Anime Reviews

Why are the Giant Kids Such Wimps?

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

One Piece Episode 1164 Review

You ever wanted to go someplace for so long that you’ve built up this impossible image of it in your head? And then when you finally get there, you find out that your expectations don’t match up with reality, and you feel that bit of disappointment in you? Well, congrats. That is exactly Luffy and Usopp experience in this episode, and it is a feeling I shared when the manga got to this point two years ago, as we discover that Elbaph has gone from a nation of warriors toโ€ฆpacifists.

Oh boy.

Luffy does know how to be formal, after all!

So, after Robin and Saul have their absolutely tearjerkingly wholesome reunion, Luffy introduces himself to the Giant and fellow bearer of the D. And, as goofy as it was seeing him talk like a Yakuza boss, I think most of us can appreciate how Luffy was ltrying to be polite and formally thank Saul for everything that he did for Robin. That’s the good thing about Luffy. If you help out someone he considers a friend, then he’ll already consider you one by default. And if he does, then he’ll fight heaven and earth to help you. And I think that the Straw Hats speak for the fandom when they declare that they will protect Robin with their lives. Anyone who makes Robin sad will suffer!!

Speaking of protecting, Lillith is happy to see Saul again, even if the Giant only ever met the original Vegapunk until now. Speaking of whom, who here was surprised to learn that Lillith had brought a fully-formed clone of the Doctor with her? I certainly was when reading the manga. Not only are the other Satellites still alive, but technically, the World Government failed to kill Vegapunk himself. The doctor played them for fools the whole time! And now that they think he’s dead, Lillith is free to start a new lab in Elbaph where they can’t find them. And it means there’s still hope for restoring Kumaโ€™s humanity, meaning Bonney will have her dad back!

The Giants are Becoming Pacifists

All that aside, the Straw Hats are all eager to explore Elbaph, so they decide to split up. The most important group, though, are Luffy and Usopp. Having wanted to see Elbaph the most out of all the Straw Hats, they’re eager to visit the school and see the next generation of Giants being trained to become warriors. When they get there, though, it’s not what they expected. Not only are the Giant kids not training to be brave warriors of the sea, they’re actually afraid of any kind of fighting whatsoever.

Yes, in a surprise twist, it turns out that Elbaph is trying to leave its warrior ways in the past in favor of a more peaceful way of life that respects other races. Why? Because that’s what their late king, King Harald, wanted.

I was so Bummed out!

You cannot imagine just how disappointing it was for me reading this in the manga. The world is on the brink of armageddon, and I’m convinced that the only way to save it is by Luffy finding the One Piece. And since Luffy is the second coming of Joy Boy/Nika, AKA Pirate Jesus, the figure the Giants worship, I assumed that they would gladly help him out. Having the army of the strongest country in the world on his side feels like a surefire way to ensure the World Government doesn’t win! And you’re telling me that now the Giants want become peaceful? The timing couldn’t be worse.

Now, having read the manga, all I can say is that there is more to the story than we know, and it will be revealed later on. And I knew why Oda was doing this: it was to create tension for the story so the Straw Hats could do their thing and save the day. But still, I shared Luffy and Usopp’s disappointment in how whimpy the Giant kids are.

And, as if to prove my point from earlier, something bad happens. In the ruins of Castle Aurust, where the King lived until he was apparently killed by Loki (it’s complicated), a dark circle appears. It’s the same one we saw when the Five Elders were summoned to Egghead. That’s not good. That can only mean one thing: Imu is on the move.

For those who don’t know, Imu is the secret ruler of the World Government and one of the overarching antagonists of One Piece. At this point in the manga, they were still a mystery, to the point where we didn’t even know if they were a man or woman! What we did know, though, is that they were likely ancient, powerful, and are determined to maintain their rule over the world. And having the Giants of Elbaph submit to them was the perfect means of doing so.

I hope you guys got your fill of the light-hearted wholesomeness thus far, because it’s over. Starting from the next episode onwards, things are going to start escalating as the chaos that follows the Straw Hats comes to Elbaph. And trust me when I say that if you’ve only watched the anime, you’re not ready for what happens next.

I Give “Saul’s Resolve – The Inherited Will of Ohara” a 3/5

Maribel Still Wants the Smoke from Rimuru

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

That Time I got Reincarnated as a Slime S4 Ep 8 Review

When will people learn to stop messing with Rimuru and his people? Every single time that someone tries to mess with him, they either get humiliated, die, or end up joining him. I think that it’s honestly just embarrassing at this point! Although we wouldn’t have much of a plot for Slime Tensura if that happened, would we? In any case, though, it seems that Maribel Rozzo doesn’t seem to understand that, because she is going to try to get rid of Rimuru yet again. And this time, they’re going to try and do it in a setting that feels ripped straight out of Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, or the Uncharted games.

Maribel is Doubling Down on her Behavior

Picking up where the previous episode left off, Maribel, Yuuki, and her lackey Johann are discussing how their plan to frame Rimuru at the Council meeting failed with their assassin being caught. This is also where we see one of the many flaws in their logic regarding Rimuru, as since Maribel has lost her connection to Glenda, she concludes Rimuru killed her. She never considers that Rimuru not only did not kill Glenda, but he freed her from her curse. I chalk this up to her being so selfish that she would never even consider doing something like that, and thus never considers anyone else doing it. In other words, she’s psychologically projecting.

In any event, rather than accept defeat and back off, Maribel decides to double-down on her attempts to bring down Rimuru, this time with the help of Yuuki. A while back, Rimuru and Milim had learned about the ruins of this old city, Amrita, in the former territory of Clayman, and they decided they wanted to explore it. Rimuru approached Yuuki’s guild for help, and his assistant, Kagali, is going to guide them through the ruins. Maribel decides that this would be the perfect place to set a trap for the demon slime to put him under her control or just kill him. As for Milim, Yuuki says he has something that used to belong to her that he thinks will keep her busy long enough to keep from being a nuisance.

Maybe it’s because we can see the full picture as the audience, so I may have no right to say this, but…does she even hear herself right now? Does Maribel really think that she can take down not just Rimuru, but also Milim? Milim is one of the first Demon Lords and one of the strongest, as well as being an overall agent of chaotic good. She was able to fake being under Clayman’s control! And Maribel thinks that she can bring her down? How could she possibly think that this could happen? If you want my personal opinion, I think Maribel is someone just as blinded by greed as those she controls. And when people are blinded by things like greed, they tend to make stupid decisions.

Glenda added to the party

While all of this is happening, Rimuru is busy getting all sorts of new information out of his newest follower, Glenda. She was very insistent on joining Tempest to thank him for sparing her. Thanks to her, they know all about Maribel’s schemes and how she intended to get Rimuru under her thumb, regardless of what happened at the Council meeting. And as much as I hate to admit it, she did have a well-thought-out plan. By having Gaban and Johann against each other like they were, she positioned them so that one would gain influence with our favorite slime demon. If it weren’t for the fact that Rimuru has Raphael, it might have worked in the end. But it didn’t.

As a quick aside, I like the fact that the story makes Rimuru feel so broken yet doesn’t make it feel like he can bulldoze through everything. That’s good writing.

In any case, Rimuru’s going ahead with his plans to explore the ruins of Amrita, knowing that Maribel and Yuuki will have a trap set for them. But since he knows about it, he can plan around it. Also, he’s not going to miss out on the chance to be an adventurous archaeologist.

Which brings me to my favorite part of the episode: their prep to explore the ruins.

Just Like Tomb Raider

Rimuru must have been a fan of stories like Indiana Jones in his first life, because the gear he has made for their trip to Amrita feels like something pulled out of the adventure genre. The pith helmet and clothes fit the concept to a tee, and for bonus points, they’ve got guns now! Yes, they actually managed to make guns that fire magical bullets, and it’s awesome! Are they necessary? No, but they made them for the cool factor, and that’s what matters! Live out that explorer fantasy, Rimuru!

Eventually, the day arrives for their trip to Amrita, with Rimuru and Milim taking Gobta, Ranga, and Shion along with them. Between the five of them, I think that they can handle anything Maribel pulls. And with Rimuru using a teleportation gate to take them directly to the ruins, we bring the episode to an end.

I give two, maybe three episodes before Maribel’s regretting all her life choices.

I Give “Foundation of Greed” a 3.5/5

The reunion of Robin and Saul is just so beautiful!

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

One Piece Episode 1163 Review

Everyone, I suggest that you have some tissues by your side when watching this episode of One Piece, because it is going to make your eyes water. And that’s okay, because one of the many, many life lessons you can learn about from One Piece, it’s that it’s perfectly fine for a grown man to cry tears of joy and sadness. And if you know the life story of the Straw Hat’s resident archaeologist, Nico Robin, you are going to want to cry. This is a part of the story that the anime went above and beyond to give us!

Anyone who Hurts Robin must die!!

The episode opens up on a very dark note as we are given a montage of the absolute hell that was Nico Robin’s childhood. For those who don’t remember, she’s from Ohara, the island of scholars and historians. They were trying to uncover the forbidden secrets of the Void Century, and for that, the World Government destroyed their island and everyone on it except for Robin. Then, they lied to the world, saying Ohara was trying to destroy it, and called Robin a demon that needed to be hunted down. She had to spend her life on the run from the brainwashed masses, bounty hunters, and government agents who didn’t know the truth.

I have been a fan of One Piece for half my life, and I have seen all sorts of atrocities committed by bad people. But what they did to Robin and the hell she went through until she found the Straw Hats? It’s enough to make me want to burn everything to the ground in retribution. Honestly, the fact that Robin never decided to become the villain everyone thought she was is a miracle in and of itself.

But enough about that. Picking up in the present day, all of the Straw Hats are now in Elbaph and happily reunited. And the Giants are more than happy to welcome them for all the goodwill they’ve done:

  • Befriending Dorry and Brogy
  • Helping Oimo and Koshi free themselves
  • Saving Hajrudin from slavery on Dressrosa
  • Helping to take down the hated Big Mom in Wano.

The last one wasn’t even at their own hands. Kid and Trafalgar Law deserve the credit for it. Regardless, the Giants hatred of Big Mom makes them good in their book.

Plus, they also punish Rodo for kidnapping half the crew by leaving him on a cross. Let him hang there and think about what he did!

Everyone is eager to start celebrating their arrival in Elbaph, but first things first, it’s time. Robin has waited 22 years for this reunion with Jaguar D. Saul, the Giant who became her first friend and saved her life at Elbaph.

It’s still crazy to think that Saul has been alive all this time, if you ask me. We thought that Kuzan had turned him into a ice pop and left him for dead. As it turns out, though, the heat from the fires melted him enough to fall into the sea, and that took care of the rest. When he woke up, Ohara was in ruins. So he gathered his brethren to retrieve the Oharan’s books, and he’s been living on Elbaph ever since. All said and done, he’s lucky he got out of it with some scars and a missing leg.

And now, the reunion!

Hooray!

So, as it turns out, Saul was perfectly fine. He just didn’t know how to say hi to Robin after so long, so he deliberately recreated the moment they first met: with him scaring her on the beach.

The reunion between Robin and Saul is filled with so many emotions. Saul notes how beautiful Robin has become (he’s right. She’s my favorite girl in the series.) He apologizes for not being able to protect her for all those years. And he is glad to know that Vegapunk got Ohara’s message out to the world. But Robin doesn’t want to talk about the sad stuff. All she wants is for Saul to praise her for making it there.

And this is where the tears start rolling, both with the characters, and with viewers.

Tears of Joy!

I meant what I said when knowing about Robin’s backstory makes me want to burn the world. Knowing the hell that the World Government put this child through is cruel beyond words. No one deserves to be hunted like that, especially a little girl. But it’s best to forget about the pain.

The episode closes on a montage of all the good moments that Robin has had since she joined the Straw Hat pirates, complete with a tearjerker of a song that I think was written just for this episode. It’s a song about how Robin walked through the pain and hardship of her life, hoping that someone would be there to get rid of her sadness. And it is beautiful. And the Straw Hats just star bursting into tears as they’re watching this. I felt like my eyes were about to become waterworks! The only ones who didn’t cry were the stoic Zoro and Jinbei, and Luffy. Luffy, being the radiant sunshine that he is, just laughs in joy for his friend. What a good friend he is!

This was an absolutely beautiful episode to watch. The anime was right to devote the entire episode to this one moment! I’m just so happy for our girl!

I Give “I Want you To Praise Me-The Reunion of Saul and Robin” a 5/5

Rimuru now knows about Maribel

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

That Time I got Reincarnated as a Slime S4 Ep 7 Review

You know what’s awesome? Ninjas! Part spy, assassin, and warrior, ninjas have become a staple of pop culture in the East and the West, with everyone having their own intepretations of them. As someone who played a lot of Assassin’s Creed in its heyday, am a big fan of Naruto, and even trained in martial arts for a while, seeing ninja’s fight is awesome. Why am I mentioning this? Because that’s basically what we got in this episode of Slime Tensura as, thanks to Souei, Rimuru learns about the existence of Mariabel Rozzo.

The entire meeting between Tempest and the Council of the West was a twofold trap. Maribel’s ultimate goal was to either force Tempest to bend the knee and do what her puppets wanted, or off the Prince of Engrassia and frame Rimuru for it. Being Rimuru, though, he and his friends foiled it without breaking a sweat. Even better, the would-be assassin was dumb enough to stick around after she failed to get her target. And that mistake was all that Tempest’s best ninja, Souei, needed to move in for the kill.

The fight between ninja and assassin is pretty subdued compared to other fights we’ve seen in the anime. However, I think that’s in line with what they both do. Assassin’s are supposed to keep a low profile and not get caught. By that logic, they’re not going to attract attention with flashy techniques. That being said, I was impressed by how that assassin was able to use her magically-created bullets and spatial magic to push Souei into a corner. Too bad for her, he was using the shadow clone jutsu. Still, not bad, lady!

Here’s the fun part, though. I didn’t recognize her at first, but it turns out that we’ve seen this woman before, from back in season three. And it gets better. Not only is she an Otherworlder like Rimuru and Hinata, but she was one of her old subordinates in the Ten Great Saints before Tempest humiliated them: Glenda Abbey. She had run off after getting beaten by Diablo during the Falmuth Civil War, but it seems that she was working for Maribel the entire time.

And when she sees that Rimuru is accompanied by Hinata, she is (rightfully) freaked out and convinced that she’s going to die. But not necessarily at their hands.

This was all Maribel’s Fault

As Glenda confirms, the fiasco at the Council meeting was the handiwork of Mariabel of Greed. Her whole plan was to either make Rimuru her puppet, or make him look bad to everyone with that assassination plot. And she used her Skill, Greed, to make sure everyone would act the way she wanted. She never expected that Rimuru’s own Skills would allow him to cancel hers out. But neither was Rimuru expecting to learn that the former hero, Granville Rozzo, is still alive and the one pulling Mariabel’s strings, either.

Rimuru and the others also learn that when the Rozzo family summons Otherworlders, they put a curse on them that makes it impossible to disobey under the threat of death. They’re basically being used as slaves.

Obviously, Rimuru isn’t cool with either of these things, so he decides to do something about them. First things first, he cancels out the curse that Glenda is under, setting her free. She then proceeds to ask him for a job, much to his surprise. The man just can’t seem to stop making people want to be loyal to him!

Elsewhere, Maribel is left stewing over how she failed yet again. And even though we already know why she and her grandpa are doing all this, she gives this monologue about how a Demon Lord like Rimuru can’t be trusted. That with the way things are going, the Western Nations will bend the knee to him without even realizing it, and they can’t let a Demon Lord do that to them. Granted, those are valid points, but they overlook the fact that Rimuru isn’t like that. He just wants to chill and enjoy himself; he wouldn’t abuse that kind of power even if everyone offered to let him. But now that she’s picked a fight with him, Rimuru is going to be coming for Mariabel.

If I were her, I would do one of three things right now: get down on my knees and apologize, run for it, or get my affairs in order. There’s no scenario in which she’s getting out of this without some form of punishment.

This was one of the slower episodes of Slime Tensura, but as always, it’s the intrigue and the characters that make it interesting to watch. I can’t wait to see what Rimuru is going to do to Mariabel.

I Give “The Mastermind’s Identity” a 3/5

Welcome to Elbaph! For Real!!!

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

One Piece Ep 1162 Review

Have you guys ever seen that meme of Aoi Todo from Jujutsu Kaisen? The one where he’s crying manly tears of joy when he hears Yuji shares his preference for women? I think that that meme can accurately describe what One Piece fans are supposed to be feeling after watching this episode. Especially if they have been following as far back as Little Garden where we first learned about the land of Giants, Elbaph. Well, after waiting two years for this to be animated, I can say that it was worth the wait just for the rainbow bridge. No, I am not joking. If you have ever seen the Thor movies or read anything about Norse mythology, you are about to witness one of the most magical things in mythology.

Quick Explanation

Before we get into this, I’m going to explain how Elbaph is divided up. The entire island nation is dominated by the series equivalent of the World Tree of Norse myth, the Treasure Tree Adam. The treeโ€™s so big that it blocks out the sunlight to the ground underneath, leaving it mostly cold and always winter. That’s known as the Underworld.

The actual nation of War-land exists on the branches of the tree, in what is known as the Sun Land. The very top of the tree, which we haven’t even seen in the manga, is the astral or celestial realm. But for now, the Underworld and Sun Land are what’s important, as the latter is where everyone is headed. And to keep things in perspective, we are talking about a tree that is big enough to make the biggest of Giants feel small in comparison. From the perspective of a human, this entire country would be the size of one of the biggest islands in the world. Maybe Iceland, since that feels appropriate, given the setting. In other words, it’s big! And right now, the Straw Hats are headed to the Sun Land.

But first things first, they have to take care of a very naughty Giant.

Rodo Gets Punished

After escaping across the rope bridge, Luffyโ€™s half of the Straw Hats finds that they’re still being chased by Rodo! They’ve had enough of dealing with him, so they’re going to do something about it. Since they’re worried about offending the Giants, though, they have to resort to the kind of trickery that would make Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk proud.

Then again, it wasn’t exactly that hard to trick Rodo. All they had to do was have Nami and Chopper act as the bait, and he abandoned all sense of rationality! The crew themselves lampshades how even a wild animal wouldn’t be dumb enough to fall for that kind of trap! Let this be a lesson to my fellow nerds everywhere: never let your nerdy obsessions override your ability to see reason. Rodo gives us nerds and weebs a bad name!

The good news is that the Straw Hats dont have to worry about punishing Rodo any further. His crewmates, Gerd and Goldberg, do it for them, bless their hearts. Especially Gerd. She loves humans as much as Rodo because of how cute they look to her, but unlike him, she respects them as individuals. And it just so happens that she had brought Luffy with her after he came back from his totally normal and uneventful trip to the Underworld! He has to keep his meeting with Loki a secret.

Enough about that, though. What weโ€™re here for is getting to see Elbaph itself. And there’s only one word I can use to describe it: magical.

Just. Magical.

Full disclosure: I have been immersed in the world of One Piece at various points for about 2/3rds of my life. I’ve seen creatures, lands, and locations that defy explanation or common sense on a regular basis. But when I read the chapter this episode is based on, it felt special! Mostly because of the rainbow bridge!

I dont know why, but there’s just something about rainbows that feels magical. Logically, we know that they’re just optical illusions created by light after a storm, but emotionally, they feel like a gift from the heavens. And the fact that the Giants of Elbaph are able to use these stones to draw them out of thin air wherever there’s sunlight just feels otherworldly! And then we get to see the Giant Pirates sail on them like it’s nothing! The only word that could accurately describe that is magic! And I’m so jealous that the Straw Hats were able to enjoy this!

And now, let the Todo meme do the talking.

Oda, you’ve always given this story your all, but it’s clear that you wanted to tell this for a long time. Thank you for the peak!

I Give “A Gargantuan Wave of Emotion – The Dreamlike Scenery of Elbaph” a 5/5

Luffy and Loki are Like Abbott and Costello

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

One Piece Episode 1161 Review

Everyone, let’s give a big round of applause to the MVP of the Elbaph Arc, the man, the myth, the legend, Loki the Accursed Prince of Elbaph! Even though he had been name-dropped several arcs back, the last episode of One Piece marked the first time we actually saw this mysterious Giant. And a lot of our first impressions about him in the manga generally revolved around the same idea: he’s dangerous. And while we would remain in the dark about his true nature for a while, his subsequent appearances only reinforced that menacing aura he had about him. Well, for most people, at least. Loki has never met anyone like Luffy, but the events of this episode teach him that he shouldn’t mess with the guy.

Loki Used Intimidation on Luffy! But it Failed!

As the Elbaph arc progresses in the manga (its still ongoing), one aspect that makes it great but gets understated is the dynamic that develops between Luffy and Loki. It was only after watching this episode and remembering what happened, though, that I had that realization in the first place, as this is where ther dynamic is established. And I have to admit, it’s a bit like watching a bizarre comedy duo.

On the one hand, we have Loki. He is a man who is so feared by the rest of Elbaph that they didn’t put him in a normal prison. They tied him to the giant tree that makes up War-Land with chains made out of sea prism stone, on the actual island where it’s always dark and covered in snow thanks to the lack of sunlight. The Giants call the place the Underworld for a good reason, with Loki claiming its filled with the bones of people banished there, victims of the cold or the kaiju-sized wild animals that call it home. And Loki boasts about how he befriended them all as a kid like its nothing! Add on the fact that he’s got a โ€œspecial bounty,โ€ and we are looking at a man who would terrify most normal people!

But Luffy is not like most people.

Loki Insulted Shanks! Luffy Becomes Enraged!

Right from the start, Luffy proves to be someone that Loki is almost completely unprepared to deal with. His first attempts to intimidate him fall flat because Straw Hatโ€™s more excited about finally making it to Elbaph to care. His initial attempts to bargain for his freedom fall flat because Luffyโ€™s not interested in his offer of wiping out an entire pirate crew. And when all of his giant animal friends try to intimidate Luffy? He tames them in two seconds.

It seems as though there’s nothing that will get under Luffyโ€™s skin. In fact, the only thing that does manage to get Straw Hatโ€™s attention is Loki mentioning how Shanks had recently visited him. But when Loki proceeds to badmouth him, that sets Luffy off! And Loki quickly learns that he should think twice about trying to mess with Luffyโ€ฆor does he?

Full disclosure: I think I knew from this moment that this was going to lead to Luffy eventually setting Loki free. He would do that to learn about where his hero and idol was. There was the fact that Loki scared everyone in Elbaph that made it feel like that was a bad idea, though. But, honestly, I’m used to it. I’ve been reading One Piece for half my life, and watched the anime even longer. I’m used to Luffy getting himself into trouble and getting out of it. If Loki caused trouble, I figured Luffy would just kick his ass.

But enough about that! What are the other Straw Hats up to?

I missed Robin’s old hairdo

So, while Luffy is on his field trip to the Underworld, his half of the Straw Hats are trying to make their way across that rope bridge and away from Rodo (or Road. The fan translation isn’t specific.) But they have to hoof it when they see that Rodo is after them again. For irony, he’s now being pursued by his crewmates, who have found out he kidnapped the Straw Hats and are not happy about it. The real highlight, though, is back on the Giant Pirates ship.

By this point, we have had years to get used to the Straw Hats new appearances after the timeskip, but I was never fully on board with Robinโ€™s new hairdo. So when she decided to switch back to her old one so Saul would recognize her, I was elated! And so were a lot of the fans, as I recall! What can I say? Robin just looks better with bangs! Unfortunately, our jubilation at the fanservice was cut short by what happened next, with Saul having apparently passed out on the beach.

I dont remember my exact words when reviewing this chapter on my own blog, but I believe I said that Oda was messing with us. He’s not the kind of storyteller to end a beautiful reunion before it begins. Also, he had us believing that Saul died for years now, and he’s not gonna yank that away from us now. Thankfully, our next episode is going to quit beating around the bush. We are going to see Elbaph in full, and you guys are gonna like it! Or dont! I’m not making you!

I Give “A Dangerous Deal! Loki of the Underworld and Luffy” a 4/5

How did Mariabel Think this Plan would Work

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

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime S4 Ep 6 Review

Okay, who’s bright idea was it this time to try and antagonize Rimuru? Because this is just getting embarrassing. Well, not for us; it’s hilarious. But for them, it’s just embarrassing.

If you’re wonder what I could possibly be referring to, then I’m talking about what some of the people in the Council of the West just tried to pull with Rimuru. It was another attempt by Mariabell Rozzo to manipulate Rimuru into a corner, but just like her other attempts, it didn’t work. Why? Not just because Rimuru is GOATED. He’s also surrounded by GOATED people!

WHAT KIND OF DEMANDS DID THEY MAKE?!?!

So, I remember mentioning last time that I couldn’t remember what it was that pissed Rimuru off. Thankfully, though, the new episode doesn’t waste any time in explaining to us why he’s angry. The new terms that the Council gave for admitting Tempest were as follows:

Basically, they’re trying to rob Tempest of everything and make them their servants. Or rather, the ones pulling the strings made these unreasonable requests knowing it would set Rimuru off, and thus make him look bad and justify a forceful response to make him kneel. Which they were going to do using some half-baked plan involving the Prince of Engrassia, some armed guards, Team Green Fury, and that one jerk from the Tempest Opening Festival. Oh, and they wanted to use this magic bracelet to make Rimuru serve them.

I’m sorry, but exactly what part of this plan did Mariabell and her puppets expect to work? Because I fail to see any scenario where this would work on Rimuru. But it does make it incredibly satisfying to see him and his friends pull up and put everyone in their place.

Rimuru Pulls the Uno Reverse Card

Firstly, Rimuru realizes that everyone is being manipulated by some mental magic, so he cancels it out. Suddenly, most of the room realizes “wait a second, what the heck are we doing? This is completely unreasonable of us! We can’t expect Rimuru to agree to this!”

Second of all, when the Prince of Engrassia comes barging in and yapping about getting everyone to agree to subjugate him, hardly anyone agrees to it. And the ones who did had to be bribed. Not that it would’ve worked, anyway. Raphael confirmed that their trinket wouldn’t have worked on Rimuru.

Finally, thanks to Souei, Rimuru is able to produce documented proof that a bunch of the Council members were bribed. Busted!

Again, we shouldn’t be surprised to see Rimuru and his friends embarrass their enemies. That’s nothing new. But what makes it so much fun is getting to see the look on the faces of whoeverโ€™s antagonizing them when they realize they messed up. Priceless! He didn’t even have to retaliate; his friends did that for him!

So, the personal knight of the Prince of Engrassia is incredibly rude and disrespectful towards Hinata, putting hands on her and making crude remarks. So he gets humiliated.

But the real highlight of the episode has to be what Shuna did to Gaiye.

Shuna is My Favorite Girl in this Series! Here’s Why!

I know that despite her young age, Shuna is sort of like the mother to everyone in Tempest, given now sweet and kind she is. But I saw a YouTube short saying how there’s a golden rule all Tempest citizens follow: donโ€™t make Shuna mad. Even Rimuru is not safe from her when she gets angry! And if you manage to piss her off beyond belief, then you might as well dig your own grave, because she will end you! Case in point, Gaiye makes her so angry that she summons a killsat attack on him guaranteed to leave no trace behind! And she didn’t even kill him! She just destroyed his clothes!

It’s like Isseiโ€™s dress break from High School DxD, only funnier!

So, after thoroughly showing everyone the error of their ways, you’d think everything gets wrapped up? As it turns out, Mariabel had a few extra contingencies. She had an assassin with spatial magic attempt to put a bullet in Prince Idiotโ€™s brain, planning to frame it on Rimuru. And this was actually pretty scary because of how close it came to succeeding. Using spatial magic to teleport a bullet until it’s point-blank is pretty effective, not gonna lie. If it weren’t for Raphael, the plan might have worked!

After that mess is solved, though, everything gets wrapped up. The Council gives terms that are heavily in Rimuruโ€™s favor as recompense for what’s happened. The Prince of Engrassia is grateful for having his life saved and decides to turn over a new leaf. And Rimuru decides that he hates this kind of cutthroat politics and decides to let Raphael handle it. The episode ends with Souei going to confront the wannabe assassin, and, given how it’s Souei, they will be dragged back for interrogation very soon. After that, it’s only a matter of time before Rimuru is onto Mariabel, and she is screwed.

I really like these kinds of episodes of Slime Tensura! I know the politicking isn’t for everyone, but I find watching the heroes outwit their foes to be as interesting as an actual fight. And I especially love seeing a villain have that smug look wiped off their faces!

I Give “The Council of the West” a 4/5

What did they Do to Piss off Rimuru?

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

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime S4 Ep 5 Review

When you’re the cool new kid on the block, everyone in school is going to want to befriend you; it’s what they do. When you’re the leader of a nation that’s been waking waves in the world in recent memory like Tempest, you get people trying to suck up to you. That’s just how the politics of the powerful tend to work. And given how the main reason Tempest has been invited to join the Council of the West is so Mariabel can try and manipulate him under the table, that idea is in full play here. Since Rimuru is HIM, he obviously isn’t going to play ball. At the same time, though, he’s not looking to antagonize the West, right? Right?

They have Guns now?

So, as Rimuru and his entourage of Shuna, Benimaru, and Souei arrive in Engrassia for the conference with the Council, one of the first things the group does is buy some new clothes for the occasion. Benimaru and Souei both look like they could be runway models while Shuna’s warm and inviting attire reflects how sweet she is as a person. Unfortunately, Rimuru’s child stature makes the shopkeeper give him kids clothes by mistake. It’s not often that his androgynous appearance has this happen to him, but when it does, it’s funny. Demeaning, but funny.

The more important thing, though, is that Hinata meets up with the group to let them know they everything they suspected is true. The only reason the Council is inviting Rimuru is because they either want to take advantage of him and his nation, or outright put him under their collective thumbs. Worst-case scenario, they’re hoping to make Rimuru crash out, make him look untrustworthy, and use that as an excuse to deny Tempest’s entry.

Then there is also how Duke Muese was assassinated. As Souei saw, he was fine one moment, and then he was slumped over, dead. The only sign of injury was a hole in his head. Being Otherworlders, Rimuru and Hinata are quick to recognize that someone had to have used some kind of long-range sniper rifle to kill Muese; a gun.

This is not good. Guns are considered one of the greatest equalizers in combat. You could pit the strongest person in the world against the weakest, and if the weakest has a gun, they could kill that person. Now imagine what it would be like if someone found a way to channel magic into them? You could have a bunch of people with less than noble intentions running around killing people. That’s a recipe for disaster.

Okay, What did they do?

But then comes the actual conference. And this is when we get to see firsthand what Rimuru is facing.

As soon as Rimuru and the others enter the HQ of the Council, they are immediately beset by representatives from other nations. Some of them, mostly the weaker and those who were actually impressed with the Grand Opening Festival, seem genuine in wanting to be friends. Then are the bigger nations. The ones with more power, wealth, and influence. First, they rudely shoo off the other reps under the guise of decorum. Then, they try and pressure Rimuru into adding lines for his upcoming Magitrain to their countries. Thankfully, Rimuru was a bussinessman in his first life, so he knows how to give them the runaround. After that, the meeting begins.

The Council’s requests for Tempest’s admission are simple, and can basically summed up as them wanting to use Tempest for its military might and promising market. This is another example of how Rimuru being a businessman in his former life comes in real handy, as it helps him make deals that work out in his favor. But then…this happens.

I was so curious about what comes next that I read the manga ahead of time, but for the life of me, I can’t remember what it was that set Rimuru off. Then again, this is probably Mariabel trying to manipulate him through her pawns, so it’s understandable. I know something big happens next, but I don’t remember the full details to it. All I know is that next episode is going to be interesting. Can’t wait!

I Give “The First Step” a 3.5/5

That Time Gobta (Almost) Found Love in Slime Tensura

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

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Tears of the Azure Sea Review

I’m not sure if this is accurate or not, but I suspect that a lot of Slime Tensura fans were as upset as me when we found out there wasn’t going to be a new episode on May 1st. I didn’t even know the series would be on break! So, even I had told myself to not spend the extra money, I talked myself into going to see the new Slime movie, Tears of the Azure Sea. Unfortunately, the closest movie theater that had it in dub was too far for me to want to drive that weekend, so I found another movie theater closer, but with it subbed. Subbed or dubbed, though, the movie was still pretty fun to watch. Especially since it manages to give our boy, Gobta, something that he’s been wanting for a very long time.

Like a lot of movies of dubious canonicity to an anime, Tears of the Azure Sea takes place in the time gap between major events of Slime Tensura. In this case, the time between the third and fourth seasons of the show. The Opening Festival of Tempest finished a month ago, and Rimuru and his friends are looking forward to a much-needed break. So Elmesia offers to let them visit a famous resort island in her country, leading most of Tempest’s leadership and their allies to go on a giant vacation. But then Gobta runs into this blue-haired woman, Yura, from Kaien, a famous kingdom located under the sea, who is being pursued by evil forces. And from there, it doesn’t take long for the entire group to get roped in.

Gobta (Almost) finds Love!

Full disclosure here: this movie is pretty much about Gobta. Rimuru and everyone else are in it, but from the moment Gobta notices Yura following them to ask Rimuru for help, it’s pretty much his movie. At best, Rimuru is there to help provide support when fighting the bad guys. If that sounds disappointing to anyone, you have to remember that Rimuru is one of the most broken protagonists in all of anime. When a character is that overpowered, you either have to have them face threats that can push them further, or set things up so that their use is limited. Tears of the Azure Kingdom opts for the latter by having Rimuru only step in to face the threats that could kill everyone.

As a sidebar, they also do the same for Milim and Veldora by having them stay behind to guard the island. They could solve everything, but also wreck everything, LOL. And this is Gobta’s film.

If it isn’t obvious at this point, the fact that Gobta is the first of the group to meet Yura, as well as the one who spends the most time with her, means that she’s meant to serve as a love interest for the goblin. It’s not brought up that often in the main series, but if you watch the OVAs or the spin-off anime Slime Diaries, you’ll see that Gobta is the one in the group that really wants to find love, but whose behavior gets him slapped by the girls. And while they start off on the wrong foot at first, getting to run around the island whil avoiding assassins was a great way for Gobta to show off how badass he is. And when the ultimate big bad of the movie tries to use her as part of his plan to conquer the world, it’s Gobta who ends up saving her! Way to channel your inner Krillin, dude!

Too Good to be True

Of course, since this is a movie with dubious canon placement, though, we all knew that Gobta’s chance at love wasn’t going to work out. We were totally right, by the way! I don’t want to spoil how it ends, but here’s a hint: you know what happened with Sokka and Princess Yue in Avatar. Let that sink in.

As a film, there really isn’t much substance to Tears of the Azure Sea. The most that it’s got going for it is that its film budget allows for some really stellar action sequences, especially at the climax where they are fighting the big bad. Though, if you’ve watched a lot of anime, then you should know that when they make a film based on a popular series, it’s usually not going to have much substance to it. It’s more or less an excuse for us to see more of the characters do cool things. Off the top of my head, I can name only seven times the events of an anime film had an actual impact on the plot of the series, and all of them were from Shonen series. Yet these franchises keep pumping them out because we like seeing these one-off adventures so much. It’s fun! It’s a good way to kill time, too. Besides, it’s not like everything in the film is going to have zero relevance to the actual anime. There’s a post-credits scene that hints at the arrival of a new character to Tempest in the near future. So, there’s that!

Well, hopefully next week, we will get to see Rimuru confront the Western Council. I read part of the manga in advance, so I can happily say that things are going to get interesting real quick!

I Give “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Tears of the Azure Sea ” a 3.5/5

Loki, THE GOAT GIANT, IS FINALLY HERE!

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

One Piece Episode 1160 Review

Oh, I’ve been waiting for this episode to get animated for a long time now! When I said that the Elbaph Arc is going to go absolutely hard, I wasn’t joking. The detail and care that Oda puts into the home of the Giants makes it clear to all that this is a story that he’s been wanting to tell for a long time. And while some people are likely disappointed that the first few episodes of One Piece’s return were a mini-arc in a LEGOland, this is about to make it all worthwhile. Not only do we finally see the size and scope of Elbaph, but we also get introduced to the best character in the arc. A character that I remembers sparking a lot of debate in the fandom about whether he was a friend or a foe: Loki.

Strap yourselves in. Things are starting to heat up.

The Straw Hats Will Reunite in Elbaph

So, while half of the Straw Hats are currently escaping the Block Kingdom of Rodo (or Road), what’s going on with the other half and the Giants Pirates? At this exact moment, Dorry, Brogy, and the other Giants are freaking out since they don’t know where Luffy or the Sunny are. They’re about ready to jump into the ocean and look for them on the sea floor, it’s so bad! Thankfully, this isn’t the first time the Straw Hat Pirates have gotten split up like this. This stuff is nothing to them! So Franky and the others tell their hosts to calm down, because they know their friends will be fine and will find their way to Elbaph.

I know it sounds callous to outsiders, but to us, it shows how much faith the the crew has in each other.

What’s of bigger interest, though, is what they read in the papers. As expected of a stooge of the World Government, the news has pinned everything that happened on Egghead on Luffy and the Giant Pirates. That weasel Morgans even says Luffy killed Vegapunk! Though there’s no way the World Government would admit that they’re the ones at fault, so what else is new?

There is one part of the news that was of particular interest, though: the X mark on Luffy’s arm. Robin vaguely remembers it, but none of the others have any idea what it means. The irony is that, besides the fans knowing what it is, the half of the Straw Hats that would recognize it isn’t present. But if you don’t know, it was a mark the crew drew on their wrists during their adventures in Alabasta with their friend, Princess Vivi. Said Princess is currently on the run with the guy who publishes that newspaper, so this was basically her letting them know that she was okay. Sadly, this won’t become important until after their time in Elbaph ends, and given how the arc’s still ongoing in the manga, we’ve got a while. Thankfully, though, the same doesn’t have to be said about Elbaph!

After making their escape from the Block Kingdom, Luffy’s half of the Straw Hats find themselves on the outside. The bad news? It’s not the fact that everything is just as big as it was indoors. It’s the fact that it’s freezing cold and in the middle of a blizzard.

The good news? Two of Road’s crewmates pass by because they heard he”s been up to his antics of kidnapping humans and have come to reprimand him. And they confirm once and for all that the group is now in Elbaph. Too bad the others tell Luffy and Usopp to be quiet so they can’t celebrate.

Full disclosure: yes, Gerd and Goldberg are part of the same crew as Road and Hajrudin. Yes, I believe that Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp met them back in Dressrosa, so they’re part of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet that pledged itself to Luffy. But since they don’t fully remember, and because the other half of their crewmembers weren’t there when it happened, they can’t ask them for help just yet. Ergo, they cross the giant rope bridge to the other side to safety.

…is what they were supposed to do. But then they hear a roar coming from the forest below, and the Monster Trio can tell right away that it’s coming from someone equally as monstrous. Naturally, Luffy decides to investigate on his own. And this is where things start getting good.

Our First Real Look at Elbaph!

Two important things happened in the chapter that this episode is adapting, and Toei did an incredible job adapting it into the anime. The first is that after all the teasing we’ve got in flashbacks and quick looks, we finally get our first full look at the island of Elbaph. And…calling it massive would be an understatement. It is absolutely gargantuan in size. In the first moments Luffy and the others step outside, they see mountains that are probably big enough to qualify as small islands in any other part of the world. The forests tower over even the biggest of Giants, and the animals are roughly the same size. To a normal Human, this is the equivalent of a sizeable insect waking up to find themselves in a city the size of New York or Tokyo. And then there’s the tree. The absolutely massive tree standing in the center of the island that dwarfs even the tallest of the mountains. I don’t know how to do the math, but that tree has to be dozens, or even hundreds of miles, in size. It’s so big that we can’t even see the top! Some fans have speculated it might be tall enough to allow someone access to Sky Islands.

But all of this pales in comparison to the character that we will get to know very well in the coming weeks. Arguably, the most important character introduced in this entire arc, a man who the Giants call an absolute terror and the “Shame of Elbaph.” The Giant Pirates tell Dorry and Brogy that he was the son of their late king, whom they believe he murdered to gain the Royal Family’s incredibly powerful Devil Fruit. The Prince of the Kingdom of Warland, and the self-proclaimed Sun God who will end the world, give it up for LOKI!!!!

And guess who just met him? Luffy.

Loki: Friend or Foe?

If you only watch the anime, then you have no idea how much of an uproar the introduction of Loki caused throughout the fandom. If you’ve seen any modern depictions of Loki in media like the MCU, or as Atreus in the God of War games, then the name alone should be enough to worry you. Regardless of if he’s a good guy or a bad guy, Loki tends to cause trouble. Heck, in Norse Mythology, he got so bad that his fellow gods had to imprison him, only for it to be said he would be set free at Ragnarok. AKA, the end of the world.

What I was most concerned about, though, was how Loki was calling himself the Sun God. We thought that Luffy was supposed to be one who had the powers of the Sun God, Nika. That he was meant to be this person who would liberate people from oppression! But here Loki was claiming to be this destroyer of the world! It had us all so confused!

Anime watchers, prepare to remain confused, as a large part of this arc involves Oda doing his best to make us question if Loki can be trusted or not. I won’t spoil anything, though!

It’s great to know that we can finally start the Elbaph Arc in earnest. I know that the Block Kingdom took up a lot of time, but trust me when I say it will be worth the wait. We are going to see things that will blow your mind! If you haven’t started watching One Piece, then now is the time to do so!

I Give “An Encounter on a Snowfield-Loki, the Accursed Prince,” a 4.5/5