Christmas

A Very Merry Fairy Tail Christmas

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

Fairy Tail: Fairies’ Christmas OVA

Most of Japan may not be Christian, but that hasn’t stopped them from enjoying the season of Christmas. Whereas in America it’s all about the exchanging of presents and time with family, in Japan, Christmas is considered a more romantic holiday. Couples, especially young ones, use Christmas Eve to show their partner how much they care about each other. That’s why many episodes of anime that feature Christmas tend to focus on the romantic aspects of the day. However, one of my favorite examples of how Christmas is seen in Japan also stems from a Shonen anime that has a…mixed reception: Fairy Tail.

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Based on an omake chapter of the same name, Fairies’ Christmas revolves around the titular magical guild enjoying the holiday season. When resident swordswoman Erza decides (unilaterally, I might add) to throw a Christmas party at her teammate Lucy’s apartment, things get out of control. Most of the women get drunk and start clinging to whatever guy they’re closest to, leaving Erza alone and upset at the fact that she’s single. In a drunken haze, she forces everyone to take part in a penalty game that forces everyone to do rather embarassing things to each other if they lose.

Chaos. Ensues.

You’ll Either Love This…or you Won’t

I already said it before, but I’ll say it again: I’m well aware that Fairy Tail has a mixed reception. However, that doesn’t change the fact that, when it’s allowed to let loose, it can make for some pretty hilarious moments. And since the concept of Legal Drinking Age doesn’t exist in their world, that means that drunken hijinks ensue thanks to Erza. As if Erza isn’t scary enough as it is, when she’s drunk, she’s an absolute wildcard.

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As mean and unwelcome as Erza’s penalty game may seem when you consider the context behind it, it’s somewhat understandable. Japan sees Christmas as a romantic holiday, but due to circumstances beyond their control, she’s unable to be with the guy she likes, Jellal. Though that hasn’t stopped Hiro Mashima from teasing the heck out of fans about shipping them.

This OVA really has no purpose to it beyond giving us some laughs for the holiday season, but that doesn’t make it pointless. While things do get crazy, that’s generally par for the course when it comes to Fairy Tail. Plus, the special does end on a rather awkward, but still sweet, Erza and Jellal. As to what happens, that’s up for you to see for yourself. If you’re willing to give Fairy Tail a shot, it might be worth a watch for the holidays. If not, no loss.

Have Yourself a Slimey Little Christmas

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

Slime Diaries Christmas Episode Review

If there are good examples of why you don’t need to be Christian to celebrate Christmas, Japan is one of them. Most of Japan isn’t Christian, but they celebrate the holiday nonetheless for the commercial and romantic aspects. People drink, celebrate, and give gifts to loved ones, with couples getting a lot of focus. That doesn’t mean that the concept of how Christmas is celebrated in the West isn’t unheard of in Japan. A good example of this is in the penultimate episode of Slime Diaries, a slice-of-life spin-off to the popular Isekai anime That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.

With winter having arrived in Tempest in full, Rimuru remembers that it must be close to Christmas time back on Earth. When his friends/citizens/companions get curious, Rimuru ends up introducing the concept of Christmas to Tempest. Never one to pass up a chance to party, the citizens of Tempest eagerly get into the spirit of the holiday. The rest of the episode consists of everyone celebrating Christmas in their own way.

Slime Diaries Christmas

At the D&A Anime blog, we’re big fans of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. It’s not hard to understand why. It’s a member of what I consider the Seven Summits of Isekai, it’s got some of the best world-building in any isekai, and Rimuru might be one of the most OP protagonists in all of anime. And his true form is a slime, one of the most basic enemies you can find in a JRPG. But despite achieving godlike power and getting plenty of chances to show it off in the main anime, anyone who knows Rimuru knows he’s a pretty chill person. All he wants to do is make a place where he can enjoy his second life to the fullest. So, Slime Diaries depicts him and his friends doing just that, with no real tension to be had.

The end result? No real drama, no plot involving everyone having to save Christmas. Just some good people getting to enjoy the holidays together. Shuna cooks a delicious Christmas dinner for everyone at Tempest’s big festival. Resident ms. fanservice Shion shows off in a Sexy Santa outfit, only to tick Rimuru off when she brings up the romantic aspects of the holiday (he was a 37-year-old single man in his first life. It’s a sore subject!) And as soon as she hears about Santa, Millim becomes convinced that she’s going to get a present. This is in spite of the fact that her frequent acts of destruction would be grounds for being a naughty-lister.

However, it makes the moment Rimuru tries to leave her a present, and she mistakes him for Santa pretty funny. Every little kid has tried at least once to stay up and get a look at Santa (including me!)

I Love Santa!

Speaking of the jolly man in the red suit, the episode ends on a very heartwarming moment. Rimuru returns to his office to find a present addressed to him…from Santa.

Full disclosure: I don’t really care if Santa’s real or just a historical saint. What matters is that the legend of Santa provides us with a sense of wonder everyone needs as a kid. Plus, I wouldn’t be surprised if Santa could travel to other universes to give people presents. He’s Santa; it just works.

All in all, this is a pretty fun Christmas episode. No real stakes, no real drama, just a family enjoying themselves like people should.  

Merry Christmas From D&A!! (And DBZ!)

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Christmas is FINALLY here!! For many of us under the age of 13, this is the night that ol’ St. Nick makes his rounds. For many of us this is the season where its better to give than receive, and for those who are having it rough around this time of the year, the best gift you can give them, is love. We know this may sound cheesy, but in the current ‘state’ that we’re living in, we need all the love we can get! (Let that sink in for a bit…)

So from us to you, have a happy and safe Christmas! Spend some time with your loved ones, your family, and your friends. ๐Ÿ™‚

(P.S. You’ve probably seen this last year, but here’s a little gift from some people you might know.)