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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 2024’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 he’s still not strong enough to clear the Dungeon. The good news? He’s no longer fighting alone. He’s got an army of shadow warriors to help him, and he’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, there’s also the fact that the song is sung by LiSA and Felix from Stray Kids. She’s one of my favorite J-Pop singers, and for good reason. She’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, “Crossing Field” is a very exciting OP. And “Gurenge” is practically a legend at this point. While the OP for the first season wasn’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

It’s parent-teacher day at the school of Jin-woo’s sister, Jinah, and since he’s her legal guardian, he has to go in their parent’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 man’s rizz is off the charts, and he doesn’t even realize it!

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

It’s not out of the ordinary for young, talented people to decide they’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 you’re an E-Rank. He might not have the scars, but he’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 “sink-or-swim” approach. He speaks to her and tells her that he’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-woo’s plan works too well. As soon as the party enters, the Gate turns into a Red Gate. That’s when the Dungeon mutates and sends the people inside into another dimension altogether, where the monsters are stronger, and they can’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 horror…for everyone that isn’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 it’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 there’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 Hunter’s Association would just bring him unwanted attention. Right now, anonymity is good for him.

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This first episode doesn’t reach the same heights as the series premiere, but it doesn’t have to do so. All it needs is to reintroduce people to the story and show the direction it’s heading in. As far as action goes, it’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, it’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. They’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 won’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 VA’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 ‘auto’ mode, they will clear dungeons and story chapters on autopilot. It’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 you’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 World…and 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 world’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 don’t even understand what Red’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, she’s trying to reclaim her family’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. It’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 doesn’t get it. However, the anime makes it evident that it’s meant to be playful ribbing rather than mean-spirited criticism. Despite how much Yihdra is thrown off-guard by Red’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 he’s just that nice.

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

Also, she doesn’t say it, but it’s pretty obvious from her expressions that Yihdra’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 can’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 I’ve seen over the years, it’s one of the funniest and most wholesome in the entire genre. More importantly, it’s about a protagonist who’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, I’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 it’s Karane’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 doesn’t hesitate to resume its fourth-wall-breaking by having the girlfriends acknowledge that it’s been a year since the last episode. So, to shake things up, Hakari had Kusuri develop a drug to alter their personalities…only for it to somehow make them switch bodies. It’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 wasn’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 who’s in what body based on their mannerisms.

I think what makes it even better is that they didn’t switch seiyuu’s for this like other anime would. They got to act out of character as much as they wanted, and I can’t wait to hear this in dub.

In any event, it’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 that’s done, though, the anime gets back to following the plot of the manga. That means that it’s time for Rentaro to get his seventh soulmate. And the winner is…

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, she’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 she’s hungry. And since she’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 can’t get the food she wants.

Thankfully, Rentaro, being the CHAD he is, manages to soothe her hunger pains…and 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 she’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 it’s the comedic moments in this episode that provide a good example of why. It doesn’t care about being hated; it’s only interested in having a good time. I’m really glad it’s back…and I love the ED just as much as the OP.

I Give “Her Name” a 5/5

Dan Da Dan’s Ending the Season Like That?!?

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

Dan Da Dan  Ep 12 Review

It’s been a wild ride this fall, but the first season of Dan Da Dan is now in the history books. Fortunately, the next season has already been announced to be closer than we thought, and given how this season ends, fans will appreciate it. But before we get to that, we have to go over everything that happens in this season finale. As Momo, Okarun, and Jiji head to exorcise Jiji’s house, Okarun is still trying to get over the fact that he’s jealous of Jiji’s relationship with Momo. If only he could see that Momo doesn’t think of him like that.

We Can’t Hate Jiji!

So, after that whole fiasco with the living mannequins (and convincing Seiko to let the girlfriend live at their house), it looks like the mannequin thing is wrapped up. Unfortunately, Taro the mannequin didn’t have one of Okarun’s missing balls. He was just alive because…reasons.

Some people might want an explanation as to why these two mannequins are alive, but it’s actually funnier to leave people guessing as to why. With all the weirdness in the series, you learn to roll with this sort of thing.

Speaking of rolling with things, Okarun is dead set on keeping Momo’s attention firmly on him. That leads him to spend much of the episode trying to find ways to impress her, only for Jiji’s extroverted attitude to interfere. The worst part is that Ken can’t bring himself to hate the friendly Jiji, either. The young man is so nice that the two even start to bond over their shared interest in the supernatural. However, that doesn’t stop them from butting heads over who is closer to Momo, which is fun to watch.

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Why End Things Here?

What wasn’t fun to watch, though, was the way that the episode decides to end things. And since this is the season finale, it’s going to be generating a lot of controversy.

As Jiji explained, and Momo confirms for herself, his house is haunted by a powerful spirit. So powerful that it even manages to alter the appearance of the structure in a way that they don’t notice at first. However, that’s not the most unsettling part. During the episode, Momo breaks one of the cardinal rules of the horror genre by choosing to try out one of the village’s hot springs alone. Worse, the hot spring she winds up choosing is co-ed, a fact she only becomes aware of when a group of men come barging in. The episode ultimately ends with those same men openly attempting to assault Momo!

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Not a Good Way to End Things

This…was not a good moment for the season to end things. While seeing perverts trying this sort of thing on women isn’t new in the Shonen genre, that doesn’t make the site of it any less horrifying. The fact the anime chooses to end the season without showing how Momo will get out of this only adds to the anxiety it’s going to put fans through. While they can always read the manga, some people prefer only to watch the anime to enjoy the story as it goes along. For that matter, having the anime cover the start of the next big arc only to end the season on such a tense moment seems like a failure to properly pace things out.

As much as I have enjoyed Dan Da Dan, I think that the anime genuinely screwed up by choosing to stop when it did. Not everyone is going to appreciate having to wait months to find out what happens next. It’s only the fact that they don’t have to wait long that may end up bringing them back.

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While it was likely meant to be revealed at the end of the episode, Studio Saru announced that the next season of Dan Da Dan would be coming in July 2025. Relatively speaking, that’s fast for an anime! Hopefully, the season finale won’t end up driving away the fans that the show has worked so hard to gain, as it’s easily one of the best anime of the year. I, for one, am looking forward to getting to see more of it next summer!

I Give “Let’s Go to the Cursed House” a 2.5/5

Wait, this Guys was Momo’s First Crush?!

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

Dan Da Dan Ep 11 Review

Jealousy, envy, coveting; call it what you want, but when we feel it, it’s never a good thing. And right now, Ken Takakura is feeling both jealous…and dejected. When Momo’s old friend and first crush shows up at her doorstep, the poor boy’s already low self-esteem takes an even bigger nosedive. Thankfully, this episode revolves around him getting a reminder of why he shouldn’t be so quick to give up on his feelings. And, in typical Dan Da Dan fashion, it happens in the most hilarious, over-the-top fashion.

Is Jiji’s Gojo’s Long-Lost Cousin?

At the end of the last episode, Momo opens her front door to find a tall, athletic, and handsome young man standing outside. This is Jiji, Momo’s old friend when they were little kids, and, according to her grandma, her first crush. His family moved before middle school, and, to make a long story short, their house is haunted. So haunted that the ghost chased off every medium they hired…or made them kill themselves. Now his folks are in the hospital, and Seiko is the only one who can purge the ghost. But since she’s useless outside their city, Momo will have to do it. That won’t happen until the next episode though.

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The main focus of this episode is the arrival of Jiji and how he affects the status quo. Played by Aleks Le, Jiji is, essentially, a younger, even goofier version of Gojo from JuJutsu Kaisen. Given how goofy Gojo can be, that should tell you what kind of person he is. Between his good looks, his extroverted personality, and charisma, he quickly wins over everyone at school. Even Seiko likes him, though that’s because he compliments how amazing she looks. Momo, though, sees him and finds herself questioning why they were friends to begin with.

It should be noted that Jiji was one of the people who made fun of her for believing in ghosts as a kid, a fact that he deeply regrets. Combined with the possibility that he returned her crush (and may still have one), it’s clear he’s trying to make amends for his past actions. However, Momo just finds him annoying now, preferring a more solemn guy like Ken Takakura…the actor. She still won’t admit that she’s fallen for Ken-Chan.

Speaking of which, poor Okarun’s already low self-esteem takes an even further nosedive here. Jiji is everything that he isn’t, or at least what he thinks he isn’t. And since he’s starting to fall in love with her, that is making him jealous. Rather than get angry and aggressive over it, though, he decides to bow out. While that normally would be the right thing to do, in this case he means to cut himself off from Momo altogether.

Don’t Stop Fighting for Momo, Okarun!

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Love and friendships can be hard when you are young, and with how introverted Ken-Chan can be, it’s understandable that he doesn’t see how good a person he really is. If he higher more self-esteem, he would be able to recognize that Momo’s one-time friend now greatly irritates her with his antics. Fortunately, since he is a protagonist, the universe provides him with the reminder he needs…in the silliest way possible.

Dan Da Dan has shown us many crazy things: aliens of all sorts, ghosts, and more. But I think the sight of an anatomical mannequin running through the streets to find his girlfriend at a dump might be the craziest thing I’ve seen on this show. And that’s counting the race with Turbo Granny! But seeing him be so passionate about reuniting with his love lights a fire in Okarun. Thanks to that, he’s able to overcome his insecurities and fight for his friendship with Momo. Not that he needs to fight for it, mind you. The reason why he and Momo work so well together is because they’re polar opposites. They balance each other out, keep the other grounded. Rest assured, their friendship is stronger than either of them realizes.

Sad to say it, though, but next episode will mark the final episode for this first season of Dan Da Dan. However, with how popular it has proven, it’s going to get a second season. And I look forward to seeing that come to pass.

I Give “First Love” a 3/5

Everyone Wants Okarun’s Banana Now

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

Dan Da Dan Ep 8 Review

Ken-Chan (that’s what I call Okarun) has not had it easy since the start of the series, has he? First, he got possessed by a ghost that took his manhood. Then, when he got it back, he lost his balls in the process. After a lengthy fight with Acrobatic Silky (ending in a HEARTBREAKING FLASHBACK), he finally got one of his balls back. There’s just one problem: he’s got an unwanted admirer named Aira.

Aira Still a Chuuni…

After processing what they just went through, Aira joins Momo, Okarun, and Turbo Granny at the Ayase house for dinner where Momo tries to bury the hatchet. You would think that Aira would drop her delusions about Momo being a demon, but instead, the pink-haired girl doubles down on it and says her grandma and Okarun are also demons. To be fair, she does bring up some fine points. Seiko Ayase looks too impossibly young and attractive to be considered a grandmother. And seeing Ken-Chan go ghost could be mistaken for demonic possession. But it seems like the misunderstanding won’t get cleared up anytime. In fact, it gets even worse when it becomes clear that Aira has fallen for Okarun.

After the absolute emotional rollercoaster that was episode seven, it’s adorable to see that Dan Da Dan can effortlessly return to its comedic side. This episode was filled with plenty of hilarious moments. From Turbo Granny and the Ayases returning Ken’s ball with baseball to Aira calling Seiko hot, it’s all pretty funny. This is a series that knows how to effectively balance the comedy and profound moments, and I love that. Even the moment where Aira tries to kiss Okarun is pretty funny to watch.

…Wait, what?

…But Now She’s Fallen for Okarun

Yes, after seeing him save her life, Aira has fallen head over heels for Okarun. And despite being one of the more popular girls in school, it’s revealed that her concept of romance is laughably poor. And influenced by her father’s 18+ content. Thus, seeing her awkwardly try to kiss Ken, despite still thinking he’s a demon, is pretty funny to watch. Until the moment when they fall on the ground right as Momo comes by. Then it becomes awkward.

It gets worse, though. The aliens are back, and they still want Okarun’s banana.

Just like before, the aliens trap Momo and Okarun (and Aira) in a pocket dimension so they can capture them. Or rather, they simply want to capture Okarun, hoping to take his/Turbo Granny’s powers for themselves. And much like before, their insistence on bringing his “banana” is both hilarious and disturbing. Considering how Aira was just expressing a desire to get intimate with him, this couldn’t have happened to Okarun at a worse possible time. And they’re not alone, either. They brought an alien that looks like a mantis shrimp and something that resembles the Loch Ness Monster, the latter of which is hunting Momo! But just when it seems like Okarun’s going to lose his manhood yet again, Aira comes in clutch.

https://twitter.com/ReignOfPride/status/1859719130418684343

Guess Aira Was Chosen, After All

Aira’s chuuni boastings of being chosen now have some merit to them. As it turns out, Silky transferring her aura to save her life also gave her her powers. In other words, now Aira can go ghost, as well, bringing our group of supernatural fighters up to three.

I said it already, but I will repeat it: Dan Da Dan knows how to handle sudden changes in mood. This episode might not have been able to top the magnum opus that was episode 7, it did bring the laughs. And it looks like next episode will only continue that. As for poor Okarun, he needs to clear things up with Momo and tell Aira that he’s not interested. The longer he leaves her hanging, the worse it will be.

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I Give “I’ve Got this Funny Feeling” a 4/5

The Dan Da Dan Episode that Broke the Internet

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

Dan Da Dan Ep 7 Review

One would think that a show as silly as Dan Da Dan would keep the sad moments few and far between. I knew there would be plenty of drama and angst, but that’s part of being a teenager. I wasn’t expecting the show to give us moments that would have people breaking down in tears.

Except they just did. And while my brain works in a way that makes it hard to process sadness, I’ve learned to let my mental self cry. And after the newest episode of Dan Da Dan, I was mentally bawling my eyes out.

The Heroes Triumph Once Again!

The episode picks up where we last left off as Okarun and Momo are facing Acrobatic Silky, a Yokai obsessed with having Aira call her “mommy.” Since Okarun can’t fully control his ghost powers and Momo’s hands are tied (thanks, Aira!), they’re left at a pretty big disadvantage. Especially since Silky can use her hair as a weapon, like Yukako from Part 4 of JoJo. She’s just as crazy as Yukako was at first, too, as she throws everything into making sure the two die. Worse, since they’re in a tight space, Okarun can’t go full speed.

It takes some trickery on their part, but the pair are able to ultimately overcome Silky, allowing them to recover one of Okarun’s balls. How he reattaches it to his body, though, is anyone’s guess. Despite everything seemingly being resolved, though, things take a very dark turn when Turbo Granny looks Aira over and tells the two that she’s dead.

As Turbo Granny reveals, when Silky tried eating Aira, she managed to absorb her Aura, AKA her life energy. Without it, her body’s going to start shutting down. The two teenagers rightfully start panicking as they try to keep her alive, performing CPR and trying to call 911. And as annoying as Aira was, I didn’t want to see her die.

That’s when Silky steps in, feeling guilty over what she did to Aira. So, to make amends, she offers to give the girl her own Aura, despite knowing that the process would kill her off for good. And while Momo is against this, they don’t have much of a choice.

What follows over the next ten or so minutes might be the best moment in the anime thus far. I daresay it, but I’d even consider it to be among the best anime moments of 2024 as we look into the memories of Acrobatic Silky.

Silky’s Tragic Backstory

The flashback is told with almost no dialogue, save for near the end. The only sounds we get are either from the weather, such as the rain falling from the sky, or from this beautiful, yet eerie, piano music. There are moments when a story can explain more visually than it ever could through words alone, and this definitely ranks as one of them.

When Silky was still alive, she was a single mother to a daughter who she loved very much. But raising a child can be hard on the wallet, especially when you’re doing it alone. So Silky has to work multiple jobs to make sure her daughter is fed and clothed. One of which I quickly realized was as a prostitute. This woman had to sell her body to help pay the bills; that’s how desperate she was to care for her daughter.

Quick sidebar, by the way: while I don’t necessarily approve of the decision, I cannot condemn someone for being a sex worker. There are plenty of people out there who do it because they need the money to survive. And the fact that Silky was willing to do so not for herself, but so that her daughter could do ballet in cute dresses and smile, shows how good a mom she is. She was a good mom.

https://twitter.com/The25thNigga/status/1857108873112412511

Which only made her and her daughter’s ultimate fate all the more heartbreaking.

If there’s one thing that I can’t stand, it’s watching adults attempting to do harm to a child. As I watched the two men who Silky owed money to kidnap her daughter, I was pratically screaming at my laptop scream for them to burn in damnation. And the first-person perspective of the cut and bleeding Silky as she tried to chase after her daughter was just the most heartbreaking thing to watch. No parent should ever see that happen to their kid.

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And the scene of her dancing afterward in sorrow as she commits suicide. I saw people talking about how it was one of the moments they wanted to see the most in Dan Da Dan, and I can understand why. Science Saru went all out to turn the moment into this beautiful, sorrowful scene.

Aira Had it Rough, too!

To add an even further gut-punch, we then see why Aira called Silky “mommy” as a kid. The reason she mistook her for her mom is because her birth mother is dead. She died when she was still too young to understand the concept of death.

This entire part of the episode had me wanting to bawl my eyes out. Silky’s life? Tragic. Her reasons for mistaking Aira for the daughter that she could no longer remember? Heart-breaking. The fact that Turbo Granny says that unless she found peace, she couldn’t even move on to the afterlife? Agonizing.

https://twitter.com/DandanShots/status/1857504161815998862

Seeing a revived Aira call Silky “Mommy” one last time to give her peace? JUST PASS THE TISSUES! Even Momo is left in tears over everything!

I know it’s too soon to call it, but right now, I think that entire flashback with Acrobatic Silky was the best moment in Dan Da Dan. When it’s time to look back on the best anime moments for this year, it’s making the list. It’s moments like this that story-telling are all about! SCIENCE SARU, YOU JUST STRUCK GOLD!

I Give “To a Kinder World” a 5/5. GIVE THESE PEOPLE AN AWARD!!

Finally, Supreme Kai Cooks!

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

Dragon Ball Daima Ep 7 Review

Dragon Ball is the template for the modern Shonen manga, and that means most mangaka learned from its successes as well as its shortcomings. And one of the franchise’s biggest shortcomings has to be how Goku comes to outshine almost every other character. That’s expected since he’s the main protagonist, but at some point, the franchise’s default strategy for dealing with the big bads became “wait for Goku.” Even TeamFourStar pointed this fact out in their abridged series. Thankfully, the franchise has started to learn from this in recent years by giving other characters the chance to show what they can do. And with Goku reduced to chibi-sized for the duration of Daima, his party can show that they’re not just there to keep Goku on the right path. They can fight, too, as Supreme Kai proves in this episode!

So I was Wrong about the Plane

At the end of the last episode, I speculated that Kibito’s prescence had something to do with Shin’s plane not working. However, it was something simpler. A rock used for the energy converter isn’t working, thereby making the plane useless. Which also makes me question why they even bothered to have it? Thankfully, Hybis, one of King Kadam’s men, shows up to give them a ride. Before the episode’s out, the team of Hybis, Bulma, Vegeta, and Piccolo have made it to the Demon Realm. Kibito stayed behind to watch the Lookout with Popo.

Honestly, this is much better than having to wait longer to see how Bulma and the others make it to the Demon Realm. Even better, it solves the issue of not having the right pin # for Mr. Warp. Way to think on your feet, Toei!

Meanwhile, Goku’s party continues to have a string of bad luck as the Gendermerie return looking for Goku. He’s able to elude them thanks to his Instant Transmission, but then they try to arrest Panzy because they (rightfully) suspect her for attacking them in that village. Another fight ensues, and the trio of Goku, Shin, and Glorio proceed to beat everyone unconcious. However, their plane gets destroyed in the process, once again hindering their travels…

…is what you’d think I’d say! However, they find an extra Gendermerie plane and decide to steal that instead. As a bonus, this will mean that fewer people will try to stop them.

Supreme Kai is Mattering Now

This fight, while nowhere near as epic as what we’re used to in Dragon Ball, is still good. The reason being that, unlike in most cases, Goku can’t handle everything on his own. For the first time since he was a kid, he’s in a position where he has to rely on his friends to help. And after years of being considered weak compared to the Saiyans, Shin reminds us just why he’s a Supreme Kai in the first place. He may be young by his race’s standards, but he’s still fairly capable.

As if to highlight the greater emphasis Shin has in this series, the next thing that he does is get rid of the collar Panzy’s forced to wear around her neck. The series already implied it, but this episode confirms that the collars the Third Demon World resident’s wear suppress their magic and can be used as tracking devices. Dr. Arinsu created them back during Dabura’s reign, so this is something that’s been going on for a longtime. It further emphasizes how unfair a place the Demon Realm is, and that it’s high time for a regime change. Given how this is a Shonen series, there’s a good chance that by the time Daima ends, those collars will be a thing of the past. Especially since Shin tells Panzy that the magic he used to break her collar can be used by anyone. Shin and Panzy could be the key to liberating the people of the Demon Realm in the near future!

In addition, this episode also reveals Shin’s true Glind name, Nahare. Just like Goku has his Saiyan name, Shin has a Glind name. Neat!

The Real Fun is Coming

The series is now seven episodes in, but it feels like the pacing hasn’t picked up at all, though that’s about to change. The episode ends with Goku and the others making it to the first of the Tamagami warriors that guard this dimension’s Dragon Balls so that he can fight them. Given what the preview for the next episode has to say, it looks like we’re in for a good fight. And while I don’t doubt the strength of the Tamagami…it’s Goku. The man is going to fight actual gods in the near future, can solo most characters in all of fiction, and has fought Superman three different times. He may not have won any of those fights, but he did put the Man of Steel through his paces. He can handle the Tamagami.

I Give “Collar” a 3.5/5

So, Glorio is Sus. We all Know that, Right?

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Crunchyroll, Dubs & Subs , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dragon Ball Daima Ep 6 Review

What is Glorio after? We know next to nothing about this enigmatic gunslinger from the Demon Realm, but given how he gave Goku and Shin the means to go after Gomah, he seems trustworthy. Despite Goku trusting him, Supreme Kai has remained noticeably on guard around him. On the surface, it could be because of the underlying tension between the different worlds of the Demon Realm. But as this week reveals, Shin might be onto something about Glorio, as we learn who he’s actually working for.

Glorio’s True Loyalties?

After Panzy joins the party and they set off in a new ship/plane, the group has to make an emergency landing. A consequence of their ride being unable to handle all that weight. So, while Goku goes to use the bathroom, they have to ditch half of their supplies. That, and soldiers from Gomah’s army come looking for Goku. His decision to stand up to the Gendermerie has made him a wanted man. It’s only a matter of time before Gomah realizes that Goku followed him home, and tries to throw everything he has at him. If not thanks to his army, then due to a certain someone very close to him.

When Glorio first appeared, he claimed to have been hired by King Kadan to bring him the one who beat Majin Buu. However, Kadan himself said Glorio only came to him with the idea, meaning he was hired by someone else. That someone else gets revealed when, after making camp for the night, Glorio makes a phone call to his actual employer, Dr Arinsu. AKA Shin and Degesu’s older sister and chief scientist for Gomah.

Quick aside, this episode also confirms how the Glind, Supreme Kai’s race, are born from plants. Cool bit of lore there.

Why is Glorio Working for Arinsu?

For the record, the fact that Dr. Arinsu hired Glorio behind Gomah’s back should not be surprising. Given how she gave him the idea to use Earth’s Dragon Balls to make Goku and his friends kids, I suspected she knew that would make them get involved with Gomah. The fact that she already traveled to their Universe ahead of Gomah corroborates this. My working theory is that she’s pulling strings to ensure that Goku takes down Gomah for her own benefit. Or she could just be luring the Saiyan into a trap. Either way, this means that Shin’s concerns about Glorio are more justifiable now.

Does that mean that Glorio is a direct threat, though? That’s uncertain, as we soon learn why.

When a Minotaurus Demon (cool reference to Greek Mythology) shows up wanting to eat the party, Goku and Glorio argue over who will fight him. So, the two decide to have a sparring match to see who will be the Demon’s opponent, much to their “enemy’s” irritation. Though, given who he’s dealing with, the Minotaurus isn’t much of a threat.

We’ve gotten glimpses of how capable Glorio is in a fight, but this sparring session is when we truly start to see what he can do. As expected, he does manage to put up a good fight against Goku, even managing to knock the Power Pole out of his hands. What’s more, we get to see what kind of magic Glorio uses: he’s got lightning magic! He can fire it off like ki blasts, generate it from his fingertips like he’s a Sith Lord. He can even turn it into a weapon like a whip!

It’s clear that Glorio is indeed strong. Right now, I’d say he’s likely one of the strongest in the Demon Realm. However, Goku makes it clear that, even in his kid form, he’s still stronger. The fact that he can still go Super Saiyan is a testament to that. It also puts into perspective how powerful the adult Goku would be compared to the people of the Demon Realm. Gomah may have underestimated Goku’s strength, but the show had to nerf him for it to work. Otherwise, he would likely steamroll through everything, and that wouldn’t be any fun!

Oh, and the Minotaurus pulls a Mr. Satan and bails.

I’m Not Worried About Glorio

So, while fans now know that Glorio is sus, I don’t think it’s much of a problem. My guess is that even if something bad happens, it will be because Glorio had to fool Goku. Which, given that it’s Goku, won’t be that hard. However, Goku has a habit of befriending those who start out opposing him, so I think Glorio will warm up to him with time.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, there’s good news and bad news to end the episode. The good news is that Bulma finished fixing Shin’s ship. The bad news? When Kibito, Vegeta, and Piccolo go to use it, it shuts down almost immediately. Though I suspect it might have something to do with Kibito, mainly because the ED shows Bulma being the one to go to the Demon Realm. This will just justify that.

It’s taken a while, but it seems like Daima is starting to pick up steam. I suspect things will start to get a little more exciting over the next few episodes as we get into this for the long haul. I’m not complaining; this is Toriyama’s last gift to us, so I want it to last as long as possible.

I Give “Lightning” a 4/5

‘Title-Kun’ Is Now a Thing for Crunchyroll

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

If you’re an anime fan, you might have heard of Truck-Kun. If you haven’t, it’s an internet meme used to describe the act of sending characters to another world via hitting them with a truck. Or anytime an essential moment in the plot is set in motion when someone’s hit by a car. Or when any character gets hit by a truck or vehicle in anime. It’s become so widespread that it’s now a universally recognized trope. Many even consider Truck-Kun to be their own character. However, thanks to Crunchyroll, Truck-Kun may be getting a younger sibling in terms of internet memes. Introducing…Title-Kun!

Origin of Title-Kun (I think)

Unless you prefer to watch it on TV, another streaming service, or pirate it, then you probably watch your anime on Crunchyroll. Ironically starting out pirating anime like many other sites, after going legit, Crunchyroll has become the go-to place to watch anime legally in the West. It’s not hard to understand why, though. They’ve got hundreds of titles that get constantly updated, their shop, are big enough to have panels at the most significant conventions, and a dedicated series of YouTube channels. They’ve pretty much cornered the market on anime in America.

Speaking of their YouTube channels, though, lately, people have started to notice a trend in how Crunchyroll names its videos.

The Work of Title-Kun

I don’t know when exactly it started, but the titles for many of the anime clips Crunchyroll posts on YouTube have gotten very creative. Sometimes, they’ll be perfectly normal sounding. Other times, they will be very descriptive regarding their content, to the point where it’s considered funny. For example, this clip showing Gear Fifth Luffy throwing Kaido’s attack back at him? “Uno Reversing Kaido’s Fire?”

The moment from “No Longer Allowed in Another World” when Sensei talks down the Dark Lord’s daughter? “Rizzing Up the Dark Lord With My Unwillingness to Live.”

A clip from Fairy Tail: Hundred Year Quest where Natsu fights a ghost Dragon Slayer? They gave it a Danny Phantom reference so overt, they had to change the name. The list keeps going on!

Many people who watch Crunchyroll’s YouTube channels have noticed the increasingly descriptive (and funny) titles the videos are getting. As a result, more than a few people have made jokes about it in the comments. Chief among them are saying that whoever comes up with the titles should be getting a pay raise.

Then a few days ago, I saw a clip for a new romcom anime called “Tying the Knot with an Amagami Sister,” and I saw what one of the comments said:

“Title-Kun is getting WILD these days… “

Spread the Word of Title-Kun

That’s when I knew that this was no longer a simple joke. It was ascending to meme status. And I am all for it!

Don’t ask me why, but I really enjoy how much fun Crunchyroll seems to be having with how they title their videos. Besides referencing internet slang and movies, it just shows a generally high level of creativity. That’s something I’m always looking to see in the things I enjoy. And if the history of Truck-Kun is any indication, then if the meme keeps growing, it will start to be used to describe shows with crazy, descriptive titles. It’s up to us to ensure the meme spreads that far!