May I Ask for One Final Thing? Initial Series Review
Crash outs; a slang term commonly used to describe what happens when someone becomes angry to the point where they can’t control it. Usually, it’s because they hit the limit of how much grief they can tolerate, or they just saw someone hurt someone they care about. The important thing, though, is that when people crash out, they tend to lose all restraint and just tear through anyone foolish or unfortunate enough to get in their way. There have been some legendary crash-out moments in anime before, and most of them are downright enjoyable to look back on. However, I think I might have just found my favorite crash out in a good, long while. And the best part is the fact that it’s pretty much an entire anime: May I Ask for One Final Thing?
Scarlet El Vandimion, the Mad Dog Princess
Meet Scarlet El Vandimion, the daughter of a Duke in the kingdom of Pallistan. On the outside, she seems like the epitome of a Kuudere. She’s poised, beautiful, and gets the top scores at school. But underneath her icy persona, she’s got a secret: she loves nothing more than to pummel people who act like jerks. She’s been like that since she was a kid, but for the sake of her family, she’s done her best to repress it.
Unfortunately for her, it’s like the universe is trying to find ways to make her blow her stack. She is engaged to Kyle von Pallistan, the second prince of Pallistan, and he is an absolute jerk. He spends the next ten years treating her like a slave, bullying her, demeaning her, and being utterly insufferable. And the whole time, she has to keep repressing the urge to punch his face in for the sake of her family. So she just keeps this icy exterior and acts as stoic as Nano Eiai from 100 Girlfriends. And almost everyone buys that this is who she is, when in reality, she might be the long-lost sister of Eris Greyrat from Mushoku Tensei, because her anger keeps building the entire time until it threatens to boil over.
It actually almost does one day while they’re at school. Kyle barges into Scarlet’s classroom and starts running his mouth, complaining about she did better than him on the recent exams. So she just stands there and lets him yap, until he gets the idea of cutting off her hair as punishment. And this is where the crash out almost begins. Thankfully, Kyle’s smarter older brother is nearby, sees what Scarlet is about to do, and steps in to defuse the situation. Not to save Scarlet, but to save his brother from getting his butt kicked. But all Julius did was buy his brother a temporary stay of execution, because the pain was going to come to him. And he was going to deserve all of it.
— Vincent Sophuok (FU, Musk) (@VincentSophuok) October 4, 2025
This finally brings us to the start of the first episode, and the moment when the crash-out begins.
The Crash Out Begins
So, Kyle summons Scarlet to this gathering where he and a bunch of other nobles are in attendance, along with some girl that she’s never met before. Then Kyle starts saying how her name is Terenezza and that he had fallen in love with her. Kyle then started spouting all these lies saying that Scarlet had been bullying her during their time at school, when in truth, she had never even met her until that very moment. And the other nobles are all in on this, acting like he’s doing the right thing. And Scarlet just listens to this whole thing until he finally declares that he’s ending their engagement so he can marrying Terenezza.
Little did Kyle know that he just signed his own death warrant. Because after she heard all of this, Scarlet feels this…release. She realizes that she just wasted ten years of her life holding herself back for nothing. But she also realizes that now, she has no reason to keep holding back.
And this is when the crash out ten years in the making finally begins as Scarlet asks for one final request: “Can I punch this b**** in the face?”
After years of suppressing her rage over mistreatment from the nobility and her insufferable fiancé, Lady Scarlet knows it’s time to uncork a well-aged bottle of fine Whoop Ass. @morganlaure, @KyleIggy and the rest of the dub team are in title belt form!#MayIAskForOneFinalThingpic.twitter.com/Q7iXm2yCUW
And from that moment on, Scarlet was off the leash. And Terenezza is the first victim.
She Crashed Out, and Got Rewarded for it.
Now, one would think that beating the ever-loving tar out of a Prince and all those nobles would get Scarlet in trouble. After all, she did attack royalty during her crash out. But what does Julius do? He congratulates her for finally showing her true self. The royal family disinherits Kyle for his utter stupidity, so he gets punished while she gets off scot-free. Even better, since all the nobles that were mocking Scarlet were corrupt scumbags involved in the slave trade, they’re all getting punished.
All of this leads us to the main plot of May I Ask for One Final Thing? Julius offers Scarlet a job helping him to weed out all the corrupt nobles in the kingdom and punish them. Which means that she’s got an excuse for her to continue crashing out on people who deserve it. And which leads me to say that I like this show, and I think I’m going to be watching it a lot this season. Scarlet is like the kuudere version of Eris Greyrat, and I’m all for female characters who can kick butt and take names.
Nine years ago, I was browsing on the WEBTOON App and keeping up to date with some of the comics I follow when I came across this relatively new one called Let’s Play. Being a gamer and an aspiring YouTuber, I knew right away that this series had to have something to do with video games. Lo and behold, as soon as I clicked on it, I was happy to see that I was right. It was this romcom/slice-of-life comic created by a talented creator called Mongie, and it had me hooked from the first panel. Sadly, due to issues with WEBTOON, Mongie has since moved the comic to another app called Tapas where they’re post all the old chapters before giving us a fourth season. In the meantime, though, Let’s Play has joined the growing list of webcomics and manwha that got made into a TV show, this time as an anime on Crunchyroll.
Having already seen another popular webcomic get the anime treatment earlier this year, only for it to be a massive letdown, I was skeptical. I got burned once, and I didn’t want it to happen again. However, I couldn’t help but remember all the good, and it made me want to give it again without giving it a bad review. Which is important, considering how the catalyst for the entire series is someone giving a bad review of something the main character worked hard on out of ignorance.
Sam Must Be Protected at All Costs
Meet Sam Young, a young (pun not intended) computer software developer and lover of video games. She spent a lot of her life in and out of the hospital due to health problems, so video games helped to keep her going all that time. That, and seeing a let’s player by the name of Marshall Law playing video games on ViewTube. And like some gamers, her love of games led her to try her hand at making her own game, Ruminate, a free-to-play puzzle game in the style of an RPG that she posts online. And it manages to do great…until Marshall Law decides to play it.
This is what happens.
This isn’t just because Sam made the tutorial too confusing to understand, by the way. This is because Law failed to read it altogether, resulting in him playing it wrong and causing his fans to tear her to shreds online. It threatens to end her career before it can even begin. But then comes the twist: Marshall Law ends up moving in next door to her. And that’s when the drama really begins!
It’s Nice to See this Series again
As one of the first people to start reading the Webcomic when it first came out, I have the beneift of already knowing a lot about the cast and what happens going in. Therefore, I was a little surprised at how the plot of the opening episode is structured. It’s more or less taking several of the early chapters and combining them into one, while also mixing up what happens when. This is done so that the show can give us a crash course on who is who and their basic personalities. Surprisingly, it manages to do a good job at it. We get to know Sam’s friends and family, all of whom have their own distinguishing traits. Out of all of them, though, I’d say the quirkiest has to be Sam’s dad, the CEO of the software company she works at. He’s the kind of dad who dotes on his daughter to the extreme. It gets to the point that when he thinks somene is hitting on her, we get a cutaway imagining him strangling the guy. It’s pretty funny, if you ask me.
As far as the animation goes, I’m still not entirely sold on how it looks. What can I say? The look of The Beginning After the End left a bad taste in my mouth. That being said, watching this episode reminded me why I fell in love with Let’s Play in the first place. Besides all the romcom and office drama taking place, this series contains a lot of shoutouts to video games. From platforming classics to RPGS, there’s going to be plenty of things from games present in this. As a gamer myself, I can appreciate it, even if I don’t always like the art style.
I was actually on the fence about whether I wanted to cover this series, but after watching the first episode, I think I might give it a chance. At the very least, it’s a great way for me to get back into Let’s Play as it works its way to a fourth season on Tapas. If you want to read what happens, then I’d recommend you go read it there. Otherwise, enjoy.
It’s over, everyone. The liberation of Q’ten Lo is over, and Raptalia’s ancestral homeland is free. Sadly, anyone who hoped that things would end in a big, epic final battle like in a movie has had their hopes dashed. Instead of a great final battle, we have to settle for a more personal one as Raphtalia undergoes a great trial: earning the approval of her ancestors to lead the nation.
Good Riddance, Makina
So, to recap the end of the last episode, Shildina was possessed by the spirit of Raphtalia’s ancestor, the former Emperor(or Empress) of Q’ten Lo. Said ancestor then flew to the capital and killed the wicked Makina for her crimes against the nation. However, Makina had one last trick up her sleeve, using a failsafe she put in place to allow her soul to possess Shildina’s body. Fortunately, she’s about as smart as Bitch the Witch, so it doesn’t work. Some people might not like how anticlimactic this feels, but there really was no need for Naofumi and the others to fight Makina. She was a worthless piece of trash and she died like one.
The real focus of the episode, though, is what happens after that. Raphtalia’s ancestor is willing to give Shildina her body back, on one condition: she wants to scrap with Raphtalia. The logic behind this is simple. As Emperor, it will be Raphtalia’s duty to be strong enough to stop the Cardinal Heroes if they stray from good. So she needs to be strong enough to do that. Ergo, she needs to prove her strength.
Decent Fight!
The fight itself is actually pretty good, at least by the show’s standards. Raphtalia gets to show off how strong she really is, and we see how much she has to improve upon herself. At the same time, I can’t help but feel like the fighting has lost a bit of its edge. Then again, my standard might have gone up from watching other anime.
In any event, Raphtalia wins, and Shildina is freed. Which means that Q’ten Lo is now free!! However, it’s what happens next where the anime fumbles the bag.
We Missed Naofumi Preaching the word of Raph-Chan
In the light novels, after defeating Shildina and bringing the rebels in, Naofumi and the others go to capture the young Emperor, Raphtalia’s cousin, Ruftmilia. He tries to remain composed at first, but just like in the anime, Naofumi has Filo mess with him. The reason being that he wanted him to understand why forbidding people from fighting monsters in self-defense is a bad idea. Whereas the anime glosses over things, though, Filo pretends to try to eat the boy! It helps fake his death so they can take him away from Q’ten Lo, but it’s not as dramatic in the anime.
Also, it skips over the part where Ruftmilia takes an immediate liking to Raph-Chan. Which means that Naofumi now has a new member of the Church of Raph-Chan, much to the dismay of Raphtalia.
Next Season is Gonna be Crazy
Regardless, though, this brings an end to the big side quest that was Q’ten Lo. And that is basically what the entire season has amounted to: a major side quest. Because while all of this is happening, time is running out until the next of the Guardian Beasts emerges. That is when the fight to save the world will begin anew. And things are already being set in motion.
Elsewhere, a moment that should make people ecstatic takes place when Motoyasu corners and apparently kills Witch. Normally, that would leave people jumping for joy…or at least lamenting the waste of life. However, it happens far too easily for everyone to buy. And they’re right. Witch is still alive, and will likely return to cause trouble in the future.
And that brings us to what comes next, Season Five. The anime includes a teaser for the next season in its final moments, and from what we see, things are about to get bad for Naofumi. Very, very bad. I haven’t gotten that far in the light novels, but I’ve heard the stories about how bad things get.
There’s no getting around it anymore: it’s Fall. Leaves are falling, the capitalist system is preparing for the Holidays, and new anime seasons of anime are on the way. There’s just one problem: for the first time in a while, I’m worried that I won’t have an anime to cover on a weekly basis. There are plenty of great anime coming out to watch, but I’m not sure which one to cover for the D&A Anime Blog. That being said, it’s not stopping me from talking about some of the big names that might be worth watching.
Let’s Play, October 1st, Crunchyroll
Our first potential pick is potentially for anyone whose a fan of video games, romcoms, or webcomics, Let’s Play. Sam Young is an introverted 22-year-old software developer whose love for video games led to create her own, Ruminate. At first, it did great on the market, until her favorite Let’s Player, Marshall Law, gave it a bad review, leading his fans to trash it. It gets worse, though, as she discovers Law has just become her new neighbor. Talk about a drama bomb.
Believe it or not, I’m actually one of Let’s Play’s earliest fans, having read it from its first chapters on WEBTOON. At first it seems like another romcom built around gaming, but once Mongie starts picking up steam, she starts getting into some pretty heavy subjects like depression, trauma, and insecurities. Unfortunately, I don’t think that the show’s animation lives up to Mongie’s own artwork. Having been let down by The Beginning After the End earlier this year, that’s left me a little weary. However, I think I’ll at least give it the benefit of the doubt.
My Hero Academia Final Season, October 4th, Crunchyroll
Ever since the manga came to an end last year, fans have been waiting to see if the My Hero Academia anime can live up to their expectations. As the final war between the Heroes of Japan and All for One nears its climax, Deku will be drawn into his final confrontation with the ultimate villain and Shigaraki in a battle to decide the fate of the world.
For the past decade, My Hero Academia has been one of the biggest names in the Shonen genre, and anime in general, and for good reason; people
love superheroes! The series has had its highs and lows, but given how the manga ends, people are eager to see if the anime can live up to the hype or surpass it. Having covered the series on my own blog since Season Four, getting to see the finale will be a bittersweet experience for me. At least we’ll still have Vigilantes to look forward to, though!
Ranma 1/2 Season 2, October 4th Netflix
Last year, Netflix gave us their remake of one of the OG romcom anime, Ranma 1/2, and now it’s back for more. Too bad for Ranma, his misfortunes when it comes to love, as well as his curse, are going to keep giving him grief.
When anime and manga started arriving in force to America back in the 90s, Ranma 1/2 was among the first wave, helping to introduce fans to Japanese romcoms. Granted, modern audiences might take issue with several things about it, like how argumentative Ranma and Akane are, or how they’re betrothed by their dads without their consent. However, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still one of the OG romcom anime, and it’s cool that it’s getting more love.
Spy x Family Season 3, October 4th, Crunchyroll/Hulu
Everyone’s favorite spy family is back for a third season. As Loid continues to work towards his ultimate goal of completing Operation: STRIX, the Forger family continues its efforts to keep looking like a normal family. Which is tough considering how the “Dad” is a spy, the “Mom” is an assassin, neither knowing that, and their “daughter” Anya has to help keep it that way. Which will be hard, considering how this season is slated to include an escort mission on a cruise ship and Anya’s school bus getting hijacked by terrorists.
I’m not that overly big a fan of Spy x Family, only really watching it when I have nothing better to do. However, I can appreciate why people like it so much. The characters are likable, there’s a good balance between action and comedy, like many great Shonen, and the animation itself is great. What might tip the scales, though, is that this season will give us a look at how Loid became the superspy Twilight.
Star Wars: Visions Volume 3, October 29th, Disney+
Four years ago, Disney teamed up with some of the biggest animation studios in Japan to give us Star Wars: Visions, an anthology series that combined two of the greatest things in the world: Star Wars and anime. Now, it’s returning to those roots with a third season that promises to be just as good, if not better, than the last two. Not only will we be getting new shorts inspired by the Star Wars universe, but three are going to be sequelss to some of the most popular shorts from Volume One: The Duel, The Village Bride, and The Ninth Jedi. If you’ve seen the shorts, then you know why this alone is worth the hype.
I’ve been a fan of Star Wars since I was a little kid, and despite how Disney has kept fumbling things since 2012, I’m still a big fan of the franchise. Combining it with anime is naturally enough to get my blood pumping! Given how amazing the first two volumes are, I’m eager to see what comes next from this anthology series!
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, October 29th, Theaters
It’s been three long years since the end to the first season of Chainsaw Man, and while manga-readers have feasted, anime watchers are starving . But all of that changes as Chainsaw Man gets the movie treatment with Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc.
After defeating the Katana Man and his Yakuza flunkies, Denji continues his work under Makima as a hunter of Devils. His world winds up getting turned upside down, though, when he winds up meeting a girl his age named Reze, and she actually seems interested in him! But since the universe seems to love seeing Denji suffer, you don’t need to read the manga to know that this cannot end well.
I had my criticisms of the first season of Chainsaw Man, and for good reason. Considering all the hype about the manga, it felt like the anime failed to meet my expectations when it comes to action. However, I did promise myself I would go back and review it again once it continued, and I intend to keep that promise. Given how effectively Demon Slayer has adapted arcs into full-on movies, I have high hopes for this flick. Hopefully, it also means that the anime will be coming back soon with a new season.
About 12 years ago, I used to be a well known fan fiction writer. I went by many names during that time; from D.J. Lewis, to DJ Returns, and November Star. Most of the fan fiction I wrote was anime crossovers. I did one with Sonic & Negima (Series), Sonic & Naruto (Series), and the most popular one; Sonic x Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt (Season 1). I’ve already made my review of the new season, as well as what I liked and disliked about the show. Which brings us here today; after a loooo~ng time away from writing stories, I thought I would give it one more shot before I FULLY retire from writing fan fiction.
So, here’s the newest crossover fan fiction; featuring Kid Icarus, and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt…
Kid Icarus x Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt Crossover
[Kid Icarus: Anarchy Uprising (Kid Icarus x PSG)]
Alright so here’s an overview of what this Kid Icarus x PSG fan fiction crossover will be about.
The timeline is set right after the events of Scanty and Kneesocks’ debut. In Palutena’s Temple, the Goddess of Light tells Pit that he’s been summoned by the King of Heaven. At first he’s surprised why the ‘King of the Gods’ would summon him, but then he accepts the summons, and makes his way to the King’s Throne. As Pit kneels before the Heaven King, he tells him that he’ll be given a special assignment; to assist his daughters (Panty and Stocking) in collecting enough Heaven Coins to return home. The King then tells Pit that his daughters are the Princesses of Heaven, and next in line to assume the throne, however they must complete their trial of killing ghosts and demons before doing so.
Pit tells the King of Heaven that he’s honored that he was chosen for this assignment, as Palutena assures Pit that she’ll supply him with new weapons exclusively for his mission; including an upgrade to his primary weapon (The Sacred Bow of Palutena). Meanwhile outside of Cemetery Hills Church, Chuck gets struck by lightning before spitting out a note that reads “Icarus”. Garterbelt picks up the note as a smirk and a look of relief appeared across his face. Pit may be honored to take on this assignment, but it’s not going to be the cakewalk in the park he thinks it is; especially considering who the ‘Princesses of Heaven’ are.
Chapters 1 and 2 will drop on my birthday, which is November 3rd! The fan fiction will be rated M (cuz’ it’s Panty and Stocking), and as for any ships, there will be some (but I won’t tell you what they are just yet).
Do you know what’s more metal than fighting giant monsters inside a giant robot? Absolutely nothing! The Mecha and Kaiju genres are some of Japan’s oldest and most respected cultural exports, and they’ve gained popularity with people around the world. Since DanDaDan is essentially a giant love letter to all things sci-fi and supernatural in Japanese pop culture, including the two is a no-brainer. And with a Space Kaiju baring down on the teens of the series, it only makes sense that they fight it off with a giant mecha for the season finale. And it is everything that the nerdy Konya ever wanted…when it works at least.
YOU! DIG! GIANT ROBOTS!!
In order to fight off the giant, thunder-breathing Space Kaiju trying to kill them, the quintet of Takakura, Momo, Aira, Jiji, and Kinta resort to turning the Ayase House (made out of nanobots) into a weapon that can fight back. Fortunately for everyone, Kinta’s love of mecha anime comes in clutch, turning the house into a buddha-themed combiner robot in the style of Voltron, Power Rangers/Super Sentai, and later versions of Gurren Lagann. That’s the good news about this situation, at least if you’re Kinta.
The bad news is that the Family lacks the teamwork needed to pilot the thing.
I’m not sure how often this is an issue when it comes to combiner mechs, but teamwork is often the most essential thing for making them work right. The Power Rangers and Voltron may make it look easy, but in real-life, coordinating to pilot a giant robot would be very difficult. If one member isn’t in sync, it could derail everything. Case in point, this surprisingly realistic outcome results in Okarun getting ejected, the Evil Eye busting free without caring about what’s going on, and the remaining three getting their butts kicked.
But this is where Kinta starts to show what he is truly capable of, and how there’s more to him than his appearance would suggest.
Don’t Mock Mecha
He just obsessed with Robots just like how okarun is obsessed with aliens 😭 i felt so bad for him.
Much like Okarun before he met Momo, Kinta lived a very lonely life, mocked for his nerdy interests; in his case, for his love of mecha and giant robots. Before anime became mainstream, and even now, that is something that many an unfortunate nerd has had to experience. However, like a true nerd, Kinta refuses to feel bad about liking what he does. Because he knows that at the rate that technology is progressing, the possibility of being able to pilot a giant robot is becoming more and more likely. That’s not even a joke: companies are working on real-life mechas capable of being piloted by humans, and if they got mainstream, they will need capable pilots. And it’s people like Kinta, who understand mecha and sci-fi and trained for them, that will be first in line.
And it is with these burning feelings in his heart that we see Kinta become the mecha pilot he always wanted to be. And it is awesome!
The fight between the Great Kinta and the Space Kinta is nothing short of epic! It’s the kind of fight that makes any fan of either genre just want to grin from ear to ear. And the way the girls use their own powers to help enhance the Great Kinta mecha! Absolutely insane! And the other two boys manage to be a comedic duo the entire time since all they can do is watch everything! The comedy and action don’t stop!
In the end, the group manages to beat the Space Kaiju, but they come back to reality in the middle of the city. So, they have to hoof it back to the Ayase property with their fallen opponent. And Momo and Aira have to puke from motion sickness, LOL. Besides that, though, Kinta managed to solidify himself as a member of the group. His mecha skills are something else! But believe it or not, the giant robot vs Kaiju fight wasn’t the biggest surprise of the episode. It’s what the boys find inside the Kaiju. Or rather, Kaiju suit.
This whole time, the Space Kaiju was really a suit, and the person piloting it will surprise you.
DanDaDan now has a new waifu. Manga readers have been waiting for her for a while now, but sadly, anime watchers will have to wait until season three. Thankfully, it’s already been confirmed that there will be a third season of the anime. When it will come out, though, is anyone’s guess.
DAN DA DAN Season 3 is CONFIRMED!
Thank you to all the fans for your support, and we hope you look forward to what's in store. Stay tuned for #DANDADAN Season 3! ✨ pic.twitter.com/waCLb6e3C2
If there is an afterlife, then there better be a special place in Hell for adults who abuse kids, especially if it’s their own. Thanks to Makina (AKA Bitch II), any attempts to end the liberation of Q’ten Lo without bloodshed are for naught. Shildina has been ordered to go back and fight Raphtalia and Naofumi’s forces, making her their last obstacle to the Capital. And the only way they can get past her without killing anyone is by beating her one-on-one. And the only person she’ll fight? Her sister, Sadeena.
Oh, dear.
Sibling Inferiority Complexes are Hard to Handle
From the outset of this fight between sisters, Shildina makes it clear that she has no illusions as to how things will turn out. She fully expects to die facing down her older sister. However, her decision to do this goes beyond following orders, no matter how unfair they are. It’s because she has a personal grudge against Sadeena.
A showdown between two generations of Water Dragon priestesses.
Left with no choice, Zodia challenges Sadeena to a duel as thunder and wind clash…?✨
As this episode reveals, Shildina was only born after Sadeena left the country. Their parents and clan created her for the sole purpose of taking up her sister’s role as the Water Dragon Priestess and the Emperor’s executioner. They put her through hell for that, not even treating her like her own person. And now, Shildina is using her suicide mission as a means to let out all the hate and anger in her heart against the person she deems responsible.
#shieldhero I just wanna say, I love Sadeena, rather human or beastman form, she is sexy af. Also, Shildina is fucking KYOGRE lol Plus, we get a twisty twist, that is very twisted. Good episode and look forward to the next episode pic.twitter.com/jLCQxWTKAL
Ever since the group arrived in Q’ten Lo, the show has implied that a part of Sadeena regrets leaving without trying to change things for the better. However, no one can fault her for leaving. Many people who grew up in an abusive household don’t look back after getting out. If anything, the only regret that Sadeena has after meeting her sister is that she wasn’t able to beat some sense into her deadbeat family. But now that she has Raphtalia and Naofumi by her side, she can change all of that.
Ultimately, Shildina is technically the person who wins the duel, managing to overwhelm her older sister thanks to a trump card she had in place. That victory proves hollow, though, as Naofumi and the others all rush to her aid while Shildina has no one. The only person who cares about her as a person is the Heavenly Emperor, and he was powerless to stop her from going to her death. Thankfully, Shildina doesn’t die. Something just as bad happens to her, though. Somehow, she gets possessed by a spirit!
It’s not really explained that well in the anime, and the light novel doesn’t offer as much of an explanation as to why this transformation happens. Given how this new form is the spitting image of Raphtalia, though, it’s safe to say that Shildina has been possessed by the spirit of Raphtalia’s ancestor. On the one hand, she doesn’t continue the fight with Sadeena and immediately flies back to the Capital. That’s when she proceeds to give Makina the karmic justice she deserves.
On the other hand, though, Raphtalia’s ancestor is possessing the body of a kid against her will. That’s not good. If they want to save Shildina, then Naofumi and the others are going to have to fight this spirit.
As is the case with many of the fights this season, it wasn’t the most exciting thing to watch. However, what it lacked in excitement, this episode made up for in raw emotion. It really wants you to feel for Shildina when you hear her backstory, and make you want nothing more than to beat her parents faces into the ground. If we’re lucky, we’ll get an anime-exclusive scene of that next week during the finale. Until then, though, we have the battle against Raphtalia’s ancestor to long forward to. After that, we crown our Tanuki Goddess!
You know who we hate? Witch, AKA Bitch, W***, and formerly known as Malty S. Melromarc. She might be one of the most loathsome, contemptible, and disgusting excuses for a sentient being in all of anime. And as this season has revealed, Q’ten Lo has its own version of Witch in the form of Makina, AKA the one running Raphtalia’s ancestral homeland into the ground. Bitch #2 is such a waste of life that even when it’s obvious she’s going to lose, she’d rather drag everyone else down with her, even if they’re just kids like Sadeena’s little sister.
You Can’t Negotiate with Jerks
At the end of the last episode, Naofumi, Raphtalia, and the other rebels had made it to the gates of the Old Capital of Q’ten Lo. Right when it looked there would be a huge fight, Sadeena’s little sister, Shildina, AKA Zodia, asks to talk things out. Despite her future subjects calling it a trap, Raphtalia agrees to go, and alone at that. It’s rather sweet to see that Naofumi and Sadeena trust Raphtalia to take care of herself, even when their followers act paranoid.
As it turns out, it’s not a trap. Shildina does want to end the civil war peacefully, asking the rebels to lay down their arms so their lives will be spared. She even offers Raphtalia a job in the government. As we’ve seen about her character, she’s completely sincere about her offer. She hates seeing people suffering as much as Raphtalia and wants to end things without any further bloodshed. With how hard it can be in real life to get people to talk things out, I can’t help but respect the young priestess’ willingness to know when it’s time to compromise.
Unfortunately for Shildina, her efforts to end the war without any more fighting were doomed from the start. I didn’t need to be Naofumi to see that fact plain as day.
Is this Woman Witch’s long-lost relative?
◥◣🛡ご視聴ありがとうございました🛡◢◤
TVアニメ「#盾の勇者の成り上がり Season 4」 第10話『祈り』 ご視聴ありがとうございました🛡
— TVアニメ『盾の勇者の成り上がり』@Season 4 2025年7月9日(水)放送開始！ (@shieldheroanime) September 10, 2025
First of all, it’s implied, and later confirmed, that Shildina is acting of her own accord. Her master, the horrid Makina, is like Cersei Lannister from Game of Thrones: if you’re not with her and doing what she wants, then you’re an enemy to be crushed. Needless to say, she is neither understanding nor willing to even entertain the thought of peace. Not that it would matter for her. After allowing Raphtalia to become an orphan, be enslaved, and then have assassins sent after her, any peace deal Naofumi would want would involve her facing justice.
Second of all, this episode pretty much confirms that the child Emperor is a figurehead with no real power. Even when he tries to speak up for Shildina’s, likely his only real friend, Makina shuts them both down. Any attempts to act in good faith are never going to work with her in charge. Case in point, when Shildina comes back having given up the Old Capital to Naofumi’s forces, she proceeds to verbally abuse the girl, playing on her feelings of inferiority towards the sister she’s never met. In other words, she’s a horrible woman and the world will be better off when she’s dead.
All Hail Empress Raphtalia!
The good news, though, is that thanks to the government abandoning the Old Capital, the group’s able to perform the ritual to make Raphtalia the new Heavenly Emperor of Q’ten Lo. Or Empress, in this case; the story doesn’t make it clear if “Emperor” is gender-neutral here. Regardless, the important thing is Raphtalia is now able to perform the blessings of the Heavenly Emperor. Even better, the Cardinal Heroes manage to learn a new way to power up that basically amounts to the use of Ki. With the Phoenix’s arrival on the horizon, they will need all the power-ups they can get.
The bad news? The road to the new capital is now blocked by Shildina. And judging by the amount of sake she’s drunk, she’s not here to negotiate.
We are nearing the end of this season of Shield Hero, and knowing what the story is like, we can expect at least one climatic fight before the dust settles. In the meantime, here’s hoping that the next episode won’t see Sadeena or anyone else forced to fight Shildina.
Also, we saw a glimpse of Motoyasu, and it looks like he’s raised some Filolials into potential queens like Filo
Episode 12 and 13 of New PSG is officially in the books. There is so much to unpack here in terms of this new season of an old show, so I’ll be doing a speed run ‘spoiled-rotten’ review of the show as a whole, NOT segment by segment (cuz’ that’s too damn long)! Hope you got your runnin’ shoes on, cuz’ HERE WE GO!!
Oh…hello.
[NPSG Episode 1 & 2: SEGMENTS #1, #2, and #3]
We pick up where we left off 15 years ago (5 minutes in PSG time). Brief, Garter, and the Demon Sisters set off to collect Panty’s pieces. We find out that Stocking is NOT a damn demon, she’s just brainwashed by Corset. He tries to control her more, but ends up becoming “Super-Sized Bitch” (Her ghost form). Corset said “Fxck Plan A”, and went with Plan-B; have Stocking open up Hell’s Gate. Brief and the others collect 665 pieces of our bitch angel (as well as a TON of other tomfoolery), only for the last piece to be inside chuck. He spits it out, Brief and the others bring that piece to Panty, the BITCH is back, and she and Stocking have a Godzilla-vs-Kong style battle. Corset dies for good, the angels are back to normal, the Demon Sisters are now part of the main cast. MOVING ON!
Episode 2 is a remix of episode 1 of the original series. The cast is reintroduced, a ghost appears, there’s now Heaven and Hell coins to collect, and we get a remix of “Fly Away” and “I Want You” from TeddyLoid; during the angels and demons transformation. The ghost dies, there’s 420 in the air, and we move onto segment 3! If you like Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh, then you’ll probably like this one. Panty owes the American equivalent of $3 billion, so she shakes up Brief as he tells here there’s a rare card worth that amount. A ghost shows up as a vengeful card player, Panty beats it with “Blue Eyes White Uncle”, end of story! I told you we’re speed running through this, so watch the season for more in depth info.
Panty and Stocking have another beef, so Garter send Stocking and Scanty to handle a samurai ghost. They master the ways of the samurai, while having a moment about big sisters, and why they’ll always look out for their younger siblings. Stocking and Scanty lock in, and kill the ghost. (Panty and Stocking make up afterwards.) The next segment is basically what happens when you give an anime/cartoon character a cellphone, and an IG page. The third one of episode 3 is a “Fast & Furious” parody, and they even did THAT scene in the end. (Real ones know.)
Episode 4; Stocking is in the running to become president, so Brief and the others get a campaign going—only to lose to See Through. (Stocking gets a solo trans formation and kills the ghost by the way.) Next segment; Panty destroys a gravestone that belongs to a cat, and Panty bonds with it—only for it to be purified and its soul goes to rest. (This is the most heartwarming side of Panty all season.) Next segment is a tribute to Jack Kirby, so go watch it, I don’t have time to explain it!
Episode 5; straight Scanty and Kneesocks segment, as Scanty gotta take a sh!t, while a ghost is causing a fuss. Her and Kneesocks lock in and kill it, while Scanty finally had a flush. Next segment; Garter protects a ghost that looks like Mikey from TMNT—only to be possessed by it. Panty and Stocking kill the ghost and save Garter…or so we thought. Next segment; a big homage to B-Movie Horror flicks, as well as ‘the-dumb-blondes-always-die’ troupe.
The Cotton Candy Twinks Are Here!
[NPSG Episode 6: SEGMENT #13]
The Poly Boys are HERE!! Polyester and Polyurethane pull up (Gen-Z slang and all), and give their cousins (YES COUSINS) Panty and Stocking a hard time—and NOT in the good way. The cotton candy boys thought sh!t was sweet, but they FORGOT whose name is on the title card! We’re then treated to the most beautifully-executed and sexually-charged transformations, that’ll make any virgin bust a nut. The boys lose, we’re introduced to Ramie (you’ll find out why I hate him later), and we get some plot that will become important to the story later.
Garterbelt, Brief, and Check get sick and tired of the angels and demons bossing them around. They go to Casino City, meet the Poly Boys again, face a ghost—only for the Poly Boys to steal their kill. The end! Next segment; Panty and Stocking do 25 to life, but play some NFL Football to get acquitted. (I’m taking Scanty over Mahomes any day!)
Episode 8; its pretty much “Inferno Cop” but as a parody, and its like this for the next 2 segments. The third one is a musical, where Panty’s tongue gets cut off for saying bad words. That is until ghosts possesses her mouth and gives her the ability to sing. Go watch the episode for more, cuz’ again—I don’t have time to explain it!
Episode 9. WE FINALLY GET A STOCKING SEGMENT!! Stocking gang, RISE UP!! So best girl awaits for a legendary treat at the top of a summit. She has a Rock-Paper-Scissors battle, but loses. Then 100 million Stocking-variant ghosts pull up, and so does Polyurethane—but dips mid flight, leaving Stocking pissed off and calling Gunsmith B!tch for help. Let’s just say Stocking won the battle, but lost the war. Next segment; the Poly Boys try to figure out Panty and Stocking’s weaknesses, so they pull up to the church to do so—and it doesn’t go as planned. (At least to them, anyway.) Next segment; a rather touching episode featuring Kneesocks, as she turns 666 this episode. Panty becomes an adoptive big sister, they fight another ghost who eats the Poly Boys, and Scanty gets her sister new glasses. Episode 10 is pretty much an Alien/Species parody, with the second segment being Conan the Barbarian. MOVING ON!!
[NPSG Episode 11: SEGMENTS #24-#26]
This one’s a Brief and Chuck segment! There’s not much to say about it, so go watch the episode if you wanna know more. Next segment; Indiana Brief, Pangelia Jolie, and Stocking are in an ancient ruins looking for a pen!s rock. They run into the Demon sisters, they have a Season 1 Episode 6 battle, the ghosts appears and absorbs Brief, and the Poly Boys do a cameo. Next segment; another STOCKING SEGMENT!! LET’S GO!! Honekoneko’s torn, Tom Croose Jr. appears from the future 2049 (or something), Stocking fights him, then looks for Gunsmith to travel back in time. They find a younger Garterbelt who was the one who made Honekoneko, and fixes the one that Stocking brought to him. Somehow—Stocking messed up the timeline, and hilarity ensues.
Episode 12 is a Christmas special centered around Kneesocks, as she and the gang are trying to go to Lingerieland. This segment is pretty much the calm before the storm. Next segment; Panty, Stocking, and the rest of the gang go to Heaven, and meet the Anarchy sister’s parents—who got caught in a scandal. Ramie appears with the Poly Boys, steals the crown to become the King of Heaven, turns Panty and Stocking’s parents to stone—and ‘seemingly’ kills them.
Episode 13 picks up where episode 12 left off. Ramie is in his ‘Uncle Scar’ arc, and plans to overthrow Heaven, and start a war with Hell. Brief and Garterbelt find their way back into Heaven, Panty and Stocking try to stop their uncle and the Poly Boys, but end up getting turned to stone. Final segment—all hell breaks loose in Heaven. Panty and Stocking seemingly ‘died’ at the hands of their uncle and the Polys, and thought sh!t was sweet. Once again, they FORGOT whose name is ON THE TITLE CARD!! Plot armor gets explained by Garterbelt, as the Anarchy and Demon sisters run the fade with Ramie and the Poly Boys. Studio Trigger does Studio Trigger things, Ramie and the boys get a vacation, the king and queen of Heaven are back on the throne, and the gang go to Lingerieland. Brief confesses his love to Panty, so that ship has finally sailed. Happy ending right? Nah. The king of Hell pulls up, drags Panty and Brief down with em’, and we get another cliffhanger of an older Stocking who is now a priestess; with the son of Panty and Brief, and the daughter of…well you’ll have to wait another 15 years.
Ok, I’m done!
…No I’m not!
[Praise and Grievance]
While the second season of New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt didn’t miss a beat when it came to the animation and action, as seen in the original series. It didn’t go without a praise as well as a grievance from the OG fans, and the new fans. So, here it is.
PRAISE: We Got A Second Season!
After the cliffhanger from the original series, fans were begging for a second season. They waited years and years, as the team that worked on the original series, left to form Studio Trigger. With PSG in Gainax limbo, a second season didn’t seem possible—until Studio Trigger got the rights back in 2022. The year after that we got a promo, and the year after that we got a teaser and the main trailer, and this year, we got the second season!
GRIEVANCE: The OG Cast Got Recast!
This one is one of the biggest grievances if you’re an OG fan of the OG season. Jamie Marchi and Monica Rial do NOT return as the beloved title characters from the first season, as they and the rest of the cast got recast. Why? Because Amazon bought the streaming rights, and thus took the dub to L.A. (meaning its dubbed by a different studio, that being Pixelogic Media). Believe me when I say this ruffled the feathers of OG fans, while many newer fans admitted they were going to miss the original cast, but hoped OG fans would at least give Courtney Lin and Cristina Vee a chance. They both know how legendary the OG dub is (thanks to Jamie and Monica), and that they were going to work twice as hard to match their energy. Me personally, they didn’t do too bad, but for many OG fans—they know what’s in their heart; they want a redub/director’s cut with Jamie and Monica! (Also the writing didn’t hit the same since Jamie is not the lead writer.)
In Conclusion…
The 15 year wait was worth it, and we hope we don’t have to wait another 15 years.
As of this post, I’ll be taking a break from reviewing anime and posting about it. Like I said, I post whenever I feel like it.
All over the world, people are raising the Jolly Roger of the Straw Hat Pirates, and those in power are afraid.
In its nearly three decades of publication by Shonen Jump, One Piece has become an international phenomenon. Eichiro Oda’s legendary manga has become the most successful of all time, making the man himself one of the most successful authors in history. He’s up there with the likes of Shakespeare, and it’s not hard to see why. People from all walks of life love One Piece for its action, sense of adventure, and the beloved characters that make up the heart and soul of the story. And at the heart of the story are the Straw Hat Pirates, known in-universe and without for their Jolly Roger featuring their captain’s iconic straw hat. For Luffy and the crew, it’s a symbol of the fun to be had in their adventures. For their many, many friends, it’s a symbol of joy and hope. But for those who abuse their power, it’s pretty much their worst nightmare.
That last bit is especially important, as lately, that is what the flag of the Straw Hat Pirates has come to represent to those who stand to lose their power.
How this All Started
It started this past summer in Indonesia. People were fed up with the numerous issues facing their country, especially regarding corruption among those in power. People stopped flying the country’s flag. Instead, they started flying the Straw Hat Pirates’ Jolly Roger in protest. Some government officials saw this as acts of treason and sedition and tried to have it banned. But the flag stayed.
cnn talking about people in protests using the straw hats' flag. i'm glad people can associate it with resistance pic.twitter.com/yeZNV9EVTs
Then came the events in Nepal, one of the poorest and demographically youngest nations in the world. In September 2025, the Nepalese tried to ban two dozen social media platforms. They claimed it was due to them failing to meet new rules, but many believed it was because social media was being used to show just how unfair life was for those not born into privilege. In response, people took to the streets, and among them were those waving the Straw Hat Pirates flag. Once again, it became a rallying symbol for those fed up with how things were going for their nations. Look on the protests Wikipedia page at the time of this writing, and you’ll see an image of the Straw Hat Jolly Roger on there.
Since then, the flag has continued to spread. At protests around the world, people are waving the Straw Hats Flag, uniting people under its banner. It’s becoming more than just a symbol of the popular manga and anime. It’s becoming a real life symbol of rebellion, defiance, and freedom.
The Straw Hats have Always been about Freedom
The crazy thing is, all of this is in line with what One Piece is about: freedom.
There are several major themes behind the story of One Piece, but one of the biggest is that of freedom. All Luffy and the Straw Hats want to do is live their lives however they see fit, no matter what the rules may say. Fortunately for the world, the Straw Hat Pirates are naturally friendly and don’t seek to use their freedom to take it away from others. In fact, everywhere the Straw Hats go, they end up changing people’s lives for the better, bringing joy and saving them from oppression. At first, it was assumed that they were doing this simply because they were just that nice. But as One Piece has continued, their actions have take on a more significant light.
As the series has progressed, it’s become increasingly clear that the world they live in is one shrouded in darkness and misery. From other pirates to the government that rules the world under a false guise of benevolence, there are too many people who oppress and hurt others for their own gain. The World Government, in particular, is one of the most corrupt organizations in all of fiction. They’re willing to let most of the world be swallowed by the sea to keep themselves in power, deluding themselves by thinking they’re gods. And their corruption inspires others to follow suit, creating a chain of misery that keeps most of the world enslaved without realizing it. But the Straw Hats keep getting in the way.
It’s eventually revealed late in the manga that there’s a reason why Luffy has his powers and seems to change things for the better wherever he goes. As it turns out, his powers mark him as the incarnation of an ancient sun god, Nika, the Warrior of Liberation. Nika is said to go around playing the fool, using his rubbery body to defy the laws of the world and bring smiles to all those who are oppressed. In other words, Luffy is the second coming of Pirate Jesus. Thus, his flag becomes more than just a pirate flag: it’s the embodiment of freedom itself.
And people in the real world are taking a page from Luffy’s book.
Maybe the World Needs the Straw Hats right Now
There’s no getting around it: the world kind of stinks right now. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for people to stay afloat, while those in power continue to accumulate wealth and gain more influence. Many people likely wish for the chance to change things for the better, but either don’t know how or are scared to try. That is why Luffy and the Straw Hats have become so popular amongst younger generations. Luffy may not care about changing the world for the better, his willingness to call everyone he meets a friend means that he and his crew will inevitably get involved in fighting whatever tyrant is making people miserable. People see Luffy as an inspiration, and the growing popularity of One Piece proves how much of an impression the series is leaving on the younger generation. Thus, it’s inevitable that when fans take to streets to fight oppression in real life, they use the flag of the Straw Hat Pirates as a rallying cry. More than any one nation or ideology, One Piece is uniting the world. And the world is starting to notice.
Different nations, same flag. 🏴☠️ Freedom everywhere — from Indonesia & Nepal to Gaza, Italy & France. Who’ll raise it next?#ONEPIECEpic.twitter.com/RriLOtfwx9
There’s no telling where things will go from here, but the more people use the Straw Hats Flag, the more it gets attention. It’s doubtful that Oda intended for the protagonists he created to become political symbols, but the fact that their flag is unifying people across the world is a testament to how much he’s changed it for the better. Who knows? Perhaps by the time One Piece concludes, it will have brought about world peace. At this point, not even that sounds impossible!
The Ultimate Guide to East Asian Pop Culture. Dive into Anime Episode Reviews, Kdrama Recaps, Manga, Comics, & Graphic Novel Discussions. Discover Japanese Culture, Folklore, Mythology, and Adult Animated Series News.
D&A Anime Blog 