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Natsuko Just Fixed a Useless Character

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

Zenshu Ep. 3 Review

Zenshu has now hit its third episode (fourth by the time this is out), and that marks an important milestone. The anime’s reaching the point where viewers will decide whether it’s worth watching or they decide to move onto something else. Thankfully, after a few rough patches, the third episode manages to be its strongest thus far. In addition to further expanding on the world that Natsuko finds herself in by introducing Luke’s designated love interest, the episode hints that what she knows should happen and what will happen might not always add up.

Which is a fancy way of saying that the story might be mixing things up in an attempt to course-correct.

I Respect Natsuko’s Aversions to Fancy Clothes

Thanks to the efforts of Natsuko, two of the tragic events that originally occurred in A Tale of Perishing have been averted. As a result, rather than the joint funeral for Unio and the townsfolk that Natsuko notes would’ve happened, the Last Town’s harvest festival takes place as planned. To her dismay, being the guest of honor also means she has to wear a fancy dress, which she despises, much to Unio’s amusement.

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The harvest festival, as a whole, serves as an excellent means of further developing Natsuko and the Nine Soldiers. Natsuko’s disdain for her fancy dress highlights how she wants to live life on her own terms and doesn’t care what others think. Unio proves to be a casanova wannabe who tries and fails to flirt with multiple women, to Natsuko’s amusement. Memmeln refrains from the town’s religious practices because she’s lived so long, she sees them as a fad. And despite his good looks, Luke is shown to be very shy around large groups of women. Which may explain his earlier sexist remarks towards Natsuko.

This is unfortunate, as this episode marks the introduction of his love interest from the film Destiny Heartwarming (yes, that is her real name.) She’s the sweet, sheltered daughter of the town’s mayor, engaged to a wealthy businessman to be the next of his many wives…and that’s it. As Natsuko notes, she’s only there for her and Luke to fall in love…so that when she shows up at the worst possible time and dies, it will break him even further.

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A USELESS CHARACTER, DESTINY IS (For Now)

There’s a name for characters like this: dead. weight. Natsuko thinks that in her inner monologues, which is likely Zenshu providing commentary on how fans can come to hate certain characters for various reasons. In Natsukoโ€™s case, not only is it because sheโ€™s a jinx, but because sheโ€™s only marrying that businessman because she thinks itโ€™s the best way to start an orphanage for the townโ€™s children. For someone who values her own freedom like Natsuko, Destinyโ€™s way of thinking offends her to her very core.

In any case, Natsuko tells everyone that they have a month before the Void return, so they can take it easy. However, sheโ€™s soon proven wrong when a Void comes in disguised as a priest, something that shouldnโ€™t have happened until later in the story. How this is happening is unclear, but itโ€™s possible the story is attempting to right itself after Natsukoโ€™s interference changed events. And with Destiny in danger and Luke drunk in vodka, she has to come up with another deus ex machina.

WRESTLING!!!

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This time, itโ€™s a cat luchador. Which leads to an enjoyable moment where Natsuko provides commentary as her creation delivers a smack down like itโ€™s an actual wrestling match. Say what you want, but someone at MAPPA has a sense of humor.

In the end, another crisis is averted thanks to Natsuko, and in more ways than one. After waking up three days later (which seems to be standard), she finds out her words left a positive impact on Destiny. Not only did she dump business guy and open the orphanage on her own, she decided to follow Natsukoโ€™s example and live life on her terms. And those terms include emulating the cat wrestler, which is hilarious.

Natsuko Hirose. Making bad characters better since 2025.

It was touch and go for a while, but after this episode, Zenshu looks like it can handle itself with the big boys. This is one anime to watch for the winter season of 2025, as thereโ€™s no telling how things will turn out. We still donโ€™t know how Natsuko got to this world or why she was brought there, but there are sure to be some theories at work already.

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I Give “Destiny” a 4/5

Toriyama Couldn’t Resist the Sentai, Could He?

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

Dragon Ball Daima Ep 14 Review

Even if they would be quickly overshadowed in strength by future villains, most Dragon Ball fans remember the Ginyu Force. Their flamboyant personalities, their unique powers, and their love for choreographed posing. The Ginyu Force was Toriyama’s first affectionate parody of the tokusatsu genre and Super Sentai series, AKA the Power Rangers. A tribute to the franchise he’d grown to love from watching alongside his son. Dragon Ball would come to incorporate other sentai parodies like the Great Saiyaman and the Pride Troopers, but the Ginyu Force are the most iconic. Therefore, it’s perhaps fitting that Toriyama’s last gift to Dragon Ball would include yet another sentai parody among the antagonists. And while it’s easy to see that Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, Shin, Glorio and the others will mop the floor with this new group, they’ll still be fun to watch.

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The latest tokusatsu team in Dragon Ball

After their detour in the last episode, the hero’s party is back on track for the First Demon World. Unfortunately for them, Gomah already knew they were coming and planned ahead. Not only did he pull back the bulk of his forces to the First Demon World to defend him, he had Degesu shut down Warp-Sama across the entire Demon Realm. Whatever world its inhabitants are in, they’re now trapped there. In addition, he’s mobilized his elite forces, the Gendarmerie Force. AKA, the Demon Realm’s version of the Ginyu Force.

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From the outset, a longtime Dragon Ball fan see Toriyama’s love of tokusatsu and sentai oozing off the Gendarmerie Force. They’re essentially Demon clones of the Ginyu’s, right down to their friendly nature and love for synchronized posing. The only difference between them and the Ginyu’s is that, unlike Frieza, Gomah has zero tolerance for their hammy nature. Given how he already knew how strong Goku was as an adult, and seeing how strong he and his allies are as kids, his intolerance is understandable. He’s taking the threat seriously, but his best soldiers care more about getting chips and giving candy to kids (Kuu and Duu.)

It doesn’t take a genius to know that, while they might put up a good fight, the Gendarmerie Force is going to lose to the combined force of Saiyans, Namekians, Demons, and two super-geniuses. The one upside is that, unlike the Ginyu, the Gendarmerie might stand getting out of this mess alive. That would be a nice change of pace; one last way for Toriyama to show his love of the sentai genre.

This feels like a cop-out

Meanwhile, thanks to being stuck on a planet of giants, it’s only now that the party arrives at Warp-sama. Thus, it’s only now that they learn that Gomah shut Warp-sama down, and with the barriers connecting the Demon Worlds up, they look to be trapped. At least, they do, until Neva reveals he was the one who put the barriers up to protect the Second World from thugs and snooty elites and brings it down.

As impressive as this feat is, with Piccolo even saying Neva deserved his legendary status, it feels too much like a deus ex machina. The heroes traveling with the one who created the Demon Realm’s Dragon Balls is believable, as that has happened in the past. But for that same person to be the one who created the barriers separating the Demon Realm? That’s pushing it, and it feels like Daima only did to save fans time by slogging through an episodes-long fetch quest. Normally, that would be a good thing, but in this case, it might have done more harm than good.

Firstly, consider how much time Daima’s spent in the Second Demon World. Now compare it to the time spent in the Third Demon World. The Second World is nowhere near as well explored as the Third, and that’s a problem. This is the first time outside the games and supplementary material that fans have gotten a look at the Demon Realm. The show should try and build it up as much as possible, not rush through it like this!

Yes, Daima is ending soon

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What makes it worse is the revelation that Daima will be ending in February with twenty episodes. Considering how this series is Toriyama’s final contribution to the world he created, many fans might not be ready to say goodbye so soon. However, it’s out of the fan’s control, with the episode seeing the party of Saiyans, Demons, Namekians, Kai, and human making it to the First Demon World…and losing their plane again.

Gomah’s preparations seem to have borne fruit, as the second the group arrives, they’re immediately beset by the Gendarmerie. The episode ends with them running from the sheer force of numbers, and they’ll likely be in for a tough fight. As exciting as that sounds, though, and as funny as the Gendarmerie Force is, it doesn’t change the fact that this episode feels rushed. That could spell bad news for the ending and, ultimately the legacy, of Daima. As any Game of Thrones fan attests, a good story can be ruined if it doesn’t stick the landing. Seeing Toriyama flex his love for sentai one last time helped, but not much. Unless the last six episodes are really good, Toei made a mistake with the number of episodes it gave Daima, and this proves it.

I Give “Taboo” a 2.5/5

The Giants that Make Great Apes Look Small

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

Dragon Ball Daima Ep 13 Review

After a week off, Dragon Ball Daima is back for the new year, and it’s gearing up for the latter half of its story. To recap where we left off, Goku and the other just retrieved the second of the Demon World’s Dragon Balls. Simultaneously, Dr. Arinsu got the last one thanks to her new minions, Majin’s Kuu and Duu. As for her boss, Supreme King Gomah, he’s entering full-blown panic mode as Goku and his allies look set to arrive on his doorstep. As he takes drastic measures to stop him, the group runs into its own problems a-la Gulliver’s Travels. Though Attack on Titan might be more appropriate, given how this is an anime.

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Gomah is Getting Desperate

Supreme King Gomah is being backed into a corner, and he knows it. His attempts to try and weaken Goku and his friends and family so they’re not a threat have completely backfired on him. And with his army pulled back to his stronghold in the First Demon World, he faces the very real risk of losing his control over the Demon Realm. Thus, he decides to take drastic measures. He orders Degesu to shut down Warp-sama in a last-ditch attempt to keep Goku out.

We don’t yet know the implications of shutting down the main form of transit between the Demon Realm and the multiverse, but this will likely be a problem for the heroes. Not only does this make getting to Gomah and Dende (their goal) harder, but without Warp-sama, they might not be able to make it home. And since there’s no guarantee Goku’s instant transmission can get them to Dende, they might have to find another way!

Giant. DEMONS.

That problem can wait, though. Continuing their string of bad luck with planes, the group’s plane goes down on a mysterious planet that has Neva shaking in fear once he remembers its name. Enter, Planet Mega, AKA the second most dangerous planet in the Demon Realm due to everything there being so big, including its inhabitants, the Megath. Inhabitants who, even as kids, make a Saiyan’s Great Ape form look puny in comparison. And the adults are big enough to hunt the Krakens that inhabit the seas of the Second Demon World.

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Run. Just Run!

Saying that Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo and the others are out of their league would be an understatement. A single Megath child manages to pressure them to the point where they can’t win a straight-up fight. Even in their adult forms, it’s likely the Megath would be too much for the Saiyans and Namekian to handle at this point in their lives. As a result, viewers have to watch as the group flees for their lives. And even then, they only manage to get away by the skin of their teeth. Little wonder why Neva said that not even the Supreme Demon King and his army dared to travel to Mega; it’s terrifying!

The scariest part, though? This is only the second most dangerous place in the Demon Realm. According to Neva, the most dangerous place, Planet Giga, has beings even bigger than the Megath!

This unexpected excursion conjures mixed feelings within me. On the one hand, I can’t help but be curious as to how strong the Megath and Gigath are compared to an adult Goku and Vegeta. On the other hand, I think that they might be too much for even a Saiyan to handle. Still, if this counts as a filler episode, I’m not going to complain. This was a fun, yet terrifying, experience.

I Give “Surprise” a 4/5

Dr. Stone, I presume?

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

Dr. Stone: Science Future S4 Premiere Review

Everyone, Iโ€™m ten billion percent certain Iโ€™m going to be watching this season of Dr. Stone.

Iโ€™ve been following the Dr. Stone anime off and on since it came out back in 2019, but the new season is said to be the last one. And given how I love the seriesโ€™ sense of comedy, quirky characters, and (largely) accurate use of science, I wanted to see it off. It also helps that itโ€™s got a solid dub and caught up to the point where I actively started reading the manga as it came out. And while some may see the season premiere as padding, I see it as a way for the show flex its comedic muscles.

I canโ€™t spoil anything from the manga, but trust me: you are going to miss the light-heartedness after a certain point.

Disagreements on Travel

Having acquired one of the mysterious devices responsible for turning humankind to stone, the Kingdom of Scienceโ€™s next step is to confront the one responsible. Thereโ€™s one problem, though: theyโ€™re located on the Moon. Getting to the moon was a gargantuan undertaking even with modern society, and Senku is having to rebuild civilization from the ground up. With Japan unable to provide all the resources needed, the Kingdom of Science has no other option: they have to start recruiting people around the world. First stop is the good olโ€™ US of A.

One question, though: what route will they take?

Once again showing their knowledge of science, the anime points out that taking a route hugging the continents would get them there faster, even if itโ€™s more difficult. However, the resident sailor Ryusui argues that they should go in a straight line to the west coast of America. Unable to break the deadlock, Senku and Ryusui decide to settle the matterโ€ฆin a game of poker.

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Many people will likely consider this episode focusing on a game of poker to be a waste of time. To be fair, theyโ€™re not wrong. Even in the manga, this largely gave off the feeling of padding the story out for the sake of it. However, it still winds up being enjoyable to watch for two reasons. Firstly, it means we get to see the character interacting with each other, which is one of Dr. Stoneโ€™s strongest selling points. Most of the main cast does a good job of bouncing off one anotherโ€™s quirks for comedic effect, and that holds true for this episode.

The second reason? Simple: seeing everyone wearing casino attire. You canโ€™t deny that Senku and Kohaku look amazing in their respective outfits!

Enjoy the fun while it lasts

So, after shenanigans ensue, Senku ends up winning like he usually does. And with their route now set, everyone celebrates by doing the other thing casinos are known for: drinking and partying. And Senku does point out how heโ€™s 3,700 years old, so heโ€™s able to drink. Plus, there are no governments to enforce drinking ages, so itโ€™s a moot point.

Some people might see the season premiere as unnecessary padding. I see it as a fun little way to get started on the final season of Dr. Stone. Like I said, Iโ€™m ten billion percent watching this entire season, because this is going to be one of the big early hits of 2025.

Also, I wasnโ€™t joking earlier: there will come a time when you will miss how light-hearted things are.

Verdict: Imma Watch it

‘Zenshu’ an Original Isekai by MAPPA

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Zenshu Ep 1&2 Review

Since its inception almost fourteen years ago, Studio MAPPA has made quite a name for itself. Itโ€™s produced some of the biggest anime of the last few years, including Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, and even the final season of Attack on Titan. However, one genre of anime that they have yet to touch is that of the Isekai genre. Much less an Isekai thatโ€™s wholly original and not based on any light novel, webcomic, or manga. Yet they decided to kick off 2025 doing exactly that with their new, original series, Zenshu. AKA a self-insert fanfiction being made into an anime.

Anyone who has ever loved a story but hated the ending should have a vested interest in this anime.

Oh, you thought this was a work-place comedy? Think again!

Zenshu starts off with a bait-and-switch as it introduces us to our main character, Natsuko Hirose. Sheโ€™s a young, talented animator who got hired right out of high school and already made a name for herself making a hit anime. Now, sheโ€™s working on her next project, a rom-com about first love. Except sheโ€™s got writer’s block because she knows nothing about romance whatsoever and is already running behind schedule.

At first, Zenshu looked like it would be a work-place dramedy about working in the anime industry, and that alone has its appeal. The animation industry in Japan has become infamous for how stressful it can be, and having an anime focus on that would be interesting to watch. However, hereโ€™s where the bait-and-switch comes in: Natsuko eats bad clams for lunch and apparently dies. When she wakes up , shes in the desert outside a medieval city while a group of warriors are fighting monsters.

The One Anime Where Everyone Dies

It takes a while for Natsuko to realize it, but sheโ€™s somehow gotten isekaied into A Tale of Perishing, the anime film that inspired her to become an animator in the first place. Unfortunately for her, the film was panned by critics and audiences for a good reason: all the heroes die. Few people would ever want to watch a story where the protagonists all die. And she happened to show up right when the main heroโ€™s best friend is about to pull a Chiatzou and sacrifice himself to stop the monsters, called the Void.

Natsukoโ€™s response: โ€œNahโ€ฆIโ€™m gonna fix that.โ€ And somehow, her animating tool lets her manifest her desk and start drawing a deus ex machina to prevent this tragedy from occurring. And while the anime can be a little cringy up to this point (it doesnโ€™t help that I couldnโ€™t decide if I liked dubbed or subbed better) you can tell MAPPA wanted to cook with this one scene in particular.

It boils down to Natsuko recreating the climax of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, minus the main character briefly dying!

Natsuko and Luke Have Some Issues

The second episode picks up with Natsuko coming out of a three day slumber to be confronted by Luke Braveheart, the main protagonist of the film. From there, it essentially deals with Natsuko trying to understand how she got into this situation as well as how she managed to do whatever she did. Unfortunately, all she can learn is that she canโ€™t use that magic whenever she wants; only when theyโ€™re fighting. In addition, she can only drawing a new ending once, so she has to get creative with her approach. Which is a nice handicap MAPPA came up with to make the story more interesting. Zenshu wants Natsuko to work for what she wants!

The other main focus of the second episode, though, is on the growing dynamic between Natsuko and Luke. At first, Luke is very weary of Natsuko, not even knowing if sheโ€™s human or not. Then, in this episode, when the mayor of the city offers to have her join the heroโ€™s party, he makes a sexist remark by saying women canโ€™t fight. Right in front of his female teammate, no less. That alone would get him canceled on social media.

Yet, for some reason, Zenshu drops subtle hints that itโ€™s shipping Luke and Natsuko. So, thereโ€™s likely going to be some character development on both parts. Plus, itโ€™s hinted that Luke acts like this because of something from his backstory, though it doesnโ€™t say what.

I Hope this Show Develops the Characters More

Itโ€™s not just Luke that is a problem, though. It feels like the characters from A Tale of Perishing donโ€™t have much depth to them. Since this is only the first two episodes, though, that will (hopefully) change. But it doesnโ€™t help that Lukeโ€™s best friend, a talking unicorn named Unio, is a little irritating. Not even having him voiced by Luci Christian in the dub can help that!

Speaking of dub, itโ€™s hard to tell which is going to be better, subbed or dubbed. On the one hand, the dub does have some good talent with Madeline Morris, the voice of Rudeus Greyrat, voicing Natsuko. On the other hand, the dub can feel a little cringy at times, though that might also be the story.

Despite some of the issues with Zenshu, I did put it as one of the anime to look forward to going into 2025. As such, it only feels right to try and stick it out until the end. At the very least, reviewing it every week might help others decide if itโ€™s worth the watch or not.

I Give “First Stroke” and “Defending to the Death” a 3.5/5 and a 4/5

Jin-woo has an army now. DON’T MAKE HIM MAD!

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

Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadows S2 Ep 3 Review

There’s only one reason why Sung Jin-woo became a Hunter: to provide for his sister and comatose mother. That motivation hasn’t changed since becoming a Player, especially since the Demon Castle Dungeon gave him the means to create a medicine to cure his mother. Having unlocked new abilities and tested them in the Red Gate, it’s time for Jin-woo to return to the Instance Dungeon to see how far he can go. At the same time, things are happening to those connected to Jin-woo that could affect him down the road.

Jinho’s Next Step to Being a Guild Master

Not long after the Red Gate, Jin-woo and Jinho reach the end of their deal: they’ve cleared 19 dungeons together! Rather, it’s more like Jin-woo cleared them, and Jinho helped support him. To his dismay, though, even that becomes pointless with Jin-woo’s Shadows able to carry his gear and mine resources.

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It’s easy to feel sympathetic for Jinho. His father’s seemingly never expected much from him and his brother is a conceited jerk. It’s no wonder that he considers Jin-woo more of a brother than his biological brother. And, despite his now-stoic nature, Jin-woo reciprocates the feeling, to his joy. What’s more, his father actually takes his request to lead their pending Hunter’s guild seriously. However, there’s a catch: he has to recruit Jin-woo.

As expected, Jin-woo’s extraordinary actions are starting to attract attention from those in power. It’s only a matter of time before people start trying to take advantage of his power…or come for his head like Dongsoo.

Yes, that man is who you think he is

Speaking of Dongsoo, this episode reveals the reason he was called back to the US. During a dungeon raid, an American Hunting party found something, or someone: a Korean Hunter. The government detains him for fear of him being a monster, but since he speaks Korean, they bring Dongsoo in to communicate.

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What follows demonstrates how Dongsoo is just as wicked as his older brother, as he immediately realizes the connection the mysterious man has to Jin-woo and lies about the young man’s death.

Before you ask, yes. The man in question, Sung Il-Hwan, is Jin-woo’s father and an S-Rank Hunter, to boot. Ten years ago, he got stuck inside a Dungeon that closed on him. He’s only now found his way back to his dimension, and what happened in-between then, and what he learned, will become very important later in the series. What matters at the moment, though, is that he manages to humiliate Dongsoo before escaping custody. So, like son, like father!

Jin-woo Solos Half the Demon Castle

The highlight of the episode (besides the gratitious cameos of Cha Hae-In) are Jin-woo’s return to the Instance Dungeon called the Demon Castle. With the Red Gate affirming how strong he’s gotten since his job change, Jin-woo feels confident enough to try more of the dungeon.

This time, though, Jin-woo has an army at his disposal.

The second journey into the Instance Dungeon hammers home how Jin-woo’s starting to unlock the full potential of his Shadow Army. Not only can they perform menial tasks, they can also deal with the small fry enemies while he focuses on the ones that matter. He’s learning how to lead his forces into battle like a frontline general or king of old, letting him focus on the big boss of the 50th floor.

The fight between Jin-woo and the Avaricious Vulcan, while brief, is another chance for Solo Leveling to flex its animation budget. Thanks to the monster’s size and movement, it also has the benefit of feeling like a fight from Attack on Titan, which is a welcome addition. As always, though, Jin-woo comes out on top.

By the time Jin-woo makes it to the next boss on the 75th floor, he’s marching in there at the head of a small army. The fight that follows is so fast, it can’t even count as a fight! Just an execution.

Jin-woo is Getting There

So, the good news is that Jin-woo is improving by leaps and bounds, but he’s still not strong enough to solo the Instance Dungeon. The episode ends with him returning back to his dimension, but with some extra confidence instilled in himself. Once he beats the final boss of the Demon Castle, he’ll have the last ingredient he needs for the medicine to save his mother.

There’s bad news, though: he’s attracting attention. The more incredible things he does, the more people realize that he’s not an E-Rank Hunter anymore. If anything, the fact that he keeps pretending to be one will cause him trouble down the road. Sooner or later, he’s going to have to get re-re-evaluated and accept his S-Rank status. Otherwise, things could get ugly.

The good thing about Jin-woo, though, is that despite how strong he’s gotten, he’s not letting it go to his head. He still cares about his family (and Jinho), and he never lords his power over others unless he has to. Hopefully, that doesn’t change because…Jin-woo would be terrifying if he went evil. Like Homelander on steroids.

Great episode, though. Jin-woo is one step closer to saving his mother. And we got to see more of Cha Hae-In.

I Give “Still a Long Way to Go” a 3.5/5

Three Reasons Why Kim Chul is a Chump

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Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadow S2 Ep 2 Review

A few months ago, being trapped in a Red Gate dungeon would’ve been a worst-case scenario for Jin-woo. Especially if his party leader left anyone they deemed weak behind to die while they fought the boss. But that was before he became a Player and learned how to raise the dead as part of his own private army. Now, the Red Gate is just another way for him to train and build his Shadow army. And as Jin-woo makes clear in this episode, he’s not afraid to use his necromancy powers on his fellow human beings.

To be fair, he’ll only use them on humans who already deserve this fate, like his so-called party leader.

Kim Chul’s Three Strikes

At the end of the last episode, the anime showed us the fate of party leader Kim Chul and his half of the Hunters. Without any food or supplies, they starved, froze, and were then mauled to death by yetis. Chul only survived because he ran away with his tail tucked between his legs.

While the sight of Chul walking back alone and half-insane might make some people feel bad for him, the story makes it clear that we shouldn’t. He knew leaving the weaker Hunters behind would likely kill them, and he did it anyway. Worse, he forced the other members to press on without adequate food and supplies, leading to their deaths. Any military leader worth their salt would tell you sending your forces out without being prepared can lead to disaster. That’s strike one against Kim Chul.

Then, when he gets back to the others and sees them happy around a campfire with food and blankets, he snaps. He wrongly assumes that they deliberately hoarded supplies from him, and thus, that they’re to blame for everyone’s deaths. That’s strike two, and if Jin-woo hadn’t been there to knock him on his back, he would’ve killed everyone present.

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Then, when Chul comes to while Jin-woo’s fighting the boss, he decides to try killing Jin-woo instead of helping him like he should’ve. Final strike! And for his arrogance and stupidity, Jin-woo gives Chul a very special gift: the honor of being the third time he’s had to kill a human being.

And, to add insult to injury, Jin-woo doesn’t even kill Chul himself; he has Igris do it before reviving him as his latest Shadow, now called Iron.

Jin-woo Bodies an Army of Murderous Ice Elves

The real highlight of the episode, though, is the fight between Jin-woo and his Shadow army and the Ice Elves, led by one called Baruka. The fight is frenetic, fast-paced, and seems less like a duel between two opponents and more like a proper battle. As Jin-woo continues to get stronger, though, he’s going to use his Shadows more and more to help him deal with monsters. Thus, this is a prelude to some of the things that he will end up doing as the anime progresses.

Baruka’s a tough opponent, but in the end, he ends up another victim of Jin-woo. The one loss that Jin-woo has to take is the fact that he’s unable to extract Baruka’s Shadow, leaving him out of a valuable soldier in his growing army. However, he manages to get his daggers and the survivors out in one piece, so that’s a win. In addition, he gets another cool moment when the White Tiger’s guildmaster, Baek Yoonho, tries to get answers about what happened out of him. Instead, Jin-woo tells him off for not being grateful he got any of his guildmembers out alive.

As for Dongsoo, he left after thinking Jin-woo wouldn’t make it out of the Red Gate alive.

This episode marks another turning point in Jin-woo’s growth as a Hunter. Until now, he’s only used Shadow Extraction on monsters. Now that he knows he can use it on humans, though, anyone who makes the mistake of crossing him could become an undead minion in his army. Fortunately, he seems like the type who wouldn’t revive another human unless they were already worthy of punishment from him. On a lesser note, this is the third instance where he’s killed a person; if he’s not careful, he could become numb to the value of life and risk losing his humanity. Thankfully, he has his sister and Jinho to keep him grounded.

Speaking of Jinho, when he sees how informal his boss and Song-yi are after the events the night before, he comes to a disturbing conclusion. To be fair, if someone heard two people talking about how they didn’t get any sleep the night before out of context, they might make the same assumption. But Jin-woo isn’t that kind of Hunter.

People love the new OP

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By the way, reports are coming in saying that Solo Leveling broke its already impressive viewer record with the premiere of Season two. And the new OP managed to reach a million views on YouTube in less than three days. The people have spoken: Solo Leveling is a big thing in anime right now!

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I Give “I Suppose You Aren’t Aware” a 4/5

Solo Leveling is Back! And Jin-woo’s Cooking!

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

Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadows S2 Ep 1 Review

Everyone, rejoice! Today is a great day for anime. For Sung Him-Woo, the Black Air Force Hunter of Solo Leveling, has returned!

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Solo Leveling made huge waves in the anime world last year by being 2024โ€™s first big hit. And now, the story of Sung Jin-woo continues as he finally has a concrete goal beyond leveling up. Within the special S-rank Dungeon only he can access lie the ingredients to a miracle potion that can cure anything. If he gets his hands on it, he can use it to awaken his mom from her coma! The bad news is that heโ€™s still not strong enough to clear the Dungeon. The good news? Heโ€™s no longer fighting alone. Heโ€™s got an army of shadow warriors to help him, and heโ€™s going to use them. Which leads us to the season premiere as Jin-woo puts his black Air Force energy through its paces in a Dungeon raid gone wrong. Again.

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But first, can we talk about how amazing the OP to season two of Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadows is? Besides the killer animation, thereโ€™s also the fact that the song is sung by LiSA and Felix from Stray Kids. Sheโ€™s one of my favorite J-Pop singers, and for good reason. Sheโ€™s done the theme songs to some the biggest anime of the century, including Sword Art Online, Fate, Demon Slayer, and more. Regardless of the criticisms to SAO, โ€œCrossing Fieldโ€ is a very exciting OP. And โ€œGurengeโ€ is practically a legend at this point. While the OP for the first season wasnโ€™t that interesting, the one for season two is the exact opposite, being an absolute head-banger that I desperately want to find on iTunes.*

*(It’s on iTunes Now!)

Jin-woo’s Master Plan to Convince Sister’s Friend to Stay in School

Itโ€™s parent-teacher day at the school of Jin-wooโ€™s sister, Jinah, and since heโ€™s her legal guardian, he has to go in their parentโ€™s place. And despite just waking up, Jin-woo shows up looking super-cool, leading to yet another moment where young ladies drool over him. The manโ€™s rizz is off the charts, and he doesnโ€™t even realize it!

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The good news is Jinahโ€™s on track to get into the medical school sheโ€™s aiming for, so thereโ€™s no problems there. However, her teacher asks Jin-woo with help with another student whoโ€™s a friend of Jinah. Her name is Han Song-Yi, and she recently awakened as a Hunterโ€ฆas an E-rank. Sheโ€™s the girl whoโ€™s been in Jin-woo and Jin-hoโ€™s party as they go Dungeon hopping for their plan to make Joonho a guild master. And now, sheโ€™s planning on quitting school and becoming a full-time Hunter.

Itโ€™s not out of the ordinary for young, talented people to decide theyโ€™re wasting their time in public school and simply drop out. Some of the great movers and shakers in history never finished school. However, Jin-woo knows firsthand how dangerous being a Hunter is, especially if youโ€™re an E-Rank. He might not have the scars, but heโ€™s got the hospital bills to prove it! Thus, Jin-woo decides he needs to set Sang-yi straight before she gets herself killed. However, instead of lecturing her about how dangerous it is, he decides to go for the โ€œsink-or-swimโ€ approach. He speaks to her and tells her that heโ€™s gonna let her go on a Dungeon Raid with him, and manages to get them a spot on a raid by the White Tiger Guild.

Red Gates. The Bane of Every Hunters Existence

Unfortunately, Jin-wooโ€™s plan works too well. As soon as the party enters, the Gate turns into a Red Gate. Thatโ€™s when the Dungeon mutates and sends the people inside into another dimension altogether, where the monsters are stronger, and they canโ€™t get out unless they kill the boss or the Dungeon breaks.

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From this moment on, the Dungeon raid becomes a survival horrorโ€ฆfor everyone that isnโ€™t Jin-woo. One Hunter dies immediately to an ice arrow. The A-rank Hunter in charge of the raid decides to leave lower-ranked Hunters to die while the others clear the Dungeon. As the end of the episode shows, they die and the leader, Kim Chul, runs away scared for his life. In contrast, everyone who stayed with Jin-woo lives and thrives after he takes out the ice bears and their leader.

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Speaking of which, the fight with the ice bears and their pack leader marks the first time that Jin-woo uses his Shadows in battle. While itโ€™s not as epic as one would think, keep in mind that this is still a new power to him. However, as he gets stronger, his Shadows will follow suit as he gains more of them. Eventually, he will have his own army. As far as animation goes, though, his little skirmish is decent.

Don’t expect to see Dongsoo again this season.

Speaking of skirmishes, Jin-woo narrowly avoided getting into one with S-rank Hunter Hwang Dongsoo. He flew back to Korea to kill Jin-woo and Joonho for the death of his older brother, only to arrive at the gate too late. At his current level, Jin-woo could likely go toe-to-toe with Dongsoo, but thereโ€™s no guarantee he would come out on top. In addition, fighting him in front of the leader of the White Tiger Guild and Joonchul from the Hunterโ€™s Association would just bring him unwanted attention. Right now, anonymity is good for him.

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This first episode doesnโ€™t reach the same heights as the series premiere, but it doesnโ€™t have to do so. All it needs is to reintroduce people to the story and show the direction itโ€™s heading in. As far as action goes, itโ€™s only going to get better as time goes by. Having read the manwha, trust me when I say that by the time the series hits its climax, itโ€™s going to need a theater to handle everything.

But if you really want more action right away, you can always play Solo Leveling: Arise.

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Solo Leveling: Arise is a free-to-play action RPG available on mobile and pc that lets players experience the story of Solo Leveling for themselves. Players can take control of Jin-woo and have him hack, slash, and rizz his way through the dungeons as he levels up and goes from the weakest Hunter to the strongest in the world. Theyโ€™ll have all the RPG mechanics of the System at their disposal as they help Jin-woo get stronger to take on the threats found within the dungeons. And with more skills, special attacks, and weapons than I can hope to count available to them, they can make Jin-woo into their ideal Hunter.

But wait! Jin-woo wonโ€™t be fighting alone in this game. Through the rewards you gain by completing events and parts of the story, you can earn resources to upgrade your equipment even further. More importantly, you can unlock characters from the story that you can either play as or have support Jin-woo throughout the story. Not only are all of these characters voiced by their VAโ€™s and Seiyus from the anime, but they can also be leveled up so they can keep being of use to you. To sweeten the deal, if you level them up enough, you can unlock their backstories and learn how they became Hunters. There are even original manwha stories detailing their origins for you to read and enjoy.

While the combat in Arise can get a bit repetitive at times, the game provides its own solution. If you set your characters to โ€˜autoโ€™ mode, they will clear dungeons and story chapters on autopilot. Itโ€™s perfect to level grind without having to put in the effort of controlling your character! Plus, the cutscenes are a combination of the in-game engine and using panels from the original manwha, allowing for a diverse way to experience the story of Solo Leveling. Fair warning, though: the story does extend far beyond where the anime is right now. So avoid going any further if youโ€™ve only watched the anime and want to avoid spoilers!

Get Solo Leveling: Arise now for PC and Mobile, release on Steam to be announced.

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I Give “You Aren’t E-Rank, Are You?” a 4/5

Who Let a Power Ranger into an Isekai?

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

The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World Initial Review

Somewhere, somehow, a mangaka asked the following question: what if we put a super sentai protagonist in an Isekai story? How would these two different types of stories work together? What chaos would ensue from the clashing of genres? Apparently, not only did someone decide to find out, but it was enough to warrant the resulting manga an anime. This is The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another Worldโ€ฆand it might be one of the most ridiculous ideas of the year.

The Red Ranger Who Got Isekaied

Meet Asakagi Togo, AKA Red, AKA the Red Ranger of the Kizuna Five, his worldโ€™s version of the Super Sentai/Power Rangers. Right in the middle of their final battle against their nemesis, the (I’m not making this up) Breakup King, Red apparently sacrifices himself to end the fight for good. Instead of dying, though, Red wakes up to find himself in the middle of a world full of swords and sorcery. He got Isekaied.

Six months pass. Red has been trying to find a way home, only for its attempts to come up fruitless. However, after seeing all the hardships the people of this new world face, his sense of justice compels him to keep being a hero by becoming an adventurer. And, since he still has all his Sentai abilities, he can no-sell almost anything thrown at him. The people of this world donโ€™t even understand what Redโ€™s powers are!

Meet Yihdra Arvoln, the daughter and heir to a noble family of wizards. For generations, her family served their kingdom as, for lack of a better comparison, the Hands of the King, but with magic. Until her father lost the title to someone who wants to abuse magic for power and got exiled. Now, sheโ€™s trying to reclaim her familyโ€™s position by contributing to the study of magic. Sadly, every adventurer she hires to retrieve materials proves unfit for her high standards.

Then Red arrives and throws her for a loop with his powers, his ability to make enemies explode for no reason, and his constant talking about the importance of bonds. He talks so much about friendship and bonds, it would make Naruto proud!

This is a Satire. Don’t Take it Seriously

At this point, it should be apparent what kind of story The Red Ranger is meant to be: a satire. Itโ€™s deliberately playing up the more absurd aspects of the Sentai genre to make fun of how ridiculous the whole concept can seem to someone who doesnโ€™t get it. However, the anime makes it evident that itโ€™s meant to be playful ribbing rather than mean-spirited criticism. Despite how much Yihdra is thrown off-guard by Redโ€™s personality, she realizes that he genuinely believes in what he says about the importance of friendship. Case in point, he takes the time to hear out her dream of using magic to help make the world a happier place. While she fully expects him to scoff or laugh at the idea, Red instead fully supports her goal because heโ€™s just that nice.

At the end of the episode, Yihdra repays Redโ€™s kindness by offering to form an adventuring party and work on finding a way to get him home. Redโ€™s so moved by this act that he starts crying tears of joy!

Also, she doesnโ€™t say it, but itโ€™s pretty obvious from her expressions that Yihdraโ€™s falling in love with Red. Opposites do attract, after all!

The Red Ranger is, by all accounts, a ridiculous show with a ridiculous premise. Yet, try as I might, I canโ€™t help but want to watch it. With how prevalent the Isekai genre has become, people have had to get creative with their approach to it. So, why not have a Power Ranger get isekaied and see what happens? At the very least, it will make for some good laughs!

Verdict: Imma Watch it…for reasons I don’t understand

100 Girlfriends is BACK!!!

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

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 2 Premiere Review

Everyone, the GOAT harem anime where no one loses has returned! After what felt like an eternity, The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You has returned to grace our screens once more!

It should come as no secret by now, but I am a big fan of 100 Girlfriends. Of all the harem anime that Iโ€™ve seen over the years, itโ€™s one of the funniest and most wholesome in the entire genre. More importantly, itโ€™s about a protagonist whoโ€™s got an actual personality, but who is proactive in how he treats his girlfriends. Rentaro is the gold standard that every boyfriend should aspire to be, and I love seeing him and his growing family enjoying their lives together.

So, despite it not being my intention, Iโ€™m going to be reviewing every episode of this new season as we watch and laugh at all the hilarity. And the show comes out of the gate swinging like itโ€™s Karaneโ€™s killer left hook.

Freaky Friday or Your Name?

After the new OP (which is one of the series best parts), rather than jump into the story of the manga, the series decides to come up with an original story for the first half of the premiere. And it doesnโ€™t hesitate to resume its fourth-wall-breaking by having the girlfriends acknowledge that itโ€™s been a year since the last episode. So, to shake things up, Hakari had Kusuri develop a drug to alter their personalitiesโ€ฆonly for it to somehow make them switch bodies. Itโ€™s a scenario straight out of Your Name, and not only does the anime acknowledge this, it even recreates it one of its famous montages.

If that wasnโ€™t funny enough, what makes it funnier is the fact that they try to avoid getting sued for name-dropping it. As well as Rentaro trying to figure out whoโ€™s in what body based on their mannerisms.

I think what makes it even better is that they didnโ€™t switch seiyuuโ€™s for this like other anime would. They got to act out of character as much as they wanted, and I canโ€™t wait to hear this in dub.

In any event, itโ€™s up to Rentaro to figure out how to get them back in their bodies, and this is one of those moments where the show just chooses to ignore realism in the name of comedy. In this case, the girlfriends each have to kiss Rentaro, making them feel so ecstatic that their souls leave their bodies. I cannot make this up!

Girlfriend #7 Comes to Feast!

Once thatโ€™s done, though, the anime gets back to following the plot of the manga. That means that itโ€™s time for Rentaro to get his seventh soulmate. And the winner isโ€ฆ

Meet Kurumi Haraga, a third-year middle schooler and the big eater girlfriend. She and Rentaro meet when she sneaks into high school cafeteria to get some lunch. And, as with all the other girls, Kurumi has her own issues that serve to make her unique amongst the growing Rentaro Family. In this case, her big eater tendencies are not by choice. She suffers from an abnormally high metabolism, meaning she burns through calories like crazy, so she has to eat a lot to keep going. Worse, whenever someone mentions a specific food, sheโ€™ll start craving it and will remain grumpy until she has it. In other words, combine the eating habits of a Saiyan with the eating disorder that Big Mom from One Piece has, but without destructive tendencies.

Because of her unique issue, Kurumi has a hard time opening up to people, as she will lash out at others when sheโ€™s hungry. And since sheโ€™s hungry all the time, she has no friends. Thus, despite bonding over lunch with Rentaro after they meet, she lashes out at him the next day when she canโ€™t get the food she wants.

Thankfully, Rentaro, being the CHAD he is, manages to soothe her hunger painsโ€ฆand win her heart.

Did I mention I like her design? The headphones and hoodie are a cool combo.

Prepare for Lots of Foodservice Next Episode

The episode ends with Rentaro introducing Kurumi to the Family, only for Kurumi to say sheโ€™s not interested in being friends with them. So, to break the ice, Rentaro has them all sign up for an eating contest with a special gelato as the prize, setting us up for the next episode!

This entire episode, from start to finish, was an absolute blast. I love 100 Girlfriends for how unhinged it can be with its premise, and itโ€™s the comedic moments in this episode that provide a good example of why. It doesnโ€™t care about being hated; itโ€™s only interested in having a good time. Iโ€™m really glad itโ€™s backโ€ฆand I love the ED just as much as the OP.

I Give โ€œHer Nameโ€ a 5/5