Anime Reviews

There’s a Special Place in Hell for Those who Manipulate the Good

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

May I Ask for One Final Thing Ep 9 Review

You know what I hate? Villains blackmailing nice people to do what they want against their will. It breaks my heart to see sweet, pure, and worthwhile people being forced to perform acts of evil against their will. It’s one of the reason why I hate villains who blackmail good people to do their dirty work, and Terenezza definitely qualifies as such a villain. Thanks to her and her b**** goddess, Scarlet’s home is in grave danger. But even worse, though, is the fact that the Palmians forced sweet little Sanya, AKA Saint Diana, into becoming their pawn.

They are all going to be needing some punishment before this is over, and Scarlet will see it done.

Palmia Must be Stopped

So, after the failed ambush of Terenezza last episode, Scarlet fell into a deep slumber. And while she has slept, things have only gone from bad to worse. Terenezza has led the Palmians to destroy one of the crystals creating the barrier protecting Pallistan. With its destruction, the entire kingdom is at risk from invading monsters. Even worse, two neighboring countries declare war and are on the march. This is something that the Palmians have been planning for some time now, and it’s about to come to fruition.

It’s almost impressive just how thorough the Palmian Church’s plans to destroy Pallistan were. They intimidate the Dianists, corrupt the nobles from within, and Terenezza would use her powers to have one of the princes wrapped around her finger. However, knowing all of that only serves to demonstrate just how massive a spanner in the works Scarlet has proven to be. She’s managed to derail almost all their evil plans, and they were only willing to act once she fell asleep. Thankfully, she wakes up from her beauty sleep halfway through the episode, fully committed to punishing the naughty Palmians.

Especially after learning how they manipulated poor Diana.

And the Good Book Said “Thou who Manipulates the Sweet Little Girl Shall Suffer”

For some time now, Julius and Sigurd suspected that there was a spy in the Church of Diana feeding the Palmians information. As it turns out, that mole was none other than Diana herself. They forced her to be their agent with the promise of being able to restore her missing powers as a Saint. Little did she know, it was the Palmians themselves who stole her powers in the first place. And poor little Diana, desperate to prove her continued worth and value as a person, fell for their Faustian bargain hook, line, and sinker. It’s only after seeing what’s happened to Scarlet, the person she cares about the most, that sje decided to put her foot down in front of their agent, Dios. Thankfully, Scarlet manages to de-escalate things with her fists, and while Julius does intend to punish her after all this done, I doubt she’ll get in serious trouble. The Palmians stole her powers and emotionally manipulated her. It would be hard for many people in her shoes not to act like she did. At the very least, Scarlet responds to her actions with empathy and understanding.

Which is not something that could be said regarding her reaction to Dios…at first.

Wasn’t Expecting That

So, Scarlet remembers that when Diana’s life was in danger when her palanquin collapsed, Dios was genuinely worried for her safety. Thus, she knows he’s a true believer of Palmia and a decent person. As it turns out, she’s spot on. Dios doesn’t give two cents about Palmia; he just cares about Diana, his half-sister.

Dios is half-human, half-elf. His mother was an elf, but his father was a human and also Diana’s father. He tracked them down in the hopes of chewing him out over it, but as soon as he saw Diana, his big brother instincts kicked in. And when Diana lost her powers, the Palmians pulled the same con on him that they would then use on Diana herself. However, now that he knows that the Palmians themselves are responsible for stealing Diana’s saintly powers in the first place, he’s done with them. He even offers to give Scarlet info on them…but she refuses. Instead, all she wants is for Dios to prove himself by doing right by his sister by stopping the Palmians.

Thankfully, Scarlet and Julius won’t be alone in this effort. Remember Prince Alflame of the Vankish Empire? It would seem that the Palmians tried to reach out to him to get him to join in on their “crush Pallistan” plan. Instead, he’s going to help the woman he’s madly in love with. So that makes two examples of simping in a single episode.

We are nearing the endgame of this story, and there is still plenty of ground left to cover. However, I’m confident that this show can stick the landing. With luck, Scarlet will be giving us all an early Christmas present of battered and bloody Palmians.

“May I Explain That This is Not Something That Just Anyone Can Do?” A 3.5/5

I Knew Scarlet Was a Saint!

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May I Ask for One Final Thing Ep 8 Review

There are few things more dangerous and destructive to the well-being of mortals than being caught in a fight between gods. Most of the time, Gods are, by nature, so far above us mortals that if they want to be jerks, we can’t stop them. So when one god decides to mess with another by messing with their favorite mortal, they can get away with it. And the gods that are actually nice usually can’t do anything because conflict is forbidden, so they have to choose a champion on their behalf. Why am I mentioning all this? Because it turns out that this is the exact scenario that Scarlet, Diana, and all of Pallistan are stuck in. All thanks to a yandere goddess.

Scarlet, the Patron Saint of Crash-Outs

The holy pilgrimage of Diana, Scarlet, and their group continues as they travel across Pallistan. It’s more than just a religious ceremony, though. There are four crystals at the cardinal points of the kingdom creating a barrier to keep out monsters. Once a year, the saints of Pallistan are supposed to purify the crystals with their divine blessings. At least, that’s how it’s supposed to be. However, Diana lost her power a year ago, forcing Scarlet to do all the work.

Yes, you read that right. This episode reveals that there have secretly been two saints in the Kingdom of Pallistan, and Scarlet is the second. Her blessing from the time god Chronoa makes it so, and it’s why she was engaged to Kyle in the first place. Which only makes the former prince even dumber, in hindsight. He actively antagonized someone who was vital to the Kingdom’s security, and gave her more than enough reason to want to turn on them. The fact that she never did means she truly is a saint. A saint who only punishes those deemed needing of said punishment.

At any rate, the Palmians seem to refuse to learn their lesson, as they decide to antagonize Scarlet yet again! When the group makes it to their next stop, the lord in charge starts spouting nonsense about Diana being a fraud and the pilgrimage a means to extort the people. But it soon becomes clear that they’re either stupid or just another puppet, because the Palmians show up again with their Saint: Terenezza.

Her Again?!?!

If you’ll recall, Terenezza hasn’t been seen since she killed the former prime minister. As this episode reveals, this entire time she was serving as Palmia’s agent and Saint and had the ability to charm any man using what can best be described as magical pheromones. That’s how she manipulated Kyle in the first place, only for it backfire when she misread what Scarlet was like. She also seems to have failed to learn her lesson, as she decides to antagonize Scarlet again.

To their credit, the Palmians did learn their lesson from the last few times and brought magic that could nullify Scarlet’s. Unfortunately for them, they failed to consider Scarlet would use prep-time to do the same thing. Thus, Terenezza gets the double dose of punishment that she deserves…

Is what I would like to say. Terenezza reveals her trump card: she’s got Diana’s stolen powers. Then Dios reveals himself as a mole and bargains for Ter’s freedom in exchange for Diana. As a result, Scarlet’s bloodlust goes unsatisfied. And she passes out.

That’s when we get some divine intervention.

Yandere Goddess Must be Punished

A favored tactic of deities when speaking to mortals is for them to appear in their dreams. In this case, as Scarlet sleeps off her exhaustion, she’s visited by the patron god of Pallistan and the one who gave her her blessing, Chronoa, the God of Time. And Chronoa is a very benevolent god, like that one turned you have that’s very understanding and wise. He has given the Saints their powers to protect Pallistan for generations, and he’s proud of how well Scarlet has been using her fists for justice. Unfortunately, his love for Pallistan has made them the target of a yandere goddess.

Meet Palmia, the Goddess of Love. Unfortunately for Chronoa, she’s madly in love with him and wants him all for herself. And because she’s a yandere, she decides that the best way to do this is by getting rid of all distractions in his eternal life…by destroying them. So she used her powers to kidnap Terrenezza from Japan and turn her into her agent in the mortal world, since gods can’t fight each other directly. Terrenezza was supposed to cause chaos and bring about Pallistan’s destruction, and she was getting away with it until she angered Scarlet.

So, to recap, we have a yandere goddess who decided to destroy a kingdom of millions for the “crime” of taking the attention of the guy she likes. And she kidnapped someone from Japan and most likely brainwashed them in the process. As Scarlet puts it so eloquently, and as Chronoa agrees, she’s a total b****. While Scarlet may not be able to do anything to Palmia directly , she can ruin her plans. And since Chronoa is a nice god, he gives her the means to steal back Diana’s power and restores her to full strength.

Palmia is going to be regretting her life choices before long, and I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing the results of what happens!

I Give “May I Offer You a Fist in Place of a Handkerchief?” a 4/5

Is Scarlet Going to be a big sister soon?

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May I ask for One Final Thing? Ep 7 Review

One would think that after all the times she’s managed to beat them up, the Palmians would learn to stop antagonizing Scarlet. Unfortunately, they’re the kind of people whose fanaticism overrides all sense of logic and rational thinking, because they just keep coming. More meat for Scarlet to tenderize! But there’s actually a bigger problem that Scarlet has to deal with. Saint Diana…is in love.

So, with the Palmians having made the poor decision to crash the start of St. Diana’s pilgrimage, Scarlet decides it’s time for some punishment. And to make it even sweeter, she takes their statue of their goddess and starts throwing it at their church like she’s the Beast Titan. They’re completely dumbfounded when they realize what she’s been throwing at them! But despite trying to justify their actions, that doesn’t change the fact that they could’ve killed someone.

According to Leonardo, by the time the guards arrived, the Palmians were going on about a “silver-haired devil” and begging them to be saved from her wrath.

I know that violence should not always be the first option when it comes to solving problems, but I’ve seen enough fiction to know that sometimes, some people need to get pummeled. And it never ceases to be entertaining seeing jerks learn their actions have consequences.

Speaking of consequences, after the Palmians are subdued, Diana almost dies when her float gives away. Thankfully, Scarlet’s brother, Leo, saves her in time. But that leads to an even bigger problem. Something that could become a national crisis:

Diana is head over heels in love with Leonardo.

Diana Has Love Sickness

When Scarlet speaks to Sanya (Diana’s nickname) next, she’s suffering from a severe case of love-sickness. Symptoms include rolling around the bed, making squeeing noises, extreme blushing and crazed laughter and an inability to think about anything besides the one she’s fond of. And this is where we get to see a softer side to Scarlet.

It’s easy to forget, but underneath her love for beating people up, Scarlet is a very kind and compassionate person. Her punch-happy tendencies stem from her strong sense of justice, as she can’t stand seeing anyone be a jerk. More importantly, her confidence and willingness to live life how she wants makes her a good role model for Diana, who she sees as a little sister. And despite how many headaches she gives her brother, she does care about him. So much so that she’s more than happy to help set Diana up with him.

Diana and Leonardo’s date at a traditional street festival is absolutely wholesome. I’ve seen enough anime to know that Japan loves its street festivals, and that they are a great means of encouraging romance by having people open up to each other. In this case, it lets Diana open up and be vulnerable about her insecurities to a supportive face. It’s sweet…but it doesn’t last.

The universe decided to reward Scarlet by giving her her favorite thing: jerks to punch!

Despite how light-hearted this episode is, it makes it a point to end with a reminder that the Palmians are still out there and still a threat. As Julius and Leo suspect, there’s a spy in their ranks feeding the Palmians info, and suspicion is cast on one member of the pilgrimage in particular. In addition, the Palmian Inquisitors are looking for allies abroad, including Prince Alflame. This could be trouble!

I Give “May I Carry Out a Plan That Shows a New Side of You?” a 4/5

Scarlet Turns Her Fists onto a Corrupt, Religious Piggy

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May I ask for One Final Thing? Ep 6 Review

You know what’s worse than political corruption? Religious corruption. Fiction and the real world are filled with examples of people who use religion to justify being a jerk, and it’s the worst. And if there’s one thing that our saint of fisticuffs, Scarlet, can’t stand, it’s people who abuse their power for evil. With the corrupt nobility in her country out of the way, it’s now time for Scarlet’s next victims: this new religion that’s popped up.

They definitely deserve it.

Stupid Religious Jerks

The Prime Minister and his ilk have been dealt with, but Terenezza has flown the coop. With her still out there, Scarlet and Julius cannot rest easy. But for the moment, they have more immediate concerns. For centuries, a young woman has been born with the power to raise a divine barrier to protect Pallistan from monsters, each given the title of Diana. It’s almost time for her annual pilgrimage, but recently, a new religion worshipping Terenezza’s benefactor, the Goddess Palmia, has sprung up. And they are the worst.

Look in the history books around the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and you’ll find real-world examples of when organized religion was at its most repugnant. Even the Papacy became bloated by fat, corrupt, and self-serving people. The exact same thing is what’s happening with Palmianism in this episode, with its members actively harassing their rivals. When Scarlet and Julius journey to the religious quarter of the capital, they find the Palmianists have built a wall around the place to mark their territory, and even go so far as to bar their entry. I’m pretty sure that defying the royal family like that is considered a serious offense! Thankfully, their wall and their Inquisitors are no match for the likes of Scarlet. Another piggy gets a pounding.

Right after beating down the irksome swine, though, Scarlet is beset by another problem. A newcomer to the Knights serving under Diana named Dios starts hitting on her, and before she can slap him, Julius gets mad. While she doesn’t understand why he’s reacting like this, it should be more and more obvious what this means to the viewers. Julius may not realize it himself, but he is falling for Scarlet. Having seen what she can do, though, I don’t think any of us can blame her. Scarlet is a top-tier waifu thanks to her fists of justice! She even has her own number one fan!

Jad Saxton Does it Again

One would think that someone carrying the title of Saint would be a lady of grace, poise, and dignity. However, the show shuts down that notion when we meet the current Saint Diana, a girl who’s even younger than Scarlet, and acts like it. She and Scarlet have been friends for a long time, and Diana looks up to Scarlet as a surrogate big sister and role model, while also ignoring Julius in the process. It’s humorous to see Julius get put on the backfoot twice in the same episode, but there’s a deeper reason why Diana is so attached to Scarlet. The truth is, she lost her powers recently, and combined with being born in the country and her young age, she’s under a lot of stress. That’s why she sees Scarlet and her willingness to live how she wants as a role model. Anyone who has had to deal with jerks in their lives who deserve a punch would likely feel the same way.

Speaking of jerks, before the episode is over, the Palmians prove to be gluttons for punishment. As the parade that marks the start of the holy pilgrimage begins, they start shooting blanks from their church, threatening to cause a riot. Which means that they’re asking for a double-dose of punishment from Scarlet.

I Give “May I Send This Pig Flying Into the Sky?” a 4/5

All Hail the Queen of Crashouts, Scarlet!

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

May I ask for One Final Thing Ep 4 Review

Welcome back to another episode in the life of the Queen of crashouts, Scarlet El Vandimmion! In the last episode, Scarlet and Julius put their plans to shut down the slave trafficking ring run by Minister Godwin into action. But the plan gets complicated when Godwin tries to flee with his ally, Prince Alflame of the Vankish Empire. In a surprising turn of events, Scarlet saves Godwin from Alflame while also rejecting the Prince’s marriage proposal. But the biggest surprise is that Terenezza, the girl who seduced Scarlet’s horrible fiance, is from another world. So, what’s next? Find out!

ZA WARUDO!!!

So, the slave ring has been wiped out by Scarlet and the CIO, with all its members being arrested. However, not before Scarlet decides to repay Godwin for being the man pulling Kyle’s strings and inflicting years of pain and suffering on her and the kingdom. She uses her time magic to a “Za Warudo” and proceeds to give the corrupt ministry that would make DIO or the Joestar family proud. And she finishes it by dropping the line “thank you for the feast,” like a badass.

As the others come to the now-exhausted Scarlet’s side, though, Godwin pulls out the gun Terenezza gave him and makes one last attempt to kill her. But then Julius jumps in and takes the shot for her! Out of pure rage, Scarlet finds enough energy to move again and beats him down even more. Thankfully, Julius survived and his wound is healed. Hopefully, the story wont have the foresight to make things worse by having the bullet remain lodged in his body. That could cause infections down the line.

At any rate, everyone is fine, Scarlet is now a hero, and she gained a pet in the form of Alflame’s former dragon mount, Rex, much to Nanaka’s dismay. Not even a dragon is willing to go up against the likes of Scarlet! All is right with the world!

Except for one small problem: Terenezza is still out there.

Terenezza Could Be a Problem

I already mentioned it in my review of the last episode, but ‘May I Ask for One Final Thing’ is, in fact, a role-reversal isekai. Instead of being the typical isekai heroine, our otherworlder Terenezza is firmly the villain serving her master, the Goddess Palmia. Whether it’s due to her own desires or Palmia is manipulating her, though, Terenezza still sees herself as the hero. Yet her actions contradict this as she sneaks into where Godwin is being held and uses hypnosis to make him commit suicide.

There is also the matter of Terre’s master, Palmia. She’s the goddess of love in Scarlet’s world and has been the focal point of a growing religion in Pallistan that many of the corrupt nobles have been gathering around. Despite being called the goddess of love, though, the general impression is that Palmia is an unpleasant entity. And fewer things are more annoying than that of an unpleasant god.

More Shipping Fuel

Despite the danger that they may be facing in the near future, for now, Scarlet and Julius have the chance to rest and recuperate from the raid. While Julius quickly recovers, Scarlet spends the latter half of the episode taking it easy. By overusing her blessing, she’s caused her hair to partially turn black, something that does go away before the episode ends. It does, however, give us another opportunity to see the pair have another moment of “flirting.” By which I mean Julius teases Scarlet to get her riled up, which will no doubt earn him a beating. He probably thinks that it’s worth it, though.

And with that, we have another episode in the books. And if the manga is anything to go by, things are only going to get more interesting from here on out.

I Give “May I Clobber this Asshole Prince?” a 4/5

Chainsaw Man the Movie is Finally Here!!

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Chainsaw Man: the Movie-Reze Arc Review

Well, well, well, Studio MAPPA. It’s about dang time you decided to give us more Chainsaw Man! It only took you three whole years to get to what might be one of the best arcs in the entire series, the Bomb Girl Arc. I chose to forgo reading the manga so that I could fully enjoy what would come next, but when I learned that the arc would be getting its own movie, I knew I had to see it. So, how was Chainsaw Man: the Movie-Reze Arc? Was it a worthy return for the series and can it pave the way for another season?

Honestly, yes to both.

Welcome Reze

Its just after the end of the Katana Man Arc, with Denji and his friends working to deal with the aftermath. Power is stuck having her blood drained, while Aki is working with the Angel Devil, so Denji has to fly solo for a while…sort of. This fanboy Shark Fiend gets assigned to be his bodyguard, much to his annoyance. But at least Denji gets to have a movie date with Makima, so he can’t complain. Until, that is, he encounters a beautiful woman his age named Reze, and now his heart starts getting torn in two. He wants to stay loyal to Makima, but it feels like Reze is really into him! If only he had to deal with something like a love triangle. Because Reze is, in fact, a Devil hybrid with the ability to create bombs and explosions. And all she wants is that special heart that Denji has on him!

Just Let Denji be Happy!

I’m just going to come out and say it: Denji’s love life is just the worst. That’s coming from me, and I’ve had a hard time getting any dates. The girl he’s mainly interested in is basically emotionally manipulating him (you dont need to read the manga to see the red flags.) And now this new girl shows up and is doing the same thing. And poor Denji is so starved for affection that he’s letting himself be played like a fiddle! It’s honestly depressing to watch!

What makes it even more depressing, though, is that the first half of Reze Arc is a slow burn focusing on Denji’s unfortunate love life. Even though Reze is ultimately going to betray him, you can’t deny that she manages to give him a taste of the normal life that he hasn’t had up to this point. Yes, the Devil Hunters do feed him and give him a place to stay, but as Reze points out, he’s still not living a normal life at age 16. Normal can often be subjective, and there are plenty of shonen protagonists his age who deal with danger. But at some point, you can’t help but wonder if this is really the life that Denji should be living.

The worst part, though, is that even after Reze shows her true colors, a part of Denji still likes her. Enough to even consider running away with her. Surprisingly, Reze actually considers doing so, mission be darned. And if you’re caught up on the manga, then you may agree with me when I say that I really, really think Denji should’ve gone through with that decision. If he had, then it would’ve prevented a lot of pain and suffering. But instead, any second chance is left to bleed out unceremoniously in an alleyway, which only makes the whole thing even more tragic.

But we don’t watch Chainsaw Man just for the drama. We want it for the over-the-top violence. And lucky for us, the second half of the film is devoted almost exclusively to the action!

The Real Action Was Awesome!

For those who need a quick refresher, Devil’s get stronger the more they inspire in humans. Given how dangerous bombs can be, Reze is an extremely dangerous foe once she decides to take Denji by force. Her attacks are stronger than Bakugo from My Hero Academia, and considering how the young hero can hold his own against Shigaraki and All for One, that’s very concerning. A good part of the second half is the Devil Hunters trying to play keep away until they can get Denji to heal, with her blowing up sections of the city in the process. And then she summons another Devil working for her and proceeds to turn the place into a disaster zone! It honestly makes me question how human civilization is able to remain intact in this universe!

Of course, though, the real show starts once Denji joins the fight. The fight itself is like something out of a JRPG game, so I’m not going to spoil it for you. I will, however, leave you with this tantalizing image: Chainsaw Man riding a shark and battling a Devil the size of the Colossal Titan. Have fun with that.

In summary, Chainsaw Man: the Movie-Reze Arc was everything the fans wanted and then some. And if Studio MAPPA knows what’s good for it, it will give us more of the anime. SOON!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I Give “Chainsaw Man: the Movie-Reze Arc” a 4/5

May I Ask for One Final Thing? Or, Crash Out: the Anime

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May I Ask for One Final Thing? Initial Series Review

Crash outs; a slang term commonly used to describe what happens when someone becomes angry to the point where they can’t control it. Usually, it’s because they hit the limit of how much grief they can tolerate, or they just saw someone hurt someone they care about. The important thing, though, is that when people crash out, they tend to lose all restraint and just tear through anyone foolish or unfortunate enough to get in their way. There have been some legendary crash-out moments in anime before, and most of them are downright enjoyable to look back on. However, I think I might have just found my favorite crash out in a good, long while. And the best part is the fact that it’s pretty much an entire anime: May I Ask for One Final Thing?

Scarlet El Vandimion, the Mad Dog Princess

Meet Scarlet El Vandimion, the daughter of a Duke in the kingdom of Pallistan. On the outside, she seems like the epitome of a Kuudere. She’s poised, beautiful, and gets the top scores at school. But underneath her icy persona, she’s got a secret: she loves nothing more than to pummel people who act like jerks. She’s been like that since she was a kid, but for the sake of her family, she’s done her best to repress it.

Unfortunately for her, it’s like the universe is trying to find ways to make her blow her stack. She is engaged to Kyle von Pallistan, the second prince of Pallistan, and he is an absolute jerk. He spends the next ten years treating her like a slave, bullying her, demeaning her, and being utterly insufferable. And the whole time, she has to keep repressing the urge to punch his face in for the sake of her family. So she just keeps this icy exterior and acts as stoic as Nano Eiai from 100 Girlfriends. And almost everyone buys that this is who she is, when in reality, she might be the long-lost sister of Eris Greyrat from Mushoku Tensei, because her anger keeps building the entire time until it threatens to boil over.

It actually almost does one day while they’re at school. Kyle barges into Scarlet’s classroom and starts running his mouth, complaining about she did better than him on the recent exams. So she just stands there and lets him yap, until he gets the idea of cutting off her hair as punishment. And this is where the crash out almost begins. Thankfully, Kyle’s smarter older brother is nearby, sees what Scarlet is about to do, and steps in to defuse the situation. Not to save Scarlet, but to save his brother from getting his butt kicked. But all Julius did was buy his brother a temporary stay of execution, because the pain was going to come to him. And he was going to deserve all of it.

This finally brings us to the start of the first episode, and the moment when the crash-out begins.

The Crash Out Begins

So, Kyle summons Scarlet to this gathering where he and a bunch of other nobles are in attendance, along with some girl that she’s never met before. Then Kyle starts saying how her name is Terenezza and that he had fallen in love with her. Kyle then started spouting all these lies saying that Scarlet had been bullying her during their time at school, when in truth, she had never even met her until that very moment. And the other nobles are all in on this, acting like he’s doing the right thing. And Scarlet just listens to this whole thing until he finally declares that he’s ending their engagement so he can marrying Terenezza.

Little did Kyle know that he just signed his own death warrant. Because after she heard all of this, Scarlet feels this…release. She realizes that she just wasted ten years of her life holding herself back for nothing. But she also realizes that now, she has no reason to keep holding back.

And this is when the crash out ten years in the making finally begins as Scarlet asks for one final request: “Can I punch this b**** in the face?”

And from that moment on, Scarlet was off the leash. And Terenezza is the first victim.

She Crashed Out, and Got Rewarded for it.

Now, one would think that beating the ever-loving tar out of a Prince and all those nobles would get Scarlet in trouble. After all, she did attack royalty during her crash out. But what does Julius do? He congratulates her for finally showing her true self. The royal family disinherits Kyle for his utter stupidity, so he gets punished while she gets off scot-free. Even better, since all the nobles that were mocking Scarlet were corrupt scumbags involved in the slave trade, they’re all getting punished.

All of this leads us to the main plot of May I Ask for One Final Thing? Julius offers Scarlet a job helping him to weed out all the corrupt nobles in the kingdom and punish them. Which means that she’s got an excuse for her to continue crashing out on people who deserve it. And which leads me to say that I like this show, and I think I’m going to be watching it a lot this season. Scarlet is like the kuudere version of Eris Greyrat, and I’m all for female characters who can kick butt and take names.  

Let’s Play. Is it a Hit or a Miss?

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Let’s Play Initial Series Review

Nine years ago, I was browsing on the WEBTOON App and keeping up to date with some of the comics I follow when I came across this relatively new one called Let’s Play. Being a gamer and an aspiring YouTuber, I knew right away that this series had to have something to do with video games. Lo and behold, as soon as I clicked on it, I was happy to see that I was right. It was this romcom/slice-of-life comic created by a talented creator called Mongie, and it had me hooked from the first panel. Sadly, due to issues with WEBTOON, Mongie has since moved the comic to another app called Tapas where they’re post all the old chapters before giving us a fourth season. In the meantime, though, Let’s Play has joined the growing list of webcomics and manwha that got made into a TV show, this time as an anime on Crunchyroll.

Having already seen another popular webcomic get the anime treatment earlier this year, only for it to be a massive letdown, I was skeptical. I got burned once, and I didn’t want it to happen again. However, I couldn’t help but remember all the good, and it made me want to give it again without giving it a bad review. Which is important, considering how the catalyst for the entire series is someone giving a bad review of something the main character worked hard on out of ignorance.

Sam Must Be Protected at All Costs

Meet Sam Young, a young (pun not intended) computer software developer and lover of video games. She spent a lot of her life in and out of the hospital due to health problems, so video games helped to keep her going all that time. That, and seeing a let’s player by the name of Marshall Law playing video games on ViewTube. And like some gamers, her love of games led her to try her hand at making her own game, Ruminate, a free-to-play puzzle game in the style of an RPG that she posts online. And it manages to do great…until Marshall Law decides to play it.

This is what happens.

This isn’t just because Sam made the tutorial too confusing to understand, by the way. This is because Law failed to read it altogether, resulting in him playing it wrong and causing his fans to tear her to shreds online. It threatens to end her career before it can even begin. But then comes the twist: Marshall Law ends up moving in next door to her. And that’s when the drama really begins!

It’s Nice to See this Series again

As one of the first people to start reading the Webcomic when it first came out, I have the beneift of already knowing a lot about the cast and what happens going in. Therefore, I was a little surprised at how the plot of the opening episode is structured. It’s more or less taking several of the early chapters and combining them into one, while also mixing up what happens when. This is done so that the show can give us a crash course on who is who and their basic personalities. Surprisingly, it manages to do a good job at it. We get to know Sam’s friends and family, all of whom have their own distinguishing traits. Out of all of them, though, I’d say the quirkiest has to be Sam’s dad, the CEO of the software company she works at. He’s the kind of dad who dotes on his daughter to the extreme. It gets to the point that when he thinks somene is hitting on her, we get a cutaway imagining him strangling the guy. It’s pretty funny, if you ask me.

As far as the animation goes, I’m still not entirely sold on how it looks. What can I say? The look of The Beginning After the End left a bad taste in my mouth. That being said, watching this episode reminded me why I fell in love with Let’s Play in the first place. Besides all the romcom and office drama taking place, this series contains a lot of shoutouts to video games. From platforming classics to RPGS, there’s going to be plenty of things from games present in this. As a gamer myself, I can appreciate it, even if I don’t always like the art style.

I was actually on the fence about whether I wanted to cover this series, but after watching the first episode, I think I might give it a chance. At the very least, it’s a great way for me to get back into Let’s Play as it works its way to a fourth season on Tapas. If you want to read what happens, then I’d recommend you go read it there. Otherwise, enjoy.

All Hail Empress Raphtalia!

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

The Rising of the Shield Hero S4 Ep 12 Review

It’s over, everyone. The liberation of Q’ten Lo is over, and Raptalia’s ancestral homeland is free. Sadly, anyone who hoped that things would end in a big, epic final battle like in a movie has had their hopes dashed. Instead of a great final battle, we have to settle for a more personal one as Raphtalia undergoes a great trial: earning the approval of her ancestors to lead the nation.

Good Riddance, Makina

So, to recap the end of the last episode, Shildina was possessed by the spirit of Raphtalia’s ancestor, the former Emperor(or Empress) of Q’ten Lo. Said ancestor then flew to the capital and killed the wicked Makina for her crimes against the nation. However, Makina had one last trick up her sleeve, using a failsafe she put in place to allow her soul to possess Shildina’s body. Fortunately, she’s about as smart as Bitch the Witch, so it doesn’t work. Some people might not like how anticlimactic this feels, but there really was no need for Naofumi and the others to fight Makina. She was a worthless piece of trash and she died like one.

The real focus of the episode, though, is what happens after that. Raphtalia’s ancestor is willing to give Shildina her body back, on one condition: she wants to scrap with Raphtalia. The logic behind this is simple. As Emperor, it will be Raphtalia’s duty to be strong enough to stop the Cardinal Heroes if they stray from good. So she needs to be strong enough to do that. Ergo, she needs to prove her strength.

Decent Fight!

The fight itself is actually pretty good, at least by the show’s standards. Raphtalia gets to show off how strong she really is, and we see how much she has to improve upon herself. At the same time, I can’t help but feel like the fighting has lost a bit of its edge. Then again, my standard might have gone up from watching other anime.

In any event, Raphtalia wins, and Shildina is freed. Which means that Q’ten Lo is now free!! However, it’s what happens next where the anime fumbles the bag.

We Missed Naofumi Preaching the word of Raph-Chan

In the light novels, after defeating Shildina and bringing the rebels in, Naofumi and the others go to capture the young Emperor, Raphtalia’s cousin, Ruftmilia. He tries to remain composed at first, but just like in the anime, Naofumi has Filo mess with him. The reason being that he wanted him to understand why forbidding people from fighting monsters in self-defense is a bad idea. Whereas the anime glosses over things, though, Filo pretends to try to eat the boy! It helps fake his death so they can take him away from Q’ten Lo, but it’s not as dramatic in the anime.

Also, it skips over the part where Ruftmilia takes an immediate liking to Raph-Chan. Which means that Naofumi now has a new member of the Church of Raph-Chan, much to the dismay of Raphtalia.

Next Season is Gonna be Crazy

Regardless, though, this brings an end to the big side quest that was Q’ten Lo. And that is basically what the entire season has amounted to: a major side quest. Because while all of this is happening, time is running out until the next of the Guardian Beasts emerges. That is when the fight to save the world will begin anew. And things are already being set in motion.

Elsewhere, a moment that should make people ecstatic takes place when Motoyasu corners and apparently kills Witch. Normally, that would leave people jumping for joy…or at least lamenting the waste of life. However, it happens far too easily for everyone to buy. And they’re right. Witch is still alive, and will likely return to cause trouble in the future.

And that brings us to what comes next, Season Five. The anime includes a teaser for the next season in its final moments, and from what we see, things are about to get bad for Naofumi. Very, very bad. I haven’t gotten that far in the light novels, but I’ve heard the stories about how bad things get.  

I Give “Return of the Emperor” a 4/5

Fall 2025 Has Some Good Anime to See!

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

There’s no getting around it anymore: it’s Fall. Leaves are falling, the capitalist system is preparing for the Holidays, and new anime seasons of anime are on the way. There’s just one problem: for the first time in a while, I’m worried that I won’t have an anime to cover on a weekly basis. There are plenty of great anime coming out to watch, but I’m not sure which one to cover for the D&A Anime Blog. That being said, it’s not stopping me from talking about some of the big names that might be worth watching.

Let’s Play, October 1st, Crunchyroll

Our first potential pick is potentially for anyone whose a fan of video games, romcoms, or webcomics, Let’s Play. Sam Young is an introverted 22-year-old software developer whose love for video games led to create her own, Ruminate. At first, it did great on the market, until her favorite Let’s Player, Marshall Law, gave it a bad review, leading his fans to trash it. It gets worse, though, as she discovers Law has just become her new neighbor. Talk about a drama bomb.

Believe it or not, I’m actually one of Let’s Play’s earliest fans, having read it from its first chapters on WEBTOON. At first it seems like another romcom built around gaming, but once Mongie starts picking up steam, she starts getting into some pretty heavy subjects like depression, trauma, and insecurities. Unfortunately, I don’t think that the show’s animation lives up to Mongie’s own artwork. Having been let down by The Beginning After the End earlier this year, that’s left me a little weary. However, I think I’ll at least give it the benefit of the doubt.

My Hero Academia Final Season, October 4th, Crunchyroll

Ever since the manga came to an end last year, fans have been waiting to see if the My Hero Academia anime can live up to their expectations. As the final war between the Heroes of Japan and All for One nears its climax, Deku will be drawn into his final confrontation with the ultimate villain and Shigaraki in a battle to decide the fate of the world.

For the past decade, My Hero Academia has been one of the biggest names in the Shonen genre, and anime in general, and for good reason; people

love superheroes! The series has had its highs and lows, but given how the manga ends, people are eager to see if the anime can live up to the hype or surpass it. Having covered the series on my own blog since Season Four, getting to see the finale will be a bittersweet experience for me. At least we’ll still have Vigilantes to look forward to, though!

Ranma 1/2 Season 2, October 4th Netflix

Last year, Netflix gave us their remake of one of the OG romcom anime, Ranma 1/2, and now it’s back for more. Too bad for Ranma, his misfortunes when it comes to love, as well as his curse, are going to keep giving him grief.

When anime and manga started arriving in force to America back in the 90s, Ranma 1/2 was among the first wave, helping to introduce fans to Japanese romcoms. Granted, modern audiences might take issue with several things about it, like how argumentative Ranma and Akane are, or how they’re betrothed by their dads without their consent. However, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still one of the OG romcom anime, and it’s cool that it’s getting more love.

Spy x Family Season 3, October 4th, Crunchyroll/Hulu

Everyone’s favorite spy family is back for a third season. As Loid continues to work towards his ultimate goal of completing Operation: STRIX, the Forger family continues its efforts to keep looking like a normal family. Which is tough considering how the “Dad” is a spy, the “Mom” is an assassin, neither knowing that, and their “daughter” Anya has to help keep it that way. Which will be hard, considering how this season is slated to include an escort mission on a cruise ship and Anya’s school bus getting hijacked by terrorists.

I’m not that overly big a fan of Spy x Family, only really watching it when I have nothing better to do. However, I can appreciate why people like it so much. The characters are likable, there’s a good balance between action and comedy, like many great Shonen, and the animation itself is great. What might tip the scales, though, is that this season will give us a look at how Loid became the superspy Twilight.  

Star Wars: Visions Volume 3, October 29th, Disney+

Four years ago, Disney teamed up with some of the biggest animation studios in Japan to give us Star Wars: Visions, an anthology series that combined two of the greatest things in the world: Star Wars and anime. Now, it’s returning to those roots with a third season that promises to be just as good, if not better, than the last two. Not only will we be getting new shorts inspired by the Star Wars universe, but three are going to be sequelss to some of the most popular shorts from Volume One: The Duel, The Village Bride, and The Ninth Jedi. If you’ve seen the shorts, then you know why this alone is worth the hype.

I’ve been a fan of Star Wars since I was a little kid, and despite how Disney has kept fumbling things since 2012, I’m still a big fan of the franchise. Combining it with anime is naturally enough to get my blood pumping! Given how amazing the first two volumes are, I’m eager to see what comes next from this anthology series!

Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, October 29th, Theaters

It’s been three long years since the end to the first season of Chainsaw Man, and while manga-readers have feasted, anime watchers are starving . But all of that changes as Chainsaw Man gets the movie treatment with Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc.

After defeating the Katana Man and his Yakuza flunkies, Denji continues his work under Makima as a hunter of Devils. His world winds up getting turned upside down, though, when he winds up meeting a girl his age named Reze, and she actually seems interested in him! But since the universe seems to love seeing Denji suffer, you don’t need to read the manga to know that this cannot end well.

I had my criticisms of the first season of Chainsaw Man, and for good reason. Considering all the hype about the manga, it felt like the anime failed to meet my expectations when it comes to action. However, I did promise myself I would go back and review it again once it continued, and I intend to keep that promise. Given how effectively Demon Slayer has adapted arcs into full-on movies, I have high hopes for this flick. Hopefully, it also means that the anime will be coming back soon with a new season.