anime dubbed

That Time Gobta (Almost) Found Love in Slime Tensura

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

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Tears of the Azure Sea Review

I’m not sure if this is accurate or not, but I suspect that a lot of Slime Tensura fans were as upset as me when we found out there wasn’t going to be a new episode on May 1st. I didn’t even know the series would be on break! So, even I had told myself to not spend the extra money, I talked myself into going to see the new Slime movie, Tears of the Azure Sea. Unfortunately, the closest movie theater that had it in dub was too far for me to want to drive that weekend, so I found another movie theater closer, but with it subbed. Subbed or dubbed, though, the movie was still pretty fun to watch. Especially since it manages to give our boy, Gobta, something that he’s been wanting for a very long time.

Like a lot of movies of dubious canonicity to an anime, Tears of the Azure Sea takes place in the time gap between major events of Slime Tensura. In this case, the time between the third and fourth seasons of the show. The Opening Festival of Tempest finished a month ago, and Rimuru and his friends are looking forward to a much-needed break. So Elmesia offers to let them visit a famous resort island in her country, leading most of Tempest’s leadership and their allies to go on a giant vacation. But then Gobta runs into this blue-haired woman, Yura, from Kaien, a famous kingdom located under the sea, who is being pursued by evil forces. And from there, it doesn’t take long for the entire group to get roped in.

Gobta (Almost) finds Love!

Full disclosure here: this movie is pretty much about Gobta. Rimuru and everyone else are in it, but from the moment Gobta notices Yura following them to ask Rimuru for help, it’s pretty much his movie. At best, Rimuru is there to help provide support when fighting the bad guys. If that sounds disappointing to anyone, you have to remember that Rimuru is one of the most broken protagonists in all of anime. When a character is that overpowered, you either have to have them face threats that can push them further, or set things up so that their use is limited. Tears of the Azure Kingdom opts for the latter by having Rimuru only step in to face the threats that could kill everyone.

As a sidebar, they also do the same for Milim and Veldora by having them stay behind to guard the island. They could solve everything, but also wreck everything, LOL. And this is Gobta’s film.

If it isn’t obvious at this point, the fact that Gobta is the first of the group to meet Yura, as well as the one who spends the most time with her, means that she’s meant to serve as a love interest for the goblin. It’s not brought up that often in the main series, but if you watch the OVAs or the spin-off anime Slime Diaries, you’ll see that Gobta is the one in the group that really wants to find love, but whose behavior gets him slapped by the girls. And while they start off on the wrong foot at first, getting to run around the island whil avoiding assassins was a great way for Gobta to show off how badass he is. And when the ultimate big bad of the movie tries to use her as part of his plan to conquer the world, it’s Gobta who ends up saving her! Way to channel your inner Krillin, dude!

Too Good to be True

Of course, since this is a movie with dubious canon placement, though, we all knew that Gobta’s chance at love wasn’t going to work out. We were totally right, by the way! I don’t want to spoil how it ends, but here’s a hint: you know what happened with Sokka and Princess Yue in Avatar. Let that sink in.

As a film, there really isn’t much substance to Tears of the Azure Sea. The most that it’s got going for it is that its film budget allows for some really stellar action sequences, especially at the climax where they are fighting the big bad. Though, if you’ve watched a lot of anime, then you should know that when they make a film based on a popular series, it’s usually not going to have much substance to it. It’s more or less an excuse for us to see more of the characters do cool things. Off the top of my head, I can name only seven times the events of an anime film had an actual impact on the plot of the series, and all of them were from Shonen series. Yet these franchises keep pumping them out because we like seeing these one-off adventures so much. It’s fun! It’s a good way to kill time, too. Besides, it’s not like everything in the film is going to have zero relevance to the actual anime. There’s a post-credits scene that hints at the arrival of a new character to Tempest in the near future. So, there’s that!

Well, hopefully next week, we will get to see Rimuru confront the Western Council. I read part of the manga in advance, so I can happily say that things are going to get interesting real quick!

I Give “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Tears of the Azure Sea ” a 3.5/5

Loki, THE GOAT GIANT, IS FINALLY HERE!

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

One Piece Episode 1160 Review

Oh, I’ve been waiting for this episode to get animated for a long time now! When I said that the Elbaph Arc is going to go absolutely hard, I wasn’t joking. The detail and care that Oda puts into the home of the Giants makes it clear to all that this is a story that he’s been wanting to tell for a long time. And while some people are likely disappointed that the first few episodes of One Piece’s return were a mini-arc in a LEGOland, this is about to make it all worthwhile. Not only do we finally see the size and scope of Elbaph, but we also get introduced to the best character in the arc. A character that I remembers sparking a lot of debate in the fandom about whether he was a friend or a foe: Loki.

Strap yourselves in. Things are starting to heat up.

The Straw Hats Will Reunite in Elbaph

So, while half of the Straw Hats are currently escaping the Block Kingdom of Rodo (or Road), what’s going on with the other half and the Giants Pirates? At this exact moment, Dorry, Brogy, and the other Giants are freaking out since they don’t know where Luffy or the Sunny are. They’re about ready to jump into the ocean and look for them on the sea floor, it’s so bad! Thankfully, this isn’t the first time the Straw Hat Pirates have gotten split up like this. This stuff is nothing to them! So Franky and the others tell their hosts to calm down, because they know their friends will be fine and will find their way to Elbaph.

I know it sounds callous to outsiders, but to us, it shows how much faith the the crew has in each other.

What’s of bigger interest, though, is what they read in the papers. As expected of a stooge of the World Government, the news has pinned everything that happened on Egghead on Luffy and the Giant Pirates. That weasel Morgans even says Luffy killed Vegapunk! Though there’s no way the World Government would admit that they’re the ones at fault, so what else is new?

There is one part of the news that was of particular interest, though: the X mark on Luffy’s arm. Robin vaguely remembers it, but none of the others have any idea what it means. The irony is that, besides the fans knowing what it is, the half of the Straw Hats that would recognize it isn’t present. But if you don’t know, it was a mark the crew drew on their wrists during their adventures in Alabasta with their friend, Princess Vivi. Said Princess is currently on the run with the guy who publishes that newspaper, so this was basically her letting them know that she was okay. Sadly, this won’t become important until after their time in Elbaph ends, and given how the arc’s still ongoing in the manga, we’ve got a while. Thankfully, though, the same doesn’t have to be said about Elbaph!

After making their escape from the Block Kingdom, Luffy’s half of the Straw Hats find themselves on the outside. The bad news? It’s not the fact that everything is just as big as it was indoors. It’s the fact that it’s freezing cold and in the middle of a blizzard.

The good news? Two of Road’s crewmates pass by because they heard he”s been up to his antics of kidnapping humans and have come to reprimand him. And they confirm once and for all that the group is now in Elbaph. Too bad the others tell Luffy and Usopp to be quiet so they can’t celebrate.

Full disclosure: yes, Gerd and Goldberg are part of the same crew as Road and Hajrudin. Yes, I believe that Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp met them back in Dressrosa, so they’re part of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet that pledged itself to Luffy. But since they don’t fully remember, and because the other half of their crewmembers weren’t there when it happened, they can’t ask them for help just yet. Ergo, they cross the giant rope bridge to the other side to safety.

…is what they were supposed to do. But then they hear a roar coming from the forest below, and the Monster Trio can tell right away that it’s coming from someone equally as monstrous. Naturally, Luffy decides to investigate on his own. And this is where things start getting good.

Our First Real Look at Elbaph!

Two important things happened in the chapter that this episode is adapting, and Toei did an incredible job adapting it into the anime. The first is that after all the teasing we’ve got in flashbacks and quick looks, we finally get our first full look at the island of Elbaph. And…calling it massive would be an understatement. It is absolutely gargantuan in size. In the first moments Luffy and the others step outside, they see mountains that are probably big enough to qualify as small islands in any other part of the world. The forests tower over even the biggest of Giants, and the animals are roughly the same size. To a normal Human, this is the equivalent of a sizeable insect waking up to find themselves in a city the size of New York or Tokyo. And then there’s the tree. The absolutely massive tree standing in the center of the island that dwarfs even the tallest of the mountains. I don’t know how to do the math, but that tree has to be dozens, or even hundreds of miles, in size. It’s so big that we can’t even see the top! Some fans have speculated it might be tall enough to allow someone access to Sky Islands.

But all of this pales in comparison to the character that we will get to know very well in the coming weeks. Arguably, the most important character introduced in this entire arc, a man who the Giants call an absolute terror and the “Shame of Elbaph.” The Giant Pirates tell Dorry and Brogy that he was the son of their late king, whom they believe he murdered to gain the Royal Family’s incredibly powerful Devil Fruit. The Prince of the Kingdom of Warland, and the self-proclaimed Sun God who will end the world, give it up for LOKI!!!!

And guess who just met him? Luffy.

Loki: Friend or Foe?

If you only watch the anime, then you have no idea how much of an uproar the introduction of Loki caused throughout the fandom. If you’ve seen any modern depictions of Loki in media like the MCU, or as Atreus in the God of War games, then the name alone should be enough to worry you. Regardless of if he’s a good guy or a bad guy, Loki tends to cause trouble. Heck, in Norse Mythology, he got so bad that his fellow gods had to imprison him, only for it to be said he would be set free at Ragnarok. AKA, the end of the world.

What I was most concerned about, though, was how Loki was calling himself the Sun God. We thought that Luffy was supposed to be one who had the powers of the Sun God, Nika. That he was meant to be this person who would liberate people from oppression! But here Loki was claiming to be this destroyer of the world! It had us all so confused!

Anime watchers, prepare to remain confused, as a large part of this arc involves Oda doing his best to make us question if Loki can be trusted or not. I won’t spoil anything, though!

It’s great to know that we can finally start the Elbaph Arc in earnest. I know that the Block Kingdom took up a lot of time, but trust me when I say it will be worth the wait. We are going to see things that will blow your mind! If you haven’t started watching One Piece, then now is the time to do so!

I Give “An Encounter on a Snowfield-Loki, the Accursed Prince,” a 4.5/5

Rimuru Got Invited to Join the Isekai UN

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

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime S4 Ep 4 Review

You know whatโ€™s one of my favorite things about Slime Tensura? Itโ€™s not the fighting, or the power-scaling, or the fanservice. Itโ€™s the politics. As the series has progressed and Rimuru becomes more important, the story shifts away from fighting to dealing with nation-building as the human-turned-slime works to build a world for humans and monsters to live in peace. And that means that thereโ€™s going to be people taking advantage of him and trying to take him down, and heโ€™s got to put them in their place. Case in point, the Rozzo family has just used their influence on the nations to the west to invite Rimuru to join their international club as part of a plan to get him under their control. But they donโ€™t know who theyโ€™re messing with.

So after they managed to send Team Green Fury packing, the avatar quartet, humorously, didnโ€™t stop there. They liked hunting adventurers so much that they got carried away and went on an absolute tear, to the point that people are calling them the โ€œDungeon Dominators.โ€ Unfortunately for them, that lands them in hot water for neglecting their other roles, with Millim being the first to suffer. It turns out she snuck off to Tempest to get out of her Demon Lord duties, leading to Frey to have to drag her back home to do her homework.

Poor Millim! I know how you feel about hating homework! And shame on her friends for selling her out like that. At least Rimuru gets some karma when Shuna realizes heโ€™s been goofing off in the Dungeon.

But with that out of the way, Rimuru has to face the more important task at hand: the Rozzo family and the Western Council.

Made up of the human nations located to the west of the Jura Forest, the Council of the West is sort of like a fusion of the real-life United Nations and groups such as NATO. Theyโ€™re an economic and political alliance meant to help the whole of humanity prosper, and the rise of the Monster nation of Tempest has been of great concern to them. Unfortunately, much like the UN, their effectiveness and competency vary a lot.

The latter half of the episode is all about the Council members arguing about whether to invite Tempest to join. Can they be trusted? Whatโ€™s to stop Rimuru from wiping them all out? How can we use them for our own benefit? Some of them even question if Rimuru is as strong as they say he is. Hinata was invited to serve as a witness on Rimuruโ€™s behalf, but her thoughts are exactly what the viewers are meant to feel about this: not impressed. Itโ€™s clear that theyโ€™re only thinking about their own interests and looking down on Rimuru. It becomes even more apparent when they suggest inviting Tempesr to join so its military power can serve as a check on the Eastern Empire, a name that keeps popping up in conversations lately.

Even if Mariabelโ€™s monologues didnโ€™t confirm it, itโ€™s pretty obvious that the Council is being puppeted by the Rozzo family with the way they talk. The manipulation becomes even more apparent when Hinata is approached by the Prince of Englassia and asked to serve as his bodyguard and fight Rimuru if the time comes.

Those fools know not what they are doing. They’re lucky that Rimuru is so chill, or else he would torch them all. Hinata was right to bail out of this.

So, Rimuru and the others are getting invited by the Council to see if they will let him join. Given how useless they were, though, I wouldn’t be surprised if he takes one look at them and says “Nah, we’re good!” Good thing that they’re leaving Shion behind! If she went and someone insulted Rimuru, she would level the city.

I Give “Invitation” a 4/5

I’m Calling Nami the Weather Queen after This

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

One Piece Ep 1159 Review

Well, it looks like my prediction was spot-on! This is the last episode that we will be spending in this little mini-arc that was the Block Kingdom! On the last piece of One Piece, Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper managed to confront the “Sun God” who created the LEGO set they woke up in and thoroughly enrage them. Now, they’re on the run from an angry Giant who wants to keep them captive forever for his own amusement. But, as I felt when I was reading the manga, this guy must not be very smart if they think they can hold Monkey D. Luffy!

RUN AWAY FROM THE GIANT!

The vast majority of this episode can be summed as resembling the climax to the classic fairy tale, Jack and the Beanstalk. Well, the parts where the main character is being chased by the Giant, at least. The only thing the Straw Hats stole was the blueprints to the Block Kingdom, and given how they woke up unwilling captives and want to escape, they’re justified. Using the giant cat that Luffy is forcing to obey them, they’re making a dash for the other side of the Block Kingdom. Which, in case it wasn’t obvious, is actually an old cell designed to hold Giants prisoner. Which, given how Luffy is stronger than most Giants by this point, is really not a problem.

I know people are still going to have some problems with the pacing of the episodes, but the anime makes up for the extended scenes with the high quality of its animation. The series has come a long way from the simpler look it had in 1999, with its look evolving to better suit the evolution of the craft. That means that it feels a lot closer to what Oda draws in the manga as he’s grown more and more confident over the years, much to fans’ enjoyment. And, if I’m being honest, I like seeing the Straw Hats continuously outsmart their captor as they try to catch them.

This Guy Technically Works for Luffy

Speaking of which, it’s already obvious that the one holding them isn’t a God, but I don’t think any of us were expecting him to be who he turns out to be. The Giant that built this fake world is named Road, a member of the New Giant Warrior Pirates led by Hajrudin. Introduced back in Dressrosa as mercenaries working for Buggy, they were one of the groups that chose to pledge their loyalty to Luffy and form the Straw Hat Grand Fleet. That means that Road is technically supposed to be one of Luffy’s allies, but he can’t stand the idea of Giants working for a tiny human. So when one of his pet crows found the Sunny and half the Straw Hats fast asleep on it out at sea, he got the bright idea of putting them in his Block Kingdom so he wouldn’t have to work under them. And, for extra renegade points, he stripped them of their clothes so he could put new ones on them, including Nami.

It’s been months since these events took place in the manga, and my thoughts on this whole reveal haven’t changed: this guy’s an idiot. I can forgive him for ignorantly thinking that he could hold someone like Luffy because he hasn’t seen how strong he is like his crewmates have, but he really didn’t think this through. If the other Giant Pirates found out that he was holding Luffy captive, then they would punish him for it! And while I respect him for the LEGO model he built and the hand-made outfits, he’s still giving our fellow nerds a bad name. The part where he pauses mid-chase to gush about how this unscripted conflict in his world is so awesome comes off as creepy coming from him.

So, he must be punished. And it’s fitting that it’s Nami who’s the one who pays him back.

One of Nami’s Best Moments Yet!

The way that Nami has Zeus grow to the size of a storm and then has him hit Road with a lightning strike was already amazing. But that smug, s*it-eating smirk on Nami’s face as she claimed it was “divine retribution” was hilarious! That might not have been divine retribution, but that was a case of karma at work!

So, much to no one’s surprise save for that of Road, the Straw Hats manage to escape from the Block Kingdom. And I am happy to say that next week, we are going to head straight into the good stuff: Elbaph. The actual Elbaph is about to appear, and it is going to be amazing, you guys!! You are going to love it!

I Give “Destroy the Miniature Garden – Escape Block Kingdom!” a 4.5/5

Nami’s Misadventures in LEGOland!

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

One Piece Ep 1157 Review

If youโ€™re a fan of the One Piece anime, then youโ€™ve probably heard people complain about one thing: the pacing. It is notoriously slow when it comes to adapting the story of the manga, which is a consequence of it starting in an age when anime filler was necessary to keep something from overtaking its source material. Thatโ€™s why one of the biggest selling points of the new seasonal format has been the expectations of improved pacing. Less filler, more of the actual story, as some fans had hoped. However, it feels as though those hopes were dashed with the showโ€™s second episode since its return, as Toei is still relying on the same tricks as before: padding the episodes out and making parts of the story longer than necessary.

LEGO’S?!?

On the last piece of One Piece, the Giant and Straw Hat pirates were all celebrating their escape from Egghead Island with a party. The next thing we know, Nami is waking up someplace made out of LEGO in an outfit she doesnโ€™t remember putting on. And trust me, manga readers were just as confused about this as the people watching the anime probably were. Things only managed to get even stranger when the episode starts off with some people in the vicinity are talking about some kind of trouble with one of the local deities. What should catch everyoneโ€™s attention, though, is the name they give to the giant tree in this blocky kingdom: Yddragsil. Thatโ€™s the name of the cosmically-sized tree from Norse mythology that connects the worlds together.

One thing that Oda seems to like doing, and is very skilled, is foreshadowing well ahead of time. If the name of someone or someplace weโ€™ve never heard of before gets mentioned, that means that its going to be important at some point in the future. And as manga readers were quick to figure out, Nami had somehow woken up someplace thatโ€™s tied to Elbaph, if not Elbaph itself. The clothes and name of the tree were a dead giveaway, but what I really like is how the whole place is built out of LEGOs. LEGOโ€™s from Denmark, AKA the region of the world where Vikings came from; it makes sense.

What didnโ€™t make sense, though, was how massive the animals were. No sooner had Nami woken up than she was being attacked by bees twice her size! Iโ€™m able to tolerate bees, but stinging insects are enough to make me run for the hills! Thankfully, she and Zeus are able to roast them, no problem. But then theyโ€™re attacked by a giant hedgehog!

This is where I noticed how those complaints about the pacing began to resurface on social media. In the manga, Nami getting chased by that hedgehog takes up half a page, at best. The anime translates that into a full minute of her running around this blocky castle before she runs into Usopp and saves him from a giant cat. And from there the entire episode more or less revolves around them trying to get away until the Monster Trio of Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji save their bacon.

The Animation is Still Good

Say what you want about the whole thing, but at least the animation is still amazing. Iโ€™m little surprised at the fact that theyโ€™re choosing to make an eye catch just for this blocky kingdom. It feels unnecessary considering how theyโ€™re likely not to be in it for that long!

So like Nami and Usopp, the Monster Trio has no idea where they are or how they got there. But they donโ€™t really care. If someone was dumb enough to put them in this place, then whatever happens next is on them. Besides, Luffy and Usopp are too excited about Elbaph to be worried.

I know that this first half of the season is only about 12-13 episodes, so you might be worried about this taking up too much time. But donโ€™t worry, you guys. By my estimations, the group will be out of this Block Kingdom inโ€ฆtwo episodes.

I Give “Nami in a Fix! An Adventure in Block Kingdom” a 3/5

El-balph! El-baph! LAND OF THE GIANTS!

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

One Piece Ep 1156 Review

Sorry Iโ€™m late, everyone, but Iโ€™m ready to get this voyage underway! I wouldnโ€™t miss One Piece for all the money in the world!

I know that the founders of this blog arenโ€™t the biggest of fans of One Piece, but as their primary writer, Iโ€™m an absolutely massive fan. Iโ€™ve talked about it a lot on D&A Anime Blog. Iโ€™ve gushed about the live-action series and other big pieces of news about the franchise. And on my personal blog, Iโ€™ve been reviewing each chapter of the manga since partway through the Wano Country Arc! But with the anime having gone seasonal, I decided that now was the best time for me to try my hand at reviewing the anime. This will be the first time Iโ€™ve reviewed an anime of something whose manga Iโ€™m concurrently covering, but itโ€™s going to be worth it. Whether youโ€™re a long-time fan of the series or a newcomer, you might have picked a great time to come aboard, because we are about to arrive at a location so awesome, so amazing, so mind-bendingly cool, that nothing short of finding the One Piece itself can compare! The story that Oda has wanted to tell since he was a little kid is here. The story of ELBAPH!!

Full disclosure: if youโ€™re a newcomer, there are going to be a lot things thrown at you that I donโ€™t have time to explain. In that case, either go read the manga or go find one of the many, many people on YouTube who can recap and explain the series. Otherwise, Iโ€™ll just assume youโ€™re caught up so I can enjoy myself!

After a brief flashback to the end of the Little Garden Arc where Luffy and Usopp resolve to one day visit Elbaph, the episode returns us to the present day. The Straw Hats, Giant Warrior Pirates, Lillith, Bonney and Kuma have just escaped from Egghead Island and are on their way to Elbaph, so theyโ€™re celebrating by partying. Itโ€™s pretty much a law that the Straw Hats end an arc with a party. What I wasnโ€™t expecting, though, and soemthing that was totally original to the anime was getting to hear Brook play โ€œNew World.โ€ There are a lot of good songs in One Piece, but New World has to be one of my favorites. Upbeat, exciting, and optimistic, it encapsulates the positive messages that the series sends us. That, and itโ€™s a pretty good bop.

The Barto Club Screws Up

The episode then cuts away to another series tradition that accompanies the start of a new arc: checking up on events around the world. Oda is great when it comes to world-building, and moments where he takes the focus away from the main characters remind us of that by showing that the world doesnโ€™t revolve entirely around what they do. In this case, it picks up with one of Luffyโ€™s allies/biggest fans, the Barto Club, and one of his greatest enemies, the Blackbeard Pirates.

So, after they parted ways with Luffy, Bartolomeo and his crew went to a particular island to sell some Straw Hat pirate merch. However, they chose to go to an island under Shanksโ€™ protection, and they refused to buy anything. In response, Barto torched their flag, leading to Shanks to give them a butt-whooping. And then he decided to test/troll them by ordering Barto to make Luffy drink poison or else their lives were forfeit. And you can guess where this is going.

Anyone who has been with One Piece long enough knew that Shanks was just messing with Barto. He just wanted to make sure that Luffyโ€™s followers werenโ€™t some fair-weather friends, and Barto passed the vibe check. But Yassop still destroyed their ship. They had a reputation to keep up.

Iโ€™m sure theyโ€™ll be fine!

Blackbeard is Nearing his Endgame

Meanwhile, back on Pirate Island, Blackbeard isnโ€™t happy that the Marines managed to raid the place and rescue Koby while he was gone. However, his crew points out that heโ€™s now in an arguably better position. Not only do they have Luffy’s grandpa and hero of the Marines, Garp, prisoner, but they also raided Big Momโ€™s territory and abducted Pudding. And with Caribou newly arrived and ready to spill everything he knows about the locations of two of the three Ancient Weapons, things are about to get a lot worse.

I think I mentioned it on my blog when reviewing the chapter, but Iโ€™m going to say it here: Blackbeard is being set up as the final enemy that Luffy must face to become King of the Pirates. Once he knows where and who the Ancient Weapons are, heโ€™s going to try to seize them. That means that nations with people that the Straw Hats call friends will be in harmโ€™s way. Add in the fact that Teach now has Luffyโ€™s grandpa and Sanjiโ€™s ex-fiancรฉ prisoner, as well as what he did to Ace, the Straw Hats have all the motivation they need to go to war with the Blackbeard Pirates. Unfortunately, this will mark the last point for a while where the anime doesnโ€™t focus on anything outside of their next destination (not counting flashbacks.)

Speaking of which, where are the Straw Hats?

Where did half the Straw Hats Go?

When I read the chapters where the Giants woke up to find half the Straw Hat Pirates and their ship missing, I was as confused as everyone else. How the heck did they get separated from everyone else? Then it got even weirder when Nami woke up in a place that looked suspiciously like it was made out of LEGOโ€ฆand wearing an entirely different outfit. None of us knew if she was tripping from the alcohol, or if this was a detour from Elbaph. If it had been the latter, though, I think the fans wouldโ€™ve lost it! And then we had to wait an entire week (or two) to find out what was happening. Thankfully, the anime will be sticking to a weekly release schedule, so anime only people donโ€™t have to worry about that!

This was a good start to the return of One Piece, if you ask me. I have been reading the manga for years, and I can say that you guys are in for something very special. Welcome to the Elbaph arc, everyone! Hope you enjoy the trip!

I Give “The Long-sought Elbaph! The Big Reunion Banquet” a 3/5

You’ll Never Guess Who is Sentenced to be a Hero

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

Sentenced to be a Hero Ep 12 Review

I normally donโ€™t regret learning about spoilers. When Iโ€™m really into something, I want to learn as much about it as possible, not caring if it ruins the journey. But there are some instances where even I acknowledge that spoiling myself is going to ruin how Iโ€™ll react to it. And in this case, the season finale of Sentenced to be a Hero is making me regret looking up what happens on TV Tropes. Because I was barely able to watch what happened to Kivia.

Also, I just want to say that this was the only episode of the season that failed to be simul-dubbed, and I feel disappointed by that fact. So close!

The Fight is Over…

So, the fight for Ioff has ended, with the Hero Unit once again managing to pull off a successful suicide mission. And while Teoritta is feeling great about herself, that good feeling is soon squashed when she and Xylo come back and run into Iri, AKA Spriggan. Using their human disguise, Spriggan comes dangerously close to killing Teoritta, and while they drive the demon lord off, it leaves the goddess and Xylo shaken. She only made it out because she blocked the attack with a dagger Xylo bought her; dumb luck! And while she immediately goes back to her cheerful self afterwards, I think sheโ€™s just putting on a front. She asks Xylo to train her to fight after this, and I donโ€™t think Xylo will object. He wonโ€™t always be there to protect her, so itโ€™s better that she can handle herself.

The good news is that Spriggan isnโ€™t coming back again. Rhyno makes certain of this by killing them himself. But while doing so, he proceeds to monologue about who he really is: the Demon Lord, Puck Puca. Like Spriggan, heโ€™s possessing Rhynoโ€™s body and is using it hunt his own kind.

Full disclosure: I already knew this. But even if I didnโ€™t, I would say it explains a lot. He acts so unethically because heโ€™s having to learn what ethics are from scratch. And while the idealist in me makes me think that this is proof that the Demon Blight can be good, Iโ€™m not getting my hopes up. Rhyno/Puck all but admit that theyโ€™re killing their own kind for the love of the game. That doesnโ€™t make him a good person, just a psycho whoโ€™s conveniently on the protagonistโ€™s side. In all honesty, I think I would trust Boojum more than Rhyno.

Speaking of Boojum, he turns out to be alive, having swapped himself out for a double. Which means that weโ€™re likely going to see him again in the future.

…But the Victory is Hollow

In the present, though, this victory turns out to be very hollow. As the Hero Unit is resting, Frenci comes to them and drops a bombshell: the capital city of the kingdom has fallen. The attack on Ioff was just a diversion! And this is soul crushing to hear. After spending an entire season watching the protagonists make small, but meaningful, wins, theyโ€™re all undone by this gut punch. Itโ€™s enough to make someone want to give up and throw in the towel, like Kiviaโ€™s uncle.

Like i said at the start, I already knew going into this episode what was about to happen. I made the mistake of reading the files on TV Tropes and regret it. Because it made watching the parts of the episode about Kivia almost unbearable to watch.

Kivia…

Just as Kivia feared, her beloved uncle is a Coexister. He gives this whole spiel about how humanity will lose the war, and how their only way to survive is to become the Demon Blightโ€™s slaves. I have heard all those arguments before in other works, and I didnโ€™t buy them then, and neither does Kivia. So he kills her lieutenant, and then she kills him. And then she gets arrested and accused of being a traitor and everything else that her uncle was doing.

This is the sad part about Kivia, in my opinion: sheโ€™s too nice for her own good. She only told one other person what she knew and then brought them as a witness, which got him killed and deprived her of the evidence she needed to show she was justified. Had she been a bit more savvy, she should have told as many of her men as possible and had them spread the word in case this happened. At least that way she would get the benefit of the doubt. Instead, sheโ€™s hauled off as a traitor and doesnโ€™t even get the chance to defend herself in a trial.

I feel so bad seeing what happens to Kivia, but I also canโ€™t help but note the irony. When we first met her, she automatically assumed the worst about Xylo without giving him the benefit of the doubt . She eventually learned and acknowledged that she was wrong, but she never wrapped her mind about how not everyone on her side was working in the best interests of mankind. That led her to this moment, and now she has a choice to make: deathโ€ฆor death.

Wait…That’s how they Become Heroes?

The final third of this episode is devoted to Kivia being visited by the priest Kafzen in her cell, where sheโ€™s offered a choice: she can be executed as a traitor, orโ€ฆshe can become a Hero. This is where we learn something very disturbing. It turns out that the Heroes are not people sentenced to die and be revived forever. They are people who have already died and then revived by the First Goddess. She then holds onto all of their memories for as long as she can, but whenever they die, she loses some of those memories!

This is honestly messed up, in my opinion. I have seen anime where people can come back from the dead before, but the implication that Xylo and the others may not even remember that theyโ€™re already dead is sickening. Not to mention how it makes Frenciโ€™s efforts to get Xylo a pardon might be pointless. For all we know, removing whatever spell that makes him a Hero could mean heโ€™ll die for good!

If that wasnโ€™t bad enough, we then learn that the First Goddessโ€™ power is finite. She only has room to revive one more person, and thatโ€™s it. Which means that the trump card of humanity is already being strained to the breaking point.

The episode, and the season, end with Kivia making her choice: she will become a Hero and keep fighting. No positive ending for anyone involved. But what an ending!

I must admit, I did start to get a little bored with the show at some point, but I never truly stopped loving it. Itโ€™s just too compelling a story for me to want to quit. And the fact that it was animated by the people who gave us the best parts of Mushoku Tensei was the best part. Iโ€™m glad to know that weโ€™re getting a second season in the future, and if Iโ€™m still here, I look forward to reviewing it.

I Give “Sentence: Aid in Evacuation of Ioff Cheg Port 3” a 4.5/5

YUTA OKKOTSU IS THE GOAT

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

Jujutsu Kaisen S3 Ep 12 Review

If you werenโ€™t allowed to pick Satoru Gojo, who in Jujutsu Kaisen would you consider the GOAT? I donโ€™t know if itโ€™s possible to settle on a single GOAT, as season three of the show has given us multiple contenders for the title. Maki managed to wipe out her entire clan of frauds. Higuruma was a newbie as a sorcerer but managed to become one of the top players in the Culling Game. Takabaโ€™s rule of funny technique could give even Gojo a hard time! But if you ask me, I think the season finale showed us that the biggest GOAT is Yuta Okkotsu. He not only heads to the colony with four of the heaviest hitters of the Culling Game thus far, he also manages to beat all of them by himself by the time the credits roll!

If youโ€™re an anime fan, then you know that when a series chooses to skip the OP, that means it needs the extra runtime for something big. And Jujutsu Kaisen is no exception, as it starts right where we last left off: with Yuta killing one of the four sorcerers that had the Sendai colony stuck in a stalemate. This wasnโ€™t any sorcerer, either; this was a reincarnated sorcerer who was so powerful that, 2,000 years ago, he managed to conquer all of Japan. And the series still decided that it wasnโ€™t worth showing us how Yuta killed him. And that is only the end of the last episode and the start of this one.

The rest of the episode can best be described as Yuta running a gauntlet of boss fights against the other three bigshots of Sendai Colony: Kurourushi, a cockroach cursed spirit, Uro, an incarnated sorcerer who can manipulate the space of the sky like solid matter, and Ishigori, another incarnation whose pompadour doubles as a cursed energy cannon. Each of them could the subject of a fight that lasts an entire episode, and Yuta fights them all in just one.

If youโ€™ve seen Jujutsu Kaisen 0, you already know this, but even if you havenโ€™t, this episode is meant to confirm what the season premiere implied: Yuta Okkotsu is that guy. Next to Gojo, he is the strongest jujutsu sorcerer of the modern-day, and this episode demonstrates it. His reserves of cursed energy are practically off the charts, his innate technique allows him to copy other peopleโ€™s techniques, and if that wasnโ€™t enough, he never has to fight alone. Heโ€™s got Rika, the cursed spirit left behind by his childhood sweetheart of the same name after the events of JJK 0. Add in the fact that heโ€™s distantly related to Gojo himself, is it any wonder why Yuta is the GOAT of Yujiโ€™s generation?

He defeats the cockroach spirit Kurourushi by giving it a mouth-to-mouth Reversed Curse Technique.

He fights Uro, who has it out for him because of something his ancestor did. Then he fights the battle-crazed Ishigori. And then he almost fights the latter two in a three-way domain expansion thatโ€™s only stopped by the return of the cockroach.

And during the entire episode, the anime doesnโ€™t let up on the incredible animation that weโ€™ve come to expect this season. All of it eventually boils down to an epic one-on-one between Yuta and Ishigori, all to the OP of the season, Aizo. When an anime chooses to use its OP or ED in the middle of the episode, you know that things have gotten serious!

https://twitter.com/eagle97jjk/status/2037198355273834776?s=20

In the end, Yuta manages to beat all of them. But since heโ€™s such a nice guy, he doesnโ€™t kill Uro or Ishigori, just taking their points. GOAT status, confirmed.

Sadly, this is where season three of Jujutsu Kaisen comes to an end. Even worse, we likely have to wait a year for the second half of the Culling Game. It feels more than a little cruel to know that we have to wait that long, but maybe thatโ€™s why the anime chose to end things here. They wanted to give us absolute peak before we had to wait. Itโ€™s sad, but we have to give great shows like this time to cook. Plus, this season already managed to leave its mark in pop culture, from the stunning animation to the memes that it inspired. The Game shall continue, but until then, we have other shows to watch!

I Give “Sendai Colony” a 5/5

Some Lowlife Power Gamers are Ruining the Dungeon

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

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime S4 Ep 2 Review

You know what the hardest thing is when it comes to developing video games that are getting constantly updated? Having to one-up players who find exploits and ways to cheat. Itโ€™s like a never-ending battle between players and game developers, because every time one problem gets solved, another gets exploited. The reason why Iโ€™m bringing this up is that Rimuru has just found a new problem to deal with regarding his nationโ€™s Dungeon. Two problems, more accurately.

Hinata almost Ruins the Dungeon

So the good news is that ever since installing Masayukiโ€™s suggestions to help adventurers, the Tempest Dungeon is starting to turn a profit. The save points, rest stops, and the inn are raking in the dough. Masayuki even managed to clear the 30th floor, albeit he did it in a way that reminds of something that Buggy the Clown or Mr. Satan would do.

I know that his special skill, Chosen Hero, makes everyone think heโ€™s that guy, but this level of hype is ridiculous. But thatโ€™s not the problem. Rimuru wants Masayuki to do well so it makes the Dungeon look good and brings in customers. The main problems are Hinata almost wrecked everything, and that thereโ€™s a team thatโ€™s using an exploit to clear the bosses.

Firstly, we have Hinata. After the Crusaders started using the lower levels as a training ground and got their butts handed to them, one of them mouthed off that Hinata couldnโ€™t handle it. So she took that as a challenge and just went on a massive tear like sheโ€™s Sung Jinwoo. She wasted the bosses on the lower floors, killed all the dragons Millim caught, and then just chilled at an inn on the 95th floor just to troll them. Veldora beat her, but Rimuru refuses to give her the prize money.

This is what I meant when I said how games like this need to be constantly updated. A dungeon like Rimuruโ€™s needs to be balanced and ensure that the participants have a fair chance of winning, while also making sure that itโ€™s not too easy. First things first, Rimuru decides to give Adalmann some cool new magic.

Freaking Power Gamers!

The real issue, though, is this new party, Team Green Fury. They managed to catch up to the progress of Masayukiโ€™s team, not by being that good, but through an exploit. Apparently, by using a combination of them and the return whistles (escape ropes) to exit and re-enter the Dungeon, they can gather party members far past what should be the limit. In other words, theyโ€™ve made a party of dozens capable of clearing the Dungeon bossesโ€ฆby save scumming and zerg rushing.

Look, Iโ€™m a gamer. I have used tactics like this before. I know other people do this. But there has to be a limit to how much players should be allowed to exploit without ruining the challenge. And then they managed to beat the 40th floor! If that keeps up, theyโ€™ll reach the lower floors, find the bosses are wrecked, and the Dungeon will be ruined. This calls for admin intervention!

Rimuruโ€™s ultimate solution is a pretty cool one, albeit it copies the concept behind the Avatar films and Pixarโ€™s Hoppers. He, Veldora, Ramiris, and Millim, who just got back from tort-training Gobta and Ranga will put their souls into monster avatars, and crush them on the 49th floor before they wreck everything. Itโ€™s a good planโ€ฆif they didnโ€™t get their butts handed to them. In a surprising twist, it seems the three Demon Lords and one True Dragon are way weaker in their avatar bodies. Which means now they have to train!

So these last two episodes have been pretty lowkey as far as stakes go, but thatโ€™s not why people like Slime Tensura, I think. They like it because of the humor and world-building. Iโ€™m looking forward to seeing how Rimuru deals with these borderline cheaters, and I hope we get some more action soon.

I Give โ€œThe Dungeon Evolvesโ€ a 3/5

Great Rimuru has Returned to us!!!

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

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime S4 Ep 1 Review

RIMURU-SAMA, WE MISSED YOU!!! ๐Ÿ˜ญ๐Ÿ˜ญ๐Ÿ˜ญ

If you remember all my reviews of Mushoku Tensei, then you remember my concept of the Seven Summits of Isekai. They’re the series that I consider to be the pinnacle of the genre that has become so prevalent over the last decade. And while I still have a soft spot for Shield Hero and Mushoku Tensei, we here at the D&A Anime Blog are huge fans of one isekai above all others: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. It’s got an amazing world, great and lovable characters, and Rimuru might be one of the most OP, broken protagonists in all of fiction. So it is with great fanfare that we welcome back Lord Rimuru as we begin the first cours for the monumental fourth season of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime!

It’s been a while since the Great Festival where the nation of Tempest made its grand debut on the world stage. And for Rimuru and his friends and allies, life couldn’t be better! His plans to build a magic-powered train system are progressing nicely. More and more humans are visiting or living in Tempest, making the idea of human- monster coexistence more of a reality. Rimuruโ€™s beloved students are now attending class in Tempest and away from Yuuki, with Hinata serving as a guest teacher. And, as crazy as it sounds, Shion managed to make a tea he can actually drink!

All of it adds up to Rimuru being able to enjoy a happy and fulfilling life. Except for one problem: their new Dungeon isn’t working.

The Tempest Dungeon is Like Dark Souls

Despite all the advertising and work they put into it, too many newbie adventurers keep trying to take on the Dungeon. They’re getting lost, starving, or owned by even the most basic of monsters. At this rate, the Tempest Dungeon will be a financial flop! All of this is leading adventurers to lash out at the citizens of Tempest and say their Dungeon is unfair. Something has to be done, and it’s the kind of thing that a gamer can fix. A gamer like Masayuki.

Gamers Rule

I already enjoy the fact that the world of Slime Tensura has a lot of gaming mechanics, as that serves as the basis for a lot of isekai. However, it made me so happy to see the mild-mannered hero Masayuki come up with the solutions they need. Quick-save points, loot drops from monsters, tutorial lessons and rest stops! It’s everything that goes into making a good video game, and the best games are the ones that show you how to play without holding your hand.

Rimuru and Mjรถllmile take it one step further. They put out ads saying that anyone who makes it halfway through the Dungeon or beats the whole thing will win a hefty cash prize.

Their little advertising campaign works perfectly. More adventurers start pouring into Tempest, eager to get the chance to win money and fame, solving the financial problems of the Dungeon. Though I can’t but feel like they’re overlooking one crucial: what if someone actually does beat the entire Dungeon? Getting past Veldora seems too absurd to consider, but if reading shonen manga has taught me anything, there’s always going to be someone who will wind up doing the impossible. They’re gonna have to eat their words when that happens!

That issue aside, as a gamer, I applaud what they are doing with the Dungeon. As a gamer, I can tell you that having a tutorial and training courses can mean the difference between winning a game or getting owned like a scrub. That, and I like the concept altogether.

Haters Gonna Hate

It’s not all sunshine and flowers, though. Whenever someone is riding high, there’s always a pack of haters ready to take them down. And Rimuru has been dealing with plenty of haters. Falmuth, Clayman, the Seven Luminaries, and now, the Rozzo family. Introduced during the last season, they’re a secret cabal thats trying to dominate the human world from the shadows loek they’re the Templars or Illuminati. And the Jura-Tempest Federation is getting in the way of that, so they’ve been trying to take them down. So far, their plans haven’t worked, but that doesn’t make them any less of a problem. Fortunately, this is Rimuru weโ€™re talking about; heโ€™ll be fine.

This was a good, solid start to the long-awaited fourth season of Slime Tensura. I know not everyone is interested in the more mundane aspects of world-building and just wants to see more fights, but it’s those aspects that make the series so entertaining. A lot of isekai only do the bare bones when it comes to developing their worlds, but Slime Tensura is one of the ones that is a cut above the rest. That, and its sense of humor and fanservice are pretty good!

I give โ€œNew Daysโ€ a 3.5/5