Kaiju No. 8-Like MHA, but With Giant Monsters

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Kaiju No. 08 initial review

What’s the one thing cooler or scarier than giant monsters? Getting to fight giant monsters, that’s what! For decades now, Japan has been enamored by the idea of giant monsters, or Kaiju. From the early days of Godzilla and Gamera to Attack on Titan, Kaiju has been a big part of Japan, and so are series that revolve around fighting them. And with Japanese culture becoming more popular than ever worldwide, now is the perfect time for a new anime about fighting Kaiju to come out. And that’s where the newest Shonen anime, Kaiju No. 8, steps in to fulfill all our monster-fighting needs. Or does it?

Yes. Yes it does.

I’m RJ Writing Ink, and after watching the first two episodes of the new Shonen series, Kaiju No. 8, here’s my initial review.

An Unconventional Power-Up

The premise behind the series is similar to that of My Hero Academia. In a world where Kaiju regularly attack and destroy everything they can, some people stand up to fight back and protect those who can’t. In Japan, that task falls to the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force. But while they fight the Kaiju and get all the glory, others have to haul the guts and parts away. And unfortunately for him, that’s where our protagonist, Kafka Hibino, is stuck. 

As a kid, Kafka and his friend, Mina Ashiro, promised to join the Defense Force and fight Kaiju together. While she got in and became Captain of an entire division, Kafka failed several times, like Naruto or Deku. Then, just as Kafka decides to give it another try before it’s too late, he swallows this parasitic Kaiju, and it turns him into a Kaiju.

A Kaiju with super-strength, transformation, and can pee out of his nipples. 

No, really. I’m not making this up.

Despite all of this, though, Kafka also discovers that he’s kept his human mind intact and, with effort, can transform back-and-forth between Human and Kaiju. 

So, despite the massive target on his back, Kafka and his new friend/junior, Reno Ichikawa, still decide to try and join the Defense Force together. And that’s where the anime stands at the time of this writing. 

Kaiju No. 8’s Subversion of Shonen Tropes is What Makes it Good

Right off the bat, Kaiju No. 8 sets itself apart from other Shonen series by subverting a big trope: the protagonist. Instead of starting off as a young boy or teen like Goku, Denji, Luffy, Yuji and more, Kafka is 32. He’s already experienced what it’s like to have your youthful ambitions turn into letdowns, and as someone whose closer to him in age than I’d like to admit, that hits pretty close to home. I don’t want to give up on any of my dreams, but as you get older, you can’t help but wonder if you’ve met your limits or are living your life to the fullest. Kafka was going through that when the anime starts, and right when he decides to give things one more shot, he becomes a Kaiju! A humanoid Kaiju with super strength and speed, but one that will get hunted by everyone except for Ichikawa. The brutal irony.

Speaking of which, Ichikawa is also a bit of a subversion himself. At age 18, he’s closer to the Shonen demographic. He has both the never give up attitude you’d expect from a Shonen protagonist and the coldness of a typical rival (at first), yet he’s not the hero. It’s a strange sight to behold, made even stranger when you consider that his English VA is Adam McArthur, the voice of Yuji from JuJutsu Kaisen! 

I don’t really know if this series is going to be any good, but given what I’ve seen in the first two episodes, it looks pretty solid. It balances the comedy with the action quite well, and the premise itself is interesting enough to give it a shot. Alas, due to time constraints, I won’t be able to review it episodically. I simply have too have much on my plate as it is. Having said that, I do think that this show is worth watching. This looks to be one of the heavy hitters for the Spring 2024 season!

And, Scene! Ninja Kamui Ends on Cool Note

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Ninja Kamui Ep 13 Review 

It’s over, people. After three months of watching Higan’s quest for revenge, we have reached the end of the road. And Ninja Kamui managed to go out on quite the bang, if I do say so myself. With the Ninja now poised to conquer the US, and Joseph ready to blow the AUZA reactors to oblivion, things were looking desperate. But in a final battle fought on multiple fronts, Higan, Morriss, and Jason not only stop Yamaji and Joseph. They prove that the former’s views on the Ninja being cold, uncaring killers is wrong. 

Joseph Finally Gets his Just Desserts

On the first front, we have Agent Morriss and Jason as they go after their main target, Joseph. After escaping Yamaji’s Ninja for the moment, the cowardly CEO of AUZA attempts to smuggle himself out of the country. On a plane stuffed with pigs. But Morriss isn’t having any of it. Thanks to his instincts and Jason’s hacking, they manage to ruin his ride out of the US. More importantly, Jason manages to hack the satellites that would’ve let Joseph blow the nearest reactor sky-high. The end result is pure cathartsis for Emma’s death, as Morriss proceeds to beat the smug CEO’s face in. Then, when the man boasts how he’ll be out of jail in no time, Morriss pulls a move that would make Batman proud.

For a while, the anime makes it appear that Morriss lost his temper and proceeded to kill Joseph. Given how he killed Emma and committed who knows what other crimes, no one would’ve held it against Morriss. Instead, the Veteran FBI Agent stays true to his moral code and simply makes the cowardly man so scared for his life, he wets himself. Furthermore, hearing Morriss promise Joseph that he’ll come find him if he ever tries to escape justice is pure, unadulterated badass. Knowing Morriss, he’ll be happy to sacrifice his retirement to follow through on that promise. Go ahead and enjoy it, though, Morriss. You’ve earned it.

Yamaji Just Another Would-Be Despot

The big draw of the episode, though, is the fight that’s been built up the entire series: Higan vs. Yamaji. A fight between a Ninja and a former Ninja over the fate of their entire clan. The fight is, naturally, impressive to watch, but what cinches it is how it boils down to a fight of ideals. Yamaji, for his part, continues to insist that his way of thinking is right and that with the Ninja watching over the world, there will be true peace. In other words, the same self-serving spiel that many wannabe conquerers spout; I could feel my eyes rolling as I heard him go on and on about it. While he does get a brief flashback that hints at how he developed his way of thinking from witnessing the horrors of war, it doesn’t matter. Yamaji’s so blinded by anger that he chooses to shut himself off from the world, and thinks that that’s best for everyone.

As Higan and Zai prove, he’s wrong.

Yamaji Proven Wrong, Dies. 

As I hoped, Zai does return for the final battle, and, at a crucial moment, he turns on Yamaji, choosing his friend over the man who turned him into a weapon. It costs him an arm, but it was still nice to know that Mari’s hopes for Zai came true. More importantly, it gives Higan the chance he needs to rally. Spurred on by the memory of his wife and her philosophy on living, with the anime’s OP playing in full, Higan wastes Yamaji.

And, to sweeten things, we get to see those who remained loyal to the former head of the Clan like Emma take down their brethren. Thus, the threat of the Ninja has ended. Whether or not this means the end of the Ninja as a whole, though, is left up for debate.

Time to Put the Ninjas Behind us

For Higan, though, that doesn’t matter.

Higan started this journey for one reason and one reason alone: to bring down Yamaji and his former clan. In the process, he also managed to reconnect with his old comrade, Zai, and convinces him to find a new purpose in life outside of being a weapon. Having done all he set out to do, Higan heads off for parts unknown, wandering the earth as the series comes to an end.

It’s the kind of ending that would make the likes of John Wick proud, and I personally loved it. While I do think that the action lagged at certain points in the story, I still think that Ninja Kamui was a pretty fun anime to watch. While there are some deeper, philosophical questions about life that it seems to pose, I’ve decided that that doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. All we wanted was to see Ninjas doing cool Ninja things, and we got that in spades. I just might have to binge-watch the entire thing on Max next chance I get. 

I Give “Episode 13” a 4/5

I Almost Cried Watching this Episode of Mushoku Tensei

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Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2 Ep 17 Review

Remember what I said at the end of my last review for Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation? I wasn’t joking-this episode left me on the verge of tears. Even though I knew from reading the light novels and manga that Norn would shut herself in her room, and why, I still wasn’t prepared for the feels. This might be one of the best episodes in the entire series, and as you’ll see for yourself, there’s a good reason why.

Rudy is scary when He’s Mad. No, really!

After hearing how Norn has shut herself in her dorm room, saying Rudy is mad is an understatement. The look of pure wrath on his face is enough to scare the teachers as he marches for her classroom. Linia and Pursena are afraid of him. The anger he’s feeling here is leagues above what the Beast Duo experienced when he found out they smashed his Roxy figurine. And while that incident was played with humorous intent in mind, the show takes this moment dead serious. Having shut himself off from everyone in his first life, the idea that something happened to make Norn do the same is enough to drive him berserk.

I will be blunt: as much as I love seeing Rudeus better himself, in this moment, I was afraid of him. If he ever went off the deep end, Few people in the world could be capable of stopping him. 

The anger does not last long, though. After “asking” her class and teacher, the horrible realty sets in for him. Norn was never bullied by anyone; it’s worse. They wouldn’t stop comparing her to her brother. 

Rudy Doesn’t Know How to Help Norn

If it were as simple as someone threatening her, Rudeus could handle things with little effort. But once he hears that he’s the reason Norn has shut down, Rudeus doesn’t know what to do. In his first life, his older brother tried to get through to him, but he was too stubborn to listen. Now, circumstances have put him in his brothers position, and beyond going to her room to visit her, he doesn’t know what to do. You can practically feel the frustration pouring out of him as he tries to get her to do…something. Anything.

And this is where the story does the best thing it could hope to do: it gives us Norn’s perspective.

Norn Has a Lot of Complicated Feelings about Her Older Brother

For so long, Norn has had no idea what to think of Rudeus. When she first met him, she saw him hitting their father, not understanding why. It didn’t matter if Paul told her afterwards that he started things. When you’re a little kid and you see someone hurting your parents, you tend to think of them as a bad person. No amount of explaining from the adults can change that. 

Then, when Norn came to live with him, she saw him drunk and carrying a woman she didn’t remember, looking so happy. Meanwhile, their dad was running himself ragged trying to find their Mom. That only made her opinion of him even worse. 

Then, when she asked to live in the dorms, Norn expected Rudeus to get angry at her. But when he agreed, she thought he saw her as in his way. 

And then came her start at Ranoa U, when everyone learned she was Rudeus’ sister. No one, be they students or teachers, saw her as Norn Greyrat. All they saw when they looked at her was the sister of the strongest person at school. Everywhere she went, all she could hear was her brother’s name, and it started to make her physically ill.

This Episode Almost Left Me in Tears

Sweet mercy, Norn deserves all the hugs in the world.

I knew going into this that Norn had a serious inferiority complex, but even after reading the light novels and manga, I still wasn’t prepared for the tearjerker we got. Norn has no clue what to think of her brother. At first, she was afraid of him, and then she thought he didn’t care about her. Then people wouldn’t stop comparing her to them. She wants to reach out to him, but, like Rudeus, she doesn’t know what to do.

I don’t remember who made the first move in the novels. But, even so, I’m glad that it was Rudeus that did so. Even though he doesn’t know what to do or how to help his sister, he still tries to reach out to her. He may never tell anyone why, but he knows what it’s like to shut yourself off from the world. And he never wants his family to go through the same experience. 

I don’t really know how to transcribe the thoughts and feelings in my head as I saw the sibling’s reconciliation. Some things are just too…complex to form into words. But, seeing Rudy sit down and hold his sister as she cried her eyes out…I could feel myself starting to cry. 

This is Only the Beginning…

After that day, Rudeus and Norn are finally able to be brother and sister. Norn managed to work her feelings out all on her own, something that her brother can’t help but be amazed at. He even admits that if he had been half as strong as her in his first life, maybe things wouldn’t have turned out the way they did. 

I will never understand why people don’t like the time Mushoku Tensei spends at Ranoa University. It’s not as exciting as Rudy’s trip around the world, but the drama and emotional moments are incredible. And it’s moments like this that are some of the best in the entire series. In fact, I think this might be the best episode of the season to date. 

And for those who want to see more of the action we got in season one…be careful what you wish for, everyone.

I Give “My Older Brother’s Feelings” a 5/5