Anime Reviews

‘Turning Point 3’ is the Biggest Change In Rudy’s Life Yet

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

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2 Ep 18 Review

If you’ve been paying attention to Mushoku Tensei, you should remember what a Turning Point is. A Turning Point is a moment in the story where things in Rudeus’ life get upended. It’s the series way of reminding us how fast a person’s life can change without warning. The first time it happened, the Mana Displacement Incident sent Rudeus and Eris to the Demon Continent. It took them close to three years to make it back home. The second time it happened, Rudeus ran into Orsted and almost died at his hands. That Turning Point was so traumatizing that it led Eris to run off for a training arc, breaking Rudy’s heart. 

The bottom line is that a turning point is always trouble for Rudeus, and the fact that they happen right when Rudy has things worked out in his life only makes it worse. And this next Turning Point will be the biggest one yet! 

Rudy Gets the Biggest Surprise Ever.

The first third of the episode focuses on how great life is for Rudeus and his loved ones. Rudeus is well-respected at school, has plenty of friends, his own house, and is married to his best friend, Sylphie. And to top it all off, he’s patched things up with Norn, with the two now acting like siblings. 

As the episode shows, the rest of his friends and family are doing well. Nanahoshi, Cliff, and Zanoba are all making great strides towards their goals. Zanoba found a way to make his own figurines, Nanahoshi’s experiments to get home are going well, and Cliff even made a rudimentary girdle to help suppress Elinalise’s curse. Life is pretty much perfect for Rudy. And that his life gets upended when he finds Sylphie waiting for him at home andโ€ฆwell, see for yourself.

I knew this moment was coming, but it’s one thing to read about it in a manga or light novel and see it animated. Rudeus is going to be a father. He’s only 16-17, but he’s going to be a father!

I know that Rudeus has plenty of critics in the anime community, and he does have plenty of faults. However, watching this moment, I couldn’t help but get a little teary-eyed. Rudeus let any chance at a happy life go to waste in his first life, and now, he’s married and expecting his first child. And it’s the image of the life that he’ll have when Paul finds his Mom that hammers home how happy he is. Life couldn’t be better for Rudeus!

Then, reality brings him crashing to the ground. With one short letter from his Geese, the real Turning Point begins. 

The Real Turning Point Begins

Oh, and the Man-God appears to him again. 

Having been told by the Man-God that he’d regret going to find his mom in the Begaritt Continent, Rudy is understandably mad at him. However, the Man-God does make some good points. Firstly, going to Ranoa reunited him with Sylphie. He got married, made plenty of friends, and created a home for his family. In addition, the Man-God tells him that if he stays in Ranoa, Linia and Pursena will try and pursue him romantically. He’sโ€ฆnot exactly thrilled about that. 

What makes this Turning Point harder than the first two is the fact that Rudy has a choice. If he goes to help his Dad, there’s no guarantee he can make a difference. Not to mention leaving his wife and family for months. If he doesn’t, then things could go wrong for Paul. 

This is what makes this Turning Point so important. Rudeus is learning a bitter truth: sometimes in life, we have to make decisions and not know if they’re the right ones. But not making any decision can be as bad as making the wrong one. And even though I know what will come next, I still can’t tell if Rudeus makes the right choice. It’s maddening!

Ultimately, Rudeus makes his decision: he’s going to ignore the Man-God’s advice and go save his Mom.

All the anime-only people who haven’t liked the school setting, congrats. Mushoku Tensei will bring back all the action we got from Rudeus’ globe-trotting adventure. As for anyone who has read the light novelsโ€ฆtake this time to prepare. This is going to beโ€ฆemotional. 

I Give “Turning Point 3” a 4.5/5

Kaiju No. 8-Like MHA, but With Giant Monsters

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

Kaiju No. 08 initial review

Whatโ€™s the one thing cooler or scarier than giant monsters? Getting to fight giant monsters, thatโ€™s what! For decades now, Japan has been enamored by the idea of giant monsters, or Kaiju. From the early days of Godzilla and Gamera to Attack on Titan, Kaiju has been a big part of Japan, and so are series that revolve around fighting them. And with Japanese culture becoming more popular than ever worldwide, now is the perfect time for a new anime about fighting Kaiju to come out. And thatโ€™s where the newest Shonen anime, Kaiju No. 8, steps in to fulfill all our monster-fighting needs. Or does it?

Yes. Yes it does.

Iโ€™m RJ Writing Ink, and after watching the first two episodes of the new Shonen series, Kaiju No. 8, hereโ€™s my initial review.

An Unconventional Power-Up

The premise behind the series is similar to that ofย My Hero Academia. In a world where Kaiju regularly attack and destroy everything they can, some people stand up to fight back and protect those who canโ€™t. In Japan, that task falls to theย Anti-Kaiju Defense Force.ย But while they fight the Kaiju and get all the glory, others have to haul the guts and parts away. And unfortunately for him, thatโ€™s where our protagonist, Kafka Hibino, is stuck.ย 

As a kid, Kafka and his friend, Mina Ashiro, promised to join the Defense Force and fight Kaiju together. While she got in and became Captain of an entire division, Kafka failed several times, like Naruto or Deku. Then, just as Kafka decides to give it another try before itโ€™s too late, he swallows this parasitic Kaiju, and it turns him into a Kaiju.

A Kaiju with super-strength, transformation, and can pee out of his nipples. 

No, really. Iโ€™m not making this up.

Despite all of this, though, Kafka also discovers that heโ€™s kept his human mind intact and, with effort, can transform back-and-forth between Human and Kaiju. 

So, despite the massive target on his back, Kafka and his new friend/junior, Reno Ichikawa, still decide to try and join the Defense Force together. And thatโ€™s where the anime stands at the time of this writing. 

Kaiju No. 8’s Subversion of Shonen Tropes is What Makes it Good

Right off the bat,ย Kaiju No. 8ย sets itself apart from other Shonen series by subverting a big trope: the protagonist. Instead of starting off as a young boy or teen like Goku, Denji, Luffy, Yuji and more, Kafka is 32. Heโ€™s already experienced what itโ€™s like to have your youthful ambitions turn into letdowns, and as someone whose closer to him in age than Iโ€™d like to admit, that hits pretty close to home. I donโ€™t want to give up on any of my dreams, but as you get older, you canโ€™t help but wonder if youโ€™ve met your limits or are living your life to the fullest. Kafka was going through that when the anime starts, and right when he decides to give things one more shot, he becomes a Kaiju! A humanoid Kaiju with super strength and speed, but one that will get hunted by everyone except for Ichikawa. The brutal irony.

Speaking of which, Ichikawa is also a bit of a subversion himself. At age 18, heโ€™s closer to the Shonen demographic. He has both the never give up attitude youโ€™d expect from a Shonen protagonist and the coldness of a typical rival (at first), yet heโ€™s not the hero. Itโ€™s a strange sight to behold, made even stranger when you consider that his English VA is Adam McArthur, the voice of Yuji from JuJutsu Kaisen! 

I donโ€™t really know if this series is going to be any good, but given what Iโ€™ve seen in the first two episodes, it looks pretty solid. It balances the comedy with the action quite well, and the premise itself is interesting enough to give it a shot. Alas, due to time constraints, I wonโ€™t be able to review it episodically. I simply have too have much on my plate as it is. Having said that, I do think that this show is worth watching. This looks to be one of the heavy hitters for the Spring 2024 season!

And, Scene! Ninja Kamui Ends on Cool Note

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

Ninja Kamui Ep 13 Review 

It’s over, people. After three months of watching Higan’s quest for revenge, we have reached the end of the road. Andย Ninja Kamuiย managed to go out on quite theย bang,ย if I do say so myself. With the Ninja now poised to conquer the US, and Joseph ready to blow the AUZA reactors to oblivion, things were looking desperate.ย Butย in a final battle fought on multiple fronts, Higan, Morriss, and Jason not only stop Yamaji and Joseph.ย They prove that the former’s views on the Ninja being cold, uncaring killersย isย wrong.ย 

Joseph Finally Gets his Just Desserts

On the first front, we have Agent Morriss and Jason as they go after their main target, Joseph. After escaping Yamaji’s Ninja for the moment, the cowardly CEO of AUZA attempts to smuggle himself out of the country. On a plane stuffed with pigs. But Morriss isn’t having any of it. Thanks to his instincts and Jason’s hacking, they manage to ruin his ride out of the US. More importantly, Jason manages to hack the satellites that would’ve let Joseph blow the nearest reactor sky-high. The end result is pure cathartsis for Emma’s death, as Morriss proceeds to beat the smug CEO’s face in. Then, when the man boasts how he’ll be out of jail in no time, Morriss pulls a move that would make Batman proud.

For a while, the anime makes it appear that Morriss lost his temper and proceeded to kill Joseph. Given how he killed Emma and committed who knows what other crimes, no one would’ve held it against Morriss. Instead, the Veteran FBI Agent stays true to his moral code and simply makes the cowardly man so scared for his life, he wets himself. Furthermore, hearing Morriss promise Joseph that he’ll come find him if he ever tries to escape justice is pure, unadulterated badass. Knowing Morriss, he’ll be happy to sacrifice his retirement to follow through on that promise. Go ahead and enjoy it, though, Morriss. You’ve earned it.

Yamaji Just Another Would-Be Despot

The big draw of the episode, though, is the fight that’s been built up the entire series: Higan vs. Yamaji. A fight between a Ninja and a former Ninja over the fate of their entire clan. The fight is, naturally, impressive to watch, but what cinches it is how it boils down to a fight of ideals. Yamaji, for his part, continues to insist that his way of thinking is right and that with the Ninja watching over the world, there will be true peace. In other words, the same self-serving spiel that many wannabe conquerers spout; I could feel my eyes rolling as I heard him go on and on about it. While he does get a brief flashback that hints at how he developed his way of thinking from witnessing the horrors of war, it doesn’t matter. Yamaji’s so blinded by anger that he chooses to shut himself off from the world, and thinks that that’s best for everyone.

As Higan and Zai prove, he’s wrong.

Yamaji Proven Wrong, Dies. 

As I hoped, Zai does return for the final battle, and, at a crucial moment, he turns on Yamaji, choosing his friend over the man who turned him into a weapon. It costs him an arm, but it was still nice to know that Mari’s hopes for Zai came true. More importantly, it gives Higan the chance he needs to rally.ย Spurredย on by the memory of his wife and her philosophy on living, with the anime’s OP playing inย full, Higan wastes Yamaji.

And, to sweeten things, we get to see those who remained loyal to the former head of the Clan like Emma take down their brethren. Thus, the threat of the Ninja has ended. Whether or not this means the end of the Ninja as a whole, though, is left up for debate.

Time to Put the Ninjas Behind us

For Higan, though, that doesn’t matter.

Higan started this journey for one reason and one reason alone: to bring down Yamaji and his former clan. In the process, he also managed to reconnect with his old comrade, Zai, and convinces him to find a new purpose in life outside of being a weapon. Having done all he set out to do, Higan heads off for parts unknown, wandering the earth as the series comes to an end.

It’s the kind of ending that would make the likes of John Wick proud, and Iย personallyย loved it.ย Whileย Iย do think thatย the action lagged atย certainย points in the story, I stillย thinkย thatย Ninja Kamuiย was a pretty fun anime to watch.ย While there are someย deeper,ย philosophicalย questions about life that itย seems to pose, I’ve decided that that doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.ย All we wanted wasย to see Ninjas doing cool Ninja things, and we got that in spades.ย Iย justย might have to binge-watch the entire thing on Maxย nextย chance I get.ย 

I Give “Episode 13” a 4/5

I Almost Cried Watching this Episode of Mushoku Tensei

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

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2 Ep 17 Review

Remember what I said at the end of my last review for Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation? I wasnโ€™t joking-this episode left me on the verge of tears. Even though I knew from reading the light novels and manga that Norn would shut herself in her room, and why, I still wasnโ€™t prepared for the feels. This might be one of the best episodes in the entire series, and as youโ€™ll see for yourself, thereโ€™s a good reason why.

Rudy is scary when He’s Mad. No, really!

After hearing how Norn has shut herself in her dorm room, saying Rudy is mad is an understatement. The look of pure wrath on his face is enough to scare the teachers as he marches for her classroom. Linia and Pursena are afraid of him.ย The anger heโ€™s feelingย here is leagues above what the Beast Duo experienced when he found out they smashed his Roxy figurine. And while that incident was played with humorous intent in mind, the show takes this moment dead serious. Having shut himself off from everyone in his first life, the idea that something happened to make Norn do the same is enough to drive him berserk.

I will be blunt: as much as I love seeing Rudeus better himself, in this moment, I was afraid of him. If he ever went off the deep end, Few people in the world could be capable of stopping him. 

The anger does not last long, though. After โ€œaskingโ€ย herย class and teacher, the horrible realty sets in for him.ย Norn was never bullied by anyone; itโ€™s worse.ย They wouldnโ€™t stop comparing her to her brother.ย 

Rudy Doesn’t Know How to Help Norn

If it were as simple as someone threatening her, Rudeus could handle things with little effort. But once he hears that heโ€™s the reason Norn has shut down, Rudeus doesnโ€™t know what to do. In his first life, his older brother tried to get through to him, but he was too stubborn to listen. Now, circumstances have put him in his brothers position, and beyond going to her room to visit her, he doesnโ€™t know what to do. You can practically feel the frustration pouring out of him as he tries to get her to doโ€ฆsomething. Anything.

And this is where the story does the best thing it could hope to do: it gives us Nornโ€™s perspective.

Norn Has a Lot of Complicated Feelings about Her Older Brother

For so long, Norn has had no idea what to think of Rudeus. When she first met him, she saw him hitting their father, not understanding why. It didnโ€™t matter if Paul told her afterwards that he started things. When youโ€™re a little kid and you see someone hurting your parents, you tend to think of them as a bad person. No amount of explaining from the adults can change that. 

Then, when Norn came to live with him, she saw him drunk and carrying a woman she didnโ€™t remember, looking so happy. Meanwhile, their dad was running himself ragged trying to find their Mom. That only made her opinion of him even worse. 

Then, when she asked to live in the dorms, Norn expected Rudeus to get angry at her. But when he agreed, she thought he saw her as in his way. 

And then came her start at Ranoa U, when everyone learned she was Rudeusโ€™ sister. No one, be they students or teachers, saw her as Norn Greyrat. All they saw when they looked at her was the sister of the strongest person at school. Everywhere she went, all she could hear was her brotherโ€™s name, and it started to make her physically ill.

This Episode Almost Left Me in Tears

Sweet mercy, Norn deserves all the hugs in the world.

I knew going into this that Norn had a serious inferiority complex, but even after reading the light novels and manga, I still wasnโ€™t prepared for the tearjerker we got. Norn has no clue what to think of her brother. At first, she was afraid of him, and then she thought he didnโ€™t care about her. Then people wouldnโ€™t stop comparing her to them. She wants to reach out to him, but, like Rudeus, she doesnโ€™t know what to do.

I donโ€™t remember who made the first move in the novels. But, even so, Iโ€™m glad that it was Rudeus that did so. Even though he doesnโ€™t know what to do or how to help his sister, he still tries to reach out to her. He may never tell anyone why, but he knows what itโ€™s like to shut yourself off from the world. And he never wants his family to go through the same experience. 

I donโ€™t really know how to transcribe the thoughts and feelings in my head as I saw the siblingโ€™s reconciliation. Some things are just tooโ€ฆcomplex to form into words. But, seeing Rudy sit down and hold his sister as she cried her eyes outโ€ฆI could feel myself starting to cry.ย 

This is Only the Beginning…

After that day, Rudeus and Norn are finally able to be brother and sister. Norn managed to work her feelings out all on her own, something that her brother canโ€™t help but be amazed at. He even admits that if he had been half as strong as her in his first life, maybe things wouldnโ€™t have turned out the way they did. 

I will never understand why people donโ€™t like the time Mushoku Tensei spends at Ranoa University. Itโ€™s not as exciting as Rudyโ€™s trip around the world, but the drama and emotional moments are incredible.ย Andย itโ€™s moments like this thatย are some of the best in the entire series.ย In fact,ย I think this might be the best episode of the season to date.ย 

And for those who want to see more of the action we got in season oneโ€ฆbe careful what you wish for, everyone.

I Give “My Older Brother’s Feelings” a 5/5

Parenting is Hard, By Rudeus Greyrat

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

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2, Ep 16 Review

Itโ€™s been said that one of the hardest jobs in the world is being a parent. Even if theyโ€™re  good at it, a parent can still make mistakes and do things that will make their kids hate them, sometimes forever. And even though theyโ€™re his sisters, not his kids, the fact that Rudeus was tasked by their dad to look after them makes him and Sylphie their guardians. And, as Rudeus realizes, theyโ€™ve both come with some emotional baggage. 

Rudy and Ruijerd Reunited!

The episode starts off on a rather positive note , with Rudeus more than happy to have reunited with his old friend, Ruijerd. The feeling is mutual as the two spend time talking and reminiscing about their travels well into the night. However, things get awkward when Ruijerd addresses the elephant in the room: whereโ€™s Eris? And Rudy simply explains how she ran out on him.

To his credit as a person and a fictional character, and as someone who looked after them for three years, Ruijerd demonstrates how well he knows Rudy and Eris. Even without him going into all the details, Ruijerd deduces that Eris’ departure is a mutual misunderstanding. He knows that Rudy can overthink things, while Eris isn’t good at using her words. Combine the two things, and a disaster was going to happen. Nonetheless, Rudy does take Ruijerdโ€™s advice into account if Eris ever comes back.

That doesnโ€™t change things for Rudeus, though. Intentional or not, Eris broke Rudyโ€™s heart and put him into a depression that lasted years. If Eris comes back, and we know she will, sheโ€™s going to have to do a lot of apologizing. The kind that a single night canโ€™t fix. 

Rudeus is a Parent Now

After Ruijerd leaves the next morning, Rudy and Sylphie begin their lives as guardians for Norn and Aisha. And as smart as he is, Rudeus isnโ€™t prepared to be a parent. 

As Rudeus quickly learns, being a parent to her sisters is hard, especially when said sisters come with emotional baggage. 

Aisha Doesn’t Need to Prove Herself to Anyone

First, we have Aisha. On the surface, Aisha seems to have no issues. Sheโ€™s self-sufficient, extroverted, and rivals her brother in brains. When Rudy tries to enroll her in Ranoa U., she proceeds to get perfect marks. The girl not only proved school was a waste of time, but she got her GED! 

Itโ€™s when it comes to Norn that her issues come to light. While Rudeus was going on his odyssey, Norn and Aisha stayed at Zenithโ€™s mothers house. And they didnโ€™t take kindly to having a bastard child outshine Norn. That only led Aisha to work even harder to become better than Norn, which only made things worse. Rinse, repeat, family drama ensues.

She doesnt get as much focus this episode as Norn does, but itโ€™s great that the anime didnโ€™t skip out on Aishaโ€™s own problems or how Rudeus tries to address them. He knows how easy it could for her to let her talents go to waste, and that he needs to discourage any notion of her being inferior because of who she is. 

Aisha is the easy one, though. Itโ€™s Norn that is Rudeus biggest concern. 

Norn Still Doesn’t Like Rudeus

Letโ€™s cut to the chase: Norn doesnโ€™t like her big brother. Given how the first time she met her brother, he was beating the daylights out of their Dad, you canโ€™t blame her for having a negative impression. It didnโ€™t matter if Paul told her that heโ€™s the one who started it. Many kids donโ€™t get the nuance to it at that age. And seeing him to a girl she doesnโ€™t know (she doesnโ€™t really remember Sylphie) doesnโ€™t help matters. Coupled with how her sister keeps outshining her, and the first chance Norn gets, she wants to live in the dorms at Ranoa U. She wants her space from her brother and sister. And Rudy gives it to her, thinking respecting her space will help her open up.

It doesnโ€™t.

One month later, Nornโ€™s still distant from Rudeus. Then, Lilna and Pursena make things worse. They steal the panties from every first-year girl at Ranoa U and give them to Rudeus as an offering! And while the anime doesnโ€™t explain further, their troll logic is this:

  • Boss keeps panties as holy relic and prays to them.
  • Boss worships panties
  • Bring boss panties=happy boss!

I know they meant well, and that Rudy shouldโ€™ve explained that he worships the person those panties belonged to, not the panties themselves, but those two idiots went too far. And, it may not say it out loud, but itโ€™s heavily implied that one of those girls was Norn. 

They should count themselves lucky that Rudeus isnโ€™t a violent person and cleared things up with Ariel. Otherwise, they might have had to deal with another inquisition. 

For these reasons, and for ones that will come to light next episode, this episode ends with Norn shutting herself off in her room. Itโ€™s too much for her! 

Parenting 101 is a Hard Class to Pass

Being a parent is never easy, something that Rudeus has had to come to terms with this episode. If he wants to have any chance of repairing the bond with his sister, then he needs to get through to her. Now. That being said, itโ€™s these slower moments that really make Mushoku Tensei a cut above most Isekai. This series takes the time to flesh out its characters, to great success. Now, get ready for the next episode. Itโ€™s going to beโ€ฆemotional.

I Give “Norn and Aisha” a 4.5/5

Nanahoshi Needs Help. NOW!

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

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2 Ep 15 Review

You know what I love about Mushoku Tensei? How itโ€™s never afraid to shy away from serious topics. Conflict between parents and children, depression, lingering trauma, and the importance of bonds to keep us going in bleak times. Rudeus has experienced all these before, and he will again, so he knows how serious it can be when someone they know is going through the same thing. When Nanahoshiโ€™s attempts to go home hit another roadblock and pushed her to the breaking point, Rudeus knew he had to step in and do something. No one should go through life alone, after all.

Nanahoshi Almost Loses it

Life is going well for Rudeus right now.ย Heโ€™sย got aย giant house, plenty of friends at school, isย married to his best friend, and plenty of money to spend.ย To top it off, he gets a letter from Paul sayingย theyโ€™reย going to find Zenith, soย theyโ€™reย sending his sisters to live withย him. Life is going well forย him.ย But whileย heโ€™sย happy as a clam, Nanahoshi is falling further and further into despair.

Nanahoshi has been working for years now to find a way to return home to Japan, wanting nothing to do with this other world. Sheโ€™s poured everything into learning how magic circles work to get home. Sheโ€™s worked so hard trying to get it to work, only to keep coming up short. Andโ€ฆshe snaps from this.

Like I said, this show doesnโ€™t pull its punches on serious issues, and it does a great job of portraying Nanahoshiโ€™s breakdown in a realistic manner. Her destroying part of her lab was disturbing enough. Seeing her pass out from exhaustion is concerning, as is her disheveled state after waking up. What makes things straight-up nightmare fuel is when Sylphie finds a dagger on Nanahoshiโ€™s person. 

The look on Rudeusโ€™ face says it all. He knows what Nanahoshi might do with that dagger if left alone. Itโ€™s a haunting reminder of how bad things got for him after Eris left and Sara dumped him. 

Intervention time. Now!

No One Has to Do Everything Alone

Knowing how suicidal Nanahoshi is right now, Rudeus has her stay at his place while he works with his friends to figure out a solution to this roadblock. And while they donโ€™t entirely understand what sheโ€™s trying to do beyond getting home, sometimes one doesnโ€™t need to fully understand the finer details to come up with good ideas. Taking inspiration from their research on the doll they found, Cliff and Zanoba manage to come up with a few ideas on what to do. After that, they show them to Nanahoshi, and it seems to do the trick. She gets that fire back in her eyes. Not long afterwards, her second attempt manages to pull something over from Earth! 

As exciting as this small victory is, what matters more is the message the story is trying to convey: trying to do things alone, no matter how good you are, can eventuallyย end in failure. In addition, oneย shouldnโ€™tย shut themselves away from everyone, especially whenย theyโ€™reย in pain like Nanahoshi.ย Itโ€™sย only thanks to Rudeus going through similar experiences that he realized how bad things had gotten. If heย hadnโ€™tย intervened, Nanahoshi might have killed herself.ย 

One Crisis Averted…Another One Shows Up

Real talk, though: Nanahoshiโ€™s breakdown can hit very close to home for some people watching this. Maybe theyโ€™ve gone through something similar, like what they do wonโ€™t amount to anything or keep failing at something. Or maybe they know someone whoโ€™s been through something like that. Theyโ€™re not alone, nor should they think that they are. There are people who care about them and will help them, if theyโ€™re brave enough to reach out. 

Ultimately, it looks like the lesson sticks with Nanahoshi. She still may hate the world she got pulled into, but at least she knows that sheโ€™s not alone there anymore. Crisis averted, Rudeus! And just in time for another one to pop up.

Remember the letter from Paul about Rudyโ€™s sisters coming to live with him? The episode ends with them finally arriving, and while Aisha is overjoyed to see himโ€ฆNorn still doesnโ€™t like him. So, heโ€™s going to have to deal with that soon. The one silver lining is that the person who escorted them there is an old friend: Ruijerd!

As great as it is to see Ruijerd again, it will also make things awkward when he notices Eris is absent. This will happen sooner or later, though. Good luck ripping that bandaid off, Rudy!

I Give “Afar” a 4/5

Yamaji is Out to Conquer the World!

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Ninja Kamui Episode 12 Review

There comes a time in every nation or big organization where the way things work stops working. When they need to chart a new course, evolve, or else they die. In the worst cases, a disillusioned member of that group could decide to burn the whole thing to the ground and start fresh. And, as the penultimate episode of Ninja Kamui indicates, the Ninja have reached that point under Yamaji. And the only one who can bring him down for good is Higan. Otherwise, the whole world will be swallowed by the shadows of the Ninja.

Time to Burn it All Down

As Higan continues to rest from his fight with Zai, he’s visited by the same old doctor who treated his wounds in Episode 2. Except it’s revealed that he isn’t just any elder. His true identity is that of the former Chief of the Ninja before Yamaji seized power. And much like Higan, Aska, Mari, and many others, he thinks its time for the Ninja to either end or be born anew.

This episode delves deeper into the backstory of the Ninja as an organization, and how they defended their native Japan for centuries from the shadows. However, as Japan prospered, they stopped relying on the Ninja to aid them in favor of other groups. The Chief saw the writing on the wall: if they didn’t adapt, they would die out, but he couldn’t see another path beyond the cold, rigid code the Ninja followed. Until he saw Higan, Mari, and Zai embrace their emotions to make them stronger. And he thought that, maybe, that was the future the Ninja could take.

Yamaji is a Stubborn Fool

Yamaji, though, thought the opposite. Instead of embracing change, Yamaji led a coup, nearly killed the Chief, and decided to double-down on their strict code, which led them to work for AUZA. But as the series has demonstrated, that way of thinking won’t help them survive, but hasten their doom. 

Case in point, Dilly, the Ninja protecting Joseph, grew to admire his crazy plans to change the world, and chose him over Yamaji. Ultimately, the conflict of Ninja Kamui could be boiled down to a conflict of tradition vs. change. And in this case, the traditionalists like Yamaji are in the wrong.

It might be too late to save the Ninja from themselves, though.

Joseph, AUZA, and the Ninja Just got Busted

Joseph may have gotten away with his life thanks to Dilly’s sacrifice, but AUZA just got backed into a corner. While he was busy running, James managed to blow the whistle on AUZA by uploading all the dirt Emma/Aska had on them. Illegal activities, the Ninja, the names of high-ranking government officials, everything. And Morris is able to use that to turn the FBI on AUZA. 

Then, Joseph ups the ante by threatening to rig his companies’ reactors to blow sky-high unless the government calls off the hunt for him. And to add even further to the chaos, Yamaji makes his move. Using an army clad in Gusoku Gear, the Ninja drop all forms of stealth and openly attack the US Government. And that’s only the start. Once they’re done in America, they’ll move onto the rest of the world, and with their Gusoku Gear, the world will fall.

The Final Battle is at Hand!

Bravo, E&H Production, Sola Entertainment, and Sungwoo Park. This is the kind of stakes that I have been wanting to see. An army of evil Ninja out for world domination? Using mech suits? That is all kinds of awesome! It’s actually a pity that next week marks the finale to Ninja Kamui, because it just got really, really good. I’m looking forward to seeing the finale, though!

I Give “Episode 12” a 4.5/5

Whoa! Yamaji Just Played Everyone!

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Ninja Kamui Ep 11 Review

The story of Ninja Kamui is coming down to the wire, and things are getting desperate for all sides. Higan and Zai are settling their grudge match, the FBI is hunting Morris, and James is working on getting access to the intel that Emma/Aska stole from AUZA. On the other side, the tension between AUZAโ€™s Joseph and Yamaji ends in the only way it could: with both turning on each other. And by the time the episode ends, the only one in control of anything is Yamaji himself.

A Meeting of Fists and Ideals

There can be more to fighting than an exchange of fists and weapons. Fighting can be about the ideals, the motivations behind the people who are doing it. And much like Naruto and Sasukeโ€™s numerous clashes, the fight between Higan and Zai is less about winning and more about whose side is right. Was Higan right to abandon the Ninja? Was Zai right to remain loyal to Yamaji despite him taking them away from their original ways? Their fight is as much a battle of ideals as it is their fists, and it is epic.

Higan and Zai both put everything on the line as they fight for their ninja ways, with Zai making it known how betrayed he felt by Higan and Mari leaving him. In return, Higan says that they wanted to one day see there could be a life outside the Ninjas, but he was too blinded by anger to listen to them. Mari even hoped that seeing their son would make him realize this. 

Ultimately, the battle itself ends in a draw with neither dead. Given how Zai walks away and starts pounding his fist into ground and crying, though, itโ€™s safe to say that Higan won the argument. Zai has spent his whole life blinded his anger and pain, and pushed away the two people who cared about him as more than just a weapon. Yamaji and the other Ninjas, in contrast, not only berated Zai for not stopping them, but scarred his face as punishment. Thatโ€™s messed up!

Yamaji Played AUZA Like a Fiddle

Meanwhile, even as AUZA needs its plans to control the world from the shadows, schisms have already formed between them and the Ninjas. Having become aware of Yamaji planning to manufacture the Gusoku Gear on their own, Joseph tries to put them in their place by killing them all. 

Yamaji, in return, makes it painfully clear who the Devil is in their deal, and itโ€™s not Joseph. 

If the previous episode didnโ€™t make it clear, this episode does: Yamaji was just using Joseph and AUZA to make the Ninja more powerful. They only wanted the resources to make the Gusoku gear for themselves, and now that they have it, theyโ€™re leaving. And they come close to killing Joseph as they do so. As big of a jerk as he is, a part of you canโ€™t help but feel a little bad seeing him panicking when his bodyguard, Dilly, seemingly throws him out a window. He survives, but still. 

They Have to Leak the Documents!

In the c-plot of the episode, we also have James and Morris finally unlocking the intel that Emma left for them. And it was all thanks to the drawing that Morissโ€™ daughter made for him having her fingerprints. However, to buy time, Moriss gets caught by the police. If they canโ€™t expose AUZA now, then Moriss can look forward to spending his retirement in prison. 

There are two episodes left after this, and things are coming down to the wire. Will any of the characters make it past the finish line? Will Higan avenge his wife and son? The tension is building, and I donโ€™t know if it can be resolved in the short time the show has left.

On a side note, Toonami took the time from this episode to promote the upcoming prequel game, Ninja Kamui: Shinobi Origins. The game looks to be an action side-scroller, and for $24.99, it looks decent. The game releases May 30th, so the anime will still be fresh in peopleโ€™s minds. Maybe Iโ€™ll give it a try.

I Give Ep 11 a 4.5/5

How Zai Joined the Ninjas is So SAD!!

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Ninja Kamui Ep 10 Review

You remember watching Naruto and remembering how angsty and rage-driven Sasuke was? That led him to abandon the Hidden Leaf Village and study under a criminal for years, and it only escalated from there. Now imagine if it was the reverse that happened. Instead of Sasuke leaving, it was Naruto and Sakura who left instead? That is a basic explanation of what Zai went through when Mari and Higan left, and why heโ€™s so determined to bring Higan down. And with AUZA and Yamajiโ€™s plans getting closer to fruition, the time to settle this grudge draws near. 

Everyone is Sadder than Ever

In the aftermath of Emmaโ€™s death, her friends are left reeling and trying to figure out what to do next. Ideally, they want to expose AUZA using everything that Emma/Aska got from their servers. However, there are two big problems facing them. Firstly, Emma left everything encrypted and only she knew how to decrypt it. Secondly, AUZA managed to be one step ahead of them. They already revealed that their reactors were โ€œattacked by terrorists.โ€ Now any attempts to whistleblow on them could get passed off as fake news or covered up altogether. The worst part is that Morrisโ€™ best plan to take them down, using what few people in the FBI he thinks arenโ€™t on their payroll, doesnโ€™t work. His former partner tries to turn him in.

Whether AUZA can even be brought down remains to be seen. However, the more immediate issue is Yamaji and Zai. 

Zai’s Life is SO SAD!!

I said before that Zai took Higan and Mariโ€™s defection personally due to the bond they forged. However, I underestimated just how personal it was for him, as this episodeโ€™s flashbacks reveal. Unlike Higan and Mari, he wasnโ€™t born into the Ninja, but was recruited.

He was an unwanted orphan held prisoner by a group that Yamaji brought down. Seeing how angry at the world the boy was, Yamaji took him in with the obvious intent of using him as a deadly tool. And for the most part, he succeeded. Zai was a ruthless killer who didnโ€™t care about anyone else. Until their first mission together when Higan saved his life. It was likely the first act of kindness Zai ever got towards him. 

That’s why Zai hates Higan so much. He and Mari were the first people he was ever able to open up to and be vulnerable with. He trusted them, and when they saw how corrupt Yamaji was making the Ninja and left, he took it as a personal betrayal. That led him to double down on his previous beliefs that no one else mattered, and itโ€™s why he needed to kill Higan with his own hands. 

Itโ€™s like Naruto and Sasuke, but with the roles reversed. And theyโ€™re about to have their final showdown.

One More Duel

In the closing moments of the episode, Higan receives a challenge via crow from Zai. While Morris tries to find someone to take the leaked intel and James stays safe, Higan dons the Kamui, travels to a hidden Ninja hideout, and faces Zai for what will likely be the final time. 

Sadly, we will have to wait another week to see the fight in full, if it lasts that long. However, while this fight might be the most personal one that Higan faces, his ultimate enemy remains Yamaji. Even though heโ€™s letting AUZA and that smarmy executive give him orders, the episode makes it clear that hes making plans to double-cross him. Hes been working on getting the schematics for the Gusoku gear so the Ninjas can make them themselves, so heโ€™s likely been playing them this whole time. As much as AUZA needs to go down, the idea of a corrupt group of Ninjas having that kind of suit is just as bad, if not worse. And, as it turns out, I misread the number of episodes. Three episodes actually remain, and Iโ€™m hoping the series reaches a good conclusion before all is said and done. 

I Give Ep 10 a 4/5

Spy x Family: Code White-One Crazy Vacation

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Spy x Family: Code White Review

For a series thatโ€™s only been around for five years, itโ€™s impressive how fast Spy x Family has earned its spot in pop culture. Set in a fictional world locked in a Cold War of West and East, the hit anime and manga follow the Forgers, a seemingly ordinary family on the surface; theyโ€™re a cover. The Dad, Loid, is a western spy trying to stop a potential war. His fake wife, Yor, is an office worker by day and a deadly government assassin by night, and neither knows the truth. And the only one who does, their adopted daughter, the meme-worthy Anya, is a five-year-old who can read minds but barely understands whatโ€™s happening. Oh, and their dog can see the future. 

You can see how easily anime can become so popular. Between Yor and Loid being top-tier waifu and husbando, respectively, and almost everything Anya does being a meme, the series is meant to make people laugh and know how to do it. And while I am only interested in it, I appreciate Spy x Familyโ€™s comedy enough to see its first foray in theaters, Code White. And after seeing it, I can confirm what one review I read said: youโ€™ll either like only one half of the film or enjoy all of it. That is the beauty of the duality of Spy x Family.

One Part Comedy/Slice-of-Life

Despite being written as a single film, Spy x Family: Code White is 

two shorter films fused into one. For the first half of the film, the Forgers go on a weekend trip north to learn how to make the favorite dessert of the person judging a cooking contest at Anyaโ€™s school, with the winner getting one of the Stella Stars needed to become an elite scholar. AKA, the most essential part of Loisโ€™s mission to meet the man the West suspects might be planningโ€ฆsomething. They really donโ€™t know, hence why theyโ€™re doing this. And with the higher-ups looking to take him off the mission for not moving fast enough, Loid needs this win. Hilarity ensues as the Forgers struggle to get everything they need.

To make matters worse (I.E. funnier), due to a misunderstanding, Yor thinks that Loid might be cheating on her with another woman. This is in spite of the fact that both of them know their marriage isnโ€™t real, and theyโ€™re only pretending to keep Anya in that school. But Yor is so socially awkward and prone to worrying about standing out that she gets gaslit by her gossipy co-workers into thinking thatโ€™s what happening. Again, theyโ€™re not really married!

This is what makes Spy x Family so funny, though. Even though they both know what they have is fake (for now. I ship them,) Loid and Yor do care about each other and they care about Anya. Loid can claim heโ€™s doing this for the mission and Yor to protect her identity all they want, but everyone knows they care about their found family. And even though not all of them are aware of whatโ€™s going on, theyโ€™ll all go to great lengths to protect this.

That is the first half. The second half is where the action ramps up. 

…One Part Spy Thriller

By sheer coincidence or rule of plot, a group of soldiers are in the area carrying a microfilm that could start a war between East and West. And Anya manages to accidentally eat the chocolate that itโ€™s hidden in, making her a target. Now both her adoptive parents have to race to save her life and the world. And they have to do it without letting the other on about whatโ€™s happening. 

In any other setting, trying to keep each other in the dark about the truth about everything would be played for drama. Instead, Code White plays it up for laughs, especially when it should defy common sense! At one point when Loid has to land the airship theyโ€™re on, he passes it off as something he learned as a student. And Anya gives her this deadpan look that screams โ€œReally, papa?โ€ Itโ€™s pretty funny. And thereโ€™s also a running joke about Anya having to avoid going to the bathroom to get rid of the microfilm. Because if she does, sheโ€™ll die. (She never even ate it, though.)

A Really Fun Film, and Great Way to Kill Time

All jokes aside, once the film does focus on the action, it does a good job at it. Thereโ€™s a reason why Loid and Yor are so popular with fans beyond their looks, and itโ€™s because when they get serious, they get stuff done. The entire second half of the film is one big action sequence that would make John Wick, James Bond, and Eggsy Unwin proud. Itโ€™s not as intense as some fights in the Shonen genre, but itโ€™s still fun.

As far as going to see it in theaters, you can either take it or leave it. If you love Spy x Family for its action, espionage and comedy mix, go see it. If not, then you could afford to wait until itโ€™s on one of the many streaming services out there. At the very least, it helped me to kill time on Friday night, and Iโ€™m happy with that.

I Give Spy x Family: Code White a 4/5