Most of Japan may not be Christian, but that hasn’t stopped them from enjoying the season of Christmas. Whereas in America it’s all about the exchanging of presents and time with family, in Japan, Christmas is considered a more romantic holiday. Couples, especially young ones, use Christmas Eve to show their partner how much they care about each other. That’s why many episodes of anime that feature Christmas tend to focus on the romantic aspects of the day. However, one of my favorite examples of how Christmas is seen in Japan also stems from a Shonen anime that has a…mixed reception: Fairy Tail.
Based on an omake chapter of the same name, Fairies’ Christmas revolves around the titular magical guild enjoying the holiday season. When resident swordswoman Erza decides (unilaterally, I might add) to throw a Christmas party at her teammate Lucy’s apartment, things get out of control. Most of the women get drunk and start clinging to whatever guy they’re closest to, leaving Erza alone and upset at the fact that she’s single. In a drunken haze, she forces everyone to take part in a penalty game that forces everyone to do rather embarassing things to each other if they lose.
Chaos. Ensues.
You’ll Either Love This…or you Won’t
I already said it before, but I’ll say it again: I’m well aware that Fairy Tail has a mixed reception. However, that doesn’t change the fact that, when it’s allowed to let loose, it can make for some pretty hilarious moments. And since the concept of Legal Drinking Age doesn’t exist in their world, that means that drunken hijinks ensue thanks to Erza. As if Erza isn’t scary enough as it is, when she’s drunk, she’s an absolute wildcard.
As mean and unwelcome as Erza’s penalty game may seem when you consider the context behind it, it’s somewhat understandable. Japan sees Christmas as a romantic holiday, but due to circumstances beyond their control, she’s unable to be with the guy she likes, Jellal. Though that hasn’t stopped Hiro Mashima from teasing the heck out of fans about shipping them.
This OVA really has no purpose to it beyond giving us some laughs for the holiday season, but that doesn’t make it pointless. While things do get crazy, that’s generally par for the course when it comes to Fairy Tail. Plus, the special does end on a rather awkward, but still sweet, Erza and Jellal. As to what happens, that’s up for you to see for yourself. If you’re willing to give Fairy Tail a shot, it might be worth a watch for the holidays. If not, no loss.
From the moment people saw the mid-credits scene for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, fans knew what was coming. The next Sonic movie would be adapting Sonic Adventure 2, widely considered to be among the best Sonic games ever made, if not the best. With the way that the Sonic films had managed to defy the curse of video game movie adaptations, combined with the rumors of Keanu Reeves playing Shadow, expectations were sky-high. And while it doesnโt follow the game’s beat-for-beat, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 still manages to meet those expectations, and then some!
It's time for Sonic's biggest adventure yet. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 hits theaters December 20th! pic.twitter.com/RNxKY6yq7t
Sometime after the events of the previous film and the Knuckles miniseries, Shadow, the Ultimate Lifeform, escapes from imprisonment by G.U.N. As the edge lord alien carves a path of revenge across the globe, Sonic, Shadow, and Knuckles are called in to stop him. When they prove no match for him, though, theyโre forced to team up with a very much alive Dr. Eggman. But then, things take a turn when itโs revealed that Eggmanโs grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, is alive (and sprightly for a super-centenarian) and pulling the strings behind Shadowโs quest for revenge.
And that is only the start of things.
They got Keanu Reeves as Shadow. THEY GOT KEANU REEVES AS SHADOW!!!
While the game doesnโt always hold up to modern standards in terms of graphics, thereโs no denying that Sonic Adventure 2 was a high point for the franchise. The 2000s anime Sonic X had already adapted the story for itself, but any attempts to bring it to the big screen would be held to high standards by the fandom. While the source material being a video game meant that creative liberties had to be taken, they do nothing to detract from the overall story. For example, while Shadowโs revealed to be an alien like Sonic in the film, it doesnโt change his backstory. He still has that tragic past where G.U.N. killed his only friend, Maria. And heโs still the bitter, angry, and vengeful edgelord that the fans know, love, and love to make fun of. Except this time, heโs voiced by Keanu Reeves.
For years now, fans who wanted to see a movie version of Shadow the Hedgehog said that Keanu Reeves was the best choice. Given his roles as characters like Neo and John Wick, itโs not hard to see why they wanted him so badly. While heโs been memed as this ultimate edgelord, Shadow is, at his core, a character whose origins were marked by tragedy. And while his lines feel a little stiff at times, Keanu brings all of that angst to bare as Sonicโs famous rival. If anything, the film does a good job of explaining why Shadow talks the way he does. When you see how happy he was with Maria as his friend, and how heartbroken her inevitable death was, you understand why heโs filled with so much anger. Heโs one hundred percent done with the world that took his happiness away from him, and he spends most of the film wanting to punish it for the injustice he suffered.
What really makes Shadow work here, though, is that he becomes even more of a direct foil to Sonic than he is in the games. Both are aliens who came to Earth, both have extraordinary powers, and both suffered great loss early in their lives. The film is very direct in saying how Shadow is how Sonic couldโve turned out if he never found friends and family. In anime terms, they become Naruto and Sasuke. But itโs so entertaining that you canโt help but enjoy seeing them banter and battle!
Speaking of banter, we have the other standout of the film, Jim Carrey as he plays double-duty as the Robotniks. Despite saying he planned to retire from acting on a high note after Sonic 2, he wound up coming back to play Eggman again. Apparently, director Jeff Fowler wanted him back so badly that he agreed to the actorโs previous jokes about wanting a โgolden script given to him by angels.โ So they delivered a copy of the script printed in 24-carat ink to his doorstep. Thatโs how serious they were about wanting him back, and it was the right call. Bringing Dr. Eggman to life has proven to be Jim Carreyโs best performance in years, and now he got to play not just Eggman, but also Gerald Robotnik. In the same scenes, no less!
New look at Gerald Robotnik, Shadow and Ivo Robotnik in โSONIC 3โ
It can be hard to play a role opposite of a character that has to be CGIโd into a film as they have to be added in later. However, Jim now had to play opposite of himself, and he did a phenomenal job of it while also making the Robotoniks feel like two distinct characters. While Eggman has always been unhinged, his repeated losses against Sonic have brought him to new lows. While he largely remains as evil as ever, Sonic 3 shows how heโs hit rock-bottom, living in hiding and eating junk food while watching telenovelas. When he meets his grandfather, someone whoโs not only family, but on his intellectual level, he becomes gleeful at getting to enjoy the childhood he never had. It would honestly be heartwarming if the Robotniks werenโt villains.
As for Gerald Robotnik, having him appear alive in the film is, by far, the biggest deviation from the games. Some fans may not like that since it was his and Mariaโs deaths that shaped the story, Jim does a good job of justifying him being alive, despite being more energetic than a 110-year old would normally be. It feels like Jim was channeling his precious experience as the Grinch into Gerald, as heโs even more manic than his grandson. But while Ivo is more blatant in how much heโs suffering, Gerald is a lot more subtle in how broken he is on the inside. The fact that Jim could play characters who are so similar, yet also different, at the same time is an impressive feat. If he were to retire for real after this, no one could blame him.
DROP EVERYTHING. GO WATCH THIS MOVIE!!!
Besides the executional acting from all members of the cast, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 contains plenty of callbacks and references to the franchise for fans to find. From reusing lines directly from the games and shows to even deeper cuts that only hardcore fans will get, the film is a pretty big love letter to the Sonic Franchise. Itโs the best out of the Sonic movies so far, and if the people behind it decided they wanted to end things here, no one could blame them. It honestly makes it a little concerning knowing that a fourth film is already slated for 2027? How can Sega and Paramount top this? Even if the films end up going downhill from here on out, though, the first three films are still going to hold up as their own trilogy. This was easily one of the best films of 2024, and manages to blow the competition out of the water.
Does it have โLive and Learn,โ though? Go see for yourself! No spoilers here!
It’s been a wild ride this fall, but the first season of Dan Da Dan is now in the history books. Fortunately, the next season has already been announced to be closer than we thought, and given how this season ends, fans will appreciate it. But before we get to that, we have to go over everything that happens in this season finale. As Momo, Okarun, and Jiji head to exorcise Jijiโs house, Okarun is still trying to get over the fact that heโs jealous of Jijiโs relationship with Momo. If only he could see that Momo doesnโt think of him like that.
We Can’t Hate Jiji!
So, after that whole fiasco with the living mannequins (and convincing Seiko to let the girlfriend live at their house), it looks like the mannequin thing is wrapped up. Unfortunately, Taro the mannequin didn’t have one of Okarun’s missing balls. He was just alive because…reasons.
Some people might want an explanation as to why these two mannequins are alive, but it’s actually funnier to leave people guessing as to why. With all the weirdness in the series, you learn to roll with this sort of thing.
Speaking of rolling with things, Okarun is dead set on keeping Momoโs attention firmly on him. That leads him to spend much of the episode trying to find ways to impress her, only for Jijiโs extroverted attitude to interfere. The worst part is that Ken canโt bring himself to hate the friendly Jiji, either. The young man is so nice that the two even start to bond over their shared interest in the supernatural. However, that doesnโt stop them from butting heads over who is closer to Momo, which is fun to watch.
LET'S GOOOOOOO. it's been kinda obvious now that Jiji's just being friendly and now it's the first time him and Okarun has the genuine friendship energy. I LOVE THIS#ใใณใใใณ#Dandadanpic.twitter.com/cngHaVgsBf
What wasnโt fun to watch, though, was the way that the episode decides to end things. And since this is the season finale, itโs going to be generating a lot of controversy.
As Jiji explained, and Momo confirms for herself, his house is haunted by a powerful spirit. So powerful that it even manages to alter the appearance of the structure in a way that they donโt notice at first. However, thatโs not the most unsettling part. During the episode, Momo breaks one of the cardinal rules of the horror genre by choosing to try out one of the villageโs hot springs alone. Worse, the hot spring she winds up choosing is co-ed, a fact she only becomes aware of when a group of men come barging in. The episode ultimately ends with those same men openly attempting to assault Momo!
Thisโฆwas not a good moment for the season to end things. While seeing perverts trying this sort of thing on women isnโt new in the Shonen genre, that doesnโt make the site of it any less horrifying. The fact the anime chooses to end the season without showing how Momo will get out of this only adds to the anxiety itโs going to put fans through. While they can always read the manga, some people prefer only to watch the anime to enjoy the story as it goes along. For that matter, having the anime cover the start of the next big arc only to end the season on such a tense moment seems like a failure to properly pace things out.
As much as I have enjoyed Dan Da Dan, I think that the anime genuinely screwed up by choosing to stop when it did. Not everyone is going to appreciate having to wait months to find out what happens next. Itโs only the fact that they donโt have to wait long that may end up bringing them back.
While it was likely meant to be revealed at the end of the episode, Studio Saru announced that the next season of Dan Da Dan would be coming in July 2025. Relatively speaking, thatโs fast for an anime! Hopefully, the season finale wonโt end up driving away the fans that the show has worked so hard to gain, as itโs easily one of the best anime of the year. I, for one, am looking forward to getting to see more of it next summer!
I Give โLetโs Go to the Cursed Houseโ a 2.5/5
RJ Writing Ink’s Look back on The Last: Naruto the Movie
December 2014, one month since the popular Shonen manga Naruto ended. It was the holiday season, but I only wanted one thing for Christmas that year: to see The Last: Naruto the Movie. I wanted it so badly I bought tickets to see it in theaters despite it being in another state. By fate or by luck, I wound up not needing them, as I was able to watch it somewhere else a few days after Christmas. At the time, I thought the film was a masterpiece, but that was due to riding the emotional high that came with the ending to the manga. Fast-forward ten years later, would I still consider it to be a masterpiece? Wanting to know this, I went back and rewatched it for the first time in years. And I’m happy to say that it’s as good as I remember it being.
A Thrilling Epilogue
Taking place two years after Naruto and Sasuke’s final battle, The Last: Naruto the Movie revolves around two things: saving the world and romance. Right as Hinata is working up the courage to confess to our titular hero, her sister gets kidnapped by a mysterious man named Toneri, who also wants her for some reason. Simultaneously, the Moon begins falling towards the Earth, threatening to wipe out all life on the planet. Sensing the two are connected, the now Hokage Kakashi sends Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, Sai, and Shikamaru on a mission to rescue Hinata’s sister, find Toneri, and stop the coming armageddon. However, the mission gets complicated by Toneri’s conitnued pursuit of Hinata and Naruto coming to realize just how much he means to her, and she to him.
There’s no denying that Naruto is one of the all-time Shonen greats, but even its most die-hard fans can admit it had two major shortcomings: lead female heroines and romantic sub-plots. She may not have started out as the main heroine, but it became apparent that many fans preferred Hinata over Sakura. Hinata’s efforts to grow out of her shy and timid nature, as well as her unconditional support for Naruto, endeared her to countless people. In contrast, Sakura started out the series being a flat, uninteresting character who’s only defining trait was her interest in Sasuke. Kishimoto tried to have her grow out of this, but the damage had already been done.
Furthermore, despite the series coming to have many different ships over the years, Kishimoto never capitalized on it due to his embarrassment over writing about romance. As a result, the chief ships found in the series, NaruHina and SasuSaku, the former didn’t get as much focus as itโs supporters wanted, while the latter ended up becoming toxic in nature after Sasuke went AWOL before Naruto finally set him straight.
Being Rushed Didn’t Make it Bad, Ya Know?
To put it simply, The Last was the film team and Kishimotoโs attempts at course correction, but some people say that it came too little, too late. To be fair, theyโre not wrong. Looking back, the aftermath of the Invasion of Pain arc wouldโve been the perfect chance for Naruto and Hinata to get a relationship upgrade. Hinata had not only fought to protect Naruto from Pain, but she flat-out told him she loved him. Yet nothing came of it, and with everything that followed, that plot thread never had time to be properly addressed. So, yes, the film had to shoehorn the romance in while they had the chance.
Hereโs the thing, though: that doesnโt necessarily make it a bad thing. Sometimes, we can do our best when weโre under pressure. And with this being the last chance Kishimoto had to tell how Naruto and Hinata became a couple, he and his team were definitely feeling the pressure! But once he got over his reluctance to write a proper romance, he knocked it out of the park. I fully consider the time Naruto and Hinata spent searching the abandoned Ninja Village together to be their first date, and am prepared to die on that hill! Iโm pretty sure I gasped when the moment came when Naruto turned out to be the one to confess his love to Hinata first, rather than the other way around. And that famous kiss that the two of them shared at the end of the movie, as theyโre floating in the sky with the moon in the background. *Chefโs kiss* Thatโs how you do a kiss scene, people! And thatโs not even getting into the scenes of their wedding that take up the credits. I started crying tears of joy when I went back to watch it again!
As sweet as it was to see the two getting the chance to make up for lost time, though, thereโs another reason why I think the romantic part of this film works. In a critical scene partway through the film, the group gets trapped in a genjutsu based on their memories. During that time, Naruto winds up seeing many of Hinataโs memories, including a recent conversation she had with Sakura. That memory has Sakura explaining that Naruto has no concept of what romantic love really is. To some, that might not make sense because Naruto has understood what romantic love is. But remember that for all his emotional intelligence at times, Naruto did grow up orphan. Not having his parents around to show him what a romantic relationship looked like probably didnโt do him any favors. Also, the tearjerker section for the TV Tropes page for the movie speculates that, thanks to his lonely childhood, the idea of someone being in love with him was practically a foreign concept. He may have largely gotten over his hard early life, but that doesnโt mean it didnโt still affect him!
ABSOLUTE PEAK FIGHTING!
It wasnโt just the romance that made the movie so enjoyable for me. This is still a Shonen film, and that means that thereโs plenty of action to be had. Narutoโs friends and allies working to destroy the falling meteorites before they can wipe out the planet. Hinata holding her own against Toneriโs army of puppets until Toneri himself intervened and captured her. And last, but not least, Naruto fighting against the empowered Toneri on the surface of the Moon. They wound up traveling all the way from Earth to the Moon and fought on its surface with no problems whatsoever. It doesnโt matter if that shouldnโt be possible; itโs cool as can be! And the best part is that that final clash was done to a remix of Narutoโs original theme song. Itโs a testament to where our hero has come from and how much he has grown from being a weak outcast to the strongest ninja alive! Ten years later, I still get goosebumps rewatching it!
If I could list at least one major complaint that I have looking back on the film, though, then it would have to be about the filmโs main antagonist, Toneri Otsutsuki. When I first watched the film ten years ago, I saw as this poor, misguided young man who thought he was following his ancestorโs wishes by trying to destroy the world. As Hinata discovers for herself, though, that belief was based on his half of the family misunderstanding their ancestorโs wishes. That led to them wiping each other out while Toneri was still a child, leaving him the last person alive on the Moon. And after being defeated and learning how wrong he was, he chooses to exile himself there forever, with not even his puppet servants to keep him company.
My One Gripe (or Two)
As sad as Toneriโs life is, after rewatching the film years later, my sympathy for him has decreased. While he does try to care about Hinata as a person, the way he interacts with her reminded me of an abusive husband, right up to the point where he tries to violate her free will using his own Chakra. That just shows how little he understood other people! And unlike the whole โcolony dropโ thing, his actions against Hinata and Naruto were all on him. Heโs lucky that they were nice enough to save his life when they couldโve simply let him die at the end!
Oh, and I never really liked Narutoโs new appearance in this movie. I donโt like seeing his hair so short! It looks weird to me!
So, the bottom line is that, while it wouldโve been better had the series done more to move Naruto and Hinataโs relationship forward, I canโt complain that much about The Last: Naruto the Movie turned out. Ten years since its release, it still remains one of the series best stories. It shows that Kishimoto did have it in him to write a good romance. And while some might see it as a reminder of what we couldโve gotten had he realized this sooner, Iโm still happy that we got it at all!
If there are good examples of why you don’t need to be Christian to celebrate Christmas, Japan is one of them. Most of Japan isn’t Christian, but they celebrate the holiday nonetheless for the commercial and romantic aspects. People drink, celebrate, and give gifts to loved ones, with couples getting a lot of focus. That doesn’t mean that the concept of how Christmas is celebrated in the West isn’t unheard of in Japan. A good example of this is in the penultimate episode of Slime Diaries, a slice-of-life spin-off to the popular Isekai anime That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.
With winter having arrived in Tempest in full, Rimuru remembers that it must be close to Christmas time back on Earth. When his friends/citizens/companions get curious, Rimuru ends up introducing the concept of Christmas to Tempest. Never one to pass up a chance to party, the citizens of Tempest eagerly get into the spirit of the holiday. The rest of the episode consists of everyone celebrating Christmas in their own way.
Slime Diaries Christmas
At the D&A Anime blog, we’re big fans of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. It’s not hard to understand why. It’s a member of what I consider the Seven Summits of Isekai, it’s got some of the best world-building in any isekai, and Rimuru might be one of the most OP protagonists in all of anime. And his true form is a slime, one of the most basic enemies you can find in a JRPG. But despite achieving godlike power and getting plenty of chances to show it off in the main anime, anyone who knows Rimuru knows he’s a pretty chill person. All he wants to do is make a place where he can enjoy his second life to the fullest. So, Slime Diaries depicts him and his friends doing just that, with no real tension to be had.
The end result? No real drama, no plot involving everyone having to save Christmas. Just some good people getting to enjoy the holidays together. Shuna cooks a delicious Christmas dinner for everyone at Tempest’s big festival. Resident ms. fanservice Shion shows off in a Sexy Santa outfit, only to tick Rimuru off when she brings up the romantic aspects of the holiday (he was a 37-year-old single man in his first life. It’s a sore subject!) And as soon as she hears about Santa, Millim becomes convinced that she’s going to get a present. This is in spite of the fact that her frequent acts of destruction would be grounds for being a naughty-lister.
However, it makes the moment Rimuru tries to leave her a present, and she mistakes him for Santa pretty funny. Every little kid has tried at least once to stay up and get a look at Santa (including me!)
I Love Santa!
Speaking of the jolly man in the red suit, the episode ends on a very heartwarming moment. Rimuru returns to his office to find a present addressed to him…from Santa.
Full disclosure: I don’t really care if Santa’s real or just a historical saint. What matters is that the legend of Santa provides us with a sense of wonder everyone needs as a kid. Plus, I wouldn’t be surprised if Santa could travel to other universes to give people presents. He’s Santa; it just works.
All in all, this is a pretty fun Christmas episode. No real stakes, no real drama, just a family enjoying themselves like people should.
Jealousy, envy, coveting; call it what you want, but when we feel it, itโs never a good thing. And right now, Ken Takakura is feeling both jealousโฆand dejected. When Momoโs old friend and first crush shows up at her doorstep, the poor boyโs already low self-esteem takes an even bigger nosedive. Thankfully, this episode revolves around him getting a reminder of why he shouldnโt be so quick to give up on his feelings. And, in typical Dan Da Dan fashion, it happens in the most hilarious, over-the-top fashion.
Is Jiji’s Gojo’s Long-Lost Cousin?
At the end of the last episode, Momo opens her front door to find a tall, athletic, and handsome young man standing outside. This is Jiji, Momoโs old friend when they were little kids, and, according to her grandma, her first crush. His family moved before middle school, and, to make a long story short, their house is haunted. So haunted that the ghost chased off every medium they hiredโฆor made them kill themselves. Now his folks are in the hospital, and Seiko is the only one who can purge the ghost. But since sheโs useless outside their city, Momo will have to do it. That wonโt happen until the next episode though.
The main focus of this episode is the arrival of Jiji and how he affects the status quo. Played by Aleks Le, Jiji is, essentially, a younger, even goofier version of Gojo from JuJutsu Kaisen. Given how goofy Gojo can be, that should tell you what kind of person he is. Between his good looks, his extroverted personality, and charisma, he quickly wins over everyone at school. Even Seiko likes him, though thatโs because he compliments how amazing she looks. Momo, though, sees him and finds herself questioning why they were friends to begin with.
It should be noted that Jiji was one of the people who made fun of her for believing in ghosts as a kid, a fact that he deeply regrets. Combined with the possibility that he returned her crush (and may still have one), itโs clear heโs trying to make amends for his past actions. However, Momo just finds him annoying now, preferring a more solemn guy like Ken Takakuraโฆthe actor. She still wonโt admit that sheโs fallen for Ken-Chan.
Speaking of which, poor Okarunโs already low self-esteem takes an even further nosedive here. Jiji is everything that he isnโt, or at least what he thinks he isnโt. And since heโs starting to fall in love with her, that is making him jealous. Rather than get angry and aggressive over it, though, he decides to bow out. While that normally would be the right thing to do, in this case he means to cut himself off from Momo altogether.
Don’t Stop Fighting for Momo, Okarun!
EP 11 At the end there is some romance again – Dan Da Dan style
Love and friendships can be hard when you are young, and with how introverted Ken-Chan can be, itโs understandable that he doesnโt see how good a person he really is. If he higher more self-esteem, he would be able to recognize that Momoโs one-time friend now greatly irritates her with his antics. Fortunately, since he is a protagonist, the universe provides him with the reminder he needsโฆin the silliest way possible.
Dan Da Dan has shown us many crazy things: aliens of all sorts, ghosts, and more. But I think the sight of an anatomical mannequin running through the streets to find his girlfriend at a dump might be the craziest thing Iโve seen on this show. And thatโs counting the race with Turbo Granny! But seeing him be so passionate about reuniting with his love lights a fire in Okarun. Thanks to that, heโs able to overcome his insecurities and fight for his friendship with Momo. Not that he needs to fight for it, mind you. The reason why he and Momo work so well together is because theyโre polar opposites. They balance each other out, keep the other grounded. Rest assured, their friendship is stronger than either of them realizes.
Sad to say it, though, but next episode will mark the final episode for this first season of Dan Da Dan. However, with how popular it has proven, itโs going to get a second season. And I look forward to seeing that come to pass.
The last few episodes of Dan Da Dan have been chaotic for our group of teens. First, Aira’s misguided attempts to seduce Ken lead to a misunderstanding between him and Momo. Then those banana-obsessed aliens come back with minions and try to capture Ken and kill Momo and Aira. And even though they win, every high schooler’s worst nightmare takes place. The entire school sees the girls in their underwear and Ken in his birthday suit!
After the most embarrassing moment of their lives up to that point, Ken, Momo, and Aira take shelter in the nurse’s office and get spare tracksuits. Thankfully, the nurse is the understanding and supportive type…though I almost lost it when I saw that she gave off the energy of a dominatrix. She had the flogger and everything!
Now comes the real issue: explaining the incident and salvaging their reputations before they have to change schools. Momo’s friends come up with the silliest, but also most believable, explanation in the form of a gladiator fight between the girls over Okarun. To be fair, they’re not wrong to assume there’s a love triangle. We should know by now that there is a love triangle between Momo, Aira, and Okarun, even if Momo and Okarun don’t realize it yet. And while Ken does manage to explain what really happened when she walked in on him and Aira, I didn’t appreciate how she teased him over his reasons for being quiet about exercising. Trying to look cool in front of a person you like is a big deal for someone like Ken, and as light-hearted as it was, her trolling him felt a little mean.
But not as mean as what Aira did to Momo.
RIP Aira’s Popularity
Initially, the trio planned to tell the school that the incident was Momo’s fault, but before Aira can do that, her past actions come back to haunt her. Remember how she spread lies about Momo being promiscuous before? Those lies, combined with what happened, almost incite Aira’s classmates into an angry mob. And Aira, in a moment of character development, fesses up that she started the fake rumors, destroying her popularity.
When we first met Aira, she was the kind of shallow, self-absorbed person who would do something that mean-spirited. And while she’s still a bit full of herself, the fact that she was willing to fess up for the sake of a girl she doesn’t like that much is a sign of positive character development. There might be hope for Aira yet, people! There has to be, though, since they still have to deal with Yokai and Aliens.
Earlier in this episode, Ken theorizes that the reason the Serpoians wanted Turbo Granny’s powers is because the aliens’ tech is useless against all the supernatural forces found on Earth. I’m no stranger to seeing science and magic existing in a shared world, but it’s still pretty cool hearing that ghosts and spirits are acting like a nuclear deterrent against alien invasion. However, at least one alien won’t bother them anymore: The Mantis Shrimp, AKA the Dover Demon, Kappa, and Mr. Peeny-Weeny.
EVER SEEN AN ALIEN ABDUCT A COW?
Somehow, Mantis Shrimp survived their fight, but is so beat up that he passes out right in front of the girls. Everyone feels so sorry for him that they nurse him back to health and feed him, prompting the grateful alien to pledge his loyalty to them. And Dover becomes even more sympathetic when it’s revealed he only took the job to pay for life-saving blood transfusions for his son. I might not approve of him working for the Serpoians, but I think most of us can agree that he’s a good dad! Also, we got this!
The funniest part, though? It turns out their species’ blood is exactly like cow milk. So we get one of the most over-the-top versions of the classic “Aliens stealing cattle” trope I have ever seen! And it’s made even funnier when Seiko refuses to believe that Mr. Shrimp’s an alien!
….Uh-Oh
This episode is mostly dealing with the falling action and aftermath to last week’s frankly insane experience. However, just when it looks like things might calm down, we get thrown another curve-ball. Momo’s childhood friend, a boy named Jiji, comes over, having been invited by her grandma to stay for reasons. And to make matters worse, Seiko tells Ken that Jiji was Momo’s first crush.
And with that, our love triangle has become a love…rectangle? Quadrangle? Double-triangle? No matter what it’s called, the look on Ken’s face and the previews for the next episode tell us that the drama’s about to increase. I feel so sorry for Ken right now!
I Give “”Have You Ever Seen a Cattle Mutilation?” a 4/5
Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Now that Goku has beaten one of the Tamagami, his name is spreading like wildfire throughout the Demon Realm. This next episode of Daima has us dealing with the aftermath of Gokuโs victory and the unwanted attention it provides. And while the episode largely focused on the comedy, we got a hint about something Gomah is looking for, and see the birth of a potential threat to Goku.
Don’t Steal From Goku
Having won the first of the Demon Realmโs Dragon Balls, the gang decides to spend the night in a hotel instead of camping out again. That means that Goku has to put on a disguise to avoid attracting attention thanks to his newfound notoriety. Since itโs Goku, thoughโฆit doesnโt last very long. And, just as the others fear, thieves attempt to steal their Dragon Ball. They do succeed for a short time, but thanks to Panzy putting a tracking device on it, and Gokuโs intimidation, they get it back pretty quickly.
The fact that they almost lose the Dragon Ball isnโt the point, though. The point the series is trying to make is that, from here on out, theyโre going to need to be a little more careful about their prize. To the best of my knowledge, they didnโt bring a dragon radar, so if they lose it again, it could hard to get it back. And speaking of losing things, guess who lost their own plane due to it getting stolen by bandits.
In a rather hilarious echo of the first group, Vegetaโs group lost their own plane after he beat up a group of bandits. Whatโs worse is that when Gokuโs team catches up to where Vegetaโs team is stuck, they donโt have the room to hold all of them. Thus, any chance of the parties merging gets put on the back burner.
To be fair, it seems like keeping the entire party in two separate groups is a deliberate handicap on the storyโs part. If they all joined up into a single group, they would be strong enough to handle everything thrown their ways. Goku, Vegeta, Glorio, Shin, and Piccolo would mow down every enemy in sight, while Bulma and Panzy would invent something capable of getting them straight to King Gomah. No Mr. Warp needed. As for Hybis, he might be more important than he realizes. Hereโs why.
Just a Theory. A Dragon Ball Theory!
During this episode, word reaches Gomah that not only have Goku and the others followed him to the Demon Realm, but Goku already beat one of the Tamagami. With his plans to neutralize the potential threat having backfired, the king once again laments being unable to obtain the Evil Third Eye. Described as a powerful artifact lost during the reign of one of Daburaโs predecessors, the Evil Eye is said to grant immense power to anyone who puts in on their forehead. However, I donโt think itโs actually lost. During this episode, itโs revealed that Hybis has this weird, living he found attached to his belt. The fact that this came up right as we heard about the Evil Eye again canโt be a mere coincidence. Itโs subtle foreshadowing that this potentially powerful MacGuffin is already in the heroโs hands and they donโt even realize it. If Iโm right, then all those years reading One Piece and learning about foreshadowing were worth it!
While Vegetaโs party ends the episode with them poised to recover their plane from the bandits, the episode ends by shifting back to Marba and Dr. Arinsuโs attempts to make a clone of Majin Buu. They manage to succeed, combining the Buu fragment with a Saibaman seed. I never thought weโd see the Saibamen again, so this was a big surprise. Unfortunately, then we learn the name that Arinsu gives her new minion: MajinโฆKuu.
Iโm sorry, but what? Iโm aware that Toriyama liked to name his characters based on puns. However, for the life of me, I canโt figure out if Kuu is meant to be a pun, or just a lame reuse of Buu. Iโm really hoping that thereโs a pun in there, or that Kuu is just as strong as Buu. Otherwise, the tension of having someone compete for the Dragon Balls will seem a bit pointless.
It now looks like the race is on for the Dragon Balls, and while this episode was relatively slow, not every episode has to be an absolute banger. Comedy is just as much a part of Dragon Ball as action, and since Daima is returning the franchise to its roots, we should expect plenty more comedy.
It’s been two months now since the start of Dragon Ball Daima, there’s yet to be any dub of it on Crunchyroll. So far, the only dub for the new Dragon Ball series has been in the form of a compilation film that came out for a few days in November, and that only covered the first three episodes. With simuldubbing becoming more and more common in recent years, these two months could feel like years for those who insist on only watching dubbed anime. Granted, many anime still like to get a few episodes out before they start airing the dub to prevent it from being overtaken, but that’s not the point. But the wait for the dub of Daima will only be a few more weeks. In a recent post on their website, Crunchyroll announced that the dub for Dragon Ball Daima will begin January 10th, 2025.
Besides the obvious interest that stems from the dubbing of the new addition of a legendary anime, there’s another reason why people should pay attention to the dub of Daima. Because they’ll be spending most, if not all, of the series stuck in their kid forms, most of the returning characters won’t be voiced by their regular actors. The one exception will be Goku, once again voiced by Stephanie Nadolny. She’s famously provided the dub voice for Kid Goku in most Dragon Ball media. Most of the rest of the kid-ified cast will be voiced by relative newcomers. What makes this exciting (to me, at least) is that it’s giving a new generation of VA’s to leave their marks on the popular franchise. More importantly, if they do well enough, that could lead to them getting more work. With how tough the entertainment business can be, especially for newcomers, landing a potentially high-profile role can go a long way for job prospects.
As for me, I’m just happy to be able to watch the series in dub form come the new year. Having spent my teen years watching the original Dragon Ball in dub form online, it will be nice to get to hear Stephanie Nadolny’s voice again after all this time. And I wholeheartedly support letting my generation of VA’s try their hand at Dragon Ball.
Of all the times that the Serpo aliens could show up again, it had to be right when Momo was mad at Okarun. In the last episode, Aira began a love triangle between her, Momo, and Ken-Chan when she confessed her feelings to the boy. And, in typical comedic fashion, Momo showed up right as Okarun was in the most inopportune position possible with Aira. Now the three are trapped in a pocket dimension as the Serpos and their temp workers are trying to kill them while the entire school’s flooding.
Oh, and to make matters worse, Okarun doesn’t have any clothes to speak of. The aliens tore them to shreds. At least they now have another person who can go ghost in the form of Aira.
Momo, Just Say You’re Mad
So, after using the reveal that Aira can go ghost thanks to getting Acro Silky’s aura to their advantage, she and Okarun have to get over something just as bad: their embarassment. This is the first time that Aira’s seen a naked boy in real life, and her feelings get the better of her. Likewise, Ken wastes time trying to find clothes so he can fight. At some point, though, he decides to forget it and worry about it after they’re done fighting.
All things considered, the fights in this episode continue the series’ trend of making the action look as amazing as possible. Ken and Aira’s movements are fluid and don’t waste any time or energy unless needed. The show also doesn’t waste time making jokes over the facts that Okarun’s fighting this entire battle naked. A less mature story would make a bigger deal about it, but Dan Da Dan knows its better to wait. Though there is one moment when the girls decide to strip down to their underwear for the fight. The story justifies it beyond fanservice due to wet clothes hampering their movements. It’s not wrong. Unless they’re made of special material, wet clothes will become dead weight.
Amidst all the action, though, Momo (who manages to catch up to the two) can’t let go of her anger towards Okarun and Aira for their perceived wrongdoings behind her back. This is the second time that we’ve seen how Momo and Ken’s failures to communicate can negatively affect them. Momo won’t even hear Ken out when he tries to explain. The best that he can do is promise to provide context as soon as they’re safe, but the teamwork remains teeth-clenched.
The Serpo’s are Bad bosses
Thankfully, the same could be said for their alien assailants. The Serpo’s prove to be terrible bosses, constantly berating the Shrimp alien and the Nessy alien. It gets to the point where Nessy kills two of them, forcing the remaining one to fuse with all three to corner our trio. And since they’re fighting underwater, they’re in real danger of drowning. The fact that the show used such dark colors for the seemingly bottomless water gave the entire fight a very unsettling appearance. As someone who doesn’t like swimming in places where I can’t see the bottom, I was genuinely unnerving to watch.
It takes some effort, and an awesome combo move from the trio, but eventually, our heroes manage to kick the alien’s butt, complete with a finishing move straight out of a video game. However, that fight pales in comparison to what they go through next. Once the alien’s Domain Expansion wears off, they return to reality. In the middle of the crowded hallway. With two girls in their underwear and Ken naked.
They’re Gonna Have to Go to a Different School Now
I won’t lie, this scene would be absolutely hysterical to look at. Though, given how it’s pretty much the most embarrassing thing a teenager could experience in high school, my pity outweighs my sense of humor. They’re either going to need a very good excuse…or find a way to erase everyone’s memories. Either way, the next episode is going to be hard for them.
Once again, we had a fun episode of Dan Da Dan. With the year almost over, I’m getting ready to come up with my picks for my favorite anime of the year. Needless to say, this show is going to be in the running.
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 