Now that Tanjiro is healed, itโs time for him to commence his anime training arc! To prepare for the final battle against Muzan, the Demon Slayer forces everyone to endure training from the Hashira. The reason boils down to the idea of the chain only being as strong as its weakest link. Having the Hashira get stronger wonโt mean anything if the rest of the group canโt fight worth a darn. However, itโs not until Tanjiro joins the training under Tengen Uzui that we see how far the Corps needs to go. That shows just how strong Tanjiro is compared to the regular Slayers.
Can they promote Tanjiro to Hashira already?
Tanjiro Aces Boot Camp
In the real world, many elite special forces are known for their skill and prowess on the battlefield. Thereโs a good reason for that: they have to be the best to survive, which means they have to train their bodies until they collapse from exhaustion. And the training camp the Demon Slayer Corps is going through is like that, but on steroids. When the audience catches up with the Slayers working under Uzui, they are pushed to their physical and mental limits. Itโs like Hell for all of them.
The series has made it no secret that Tanjiro is stronger than most Demon Slayers despite only being a rookie. Seeing how he outpaces all of them in Uzuiโs boot camp demonstrates how big the gap is between him and the others.
Only he would reminisce so fondly about being cracked like a glowstick ๐คฃ
Itโs actually funny to see how much better Tanjiro is compared to most of the Corps. Whereas the others are winded, out of breath, and barely able to complete their exercises, Tanjiro is the opposite. He barely breaks a sweat and does everything with a big grin. Thatโs how far ahead he is of the rank-and-file. But it gets to the point where the other trainees feel disheartened by the gap in strength.
Strength Through Unity
Iโve never undergone a training camp like the one the Hashira are running, but even I know theyโre not working everyone like this to be cruel. Any good military instructor knows that soldiers need to be tough to survive on the battlefield. And since theyโre fighting actual Demons, the Demon Slayer Corps canโt afford to rely on a small handful of elites to win. They need everyone to work together to bring down Muzan.
Lucky for the trainees, they have inspiration in the form of Tanjiro. In a late-night training session with Uzui, Tanjiro shows everyone how strong he has to be to fight a Demon. And seeing him hold his own against a former Hashira lights a fire in everyone that refuses to go out.
The rank-and-file of the Demon Slayer Corps may never reach the same level as the Hashira and Tanjiro, but thatโs not the point. They know they wonโt reach that level, but they realize they donโt care. They can still support the Hashira and ensure that theyโre ready for the final battle.
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and thanks to Tanjiro, that link has gotten a little sturdier. His task done, Tanjiro moves onto the next part of his training with the Mist Hashira.
— โ๏ธโ๏ธ ๐ซ๐ธ๐๐๐ถ ๐ซโ๏ธโ๏ธ (@m1st_hashira) May 26, 2024
I donโt know how long this season of Demon Slayer will be, but Iโm actually hoping that we donโt rush toward the final battle. The final battle against Muzan is going to need to take up an entire season on its own, its so big. So I donโt really care if we have to wait until next season to see Tanjiro wreck Muzan. This training will make it worth it.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2 Ep 19 Review
Rudeus has made up his mind: heโs going to the Begaritt Continent to help rescue his Mother. Itโs going to be a long and hard trip (and I know how it ends), but this soemthing he has to do. The good news is that heโs not going alone. The bad news? Itโs an eight-month trek to his destination and back. Factoring in the time heโll be in the Labyrinth, heโll be gone for two years. In other words, he wonโt be there when his kid is born; a hard pill to swallow. But, Nanahoshi has a solution that might work.
I havenโt been able to bring myself to read the volume the animeโs adapting yet, but I still know the major details of whatโs about to happen. As a result, I can say a few things with confidence: Rudeus is making a mistake rushing into this.
Maybe He Should’ve Asked More People to Go With Him
After making his decision, the first two people Rudeus tells about his decision are Elinalise and Nanahoshi. The former tries to talk him out of going, but since sheโs unable to persuade him otherwise, theyโll travel together. And thanks to Cliff upgrading the suppressor device, Elinalise can go longer stretches before her curse hits her! Which is good, because that would make things super awkward.
Nanahoshi, meanwhile, gives Rudy something that could help them get there and back faster. Orsted showed her these teleportation circles around the world that they used to fast-travel. Since Rudy helped save her life, she shows him one that will take them within a month or so from their destination of Rapan. And itโs not far from Sharia.
After that, the episode segues into Rudy and Elinalise saying goodbye to everyone, with Cliff even asking Lise to marry him when she returns. Good on you, Cliff! You do have rizz after all!
As heartfelt as this moment was, I have to criticize the story at this point. Thereโs no easy way to say this, but Rudeus shouldnโt have left with just him and Elinalise. I understand the need to keep the circles a secret, but he couldโve asked any one of his super-strong friends to go with him as backup. Zanoba has super-strength; Luke is a pretty good swordsman; the Beast Girls have excellent hearing and smell. Badigadi is an immortal Demon God! Any one of them could be a big help in the rescue! Then again, they might not.
A Super Abridged Desert Journey
As for the journey across the Begaritt Continent, the anime leaves out much of the journey from the light novels. The one thing that they do end up focusing on is also the most unsettling. The pair get attacked by a succubus, a monster whose pheromones will drive men berserk with lust. And the only ways to cure it is by detoxification magic orโฆthat.
Suddenly, Iโm glad Eris isn’t around. I can only imagine the kind of beatdown she would have given Rudeus had that happened.
Joking aside, the anime leaves out some finer, world-building details about the Begaritt Continent. They donโt intend to stay for long, but since Mushoku Tensei is the kind of story that likes to build the world, it seems to be somewhat of a letdown. But thatโs just my opinion.
In any case, the anime must not want to waste time on that, highlighting how urgent this mission is for Rudeus. By the time the ED roles, the two have already made it to their destination of Rapan. And this is where it leaves things off.
Rudeus Biggest Battle Yet is Just Beginning
Full disclosure: we are now at the end of volume 11 of Mushoku Tensei. The entire labyrinth arc will be the sole focus of volume 12 and the remainder of the season. And while I havenโt finished reading it myself, I can still attest to how big things are going to get. We need to prepare for action, drama, and probably a lot of pain and hardship. We have one week from the time Iโm writing this, and for all I know, it could already be out by the time this goes out. Be prepared!
Quick plug, though: there’s a new Mushoku Tensei light novel out, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation: Recollections. Itโs an anthology collecting a bunch of different short stories of events that take place during the first ten volumes of the series. Or, in other words, the start of the series up to not long after Rudy and Sylphie tie the knot. See how Rudeus secured his “Holy Relic” of Roxy. Or some of the misadventures Dead End got up to on their great odyssey. It’s the kind of slice of life stories that I think really flesh out a good story, in my opinion! You can find it in book form or buy it as an Ebook!
Itโs safe to say at this point that anime and manga have gone mainstream in Western Culture. More and more anime based on popular manga, light novels, and the like are coming out of the woodwork. But now, what the West considers anime (Japanese animation) is expanding its scope to works beyond Japanโs borders; specifically, to Korea, home to a plethora of webtoons and manwha. And right now, the one everyoneโs talking about is the bloodiest since Attack on Titan, Solo Leveling.
This isn’t an exaggeration. Solo Leveling might be one of the bloodiest anime of the year.ย
A Bottom-Feeder Gets RPG Superpowers
Ten years ago, portals and gateways opened up on Earth that led to other dimensions. And in those dimensions were monsters and entities straight out of a fantasy MMORPG. With conventional weapons useless, people started gaining the ability to hunt and kill these monsters, giving rise to the Hunters. There’s one catch, though: once you awaken your abilities, your stuck with whatever rank you get; no leveling up or getting stronger. Which stinks for those at the bottom, like Jin-Woo
Sung Jin-Woo is an E-Rank Hunter at the bottom of the barrel and is called the weakest ever. He can barely do any damage, he goes down too fast, and regularly comes close to death every time he fights in a Dungeon. But he keeps at it to support his family, until the day the inevitable happens. The party he’s in gets caught in a dungeon that starts slaughtering them in ways that haven’t been seen since Attack on Titan! And when the survivors can escape, he has to get left behind, thinking its for the bestโฆuntil he realizes that this is a horrible way to die.
That’s when he gets this little notification like from a video game saying he qualifies to be a โPlayer.โ Next thing he knows, he’s waking up in a hospital, completely healed. There’s one catch, though: he’s now being forced to do daily activities to get stronger or risk dying. The upside to that? He’s now able to level up like in a normal RPG. And he’s the only one who can do this.
Jin-Woo has just entered a real-life RPG.
An Interesting Take on a Premise That’s Been Done Before
As far as premises go, the concept behind Solo Leveling isn’t what one would call unique. Other anime have revolved around a similar premise.
Supposed weakling gets thrown into situation that can kill them.
Weakling gets a lucky break/special skill that helps them to survive and level up.
Weakling goes from being bottom of the barrel to OP as heck.
For reference, look up Arifureta: From Commonplace to Worldโs Strongest. It’s like Solo Leveling, but an isekai and not as good.
I’ve never read the webtoon or web novel versions of Solo Leveling, so I wound up going into this anime blind. After what I saw, though, I can see why it’s so popular and breaking the Internet with it’s hype. The animation is dark, bloody, and beautifully well-done. The story (which is only four episodes in) doesn’t skimp on the details of how dangerous being a Hunter would be, either. While the first episode is lighter on it, episode two sees people in Jin-Wooโs party dying left and right. Limbs get blown off, a man gets crushed to death by a statueโs foot, and one guy got split right down the middle! It’s horrifying, yet you can’t look away. And Jin-Wooโs near-death experience rivals Eren Yeager getting eaten by a Titan in terms of horror!
Speaking of Eren Yeager, Jin-Woo has a few traits in common with the wielder of the Attack Titan. Like Eren (at first), Jin-Woo is a good person put into horrific experiences that harden his heart. Yet Jin-Woo can’t quit being a Hunter, no matter how dangerous it is. Firstly, Mother is on life support due to being poisoned by mana from the Gates. Secondly, his sister needs the money for school. But he’s so weak that he can barely make ends meet, and his new status can help change that.
Don’t Underestimate RPG Mechanics
At first, the gains aren’t that noticeable, but anyone whose player an RPG should know better. Upgrading stats even a little can make all the difference, as seen in Jin-Wooโs first solo dungeon. While he once struggled against the weakest enemies, he gets strong enough to take down a snake the size of a house. With his bare hands, no less! And then he pierces the defense of another Monster a group of low-ranking Hunters were barely holding off with a broken Sword! The man is like a Korean Kirito meets Deku!
I’ve been reading Manwha and Webcomics for years on Webtoons, but Solo Leveling might be one of the most interesting and exciting that I have seen to date. And after spoiling myself by finding out what’s going to happen, I know I’m going to enjoy this show. Might even make it a weekly review.
Lots of people in the world love animals. They’ve helped us with our work for thousands of years and can serve as good companions for years on end. Being comforted by an animal can even serve as an excellent way to reduce one’s stress; it’s why animal videos are so popular online! Which is why the first isekai of 2024 is one that, while a bit silly in premise, is one capable of melting animal-lovers hearts:ย Fluffy Paradise.
Wanting to Live for the Fluffies!
Midori Akitsu was a 27-year old office worker with a horrible job and no way to relieve her stress. Thus, when she came home from work one day and dropped dead from exhaustion, she couldn’t help but lament her sad fate. Until a being that called itself a god plucked her from death and made her an offer. He’d give the usual isekai treatment and send her to live in another world called Asdyllon with a special power of her own. All she had to do in return is decide if that world’s humans, who persecuted non-humans, deserved to be saved or wiped out.
What does Midori ask for? Instead of super-powers or great knowledge, she just wants to pet fluffy animals forever. So, God gives her the ability to make non-humans love her, and off she goes. She’s now Nefertima ‘ Nรฉma’ Osphe, the youngest daughter of a warm and loving Duke’s family.
Three years later, and Nรฉma now a little girl, and true to the god’s word, all animals love her and want to be around her. Life couldn’t be better! However, then Nรฉma’s mother takes her to the Royal Palace where she works, and the girl wanders off and befriends the Crown Prince’s pet sky tiger. Then she befriends the giant dragon that her sister summoned in front of an entire stadium of people! It doesn’t take too long for those in power to realize that Nรฉma has some kind of special power, and then the more unsavory types start getting this gleam in their eyes.
Nรฉma, though, doesn’t really care. Having known naught but stress and toil in her first life, she just wants to be surrounded by a fluffy paradise.ย
A Feel Good Anime for Animal Lovers
So far,ย Fluffy Paradiseย only has four episodes out at the time of this writing, but it already gets its premise across pretty well: it’s meant to be a feel-good anime. It’s not a story that has the fate of the world at stake or some dark lord that needs to be stopped…or a misguided hero that needs to be stopped. It’s just an anime about a cute little girl trying to get as much cute and fluffy time in to make up for her first life. And, despite not doing anything so far to move the isekai genre foward, it works.
Why? Because it’s a show about cute little girl getting spend time with all kinds of animals. From little birds and kittens to dragons and tigers that can, and would, end you in real life, Nรฉma loves all animals. And seeing them fawn all over is, honestly, adorable.
Plus, despite the light-hearted premise, there are hints that things could get darker. Nรฉma’s whole reason for being sent there was to judge if humanity is worth sparing. Given how the second episode sees nobles and priests openly talking about how they can use Nรฉma for their benefit, they could become a problem down the road.
So, if you’re the kind of person who likes animals and wants something to take the edge off our lives, then I recommend watching Fluffy Paradise. It’s a feel-good anime to help start the year on a positive note.
RJ Writing Ink’s Candid Review of The 100 Girlfriends Who Really REALLY Love You
Most anime watchers know, or at least have heard, of the premise behind the harem anime. An everyday protagonist suddenly themselves the center of attention amongst a group of attractive people. Said attractive people are all in love with or interested in them for various reasons. And hilarity ensues as they try to maintain some sense of normalcy in their lives. The formula gets tweaked somewhat, but the premise remains, and it can be a guilty pleasure because
A.) their quality varies from amazing to absolute garbage, with the same going for the characters
B.) the protagonist doesnโt pick their single partner.
C.) said chosen partner isnโt who the viewer considers best girl.
But what if there was a harem anime that didnโt do all that nonsense? A harem anime that goes out of its way to avoid the pitfalls of its counterparts while also playing the genreโs strengths to Mt. Everest levels of silliness? And most importantly, one with a protagonist who is a true CHAD and considers every girl to be best? That anime is here and it sets the new standard for harem anime: The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You.
The Beginning of CHADom
Meet Rentaro Aijo, a boy going into high school who only wants one thing in life: to experience love. Unfortunately, despite his good looks, friendly personality, and natural charisma, heโs been rejected by every girl heโs confessed to. All one hundred of them! So, he goes to a local shrine and prays to whoeverโs listening to give him a girlfriend. Then, the shrineโs Love God appears and lets him know the good news. Hes not destined to meet his soulmate in high school: heโs destined to meet 100 soulmates!
One month later, Rentaroโs at his first day of high school when he runs into two beautiful girls: Hakari Hanazono and Karane Inda. And the two fall for him on the spot and beg him to date one of them. Rentaro is over the moon! But he canโt choose. Thatโs when the Love God drops some harsh truths. Firstly, he was only meant to have one soulmate, but due to a clerical error via watching a Miyazaki film, he wrote 100. Secondly, rejecting oneโs soulmate will rob a person of all their luck. And they will eventually die.
So what does Rentaro do? Does he:
A.) Waffle on the decision like other harem protagonists?
B.) Only choose one and knowingly sentence 99 other girls to death?
C.) Date them behind each otherโs backs like a scumbag
D.) None of the above
Play this:
The answer is D.) none of the above. In the first of countless moments that demonstrate his CHADness, Rentaro tells them that heโs gonna date both of them because he loves And just to prove how serious he is, he gives them these four-leaf clovers they spent hours looking for yesterday because they heard it would set them up with their love!
And just like that, Rentaro starts his path toward gathering a harem of 100 girls so they wonโt die.
You’re not dealing with your average harem anime.
At first glance, 100 Girlfriends might seem like another harem anime. However, once one enters the story, they will find itโs anything but. It improves on many of the genre’s strengths for the sake of storytelling and comedy. At the same time, it also ensures that it avoids the many pitfalls people have with the genre. In other words, itโs built different, and hereโs why.
Exhibit A-Rentaro is a CHAD among CHADS
There have been a lot of different harem protagonists over the years, but a big problem is that a lot of them seem like bland, uninspired, cookie cutter self-inserts. Some examples stand out, like Issei Hyoudou, Tenchi Masaki, and Yuuki Rito, but they can even have their problems. Rentaro, on the other hand, is built different.
Firstly, heโs not a dense kind of protagonist who is unaware that the girls are in love with him. Rentaroโs fully aware of their feelings for him and schemes they come up with to get closer to him, and is openly receptive to them.
Secondly, he is not passive; he is active. He spent years bettering himself to be the ideal boyfriend, which shows. He will go out of his way to ensure each growing harem is happy, even at his own expense.
Argue about who gets his first kiss? Heโll devise a way to ensure they can all share the honor.
Have trouble talking out loud? Heโll transcribe your favorite book into a text-to-speech app for you to communicate. By hand!
Sees some creep trying to put hands on his girlfriends? Heโll come back from death to save them!!
Plus, unlike someone like Issei, he always acts like a true gentleman and treats his girlfriends with the utmost respect. He doesnโt play favorites; he loves them all equally. He is the ideal that every boyfriend or husband should aspire to. He is the true CHAD, the ultimate rizz-god, CHADtaro Aijo!
Exhibit B-The Series Deconstructs a lot of Waifu Archetypes
Given the series premise, its inevitable that it will come to include a lot of character archetypes. In a break from many harem anime, though, 100 Girlfriends doesnโt include them simply for the sake of it, but deconstructs them. It shows the real effects each archetype would have on people; not all are pretty.
Hakari acts prim and proper like the perfect girl on the outside, but on the inside, sheโs very perverted and keeps imagining lewd ways to earn Rentaroโs attention.
Karane Inda is a tsundere, which makes it hard for her to express her true feelings, even when she wants to. Imagine how hard that must be for someone to endure daily?
Shizuka Yoshimoto is a cute girl who hardly ever talks, but not by choice. Her natural shyness already made it hard to speak up, but getting bullied and called a freak by other people, including her mom, made it even worse.
Nano Eiai is like a Vulcan, suppressing her emotions in favor of logic. While that helps her natural intelligence, it also stunts her emotions to the point that she doesnโt know how to respond to love or friendship.
Kusuri Yakusen is a chemistry genius stuck in a loli form, a jab at the whole โlegal loliโ thing. On top of this, her mad scientist tendencies led her friends to abandon her. A drug she made that the girls accidentally ingest turned them into kiss zombies bent on making out with Rentaro at the cost of their personalities.
AndโฆIโm not gonna spoil who the sixth one is or her problems.
And unlike many other girls in harem anime, meeting Rentaro doesnโt magically fix their problems. Rentaro may help them, but they are still things they have to actively work on. That fact alone gives them way more depth than most girls.
Exhibit C- It follows Through on its Premise, and Treats Everyone Equally
The title isnโt just for show. It fully intends to give Rentaro 100 girlfriends before the end of the series. By this point in the manga, CHADtaro is already at 27 girls. Itโs likely that by the end of the series, it wonโt include every kind of waifu. It might have to make some up. In addition, the story makes its intent known by the time the anime ends. Itโs not just limiting the waifus to Rentaroโs age range. All types of waifus are on the table!
And remember what was said about every girl being best girl here? The series follows through on that, and so does Rentaro. He loves all his girlfriends equally and never favors one over the other. Even protagonists who embrace having a harem have a girl they love the most. But Rentaro is filled with so much love, he can love all of them. Nobody gets left out in the Rentaro family!
100 Girlfriends is the Pinnacle of Harem Anime
Harem anime hasnโt always gotten the best rep. At best, itโs wishful thinking. At worst, it feels like self-insert fiction for those who canโt find love. But 100 Girlfriends isnโt just wishful thinking or a mere self-insert story.
100 Girlfriends is built different. It takes everything good about the harem anime and elevates it to new levels of romantic comedy. It makes fun of the genre while also furthering its evolution. Thatโs the feat that only a great story can pull off. And the main character has the kind of rizz every guy wants.
In other words, 100 Girlfriends is one of the best anime of 2023. Go watch it on Crunchyroll. You will not regret it!
While I was getting ready to watch the new season of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, something occurred to me. While my recap of the first season managed to cover much of what happened, there was one aspect I had to omit for length reasons. That aspect is what happened to Rudeus’ teacher, Roxy Migurdia.
Roxy is a significant character in the Mushoku Tensei series, and it’s not just because she’s Rudeus’ teacher. Nor is it because he worships her as a goddess by unironically praying to that pair of panties he took from her. Several episodes in the first season shift their focus from Rudeus’ odyssey home to Roxy’s journey as she tries to find his family. In the process, we’re introduced to various side characters that will play a role in the story as a whole, and also learn more about Roxy’s backstory. Since the anime decided to show what Sylphie was up to during Dead End’s trek back home, Iโm doing the same for Roxy. Given how much the second season will likely cover, she will become important in the second half.
Making the Mistake of Teach Pax Shirone
It’s already been stated, but after she finished training Rudeus, she left to continue her travels. She thought she reached her limits when it came to magic, but seeing how much Rudeus admired her despite seemingly surpassing him lit a fire in her. She wanted to become someone worthy of calling themselves Rudeus’ teacher. So, she started training.
Eventually, Roxy got a job as the court mage for the Kingdom of Shirone, where she ended up tutoring Prince Pax. However, while Pax was a good student, he wasn’t in the same league as Rudeus, and she wouldn’t stop comparing the two. That made Pax extremely bitter and resentful towards Rudeus.
Mushoku Tensei 7 La paciencia de Roxy llega a su lรญmite y decide abandonar al sรฉptimo prรญncipe Pax, y por ende al reino de Shirone. Aunque luego estas acciones pesarรญan mucho en Roxy…#็ก่ท่ปข็#MushokuTenseipic.twitter.com/fq0TcJ9Hi8
Not helping matters was that, like Rudeus, Pax kept simping for Roxy. Whereas Rudeus’ feelings were tempered by his genuine admiration for her, Pax openly lusted after Roxy. He kept trying to get handsy with her, and she kept setting him on fire for it. Eventually, it got to the point she couldn’t take it anymore and bailed. That decision ended up causing problems for Rudeus on his journey home.
Looking for Rudeus
Eventually, though, Roxy returned to the Fittoa region of the Asura Kingdom. A few years had passed, and she wanted to see how her student was doing. Instead of the reunion she thought she’d be getting, she found something worse. The entire region was in ruins, its population scattered, and too many people were missing or dead. And Roxy is like, “Oh my God, Rudy! That adorable little kid could be lying dead in a ditch somewhere! And his parents and Lilia! I gotta find them!” Fortunately, Roxy had some help in that regard. Rudeus’ dad, Paul, wound up being one of the first people to make it back, and he’d been leading the efforts to find as many people and get them home, including his family. And he got help from his old band.
In his younger days, Paul and his future wife Zenith were part of this adventurer’s party called Fangs of the Black Wolf. Ghislaine and Geese were also part of it, alongside a dwarf named Tallhand and an elf named Elinalise. They split up after Paul and Zenith settled down, and despite having issues with him, most of them reunited to help Paul find his family. With that in mind, Roxy chose to help them. She liked Rudeus’ family because of how nice they were when she was living with them, and she didn’t want to see her best student die.
So Close, Yet So Far!
With Elinalise and Tallhand accompanying her, one of the first things that the trio did was set out for the Demon Continent, where Roxy first came from. Despite not wanting to go back (they didn’t have any sweets), Roxy did it for the Greyrat’s sake.
As fate would have it, the group arrived in port at the exact same time that Rudeus and the party of Dead End made it there. Now, this is the perfect time for Rudeus and Roxy to reunite. And by doing so, it would make Rudeus and Eris’ attempts to get home that much easier. But no, it wasn’t to be. Through a series of events, Rudeus and Roxy miss each other several times. Roxy even stumbles across Eris and Ruijerd training on the beach while Rudeus is out on errands. However, as soon as she realizes that Ruijerd is a Superd, her fear of them kicks in, and she runs all the way back to where she and Elinalise are staying. What she finds is just as traumatizing, though.
A side note about Elinalise since she’s going to gain more prominence in Season Two. The thing about this elf woman is that she sleeps with a lot of guys, and while she does enjoy it, it’s not entirely of her own volition. Elinalise has this curse on her that make her mana levels rise to potentially fatal levels if left untreated. The only known solution is for her body to create these mana crystals, and the only way that can happen is by acquiring a man’s…reproductive DNA. In other words, she needs to sleep with guys, or she’ll die. And when Roxy comes back, she shows up right as she’s busy with a few guys. Roxy freaks the heck out and destroys their room. It’s like something out of a rom-com/doujinshi.
After that happens, Roxy, Elinalise, and Tallhand leave town and head further into the interior to keep looking for the Greyrat’s. It’s not until much later that they realize they missed Rudeus by that much and how it would’ve saved both groups a lot of time and energy.
Roxy Comes Face to Face With Her Past
As time passes and Roxy continues searching the Demon Continent for Paul’s family, she doesn’t find them. However, she does end up meeting several people from her past, and viewers get to know a little more about who she was before she met Rudeus. There’s also a spin-off manga that delves more into it, but this will cover the basics.
Roxy’s people, the Migurds, have more going for them than long lives and spending most of them looking like loli’s. They also have this ability to communicate with each other telepathically, so when it’s just them, they normally don’t talk. Unfortunately for her, Roxy was born without this ability, and while they were all very nice regardless, she felt like an outcast among her own people. So once she became a teenager, she ran away from home the first chance she got and became an adventurer. However, the first adventuring party she joined wound up disbanding after their leader died while doing a job. Eventually, she left the Demon Continent altogether.
Since this was the first time she’d been back in twenty years, Roxy was due for a reunion or two. She wound up reuniting with the only other member of her party that was still alive (who happened to have also met Rudeus) and caught up over drinks. After that, she eventually decided to return home for the first time in years and reconciled with her parents. Despite being born different from the rest of them, her Mom and Dad showed how much they loved her by going out of their way to help her learn how to read, write, and talk. They were good parents, and were just happy that their daughter was doing fine.
Roxy Be Like “Are You Kidding Me?!?”
Oh, and her Mom and Dad also dropped some big bombshells on her: first, they mentioned how their village regularly got visits from a Superd name Ruijerd. Secondly, they mentioned how two years earlier, he came into town with two human kids in tow, one a redhead and the other some boy saying that he was Roxy’s student. And Roxy is floored by this as she starts putting the pieces together. She realized, “Oh my gosh, that guy and the little girl I saw sparring on the beach must be the people Mom and Dad are talking about. And if they were at the port that day, then must mean that…”
And with that, Roxy realizes that if she hadn’t freaked out and run away like she did, then she would’ve run into Rudeus on that day. She and her group could’ve gotten them all back to the Central Continent way sooner. And, as a side note, that would’ve meant that Rudeus wouldn’t have had to deal with a laundry list of issues during his trip, like getting thrown in jail by the beast people, or that fight with his Dad, or getting captured by Pax Shirone. Granted, it all worked out for the best in the end, but it would’ve saved everyone a lot of trouble. And Roxy reacts like any calm, rational adult would in that sort of situation: by passing the heck out on the floor!
It’s still hilarious in hindsight.
On to the Next Adventure
Now that she knows that her student’s safe and is probably close to getting back by now, Roxy and her friends depart from her village after reconciling with her parents. From there, they keep scouring the Demon Continent looking for the rest of Paul’s family, until they come across a bar where this little demon girl dressed in stripper attire (Iโm not joking,) is drinking everyone under the table. And Roxy and Tallhand wind up getting into a drinking contest.
Well, Tallhand does; Roxy taps out way earlier. And despite being known for drinking everyone he meets under the table, Tallhand loses to this girl. Too bad she canโt afford to pay the bill. If Roxy hadnโt covered for her, she’d have gotten sold off to pay for everything.
As luck would have it, that girl wasn’t an ordinary girl, either. She was actually the immortal Demon Empress Kishirika Kishirisu. She could die, but she would eventually come back, with her last death being recent (to her), hence her small size. She also happened to have met Rudeus in that same town Roxy was in two years ago. Since she now owed Roxy a favor, she used one of her demon eyes to locate where the Greyrat family was for her. The good news was that most of them were safe. Paul and Norn had reunited with Aisha and Lilia. Rudeus was back in the Central Continent, albeit super depressed. He thought his girlfriend dumped him, after all. As for Zenith, Kishirika discovered that she was located in the city of Rapan on the Begaritt Continent, south of the Central Continent. So thatโs where Roxy and her party head next.
All Caught Up Now
At the time of this writing, thatโs where things stand in the anime regarding Roxy. While her importance to the main story remained minimal in the animeโs first season, she’s going to regain prominence as the show progresses. As Rudeus’ mentor/savior, the importance of Roxy in Mushoku Tensei cannot be underestimated. Sadly, at the pace that the anime adapts the light novels, it will likely not be until the second half of the season where we get to see the blue-haired mage once more. Until then, though, there’s always the figurine being sold by Crunchyroll.
When we last saw Rudeus Greyrat, he was at his absolute lowest since beginning his second life. He finally lost his virginity to his companion, Eris, and he thought they’d be together from then on. However, then Eris realized she relied on him too much, knew she had to get stronger, and left to train. The problem is, Rudeus doesn’t know this since the girl stupidly wrote a letter that didn’t explain anything. So now he thinks he got dumped! Thirteen years of improving himself almost go to waste because of his low self-esteem and Eris’ mistake.
Now all alone, Rudeus’ left his old home behind for good, because his Mom’s still missing from the teleportation incident and he has to find her. Before he does that, though, he needs to do something else first: remind himself what makes his life still worth living.
Northward Bound, Rudeus Travels Alone (Sort of)
Sometime after leaving the ruins of Fittoa behind for good, Rudeus starts traveling north to start looking for his Mom. That brings him to the land of the magical countries; ironically, he wanted to study at this big university there before the teleportation incident. Now that he’s there, though, he’s in no mood to enjoy it. He’s too busy feeling sorry for himself because Eris left him hanging.
While Rudeus has always been somewhat of a serious person, he’s remembered to enjoy his new life as much as possible, no matter what the circumstances. Throughout this episode, though, we see how badly Eris’ insensitivity affected him. He keeps sighing, he’s got this empty look in his eyes, and looks ready to give up on it all. It gets so bad that, during a job, he barely does anything to defend himself from monsters, like he’s ready to die. This is Rudeus at the absolute lowest since getting reincarnated.
The question, then, is what will he do now?
Meeting a New Party in Counter Arrow
Despite officially disbanding his old party of Dead End, Rudeus doesn’t start work alone. While traveling up north, this woman, Suzanne, who’s the co-leader of this party called Counter Arrow, sees how depressed he is. Feeling bad for him, she invites him to join them on a job killing grizzlies, and most of them are nothing but nice to him. Except for this one girl close to his age named Sara. Sara is a total tsundere to him, acting abrasive and getting annoyed with how, from her perspective, he’s ungrateful to Suzanne. And the whole time, it’s just making Rudeus feel worse, because she reminds him way too much of Eris.
From my understanding, Sara and Counter Arrow were created as original characters for the light novels; they weren’t in the web novels. So, Sara was made to be a lot like Eris: outspoken, abrasive to strangers, and has a hard time opening up to others. The problem is that she’s too much like Eris, and after the events of last season, that could rub viewers the wrong way. They could either see her as a replacement for Eris, or think she’s too much like her and find her off-putting. None of this helps Rudeus’ emotional state, though. He still looks like he wants to die.
Thankfully, he remembers how stupid it is to think like that.
Rudeus Remembers How Much He Still Has to Live For
It’s during this job with Counter Arrow where they’re surrounded by grizzlies and fighting for their lives that Rudeus starts to snap out of his depression. He’s about to throw away this second chance he got at life, something a lot of people could only dream of having, while everyone around him is fighting for the one life they do have. And he remembers how, when he got reborn, he wasn’t going to waste his life again. So, he snaps out of it, pulls up on the monsters, and wastes them like the badass that he is. Then everyone goes home victorious, and the whole adventuring guild starts cheering his name, and for the first time that entire episode, he starts smiling.
So, having hit rock bottom, Rudeus begins to make his way back up. It won’t be an easy task, and it’s not going to be done over the span of an episode or two, because that’s not how Mushoku Tensei works. It goes out of the way to show the effort Rudeus puts into being a better person. It’s worth it, though. And the first thing he does is burn the locks of hair that Eris left him. He misses her, but he can’t let it ruin his life.
So, the journey of Rudeus Greyrat begins anew. It’s not the most exciting start, especially compared to other isekai filled with a lot of action. However, Mushoku Tensei is a slow burn. Once it gets started, then it becomes interesting to watch. So, while not the most epic of reintroductions, this episode makes up for it with the emotional drama. This is going to be the isekai anime to watch for the summer season.
Everyone remembers Sakura Haruno from Naruto, for better or worse. She started as Sasukeโs number-one fangirl and didnโt do much. Then Sasuke ran away and she dedicated herself to getting stronger, which she did, gaining superhuman strength. However, nothing could save her from the menace of poor character writing. Even someone who thinks sheโs overhated like me understands that she was underutilized. Thankfully, we live in a world where thereโs an improved version of Sakura in anime. Her name is Mitsuri Kanroji, AKA the Love Hashira, AKA Sakura 2.0.
Mitsuri Kanroji is such a Badass
After she swoops in to save Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Genya, the disrespectful demon calls Mitsuri Kanroji a shameless tramp, angering her and the fandom to no end. However, she proves sheโs anything but as she proceeds to demonstrate the power of her Love Breathing style. It lets her cancel out other peopleโs attacks, making it extremely powerful. Unfortunately, she makes the mistake of going directly for Zohakutenโs head, unaware itโs not his real body. Thankfully, the counterattack that follows doesnโt kill her.
It turns out, despite her small size, Mitsuriโs muscles are denser than a normal human’s. As a result, she survives that initial attack long enough for the others to save her.
Itโs at this moment, though, where we learn about her backstory, and how it makes her better than Sakura.
Those People Donโt Know what theyโre Talking About
As we see in Mitsurriโs memories, sheโs always been this incredibly strong. When she was a baby, she could lift a pickling stone that even adults would have trouble carrying! As a kid, she could out-eat sumo wrestlers and beat them in arm wrestling contests! Instead of giving her a happy life, though, Mitsuriโs abilities brought her hardship. The man she was interviewing for marriage dumped her for this, plus her pink hair color!
After that happened, Mitsuri felt ashamed of who she was and started hiding it from the world. She wanted to find love and fit in with others, but all this did was make her miserable. All this led her to join the Demon Slayer Corps to help people, find love, and be herself. And it worked!
This is how you write a better version of Sakura Haruno. Sakuraโs initial motivations were shallow, self-centered, and continued to be a big part of her throughout Naruto. While she got better, she never lived up to her full potential. In contrast, Mitsuriโs motivations, while similar, come off as more genuine. She wants to love people, and for people to love her for who she is, something many can relate to. Itโs what makes her a better version of Sakura.
Hantenguโs Done Running
Thanks to the efforts of Mitsuri, Zohakutenโs distracted long enough for Tanjiro, Genya, and Nezuko to chase after Hantenguโs main body. The coward continues to flee, but despite his best efforts, the Demon Slayers arenโt going to let him escape. The Demonโs crocodile tears deserve no sympathy from anyone; heโs done.
Thereโs one problem, though: as Nezuko goes to make the final blow, it becomes apparent that dawnโs almost upon them. If that happens, Nezuko could die! They need to finish this soon for her sake!
Next week, weโre getting the finale to the Swordsmith Village arc, which is a shame, since I thought there would be two more episodes. Given what has happened, though, I think that itโs ending at an appropriate time. At least it doesnโt drag things out like many other Shonen anime tend to do!
Soon, people. Soon, Tomo and Jun shall step outside the friend zone and become the couple they’re meant to be. And in this week’s episode, which goes back to focusing on Tomo and Jun, we not only see them grow closer, we also learn about how they almost drifted apart in middle school.
Tomo Almost Runs Herself into the Ground.
Interesting tidbit about the word ‘marathon,’ and the meaning behind it. During the Battle of Marathon in which the Greeks bested the invading Persian army, a lone soldier carried the news back to Athens. This soldier ran without rest the entire, 27-mile distance to tell the city of their victory. As soon as he did, though, the man died from exhaustion.
Why am I mentioning all of this? Because Tomo does something very similiar, albeit not to the point of threatening her life. When their school’s annual marathon comes around, Tomo and Jun compete to see who can make it to the finish line first. Tomo being Tomo, she spent the whole day before training until she passed out in her bathroom. Thanks to that, she got a fever that made her collapse halfway through the race. Lucky for her, Jun carries her on his back to the nurse’s office; the whole way.
As funny as it is to see how those two are more muscles than brains, it’s an undeniably sweet thing that Jun did. It makes them even closer than they already were, and it prompts Tomo to finally return Jun’s DS. So, why is this not as awesome as it should be?
The answer lies in the second segment, where we learn what happened when Jun, Tomo, and Misuzu entered middle school.
So Both Jun and Misuzu Had their Own Reasons for Dating!
If you’ll recall, it took seeing Tomo in a girl’s uniform when they started middle school for Jun to realize the obvious facts: Tomo is a girl. Mind. Blown.
Jun’s mind was so blown, the boy spent the next year struggling to comprehend this fact and not knowing how to act. It didn’t help that everyone thought they were already dating, making things even more awkward. So, Jun decides the best solution is to find another girl they both like to date. Awkwardness averted.
As it so happens, Misuzu was looking for the same thing: a boy she could date while they hung out with Tomo. The stars aligned and, without even realizing it, the two were helping the other’s agenda. However, we all know how that turned out.
In hindsight, it’s sweet but hilarious to learn that Jun and Misuzu dated because they didn’t want to lose Tomo in their lives. As it turns out, though, the problems they thought they had are all in their heads. Once they talk things out with Tomo, their friendship’s stronger than ever.
What Will You Do, Jun?
…is what I would like to say. However, after what happened at the marathon, Jun feels like his friendship with Tomo’s shakier than ever. This time, it’s because of the simple fact that he’s falling for her. If he doesn’t want to lose the best thing that ever happened to her, he needs to figure things out, and soon.
I know I’m sounding like a broken record, but I love this show and the romance. It’s so sweet to see two best friends who want to take the next step but struggle to do so. I’m rooting for them, though. This is one of the best romcoms I’ve seen in years!
I Give “How the Contest Ends” and “To Stay Best Friends…” a 4.5/5 Each
Question: what would you say if you met a beautiful but mysterious woman who asked you to come work for her in exchange for anything you wanted? Most people would say no because such an offer is very sus. When you’ve hit absolute rock bottom in your life, though, and said woman’s the first person to treat you with decency, it’s hard for common sense to win the argument. Especially when said person happens to be Denji, whose life has been so bad his only real goal is to get lucky with a girl. That’s assuming he can live long enough as a Devil Hunter.
Denji the Devil Dog Finds a New Master…
After the brilliantly bloody origin story of the titular Chainsaw Man saw Denji break free of his Yakuza master’s, he will need a new job. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, the woman Denji met, Makima, recruits him to join the government-backed Devil Hunters she helps lead. They’ll provide room & board for Denji so long as he helps them continue to hunt down Devils using his newfound powers. If he refuses, then Makima’s allowed to kill him like a Devil.
Some people would object to the obvious “join-or-die” choice offered or say that it’s not even a real choice. However, Denji agrees immediately because they’re offering the dream of a normal life that he’s had for as long as he can remember. That, and Denji’s head over heels for Makima.
Some shonen protagonists have lofty goals and ambitions that drive them forward in their stories. Goku wants to be as strong as he possibly can. Naruto’s is to become Hokage. Luffy wants to become King of the Pirates and throw the world’s biggest party (that’s a big fan theory, anyway.) Denji, though? Besides getting a chance to live a normal life, Denji’s only dream…is boobs.
At Least Denji Has a Clear Goal in Life.
No, really. As he goes out on his first mission as a Devil Hunter, he decides that his next goal, now that he’s gotten close to a woman, is to get his hands on boobs. If it were most other people said this, they would get slapped and called a pervert. Yet despite how impure his dreams of scoring may sound, it’s how genuine Denji sounds when he says this stuff that can be endearing. All he wants is to have a chance at love in life, something a lot of us can relate to. Ironically, this simple desire lets Denji demonstrate the pure-hearted nature found in many Shonen protagonists. I’ve only known Denji for two weeks now, and I already like him.
Of course, no good Shonen story’s complete without its supporting cast, and we get to meet two of Denji’s new comrades this episode. Firstly, there’s Hatayama, a no-nonsense Devil Hunter who flat-out tells Denji that unless he gets proper motivation, he will not survive in their line of work. So he’s the tough-love kind of person. Then, we have Power, a Fiend, or Devil who possessed a dead human’s body. I love Power. She’s bold, loud, and exuberant, and she will ask anyone or anything to fight her. She’s perfect for Shonen Jump, in my opinion.
There wasn’t a lot of action in this second episode, but given how the first cours has a dozen episodes, I’m willing to give Chainsaw Man time to get its foot in the door. Once that happens, though, I’m looking forward to seeing if Denji can stand alongside Shonen Jump greats like Goku, Naruto, Luffy, and the Joestar Family. I’m pretty sure he can, though. I’m rooting for him in his quest for love!
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