Month: February 2025

Sung Jin-woo, Our Glorious King, Awakens!

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

Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadows S2 Ep 7 Review

Anyone who’s read this blog’s reviews of Solo Leveling should know its stance on Sung Jin-woo by now: he is HIM! Some might say that’s glazing him and his series too much, but the Internet would argue it’s not enough. The last episode alone managed to not only crash legit streaming platforms but even piracy sites! The hype surrounding this show is the real deal. Therefore, it seems only fitting from a meta-standpoint that the majority of this next episode centers around people fawning over Jin-woo in his own story.

And he deserves every second of it.

Sung Jin-woo, our Glorious King

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At the end of the last episode, Jin-woo’s 3-day waiting period for his new S-Rank status ended. All he had to do was pick up his new license and then get on with his day like it’s no big deal. What he didn’t count on was the fact that him becoming Korea’s 10th S-Rank Hunter would make national news.

Nor did he count on being bombarded by an army of reporters trying to talk to him.

Like in the manwha, this episode (at least the first part of it) is meant to be seen as funny, mostly due to Jin-woo. He’s gotten to the point where he sees being recognized as an S-Rank Hunter is purely pragmatic. It’s a means for him to get the gear he needs to conquer the Demon Castle Dungeon. He’s already been at S-Rank for sometime, so he didn’t consider it a big deal. For everyone else, though, it’s the exact opposite. And the anime does a good job of showing how everyone who knows him personally reacts to the news.

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I Laughed So Hard Seeing this

The funniest part, though? It’s not the fact that Baek Yoonho and Choi Jong-In, both try and recruit him to their guilds like he’s the new all-star football player joining the NFL. It’s the fact that the press wasn’t even there for Jin-woo. This pretentious actor who awakened as an A-Rank called them there to make a big deal about him becoming a Hunter. Seeing Jin-woo ruin this man’s plans without even trying is hilarious! And he deserves it!

It’s unfortuntate that the series doesn’t spare some extra time on Jin-woo dealing with his newfound fame, but since it doesn’t matter to him, it doesn’t matter to the show. To his credit, though, Jin-woo uses his summons to protect his sister and neighborhood covertly.

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Also, despite it happening right away in the manwha, Baek Yoonho being the first person to realize Jin-woo can level up is accurate.

Jinho Leaves Home

As for Jin-woo’s brother, Jinhoo, there’s good news, bad news, and worse news. The good news is that, despite failing to get Jin-woo to join the guild his dad wants to form, his dad still offers him the job of guild-master. But he turns it down out of loyalty to Jin-woo. The bad news is that this means he has to move out of his home and stay with Jin-woo and his sister. To be fair, though, he leaves voluntarily rather than get kicked out like in the manwha.

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Now, for the worse news: his Dad has Eternal Slumber Disease. It’s what happens when a person who’s body isn’t compatible for mana suffers from repeated exposure. The end result is a permanent coma that, without life support, will be fatal.

The worst part? It’s the same thing that Jin-woo’s mother suffers from.

Good thing that Jin-woo is already planning on getting that medicine!

Jin-woo Gonna Conquer that Dungeon

The final part of the episode revolves around Jin-woo returning to the Demon Castle to finish what he started. And thanks to his growing army, he’s now able to delegate farming for enemies to his subordinates. Until he realizes that someone’s picking off his Shadows one by one. And since they’re only going after the weaker ones first, he knows that this isn’t a normal Monster. They’re intelligent and capable of planning out a strategy.

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The episode ultimately ends with Jin-woo confronting the ones picking off his soldiers and killing all but one of them. Don’t be fooled, though. This is only the start of an arc that (hopefully) will last a few episodes. Given what’s coming in the future, this might be one instance where the anime would do well not to rush things.

I Give “The 10th S-Rank Hunter” a 4/5

Jin-woo Washes an Army of High Orcs

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

Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadows S2 Ep 6 Review

This was one of the episodes of Solo Leveling that I was looking forward to seeing! When we last left off, Jin-woo had gone into an A-Rank dungeon so he could see what they were like. However, his plans to be a simple porter went south when the Hunting party got captured by an army of High Orcs. Now, theyโ€™re face-to-face with the boss of the Dungeon whoโ€™s ready to rip them to pieces. Little do the High Orcs know, but theyโ€™ve merely prepared their own execution, with Jin-woo being the one to carry it out.

Kargalgan the High Orc Lord

To clarify how bad this small army of High Orcs is, the Hunting Party members say that if the Dungeon breaks, they could flatten a few cities. Their mere presence is enough to make the women quake and the men want to wet themselves. Worst of all, their leader, Kargalgan, manages to keep the Hunters paralyzed with just his Haki.

As if to emphasize how dangerous the leader is, he uses the Force to throw the party leader Kihoon around like a rag doll! In fact, the only reason the Hunters were brought to them alive was so he kill and eat them for his armyโ€™s entertainment! He was playing with his food!

How does Jin-woo respond to this? He saves Son Kihoon, takes care of a High Orc that tries to attack, and asks him one question:

โ€œWant me to take care of these guys?โ€

Kihoon says yes. And what follows is Jin-wooโ€™s biggest flex to date as he summons his growing Shadow Army.

Kargalgan is a Victim

In the manwha, the fight between Jin-woo and Kargalgan was the biggest fight up to that point. While some criticisms can be levied against how the Shadow Army was animated fighting in the background (it looked pretty stiff), few, if any, criticisms can be found with the actual fight. Karglagan is an effective fusion of the best kinds of bosses in video games, complete with multiple stages and strategies for fighting opponents. Despite knowing that Jin-woo is inevitably going to win, he shows why he was the leader of the High Orcs. He’s the kind of boss that, were he in a game like Dark Souls, would make most players want to tear their hair out in frustration.

The real highlight this time, though, isnโ€™t even the fight itself; itโ€™s how those watching react to it. The other Hunters go from thinking theyโ€™re going to die to being utterly dumbfounded as Jin-woo single-handedly wipes out the High Orcs. While this isnโ€™t the first time Jin-woo has flexed in front of others, the context makes this different. The public still doesnโ€™t know that Jin-wooโ€™s an S-Rank Hunter yet. Thus, seeing the man who served as their porter be stronger than all of them is absolutely surreal. It gets even stranger when Jinchul from the Hunters Association shows up and tells them not to speak of what they just saw. That alone is enough to tell them how important Jin-woo is! And while they donโ€™t fully get it, theyโ€™re all happy to be alive and thank him.

Yeah, Cha is into Him

The character whose reaction is the most important, though, is none other than Cha Hae-in. Out of curiosity, she went back to the Dungeon on her day off, only to learn what had happened. She proceeded to run into the Dungeon, armed with only a pick-axe, hoping that she can somehow help. Instead, she gets a front-row seat to Jin-woo showing off his power.

Ultimately, Jin-woo kills all the enemies and adds them to his army, including Kargalgan, now renamed Tusk. Everyone leaves the Dungeon in one piece, and Jin-woo is happy. But his days of pretending to be an E-Rank are over, and he knows it. Itโ€™s only fitting that the episode ends outside the Hunters Association on the day Jin-wooโ€™s status becomes official. Reporters are there for a celebrity getting his own Hunter Rank, but after they hear about Jin-woo, heโ€™s the only one theyโ€™ll pay attention to.

Get some popcorn ready, because this next episode will be all about the hype of Jin-woo.

I Give “Don’t Look Down on My Guys” a 4/5

It’s Official: Daima is GT 2.0!!!!

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

Dragon Ball Daima Ep 19 Review

There are only two words that can be used to describe these final episodes of Dragon Ball Daima: absolute. Cinema. And the fandom certainly seems to think so.

We are now in the final two episodes of Toriyama’s last gift to the world, and Daima has never been more popular. In-universe, though, things were looking dire for the Dragon Team. Goku and the others were unable to leave a dent in Gomah thanks to the Evil Third Eye. To make matters worse, Glorio chose this crucial moment to summon the Demon Realm’s Dragon on behalf of Dr. Arinsu. It looked like the betrayal that was teased earlier was about to take place, and the episode’s title didn’t help much.

Guess what? We got punked! Classic Toriyama!

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Glorio just Played us All!

The episode starts off with everyone, from the Dragon Team and their allies to the audience, watching as Glorio has summoned the Demon Realm’s Dragon (Red Porunga). It looked like he was about to make Dr. Arinsu’s wish to be stronger than Gomah a reality. However, much to everyone’s astonishment, he didn’t end up wishing for that! Instead, he wished for the Dragon Team to be returned to their adult selves!

This isn’t the first time that Toriyama decided to give us this kind of bait-and-switch; after all, he did it when Krillin chose not to shut down 18. However, the fact that the audience was just as in the dark about Glorio’s wish due to it being in Namekian was brilliant. Cliffhangers may not always be enjoyable, but when done right, the payoff is worth the wait.

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As for why Glorio chose to betray his employer, who had saved him from the Third Demon World, no verbal explanation is given. However, the look on Glorio’s face as he’s warmly greeted by the others says it all. He did it because he’s grown to like his traveling companions. Good on him for that! Even better knowing that Goku finally got his name right.

Besides, it’s not as if Arinsu has no other allies. Kuu and Duu remain loyal to her, and the relationship she has with them seems pretty positive. Even moreso when it’s thanks to Kuu that Arinsu learns how to get the Evil Third Eye out of Gomah.

Vegeta Gets his SSJ 3 Moment Yet Again!

Now that they’re back in their adult forms, the heroes can fight Gomah on more equal ground. Unfortunately, they fall back into the old habit of fighting the enemy one at a time, with Vegeta going first. Try as Vegeta might, not even his adult SSJ 3 form is enough to hurt Gomah. Or rather, it does hurt him, but the damage doesn’t stick, thanks to the Evil Eye.

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No wonder why that eye is considered so dangerous. It basically gives the user infinite health and stamina! But, like any good video game boss, it does have a weakness. And it’s something so simple, it’s actually laughable: hit the user on the back of their head three times, and the Eye will fall out.

That’s nowhere near as funny as the threat that Bulma gives Vegeta if he won’t let Goku and Piccolo fight, though.

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Toriyama. He knew what fans wanted!

It may seem silly (and it is), but it’s moments like this that show just how much Toriyama understood his fans. He knew what would make us laugh, make us cry, and most of all, leave us squealing in joy. And if seeing SSJ 4 Goku as a kid was awesome, that’s nothing compared to what happens next. As Goku prepares to distract Gomah so Piccolo can get in the hits, we not only get a call-back to one of the most famous transformation sequences in the franchise, but a bonus.

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And on this day, manly tears were shed the world over as the Internet exploded from sheer joy.

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In all seriousness, though, these last few episodes have done wonders to help make up for whatever shortcomings Daima might have. It’s very bittersweet to think that the next episode will likely be the grand finale, but all good things must end. Let’s make sure that Daima gets the attention it deserves before we send Toriyama off to that great studio in the sky.

I Give “Betrayal” a 5/5

SUPER SAIYAN 4! SUPER SAIYAN 4 IS REAL!!!

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

Dragon Ball Daima Ep 18 Review

Over the years, Dragon Ball GT has been a great subject of debate in the Dragon Ball community. Does the anime-original sequel hold up against its predecessors and successors? Is it even canon anymore since Super showed up? One thing that many fans agree on, though, is that Super Saiyan 4 was freaking awesome. From the shadow trim around the eyes to the red fur, SSJ4 gives off this wild, untamed look that was built for aura farming. While the canonicity of GT remains up for debate, it seems like Toriyama decided to give us one last gift: he made Super Saiyan 4 canon for us!

And the fans have been freaking out over it!

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Gomah is the Real Deal Now

If anyone doubted how tough Gomah would be when powered by the Evil Third Eye, that doubt has been thrown out the window. In the last episode, he managed to take every blow that the assembled partyโ€™s fighters could throw at him and shrugged it off like it was nothing!

Let me repeat that. The series broke the unwritten rule of fighting one-on-one by having eight fighters jump Gomah at once. And the best they could do was slow him down. Not even Goku is going to SSJ3, and Duu achieving a similar form is enough to pressure him for a long time. The Evil Eye is no joke!

To be fair, we cannot accurately assess how strong Gomah is in this form, as heโ€™s not fighting Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, and Shin at their full strength. As strong as they are as kids, theyโ€™re still kids, and have to deal with the nerfing that comes with that. However, given everything that weโ€™ve seen so far, and what he continues to accomplish in this episode, it might be fair to say Evil Eye Gomah is close to the level of Kid Buu. Considering the absolute menace Kid Buu was, and where this takes place in the timeline, thatโ€™s a pretty serious threat.

Things get so bad, in fact, that Neva has to go and pull a deus ex machina and give Goku a power-up just to save their hides. And what happens next is going to be debated among the fans for years to come: Super Saiyan 4 returned to Dragon Ball!

SUPER SAIYAN 4 RETURNS!!

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As previously mentioned, fans have debated for years over whether or not Dragon Ball GT is canon. Some say the story is not up to par with its predecessor, DBZ, or its successor, Super. Others want it to be canon simply because of how cool Super Saiyan 4 looks. And some would prefer it would be scrubbed entirely. Regardless of what fans think, one cannot deny how the addition of Super Saiyan 4 is a big deal. Given how Toriyama himself wrote the entire story for Daima before he died, this is basically him giving the form his stamp of approval. And just listen to how the fans have reacted.

Granted, many of those same fans will now be questioning why this form never appeared during Super. And through that, they may question if Daima is canon at all. But you know what? Who cares? Itโ€™s awesome, and so was the fight that followed.

In a series that has preferred to keep the action on a level to the early days of Dragon Ball, the fight between SSJ4 Goku and Gomah is a fantastic return to the days of Z and Super. The animation is fluid and fast-paced, Gokuโ€™s fighting style really leans into the more primal nature of his appearance. The whole thing is just awesome! The only reason that Gomah even survives is simply due to the plot armor heโ€™s wearing!

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Sadly, despite the huge power boost the heroes get, it turns out Gomah had been holding back the entire time. Itโ€™s unfair, but the story has to do it to justify the next plot twist as Glorioโ€™s double-agent status finally comes into play.

I must admit, itโ€™s a little disappointing to see that the Demon Realmโ€™s Dragon is just a red version of Porunga. I know itโ€™s supposed to keep with continuity, but come on, Toei. You could have had the dragon look like anything you wanted, and you chose to reuse Porunga? That feels like wasted potential! However, it was a good call to have the wish Glorio makes be spoken in Namekian. Since the audience doesnโ€™t understand Namekian, we wonโ€™t know what he wished for until the next episode. Did he follow through with Dr. Arinsuโ€™s wish to become the strongest in the Demon Realm? Or did he decide to turn on his employer and help the heroes? We wonโ€™t know until the next episode, and thatโ€™s the best kind of suspense the audience can be left on. Hopefully, the last two episodes of Daima will get the attention they deserve and end things on a high note.

I Give “Awakening” a 5/5

Gomah. He Looks Goofy, but is Dangerous

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

Dragon Ball Daima Ep 17 Review

Last time on Dragon Ball Daima, Goku and the other heroes made it to King Gomahโ€™s castle. There, they managed to take down Degesu and rescue Dende, fulfilling one of their two goals of traveling to the Demon Realm. However, when they arrive at the final Tamagami, they realize that the Dragon Ball is missing! At the same time, Gomah manages to get his hands on the Evil Third Eye and places it in his forehead, unlocking a powerful new transformation. Will Goku and the others be able to defeat the Demon King in their current state?

Honestly, theyโ€™re in for a pretty rough go of it.

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Duu and Goku Fight…

Since the beginning of Daima, this blog has said that Dr. Arinsu was working against Gomah. The signs were all there: she gave him the idea of trying to mess with Goku and his friends. She hired Glorio to bring them to the Demon Realm and retrieve its Dragon Balls. She created Duu and Kuu to get the last Dragon Ball. The writing was on the wall, and it should come as no surprise when this episode has her say it. She wants to overthrow Gomah, and use the Dragon Balls to turn the Demon Realm into her own empire. An empire from which she can conquer the rest of reality.

Again, none of this should be a surprise. Arinsu had โ€œStarscreamโ€ written all over her face. What is surprising, though, is the fact that she doesnโ€™t have Glorio turn on the others right away and give her the Dragon Balls. Instead, she has Duu fight Goku with the Dragon Balls on the line.

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Only for Gomah to Crash the Party

The fight between Goku and Majin Duu is brief, but it also turns out that the two are pretty evenly matched. Goku does a good job, but Duu manages to tank most of his hits and give them back just as well. However, their fight soon becomes moot when the real threat shows up: King Gomah.

A few weeks ago, some fanart of what King Gomahโ€™s ultimate form would look like wound up trending online. He was seen as this big, menacing figure akin to Frieza and Cell.

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Imagine the disappointment fans must have felt when this episode reveals Gomahโ€™s Third Eye form looks like this.

However, keep in mind that when it comes to the villains, Toriyama liked to subvert our expectations regarding their appearances. Friezaโ€™s true form may look plain, but in truth, itโ€™s downright terrifying. Cell may look more humanoid than bug in his perfect form, but his power is unreal. And letโ€™s not forget the menace that was Kid Buu. So, as goofy as Gomahโ€™s new form seems, the power he has is the real deal.

Donโ€™t believe that? Hereโ€™s proof: Goku takes a moment to ask all the other strong fighters to help him jump Gomah. In a franchise famous for having the main heroes fight while the others watch, that doesnโ€™t often happen. The fact that Goku is openly acknowledging that he cannot handle this on his own shows how serious this is!

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Let’s Kick Things Up a Notch

So, the climax of the episode has Goku, Vegeta, Glorio, Shin, Piccolo, Duu and Kuu, and even the Tamagami all rushing Gomah. And, in keeping with the Dragon Quest leanings, the fight feels like the climatic boss fight of a video game. Itโ€™s incredibly well-animated with some great, continuous shots. But, much like in the original Broly movie, not even jumping him at once is enough for the heroes. Gomah just tanks all their hits, and comes dangerously close to killing Goku. Itโ€™s only thanks to Duu and Kuu jumping in at the last second that heโ€™s able to catch a break.

The episode ends with Goku powering up to the only form he has that can handle Gomah, Super Saiyan 3. He may. Or be at his full power as a kid, but this is his last resort. And judging by the previews for the next episode, this fight is going to be wild. Something that fans have been wanting to see from the very beginning!!!

This is the good stuff!

I Give “Gomah” a 4/5

Megumin Took a Page from Darkness for 100 Girlfriends Audition

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

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 2 Ep 5 Review

Masochism is a noun describing the act of deriving pleasure from one’s pain. And in the anime world, no masochist is more famous than Darkness from KonoSuba. Darkness will throw herself in front of enemy attacks to experience pain. She regularly (and openly) fantasizes about painful and humiliating scenarios she can go through. She might be the ultimate masochist, but 100 Girlfriends may have just given us someone who rivals her interest. And for extra irony, this new girl is voiced by the seiyuu of Darkness’ party member, Megumin!

Also, good on the anime for updating the OP to now include Mei Meido.

Megumin Joins the Family!

As Rentaro is walking near the entrance to his high school, he sees a girl in a baseball uniform asking other girls to join the baseball team. But then, the two’s eyes meet and…zing!

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Meet girlfriend #9 Iku Sutou, a tomboy and only member of the girl’s baseball team. She loves the sport and is determined to be the best at it. She’s so determined, in fact, that she will practice until every part of her body is screaming at her to stop. And she likes it! She’s a colossal masochist!

Most of the girlfriends have quirks that viewers and readers will consider funny, but Iku might be among the funniest. Rentaro sees her have hearts in her eyes while dealing with the pain of swinging the bat 10,000. And when she finds out Rentaro already has a girlfriend(s), she’s heartbroken…and loves it!

The funniest part about Iku isn’t even something found in the manga; it comes from anime. Her seiyuu is Rie Takahashi, AKA the seiyuu of Megumin from KonoSuba. This was a brilliant casting choice, and it cannot have been a coincidence. Someone must have realized how hilarious it would be to have a character that takes after Darkness’ looks and personality but has Megumin’s voice. She’s easily the funniest character to join the cast since Hahari’s reveal as one of Rentaro’s soulmates, and the same goes for her love confession. He pretends to reject her confession because he knows she’ll love it.

Doing that is so painful it makes Rentaro vomit blood. Peak comedy, and girlfriend #9 is now secured.

Masochism+Determination=COMPLETE DISASTER

Iku’s masochism might be used for laughs, but her determination is very genuine. With all her teammates training in America, the girl’s baseball team is in danger of being shut down. Hence why she’s spent every day asking girls to join the team for an upcoming practice game so it can stay open. Once the Rentaro Family accepts her, though, they all agree to help. Partly because they’ve been trying to burn off the calories from the eating contest but mostly so they can exercise with Rentaro.

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As expected, the girl’s practice is full of jokes and visual gags centered around how their quirks affect their practice. They’re all pretty funny, ranging from Kurumi trying to eat the ball (it reminded her of a candy,) Nano throwing the ball like a pitching machine, and Kusuri copying Zoro’s three-sword-style with bats. If you like the jokes about each girl, you’ll like the training. However, things do take a serious turn when Iku stays up practicing all night, only to collapse from exhaustion!

Like every girl, Iku deconstructs an archetype found in fiction. In this case, her determination to do better, combined with her masochism, feed into this loop that could quickly become self-destructive. She is what would happen if Goku or Vegeta trained themselves past their limits but never gave themselves the time to rest. It’s not something one should always do, and it moves the Rentaro Family enough to stay overnight to look after her.

This is gonna be fun

Black comedy points for the reason they found it being Hahari overhearing Iku underneath the bed in the nurse’s office. The anime even shows her doing this!

Iku might be one of the best girlfriends to join the Rentaro Family thus far. Her determination is endearing, she gets extra points for being a tomboy (#tomboysupremacy), and her quirks, combined with her seiyuu, are hilarious. Welcome to the family, Iku, and good luck at the game.

I Give “Most Athletes are Masochists” a 5/5

Natsuko, get your ego under control!

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

Zenshu Ep 5 Review

Natsuko has been on an absolute tear ever since she came to the world of A Tale of Perishing. Every time a Void has shown up, whether she’s seen them before or not, Natsuko has managed to win. At the rate Zenshu is going, she can change the downer ending into a happy one. However, it would make for a boring anime if things continued along this same pathfr the rest of the series. With Zenshu nearing its halfway point, it has to mix things up to keep the viewers interested. In this case, that, sadly, involves teaching Natsuko an important lesson: just because she knows the original story, doesn’t mean she can solve all its problems.

Natsuko is letting her ego show

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It was established in the first episode that Natsuko wasn’t someone who worked well with others. Because she has such high standards for herself, she would get repeatedly frustrated when others couldn’t be on her level. Thus, instead of admitting she had no clue what she was doing with her romance flick and asking for help, she tried to do everything alone. While Zenshu already indicated that things were getting bad for the studio she worked at, the opening to this episode showed us just how bad they were getting. If that upcoming film didn’t do well, the entire studio would go under, and it would all be Natuskoโ€™s fault.

Here’s the thing, though: Natsuko never figured this out. Nor have her experiences in a world of Perishing helped to curb her lone wolf mentality. Instead, her string of victories over the Void has caused her ego to swell to the size of a planet. She’s openly basking in the peopleโ€™s adulation and saying that she’s handling everything. Even when she acknowledges how the story has gone way off the rails, she thinks she’s got it covered.๏ฟผ Even the cocky Unio believes she’s got too big a head on her shoulders!

Natsuko needs to get her act together

There are two significant issues with how Natsuko is acting in this episode. Firstly, there’s the story itself. If Natsuko is dreaming all this on a hospital bed, then when she wakes up, she wont have learned any important life lessons. Nothing will change, and thus sheโ€™ll doom her job due to her ego. Secondly, thinking you know how a story in an isekai will end can be a recipe for disaster. Case in point, the other heroes in Shield Hero thought the same thing. Look up how that turned out for them!

Bottom line, Natsuko needs to start learning how to work with a team, especially now that she’s begun to make an impact on the Nine Soldiers.

Luke is getting jealous of Justice

By now, it should be evident that Luke is falling for Natsuko. Luke may try to deny those feelings, and Natsuko might be oblivious to them (for now), but Unio is fully aware and hates it! Those feelings only continue to grow in this episode when Destiny asks the group to help out the orphans in the District of Despair. Not only is Luke impressed with how easily Natsuko wins over the kids, but he grows jealous when they reunite with an old friend of there’s who starts hitting on Natsuko.

This episode introduces the audience to Justice, a Dragon-man and former member of the Nine Soldiers before he quit. On the surface, it looks like did it to indulge In a life of debauchery. In truth, though, it was because in an earlier battle where a teammate died, his wings got crippled. As a result, he can’t fly. To a dragon, that’s the same as being paralyzed. The worst part, though, is that Luke didn’t even notice it because he was so worried about their other dying comrade.

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Natsuko is able to bond with Justice because she understands his pain genuinely. Unfortunately, she doesn’t learn from his mistakes of not asking for help from others. In addition, her spending time around Justice starts giving Luke the wrong idea.

Natsuko might have bit off more than she can chew

Eventually, though, Natuskoโ€™s hubris catches up with her when the next group of Voids appear. For the first time since she got isekaiโ€™d, Natsukoโ€™s drawings fail to defeat the good. The last moment of the episode is of her sitting vulnerable on the ground as the Void looks ready to end her life!

What a cliffhanger! For the first time, things are about to take a turn for the serious! Even if Natsuko makes it out in one piece, the consequences will still be significant. Hopefully, this experience will be the wake-up call she needs. Otherwise, this whole isekai experience will have been for nothing.

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I Give “Justice” a 4/5

The Evil Third Eye, Confirmed!

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

Dragon Ball Daima Ep 15 Review

The final battle is upon the Dragon Teamโ€ฆor Z Warriors or whatever the fans call Gokuโ€™s group of friends and allies. After stumbling their way into the First Demon World, Goku and the others are on the verge of ending their quest to rescue Dende and return to their proper ages. However, thereโ€™s one problem: Gomah knew they were coming and isnโ€™t pulling any punches. To make matters worse, it turns out that a certain theory that came up regarding the Evil Third Eye turned out to be right. And with Gomah now aware of this fact, heโ€™s determined to get his hands on it! The question isโ€ฆdid he manage to do that?

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Guess who Had the Evil Third Eye?

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As fans, including this very blog, speculated, that eye in Hybisโ€™ belt is, in fact, the legendary Evil Third Eye. Anyone who places it in their forehead can gain immense power that can make them nigh-unstoppable. However, the reason why it was lost was due to a power struggle between royalty. For the late Dabura, in an effort to overthrow his father, Abura, hired a thief to steal the Eye while his dad was away. Fortunately, the plan went south when said thief got killed before he could meet his client. Dabura overthrew his dad anyway, and Hybis found the Eye and kept it, ignorant to its true purpose. For further comparison, think Bilbo Baggins finding and keeping the One Ring, never realizing how dangerous it could be.

So, the prediction that Hybisโ€™ eye belt was the Evil Third Eye turned out to be correct. However, this should come as no surprise if one considers the hints that were dropped earlier in the series regarding this. And once Gomah becomes aware that Hybis has the second-most important artifact in the Demon Realm, he orders Degesu to get it. Which leads to what is, easily, the funniest part of the episode.

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While itโ€™s not clear whether this Demon woman was Degesu in disguise, that doesnโ€™t take away from the fact that this moment was hilarious. In the same conversation, Hybis calls the belt his favorite and most prized possession. And then he just trades it away for that big hat like itโ€™s nothing! The fact that he doesnโ€™t even want a kiss makes it even funnier! Hybis just became one of the funniest characters in the series! Time will tell if the Evil Eye becomes a factor in the final battle, though.

This storming of the castle could be harder than we thought.

Now, onto the main event of storming the castle. Given how theyโ€™ve effortlessly managed to demolish Gomahโ€™s forces up to this point, one would think the Dragon Team would have no problem getting past them. After all, Goku single-handedly demolished the Red Ribbon Army as a child. This should be a breeze for him and the others.

In a surprising subversion of one of Gokuโ€™s great early feats, the fight isnโ€™t as one-sided as fans would expect. Thanks to their sheer numbers and weaponry, the Gendarmerie manage to pressure the Dragon Team at several points. They manage to keep pushing, but by the time the tanks roll out, itโ€™s clear that the heroes are starting to feel the strain a bit. And thatโ€™s great!

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As some of the strongest beings in their universe, weโ€™re used to seeing the Dragon Team steam-roll past the nameless grunts and mooks. Seeing them start to struggle as they press onward ensures that the tension remains realistic. Had Panzyโ€™s father and his gang not shown up, thereโ€™s a real chance that Goku and his allies might have been pushed back. But show up, Panzyโ€™s father did, and his gang manages to help the heroes rout the enemy. All thatโ€™s left is for them to storm the castle and get the Dragon Ball and Dende!

Things are about to get tougher

Or so they think. Most of the party doesnโ€™t know that Arinsu already has the Dragon Ball and two skilled warriors capable of guarding it. And Gomah has the Gendarmerrie Force and Degesu at his disposal. Combine that with the chance that he could gain the Third Eye, itโ€™s clear that Goku and the others are in for a tough battle ahead. Itโ€™s a shame that the story has to end so soon, though.

I Give “Third Eye” a 3.5/5

Love at first…smell? Yeah, that’s what’s happening

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

Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadows S2 Ep 5 Review

If thereโ€™s a candidate for the best girl in Solo Leveling, then the anime makes a strong case for the strongest female Hunter in Korea, Cha Hae-in. Despite not making as hint her debut until the series was well underway, the anime has gone out of its way to add original scenes featuring Hae-in. When an anime does that, that means they will be important in the future. And now that the animeโ€™s caught up to her actual debut, Cha Hae-in is about to become even more important.

But first, time for some backstory.

Cha Hae-in’s unique condition

As hinted at in the anime, before she became a Hunter, Hae-in was a talented track athlete. Sadly, she pushed herself too hard, leading to an injury that cut her career short. Then, two years ago, she awakened as one of Koreaโ€™s handful of S-Ranked Hunters. Now sheโ€™s the second-in-command of the strongest Hunters guild in the country. Between that and her beauty, one could call her the Korean equivalent of Asuna from Sword Art Online and very fortunate.

Hereโ€™s the thing: she doesnโ€™t see it that way. As shown in the series premiere, sheโ€™s not comfortable with how famous she is, something that the Arise gacha game expands upon. Not helping matters is her unique condition: she can smell mana. According to her, it smells horrible, and her job makes her work around people with that smell every day.

Which explains why, after formally meeting Jin-woo, her first impulseโ€ฆis to smell him.

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Who else is shipping them?

The how and why of why Jin-woo doesnโ€™t smell bad to Hae-in arenโ€™t made clear. Even in the WEBTOON, the best Jin-woo can come up with is due to being the Player. However, none of that matters, because this marks the beginning of Hae-inโ€™s relationship with Jin-woo, one that will come to be of great importance to both.

โ€ฆyes, the series is shipping them. It helps that she shows up looking for Jin-woo after he heads into the Dungeon on her day off. And thinks of him as she’s trying to fall asleep.

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Jin-woo the miner

So, the real meat of the episode. While Jin-woo is waiting for his updated license to go through, heโ€™s been killing time playing miner. Even without his army, his gains are enough to do ten peopleโ€™s work. But when the B-team makes an offer to have him be their porter, he takes it.

Itโ€™s a good thing, too, because their raid quickly goes sideways.

It was interesting to see just how strong the upper-ranked Hunters can be. More importantly, Jin-wooโ€™s stealthy intervention proves just how strong heโ€™s gotten in comparison to most Hunters. At this point, itโ€™s accurate to say that only a few S-Rank Hunters could scrap with him. However, that becomes a moot point when a horde of High Orcs (Orcs on steroids) show up and give them a choice: go with them or die.

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Jin-woo could take them, but since heโ€™s trying not to draw too much attention to himself, he lets the party leader decide. Having read the manwha, I can tell you that he will step up when things go sideways. And what follows will be one of the first public demonstrations of what Jin-woo is capable of. And if Hae-in manages to see itโ€ฆletโ€™s just say her interest in Jin-woo is going to be very justified.

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I give “This is what we trained for” a 4/5

Jin-woo stops faking being an E-Rank

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

Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadows S2 Ep 4 Review

โ€œYouโ€™ll be fine as long as youโ€™re not E-Rank.โ€ Thatโ€™s an important line from the fourth episode of Solo Levelingโ€™s sophomore outing, and for good reason. Jin-woo may have left E-Rank behind a while back, but thatโ€™s still his official rank. As long as he stays there, he wonโ€™t be able to get into higher-ranking Dungeons. If he canโ€™t do that, he wonโ€™t be able to get strong enough to get the last part of the medicine for his mother. With people in power already suspicious of him in light of the Red Gate, Jin-woo decides to stop pretending and make it official. As of this episode, heโ€™s now Koreaโ€™s 10th S-Rank Hunter, and everyone wants a piece of him.

Il-Hwang Just won Father of the Year

Those who were expecting to have more heart-stopping action in this episode will be disappointed in the get-go. This is one of the episodes of Solo Leveling that focuses more on drama, exposition, and world-building. It manages to drop many important details regarding the world of Hunters and how theyโ€™ve become the new power in the world. Itโ€™s already been established that oneโ€™s rank can determine their power and influence as a Hunter, but this episode hammers home the strength of a guild. The five strongest guilds in Korea collectively match the strength of the entire government. And in larger countries, the biggest guilds can be run like private kingdoms with no oversight. Is it any wonder why men like Dongsoo can act like theyโ€™re Homelander and do whatever they want?

Speaking of which, this episode has Dongsoo in a hospital bed after Jin-wooโ€™s father turned him into a victim. And to add to insult to injury, Il-Hwan basically told the thug โ€œif you even think of setting foot back in Korea or come after my family, I will beat up so bad that you will be longing for death. And not even the reaper will be able to save you, since Iโ€™ll just bring you back and kill you all over again!โ€

What a good dad.

Jin-woo ain’t interested.

So, when Jin-woo goes to get reevaluated and their giant scouter cannot compute his power level, everyone at the office starts freaking out. Sung Jin-woo is officially the 10th S-Rank Hunter in the country. What follows can be described as the process in which the best sports teams trying to recruit a promising young athlete. First comes Choi Jong-in from the Hunterโ€™s Guild, only for him to get embarrassed when Jin-woo blows right past him. Baek Yoonho, whoโ€™s team Jin-woo saved in the Red Gate incident, comes too late to even see him!

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The most surprising offer, though, comes from the Hunterโ€™s Association’s own leader, Go Gunhee. Keeping with the anime tradition of elders being insanely strong, Gunhee is also S-Ranked and on-par with Jin-woo. He makes a convincing argument that Jin-woo join the Association and help police the Hunters. That would go a long way to helping prevent Hunters like Dongsuk from getting away with crimes. Itโ€™s even implied that heโ€™s hoping Jin-woo could be his successor, an offer he finds very tempting.

Ultimately, Jin-woo declines. Not only does Gunhee respect his decision, heโ€™s so swayed by Jin-wooโ€™s rizz heโ€™s tempted to join him in the dungeons! Either way, Jin-woo just made a powerful ally!

Hae-in Stocks about to go up

Speaking of dungeons, Jin-woo decides to kill time by working as a miner at an A-Rank Dungeon being run by the Hunterโ€™s Guild. And itโ€™s there that he happens to run into a certain Hunter, one that the series has been dropping appearances for all throughout the series.

Cha Hae-in, the second in command of the Hunterโ€™s, one of the strongest Hunters in Korea, and someone who will become very important from this moment going forward. Sadly, the episode ends right as the two have their first, actual meeting in the Dungeon, but before they can speak to each other. Manwha readers will have to wait until the next episode to see the start of theirโ€ฆrelationship.

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The one downside to this episode is noted by Screenrant: it continues a worrying trend of the anime cutting out some of the smaller, sillier moments from the manwha. There are plenty to be found in the manwha, and even more to come when one considers what importance Hae-in will have in the future.

Meh. You canโ€™t win them all.

I Give “I Need to Stop Faking” a 3/5. Loses one point for teasing us on Hae-in Scene!