Month: February 2026

Yuji and Megumi enter the Culling Game!

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Jujutsu Kaisen S3 Ep 7 Review

It’s time, everyone. The Culling Game has been underway for a while now, and the longer it goes on, the easier it will be for Kenjaku’s insane plans to be fulfilled. With Yuji and the others having gathered their allies, they’re ready to enter the Game. Which, at this point, I’m basically considering to be the JuJutsu equivalent of Fortnite.

Ironically, Yuji, Gojo, Nobara and Megumi are already in Fortnite.

Hakari Wants in On the Future

So, after getting Hakari and Kirara to calm down and listen to them, the former has the same reaction as the latter when they learn Gojo was sealed. To be fair, though, hearing that their strongest has been sealed would make anyone react like that. But now that Hakari knows that there backs are up against the wall, he’s willing to help them out. But he’s not just doing this out of the goodness of his heart! He wants to make a deal!

The short version: now that the existence of Cursed Spirits is public and the leaders of Jujutsu society are gonna need to be purged, things are going to need to be reformed. And Hakari wants to make sure the new rules will benefit him and his money-making schemes. Megumi agrees to the terms, since he’s the head of the Zenin Clan now. Seeing Hakari start sucking up to Megumi after he hears that was pretty funny. What makes it even funnier, though, is that the next day, Maki wipes out the Zenin Clan, making it a moot point.

Even if Megumi can’t really flex that clan power anymore, though, I think Hakari has the right to be involved in rebuilding Jujutsu society. I didn’t mention it in my review of the last episode, but one reason he got ostracized is that his Cursed Technique is more modern and tech-based. And the jerks in charge are so old-fashioned that they look down on it. But no society can improve if it keeps the same old ways forever, and if its leaders resist that notion, get rid of them. And after what they have done since Shibuya, Jujutsu HQ is going to be burned to the ground once Gojo gets out.

But enough of that: it’s time to enter the Culling Game, especially Yuji.

Let the Culling Game begin!

So, it was previously established that entering one of the colonies of the Culling Game makes someone a player by default. Since the group hadn’t entered yet, they thought they had time to prepare. However, they overlooked one possibility: that Sukuna might have agreed to take part in the Game in the past. Thanks to that, Yuji is already a player and can’t put off entering any longer. Thus, the group heads to the Tokyo Colonies.

Their plan is simple. To ensure that Megumi’s sister can get out of the Culling Game, they want to find players who already the points needed to add more rules. They figure that if they persuade them, they can add two new rules: one to allow points to transfer between players, and another that lets players tag someone else in to take their place. This way, they can make it through the Game without killing anyone. Yuji and Megumi go into one colony to find a player who has the points, while Hakari and Panda take the other to find Angel, the only one who can unseal Gojo. However, no plan survives first contact with the enemy, and this is no exception.

Firstly, the second Yuji and Megumi enter the colony, they find themselves separated. This was a rule that the barriers added so players would spawn in at different points without any control over it. It’s like PUBg or Fortnite in that regard. And unfortunately for Yuji and Megumi, the game already has players pulling off toxic gamer moves, like spawnpoint camping.

As a gamer with years of experience in online multiplayer, it disgusts me to see people using spawnpoint camping to earn points. That being said, I can’t help but find it funny seeing Yuji get jumped by two random newbies and turning the tables on them. They shouldn’t have messed with the main protagonist. And as it so happens, their third member is someone Yuji used to go to school with and knows where to find one of the hundred-point players…or so they say.

Someone is Sus

Meanwhile, Megumi runs into this woman who’s trying way too hard to play up the weak and helpless damsel routine, which sparks plenty of red flags in my head. She also claims to know where this player they’re looking for is, but she gives him a different location. Which means one of them is being lied to, and will thus be getting an ass-whooping later. Sadly, we will have to wait at least two weeks to find out. The anime is going to be on break.

I don’t really care that much that the anime will be on break. Months of One Piece going on break for recap episodes have gotten me used to the idea. Plus, the next episode is going to be absolute fire, I just know it! In the meantime, what I’m more interested in is Hakari’s English voice actor. I assumed that it would go to Chris Sabat, but Yuri Lowenthal was not someone I was expecting! People from my generation are probably already saying how he’s delinquent Sasuke. To be fair, though, Sasuke was a delinquent for half the series.

I Give “Tokyo No. 1 Colony, Part 1” a 4.5/5

Netflix’s One Piece is Going to be Even Crazier in Season Two

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One Piece Season 2 Trailer Review

This March, One Piece fans are going to break Netflix.

In the summer of 2023, Netflix released its live-action adaptation of the legendary anime, One Piece. And despite the streaming platform’s track record with adapting anime, One Piece proved that it’s built different by having a live-action adaptation that was actually good! From managing to make its characters and world loyal to Oda’s vision to faithfully retelling the early days of the story, Netflix’s One Piece has been a cut above the rest. It’s almost as if having the series creator serve as the end-all authority on what works and what doesn’t was a good idea. You hear that, Shyamalan?

It’s been almost three years since the first season dropped on Netflix, and while the anime and manga have continued apace, we’ve had to wait for the live-action version to return. On March 10th, though, the wait shall be over, and judging by the final trailer we’ve gotten for the series, it will be worth every second spent!

Picking up where the first season left off, season two will see Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates finally enter the Grand Line, and discover just how insane it truly is. Judging by everything that we know, this season will cover the tail-end of the East Blue Saga that started it all to the first half of the Alabasta Saga. This is when One Piece really started to find its stride, as Oda began to drop any remaining pretense of realism in favor of telling a story that’s absolutely crazy, and it shows in the trailer. Everything that we see in the trailer is something that we’ve seen in the series, no matter how crazy it may seem. That includes fighting otters, giants, a whale big enough to rival the one from Pinocchio, giants, dinosaurs and more! And that’s not even getting into the Devil Fruit powers we see. Newcomers should prepare themselves, as from the moment we enter the Grand Line, Devil Fruit users are going to be found in almost every antagonistic group we’ll meet, with powers just as crazy as Luffy’s.

However, what I think fans, especially longtime ones, are most excited about are the introductions of two important characters: Miss All Sunday and Chopper.

Chopper Still Cute as Ever!

I won’t spoil anything about Miss All Sunday in case you’re a newcomer to the series, but when it comes to Chopper, I don’t think I need to hold back. With his chibi form and childish innocence, Chopper is pretty much the mascot of One Piece. It’s to the point that the One Piece YouTube channel has a little comic strip about him. The series knows he’s adorable and has spent years selling merch of him, and it’s not hard to understand why. But despite how cute he looks, Chopper has one of the saddest backstories out of any member of the Straw Hat Pirates. Granted, a lot of characters in One Piece had a hard past, but Chopper’s is one of the saddest. I sincerely hope that Netflix gives his backstory the justice it deserves.

We have less than a month before the series drops its second season, and I’m even more excited for it now than I was for the first one. The reasons being that now that I know that Netflix can pull this off, I want to see how far they can go. Secondly, the Alabasta Saga was when I started getting into One Piece back when it was being dubbed by 4Kids. Their dub might have been terrible, but it still turned me into a lifelong fan. So I hope that Netflix does this justice!

Time for the next Suicide Mission

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Sentenced to be a Hero Ep 4 Review

The more I watch Sentenced to be a Hero, the more I’m convinced that all of the people who were sentenced to be heroes are innocent of whatever crimes they committed. If Xylo is anything to go by, their only “crime” was somehow angering the people in charge. That theory seems to gain further credence in this episode as the hero unit is sent on their next mission and we learn about why another member, Venetim, got stuck being a hero. Also, watching Teoritta gush over stuff is adorable!

Time for some R&R

After their successful suicide mission at the mine, Xylo and the Hero unit are sent on their next mission…sort of. They don’t get their actual assignment until the halfway point of the episode, leaving them with some freetime at their new destination: Mureed Fortress. An important fortress town on the way to an important city, it’s also the site of a local festival. That means the heroes have some time to relax before they’re thrown back into certain death!

Given how they’re condemned criminals, you would think the Hero unit wouldn’t be allowed to have fun, but you’d be wrong. They each find ways to enjoy the festival. Dotta goes back to his pilfering ways, Venetim…is probably running some sort of scam, and Xylo? He’s willingly choosing to sit in a cell and read poetry. That last part is the most surprising aspect, in my opinion. Still, when Teoritta finds him and demands that he hang out with her, Xylo is in no position to refuse her. Teoritta’s very pushy like that, and it helps that Kivia insists on accompanying them.

Considering how she’s for all intents and purposes a kid, it’s heartwarming to get to see Teoritta have a chance to act like one rather than as a goddess. I couldn’t help but smile as I saw her getting to enjoy the sights and sweets of the festival, with Xylo and Kivia acting like her babysisters/parental figures. Which, of course, only makes what Kivia has to reveal to Xylo all the more heartbreaking. When the kingdom found Teoritta, the military was planning on experimenting on her in the hopes of creating more goddesses. That would’ve been a death sentence for the girl, but thanks to fate or luck, she found her way into the hands of the Hero unit. And as long as they keep succeeding, the higher-ups can’t take her away.

Why do I feel as though something like that will be a plot point in the future?

In any case, Kivia admits that she misjudged Xylo and the others and is grateful they can watch over Teoritta. And if they can change her mind, then there’s hope for the rest of them yet. That is, unless they die in their next suicide mission: defending Mureed Fortress.

So much for R&R

Another Demon Lord is threatening the fortress, and try as they might, the Holy Knights haven’t been able to kill it. Their desperation has gotten to the point where they plan on using Xylo’s unit as bait to lure the demon in so they kill it for good. The one in charge makes it clear that they’re not expected to survive, either. Even if they can come back to life, though, I doubt that will make dying any less traumatic. Thankfully, Venetim manages to get them some better terms for the mission.

I haven’t really talked about Venetim that much, but that’s because there hasn’t been a chance or reason. Voiced by Jesse James Greel, his role is mostly in logistics and planning rather than fighting. He’s also got quite the silver tongue, as he’s able to weasel his way into the most favorable circumstances possible. Before he became a hero, his biggest scam was trying to sell the royal palace to a nearby circus, and it almost worked. This guy could give some of the biggest con men in our world a run for their money.

That’s not why he was sentenced to be a hero, though. It’s because one of the stories he sold to the public ended up being true without even meaning to. He wrote a fake news article saying how the Demon Blight was able to install sleeper agents in society, and somehow, it ended up being true. And that seemed to have ruffled the feathers of the ones in charge.

There’s a conspiracy afoot behind the Hero Unit

Like I said at the start, I’m starting to think that the crimes of the hero unit aren’t all they’re made out to be. While Dotta and Venetim are of questionable moral standing, this is the second time we’ve seen one of the unit get in trouble for something that wasn’t actually their fault. If anything, this stinks of conspiracy and corruption. And I’m willing to bet that the more successful Xylo and the others become, the more dangerous things will get for them on their side. Sometimes, the most dangerous monsters are the ones that look just like us.

The episode ends with a look at another member of the Hero unit, Tsav, and he’s another interesting character. He chopped a man’s hand off for cheating at a game in front of him! It’s pretty obvious that the Hero unit is full of misfits, though, so he doesn’t exactly stand out that much…yet. Here’s hoping we’re proven wrong about that in the next few episodes.

I Give “Standby Order: Mureed Fortress” a 3/5

Why are Cursed Techniques so Confusing at Times?

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JuJutsu Kaisen S3 Ep 6 Review

Well, that didn’t take long. Yuji, Megumi, and Panda infiltrated the underground fight club run by their jujutsu senpai’s, Hakari and Kirara, to recruit them for the Culling Games. Unfortunately, they’ve been made! Now, since they’re not going to do this the easy way, they’re gonna have to do this the hard way. Which is fine by me, because it gives us a chance to see how our protagonists measure up against their senpai’s. That, and we got confirmation that Megumi is ripped as they come!

I Don’t Get Kirara’s Power

So, while Yuji was upstairs talking to Hakari, Megumi and Panda were trying to sneak into the fight club in case things went south. Unfortunately, they were spotted by Kirara (who we will use they/them pronouns for). They think the two are working for Jujutsu High’s higher-ups (who are toxic conservatives), so they alert Hakari. That leads into Hakari throwing hands with Yuji as we saw at the end of the last episode, and now things have to be done the hard way.

To Kirara’s credit, Megumi and Panda are from Jujutsu High, but are just choosing not to follow the higher-ups orders. And even when the two tell them that they sought their help because Gojo was sealed, they don’t buy it. If we hadn’t seen it for ourselves, I doubt the viewers would believe it, either! But the only reason that this happens is so that the story can show off what Kirara can do with their cursed techniques. And it’s…pretty complex.

I love the shonen genre; I’ve always loved it. However, one thing that’s always bugged me is how some series have power systems that can be downright confusing to understand. The biggest offender is JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, especially in the later parts, but JJK can be just as hard to understand at times. Case in point, I had a hard time wrapping my head around Kirara’s Cursed Technique. The basic idea is that it marks people and items based on the stars in the Southern Cross constellation. You have to approach each mark based on its order in the constellation, I think. And if you don’t approach in the correct order, you get repelled like being Force pushed.

I’m sorry, but that kind of power just doesn’t appeal to me in the slightest. It’s too confusing to wrap my head around and I think that saying Kirara could repel things they touch would be simpler. It’s only thanks to the show’s superb animation that I was able to maintain my interest. It doesn’t really matter, though, because Megumi and Panda win and convince Kirara to hear them out.

Hakari, on the other hand…is too fired up to listen as he and Yuji come out of the monitor room in a fist fight.

I Respect Hakari’s Love for Passion

Here’s the thing about Yuji as of this moment: he’s not in the best mental headspace. He was talked into coming back with his friends and half-brother, but what happened in Shibuya is not something he can get over. He already put little value on his own life, but after Sukuna’s rampage and what Mahito did, it’s devolved to the point where he sees himself as a cog in a never-ending war. His only purpose is to kill Cursed Spirits and help his friends, and nothing else. As much as I like seeing people act selflessly, though, there’s a point where it becomes detrimental to one’s well-being. And it’s this way of thinking that gets on Hakari’s nerves the most.

Unlike Yuji, who’s entire reason for living is to help others, Hakari embodies the concept of putting one’s own interests above all else. He’s passionate about what he loves, and likes seeing that kind of passion in other people. It sounds selfish and greedy at first glance, but when you think about it, everyone wants something more than anything in life, even if it’s something selfless. He wants to see a world where people are free to do what they love the most, which is why he initially can’t stand seeing Yuji think so little of his own existence. To put it bluntly, it pisses him off.

Ironically, it’s this very mindset of Yuji that gets Hakari to finally hear him out. Yuji Itadori’s so determined to stop the Culling Game that he tanks every one of Hakari’s punches, which just makes him angrier. It gets to the point where Kirara calls out how riled up Yuji’s resolve has gotten him. By his own logic, Yuji has passion.

The timing couldn’t be better. A new rule has been added to the Culling Game by one of the players: players can see the status and location of all other players. This rule was added not by them or any of their allies, but by one of the players who’s already at work. To make it worse, it’s one of the Sorcerers who was brought back by possessing someone else. Their name is Hajime Kashimo, and judging by what he says in his first appearance, he’s a real blood knight. The whole reason he added that rule was so that he could track down and fight Sukuna.

I repeat, this reincarnated Sorcerer actually wants to fight Sukuna. And he’s not Gojo! You have to be next-level crazy to want to do that!!

If this is the kind of enemy that’s in the Culling Game, then Yuji and the others are gonna need all the help they can get. They need Hakari!

Next episode, we’re finally joining in on the Culling Game, and it looks like we’re starting off on the best foot possible.

I Give “Cog” a 4/5

Hakari the Gangster Sorcerer Joins the Story

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JuJutsu Kaisen S3 Ep 5 Review

The preparation for the Culling Game continues. Maki may not have gotten the cursed tools of the Zenin Clan and lost her sister, but she did wipe them all out. No more of their toxic influence and Game of Thrones scheming. Meanwhile, Yuji and Megumi have to go and convince a senpai on bad terms with the authority figures to help them in the Game. And this guy is a real rebel who believes in following one’s passion to the fullest!

Which is fine by me, as I like people who want to follow their dreams even if they’re crazy. And anyone on bad terms with the leaders of the Jujutsu world gets bonus points in my book. Plus, it helps that their seiyuu is the guy who plays Roronoa Zoro!

Those Old Geezers at JJ HQ are on my Hate List

If it hasn’t been made clear by my reviews of JJK, or some of my other writings, I hate toxic conservatism. By which I mean I hate dogmatic people who insist on maintaining things the way they are, even when changing with the times would benefit them. And the leaders of Jujutsu society that aren’t named Satoru Gojo all qualify as such. Not only did they try to kill Yuji and make it a crime for Gojo to be unsealed, but this episode opens with one of their most heinous crimes: the murder of Principal Yaga.

Yaga was the one who created Panda, the first self-sustaining Cursed Corpse. HQ wanted that secret technique to create their own army of puppets to enforce their rules, but Yaga refused. And he made sure that before he died, he only told his fellow Principal Gakuganji the secret because he saw that knowledge as a curse. And this actually manages to get to the old man! Even more so when Panda comes along only moments after Yaga died and says that he’s not mad at him for following orders.

This entire thing was genuinely heartbreaking for me to watch. This is the equivalent of Pinocchio coming home to find Geppetto dead because some jerk ordered a hit on him. It’s downright tragic to watch, and even Gakuganji is shaken by his fellow educator’s death. When Gojo is unsealed, those higher-ups shouldn’t even bother praying, because they already signed their own death warrants.

I Like Hakari Already

While all of this is happening, Yuji and Megumi are on their own mission: to find and recruit their senpai, Hakari Kinji. He’s a third year at Tokyo Jujutsu High, but he’s been suspended by the higher-ups for being a good-for-nothing, headstrong rebel. As the two first-years see for themselves, that’s not an unwarranted opinion; he’s running a fight club for Sorcerers.

Even before we meet him, it’s clear why the conservatives running Jujutsu society hate Hakari. They’re rigid traditionalists who hate any concept of changing with the times, while Hakari is the new blood chafing under authority and longing to break free. He’s the kind of guy who encourages people to indulge in what they love and find passion in, because without that, what is life even about? Hence, his main reason for clashing with the higher ups is because wants encourage everyone in Japan to follow their passions. And for him, that means wanting to legalize his fight club and gambling in Jujutsu society.

I have to admit, I was pretty sold on Hakari before we even got a chance to meet him. Firstly, it’s because HQ hates him. Secondly, while I dont exactly approve of a fight club, I respect the hustle. Thirdly, he’s voiced by Zoro’s seiyuu, which gives him bonus points for aura. And once Yuji meets him, his aura only manages to get even better.

The entire meeting between Yuji and Hakari has to be one of the best scenes in the entire anime. It’s just one continuous shot with no change in perspective, camera angles, or anything. It’s impressive, crazy, and somehow manages to work. Then again, chaos seems to be what this series is about to run on, so I’m not surprised.

Overall, this episode was big on both the tearjerking moments as well as the exciting ones, as something tells me that I’m gonna like Hakari. A lot.

I Give “Passion” a 4.5/5

OG Founder: Why I Like DJing & Producing, More Than Watching Anime in 2026!

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Hey…so in the words of Cody Rhodes…

I know it’s WAY to late to say “Happy New Year”, as this is an OG Founder post the night before Valentine’s Day. By the way, for those who celebrate it and have someone special, be sure you love them and take care of them. If you’re single, eh, watch some High School DxD with a bottle of lotion and Kleenex and call it a night. (Most of ya’ll know where I’m comin’ from with that one.)

Now with the dry jokes out of the way, I feel the need to bring this lil’ thing to your attention. It’s 2026, and next month will mark 29 years of me being an anime fan. Yes, I’m ‘Unc’ and old as hell, but in the almost three decades of being a fan, I’ve seen the anime community grow and become what it is today. Now, you’d think that the show that got me into anime would be the usual suspects; Pokemon, DBZ, Digimon, and Yu-Gi-Oh. Of course you’d be right, but those are ‘childhood anime’. The show that really got me into anime, was Tenchi Universe.

This of course came up as part of the Toonami lineup, preferably the ‘Moltar Era’. Its been awhile since I’ve watched it so I might do a “One-2-One” character analysis on one, or more of the characters in a later post. Now back to the real reason behind this post; in the upcoming 29 years that I’ve been an anime fan, I’ve gone through many changes in terms of my opinions and perspectives, of where I stand in my relationship with anime in the modern era. Do I have biases towards certain shows? Yes, especially if they’re guilty pleasures. However with seasonal anime, I find myself experiencing a ‘Love-Hate’ relationship with the hype behind the quality of the shows, that have come out.

With every season; there are some outliers that deserve more attention than it receives, but with every outlier, there’s at least ten duds that are straight BOOTY! That’s another topic for another post. So, DJing and producing music…why do I like doing that, more than watching anime…?

It’s funny that I find myself saying that, because anime is the reason why I started producing music and being a DJ. Back in 2008 when Otakon was still in Baltimore, I went to the raves and stood where the DJ was. After hearing a techno remix of Daft Punk’s “Faster, Stronger!” (ya’ll know the words better than I do), I knew I wanted to be a DJ. At the time I had a passion for creating things, and that passion has led me to create D&A Anime Blog; as you guys see it today. It also led me to create my own DJ & Cosplay Party Promotion known as Club BASSMODE. You’ll hear the REAL reason why it was shut down in a future OG Founder post, and how I bounced back with NEW Thursday and Saturday Nite Events. 

I believe it stems from creative freedom and artistic integrity; where the music that I produce is only as good as I want it to be, and what I’m feeling at the time. Not having or being on a deadline or an anime simuldub schedule, allows my imagination and creativity to breathe, and not feel rushed. If you haven’t noticed by now from the words of this post, I’m a BIG advocate for creative freedom, and creative control. The creators of your favorite anime have the same passion about the characters and the worlds that they’ve built; from the stories they tell, to the character dynamics that we see.

In my 29 years of being an anime fan, I never thought I’d see Vegeta become who he is today, and Toriyama (rest his soul) wanted to ‘kill’ him off in the first arc. That took time to create, and the payoff was the development of a well-written character going through his redemption arc.

I don’t know, guys. I guess maybe the novelty may be wearing off (probably because I’m still icky about the recast and script for New Panty & Stocking), or maybe I’m nostalgic for titles and shows that take me back to a time when the world wasn’t so damn crazy! So to cope, I channel what I’m feeling through DJing and producing electronic music, and that’s the one thing I can control. Anime will always have a special place in my heart, so I don’t really see myself leaving it any time soon, but DJing and producing music does allow me to take a break; and be creative elsewhere.

So, what cha’ll got? Let me know what ya’ll like to do when you need a break from anime. Type in the comments down below.

OG Founder.

Out.

All Hail King Norgalle!

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

Sentenced to Be a Hero Ep 3 Review

On the last episode of Sentenced to be a Hero, we got to see what Xylo and the hero unit’s missions are like when they’re not basically going AWOL. Xylo, Teoritta, this madman called Tatsuya, and this guy named Norgalle whose convinced he’s a king, all went on a mission to secure a mine. But when they discover demons infesting the place and a group of miners still trapped inside, what does Xylo do? Disobeys orders to rescue them, naturally. Which, to be frank, is a pretty heroic thing to do. And after this episode, I think that Xylo and the others deserve to be called heroes in the traditional sense, especially Norgalle.

Don’t Try to Die Nobly in Battle if you Can Avoid it

So, with the Holy Knights ordered to collapse the mines hanging over their heads, Xylo, Norgalle, and Tatsuya work to rescue the remaining miners. Teoritta is forced to stay behind due to Xylo refusing to unnecessarily put her life at risk. This ends up conflicting with Teoritta’s own willingness to do just that, not caring what happens so long as she does a noble death.

The entire theme behind this whole episode seems to be about how we view war and death in battle. Teoritta and Norgalle don’t seem to mind dying so long as they do so helping others live to see another day, which is an admirable mindset. That, and they think going out taking as many enemies as possible is a metal way to die. In contrast, we have Xylo, the weary war veteran who understands that once you’re dead, that’s it. Barring unnatural methods like what the heroes are sentenced to, and unless there’s an afterlife or reincarnation cycle, that’s the end. Even coming back like the heroes takes a toll on them, so death is still something to worry about. And after seeing what he has, Xylo refuses to let anyone die a pointless death.

Which is why, when Teoritta eventually chooses to ignore his orders to stay behind, he’s mad. But I can understand why she did it.

Never Abandon your Comrades

Anime has taught me a lot of things, but one big one is that if you have to choose between following the rules or breaking them to save lives, it’s better to break them. It’s why Xylo and the others went to rescue the miners, and it’s why Teoritta opts to do the same. But while Xylo is the one who agreed to this, it’s actually Norgalle who steps up in this episode.

I don’t know if Norgalle is actually a king or not, but even if he isn’t, he’s got the bearing of one. Whereas other monarchs would insist on staying behind the frontlines and act as if their life is more important, Norgalle is the kind of king who does the opposite. Je spends this entire episode putting the miners’ needs before his own, doing everything in his power to ensure they make it out alive and refusing to see them as expendable. Delusional or not, that kind of selflessness is endearing, and it inspires the miners to help fight back the demons. Which, by the way, were indeed created due to a Demon Lord brainwashing the other miners, much to Norgalle’s fury. His majesty’s best moment, though, comes when he chooses to cut off his own leg so he can stun the Demon long enough for Xylo to kill it. That is the kind of crazy that can get things done!

Thanks to the heroes and Teoritta, all the remaining miners are able to escape and return home to their families. And despite many still viewing them as scum, a small handful of them work up the courage to thank them. Scum or not, they saved people, and that is worthy of respect. Even Kivia stands up for them by saying they did the right thing. I don’t know if this will end up sticking or not, but if Xylo was able to change a small group of people’s minds, then maybe he can do it more and more until everyone sees him as the hero that Teoritta, and by extension, the audience, know he can be.

I Give “Sentence: Spearhead the Recapture of the Zewan Gan Tunnels 2” a 4/5

The Uchiha Clan Massacre 2.0, Brought to you by Maki

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

Jujutsu Kaisen S3 Ep 4 Review

The Uchiha Clan Massacre, one of the defining moments in the backstory of the Naruto series. In a single night, one lone ninja proceeded to slaughter almost the entirety of his powerful clan, save for himself, the guy who helped him, and his little brother. And he did it all under the orders of a man who had no authority to make him do that. It was a tragedy that could’ve been prevented, and in the long run, it caused more harm than good for everyone involved. Why am I bringing this up now when we’re talking about Jujutsu Kaisen? Because the anime just gave the Uchiha Clan Massacre 2.0. Except this time, it’s entirely justified, the one doing the killing is in the right, and the clan in question deserves everything happening to them. Maki did what she had to do.

F the Zenin Clan

So, after spending the last episode focusing entirely on exposition as Tengen, Yuji, and all their allies prepare to stop Kenjaku’s plans, this one is focused on the actual preparation. Their first order of business is to retrieve all the weapons and gear the Zenin Clan has locked in their storehouses. So Maki heads to their compound with the authority of her cousin Megumi, who is now the clan head, remember, to do just that. The Zenin Clan, though, has no intention of playing ball whatsoever.

Let me remind you what I said in my review for the preview movie: the Zenin Clan sucks. They are one of the three biggest and oldest clans of Jujutsu sorcerers in Japan, and a family of backwards thinking, ultra-conservative, sexist jerks. Not to mention how they’re convinced that they’re in a story like Game of Thrones where it’s all the intrigue and scheming. Because even though they are facing the existential threat Kenjaku is bringing to Japan, all they care about is their own power. They have no intention of letting Megumi be clan head, with their leaders using those dumb orders banning Gojo from being unsealed as an excuse to try and off him. And when Maki comes back, all they do is look down on her for having zero cursed energy and being a woman. Naoya even says she’s worthless now that she’s got all those scars on her. But that’s only the start, as Maki goes to the vault, and all she finds there is her deadbeat dad and her mortally wounded twin sister, Mai. And then her dad almost kills Maki and leaves them both for dead.

Time for a quick tangent, by the way. Gege, you are an absolute master of the art of making characters whose existence people can loathe with their entire being. Naoya was already a arrogant, sexist jerk that deserves a punch to the face. But the girl’s dad? All he does is whine about how he’s not the clan head and blaming it all on his daughters’ existence. He even says that “children shouldn’t hold back their parents,” with a straight face. This is the definition of a deadbeat parent, and while there are a lot of things I hate, there’s nothing worse than a bad parent.

Which only makes what happens next all the more satisifying.

All my Homies Hate the Zenin Clan

There’s a reason why Maki has no cursed energy whatsoever. The rules of Jujutsu treat twins as the same person. So when twins are born, they get restricted. In the girl’s case, Mai got all the cursed energy, while Maki should have gotten a superhuman body like Toji did to compensate. So long as one lives, the other can’t reach their full potential. Which is why Mai, who never wanted to be a sorcerer, chooses to let herself die so that her sister can unlock her full potential.

This is an absolute tragedy, and even though I wish that the anime could’ve spent an entire episode on just this, I think it manages to hammer that aspect home. All Maki wanted was to change the Zenin Clan so that it could accept her and Mai and give them the home they wanted. But the Zenin Clan was so rigid in their beliefs that they refused to let that happen, even when it would’ve benefitted them in the long run. Thanks to everyone’s stubbornness, Mai has died, and Maki has lost everything.

But thanks to their arrogance, the Zenin Clan didn’t kill the twins when they had the chance. Because now, it’s time for their own Uchiha Clan Massacre.

Toji Could’ve gone Full Kratos on the Zenin Clan if he Wanted

Fans of JJK know who Toji Fushiguro is. Born to the Zenin Clan with no cursed energy, he bailed on them and discarded his last name due to them treating him like dirt. They shouldn’t have, because the universe chose to compensate him for his lack of cursed energy by giving him a body as strong as steel, with superhuman senses and strength to go with it. That meant that he could kill Jujutsu sorcerers with hardly a scratch, and made him their absolute worst nightmare. He could’ve killed his entire clan for treating him like garbage, but chose to take the high road on it.

Maki, on the other hand? Let’s review everything all the crimes the Zenin Clan has committed against her:

  • A lifetime of emotional and physical abuse
  • Disobeying a direct order from the head of their clan
  • Murder of her sister
  • Multiple accounts of attempted murder

The verdict is guilty, the sentence is death, and the executioner is Maki, courtesy of the sword Mai made her before she died.

The Massacre Straight out of Kill Bill

What happens next isn’t just the Uchiha Clan Massacre for a new generation. It’s the Uchiha Clan Massacre fused with Kratos’ rampage against the Olympian Gods. And it is as close to perfect as possible…at least if you’re from the West.

It’s common to find anime fans from the West disagreeing with their Japanese counterparts, but there’s something special about how our reactions to this episode of JJK. Everyone I’ve seen stateside has been calling the best episode of the series. They’re looking at the scene of Maki wasting those mooks and are saying how it’s just like the Bride killing the Crazy 88 in Kill Bill. I looked up a clip of the scene on YouTube, and everyone’s commenting just that!

And the part where Maki tanks the hits from the Hei unit! That one guy dies thinking that he helped kill Maki, but she just walks away with the head of another Hei member and throws it into a pond!

And that fight with Naoya! Even if he gave us one of the first memes of the year, everyone agrees Naoya deserves to get his face caved in! And the anime didn’t disappoint as Maki absolutely embarrasses him! They repeated the clip of her breaking his skull four times, and it’s still satisfying! And her carnage didn’t stop at the compound! She hunted down any Zen’in clan members who weren’t there and killed them all! Is it any wonder why those with Maki stock are taking a victory lap?

So why are the Japanese hating on this? From what I’ve heard, cultural differences.

Japan Didn’t See this the Way Americans Did

According to what I’ve heard, a big issue they have with the episode is how it portrays the massacre. They don’t like the upbeat and energetic music and pacing. To them, this event is supposed to be a somber tragedy because of what happens to Maki and Mai. And I do agree with them on that part. What happened to Maki and Mai is indeed a tragedy brought about by Maki and her clan’s mutual stubbornness. Had Maki not tried to spite the family that didn’t deserve her and just walked away with her sister, Mai wouldn’t have had to die. And I do think that the anime could’ve made this entire thing more menacing to respect Mai. Remember, despite thinking it had to be done, Itachi hated himself for having to kill his clan and wanted to face justice for it, even if others might not see it that way. But while what happens is a tragedy, Westerners don’t see it like that.

We often consider getting revenge to be a costly, self-destructive act. At the same time, though, if we find the ones who are the targets of said revenge to be utterly reprehensible, we’re willing to justify it. And, admittedly, there’s something satisfying on a primal level in seeing the hero beat the snot out of a villain who greatly wronged them. Ergo, while we may mourn Mai’s death, I couldn’t help but smirk as I saw Maki bury the backwards, sexist, backstabbing Zen’in clan six feet under. Even more satisfying is seeing Naoya go out like a chump at the hands of Maki’s dying mother.

So, despite what the Japanese have to say about it, and despite me wanting an entire episode dedicated to Maki’s killing spree, I still loved this. I have been wanting to see this animated for a while now, and while it wasn’t quite what I expected, it’s already one of my favorite anime moments of the year. Maki, you have effectively solidified your place as THAT girl! All hail the Queen of Jujutsu Kaisen, Maki!!

I Give Perfect Preparation a 4.8/5

The Legacy of Dragon Ball Online

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

Dragon Ball Online has risen, baby girl!!!

If you’ve been keeping up with Dragon Ball on social media, then you know that there’s a lot for fans to look forward to over the next two years. DB Super is coming back, Sparking Zero is getting a new DLC, and the Beerus Arc is getting remade. The thing that I’m most interested, though (besides the anime’s return) is the next Dragon Ball game, Dragon Ball: Age 1000. For the most hardcore, in-the-know fans, that date holds a lot of importance. It’s the year that marks the beginning of the events of Dragon Ball Online.

If you haven’t heard about Dragon Ball Online, I wouldn’t blame you. It was an MMORPG that ran from 2010 to 2013, but it never made its way outside of the Far East. Despite this, though, it has quite the impact on the franchise’s video games. Many of the elements found in Dragon Ball Xenoverse and Xenoverse 2, such as the Time Patrol, the Majin Race, and the villains Towa and Mira all stem from DB Online. I already talked a little about it in our overview of the recent announcement for the franchise, but today, I wanted to go more in-depth about this fabled MMO. To be more precise, I wanna gush about how the world of Dragon Ball got way more awesome by Age 1000 by summing up the timeline. There is a lot of cool stuff that’s happened and we might get to see it in this upcoming game.

Keep in mind, the events of Dragon Ball Online contradict some of what is revealed in other anime series, such as Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, and Dragon Ball Daima. GT can be excused by the fact that it was made almost entirely without Toriyama’s input, while the latter two didn’t exist in 2010.

A New Beginning

The timeline for DB Online starts with the end of Dragon Ball Z with Goku heading off to train Uub. In the years that followed, interest in martial arts continued to grow thanks to the success of people such as Mr. Satan and Buu. It grew so popular that once Mr. Satan retired, he started his own telecommuted martial arts courses and got his life turned into a hit movie. Unfortunately, people weren’t happy with his classes, forcing him to let his granddaughter Pan take over as instructor. Under her, the classes become very popular, and she would use them to start teaching students ki manipulation. Sadly, it was around this time that Goku and Vegeta would leave Earth for good. Realizing that they nearing the end of their natural lives, the two Saiyans decided to go out on their own terms: fighting in an epic battle to the death to decide which of them was truly the strongest. All things considered, not a bad way to go out for good. Over the next two centuries, their descendants would spread, to the point that by Age 1,000, most humans had some Saiyan DNA in them.

Given how it was only 200 years though, either the game was generalizing, or they really had that many descendants.

The Saiyans weren’t the only ones to make Earth their home, either. After reading an adult romance book Mr. Satan had lying around, Buu was inspired to use his magic to make himself a girlfriend, Miss Buu. Together, the two would use their magic to make themselves a son, creating the Majin Race. Decades later, the Namekians were forced to take refuge on Earth once again after New Namek was attacked, except this time, they chose to stay with Dende as their leader and Piccolo as their best warrior. The Yadratian’s would also move to Earth after their planet was destroyed. So, by Age 1000, there were Human-Saiyan’s, Majiin, Yadratians, Namekians, and talking animals all calling Earth home, which sounds awesome.

It gets cooler.

A New Generation of Warriors

Pan wasn’t the only one teaching people how to use Ki. Around Age 804, Gohan started doing actual research into the mechanics behind ki manipulation and how it actually worked, publishing it into a book called Groundbreaking Science. As a result, everyday people were able to look at the things that Goku, Gohan, and the others could do and finally realized that they weren’t cheap tricks. Validation!

With ki now widely understood as the real deal, martial arts became more popular than ever, and suddenly Master Roshi and the Crane Hermit were flooded with people wanting to learn under them. Despite not being able to die of old age, neither of them wanted to teach anymore students. Instead, Krillin and Tien Shinhan would start up the Turtle and Crane Schools with themselves as the teachers. Krillin’s style was more focused on teamwork to overwhelm tougher opponents, while Tien’s emphasized aggression and gathering strength for a decisive blow.

They weren’t the only means to learn Ki, though. Goten and Trunks would end up starting their own school of martial arts, based around channeling ki into swords and melee weapons. By doing this, a person could cut even something as strong as Katchin, the strongest metal in the universe. Between this sword school, the revived Turtle and Crane schools, and Pan’s fighting network, Earth had become a martial artist paradise.

Sadly, it was not to last.

New Threats Emerge

The real trouble began around Age 820. That year, not only did Mr. Satan die, but remnants of the Frieza Force invaded Earth, trying to take the power of the Dragon Balls. Thankfully, the planet’s collective training meant that they were able to drive the invaders back, but they would continue to cause trouble in the centuries to follow.

The Frieza Force wasn’t the only threat. In the decades that followed, more threats would start appearing. There was the Red Pants Army, the successors to the Red Ribbon Army. Pilaf’s descendant, Paella, would continue his ancestor’s aspirations for world domination. And to make matters worse, some of the Namekians became corrupted by evil much like King Piccolo, leading to the rebirth of the Evil Namekians.

The greatest threat of all, though, were the Time Breakers, led by Towa and Mira from the Demon Realm. They were the ones who had destroyed New Namek and Yadrat, and had set their sights on two things: conquering Earth, and obtaining Goku’s DNA. They had built an army out of Demons, people they plucked from the timestream, and the many villainous groups that were now running around Earth. Even worse, they were messing with history and threatening to destroy the space-time continuum. With all of their efforts pointing to their eventual conquest of Earth in the future, something had to be done. That’s when Future Trunks made his return, now charged by the Supreme Kai of Time with forming a group dedicated to protecting history as the Time Patrol.

And that is where things stand at the start of Age 1000 in Dragon Ball Online.

Please let Age 1000 be something similiar to DB Online

Let’s review everything. We’ve got an age where everyone’s a martial artist and knows how ki works. Earth has become home to Humans with Saiyan ancestry, Namekians, and Majins. The descendants of all the heroes biggest enemies are trying to conquer the planet. And warriors are tasked with going back in time to keep history from going awry.

You can see why DB Online is considered a big deal for Dragon Ball fans? A good chunk of the Xenoverse games stems from this MMO. And if Age 1000 is looking to be the spiritual successor to this legend, then Dragon Ball fans everywhere should be elated. I know I am!

THIS IS THE YEAR OF DRAGON BALL!!

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

It’s hard to believe that it’s been two years since the world lost Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball. Yet for the time being, his greatest creation has continued to endure across the world and in the minds of its fans young and old. With this year marking the 40th anniversary of the original manga, fans are expecting big things to commemorate it. And it looks like we’re going to be feasting, because on January 25th, the powers that be dropped a few big pieces of news. A Dragon Ball anime is coming back, we’re getting a remake of one arc, and there was some big video game news that is leaving fans drooling.

Let’s start with the first big piece of news: the Beerus arc from Dragon Ball Super is getting a remake.

DB Super Beerus Remake

After the disaster that was Dragon Ball Evolution, the late Toriyama was so mad about his creation being mishandled that he came out of retirement to fix things. The result was the hit 2013 film Battle of Gods thrusting the series badk into the spotlight for a new generation. That eventually led to a sequel film, and both would lead to a new anime series in 2015, Dragon Ball Super. I never watched the first two arcs in the anime since they were just retelling the films, but I have heard that there were a few complaints about it not being that good. There were issues with the animation, pacing, and other things that fans didn’t like. So, I guess I dodged a bullet on that!

It seems that things were so bad that Toei has decided to remake the entire Beerus arc with new animation, with the resulting Dragon Ball Super L: Beerus releasing sometime this fall. Again, I preferred the movie to the anime arc, so I probably won’t watch it. However, that doesn’t mean I’m not happy for other fans. And I know that a number of content creators are going to be happy about this.

What I’m looking forward to, though, is something that we’ve had to wait for years to see: the return of Dragon Ball Super.

Super is Coming Back!

In 2018, after the Tournament of Power Arc came to its legendary end, DB Super went on what we thought was a hiatus. This was so that the manga adaptation could have time to tell the next major arc, the Galactic Patrol Arc, which everyone has expected to be what Super would cover next. But it never came back, and some fans started to lose hope that it would. For those who had faith, though, it’s about to pay off. Dragon Ball Super: Galactic Patrol Arc is coming!

The basic premise of the arc is that Goku and Vegeta are asked to temporarily join the Galactic Patrol, an intergalactic police force that tries to maintain peace throughout the universe. Emphasis on trying, as they’ve never been strong enough to stop Frieza, his family, or any minions like the Saiyans. And when one of their most dangerous prisoners escapes custody, they need the two’s help to save the day. It’s a pretty good arc, and one that a lot of fans have wanted to see made into an anime. Which means that the return of Super is a pretty big deal for fans. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing it get animated, even if we don’t know when it will release.

As for gamers, we’ve got a lot to look forward to, as well.

Sparking Zero DLC

Two years ago, the legendary Budokai Tenkaichi series came out of retirement with its first release in decades, Sparking Zero. The game proved to be immensely popular at first thanks to having the biggest roster of characters in the entire line of games, online multiplayer, and what-if stories in the main campaigns. It also seemed to quickly lose steam on Steam, though, as it lost 90% of its player base in less than a month, but it has retained a steady base since then, from what I’ve heard. And that player count might grow this year as we just got our first look at the new DLC. And there’s cause for excitement.

This upcoming DLC is going to add even more characters to the game’s already massive roster, including Super Android 17, King Piccolo, and Super Saiyan Bardock. As a big fan of Goku’s dad, that last is especially exciting for me. I’m actually tempted to start playing the game again to get ready.

But all of this is nothing compared to the biggest announcement: in 2027, we are getting a new Dragon Ball game. While we still don’t know its name, the title alone is enough to get hardcore fans pumped: Dragon Ball: Age 1000.

Dragon Ball: Age 100

You might not know this, but in 2010, there was actually a Dragon Ball MMORPG, Dragon Ball Online. Released exclusively in East Asia, it takes place 216 years after the events of the Majin Buu Saga, and Earth has changed a lot since then. Most humans are now at least partially Saiyan, the Namekians relocated to Earth, Majin Buu started his own race, and best of all, the use of Ki is universally recognized, meaning everyone sees Goku and the others as the heroes they are. But the Earth is now threatened by the like of Towa and Mira as they mess with the timeline, leading many to join the Time Patrol led by Future Trunks.

If all of this sounds like the Xenoverse games, there’s a good reason. DBO shut down in 2013, but many of its concepts and characters became a part of Xenoverse and Xenoverse 2. That hasn’t stopped fans from wanting an actual DB Online game again, though, and that’s why this trailer is a big deal. That, and this new character might have been designed by Toriyama before he died.

We won’t know more about Age 1000 until April, but I’m betting fans are already coming up with their own ideas about what this game could be like. I liked the Xenoverse games myself, but I do want to see something more like DB Online here in the west. Hopefully, we’re finally getting what we want!

And that is everything that we know so far! Hopefully, Toei and Shueshia will release more info in the coming months, as it’s got the fandom in a frenzy and eager to learn more. We will try to cover it as best as possible here, as we are massive fans of Dragon Ball and are eager to take part in the celebration ourselves. Until we meet again, guys!