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OG Founder: Classic vs. Modern Anime Conventions

Aside D&A Anime Blog Uncategorized

So…how do ya’ll wanna do this?

I don’t think there’s a lot to say about this topic that hasn’t already been said before. If you’re an anime fan, you’ve probably been to a few of them. If you’re a casual fan, you might have heard about them from a friend, and attended at least one of them. If you’re a non-anime fan, then this won’t be of any interest to you. What am I getting at you ask? It’s simple—anime conventions!

Anime conventions have been a part of anime culture since…anime became popular. It’s basically Disneyland for geeks and nerds who fell in love with the medium. They were also a place where you can meet new friends, talk about your favorite shows, have silly debates, and engage in fandom activities that were created by the fans themselves. To a lot of OG fans and con attendees, that’s what’s missing from a lot of modern anime conventions. Back in the 2000s the con scene was much different compared to how it is now; from your Yoai paddles and glomping complete strangers, to shouting out dead memes and the occasional “Butt-scratcher”. It was the ‘Wild West’ in terms of what was deemed appropriate, and acceptable.

Now those days are gone, and have been replaced with a more modern ‘Family-Friendly’ atmosphere, in terms of how anime conventions are marketed towards a broader audience. There’s even been one convention that tried to ban cosplay. You heard me—BAN COSPLAY!! Image going to an anime convention, and you can’t even cosplay ANY of your favorite characters (even if they aren’t wearing any skimpy clothing). What is the point?! I got a lot more to say about conventions; from how they used to be when I first started going, to how they are now. So check it! Classic vs. Modern Anime cons!

Otakon 2016 (Baltimore, MD)

For this post I’m gonna break down what I mean by ‘classic’ and ‘modern’ anime conventions. I’ll be comparing both of them on these attributes; Structure, Programming, Nightlife, Budget, and Sense of Community. Let’s kick it off with the first one.

[STRUCTURE: Classic vs. Modern Anime Cons]

A lot of us don’t think about it but the way an anime convention is structured, determines its longevity in the convention circuit. This boils down to the location of where its held, how accessible it is, what amenities are available, and the cost of badges. Being an anime convention organizer, these are the logistics that you have to take into account; on top of promoting, marketing, and advertising your convention to the public.

With classic anime conventions, the only places you had that wouldn’t break the bank, were hotels. Hotel-based anime conventions are how ALL anime conventions started out as. You rent out a large ballroom and 2 or 3 side rooms for panels and games, then work out a contract with the general manager where they would give you a room block deal, for attendees who wanted to stay the night. The cost of a weekend badge was probably $50 or less, and the amenities were pretty good…if the con was at a really good hotel. OG fans and attendees loved this type of structure, because the con experience felt more personable and intimate.

As anime got bigger and popular, so did anime conventions. Now they take on a more modern structure, where they still have to make sure they keep track of the logistics I talked about earlier. Some modern conventions do use the classic structure, while others are ran from large convention centers. Depending on the convention some of the aminities they have are actually pretty good, as with a bigger venue comes better programming (sometimes). Marketing and advertising are pushed to the max (which is usually the result of a larger budget), and the convention experience is dependent on the attendee themselves. Of course in terms of money, you’ll spend 10x less at a classic anime convention, than a modern one.

Zenkaikon 2019 VA Panel

[PROGRAMMING: Classic vs. Modern Anime Cons]

If the structure of an anime convention is its foundation, then the programming is the bones and muscle. The program itinerary is an important part of the convention experience, next to the lifeblood which is the attendees themselves. Back in the 90s and 2000s the programming for anime conventions, was facilitated by anime fans themselves. Because it was more fan-driven, it lead to a lot of creative programming for fans; such as AMV contests, karaoke sessions, VHS/DVD anime screenings, LARP sessions, and club meetups. Also keep in mind that no one under the age of 18 even went to anime conventions back then, which is why there was a lot more 18+ programming to be found at classic conventions.

Programming for modern cons is much different because a lot of it is industry-driven. While its cool to see some promotional trailers for the latest anime at your favorite convention by FUNimation and dem’, I feel like fan-driven content from fan-driven panels have become less common around these parts. Its even effected the amount of 18+ content and panels you see at modern anime conventions; where its become either less numerous and sanitized, or pushed out due to the ‘Family-friendly’ model that modern anime conventions have moved towards.

As a DJ, this has even effected how I look at the nightlife aspect of classic and modern anime conventions. Which, is what I’m gonna talk about!

Otakon’s Otakurave 2015

[NIGHTLIFE: Classic vs. Modern Anime Cons]

I know this is an aspect that some nerds don’t care about too much, but if you’re among the group that likes to party, there was a COMPLETE difference between classic and modern anime conventions! For this segment I’m going to go by conventions of the mid 2000s and early 2010s.

Anime convention nightlife of the mid 2000s was something special. Many nerds weren’t old enough to go clubbing, so what did classic anime conventions do? They turned either a ballroom, or a main hallway into a classic 90s-style nightclub. This was also when the ravers came to anime conventions; you wouldn’t find them anywhere near the con, until the sun went down. This was also when rave parties started being incorporated into anime conventions. Also, they didn’t let just anybody into the rave, they actually had staff act as bouncers, and they checked your ID (not your badge) before you could enter the function. Classic anime convention raves were basically a kid-free zone, where party animals and controlled degeneracy ruled the dancefloor.

Modern conventions have this too, however some of their in-house raves don’t hit the same. What do I mean by this? I’ve been to a modern anime convention rave a few years ago in PA, and saw nobody in my age group there. In fact the only people that were there, had to be no older than twelve! (Who let’s middle schoolers in an 18+ rave?!) They were mostly girls, in the tightest of shorts, throwing ass on each other! I wasn’t on EDP timing, so I had to dip! (I’ve gone to other 18+ modern con rave parties and had ass thrown on me from cosplay and rave girls, plus we were of age and they were one-off twerks.)

Some anime conventions don’t even have in-house raves at all, in fact they outsource to local third party promotions in their area. For AnimeNYC and other Midwest conventions; they got SonicBoomBox, Sexy Nerds, Otakus With Attitude, and more. All I can say for classic and modern anime cons in terms of the nightlife is…just be careful. These areas are usually where anime fans and weebs get drunk, and when that happens, a lot of bad things (can) happen. I could go on about this, but I’d rather move on.

Running a con is expensive!

[BUDGET: Classic vs. Modern Anime Cons]

While structure and programming are vital to the foundation of an anime convention, revenue is what truly keeps it alive. Anime conventions are expensive enough as it is when you’re an attendee, now image if you had to throw one of your own…?

Everything I sad in the structure part of the post costs money; the hotel block, the venue, the guests, and the entertainment. Back in the 90s and 2000s you could throw a decent 2 or 3-day convention at a hotel for about $15-20K. You’d have basically all the local amenities and good programming, plus a couple of dub voice actors as well for meet-n-greets and autographs. (This is also when I said a weekend pass was $50 or less for cons back then.)

If you look at how much a modern anime convention badge costs now, especially in 2025, you’d probably question if that anime convention is even worth the hype to go. There’s no way a weekend badge at a modern convention, should cost that same price as a pair of Jordans, or Beyonce tickets! Badge prices shot up after Covid because of two years of lost revenue for anime conventions. Even so, some nerds will still pay it! (Plus a lot of modern anime conventions have a 7 or 8-figure budget, so they can bring out big name voice actors, and Japanese bands.)

All of these things are important, but the one that really brings this all home, is this…

Us at my Club BASSMODE DJ & Cosplay Party!

[SENSE OF COMMUNITY: Classic vs. Modern Anime Cons]

Let’s not beat around the bush here. Out of the four attributes that I spoke about when it comes to classic, and modern anime conventions, this one is the MOST important! This is the one that can make or break the overall anime convention experience. If I were to be 100% honest on this one, I’d say that classic anime conventions did it better!

Back then there was a greater sense of community within the anime community. It was easy to make friends who loved anime as much as you did. Everyone loved each other and didn’t bicker about common nonsense debates; such as powerscaling, waifu wars, etc. It felt more tightly knit as well as organic and real, plus if you were a cosplayer, it felt like fun and not a competition. It was more than just fans coming together because of their love and passion for anime, it felt like family.

All of that changed when anime became mainstream. Modern anime conventions (especially the BIG ones) do not have that same sense of community, like they did 20 years ago when they were grass-roots cons. It’s not to say it isn’t there, it just…doesn’t hit the same. Now that anime conventions have become more industry-driven, and have taken the Family-Friendly approach to become more marketable to big sponsors, the original sense of community they once had…becomes irrelevant.

In the past 15 years that I’ve gone to anime conventions; I’ve seen them grow, and I’ve seen them go. Some organizers are passionate about the community, while others are in it for the money. These are the attributes and aspects of anime conventions that can either make them famous for the right reasons, or infamous for the wrong ones. Right now I no longer go to large anime conventions anymore; even if they may have more to offer in terms of programming, guests, and entertainment. It’s probably why I stay local, and if you’re a local anime fan, be sure to support your local anime convention.

For older fans like myself we were there when anime was an underground niche. The same could be said for anime conventions, as they were birthed from the small local anime clubs that they started. As anime grew so did anime cons, and though they’re no longer the small niche nerd spaces they once were, there will always be small cons that carry classic vibes.

OG Founder

Out!

OG Founder: The Anime Community Just Doesn’t Hit The Same…

Aside D&A Anime Blog Uncategorized

So…how do ya’ll wanna do this?

Growing up as an anime fan came with a lot of joy, and pain. Whether it was reaching breakneck speeds to get to your TV after school to watch the latest DBZ episode, or crashing out because Francis decided to tear up your rare Pokemon and Yugioh cards in front of you; while all the girls laughed in the process. There’s one thing that made it all worth while. A place you can go to talk about all the greatest moments from your favorite anime. A place where debates didn’t turn into full-on warzones filled with toxicity, doxxing, and death threats. A place that…ok, let’s not beat around it. The Anime Community.

Being a part of this community really gave you a sense of belonging, especially if you were considered an outcast by the rest of society. Its a place where anime fans can talk about their favorite shows without judgment or prejudice (you’ll see what I mean about the second one). Now in the year of 2025; you’ve got ‘fans’ sending death threats to anime creators, because they didn’t make their headcannon ‘official’. (Lookin’ at chu MHA!) You’ve got Twitter X activists cosplaying as anime fans trying to inject political agendas into well-established fandoms; followed by the incels online who go to war with said activists. If you’re a Black or Brown (BIPOC) cosplayer, you’ve got ‘fans’ telling you your skin is too dark to cosplay anime characters with a much lighter complexion, or skin tone. Yeah, racism is here too, who’d thought…

So, I want to look at some aspects of the anime community that have changed in the last couple of decades. Let’s start with the obvious one; anime becoming mainstream.

[ANIME BECOMING MAINSTREAM]

This goes back to growing up during your childhood, and watching some your favorite shows. Back in the 90s you had Pokemon, Sailor Moon, and of course Dragon Ball Z. There were many other shows that were around during this era, but back then these were ones that made it out the trenches. It was also during the time where anime clubs started to form in school, of course I never joined any of them because I didn’t know about them at the time. With the Shonen genre of anime on the rise from the late 90s to the 2000s, it led to the trifecta of shows that many still call the greatest era of anime history; The Big 3! (Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece.)

These shows had a stronghold on the anime community, as they were the only shows that were being talked about at the time. Yes, you still had Gundam fans. Yes, Pokemon was still kickin’. Yes, Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon was still holding it down, however those shows walked so the others could ‘Naruto Run’. The anime community had grown from just a few nerds talking around the school lunch table, to large-scale clubs that eventually became the anime conventions that we see today. However its not all sunshine and Skittles, as the reason anime became mainstream…is the same reason most OG anime fans don’t watch (or enjoy) modern anime. To them, classic anime did it better; from storylines, plots, and character development. They’ll make acceptations, but most of the time, they don’t want to be caught in the ‘Peak vs. Mid’ debate. Which leads into the second aspect…

[ANIME DEBATES]

What can I say about them that hasn’t already been said, eh? Anime debates have changed drastically over the last 20 years. I remember growing up we used to have debates about which Pokemon could beat which Digimon in a fight, then laughed about it afterwards. Nowadays if you say Goku could solo the Marvel or DC Universe, best believe you’re getting flamed in the comment section! If you say you don’t like a certain character or the main character and give a reason why, you’re getting flamed in the comment section (especially from AOT fans). I blame social media and the division that its caused among the anime community, because it was never this deep when I was growing up. And DON’T GET ME STARTED ON THE SUB VS DUB DEBATE! I’ve already explained it before, so I’m not doing it again. We have both versions available…and yet we still complain. Legally vs Piracy is another one, as many fans are frustrated with how Crunchyroll is doing business. (Which is ironic because they used to be on the other side.)

From Waifu Wars to Anime’s “Me Too” Arc, these debates have split the anime community down the middle. The drama from these debates have destoryed friendships, relationships, and tainted the integrity of the anime community as a whole. (As well as well-known fandoms.) This is also why a lot of fans have completely left the anime community and don’t tell anyone else that they watch anime, because they don’t want to be associated with that drama. I myself was also on the way out, but I had my own reasons for coming back…

[NEW GEN & 2020 ANIME FANS]

With anime being mainstream, it also brought something that made the modern anime community what it is today; New Gen fans. From 2020-2022 (aka The Covid Anime Fan Era) there was a massive spike in anime viewership from streaming companies like Netflix and Hulu, as well as Crunchyroll. Both 2020 anime fans and new gen fans flooded the anime community, as the medium itself now became socially accepted in society. At the same time, this influx of fans also brought a lot of drama. Keep in mind a lot of these people didn’t start watching anime until Covid hit, plus these are the same people that didn’t watch anime…until it got popular.

I also hear the word “gatekeep” being thrown around whenever this topic is discussed among OG and hardcore anime fans, because of how many times mainstream fandoms have gone down the trash because ‘normies’ and ‘cringey fans’ invaded said fandoms. ‘Twitter X Activists’ have also invaded these fandoms as well and, well…ya’ll know how that story goes.

[APPRECIATION VS APPROPRIATION]

If you were born in the 80s and 90s, then you know anime used to be called ‘Japanimation’, because it came from Japan. It was originally marketed towards adolescent Japanese audiences; until it found its way to the West, got dubbed, and Western adolescent audiences started watching it. As it rose to fame in the 90s and 2000s…wait, I already said that! Y’know what? Screw it, I’m gonna get right to it!

Anime fans both appreciate and appropriate cultural aspects of Japan. Some want to visit Japan so they could see and appreciate the history of the land; from historical places, events, food, and nightlife. While select others follow the Weeaboo path and think Japan IS anime! This can also be said about fanart and cosplay—especially if you’re a minority! I’ve seen some of the most racist comments under Black and Brown female cosplayers, whenever they cosplay characters of a lighter complexion. (Even though most of the characters are Japanese, and not Caucasian.) Some are well aware of the Twitter X controversy that happened, when a black female artist drew fanart of the main characters from Dandadan (Ken Takakura and Momo Ayase), and made them Black. While some people said that there was no harm done (and that art is subjective), that didn’t stop racist fans from coming for this girl’s throat in the comments. It got so bad that the Voice Actor for one of the main characters in Dandadan (A.J. Beckles as Ken Takakura), came to the artist’s defense of her fanart, and they came gunnin’ for him too.

That just shows you where we are with the anime community, and why some people actually hate it. I guess that why so many fans wish that the anime community could go back to the way it used to be. Back then we were chopping it up about our favorite shows and having silly versus debates at the school lunch table. Now the community is crawling wit racists, elitists, weeaboos, lolis, twitter activists, cringey fans, and mainstream normies. I guess that’s why I say…the anime community just doesn’t hit the same.

So…what do you do?

One, start your own anime community. Two, ignore and block people on social media who don’t know you or care about you. Three, watch what you love on your own merits and don’t engage with the online (or offline) fandom if you don’t want (or have) to. Four, stop caring about what other people think if you’re a Black or Brown cosplayer, and cosplay what you love! Five, establish ground rules when you have anime debates, especially the ‘spicy ones’. Six, leave miserable people where they are and don’t engage, because misery loves company. Seven, don’t feel pressured to watch mainstream anime just because someone else said you should. (Follow number three for extra assurance.) Eight, appreciate Japan and its culture and don’t go there just because you think it’s ALL anime. Nine, make sure you keep one foot in reality and go outside, and breathe clean air—if there’s any. Finally number ten, don’t make anime your entire personality. There’s more to life then toxic debates, cringe fanbases, and weeb wars.

I don’t know how I’ll feel about the anime community in the next five or ten years, but the sooner we acknowledge that its got modern problems, then we’re sure to come up with modern solutions.

OG Founder!

Out!

It’s Time for Arthur…to Have a Training Arc

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

The Beginning After the End Ep 6 Review

Ever since he got separated from them by bandits, all Arthur has wanted is to return to his family. His stay with Sylvia helped him get ready for the journey, and his detour to help Tessia get home to her own family had slowed him down. That selfless act, though, might have paid off by giving him his best chance to get back to his parents, only for him to learn that that might have to wait. Whatever power Sylvia gave him, his body can’t handle it yet. So, he either stays in the land of the elves, who aren’t too welcoming of him, and trains, or takes his chances by going home and potentially dying.

At least he has a friend in Tessia, though.

When Your Daughter Brings Home a Boy

As the last episode managed to establish, Elves are not too fond of Humans. Given how the events that led to Arthur meeting Tess involved her being captured by slavers, the feeling is not unwarranted and likely mutual on Humans part. So, despite being happy that Arthur saved their only daughter, the King and Queen of the elves aren’t happy that her grandfather wants to take him in as his apprentice. Doing so would mean that A.) a human would be living in the home of the elven royal family for an extended period, and b.) that human is also a boy Tessia’s age.

Anyone who has ever had a daughter will likely sympathize with what Tessia’s father is feeling. His little girl is only five, and she’s already bought a strange boy him. Worse, if he tries to throw him out, Tessia will hate him, making it a lose-lose situation.

Jokes aside, a big part of this episode focuses how important her friendship with Arthur is to Tessia. It’s all but stated that Arthur had no friends in his first life, so Tess is likely the first friend he’s had since he was young. Tessia, on the other hand, has only ever had “friends” who just wanted to take advantage of her princess status. That led her to close herself off to anyone outside her family, hence why she can act so aggressive at times. As her grandfather notes, having Arthur around has made her happier than she’s been in years.

This will be Tough for Arthur, but he will be Fine

Unfortunately for Arthur, the majority of the Elves don’t extend that sentiment. As soon as Tess takes him out to play, he’s accosted by a snooty elf who looks down on him. Thankfully, he shows that he’s not to be messed with in short order.

The more important thing about this episode is that Virion introduces to his friend Xinia, who uses her magic to let Arthur contact his parents. Thanks to that, he’s able to let his grief-stricken parents know he’s alive, but that he can’t come home yet. With that out of the way, though, he’s free to work on fixing his inner power. Which means it’s time for him to undergo his first training arc.

And with that, the first (webcomic) season of The Beginning After the End comes to a conclusion. It was a little rocky at first due to the animation, but once you get past that, the series does have its own rough charm to it. Next time we see Arthur, though, he’ll be bigger and stronger and likely closer to Tessia than ever! Here’s hoping that the animation improves some more!

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I Give “The King’s Training” a 4/5

OG Founder: Don’t Call It A Comeback!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Uncategorized

So…in the words of Cody Rhodes…

I’m pretty sure I don’t really need an introduction, as judging by the tone of my writing style, you guys already know who this is. While I’ve been away, I’ve been keeping tabs on the anime community as well as the anime industry. And so far…things have been great in a few areas, while absolute trash in others (based on the rants I’ve seen on social media). Now, I don’t wanna get anybody’s hopes up of a comeback, but just like the title of this post says, don’t call it a comeback!

When I look back at January 11, 2016 I feel like Aaron and I have done a lot in terms of our vision for D&A Anime Blog, and where we want to take it. I’ll admit, there were a few bumps in the road, as well as a couple times where we wanted to jump ship. However we hung in there during those rough times, and we’re still going strong today!

So, with that being said, I want to let you all know where I stand with D&A going forward.

[Once in a Blue Moon Drop-Ins]

While I may have stepped down as ‘CEO’ of D&A, I’ll drop in with an article or two once in a blue moon. There will be no timetable of when the drop will happen, but like an RKO, they’ll come outta nowhere!

The topics won’t be all anime, all the time. They’ll be things that I feel like talking about whenever I feel like talking about them. Again, this is not a full-time comeback, this is more of a ‘drop-in’. This also includes the “Nerdz of the Decade” podcasts, where we have guests on the show; from VAs to content creators.

[Select Anime Reviews]

I don’t really write anime reviews that much anymore, but I feel like I don’t have to since that’s covered. If there’s a series that pulls me in (like New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt), then I miiiiiiiiiiight drop a series review on it. No timetable of when it drops, it drops whenever I feel like it. Y’know? Also, there won’t be any lengthy, meaty posts (unless its a review on a show I like) from me. And consistency? Yeaaaaaaah, probably not that much.

Also, there’s something I wanted to get off my chest, that’s been scratching at it for awhile…

When I “left” D&A December 18, 2023 I was in a rough season of my life. I needed to vanish to save my friendship and my sanity, and while I was gone I had a revelation. I wanted to find my identity outside of D&A, as I didn’t want the blog and the Youtube channel, to be the ONLY thing I’m known for. That’s why on July 1, 2023 I created Club BASSMODE (BASSMODE: Nerdz Nite Out at the time), a DJ & Cosplay Party Promotion I could call my own. Its not to say that I don’t like you guys or anything, but I just didn’t like where I was at the time. Now almost two years later; I’m in a much better headspace than I was before thanks to Club BASSMODE, and Aaron and I have returned to cons. (The caveat being that they’re local, or I get booked to DJ their rave/afterparty.)

I did get to DJ Colossalcon East, so check that out here!

I’m gonna wrap this up with this.

I’m still a part of D&A even if I’m away. I don’t regret for a second about creating this platform, as its done a lot for us even though the expectations we had for it were a bit out there. Yes, Aaron and I have “split” but not in the way you’re thinking. We’re still collabing even though we’re not on the same brand. (He shouts-out Club BASSMODE, and I shout-out D&A.)

I’m not coming back full-time, but I’ll circle the area some of the time.

With that said…

OG Founder, out!

Wait, Does Kissing Really Do That to People?

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

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 2, Episode 8 Review

Last time on The 100 Girlfriends, the Rentaro Family was facing its biggest crisis since the incident with Hahari! Rentaro’s tenth soulmate, the beautiful Mimimi Utsukushisugi, refuses to be part of any group with Nano in it due to a past transgression. Thus, the newcomer challenges Nano to a contest where the loser must leave the Family! How will Rentaro use his CHADtaro powers to resolve this conflict? What sort of antics will Mimimi bring to the Rentaro Family? And how saucy can this anime make the simple act of kissing?

That last question will make sense soon enough.

Mimimi’s Problem with Nano

So, after Mimimi threw down the gauntlet last time, this episode reveals the exact circumstances that led to her grudge against Nano. After winning a beauty paegant they were both in, Mimimi tried to be a good sport and extend a hand to Nano. In response, Nano rejected her, saying friendship was a waste of time. What made things worse was that Mimimi secretly entered Nano in the pageant all so the two of them could become friends, only to get spat on.

The first half of this episode is as much about Nano’s character development as it is about Mimimi joining the Family. Before she met Rentaro, love and friendship were utterly foreign to her. Her willingness to accept Mimimi’s challenge speaks volumes to her character development. Something that becomes more obvious over the course of their “beauty search” contest.

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Instead of judging each other by what makes them beautiful, they point out everything they find beautiful in the rest of the family. This leads to some very fun moments where everything that makes the others attractive. However, it’s when they get to Rentaro himself that the real funny moment of the episode takes place.

CHADtaro humiliates himself for his Family

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Rentaro uses his CHADtaro powers to turn himself into the least attractive person they can possibly find. He shaves his eyebrows, hair, and puts on a humiliating costume all so they can’t get an edge, and call the entire contest a draw! That’s how far Rentaro is willing to go to keep his girlfriends happy!

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Mimimi almost takes this moment as another loss, but again, this episode demonstrates Nano’s character development. She may not be able to make up for her past slight, but she makes it clear that she finally understands the value of love and friendship. Which is one of the great things about this series. The girl’s problems aren’t fixed overnight, but thanks to the supportive environment Rentaro gives them, they’re able to work on them together! And it’s enough to convince Mimimi to drop her grudge and officially join the Family.

Kissing Galore

In what is now a tradition for the series, the second half of the episode is centered on Mimimi integrating into the Rentaro Family through an activity. In this case, it’s helping each of the girls reach their most beautiful selves by partaking in activities that will aid them. In this case, kissing. Lots and lots and lots of kissing.

This entire half of the episode is primarily an excuse for the anime to skirt the line between SFW and full-on ecchi. Using a new lip balm to stimulate the pleasure centers of the brain, the girls each take turns kissing Rentaro. The moments that come out of this are, suitably, hilarious. Like this!

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Or this!

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This one got crazy!

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And this one was a straight-up shoutout to Food Wars and its infamous Foodgasms.

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And look at how what happened afterwards!

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And with that, we now sit at ten girlfriends, with ninety more to go. And this season only has one girlfriend left to introduce, so there’s no telling what might happen! At least the girls will be able to remain beautiful, though!

I Give “The Beautiful and the Bold” a 4/5

Behold, the Power of Anime Baseball!

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

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You S2 Ep 6 Review

Next to its birthplace in the land of the Stars and Stripes, the country that loves baseball the most is Japan. Baseball is incredibly popular in Japan, and it has been for more than a century. Hence why Iku Sutou is obsessed with the sport and why she’s determined to keep the school’s baseball team running. Were this any other anime, it would treat the big practice game that Iku and the Rentaro Family has to win seriously. However, since 100 Girlfriends is a comedic parody that loves using meta-humor, this baseball episode winds up being equal parts silly and serious. But mostly silly.

PLAY BALL!

It’s the day of the big practice game to determine if the high school girls baseball team will survive. And, by the rule of funny, Rentaro’s stand-ins wind up sick, conveniently allowing Hahari, Kurumi, and Mei the chance to play. But this is not the first example of how silly the anime is treating this baseball game.

The second example stems from the fact that their opponents, the Jurassic High Team, are all based on dinosaurs. Right down to their names being puns on dinosaur names.

The episode makes it clear from the start that it’s not trying to treat this game seriously unless it has to. Thus, it has free reign to parody the over-the-top nature of sports anime. From the opposing team coming up with flashy names for moves to said moves breaking the girl’s bats, anime logic is in full effect here. Unfortunately, that also means that the relatively inexperienced Rentaro Family is unable to do much, especially after Iku injures her pitching hand. Before long, they’re at the bottom of the seventh inning and have yet to score a point.

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But then, the opposing team does the last thing they could hope to do. Their leader messes with Shizuka’s head, making her mess up so bad, the poor girl is reduced to tears.

To paraphrase Saruman from Lord of the Rings, “So you have chosen death.”

No one. Hurts. SHIZUKA

As saddening as it is to see Shizuka reduced to tears over the enemy’s dirty playing, the episode veers right back into the realm of hilarious with what happens next. Something that, with the Internet still recovering from the high of the end of Dragon Ball Daima, has to be seen to be believed.

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<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Dragon Ball Reference in a harem anime 😭 <a href=”https://t.co/K5vqe705Pt”>pic.twitter.com/K5vqe705Pt</a></p>&mdash; Prince Vegeta (@SSGPrinceVegeta) <a href=”https://twitter.com/SSGPrinceVegeta/status/1891286768822943764?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>February 17, 2025</a></blockquote> https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Say what you want about 100 Girlfriends, but if you’re a fan of Dragon Ball, you can at least appreciate the affectionate parody that this is. Right down to the iconic eye-catchers. The fact that they got this riled up because the enemy made their precious cinnamon bun Shizuka cry only makes this even funnier.

Anyone who purposefully makes Shizuka cry is deserving of death!

The Perfect Catch

By the time they end their rampage, the Rentaro Family is only four points away from winning the game. That’s when Iku gets up to bat, and when things turn serious once more. While the story has already shown Iku dealing with her masochism, the climax of this episode has her dealing with another fear. In this case, it’s her fear of hitting someone in the stands by accident.

Cue the episode’s CHADtaro moment!

And with that, Iku secured the future of the girls baseball team. The anime got to have fun with a sports episode. And the fans got to see Rentaro make out with a cool tomboy!

In a series that gives us plenty of funny moments and is all about enjoying its premise, this episode might be one of the best thus far. Top five episodes just for the Dragon Ball reference.

I Give “A Homerun Promise” a 4/5

Master Roshi Needs our Help

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, DBZ, Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The following is an emergency announcement from the D&A Anime Blog concerning an important member of the Dragon Ball community.

Less than a year ago, the world of anime wept at the loss of Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball. Now, another prominent member of the anime community is in need of our help: Mike McFarland.

For those who aren’t aware, Mike McFarland is a veteran voice actor with more than 400 roles to his credit. The one we should concern ourselves with the most, though, is one of the OG conossseuirs of Waifus, Master Roshi. And right now, he’s in trouble.

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Earlier this week, Colleen Clinkenbeard revealed on Twitter that Mike went to the hospital for what he thought was a bad ear infection. Instead, it turned out to be a brain tumor that the doctors had to get out of him. Thankfully, the operation was successful, and Mike is out of the hospital and recovering. However, with that comes another problem: paying the bills. He will need someone to stay with him until he is fully recovered, which won’t be cheap. That is why Brandon McInnis and J. Michael Tatum have set up a gofundme page to help the man cover his medical fees. Fortunately, the fundraiser has already met its goal…but some extra money cannot hurt.

Many Dragon Balls are still mourning the loss of Toriyama a year ago, and I’m still saddened by the loss of Rachael Lillis in that same year. So, the fact that the man who gives Master Roshi life facing something so scary is too much to bear. Fans of Dragon Ball and anime need to do whatever they can to help a man who plays one of the OG Shonen mentors in his time of need. And if this winds up being more serious than doctors first thought, we need to ensure that he has enough money for further care.

Link to the fundraiser here

And if it helps, Mike already tweeted saying that he’s already up and about.

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

Uzumaki is One of the Scariest Anime I’ve Ever Seen

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

Uzumaki Mini-Series Review

During the spooky season of the year, I like to ignore my usual tendency to avoid horror and find things freak me out. The problem is that there’s still that upper limit of what I can tolerate before I get too scared to sleep. I’ve gotten better at pushing that limit as I’ve gotten older, but that’s just made me look for even scarier things. And whether by fate or by coincidence, I managed to learn about Uzumaki, a mini-series on Toonami and based on a popular manga that people said would be terrifying.

They were not lying. I watched all of Uzumaki, and it’s one of the scariest things I’ve seen in years. An absolute cosmic horror from which there seems to be no escape.

A Horror a Quarter-Century in the Making

An anime twenty-five years in the making, Uzumaki was published as a short manga from 1998-1999 by mangaka Junji Ito. For those who don’t know who that is, calling him the “Stephen King of Japan” should be enough of a hint. Set in the fictional, Japanese town of Kurouzu-Cho, Uzumaki tells the story of high-school couple Shuichi and Kirie as a mysterious curse related to spirals (Uzumaki literally means ‘Spiral’ in Japanese) begins to corrupt the town. And the longer it goes on, the worse it gets as the town is slowly transformed by something that no one can fully explain, but everyone comes to fear.

The Uzumaki is Everywhere

One would think that a curse involving something simple as spirals wouldn’t be so scary, but if there’s one thing that I’ve learned watching this, it’s that Junji Ito can find a way to make things scary. And as the anime demonstrates, he made spirals pretty scary.

From the first few seconds of the anime, you are inundated with the image of uzumaki, both real and imaginary, in the form of the clouds in the sky to the bark on a tree to even some blades of grass. Things only escalate from there. As the anime progresses, viewers and people in-universe will start to see uzumaki in everything. Even the very inhabitants of the town start to morph and transform into grotesque abominations to conform to the spiral. Before long, you’ll be sharing in the paranoia of Shuichi, the first guy to realize something’s wrong yet refuses to get out while he can because of his family and girlfriend.

The brilliant part of this is the fact that the spiral is both natural and supernatural in nature. Spiral patterns are often found in nature in everything from shells to our fingerprints to even the part of our ear that helps us stay balanced. Spirals are also found in art and architecture, as though people have this unconcious desire to make things spiral-related. There’s something about them that gets people’s attention, and Uzumaki plays that up to levels that have to be seen to be believed.

Then again, that seems to be how the Uzumaki spread to engulf the town.  It’s like an Internet troll demanding your attention and doing crazy things to keep it, each more outlandish than the last. You have to actively resist looking at it, but the black-and-white world it’s in makes it hard to ignore.

They Had Five Years and Still Gave us Bad Animation?

One of the big draws to this series is the fact that it’s done entirely in black-and-white. This decision, plus the way the cast’s movement is animated, gives Uzumaki the feel of a motion comic…when it works, that is. The second episode managed to get flak from people for how poorly animated parts of it were near the end, and I have to agree. I usually either don’t notice bad animation unless it’s glaringly obvious, or just ignore it in favor of the story. But when I do see it, I’m going to point it out. What makes it even worse, though, is the fact that the studios had an extra five years to get it right, and they still messed up!

Just look at this in the final episode!

Uzumaki was announced at Crunchyroll Expo 2019, and was originally supposed to premiere on Toonami in 2020. However, like many things around that time, it got delayed by COVID-19 and then the delays just kept piling up.

Call the SCP Foundation if this happens to you.

Shortcomings in animation aside, Uzumaki seems to live up to the hype surrounding this terrifying manga. There were moments that didn’t just scare me but almost made me vomit in disgust. Word of advice: do not watch this alone at night if you don’t want nightmares. Uzumaki is as scary as any big horror film that you can think of. It might even be scarier since the antagonist is something that we can’t even fully comprehend or fight back against…unless you’re the SCP Foundation.

No, I’m not joking. After watching this show, the Uzumaki curse feels like something that you would have to call in the SCP Foundation to deal with. I can even see how they would handle it!

  1. Evacuate the remaining townsfolk via a non-standard method of transportation. Teleportation recommended as only viable means.
  2. Adminster amenstics to the surviving townsfolk so that they no longer remember the Uzumaki curse.
  3. Quarantine the entire town and create a false news story claiming that a disaster has rendered the area permanently uninhabitable to prevent any more victims from being taken.
  4. Monitor the town to confirm whether or not the curse is limited to the vicinity of the town.

Or if they had someone like Takatou, they could have him kill it.

I Give “Uzumaki” a 4/5

Okarun Got that Dawg in Him

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

Dan da Dan Ep 2 Review

Life is a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get. One day, you’re minding your own business. The next, you’re being abducted by aliens for your privates. Or a ghost possesses you and steals your junk. For Momo and Ken, though, both happened in the first episode of Dan Da Dan! Now Momo has psychic powers and Ken’s going ghost against his will, and their troubles are far from over. To get Ken’s junk back, they have to first fight another alien, and the boy has to learn how to unleash that dawg in him.

And Momo? She has to deal with the fact that her new friend has the same name as her crush.

These Two are Like Cats and Dogs

The second episode of the series starts where the first one left off: with Momo in denial that Ken shares the same name as her actor crush. She’s so deep into denial that she immediately decides to call him Okarun from now on, a play on his alien otaku interests.

One of the best parts of the premiere was seeing how quickly Momo and Okarun establish their dynamic and relationship, and that trend continues in this episode. One minute, they’ll go from arguing like cats and dogs, and the next, they’ll be going out of their way to defend the other. It’s a very passionate and complex relationship, but that’s what makes it so enjoyable to watch. And despite how much they push each others buttons, it’s easy to see how much they care for each other.

Of course, there’s still the matter of Okarun being possessed by Granny Turbo. Momo can’t surpress the spirit forever, and she’s already getting close to her limit. Then, to make matters worse, the two find themselves trapped inside some kind of Domain Expansion by this giant sumo alien that’s working for the ones they met in the first episode. They still want the pair’s bananas!

And this is where the episode absolutely cooks as Okarun learns how to let the dawg off the leash.

THIS IS THE DAWG!

When Okarun learns how to go ghost and use the curse to his advantage, he finds that dawg in him, and the resulting beatdown is amazing. Dan Da Dan’s animators cooked with the animation throughout the entire episode, but the moment when Okarun found his inner dawg cranked things up to eleven. And despite the Sumo alien cheating, Momo and Okarun outsmart them in a way that I think would make Joestar family proud. Unfortunately, immediately after the fight, Momo finally loses steam, and the curse of Turbo Granny fully takes over Okarun.

Now the dawg really is off the leash. Unfortunately, this is also when the episode chooses to come to a close.

I hate cliffhangers like this because I don’t want to wait another week to find out what happens. However, the fact that I want to know what comes next now just shows how good Dan Da Dan is. And while I could just read the manga to see what happens, I won’t. I want to enjoy it as it happens! That being said, we’re only two episodes in, and Dan Da Dan has already become one of my favorite anime of 2024. It’s likely going to be the series that everyone will be talking about for some time to come!

I Give “That’s a Space Alien, Ain’t It” a 4/5