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All Hail Empress Raphtalia!

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

The Rising of the Shield Hero S4 Ep 12 Review

It’s over, everyone. The liberation of Q’ten Lo is over, and Raptalia’s ancestral homeland is free. Sadly, anyone who hoped that things would end in a big, epic final battle like in a movie has had their hopes dashed. Instead of a great final battle, we have to settle for a more personal one as Raphtalia undergoes a great trial: earning the approval of her ancestors to lead the nation.

Good Riddance, Makina

So, to recap the end of the last episode, Shildina was possessed by the spirit of Raphtalia’s ancestor, the former Emperor(or Empress) of Q’ten Lo. Said ancestor then flew to the capital and killed the wicked Makina for her crimes against the nation. However, Makina had one last trick up her sleeve, using a failsafe she put in place to allow her soul to possess Shildina’s body. Fortunately, she’s about as smart as Bitch the Witch, so it doesn’t work. Some people might not like how anticlimactic this feels, but there really was no need for Naofumi and the others to fight Makina. She was a worthless piece of trash and she died like one.

The real focus of the episode, though, is what happens after that. Raphtalia’s ancestor is willing to give Shildina her body back, on one condition: she wants to scrap with Raphtalia. The logic behind this is simple. As Emperor, it will be Raphtalia’s duty to be strong enough to stop the Cardinal Heroes if they stray from good. So she needs to be strong enough to do that. Ergo, she needs to prove her strength.

Decent Fight!

The fight itself is actually pretty good, at least by the show’s standards. Raphtalia gets to show off how strong she really is, and we see how much she has to improve upon herself. At the same time, I can’t help but feel like the fighting has lost a bit of its edge. Then again, my standard might have gone up from watching other anime.

In any event, Raphtalia wins, and Shildina is freed. Which means that Q’ten Lo is now free!! However, it’s what happens next where the anime fumbles the bag.

We Missed Naofumi Preaching the word of Raph-Chan

In the light novels, after defeating Shildina and bringing the rebels in, Naofumi and the others go to capture the young Emperor, Raphtalia’s cousin, Ruftmilia. He tries to remain composed at first, but just like in the anime, Naofumi has Filo mess with him. The reason being that he wanted him to understand why forbidding people from fighting monsters in self-defense is a bad idea. Whereas the anime glosses over things, though, Filo pretends to try to eat the boy! It helps fake his death so they can take him away from Q’ten Lo, but it’s not as dramatic in the anime.

Also, it skips over the part where Ruftmilia takes an immediate liking to Raph-Chan. Which means that Naofumi now has a new member of the Church of Raph-Chan, much to the dismay of Raphtalia.

Next Season is Gonna be Crazy

Regardless, though, this brings an end to the big side quest that was Q’ten Lo. And that is basically what the entire season has amounted to: a major side quest. Because while all of this is happening, time is running out until the next of the Guardian Beasts emerges. That is when the fight to save the world will begin anew. And things are already being set in motion.

Elsewhere, a moment that should make people ecstatic takes place when Motoyasu corners and apparently kills Witch. Normally, that would leave people jumping for joy…or at least lamenting the waste of life. However, it happens far too easily for everyone to buy. And they’re right. Witch is still alive, and will likely return to cause trouble in the future.

And that brings us to what comes next, Season Five. The anime includes a teaser for the next season in its final moments, and from what we see, things are about to get bad for Naofumi. Very, very bad. I haven’t gotten that far in the light novels, but I’ve heard the stories about how bad things get.  

I Give “Return of the Emperor” a 4/5

Fall 2025 Has Some Good Anime to See!

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

There’s no getting around it anymore: it’s Fall. Leaves are falling, the capitalist system is preparing for the Holidays, and new anime seasons of anime are on the way. There’s just one problem: for the first time in a while, I’m worried that I won’t have an anime to cover on a weekly basis. There are plenty of great anime coming out to watch, but I’m not sure which one to cover for the D&A Anime Blog. That being said, it’s not stopping me from talking about some of the big names that might be worth watching.

Let’s Play, October 1st, Crunchyroll

Our first potential pick is potentially for anyone whose a fan of video games, romcoms, or webcomics, Let’s Play. Sam Young is an introverted 22-year-old software developer whose love for video games led to create her own, Ruminate. At first, it did great on the market, until her favorite Let’s Player, Marshall Law, gave it a bad review, leading his fans to trash it. It gets worse, though, as she discovers Law has just become her new neighbor. Talk about a drama bomb.

Believe it or not, I’m actually one of Let’s Play’s earliest fans, having read it from its first chapters on WEBTOON. At first it seems like another romcom built around gaming, but once Mongie starts picking up steam, she starts getting into some pretty heavy subjects like depression, trauma, and insecurities. Unfortunately, I don’t think that the show’s animation lives up to Mongie’s own artwork. Having been let down by The Beginning After the End earlier this year, that’s left me a little weary. However, I think I’ll at least give it the benefit of the doubt.

My Hero Academia Final Season, October 4th, Crunchyroll

Ever since the manga came to an end last year, fans have been waiting to see if the My Hero Academia anime can live up to their expectations. As the final war between the Heroes of Japan and All for One nears its climax, Deku will be drawn into his final confrontation with the ultimate villain and Shigaraki in a battle to decide the fate of the world.

For the past decade, My Hero Academia has been one of the biggest names in the Shonen genre, and anime in general, and for good reason; people

love superheroes! The series has had its highs and lows, but given how the manga ends, people are eager to see if the anime can live up to the hype or surpass it. Having covered the series on my own blog since Season Four, getting to see the finale will be a bittersweet experience for me. At least we’ll still have Vigilantes to look forward to, though!

Ranma 1/2 Season 2, October 4th Netflix

Last year, Netflix gave us their remake of one of the OG romcom anime, Ranma 1/2, and now it’s back for more. Too bad for Ranma, his misfortunes when it comes to love, as well as his curse, are going to keep giving him grief.

When anime and manga started arriving in force to America back in the 90s, Ranma 1/2 was among the first wave, helping to introduce fans to Japanese romcoms. Granted, modern audiences might take issue with several things about it, like how argumentative Ranma and Akane are, or how they’re betrothed by their dads without their consent. However, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still one of the OG romcom anime, and it’s cool that it’s getting more love.

Spy x Family Season 3, October 4th, Crunchyroll/Hulu

Everyone’s favorite spy family is back for a third season. As Loid continues to work towards his ultimate goal of completing Operation: STRIX, the Forger family continues its efforts to keep looking like a normal family. Which is tough considering how the “Dad” is a spy, the “Mom” is an assassin, neither knowing that, and their “daughter” Anya has to help keep it that way. Which will be hard, considering how this season is slated to include an escort mission on a cruise ship and Anya’s school bus getting hijacked by terrorists.

I’m not that overly big a fan of Spy x Family, only really watching it when I have nothing better to do. However, I can appreciate why people like it so much. The characters are likable, there’s a good balance between action and comedy, like many great Shonen, and the animation itself is great. What might tip the scales, though, is that this season will give us a look at how Loid became the superspy Twilight.  

Star Wars: Visions Volume 3, October 29th, Disney+

Four years ago, Disney teamed up with some of the biggest animation studios in Japan to give us Star Wars: Visions, an anthology series that combined two of the greatest things in the world: Star Wars and anime. Now, it’s returning to those roots with a third season that promises to be just as good, if not better, than the last two. Not only will we be getting new shorts inspired by the Star Wars universe, but three are going to be sequelss to some of the most popular shorts from Volume One: The Duel, The Village Bride, and The Ninth Jedi. If you’ve seen the shorts, then you know why this alone is worth the hype.

I’ve been a fan of Star Wars since I was a little kid, and despite how Disney has kept fumbling things since 2012, I’m still a big fan of the franchise. Combining it with anime is naturally enough to get my blood pumping! Given how amazing the first two volumes are, I’m eager to see what comes next from this anthology series!

Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, October 29th, Theaters

It’s been three long years since the end to the first season of Chainsaw Man, and while manga-readers have feasted, anime watchers are starving . But all of that changes as Chainsaw Man gets the movie treatment with Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc.

After defeating the Katana Man and his Yakuza flunkies, Denji continues his work under Makima as a hunter of Devils. His world winds up getting turned upside down, though, when he winds up meeting a girl his age named Reze, and she actually seems interested in him! But since the universe seems to love seeing Denji suffer, you don’t need to read the manga to know that this cannot end well.

I had my criticisms of the first season of Chainsaw Man, and for good reason. Considering all the hype about the manga, it felt like the anime failed to meet my expectations when it comes to action. However, I did promise myself I would go back and review it again once it continued, and I intend to keep that promise. Given how effectively Demon Slayer has adapted arcs into full-on movies, I have high hopes for this flick. Hopefully, it also means that the anime will be coming back soon with a new season.

GIANT ROBOTS VS MONSTERS RULES! Or, the DanDaDan Season Finale

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DanDaDan S2 Ep 12 Review

Do you know what’s more metal than fighting giant monsters inside a giant robot? Absolutely nothing! The Mecha and Kaiju genres are some of Japan’s oldest and most respected cultural exports, and they’ve gained popularity with people around the world. Since DanDaDan is essentially a giant love letter to all things sci-fi and supernatural in Japanese pop culture, including the two is a no-brainer. And with a Space Kaiju baring down on the teens of the series, it only makes sense that they fight it off with a giant mecha for the season finale. And it is everything that the nerdy Konya ever wanted…when it works at least.

YOU! DIG! GIANT ROBOTS!!

In order to fight off the giant, thunder-breathing Space Kaiju trying to kill them, the quintet of Takakura, Momo, Aira, Jiji, and Kinta resort to turning the Ayase House (made out of nanobots) into a weapon that can fight back. Fortunately for everyone, Kinta’s love of mecha anime comes in clutch, turning the house into a buddha-themed combiner robot in the style of Voltron, Power Rangers/Super Sentai, and later versions of Gurren Lagann. That’s the good news about this situation, at least if you’re Kinta.

The bad news is that the Family lacks the teamwork needed to pilot the thing.

I’m not sure how often this is an issue when it comes to combiner mechs, but teamwork is often the most essential thing for making them work right. The Power Rangers and Voltron may make it look easy, but in real-life, coordinating to pilot a giant robot would be very difficult. If one member isn’t in sync, it could derail everything. Case in point, this surprisingly realistic outcome results in Okarun getting ejected, the Evil Eye busting free without caring about what’s going on, and the remaining three getting their butts kicked.

But this is where Kinta starts to show what he is truly capable of, and how there’s more to him than his appearance would suggest.

Don’t Mock Mecha

Much like Okarun before he met Momo, Kinta lived a very lonely life, mocked for his nerdy interests; in his case, for his love of mecha and giant robots. Before anime became mainstream, and even now, that is something that many an unfortunate nerd has had to experience. However, like a true nerd, Kinta refuses to feel bad about liking what he does. Because he knows that at the rate that technology is progressing, the possibility of being able to pilot a giant robot is becoming more and more likely. That’s not even a joke: companies are working on real-life mechas capable of being piloted by humans, and if they got mainstream, they will need capable pilots. And it’s people like Kinta, who understand mecha and sci-fi and trained for them, that will be first in line.

And it is with these burning feelings in his heart that we see Kinta become the mecha pilot he always wanted to be. And it is awesome!

Robot vs. Kaiju!

The fight between the Great Kinta and the Space Kinta is nothing short of epic! It’s the kind of fight that makes any fan of either genre just want to grin from ear to ear. And the way the girls use their own powers to help enhance the Great Kinta mecha! Absolutely insane! And the other two boys manage to be a comedic duo the entire time since all they can do is watch everything! The comedy and action don’t stop!

In the end, the group manages to beat the Space Kaiju, but they come back to reality in the middle of the city. So, they have to hoof it back to the Ayase property with their fallen opponent. And Momo and Aira have to puke from motion sickness, LOL. Besides that, though, Kinta managed to solidify himself as a member of the group. His mecha skills are something else! But believe it or not, the giant robot vs Kaiju fight wasn’t the biggest surprise of the episode. It’s what the boys find inside the Kaiju. Or rather, Kaiju suit.

This whole time, the Space Kaiju was really a suit, and the person piloting it will surprise you.

A New Waifu has Appeared

DanDaDan now has a new waifu. Manga readers have been waiting for her for a while now, but sadly, anime watchers will have to wait until season three. Thankfully, it’s already been confirmed that there will be a third season of the anime. When it will come out, though, is anyone’s guess.

But, since DanDaDan is such a tease, it decides to end the season…with this!

Momo, a fierce rival has just appeared!

GIANT ROBOTS RULE!

I Give “Clash! Space Kaiju vs Giant Robot” a 4.5/5

Sisters Clash! Water Miko vs Water Miko!

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The Rising of the Shield Hero S4 Ep 11 Review

If there is an afterlife, then there better be a special place in Hell for adults who abuse kids, especially if it’s their own. Thanks to Makina (AKA Bitch II), any attempts to end the liberation of Q’ten Lo without bloodshed are for naught. Shildina has been ordered to go back and fight Raphtalia and Naofumi’s forces, making her their last obstacle to the Capital. And the only way they can get past her without killing anyone is by beating her one-on-one. And the only person she’ll fight? Her sister, Sadeena.

Oh, dear.

Sibling Inferiority Complexes are Hard to Handle

From the outset of this fight between sisters, Shildina makes it clear that she has no illusions as to how things will turn out. She fully expects to die facing down her older sister. However, her decision to do this goes beyond following orders, no matter how unfair they are. It’s because she has a personal grudge against Sadeena.

As this episode reveals, Shildina was only born after Sadeena left the country. Their parents and clan created her for the sole purpose of taking up her sister’s role as the Water Dragon Priestess and the Emperor’s executioner. They put her through hell for that, not even treating her like her own person. And now, Shildina is using her suicide mission as a means to let out all the hate and anger in her heart against the person she deems responsible.

Ever since the group arrived in Q’ten Lo, the show has implied that a part of Sadeena regrets leaving without trying to change things for the better. However, no one can fault her for leaving. Many people who grew up in an abusive household don’t look back after getting out. If anything, the only regret that Sadeena has after meeting her sister is that she wasn’t able to beat some sense into her deadbeat family. But now that she has Raphtalia and Naofumi by her side, she can change all of that.

Ultimately, Shildina is technically the person who wins the duel, managing to overwhelm her older sister thanks to a trump card she had in place. That victory proves hollow, though, as Naofumi and the others all rush to her aid while Shildina has no one. The only person who cares about her as a person is the Heavenly Emperor, and he was powerless to stop her from going to her death. Thankfully, Shildina doesn’t die. Something just as bad happens to her, though. Somehow, she gets possessed by a spirit!

So that is where Rapthalia Gets her Looks From

It’s not really explained that well in the anime, and the light novel doesn’t offer as much of an explanation as to why this transformation happens. Given how this new form is the spitting image of Raphtalia, though, it’s safe to say that Shildina has been possessed by the spirit of Raphtalia’s ancestor. On the one hand, she doesn’t continue the fight with Sadeena and immediately flies back to the Capital. That’s when she proceeds to give Makina the karmic justice she deserves.

On the other hand, though, Raphtalia’s ancestor is possessing the body of a kid against her will. That’s not good. If they want to save Shildina, then Naofumi and the others are going to have to fight this spirit.

As is the case with many of the fights this season, it wasn’t the most exciting thing to watch. However, what it lacked in excitement, this episode made up for in raw emotion. It really wants you to feel for Shildina when you hear her backstory, and make you want nothing more than to beat her parents faces into the ground. If we’re lucky, we’ll get an anime-exclusive scene of that next week during the finale. Until then, though, we have the battle against Raphtalia’s ancestor to long forward to. After that, we crown our Tanuki Goddess!

I Give “Oracle Miko” a 4/5

No Peace As Long as Jerks are In Charge

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The Rising of the Shield Hero S4 Ep 10 Review

You know who we hate? Witch, AKA Bitch, W***, and formerly known as Malty S. Melromarc. She might be one of the most loathsome, contemptible, and disgusting excuses for a sentient being in all of anime. And as this season has revealed, Q’ten Lo has its own version of Witch in the form of Makina, AKA the one running Raphtalia’s ancestral homeland into the ground. Bitch #2 is such a waste of life that even when it’s obvious she’s going to lose, she’d rather drag everyone else down with her, even if they’re just kids like Sadeena’s little sister.

You Can’t Negotiate with Jerks

At the end of the last episode, Naofumi, Raphtalia, and the other rebels had made it to the gates of the Old Capital of Q’ten Lo. Right when it looked there would be a huge fight, Sadeena’s little sister, Shildina, AKA Zodia, asks to talk things out. Despite her future subjects calling it a trap, Raphtalia agrees to go, and alone at that. It’s rather sweet to see that Naofumi and Sadeena trust Raphtalia to take care of herself, even when their followers act paranoid.

As it turns out, it’s not a trap. Shildina does want to end the civil war peacefully, asking the rebels to lay down their arms so their lives will be spared. She even offers Raphtalia a job in the government. As we’ve seen about her character, she’s completely sincere about her offer. She hates seeing people suffering as much as Raphtalia and wants to end things without any further bloodshed. With how hard it can be in real life to get people to talk things out, I can’t help but respect the young priestess’ willingness to know when it’s time to compromise.

Unfortunately for Shildina, her efforts to end the war without any more fighting were doomed from the start. I didn’t need to be Naofumi to see that fact plain as day.

Is this Woman Witch’s long-lost relative?

First of all, it’s implied, and later confirmed, that Shildina is acting of her own accord. Her master, the horrid Makina, is like Cersei Lannister from Game of Thrones: if you’re not with her and doing what she wants, then you’re an enemy to be crushed. Needless to say, she is neither understanding nor willing to even entertain the thought of peace. Not that it would matter for her. After allowing Raphtalia to become an orphan, be enslaved, and then have assassins sent after her, any peace deal Naofumi would want would involve her facing justice.

Second of all, this episode pretty much confirms that the child Emperor is a figurehead with no real power. Even when he tries to speak up for Shildina’s, likely his only real friend, Makina shuts them both down. Any attempts to act in good faith are never going to work with her in charge. Case in point, when Shildina comes back having given up the Old Capital to Naofumi’s forces, she proceeds to verbally abuse the girl, playing on her feelings of inferiority towards the sister she’s never met. In other words, she’s a horrible woman and the world will be better off when she’s dead.

All Hail Empress Raphtalia!

The good news, though, is that thanks to the government abandoning the Old Capital, the group’s able to perform the ritual to make Raphtalia the new Heavenly Emperor of Q’ten Lo. Or Empress, in this case; the story doesn’t make it clear if “Emperor” is gender-neutral here. Regardless, the important thing is Raphtalia is now able to perform the blessings of the Heavenly Emperor. Even better, the Cardinal Heroes manage to learn a new way to power up that basically amounts to the use of Ki. With the Phoenix’s arrival on the horizon, they will need all the power-ups they can get.

The bad news? The road to the new capital is now blocked by Shildina. And judging by the amount of sake she’s drunk, she’s not here to negotiate.

We are nearing the end of this season of Shield Hero, and knowing what the story is like, we can expect at least one climatic fight before the dust settles. In the meantime, here’s hoping that the next episode won’t see Sadeena or anyone else forced to fight Shildina.

Also, we saw a glimpse of Motoyasu, and it looks like he’s raised some Filolials into potential queens like Filo

I Give “Prayers” a 3/5

Whoa, it’s a Kaiju!!!

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

DanDaDan S2 Ep 11 Review

Japan may not have invented the concept of giant monsters, but it turned it into an art form, complete with its own name: Kaiju. Since 1954, Japan has cemented itself as the giant monster capital of the world, with names like Godzilla gaining international fame long before anime established a foothold in the West. With DanDaDan essentially being a love letter to all things supernatural and sci-fi, it was only a matter of time before we got ourselves a Kaiju. And just like how most humans are in the movies, Momo, Okarun, and that new guy Kinta are completely outclassed as they face down this terror from the stars! They’re going to need all hands on deck just to survive this fight!

Or maybe a giant robot.

Kaiju Approaching!

Just when Momo and Okarun thought they had a lead on the latter’s missing nut, not only did it turn out to be a dud, but it’s led them to be facing down some kind of alien Kaiju. The upside is that it doesn’t shoot atomic breath at them. The downside? It shoots bolts of lightning like it’s a thunder god. And with tagalong Kinta unable to defend himself, the pair are forced onto the backfoot until Aira and Jiji show up. While Jiji takes Kinta away, since neither of them can fight, Aira, Momo, and Okarun try to fight the Kaiju…with disastrous results.

There is a lot of unresolved tension between this growing group throughout the season, and a lot of it has to do with Aira. She’s kept insisting that she’s the leader of this “Family,” something that the others have either ignored, like Okarun, or flat-out rejected, like Momo. Thanks to that, their lack of team coordination means they’re not able to fight as effectively as they can. Not that that matters, since they’re fighting a Kaiju. You have to be as freakishly strong as a Saiyan, ninja, or a pirate with Conqueror’s Haki to take that down.

It also doesn’t help that there’s the tug of war that Aira and Momo are caught in over Okarun. Look at what Aira did this episode to one-up Momo!

Diabolical!

Meanwhile, Jiji fares no better with Kinta. Thanks to the latter’s stubbornness, Jiji winds up turning into the Evil Eye, and he doesn’t change back. For the rest of the episode, he’s serving as comic relief, complaining about wanting to fight someone, but he can’t. It’s not Tuesday! Admittedly, it is funny to see the Evil Eye acting all pouty because he can’t fight Okarun, but since he can’t fight the Kaiju (Takakura points out this is a bad idea), comic relief is all he’s good for. Which is fine in this case.

As entertaining as this, though, there’s still space-Godzilla headed straight for them. And with Turbo Granny nowhere to be found and Seiko a guest on some show, they’re on their own. Luckily for them, they have the means to fight back!

Even if I didn’t know the basics from the manga already, I would’ve guessed that rebuilding the Ayase house out of memory-shape nanomachines was an important plot device. Technology like that plus raw imagination means someone could think of anything, and the machines would make it a reality. And there’s only way to stop a Kaiju without getting another one to fight: giant robots. And this is when Kinta comes in clutch, using his otaku knowledge of all things mecha to create this!

This is Voltron meets Pacific Rim with the Buddha thrown in, for good measure! Some people may say that giant robots are a waste of time and money, but they’re probably just jealous they don’t get to use one. This could make for an amazing finale next week as the gang fights the giant Kaiju! I’m looking forward to seeing what happens! Assuming, that is, they can pilot it!

I Give “Hey, it’s a Kaiju” a 4/5

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Was Everything We Wanted, and then Some

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle Review

When it was announced at the end of the last season of Demon Slayer that the finale would be a movie trilogy, we all knew we were in for a good time. When Mugen Train came out in 2020, it managed to break the global box office despite COVID-19 shutting everything down. The series was so awesome, not even the dreaded Coronavirus could stop it! And with how this young anime franchise has risen to become one of the most popular in the world and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with giants like Naruto, Dragon Ball, and One Piece, the grand finale that is Infinity Caslte and Sunrise Countdown were going to be major events. Come opening weekend in the US, I got my Tanjiro haori on, grabbed a prop sword I had from One Piece, and headed to my nearest AMC to see Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Infinity Castle.

And it was worth every last penny that I spent.

LET THE WAR BEGIN!

After a brief flashback revealing how Kagaya, the head of the Demon Slayer Corps, told the Stone Hashira Gyomei about his plans to sacrifice himself to kill Muzan, the film picks up right where we left off. Muzan teleports the Demon Slayers, save for a few non-combatants, into his base, the Infinity Castle, in the hopes of wiping them out for good. With everyone capable of fighting separated within this pocket dimension and surrounded by hordes of Demons, their mission is clear: find Muzan and kill him. With the stage now set and all the players in place, the final battle between humans and demons begins, and what a battle it is!

Ufotable Fired on All Cylinders

Right from the start, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle makes it clear it’s not going to wait for the gate to open: it’s just going to break it and come out charging like Inosuke trying to fight a train. By that, I mean that the film knows that this is the start of the grand finale, and that it can’t afford to hold anything back. Ufotable has always been consistent about providing the series with cinema-levels of animation, but for the second time in its history, the franchise gets to play out in actual cinemas. So it holds nothing back in regards to everything. It continues to blur the line between 2D and CGI animation to the point where it doesn’t exist anymore. It knows when to inject some of the series’ irreverent comedy when needed. Above all else, though, it knows how to get the most out of the fights to keep audiences on their toes, cheering one minute…and then crying out the next in anguish.

Say your Goodbyes in Advance

If you have read the manga ahead of time, then you know that not all of the heroes are going to live to see the end of this fight. Even anime-only people will go into this film expecting for some of the Demon Slayers to die. Losing Rengoku in Mugen Train made it abundantly clear that it doesn’t matter how likable someone is; that won’t save them. If anything, the film only makes the anguish of seeing what the heroes get put through feel even worse thanks to its frequent use of flashbacks for both parties. As a result, when something bad does happen to one of the heroes, you are going to feel awful watching it and knowing that nothing can be done. I will not name names, but if you read the manga, you know. We should just be grateful that the body count was light in the film, because the proceeding films will not be so kind.

Speaking of flashbacks, a good chunk of the film’s 2-hour, 35-minute runtime is made up of flashbacks. Like many good Shonen anime, these flashbacks are designed to flesh out the backgrounds of certain characters, revealing their motivations, perspectives on the world, and driving forces. Some people have complained about their prescence in the film as it takes time away from the action people came to see. However, they serve an important purpose that ties back to the series themes of overcoming adversity and facing impossible odds. Many of the demons we meet were people who saw the ugliness in the world and allowed it to corrupt them, turning them into the monsters that they are. Some of them even have downright sympathetic backstories. It doesn’t excuse them for what they do, but it’s meant to help contrast with the Demon Slayers, who refuse to give up despite the odds.

Hence, the flashbacks stay, even if they make Infinity Castle run longer than some would like.

Demon Slayer Deserved to be a Movie. Again!

Having seen the movie for myself, I can honestly understand why some people complain about its length and pacing. Demon Slayer has released compilation films in the past, and at times, Infinity Castle can feel like one. In fact, its sheer size and pacing makes it feel less like a film at times and more like an excuse to get the first six or so episodes on the big screen. At which point you start to ask whether or not making the finale a movie trilogy was even necessary.

To all those who think question this logic, I offer this rebuttal: It is necessary, because it’s Demon Slayer.

One of the most important aspects to any story is its ending. If the ending is good, then people will talk about it for years to come. Maybe even generations, if lucky. Given how much flak Demon Slayer got for the manga’s ending, it’s not inaccurate to say that it’s up to the anime to redeem things. And for something as grand and epic as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, a simple TV or smartphone isn’t worthy of what’s going to happen. In all fairness, Demon Slayer has earned the right to end on the big screen. And so far, it’s justifying its right to be there, again! It’s the biggest opening for an anime film in the West to date!

So, to summarize, this movie is awesome. I consider it the last big movie of the summer season, and if you’re a fan of Demon Slayer, don’t wait for it to show up on Crunchyroll or another streaming service. Do yourself a favor and get your cosplay, go to the nearest theater, and get your butts in a seat. You will thank yourself later.

Just hope you have better luck getting the collectible popcorn bucket or cups than I did. They sold out where I went days in advance.

I Give “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle” A 5/5

Kinta, a Chuunibuyo, Arrives!

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

DanDaDan S2 Ep 10 Review

Bryce Papenbrook, AKA Kirito, Cat Noir, Eren Yeager, and many other roles. I have been a fan of him since his Sword Art Online days, but the last thing that I expected was for him to appear in DanDaDan. Nor did I expect him to be voicing the latest addition to the cast, a boy who’s somehow nerdier than Okarun and more of a Chuunibuyo than Aira was during her introduction.

He’s gonna fit right in!

A New Chuuni Has Appeared

Meet Kinta Sakata, even more of an all-around, stereotypical nerd than Okarun was when we first met him. He likes reading sci-fi about mecha, he acts like a chuunibuyo, and he does JoJo poses like it’s second nature. Unfortunately for him, he lacks the one thing that enabled Okarun to start growing out of his shy and nerdy exterior: rizz. He’s got no rizz whatsoever, and he’s jealous of Okarun for having that.

The first few minutes of the episode are a retelling of Momo and Okarun’s first day back to school after their initial fight with Turbo Granny. The anime wants us to think that he’s been there the entire time watching them, but it’s so obvious that he’s shoehorned in that it’s hilarious. Which I feel like was kind of the point: the series is trying to make him seem like this guy who’s always been there in the background, but now he wants to take the spotlight.

Kinta Tries too Hard

In a nutshell, Kinta has one goal and one goal alone: to get girls to notice him. The problem is that he’s even more socially inept than Okarun was at the start. So when he tries to ask Okarun how a fellow nerd like him is now getting attention from beautiful girls like Aira and Momo, Ken has no idea how to respond. As if to drive the point home, Okarun’s class rep and Momo get into an argument over him because the latter keeps disrupting their studying. And since Kinta has no clue about the golden balls, he mistakes what they’re saying for spicy talk and tries to emulate it, only to come off as a total creep. It’s hilarious!

As a fellow nerd, I can recognize when one of our number is turning people off by trying too hard. And Kinta is trying way too hard! If I were to give the guy any advice, it would be that you can’t force yourself to have charisma. Okarun has rizz without even trying because he’s not trying to be someone he isn’t. He’s a naturally nice person, and so attracts people to him.

We’re Going Kaiju Now!

In any event, Kinta ends up getting more than he bargained for when he follows Okarun and Momo after school. They’re trying to find what they think is Okarun’s remaining nut, only for them to be unable to catch it once it starts flying around all over the place. Yet, despite him being more or less clueless about everything, Kinta does manage to prove to have some value. Thanks to his knowledge of sci-fi, he’s able to figure out that their enemy is using cloaking and finds a way to get past it. And it works! They’re actually able to stop this invisible enemy…for a second. Then they get to see its true form.

That’s right, people! In a series filled with ghosts and aliens, it was only a matter of time before we got one of Japan’s most famous cultural icons, the kaiju! There’s only way to fight a kaiju without summoning another one, and that requires a giant robot. Next week, expect some kaiju on mecha action! But in the meantime, I stand by what I said about Kinta. He might be awkward as they come with his chuuni ways, but he’s going to fit right in with this cast.

Are you Getting the Demon Slayer Popcorn Buckets?

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

Hey, you! Yeah, you! Assuming that we got this up on time, do you know what’s happening in the world of anime and manga this week? Starting on Thursday, September 11th (or 9th for Crunchyroll subs), an anime film that fans have been waiting to see for a year now makes its way west. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle is making its way to theaters in America.

While commemorative popcorn buckets have been around for a while, the last two years or so have seen them surge in popularity. Movie theaters have been going crazy releasing collectible popcorn buckets and cups as tie-in merch for major movies. I’ve even gotten into it by getting tins for Superman and Fantastic Four earlier this summer. And now, its Demon Slayer’s turn.

As you can see, AMC theaters is releasing this collectible tin made to look like the Infinity Castle, complete with characters from the movie itself. In addition, they’re also releasing collectible drinking cups based on the swords of four characters from the movie: Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Giyu, and Shinobu.

They’re not the only theaters releasing buckets, though. Cinemark is also getting in on the action, but their bucket isn’t as cool as what AMC has. Japan got this cool looking bucket with straps and artwork on it.

But none of them are as cool as what fans in Malaysia got. They’re getting one with an infinity LED lid that simulates the interior of the Infinity Castle itself.

I have already made plans to go see Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle, albeit alone due to everyone I know being busy. Whether or not I buy any of the buckets or cups is up in the air, but I cannot deny that they do look pretty cool. More importantly, the fact that theaters are making buckets for an anime film is an encouraging sign of how far anime has come in pop culture. With fans in Japan raving about the movie, it’s up to us in the West to make sure that it meets the same reception.

So what are you waiting for? Go get your tickets!!

Now there are two Sadeena’s

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

The Rising of the Shield Hero S4 Ep 9 Review

What can be said about Sadeena? She has a dark and troubled past as the former water miko of Q’ten Lo. She’s Raphtalia’s big sister figure. She’s another one of Naofumi’s unwanted suitors after he beat her in a drinking contest. She’s a fun person to be around, all things considered.

So, who wants to see a mini-Sadeena? Because that’s basically what we get with this episode. 

Now They’re Gonna Worship Filo, too!

The liberation of Q’ten Lo continues apace as the rebels march towards the old capital. Thanks to Naofumi showing off Raphtalia in her miko outfit and helping everyone, their ranks continue to swell. In an extra stroke of good fortune, Filo is a dead ringer for the country’s national bird, so they have her happily walking around and befriending everyone like the floofy angel she is. Once they get to the old capital, they can perform the succession ceremony that will give Raphtalia the formal, and mystical, powers of the Emperor.

There’s just one problem: the puppet regime has decided to make its stand at the Old Capital. And they’re being led by the Water Dragon Miko.

As Sadeena explains, the role of Water Dragon Miko has always been in her family, and it’s more than just a religious role. The title-bearer also serves as the Emperor’s enforcer and executioner. Basically, Darth Vader without the cybernetics and angst. And Sadeena is unhappy knowing her decision to leave led to another taking up her burden.

As it turns out, though, Naofumi doesn’t have to wait to meet this potential enemy. While he and S’yne are going to meet with Motoyasu II and Elhart, they run into a young girl who’s a dead-ringer for Sadeena.

It’s Mini-Sadeena

The anime doesn’t say that this girl, Zodia, is related to Sadeena. It doesn’t need to; the fact that she looks like a mini-Sadeena is a big enough hint. The fact that she loves drinking alcohol and immediately asks Naofumi to marry her when he shows he can’t get drunk cinches it. This little girl is Sadeena’s little sister, and we all know it. Naofumi may not say anything, but he’s smart enough to put two and two together for himself. And as Sadeena herself states, any little sister she might have would’ve had to take up that role. And Zodia is only a kid.

Let that sink in. The system would have a kid become a religious leader and executioner. That’s messed up. When this is all over, Naofumi is going to have to go and have a talk with Sadeena’s family. Better yet, forget the talking. Make Sadeena the new head and banish the old ones. 

In any event, things stop being so easy once the rebels arrive at the old capital. The regime chooses to stand its ground and asks to parley with the rebels. It would also seem that the puppet masters opted to strike at the villages under their control without Zodia’s knowledge. As a result, Naofumi has to send Atla, Fohl, S’yne, and Gaelion away to help. It’s clear that while Zodia is willing to play fair, her superiors have no such desire to play fair.

Time to Fight Dirty

I can’t remember what exactly is going to happen next from the light novel, but I do know that things are only going to get worse before they get better. It doesn’t help that Sadeena is likely going to have to fight the sister that she’s never met before, either. Which is incredibly sad, since Zodia is such a sweet girl. Plus, seeing her get lost so easily reminds me of Zoro from One Piece, so bonus points in my book. 

This episode wasn’t that exciting, but to be fair, that seems to be the case for a lot of this season. It’s mostly drama and talking with action in between, and that’s fine. I’m still going to watch it, regardless.

Also, it gets shunted to a smaller scene, but after Raphtalia gives Fohl advice on how he needs to stop spoiling Atla, he starts calling her “big sis.” She has come full circle!

I give Zodia a 3.5/5