Anime Blog

There’s a Party Here in Ranoa!

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Mushoku Tensei S2 Ep 14 Review

There’s a party here in Ranoa, there’s excitement in the air! People pouring in from near and far, ’cause Sylphie and Rudy, they’re gonna have a wedding! Well, they’re skipping the wedding and just going straight to the reception. However, that’s beside the point. After reuniting with each other at Ranoa University (and healing him of his depression), Rudy and Sylphie are getting married. Sadly, like the source material, it’s never shown if they had a ceremony or filled out some forms. That doesn’t detract from the fact that Rudy is happy for the first time in years. In addition, this episode also reveals that Sylphie still has blood relatives left in the world. 

Before anything, though, lets discuss the new OP for Mushoku Tensei. I have some mixed feelings regarding it. On the one hand, the song is good, as is the animation. On the other hand, though, I dont know how to feel about how action-oriented it is, as well as all the spoilers. Mushoku Tensei didn’t even bother with an OP in its first season, using that time to focus on the story. When we did get an OP in season two, it was slower & more emotional. This feels like the anime is trying to emulate a contemporary like Sword Art Online. It feels a little jarring when you look at it like that. But what do you guys think?

Sylphie Still Has Family Left

Given its title, the majority of the episode revolves around Rudy and Sylphie’s wedding reception. Everyone they know and care about is there ready to celebrate and bless their marriage. However, the two most notable interactions are with Nanahoshi and Elinalise. Nanahoshi covers for Rudy about his past life, but it’s the moment when Elinalise tries to bless the couple that things take a turn. When Elinalise breaks down crying, Sylphie tells everyone what she’s already suspected: Elinalise is her grandmother.

For the record, I knew about this already from reading the light novel and manga. The anime had also dropped a hint when Elinalise recognized the pendant that Sylphie made for Rudy, so the clues were there. In addition, given how long Elves live as well as her curse and lifestyle choices, Elinalise having kids makes sense. Conversely, because of that same life, she’s never gotten the chance to enjoy having a family. It can be hard to imagine. 

I’ve seen and heard of a lot of people who have had to cut ties with their family because of their choices and things out of their control. Heck, with the rise of some content creator sites, I’ve seen people who have either had to resort to doing things they might consider embarrassing years from now, especially if they have kids. However, few things are more powerful than the bond between family, and Sylphie doesn’t reject Elinalise regardless of her choices and curse. 

As for Cliff, knowing his girlfriend has grandkids or had to sleep with a lot of men doesn’t change his feelings for her at all. If anything, he loves her even more for being so kind despite everything. Respect, Cliff!

Rudy Promises to Keep Sylphie Happy

The one thing that did surprise me about this episode, though, was how it moved a key moment from the story to the reception: Luke and Rudeus’ duel. In the source, that duel happens shortly after Rudy declares his intentions to marry Sylphie. The outcome remains the same, as is Luke and Ariel’s motivations behind it. For a moment, it felt like they weren’t going to do it at all. But the show surprised me. 

This was a quiet episode, no doubt about it. But that’s the beauty of Mushoku Tensei. It’s the kind of isekai that doesn’t rely on non-stop action, comedy or drama. Its not afraid to stop and look at the slow moments that make life worth living in the end. Also, Rudy is happily married now, and after all the hard work he’s put into being a better person, he’s earned this. 

I Give “The Wedding Reception” a 4/5

Our Boy Rudeus is Getting Married!

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Mushoku Tensei S2 Ep 13 Review

After going on hiatus for the fall and winter seasons, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation is back with the second half of its sophomore season. And the above song can accurately describe the current emotional state of Rudeus Greyrat. He’s reunited with his best friend/love, Sylphie, and thanks to her, he’s cured of the last two years of depression and impotence! Not wanting to lose her like he thinks he lost Eris, he straight-up asks her to marry him. Regardless of his faults, there’s little denying that Rudy has earned this chance to be happy.

One problem, though. He has no idea how marriage works in his new world and no home to live in. What he does have is friends who have his back.

Rudy Got his Game Back

Now Rudy has his confidence as a man back, it shows. All his friends at Ranoa University notice it. He’s smiling more, carries himself with greater confidence, and even gives Lilna and Pursena that trademark, lecherous grin of his, though nothing comes of it. His heart belongs to Sylphie. And while he still doesn’t explain what he was suffering from in the anime, it makes up a little for this. The comments from people like Cliff and the Beast Girl duo imply that they put two and two together. 

There’s one problem, though: now that Rudeus has asked Sylphie to marry him, he’s realized he has no clue what to do next. He’s not lacking money, but he’s been homeless since he was ten. Thus, the first thing he does is find a home. Though, given its size in the anime, it’s less a house, and more like a small mansion!

Who You Gonna Call?

No, seriously. It’s bigger than the home he grew up in. Big enough for at least a dozen or more people to live comfortably in. It’s the perfect place to spend the rest of his life with Sylphie. There’s one problem, though: it’s haunted by something that kills anyone who sets foot after sunset.

The majority of the episode centers around the trio of Rudy, Cliff, and Zanoba trying to clear the house a la Ghostbusters. Sadly, while it does its best to build up tension due to their unseen foe, it doesn’t stick due to who the group is. One is a guy who can cast spells without incantations, another is an elite healer in his own right and the final member has super strength and can tank anything thrown at him. Zanoba pretty much manages to handle the monster all on his own. However, the big surprise is saved for when they catch it. As Rudeus and Zanoba discover for themselves, it’s not a monster. It’s a magically-powered doll capable of moving on its own. In other words, it’s the magical equivalent of an automaton, robot, droid, etc.

It’s never explained in any version of Mushoku Tensei who made the doll, so the anime didn’t skimp on that. In the end, it doesn’t matter. After finding it, Zanoba and Rudy realize if they can reverse-engineer it, they can make their own line of doll bots to do anything (including robot maids.) And since he can’t really help with anything else, Zanoba begs Rudy to let him handle the research himself. It’s touching to see how dedicated the man is to dolls as an art, even if others find it weird. It makes you want to root for him.

The New Greyrat Household

As for Rudy, he gets a small mansion for himself and Sylphie. And, having read the light novels and manga ahead of time, I can say that it’s not too big for the two of them. When the time comes, it’s going to be home to a large family and pets. And despite Sylphie worrying that she’s being selfish by continuing to protect Ariel, Rudy reassures her that she’s anything but. If she wanted it, Rudy would give her the moon and the stars for what she did for him. 

This was another slow episode, but I can’t complain. Not every Isekai is all about the action. It’s the slower moments that people tend to remember, and it’s in this area that Mushoku Tensei has always excelled. It goes out of its way to build its cast in a believable manner, hence why it’s one of the best Isekai out there. The sole complaint I would have is that, unlike in the source material, their new home is set up in a more remote area outside Ranoa. That’s just a nitpick, though. 

Next episode, we’re going to have a wedding reception!

I Give “My New Home” a 4/5

AUZA Needs to be Stopped!

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Ninja Kamui Ep 8 Review

Everyone remembers Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare for starting the “F to Pay Respects” meme, but I also rememebr it for the main villains, the Atlas Corporation. Now I’m adding them to the list of megacorporations that AUZA reminds me of. In this case, AUZA is using their influence to take over the world through its infrastructure, and they’re dangerously close to doing so. If Higan wants to stop Yamaji, he needs to do it soon. And he’s going to need his entire group of allies working together on this. Even if Agent Moriss has to learn who “Emma” really is.

Taking the Fight on the Road

Having shown that Higan means business, he and Aska manage to escape AUZA City in search of Yamaji. One would think that with all the technology AUZA uses, they couldn’t get out without getting spotted. However, the nature of mankind is that of adaptability. One guy makes a big gun, the other makes an even bigger one. Or, when a megacorporation uses too many electronics, a hacker like Aska makes an EM pulse to shut down an entire city. Easy getaway.

The episode also reveals how AUZA is trying to conquer the world from the shadows. Using their reactors as a power source, their goal is to take control of every nation’s infrastructure from within. It’s not as overt as a would-be despot steamrolling across the planet, but it’s effective. The Atlas Corporation, the main antagonists from Advanced Warfare, did the same thing and got dangerously close to taking control of everything. And with the Ninja’s serving as the muscle, there’s little the government can do to stop them. 

But Higan can.

The big fight of the episode takes place at an AUZA reactor Higan and Aska raid, only to run into Big D. (The guy with the flat top.) Whereas Lil was a deplorable person who got off on violence, though, Big D has a sense of honor and respects the way of the Ninja. Enough that when Higan and Aska catch an unlucky break, he lets them go, not wanting to win on a technicality. Say what you want, but he does respect the Ninja way (I think.)

The Need to Trust

The big highlight of the episode, though, is the reunion between Higan and Aska and Agent Moriss and Jason Cardenas. Aska comes clean about everything to Moriss, who is not happy about being lied to. However, it’s not for the reasons you would think. 

Throughout the series, Agent Moriss has shown himself to be the very open-minded and understanding type. For example, despite knowing Higan is a killer ninja, he’s willing to work with him. Both out of pragmatism and knowing Higan has a justifiable reason to want to bring down AUZA. In this case, he’s not mad that Aska lied about being a ninja. He’s mad she didn’t trust him enough. He knows she had her reasons, but still.

Now that the unlikely party is together, the next step is for them to figure out how to stop AUZA. Yamaji’s already putting his plan in motion, and they need to stop him. And with three episodes left, the clock is ticking. Here’s hoping that the series can end on a high note!

I Give “Episode 8” a 4/5

Aska, the Face-Changing Ninja Among Ninjas

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Ninja Kamui Ep 7 Review

When Ninja Kamui started, I didn’t think much of Emma. I thought that she was going to be a secondary character, the young rookie that worked with Agent Morriss. The last two episodes threw that out the window, revealing them to be an elaborate deception. Not only was she a Ninja, but worked from within to bring down the Clan and AUZA. Emma isn’t even her real name; it’s Aska (we think). In the previous episode, Aska told Higan her desire to help him stemmed from the bond she had with his late wife. However, it didn’t dive too much into it due to the oncoming threat from AUZA and the need to get the Kamui suit ready. Now that the threat’s been dealt with, though, Aska dives into her backstory, giving us more info about the entire story. And while some people may not like them, I enjoy flashbacks. 

Higan Sends AUZA a Message

With all the time the anime spent hyping it up last episode, it seemed like the follow-up would focus on showing off the Kamui. We would spend most of the air-time seeing how powerful it would be with Higan using it. As it turns out, the Kamui is powerful. So powerful, in fact, that Higan managed to defeat Lil’, the depraved sadist with dwarfism, in a few minutes. It wasn’t even a fight; it was a curb stomp.

The whole thing was a bittersweet experience, though more sweet than bitter. While its short length means viewers have to wait to see the titular Kamui’s full capabilities, seeing the depraved Lil’ get brought down was still satisfying. And, while we don’t see it, the fact that Higan sent AUZA his severed head shows how badly they messed up. They had the chance to kill him before, but they wanted to know how he came back from death. The irony is that that was never even his own doing. It was thanks to Aska that that happened. And, as Aska herself tells Higan, the technique wasn’t hers to begin with. It was Mari’s!

In other words, Aska played them all by putting them in this position. 

Aska, the Ninja Who Watches Other Ninjas

With the battle over and a reprieve granted, Aska explains her history with Mari to Higan and, by extension, the audience. As a kid, a terrible accident mutilated her face so severely that her parents abandoned her rather than live with her disfigurement. The previous leader of the Ninja Clan took her in, raised her, and taught her how to use makeup to disguise herself as anyone. More importantly, he gave Aska a particular task: she would watch any potential head of the Clan and kill them if she found them wanting. She would be the Watcher who looked after other Ninjas.

She should’ve done that to Yamaji years ago if that’s true. However, after Yamaji brought the Ninjas under AUZA’s control and let in outsiders who only cared about their fighting techniques, like Lil’, she knew that was a bad idea. So, while those loyal to the old ways fell in line or deserted, she stayed behind to bring them down from within. It was a smart move, but it wasn’t enough to save Mari. 

As for Mari, she was Aska’s mentor as a Ninja, but their relationship became more than that. Mari became Aska’s friend, appreciating her face for what it was and not seeing it as hideous. She was the only person she told about her being pregnant with Higan’s child. Despite being ordered to kill her for deserting, Aska couldn’t bring herself to do it. She chose her forbidden friendship with Mari over the cold detachment that Ninjas were meant to have.

This moment was the best part of the episode. It showed how wrong the Ninjas’ ways of thinking could be when it came to bonds. Besides, they can’t justify it when they allowed unworthy people like Lil’ join them. 

Aska is Helping Higan to Fulfill her Duty

In short, Aska’s helping Higan out for two reasons. Firstly, she’s doing it out of loyalty to Mari, which is admirable. Secondly, she’s doing it because she knows that she can’t fulfill her job as the Watcher on her own. The fact that she lost to Lil’ while buying time for Higan demonstrates how, for all her training, she can’t handle the AUZA-backed Ninjas alone. But Higan can with the Kamui.

For the time being, it appears that Higan can trust Aska. Even if he didn’t, he has little choice. He’s in the heart of AUZA’s territory, and Yamaji (and likely AUZA) are about to unleash their master plan. I don’t know what it is, but given the Shinra and Abstergo vibes AUZA gives off, it’s not good for anyone. 

With only four episodes left in the series until it ends, the time has come for Ninja Kamui to start ramping up the action. Here’s hoping that the final quarter delivers on the action that we want to see. 

I Give “Episode 7” a 4/5

Everyone Digs Cyber Ninjas

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Ninja Kamui Episode 6 Review

Okay, I wasn’t expecting that to happen. In the last episode of Ninja Kamui, Higan tries to fight through AUZA City but gets overwhelmed by the higher-ups of AUZA. Equipped with cyber ninja suits that would make Tony Stark drool, Higan proved no match for them. Thanks to one of them turning on the others, he managed to get out with his life. Meanwhile, Morris had his troubles to deal with. Not only did AUZA come close to killing him, but he discovered that his partner, Emma, might be working for them. As surprising as that might be, the truth was even crazier. As someone who likes to guess how things turn out in stories, this caught me off-guard. 

Firstly, though, a shout-out to Toonami for acknowledging the passing of Akira Toriyama. With Dragon Ball coming statewide in 1998, Toonami got smaller than it did. And thus, anime never would’ve gotten as big in the West as it is. It’s sweet how they chose to run a marathon for DBZ Kai in honor of his memory. That being said, it’ve been more appropriate for them to run the classic DBZ instead. I might not have grown up with it, but Aaron and Donte did, and it feels appropriate. That, and they could’ve made it a 24-hour marathon. 

They Were the One Helping Higan Out?!?

Cutting straight to the chase, the episode quickly reveals the identity of the person who saved Higan: Emma. “Emma” (not even her real name) is also a ninja working undercover in the FBI, but she’s chosen to help Higan. The reason is that she was friends with Mari and kept in touch even after she and Higan left the ninjas. She even tried to save the two and their son the night of the attack, but all she could do was use her ninja technique to fake Higan’s death and fool AUZA into thinking he could revive himself. And to top it all off, she was the one who helped him sneak into AUZA City. She played everyone!

It would’ve been easy for the show to have Emma be a traitor and one of Higan’s biggest obstacles in his quest for vengeance. Instead, Ninja Kamui opted for a far more exciting route by making her a mole for Higan. While her motives remain unclear, it’s safe to assume she’s on Higan’s side for now.

As for Agent Moriss’ side, though, that remains uncertain. The episode doesn’t focus as much on him, with the parts that are about and his hacker friend trying to figure out their next move. While I’m still worried about their safety, they might take a backseat while Higan continues his fight. This time, he’s got a new weapon to use.

We’re in Cyber Ninja Territory Now, People!

Enter the Gusoku suit, a cybernetic suit that enhances the wearer’s strength, speed, and durability to superhuman levels while also working with their ninja arts. It’s also how Higan can turn the tables on the enemy, with Emma getting the latest prototype: the Kamui. This suit can hook directly to Higan’s nervous system, allowing him to control it with his thoughts alone. With the human brain being an organic supercomputer capable of making conclusions in milliseconds, the Kamui has the potential to act on superhuman levels. In other words, when Higan puts it on, he will be strong enough to take down anyone. 

Ninjas are already cool enough on their own. However, seeing them fused with the concept of cybernetic armor like a ninja Iron Man, takes that up to eleven. The previous episode showed us what someone’s capable of doing with one of those suits, but it’s this episode that shows off its full potential. Emma’s fight with Lil combines the action of a ninja battle with the power of hacking straight out of Watch Dogs. It’s incredible to look at, though for a moment, it looks like Emma might not make it. But then Higan, through the memory of his wife, syncs with the suit faster than possible. And as the episode ends, Higan stands in the Kamui, ready to meet Lil on equal terms.

This episode finally gives meaning to the title of this anime, something that I hadn’t even considered beforehand. Now that we know it, though, it feels a little disappointing that we’re only getting this with the series reaching its halfway point. The first half was only a setup for the real action that’s to come. Hopefully, the second half of the series can meet the hype. I am optimistic about everything, though. After all, this series is being directed by the man who directed the first season of JuJutsu Kaisen. That has to count for something!

I Give “Episode 6” a 3.5/5

The Demon Slayers are About to Have a Training Arc

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba-To the Hashira Training Review

In 2023, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba released a new movie to drum up hype for the upcoming Swordsmith Village Arc. It wasn’t so much a new story, though, as it was a compilation. It mainly covered the end of the Entertainment District Arc, which had some award-worthy animation, before segueing into the first episode of the upcoming arc. Having missed out on that, I resolved to avoid making the same mistake this time. So I got tickets for the opening night of the following compilation film, To the Hashira Training. And, even though it meant having to rewatch the finale to the Swordsmith Village Arc, it was still worth seeing. 

The Calm Before the Storm

If you last saw it a while ago or never read my review, the first half of the compilation film is a good refresher. Tanjiro slew Hantengu of the Upper-Rank Four, and, in a tearjerker of a miracle, Nezuko gained the ability to survive in the sun. The bad news? Before he died, Hantengu told Muzan about Nezuko, making her his top priority. If he devours her, he’ll become immune to the sun, making him nigh-unstoppable. The final battle is upon them, and everyone in the Demon Slayer Corps knows it. 

The preview the film gives us of the first episode of season four starts with the Hashiras Sanemi (the scarred guy who stabbed Nezuko) and Obanai (the one with the snake) going on a mission to rescue a woman from Demons. What ends up happening is they get a glimpse of Muzan’s stronghold before getting thrown out. 

For those who hoped the season four opener would have some fantastic action, the opening is as good as it gets. The rest of the episode, as will the entire arc, is merely the calm before the storm. The remaining Hashira point this out when they convene at the Ubuyashiki Mansion, saying how Demon attacks have gone down. They know Muzan’s readying his forces to capture Nezuko, making a full-scale war inevitable. And with Rengoku dead and Tengen forced to retire, they’re short on manpower. 

To highlight the sense of urgency even further, the leader of the Demon Slayers, Kagaya, is dying. The sickness that’s rotting his flesh and rendered him blind has progressed to the point where he’s bedridden. This means it’s up to the Hashira to prepare for the final battle. And, since this is a Shonen anime, there’s only one solution: an anime training arc. 

Time to Train!

The Hashira (except for Giyu) decide they need to train not just themselves but the entire Demon Slayer Corps. So, they gathered all the lower-ranked members and organized a massive boot camp to toughen them up. The end goal is to get the lower-ranked members closer to their level, giving them a better chance of winning the war that’s to come. And while we only see the start of things, it looks like it will be brutal. 

The program has another purpose, though. With Tokito and Mitsuri getting the same marks as Tanjiro, which gives him superpowers, the other Hashira wants to do the same. It may be the deciding factor in the final battle. However, all they know is that they can only come out when under extreme conditions that could kill them, and they come in contact with someone who already has the Mark. There’s more to it, though. Manga readers will know it, but the anime doesn’t state to increase the tension. From the looks of things, though, the Mark has some serious downsides. 

The Hashira Training Arc is Coming!

Serious topics aside, the episode has plenty of funny moments to lighten the mood. The funniest, by far, revolves around Nezuko’s attempts to relearn how to talk. When Zenitsu returns and sees her walking in the sunlight, he gets lovestruck and asks her to marry him. Until that is, she calls him Inosuke. The latter insisted Nezuko get to know her name, much to Zenitsu’s annoyance. And my amusement.

The episode/film ends with Tanjiro preparing to join the training. More importantly, though, Ms. Tamayo, who’s been working on a cure for Demons, gets summoned by Kagaya to collaborate with one of the Hashira—progress at last.

How long will the anime’s fourth season be last? It may only cover the Hashira Training Arc, making it shorter than previous seasons. And, as much as I want to get to the final battle, splitting it up would make the pacing easier. Either way, I’m going to enjoy this.

I Give “To the Hashira Training” a 4/5

Jin-Woo is About to Claim Victims

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Solo Leveling Ep 6 Review

Have you ever seen the “You’re a victim” meme? It comes from a SupaHotFire video on YouTube from six years ago, and is best used in situations where a person gets absolutely wrecked. And now that Jin-Woo is no longer the weakest Hunter in all mankind, that’s what will happen to any monsters, or Humans, that get in his way. In this episode, Jin-Woo begins the true start to what will be a long list of people and beasts that he makes victims.

Round 1: Jin-Woo vs Giant Spider

After getting left to die by their so-called party members, Jin-Woo has two options: fight or die. And after facing off against the things he’s fought, the crippling fear that Jin-Woo once felt is not so great. Compared to the demonic statues, a giant spider is nothing.

The fight that follows in the anime seems to take a lot of cues from the likes of Sword Art Online. And that’s not just because it’s produced by the same studio that does SAO. Like Kirito, Jin-Woo’d movements are based around speed and agility. He jumps, dodges, and constantly looks for new angles from which to attack. The way the fight’s animated even evokes some of the frenetic energy of Kirito’s more over the top battles. In other words, it’s pretty fun to watch if you’re into that sort of thing.

Hilariously, by the time it’s over and you see how devoted Jin-Ho is to Jin-Woo, I can’t help but hear Deku, subbed or not. This is the beginning of a beautiful bromance.

Here’s the thing, though: Jin-Woo is not a hero. 

Hwang Dongsuk becomes a Victim

When Dongsuk and his party come back and realize that Jin-Woo and Jin-Ho aren’t dead, they realize they have to cover their tracks. When their attempts to coerce Jin-Ho to kill his newfound bro fail, though, they try to kill Jin-Woo themselves. He no-sells it, but that’s not the issue. The issue is that the System gives him a new quest telling him to kill Dongsuk’s party.

And, if it wasn’t before, what happens next establishes that Jin-Woo is an anti-hero. He might have balked at killing other humans before, but after seeing the worst of humanity in the double-dungeon, he’s ready to respond in kind. Even if the System didn’t threaten to kill him for refusing, Jin-Woo would still kill them. He’s a man whose spent his whole life as a Hunter being a punching bag. Now that he has the power, he’s going to use it. And woe to anyone foolish to make themselves a victim of his. 

Side-note: the music playing as Jin-Woo makes victims is hauntingly beautiful.

This Could be the Start of Something Beautiful

After the ordeal in the dungeon, Jin-Ho and Jin-Woo tell the authorities how the others died in battle, without including the specifics. Even if they did, the law would (hopefully) justify it as self-defense. There’s just one issue: Dongsuk has a younger brother who’s also a Hunter. And from the way he was bragging, he’s likely a big deal. It won’t matter to Jin-Woo, though. He’ll keep getting stronger and survive.

Having been unable to resist the wait, I wound up reading the entire manwha in a few days, and trust me. Things will only get crazier from here. By the time the story is done, Jin-Woo will claim more victims and it will be amazing. This is shaping up to be one of the big anime of the Winter 2024 season!

I Give “The Real Hunt Begins” a 5/5

Ninja Kamui. Like John Wick, but With Ninjas

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Ninja Kamui Ep 1 Review

Few things in this world inspire as much awe, and fear, as a ninja. Spies, assassins, boisterous protagonists of some of the greatest Shonen Manga, ninjas are everywhere. And when Toonami announced that they would be coming out with an original series, Ninja Kamui, people took notice. Especially given how the anime involves a former ninja going on a quest to avenge his dead family. It’s like John Wick, but with ninjas.

Joe Higan Wanted a Normal Life

Somwhere in rural America lives Joe Higan, a family man with a happy life. He’s got a beautiful wife, a cheerful son, and a successful farm, and a cool motorcycle. In other words, he’s set up as the man who’s living the peaceful, rural American Dream. However, not everything is as it seems. 

Truth be told, Ninja Kamui is very cagey about who Joe is and what his past was like in the premiere. Throughout the first act, the anime drops hints that Joe is running from something. When news reports of brutal, identical murders across the country start making the rounds, they put him and his wife on edge. They know who is doing them, but they try to reassure themselves that they’ll be fine. 

Then comes the moment when these assassins do come for them. Even with how obvious it was that this would happen, it doesn’t change the fact that the fight that follows is brutal. There’s blood everywhere, heads roll, and Joe’s forced to watch as his wife and son’s dead bodies grow cold on the floor in front of him.

Sunghoo Park Shows off Why he’s so Great

The show’s second act adds a pair of FBI agents working on the attack, sensing it’s connected to the other murders. They’re not wrong, but when the culprits come back to finish the job, they can’t even do anything. There’s a chance that they’ll play a bigger role in the series, if only because they’re named. 

The real highlight of the episode, though, is the moment those assassins come back for a still-alive Joe. If the entire sequence, which is bloody yet has a dark beauty to it, seems similar to Jujutsu Kaisen, there’s a good reason. Sunghoo Park, the man who directed the episode (and runs the studio that made this anime) directed the first season of Jujutsu Kaisen. The results speak for themselves as Higan goes on a rampage, killing his would-be assassins, and saving the man who killed his wife last. 

Higan become the John Wick of Ninjas

The end of the episode only adds on another layer of mystery surrounding Joe Higan. His family’s dead bodies hinted at it, but it isn’t until Joe pulls off his face that we get confirmation: they were wearing high-tech masks. Between this, the military-grade gear his assassins used, and the savviness they have with technology, paints a grim picture about this group. Whoever they are, they’re dangerous.

While the ones who directly killed his family are dead, Higan knows it’s not over, leading to some payoff for a good instance of foreshadowing. Earlier in the episode, Joe found his son playing with an Oni mask, something that he and his wife were uneasy about. Given their killers similarities to Oni, it’s a big hint that they were once part of this same group of ninjas. Seeing Higan pull out an Oni mask out of the secret hole in his house is just confirming what we already knew. That, and that Higan is about to go John Wick on these ninja’s butts.

As far as premieres go, Ninja Kamui does a good job of balancing the thin line needed. It provides the basic setup and premise to use, but at the same time, it leaves enough unanswered to keep people in the dark. And when people are left in the dark about something, they tend to want to know more. What is the name of this group of ninjas? Why did Joe and his wife leave them behind? Those questions will be answered over the course of the next eleven weeks, and I’m looking forward to it. 

I Give “Episode 1” a 5/5

God of War, Solo Leveling Edition

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Solo Leveling Ep 7 Review

If Sun Jin-Woo had any remaining doubts that he’d gotten stronger, they are gone. Last week, he didn’t just kill the boss of the dungeon he was in. Except for Jin-Ho, he killed the party that tried to kill him. At this rate, he might start thinking he’s unstoppable, which could be a huge problem. Thankfully, Jin-Woo’s conscious enough to understand that if he doesn’t want to die, he needs to keep getting stronger.

This is good because he’s got the authorities interested and angered one of the strongest Hunters in the world. Time to level grind!

Jin-Woo is Getting Noticed

For someone who just had to kill six people, the episode starts with Jin-Woo handling things well. Some people would be traumatized by killing another human being, even if it was in self-defense. Jin-Woo, though, doesn’t even use that as an excuse to cope. It’s more concerning how irritated he is at how they thought they had a chance against him.

Jin-Woo recognizes the benefits that becoming a Player has given him, both for his confidence and his family’s well-being. Plus, he discovers in this episode that his body detoxes him so fast he can’t get drunk. However, and not just because the System forces him to do so. It’s because he’s attracting unwanted attention.

First, reports about what happened have reached the Hunter Bureau and the desk of Mr. Woo. AKA the guy who saw Jin-Woo after the Double Dungeon Incident. He’s starting to suspect that something’s up with Jin-Woo, which could be an issue. However, what’s more important is the guy that Jin-Woo’s angered.

Remember Dongsuk, the leader of the party that Jin-Woo killed? He wasn’t joking about his little brother being a big deal. He’s an S-Rank Hunter living in America and is now out for revenge. 

Jin-Ho is a True Bro

At least there’s one person who isn’t out to get Jin-Woo right now: Jin-Ho.

It might be because his dub voice is done by Justin Briner or the sincere manner in which he conducts himself, but Jin-Ho is the kind of guy Jin-Woo wants in a best friend. Not only does he keep his mouth shut about what happened out of gratitude, but he makes a massive offer. His dad’s the CEO of a big construction company, and he wants to set up his own Hunter’s Guild. If Jin-Ho helps do raids to help him become a Guild Master, he’ll give him a building worth billions.

It’s a very tempting offer, one that benefits both of them. It would help Jin-Woo hide his strength for a bit longer, and Jin-Ho can show he’s worthy of his father’s trust. Sadly, Jin-Woo has things he must accomplish first. 

This whole conversation highlights what’s great about Jin-Ho. While he wants Jin-Woo to help him for his benefit, he’s also doing it to help Jin-Woo. He’s genuinely grateful to him for saving their lives and wants to do everything to help. Even if Jin-Woo still says no, he’ll keep his secret. Granted, he’s worried that Jin-Woo might kill him, but the loyalty is genuine. That’s authentic bro material, there!

God of War: Manwha Edition-Cerberus Boss Fight

The big highlight of the episode, though, remains the impressive fighting. After blowing past his daily training, Jin-Woo gets a key to unlock an S-Rank dungeon. He can’t resist the chance to see how far he’s come, leading him to head inside. What he encounters, though, can only be described as God of War fused with an urban apocalypse. 

Anyone who’s ever read Greek mythology will know how dangerous Cerberus, the three-headed guard dog of the Underworld, is. The Cerberus that Jin-Woo fights is something straight out of the likes of Dark Souls and as bloody as God of War. It also isn’t as one-sided as it is in the manwha; it’s a deliberate attempt to make Jin-Woo not feel so OP. In the end, it makes his ultimate victory all the more badass.

Solo Leveling keeps managing to raise the bar when it comes to fights, and this is only the start. If you’ve read the Manwha (I binged it in less than a week), you know how insane the fights will become. 

In the end, Jin-Woo leaves the dungeon feeling a little more confident in himself. What he did in the last episode wasn’t a fluke. Now he knows he’s tough and will only get more challenging. At the same time, he took enough of a beating that he knows that he’s not invincible. No matter how powerful he gets, he shouldn’t start thinking himself to be unbeatable. However, doing these dungeons will still be worth it, as they lead him on a path that could end with a potential cure for his comatose mother. 

Sadly, there will be no new episode next week. We’ll only be getting a recap. The silver lining, though, is that we’ll be able to catch up on the dub. 

I Give “Let’s See How Far I Can Go” a 4.5/5

RJ Writing Ink Doing a New Series

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Hello, everyone, RJ Writing Ink here with a special announcement regarding a new series I will be doing. So, a few months ago, it was announced that Donte, co-founder of this blog, would be leaving to pursue his own projects, leaving Aaron as the head of the blog and myself as one of its writers. Before he left, Donte liked to write recommendations he was watching for everyone to check out. In the past, I have done some posts for anime that I have liked but didn’t have the time to review episode by episode, such as My Clueless First Friend, and The 100 Girlfriends. It’s a fun, easy, and time-saving way to get the word out about what’s airing that’s worth watching.

In the spirit of what Donte did, and with Aaron’s permission, I will be picking up where the former left off. I’ll be checking out anime that I feel are worth writing about but don’t have the time to review each episode. The first post to this series will be coming soon! Hope you enjoy, and thanks for your continued support of the blog!