Anime

The Demon King’s Daughter is too Kind! Is so Wholesome!

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

Have you ever looked at something or someone before and thought, “Wow. That has to be the cutest thing in all of existence.” Of course you have. Humans are naturally attracted to anything that we find cute and adorable. I even recently learned about the existence of cute aggression, a phenomenon where something is so cute that we want to pick them up and hug and squish them forever! If there’s something that everyone on the planet could unanimously find cute, Iโ€™m betting that world peace would start just so we could all fawn over it. Sadly, such a thing doesnโ€™t exist yet in our world, but I did find a new anime thatโ€™s about pretty much that: The Demon Kingโ€™s Daughter is Too Kind!

The Demon King Ahriman, ruler of all demonkind and enemy to all that is good in the world. For years, his forces have been on a campaign to conquer all and make non-demons bow down to demonkind. Thereโ€™s just one problem: his infant daughter, Doux, will not act like how most demons do. Whereas other demons care about hurting people and causing misery and strife, even amongst themselves, Doux is the exact opposite. All she cares about is making people happy and bringing smiles and joy to everyone. Sheโ€™sโ€ฆtoo kind.

When I first saw the trailer for this series, I thought that seemed like another silly slice of life series. And to be fair, that is what it is. It makes it no secret that itโ€™s an anime thatโ€™s meant to make people feel good. But thatโ€™s the thing about it. When they say that Doux is too kind, thatโ€™s not hyperbole. And itโ€™s not because her dad spoils her and acts like a doting parent with her. When they say sheโ€™s too kind, they mean that she doesnโ€™t have an ounce of evil in her body whatsoever.

Take the first episode, for example. The Demon Kingโ€™s lieutenant is given the task of training her to be a ruthless demon. The first thing that Doux does is run off to force her to play hide-and-seek. And she does it to the tune of this song that little kids would sing while befriending all the animals she runs across!

And itโ€™s not just animals and demons that sheโ€™s nice to, either! Itโ€™s everyone and everything. She regularly visits the slaves to play with the kids and give food to everyone. She once helped out an angel for the sake of it. And every time she tries to be scary or mean, it just backfires because sheโ€™s just that nice!

And the crazy part? She might actually conquer the world with kindness. In fact, I think that that might actually be her ultimate plan.

The thing that makes this show adorable is that Douxโ€™s kindness is infectious. Whether theyโ€™re human, demon, angel, or animals, Doux brings out the best in everyone around her, making them nicer and happier. It gets to the point that her attendant thinks she might destroy the concept of evil altogether by getting everyone to be friends and nice to each other. And you know what? Iโ€™m all for it!

Itโ€™s no secret that our world can suck. A LOT. Seeing everyone constantly getting mad over things and fighting each other on the news can be enough to make a person give up on the world. But then you remember the characters from tv shows that were just unfailingly kind to everyone, and you think, โ€œthese guys? They get it.โ€ They get that being mean to everyone isnโ€™t going to make things any better, and so they choose to be nice. And Doux is so nice and cute that I canโ€™t help but want to be nice just by watching her. And the world needs more kindness in it!

Xylo Had a Fiance? NO, SERIOUSLY, HE DID!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Ani-Sunday, Anime Reviews , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sentenced to be a Hero Ep 7 Review

Even before we learned about the traitors in the human ranks, I knew that it was only a matter of time before Xylo and the Hero Unit would have to face off against their own people. Xyloโ€™s main goal in life is to find those who led to Senervaโ€™s death and get revenge; itโ€™s inevitable. However, I didnโ€™t expect things to happen so quickly, but the fighting at Mureed Fortress has forced everyoneโ€™s hands. Now Xylo, Kivia, and the others have to stay away from the front to protect Teoritta. And in doing so, we get to meet more members of the Hero Unit, as weโ€™ll see for our own eyes that Venetimโ€™s story about demons disguised as humans was true.

Also, Xylo had a fiancรฉ?!

Jayce Has RPG Protag Written All over Him

After defeating another Demon Lord at Mureed, Kivia visits Xylo in the hospital and lets him know that he and Teoritta are being benched. Not because theyโ€™re doing a bad job, but because theyโ€™re doing so well that the Coexisters want Teoritta dead. So to make sure theyโ€™re taken care, sheโ€™s having them pretend theyโ€™re on vacation to draw them out. On the plus side, this gives Xylo and Teoritta a chance to collect themselves, as well as give us a chance to meet another member of the Hero Unit. And he might be my favorite one yet.

Meet Jayce Partiract, a man who exudes main character energy. His spiky red hair alone makes him look like the protagonist of a JRPG, but then thereโ€™s the fact that heโ€™s also a dragon rider. He loves dragons so much that he tried to free all the ones serving the kingdom, which led him to get the hero sentence. And the dragons love him for that, much to the dismay of his personal dragon, Neely. Heโ€™s smug, rude, and the first thing he asks of Xylo is to pay up for winning a bet about who could kill the most Demon Lords. If you dyed his hair blonde, he could pass for a Targaryen. But anyone able to befriend a dragon has to be tough, and he does come in handy at a critical moment in the episode.

The biggest surprise, though, has to be the visitor that Xylo gets, this priestly-looking woman named Frenci. She used to be Xyloโ€™s fiance, but due to heroes being banned from marriage, it was canceled! She claims to be working on getting him pardoned, but meeting her is enough to make Teoritta jealous that the source of her headpats could get stolen. That gets superseded, though, by the reveal that Frenci is hunting another Demon Lord called Spriggan, who can disguise themselves as a human. So Venetim was right without even knowing it.

An Imposter Among us

This is a legitimately stressful situation. It’s bad enough the heroes have to look out for enemeis amongst their own, but if the demons can disguise themselves, it can make everyone seem sus. What’s worse, though, is the fact that Teoritta can’t use her powers on the humans she’s supposed to protect. And sure enough, both problems rear their head by the end of the episode.

Xylo and Kiviaโ€™s plan to draw the heretics out works as they, Teoritta, and Tsav are attacked in the market. To be fair, though, they were pretty sloppy in their methods, and they saw them coming easily. Once they drew them into an alleyway, though, they find themselves outnumbered by more heretics, including two assassins, Shiji Bau and Boojum. Jayce saves the day with Neely burning the rabble, but Shiji escapes. What’s more concerning, though, is Boojum? He took the flames head-on, and he didn’t flinch. And Teoritta notes how he felt different from the rest of the assassins.

It’s safe to say that Xylo found the Demon Lord Spriggan. But how are we going to deal with him? Questions for later. I’m still stuck on the fact that Xylo has a fiance!!!

I Give “Sentence: Feigned Day Off at Port City Ioff” a 4/5

VENTilation Station with OG Founder: New PSG!

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So…what do I wanna VENT about?!

This is my ANGRY KING BOO Face!!!

This right here, is a NEW series that I’ll be doing; where I VENT about things that dig into my skin, like the scarabs from The Mummy. There are some things (and possibly people) that I’m going to roast, and will do so in the most comedically-angry way possible. Normally I’m on the gray side of things when it comes to online debates, but in this series; any opinions you have about whatever I say going forward, will be treated as toilet paper that I will wipe my ASS with! Now onto the VENTilation!! New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt!

I love you…but we got some issues!

Now, I know what many of you are thinking…

“OG! It’s been 15 years, we never thought we’d SEE a Season 2!”

“OG! I miss Jamie and Monica too, but the NEW cast IS trying!”

“OG! I thought you liked the show and gave it a chance, so why switch up now?”

Listen, I hear everything that you’re saying, and many of you have valid points. It HAZBIN 15 years since we last saw the show; with that crazy twist of an ending that sent most Stocking simps into a spiral, over the fact that she was ACTUALLY a demon. A LOT has changed, and plus that’s a WHOLE Alpha generation ago! Ya’ll remember the story of how this show happened; the director and the crew got drunk, got inspired by “Drawn Together”, and when they came back, they started working on the concept of Panty & Stocking. Then the rest was history!

It was one of the most craziest shows I ever had the pleasure of watching, and when the dub got announced, OH boy! Jamie, Monica, and the rest of the OG crew understood the assignment; to make dat motherf*ka raunchy as hell! I’m surprised Adult Swim didn’t pick this show up (and it really needs to). I’m not gonna go over everything that happened in the OG series, so you’ll have to GO watch it if you haven’t seen it!ย 

“So…what’s the problem with Season 2?”

Chill! I’m getting to that!

[1st VENTilation: The Dub RECAST!!]

Had to get the obvious one out of the way. When the announcement got made in 2023, everybody was cranked all the way to 11! Fans were rising from the grave that we haven’t seen since 2012, and this hype was justified even further when the SUB trailer dropped in 2024! (It even had the OG Japanese cast reprise their roles, with the exception of one or two.) Keep in mind that it was only the teaser trailer, and if that was the sub, we could only imagine what the dub trailer was going to be like! (Especially with Jamie and Monica HOPEFULLY returning!)

Then the DUB trailer finally hits!

Um…what?

Listen, I have absolutely no hate nor shade towards the NEW cast of the NEW show, but on the same token, you have to acknowledge how mad and disappointed many OG fans were when this trailer dropped. The hype for this show went from 1000-to-zero the second the first line of dialogue was spoken. NO WHERE IN THE TRAILER do you hear Jamie OR Monica, or even some of the rest of the OG cast! (OG Garterbelt being recast I understand, besides it’s 2026 so we already knew that was happening.)

Maybe it would’ve been FINE if this was a partial recast, and Amazon & Pixelogic would’ve kept Jamie and Monica as the MAIN girls. Welp, that didn’t happen. Now I know there are many, MANY theories about the recast having to do with the ‘Weeb War of 2019’, but if we’re still doing that in 2026, GO OUTSIDE!!!ย  ย 

Dis What “Outside” Looks Like!

[2nd VENTilation: The SCRIPT!!]

The recast was a shock, but I probably would’ve forgiven it…if it wasn’t for the script. I know we live in a microwave society when it comes to dubs (as they used to take a year or two after the original sub came out), but man, the OG Panty & Stocking dub has GOT to be the exception! The sub came out in 2010 and the dub didn’t drop until two years later, then they slapped that thang on DVD with some hilarious extras. Keep in mind the reason why the OG dub was iconic, was because the main cast was DIRECTLY involved with the dubbing process! They had that cake, and ATE it too!

Not to mention when promoting the OG series at conventions, they had cosplayers dancing on stripper poles as Panty and Stocking! That is the best ‘On-the-Nose’ advertising I’ve ever seen! We ain’t get that with New PSG in the U.S. (In Japan, that’s a whole different story!)

“Cool story bro, what’s wrong with the script?”

Jamie’s NOT on it! No Jamie, no sauce.

It was 90% direct translation, and 10% adaptation. That 10% being the Poly brothers. Hunter and Corey were amazing as the Poly boys, and I’m SO glad the director let them add some adlib flava to their characters; cuz’ that direct dub translation was BORING AS HEEL! I guess this is what happens when you make a series like this from sober circumstances–with ‘Suits’ and Compliance Officers.

[3rd & Final VENTilation: Amazon Prime Exclusive!!]

I know Crunchyroll mad as hell they didn’t get it first! Making this series an Amazon Prime Exclusive, to many angry OG fans in their words, was a ‘dumbass choice’! Don’t even get me started with the whole ‘Banana Fish’ situation, cuz’ that’s a whole nother ‘VENTilation’ for a later date! Most of us don’t even like Amazon that much, and throw in the fact that they played a part in the recast of the OG cast, and you can really say that you hate em’ like bad breath during Taco Tuesday!

They probably thought this series was going to be as big and popular as…well ya’ll know what this show reminds another fanbase of. (Go back to the joke I made at the beginning of this rant!) Don’t expect there to be a Blu-Ray dub release of this show, cuz you’ll have to order the Blu-Ray sub straight from New PSG’s website.

“Okay, you made your point. You HATE the show! Now, can we go?”

Slow down, Sonic! I ain’t reach the verdict yet!

On the one hand; I’m happy that the show finally came back after 15 years, as I along with the OG fanbase never thought we’d see the day. There are two things I like about the NEW series; the NEW transformations (lawd have mercy, they did NOT have to make Stocking that DAMN fine!), and the music. No shade to Courtney and Christina, I think they are very talented (even though I like Jamie and Monica a little bit more), I just wish the writing was BETTER! That’s it! (Now ya’ll can’t say that I hate them cuz’ at LEAST I gave them a chance by watching the WHOLE series start-to-finish!)

My opinion is valid. My VENTilation is over!

OG Founder!

Out!

Dang Collaborators Betraying Humanity!

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

Sentenced to be a Hero Ep 6 Review

So, it should be apparent by now that there are elements amongst humanity that are actively sabotaging its efforts. From Xylo getting set up for the death of his previous goddess to Venetim being right about that story of the Demon Blight infiltrating human society, there is something sinister going on. I had hoped that this was just some idiots using the threat to pull some Game of Thrones bs, but it turns out itโ€™s worse than that. There are traitors that are openly aiding the demons, and they want Xylo dead.

Traitors among us

The defense of Mureed Fortress was going so well. The hero unit had a good plan and they were pulling it off. But then out of nowhere, a group of humans showed up and ruined everything. Now the demons are threatening to overrun the fort and its defenders are scrambling to regroup. And the worst part? Teoritta canโ€™t do a thing about them. Sheโ€™s supposed to help humanity, not kill them!

Like I said in my review of the last episode, these guys are scumbags. They werenโ€™t transformed against their will and forced to help the demons. Of their own free will, they are betraying their own species in a war for survival. And as we learn at the end of the episode, they are part of this faction of people who want humans to coexist with demons. And by coexistence, we mean let the demons take over and enslave every human being.

Some people would call them collaborators with the most insulting connotations possible. I call them something simpler: complete a-holes. Iโ€™m all for coexistence between species, but when one of them is an existential threat to the other, there canโ€™t be any peace. And I know they probably think theyโ€™re saving lives by letting the demons win, but theyโ€™re not. I donโ€™t even think that the Demon Blight will listen to reason or negotiate. Humanity either fights or it dies!

https://twitter.com/OtakuSpirited/status/2022055813477806176?s=20

Well, itโ€™s a good thing that karma exists. Because when these coexisters try to break through the underground defenses, they all get slaughtered by Tatsuya. That man absolutely destroyed them all. It was like a mook horror show, but given that theyโ€™re betraying humanity, they kind of have it coming.  

When all else fails…

The bad news from all this is that the original plan of baiting the demon lord in is no longer viable. So Xylo and Teoritta have to take the fight to the enemy. And the pair comes dangerously close to being overwhelmed by the sheer numbers before they even have a chance to engage. If it wasnโ€™t for the reinforcements Venetim called for, and Dotta being chased by angry mercenaries for stealing their money, they would be dead. And they still come dangerously close to dying because, as with all the other demon lords, Iblis is a Dark Souls boss.

No, really. You know those boss fights from games like Dark Souls where you think you beat them only for them to come back with a second form and extra health bar? Thatโ€™s this fight. And once again, Teoritta refuses to listen to Xylo when he tells her to run.

Itโ€™s rather obvious at this point, but Teoritta is the one who spells it out for us: Xylo doesnโ€™t hate goddesses. He hates himself. Even if it was someone else who put him in the position, he hates himself for having to kill his previous goddess. He hates that he had to lead his men to die. And he hates having to put Teoritta in danger for his sake. But, if he’s going to have to keep doing it, then he’s willing to do it with Teoritta. And then we get this.

Absolute cinema, people!

So, the fight ends with none of the heroes dying once again. But Xylo now has a target on his back. And if these coexisters are as embedded in their kingdom as I think they are, then we are in for a lot of headaches. But at least Teoritta got her headpats.

I Give “Sentence: Defense Against Corruption at Mureed Fortress 2” a 3.5/5

Are there Really Humans Aiding the Demons?

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

Sentenced to be a Hero Ep 5 Review

Thermopolaye. The Alamo. The Siege of Bastogne. There are a lot of battles in history where a smaller force is forced to hold off an enemy that is vastly superior in numbers. And unfortunately for Xylo and his hero unit, their next suicide mission has them doing just that: holding the vital Mureed fortress against a horde of faerie demons so they can kill their leader. They’re being left to die to lure the Demon Lord in and kill it using a plan that, in all likelihood, won’t even work. Xylo isn’t having any of it, though, but as it turns out, the Demon Blight might not be the greatest enemy they have to face. Mankind might have traitors in their midstโ€ฆ

Tsav is…interesting

The episode opens up with our formal introduction to another member of the hero unit we first saw at the end of the last episode, Tsav. By now, we should have accepted that the hero unit is filled with a bunch of misfits and oddballs, but Tsav is out there, even by their standards. He’s got a very cheery demeanor to him, but he’s also a deadly sniper and assassin that was raised by a cult of deadly assassins. Think the Brotherhood from Assassin’s Creed, but without the moral code. And as we saw at the end of the last episode, sometimes heโ€™ll decide who he will and won’t kill on a whim. This guy is doing it all for the love of the game!

Out of all the members of the hero unit that we’ve seen thus far, Tsav might be one of the ones that actually deserves some kind of harsh punishment. I won’t say that he deserves to be a hero, because no one should suffer a fate like that. Yet he’s also so friendly that it’s hard for me to find him actually bad. Then again, a lot of psychos are capable of making people let their guards down. He is a genuinely good sniper, though, so he’s got that going for him. And the hero unit will need that skill if they dont want to die.

Rather than let themselves as simply bait for the Demon Lord Iblis, Xylo has another plan. While the others are defending the place, he’s going to draw the enemy out and then take them down. And to make sure their plan works, he’s been requesting reinforcements and having Norgalle fortify the place with his seals while also creating a killing field in between. They do get reinforcements in the form of some of Kiviaโ€™s knights and the miners that they saved, but it’s still not enough and they know it. It’s clear that the higher-ups dont want to waste the manpower, but not for the reasons that they might think.

Sometimes the worst enemies are the ones that look like you

I’m not sure if it was during this episode or the last one, but one of the characters floated the theory that there were those among humanity that wanted the demons to win. And that they were actively trying to ensure that that happened. Venetm already learned for himself that his story about the Demon Blight infiltrating humanity was true, but in this episode, everyone learns this.

It happens near the end of the episode as the attack begins. At first, the heroes are holding the faeries back without any problems. Suddenly, these cloaked humans riding on horseback appear out of nowhere and launch a volley of fire arrows at their traps and barriers. That gives the demons the opening they need to breach the fortress, and by the end, things are falling apart!

Who are these mysterious people? Is there really a conspiracy trying to sabotage mankindโ€™s survival? Or is this a power ploy by the people who want Teoritta for dissection? They could be doing this to ensure that Xylo won’t be able to stop these people from taking her away. One thing is for certain, though: they are betraying mankind in the middle of a war for their survival. Even if they’ve got a good explanation for this, it doesn’t matter. They’re condemning their own species to extinction. That’s treason, and they will need to be dealt with accordingly.

I Give “Sentence: Defense Against Corruption at Mureed Fortress 1” a 4/5

Yuji and Megumi enter the Culling Game!

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

Jujutsu Kaisen S3 Ep 7 Review

Itโ€™s time, everyone. The Culling Game has been underway for a while now, and the longer it goes on, the easier it will be for Kenjakuโ€™s insane plans to be fulfilled. With Yuji and the others having gathered their allies, theyโ€™re ready to enter the Game. Which, at this point, Iโ€™m basically considering to be the JuJutsu equivalent of Fortnite.

Ironically, Yuji, Gojo, Nobara and Megumi are already in Fortnite.

Hakari Wants in On the Future

So, after getting Hakari and Kirara to calm down and listen to them, the former has the same reaction as the latter when they learn Gojo was sealed. To be fair, though, hearing that their strongest has been sealed would make anyone react like that. But now that Hakari knows that there backs are up against the wall, heโ€™s willing to help them out. But heโ€™s not just doing this out of the goodness of his heart! He wants to make a deal!

The short version: now that the existence of Cursed Spirits is public and the leaders of Jujutsu society are gonna need to be purged, things are going to need to be reformed. And Hakari wants to make sure the new rules will benefit him and his money-making schemes. Megumi agrees to the terms, since heโ€™s the head of the Zenin Clan now. Seeing Hakari start sucking up to Megumi after he hears that was pretty funny. What makes it even funnier, though, is that the next day, Maki wipes out the Zenin Clan, making it a moot point.

Even if Megumi canโ€™t really flex that clan power anymore, though, I think Hakari has the right to be involved in rebuilding Jujutsu society. I didnโ€™t mention it in my review of the last episode, but one reason he got ostracized is that his Cursed Technique is more modern and tech-based. And the jerks in charge are so old-fashioned that they look down on it. But no society can improve if it keeps the same old ways forever, and if its leaders resist that notion, get rid of them. And after what they have done since Shibuya, Jujutsu HQ is going to be burned to the ground once Gojo gets out.

But enough of that: itโ€™s time to enter the Culling Game, especially Yuji.

Let the Culling Game begin!

So, it was previously established that entering one of the colonies of the Culling Game makes someone a player by default. Since the group hadnโ€™t entered yet, they thought they had time to prepare. However, they overlooked one possibility: that Sukuna might have agreed to take part in the Game in the past. Thanks to that, Yuji is already a player and canโ€™t put off entering any longer. Thus, the group heads to the Tokyo Colonies.

Their plan is simple. To ensure that Megumiโ€™s sister can get out of the Culling Game, they want to find players who already the points needed to add more rules. They figure that if they persuade them, they can add two new rules: one to allow points to transfer between players, and another that lets players tag someone else in to take their place. This way, they can make it through the Game without killing anyone. Yuji and Megumi go into one colony to find a player who has the points, while Hakari and Panda take the other to find Angel, the only one who can unseal Gojo. However, no plan survives first contact with the enemy, and this is no exception.

Firstly, the second Yuji and Megumi enter the colony, they find themselves separated. This was a rule that the barriers added so players would spawn in at different points without any control over it. Itโ€™s like PUBg or Fortnite in that regard. And unfortunately for Yuji and Megumi, the game already has players pulling off toxic gamer moves, like spawnpoint camping.

As a gamer with years of experience in online multiplayer, it disgusts me to see people using spawnpoint camping to earn points. That being said, I canโ€™t help but find it funny seeing Yuji get jumped by two random newbies and turning the tables on them. They shouldnโ€™t have messed with the main protagonist. And as it so happens, their third member is someone Yuji used to go to school with and knows where to find one of the hundred-point playersโ€ฆor so they say.

Someone is Sus

Meanwhile, Megumi runs into this woman whoโ€™s trying way too hard to play up the weak and helpless damsel routine, which sparks plenty of red flags in my head. She also claims to know where this player theyโ€™re looking for is, but she gives him a different location. Which means one of them is being lied to, and will thus be getting an ass-whooping later. Sadly, we will have to wait at least two weeks to find out. The anime is going to be on break.

I donโ€™t really care that much that the anime will be on break. Months of One Piece going on break for recap episodes have gotten me used to the idea. Plus, the next episode is going to be absolute fire, I just know it! In the meantime, what Iโ€™m more interested in is Hakariโ€™s English voice actor. I assumed that it would go to Chris Sabat, but Yuri Lowenthal was not someone I was expecting! People from my generation are probably already saying how heโ€™s delinquent Sasuke. To be fair, though, Sasuke was a delinquent for half the series.

I Give “Tokyo No. 1 Colony, Part 1” a 4.5/5

Netflix’s One Piece is Going to be Even Crazier in Season Two

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

One Piece Season 2 Trailer Review

This March, One Piece fans are going to break Netflix.

In the summer of 2023, Netflix released its live-action adaptation of the legendary anime, One Piece. And despite the streaming platform’s track record with adapting anime, One Piece proved that itโ€™s built different by having a live-action adaptation that was actually good! From managing to make its characters and world loyal to Odaโ€™s vision to faithfully retelling the early days of the story, Netflixโ€™s One Piece has been a cut above the rest. Itโ€™s almost as if having the series creator serve as the end-all authority on what works and what doesnโ€™t was a good idea. You hear that, Shyamalan?

Itโ€™s been almost three years since the first season dropped on Netflix, and while the anime and manga have continued apace, weโ€™ve had to wait for the live-action version to return. On March 10th, though, the wait shall be over, and judging by the final trailer weโ€™ve gotten for the series, it will be worth every second spent!

Picking up where the first season left off, season two will see Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates finally enter the Grand Line, and discover just how insane it truly is. Judging by everything that we know, this season will cover the tail-end of the East Blue Saga that started it all to the first half of the Alabasta Saga. This is when One Piece really started to find its stride, as Oda began to drop any remaining pretense of realism in favor of telling a story thatโ€™s absolutely crazy, and it shows in the trailer. Everything that we see in the trailer is something that weโ€™ve seen in the series, no matter how crazy it may seem. That includes fighting otters, giants, a whale big enough to rival the one from Pinocchio, giants, dinosaurs and more! And thatโ€™s not even getting into the Devil Fruit powers we see. Newcomers should prepare themselves, as from the moment we enter the Grand Line, Devil Fruit users are going to be found in almost every antagonistic group weโ€™ll meet, with powers just as crazy as Luffyโ€™s.

However, what I think fans, especially longtime ones, are most excited about are the introductions of two important characters: Miss All Sunday and Chopper.

Chopper Still Cute as Ever!

I wonโ€™t spoil anything about Miss All Sunday in case youโ€™re a newcomer to the series, but when it comes to Chopper, I donโ€™t think I need to hold back. With his chibi form and childish innocence, Chopper is pretty much the mascot of One Piece. Itโ€™s to the point that the One Piece YouTube channel has a little comic strip about him. The series knows heโ€™s adorable and has spent years selling merch of him, and itโ€™s not hard to understand why. But despite how cute he looks, Chopper has one of the saddest backstories out of any member of the Straw Hat Pirates. Granted, a lot of characters in One Piece had a hard past, but Chopperโ€™s is one of the saddest. I sincerely hope that Netflix gives his backstory the justice it deserves.

We have less than a month before the series drops its second season, and Iโ€™m even more excited for it now than I was for the first one. The reasons being that now that I know that Netflix can pull this off, I want to see how far they can go. Secondly, the Alabasta Saga was when I started getting into One Piece back when it was being dubbed by 4Kids. Their dub might have been terrible, but it still turned me into a lifelong fan. So I hope that Netflix does this justice!

Time for the next Suicide Mission

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Sentenced to be a Hero Ep 4 Review

The more I watch Sentenced to be a Hero, the more I’m convinced that all of the people who were sentenced to be heroes are innocent of whatever crimes they committed. If Xylo is anything to go by, their only “crime” was somehow angering the people in charge. That theory seems to gain further credence in this episode as the hero unit is sent on their next mission and we learn about why another member, Venetim, got stuck being a hero. Also, watching Teoritta gush over stuff is adorable!

Time for some R&R

After their successful suicide mission at the mine, Xylo and the Hero unit are sent on their next mission…sort of. They don’t get their actual assignment until the halfway point of the episode, leaving them with some freetime at their new destination: Mureed Fortress. An important fortress town on the way to an important city, it’s also the site of a local festival. That means the heroes have some time to relax before they’re thrown back into certain death!

Given how they’re condemned criminals, you would think the Hero unit wouldn’t be allowed to have fun, but you’d be wrong. They each find ways to enjoy the festival. Dotta goes back to his pilfering ways, Venetim…is probably running some sort of scam, and Xylo? He’s willingly choosing to sit in a cell and read poetry. That last part is the most surprising aspect, in my opinion. Still, when Teoritta finds him and demands that he hang out with her, Xylo is in no position to refuse her. Teoritta’s very pushy like that, and it helps that Kivia insists on accompanying them.

Considering how she’s for all intents and purposes a kid, it’s heartwarming to get to see Teoritta have a chance to act like one rather than as a goddess. I couldn’t help but smile as I saw her getting to enjoy the sights and sweets of the festival, with Xylo and Kivia acting like her babysisters/parental figures. Which, of course, only makes what Kivia has to reveal to Xylo all the more heartbreaking. When the kingdom found Teoritta, the military was planning on experimenting on her in the hopes of creating more goddesses. That would’ve been a death sentence for the girl, but thanks to fate or luck, she found her way into the hands of the Hero unit. And as long as they keep succeeding, the higher-ups can’t take her away.

Why do I feel as though something like that will be a plot point in the future?

In any case, Kivia admits that she misjudged Xylo and the others and is grateful they can watch over Teoritta. And if they can change her mind, then there’s hope for the rest of them yet. That is, unless they die in their next suicide mission: defending Mureed Fortress.

So much for R&R

Another Demon Lord is threatening the fortress, and try as they might, the Holy Knights haven’t been able to kill it. Their desperation has gotten to the point where they plan on using Xylo’s unit as bait to lure the demon in so they kill it for good. The one in charge makes it clear that they’re not expected to survive, either. Even if they can come back to life, though, I doubt that will make dying any less traumatic. Thankfully, Venetim manages to get them some better terms for the mission.

I haven’t really talked about Venetim that much, but that’s because there hasn’t been a chance or reason. Voiced by Jesse James Greel, his role is mostly in logistics and planning rather than fighting. He’s also got quite the silver tongue, as he’s able to weasel his way into the most favorable circumstances possible. Before he became a hero, his biggest scam was trying to sell the royal palace to a nearby circus, and it almost worked. This guy could give some of the biggest con men in our world a run for their money.

That’s not why he was sentenced to be a hero, though. It’s because one of the stories he sold to the public ended up being true without even meaning to. He wrote a fake news article saying how the Demon Blight was able to install sleeper agents in society, and somehow, it ended up being true. And that seemed to have ruffled the feathers of the ones in charge.

There’s a conspiracy afoot behind the Hero Unit

Like I said at the start, I’m starting to think that the crimes of the hero unit aren’t all they’re made out to be. While Dotta and Venetim are of questionable moral standing, this is the second time we’ve seen one of the unit get in trouble for something that wasn’t actually their fault. If anything, this stinks of conspiracy and corruption. And I’m willing to bet that the more successful Xylo and the others become, the more dangerous things will get for them on their side. Sometimes, the most dangerous monsters are the ones that look just like us.

The episode ends with a look at another member of the Hero unit, Tsav, and he’s another interesting character. He chopped a man’s hand off for cheating at a game in front of him! It’s pretty obvious that the Hero unit is full of misfits, though, so he doesn’t exactly stand out that much…yet. Here’s hoping we’re proven wrong about that in the next few episodes.

I Give “Standby Order: Mureed Fortress” a 3/5

Why are Cursed Techniques so Confusing at Times?

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JuJutsu Kaisen S3 Ep 6 Review

Well, that didn’t take long. Yuji, Megumi, and Panda infiltrated the underground fight club run by their jujutsu senpai’s, Hakari and Kirara, to recruit them for the Culling Games. Unfortunately, they’ve been made! Now, since they’re not going to do this the easy way, they’re gonna have to do this the hard way. Which is fine by me, because it gives us a chance to see how our protagonists measure up against their senpai’s. That, and we got confirmation that Megumi is ripped as they come!

I Don’t Get Kirara’s Power

So, while Yuji was upstairs talking to Hakari, Megumi and Panda were trying to sneak into the fight club in case things went south. Unfortunately, they were spotted by Kirara (who we will use they/them pronouns for). They think the two are working for Jujutsu High’s higher-ups (who are toxic conservatives), so they alert Hakari. That leads into Hakari throwing hands with Yuji as we saw at the end of the last episode, and now things have to be done the hard way.

To Kirara’s credit, Megumi and Panda are from Jujutsu High, but are just choosing not to follow the higher-ups orders. And even when the two tell them that they sought their help because Gojo was sealed, they don’t buy it. If we hadn’t seen it for ourselves, I doubt the viewers would believe it, either! But the only reason that this happens is so that the story can show off what Kirara can do with their cursed techniques. And it’s…pretty complex.

I love the shonen genre; I’ve always loved it. However, one thing that’s always bugged me is how some series have power systems that can be downright confusing to understand. The biggest offender is JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, especially in the later parts, but JJK can be just as hard to understand at times. Case in point, I had a hard time wrapping my head around Kirara’s Cursed Technique. The basic idea is that it marks people and items based on the stars in the Southern Cross constellation. You have to approach each mark based on its order in the constellation, I think. And if you don’t approach in the correct order, you get repelled like being Force pushed.

I’m sorry, but that kind of power just doesn’t appeal to me in the slightest. It’s too confusing to wrap my head around and I think that saying Kirara could repel things they touch would be simpler. It’s only thanks to the show’s superb animation that I was able to maintain my interest. It doesn’t really matter, though, because Megumi and Panda win and convince Kirara to hear them out.

Hakari, on the other hand…is too fired up to listen as he and Yuji come out of the monitor room in a fist fight.

I Respect Hakari’s Love for Passion

Here’s the thing about Yuji as of this moment: he’s not in the best mental headspace. He was talked into coming back with his friends and half-brother, but what happened in Shibuya is not something he can get over. He already put little value on his own life, but after Sukuna’s rampage and what Mahito did, it’s devolved to the point where he sees himself as a cog in a never-ending war. His only purpose is to kill Cursed Spirits and help his friends, and nothing else. As much as I like seeing people act selflessly, though, there’s a point where it becomes detrimental to one’s well-being. And it’s this way of thinking that gets on Hakari’s nerves the most.

Unlike Yuji, who’s entire reason for living is to help others, Hakari embodies the concept of putting one’s own interests above all else. He’s passionate about what he loves, and likes seeing that kind of passion in other people. It sounds selfish and greedy at first glance, but when you think about it, everyone wants something more than anything in life, even if it’s something selfless. He wants to see a world where people are free to do what they love the most, which is why he initially can’t stand seeing Yuji think so little of his own existence. To put it bluntly, it pisses him off.

Ironically, it’s this very mindset of Yuji that gets Hakari to finally hear him out. Yuji Itadori’s so determined to stop the Culling Game that he tanks every one of Hakari’s punches, which just makes him angrier. It gets to the point where Kirara calls out how riled up Yuji’s resolve has gotten him. By his own logic, Yuji has passion.

The timing couldn’t be better. A new rule has been added to the Culling Game by one of the players: players can see the status and location of all other players. This rule was added not by them or any of their allies, but by one of the players who’s already at work. To make it worse, it’s one of the Sorcerers who was brought back by possessing someone else. Their name is Hajime Kashimo, and judging by what he says in his first appearance, he’s a real blood knight. The whole reason he added that rule was so that he could track down and fight Sukuna.

I repeat, this reincarnated Sorcerer actually wants to fight Sukuna. And he’s not Gojo! You have to be next-level crazy to want to do that!!

If this is the kind of enemy that’s in the Culling Game, then Yuji and the others are gonna need all the help they can get. They need Hakari!

Next episode, we’re finally joining in on the Culling Game, and it looks like we’re starting off on the best foot possible.

I Give “Cog” a 4/5

Hakari the Gangster Sorcerer Joins the Story

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JuJutsu Kaisen S3 Ep 5 Review

The preparation for the Culling Game continues. Maki may not have gotten the cursed tools of the Zenin Clan and lost her sister, but she did wipe them all out. No more of their toxic influence and Game of Thrones scheming. Meanwhile, Yuji and Megumi have to go and convince a senpai on bad terms with the authority figures to help them in the Game. And this guy is a real rebel who believes in following oneโ€™s passion to the fullest!

Which is fine by me, as I like people who want to follow their dreams even if they’re crazy. And anyone on bad terms with the leaders of the Jujutsu world gets bonus points in my book. Plus, it helps that their seiyuu is the guy who plays Roronoa Zoro!

Those Old Geezers at JJ HQ are on my Hate List

If it hasn’t been made clear by my reviews of JJK, or some of my other writings, I hate toxic conservatism. By which I mean I hate dogmatic people who insist on maintaining things the way they are, even when changing with the times would benefit them. And the leaders of Jujutsu society that aren’t named Satoru Gojo all qualify as such. Not only did they try to kill Yuji and make it a crime for Gojo to be unsealed, but this episode opens with one of their most heinous crimes: the murder of Principal Yaga.

Yaga was the one who created Panda, the first self-sustaining Cursed Corpse. HQ wanted that secret technique to create their own army of puppets to enforce their rules, but Yaga refused. And he made sure that before he died, he only told his fellow Principal Gakuganji the secret because he saw that knowledge as a curse. And this actually manages to get to the old man! Even more so when Panda comes along only moments after Yaga died and says that he’s not mad at him for following orders.

This entire thing was genuinely heartbreaking for me to watch. This is the equivalent of Pinocchio coming home to find Geppetto dead because some jerk ordered a hit on him. It’s downright tragic to watch, and even Gakuganji is shaken by his fellow educatorโ€™s death. When Gojo is unsealed, those higher-ups shouldn’t even bother praying, because they already signed their own death warrants.

I Like Hakari Already

While all of this is happening, Yuji and Megumi are on their own mission: to find and recruit their senpai, Hakari Kinji. He’s a third year at Tokyo Jujutsu High, but he’s been suspended by the higher-ups for being a good-for-nothing, headstrong rebel. As the two first-years see for themselves, that’s not an unwarranted opinion; he’s running a fight club for Sorcerers.

Even before we meet him, it’s clear why the conservatives running Jujutsu society hate Hakari. They’re rigid traditionalists who hate any concept of changing with the times, while Hakari is the new blood chafing under authority and longing to break free. Heโ€™s the kind of guy who encourages people to indulge in what they love and find passion in, because without that, what is life even about? Hence, his main reason for clashing with the higher ups is because wants encourage everyone in Japan to follow their passions. And for him, that means wanting to legalize his fight club and gambling in Jujutsu society.

I have to admit, I was pretty sold on Hakari before we even got a chance to meet him. Firstly, itโ€™s because HQ hates him. Secondly, while I dont exactly approve of a fight club, I respect the hustle. Thirdly, he’s voiced by Zoroโ€™s seiyuu, which gives him bonus points for aura. And once Yuji meets him, his aura only manages to get even better.

The entire meeting between Yuji and Hakari has to be one of the best scenes in the entire anime. It’s just one continuous shot with no change in perspective, camera angles, or anything. It’s impressive, crazy, and somehow manages to work. Then again, chaos seems to be what this series is about to run on, so I’m not surprised.

Overall, this episode was big on both the tearjerking moments as well as the exciting ones, as something tells me that I’m gonna like Hakari. A lot.

I Give “Passion” a 4.5/5