anime dubbed

I Like Fairy Tail. Change My Mind!

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

Fairy Tail: Hundred Year Quest Initial Series Review

When it comes to Shonen series, depending on who you’re asking, Fairy Tail is either pretty famous…or pretty infamous. People have criticized Hiro Mashima’s best-known work for many things over the years. Things like having too much fanservice in it and not enough character depth. How it uses the power of friendship to let its characters bs it’s way through situations they shouldn’t survive. And, my personal favorite, how it’s One Piece if Oda didn’t care.

Having read Fairy Tail for years, and spent as much time reviewing Mashima’s next series, Edens Zero, I can honestly say the criticisms are valid. That said, that doesn’t stop me from loving the series like a guilty pleasure. And when I found out that the sequel manga, Hundred-Year Quest, was getting an anime this summer, I knew I had to watch it. I’m glad I did, because the series is as fun as ever.

Fairy Tail’s Greatest Adventure Yet

It’s been one year since the wizarding guild Fairy Tail and their allies defeated Zeref and Acnologia, and resident Fire Dragon Slayer is going on his greatest adventure to date. Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Erza, Wendy, Happy and Carla travel to the continent of Guiltina to take on the Hundred-Year Quest, a quest so dangerous that none have completed it since wizarding guilds began. It soon becomes apparent why. The quest involves finding the Five Dragon Gods, defeat them, and seal away their powers. And each of them has strength on par with Aconologia. Needless to say, Team Natsu has its work cut out for it.

Meanwhile, back at Fairy Tail, a new member named Touka joins the guild, and she’s crazy for Natsu. But there’s something off about her…

I Like Fairy Tail and you Can’t Change My Mind!

I want to reiterate this: I’m well aware of the criticisms surrounding Fairy Tail. And I will not deny them. I’ve spent years reading the work of Hiro Mashima, and as good as he can be, he’s no Oda, Araki, Kishimoto, or Toriyama. Granted, Kishimoto has had his own problems writing female protagonists, but that’s besides the point. But even with all these faults, I still love Fairy Tail, and here’s why.

Firstly, I love the series sense of humor. It could do a little bit better when it comes to how deep it makes some of its characters, but when it comes to being funny, Mashima knows what he’s doing. The titular guild is a haven for rowdy, chaotic, but good-natured people who love life, adventure, and testing each other. In fact, whenever I’m feeling depressed about life, one of my first instincts is to look up a video of Fairy Tail and watch them do the funniest stuff. Say what you want, but they always bring a smile to my face.

The second reason I like Fairy Tail is simpler: the dub is good. When Funimation first started dubbing the series fifteen years ago, they spared no expense when it came to talent. If you look at the cast list for the english dub, you’ll see that it has a lot of voice actor’s that were either already successful or have become successful in the time since then. And they do a good job at playing their roles. The way they deliver some of their lines is enough to get a laugh out of me.

Lastly, the show’s got some great music. Full stop.

So, yeah, I like Fairy Tail despite its faults, and I’ve been eagerly watching the dub for Hundred-Year Quest. And on the subject of whether it’s good or not, this is all I have to say: it feels like the series never left us, and I’m sure plenty of fans feel the same way.

I don’t know how long the new series will run for, but frankly, I don’t care. I’m just glad that Fairy Tail has come back to us after almost five years of waiting. It was worth the wait, and it steps back into the world of the series so seamlessly, you’d barely recognize that it had left.

Verdict: I’m Watching it, and So Can You!

‘My Instant Death Ability’ or How I’m Worse than a Death Note on Steroids

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

My Instant Death Ability is So Overpowered that no One in This Other World Stands a Chance Against Me! Initial Series Review By RJ Writing Ink

A few years back, around the start of the Halloween season, I started really getting into the SCP Foundation. If you don’t know what that is, this collaborative writing project tells stories about the same name group. This secret organization studies and captures anomalies that could help or harm humanity. Over the years, we’ve got stories that have them deal with everything from a living blob of goo whose touch makes people happy to a lizard monster that will not die to even beings that could only be described as gods, including God! The bottom line is that the SCP Foundation deals with things not meant for the faint of heart.

Then, a few weeks ago, I came across this anime online called My Instant Death Ability is So Overpowered, No One in This Other World Stands a Chance Against Me! At first glance, it looked like another trash isekai…until I read the TV Tropes page and listened to the summaries on YouTube. And that made me realize something: it was still a trashy isekai. But the twist is that the main character is, for all intents and purposes, someone who would make the SCP Foundation wet themselves. And that’s where things get interesting.

How an Overpowered Guy Got Isekai’d Against His Will

Meet Yogiri Takatou, a seemingly average high-schooler who likes napping and playing video games. Then, one day, while on a field trip with his class, they find themselves getting the isekai treatment and end up in a world that’s a sink for all isekai’s. This girl comes onto the bus and gives the standard introduction speech: they’ve been summoned to gain insane powers and get the chance to become great heroes in their world. Unfortunately, the world’s definition of “hero” is more like the (primarily) fake heroes from The Boys: most people who get powers get drunk on them. And while Yogiri’s sleeping, his classmates decide to leave him and the few who didn’t get a gift to death by dragon.

Little did anyone know, but Yogiri didn’t need a gift because he’s already got one of the most broken powers in all fiction. Yogiri can make anyone or anything he wants drop dead on the ground by thinking about them or sensing hostility towards him. First, he saves Tomochika, the only other classmate alive on the bus (that they know of) by killing the dragon. Then, when three scumbag classmates try to kill him and take Tomochika as their love slave, he kills two of them. And they were already isekai veterans, too! They were basically running on new game+ and kept all their loot and skills!

At any rate, Yogiri and Tomochika aren’t happy about being kidnapped to another world and then abandoned and left to die. So, Yogiri decides to look for a way to get home, and Tomochika tags along since he decided to protect her. Mainly because when that dragon attacked, she glomped onto him in a panic and she felt really soft and lovely.

No, I am not making this up.

The Anime is Isekai Trash, but Takatou Isn’t

Like I said before, My Instant Death Ability is Isekai trash, and it makes no effort to hide this. It’s filled with a ton of cliches and tropes found in most Isekai, most of the antagonists are one-note with zero depth, and the pacing in the anime is, quite frankly, wrong. The first season of Arifureta is bad. However, there’s one thing that keeps it from falling into the category of full-on Isekai trash, and that’s Takatou.

Returning to what I said earlier about the SCP Foundation and what I read on TVTropes.org? I wasn’t joking. As the anime progresses, it’s gradually revealed that Takatou’s ability is more than just the mental version of a Death Note. While he mainly uses it to kill people, it’s not limited to that. He can kill anything. Getting attacked by some random thug? He can kill their eyes or half their body so they can never use them again. Facing down an immortal, omnipotent god? Takatou will pull an “Uno reverse” card and reduce them to goo. He can even “kill” concepts like the strength of an attack or the laws of physics. And he can do this because his power isn’t instant death. It’s much, much more terrifying. So terrifying, in fact, that if he were an SCP, the foundation would be better off not making an enemy out of him lest he end their existence.

It is too bad for Takatou; most people in that otherworld are too arrogant or stupid to understand, leading to much of the series’ humor. Seeing the most outlandishly powerful beings, from other summoned people to immortal monsters to actual gods, pick a fight with him, only to drop dead for their efforts? That’s some good use of black comedy!

An Interesting Take on the OP Isekai Protagonist

So, yeah, My Instant Death Ability is a bit of isekai trash, but at the same time, it’s also making fun of the genre in the same way One Punch Man makes fun of the Shonen genre. Seeing all these mighty beings hyping themselves up, only to become part of the body count of such an ordinary-looking guy? It’s funny because of how absurd it is! It’s terrible, but it knows it is and uses that to milk the genre for all its worth. The one downside is that if you want to watch it, you’re going to have to get a subscription to HiDive, as it’s not on Crunchyroll. That, or find a third-party site to use. If seeing something deconstructing the isekai genre sounds interesting and you have time to kill, this might be a show for you. Otherwise, feel free to look up something else.

My Verdict: Worth a Binge Session if you got HiDive

‘The Elusive Samurai’ is an Amazing New Shonen Series

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The Elusive Samurai Initial Series Review

Earlier in the summer, I made a list of the anime I looked forward to watching during the season. But now that enough time has passed, I can honestly say there are anime that I regret not including on that list. A prime example being one of the latest successes to come out from the legendary Shonen Jump, The Elusive Samurai. Coming from the mangaka who created Assassination Classroom, something that I greatly enjoyed watching, I knew that I was going to enjoy this series, and I’m happy to say that I was right. Not only is it beautifully animated, it tells the story of a seemingly atypical Shonen protagonist. I say seemingly because, as you’ll soon learn, this boy may not be a great fighter, but who needs to fight when you can dodge and outrun your opponents until the fat lady sings?

The Elusive Samurai and His Origin Story

The year is 1333 AD, Medieval Japan. Tokiyuki Hojo is the young heir to the Hojo clan and the Kamakura Shogunate, AKA the de-facto rulers of Japan. But he’s not interested in being a lord, though; all he likes to do is play hide-and-seek with his exasperated teachers. All of that comes to an end, though, when Takauji Ashikaga, one of his family’s retainers, betrays them to the Emperor. Before the first episode ends, his home is

razed to the ground, his retainers dead or on the run, and his family slaughtered.

All’s not lost, though. Thanks to the help of Yorishige Suwa, this really sketchy priest who claims he can see the future, Tokiyuki escapes with his life. With Yorishige as his mentor and a group of young, eccentric retainers by his side, he vows to rebuild his family, take back his home, and get revenge on those who betrayed the Hojo clan. There’s just one problem: Tokiyuki is a lousy fighter; all he’s good at is running and hiding.

As the series demonstrates, though, that’s the best skill he can have in his era.

Tokiyuki is No Coward-He’s a Road Runner

At first glance, Tokiyuki Hojo doesn’t seem like your typical Shonen hero, much less one from Shonen Jump. From the outset, he’s not skilled in combat or has the latent potential to become so. Nor is he loud, boisterous, confident, or as cunning as protagonists like Luffy, Goku, or Naruto. In fact, most people see him as a coward for preferring to run and hide rather than face his enemies head-on like Samurai are expected to do.

Here’s the thing: Tokiyuki’s no coward, and he’s not a weakling, either. Early on, the series does its best to demonstrate how his Ultra Instinct-level dodging ability is the best thing he could have in his violent era. Moreover, Yorishige correctly recognizes that, far from being a coward, Tokiyuki is someone who genuinely enjoys the thrill of the chase and the risk of getting caught. In the second episode, he uses this to great effect by dodging an enemy combatant to the point where he can’t defend when the boy goes in for the killing blow.

To sum it all up: Tokiyuki is like the Road Runner or Jerry the Mouse if they had Ultra Instinct. He gets excited by the thrill of facing death, and he’s capable of being more cunning than most give him credit for. Coupled with his friendly attitude, he’s able to endear himself to allies that can make up for his shortcomings. In other words, he’s got a few things in common with some of the best heroes from Shonen Jump’s roster.

Amazing Animation and Art at Work!

Tokiyuki is only half of the series overall appeal, though. The other half is thanks to its amazing animation. The series is brought to life by Cloverworks, a studio that’s already well-known for its work on Bocchi the Rock, Spy x Family, Darling in the Franxx, and several other series, and it shows. The animation for the characters is incredibly fluid, especially during the fight scenes. Additionally, it also does a good job of bringing together some of the more surreal moments of the manga to life. I.E. when two of the retainers hunting Tokiyuki look like they’re communicating through their superhuman eyes and ears. It makes as much sense in context, trust me.

The real appeal of the show’s artwork, though, is how it captures Feudal Japan in all its blood and beauty. The series is a historical one and most of the cast is based on real-life figures. However, since records of that era are scarce, the mangaka’s not afraid to include more supernatural elements of Japanese culture, leading to some pretty impressive backgrounds and characters. It’s a really good-looking series!

Lastly, we have the OP and ED. Any good anime needs to have a memorable OP and Ed, and The Elusive Samurai delivers on that promise. The OP itself is very upbeat and exciting, despite how grim the series itself can get, while the ED is this bizarre Japanese hip-hop talking about the history of the Kamakura Shogunate. And like the rest of the series, both are beautifully animated.

Overall, I really like The Elusive Samurai, and have greatly enjoyed watching the series thus far. It’s got some interesting characters, good music, great animation, and to top it off, it’s a historical series. As someone who loves reading about history, that alone gets me interested. If you haven’t already, I’d highly recommend you go watch it.

My Verdict: WATCH. IT.

New Members Join the Greyrat Family as ‘Mushoku Tensei’ Ends S2

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Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2 Ep 24 Review

It’s almost hard to believe, but by the time this goes up, it will have been a year since Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation returned for its second season. Yet here we are, at the end of the road for now. Rudeus, Roxy, and his father’s friends have made it back to Sharia with Zenith in tow, but their toughest fight is still to come. Rudeus not only has to explain to his wife and sisters how their father’s dead and his mother basically has a disability. More importantly, how Rudy intends to marry Roxy and have her move in with them.

…The awkward levels are off the charts.

Love Sylphie’s New Hairdo

Much like in the first season, the episode eschews an OP to get right into the story, highlighting just how important this moment is. Once he’s within sight of his house, Rudeus starts panicking and runs inside, remembering the Man-God’s words about him regretting leaving. Oddly, Rudeus doesn’t consider losing his Dad to be what he’d regret. I’m unsure if this point covers it, but in the light novels, the Man-God tells Rudy that had he stayed behind, Paul wouldn’t have died while Zenith would still be saved. The entity is merely messing with Rudy, though. Also, while Paul might not have died, Roxy might have been lost.

Thankfully, though, nothing’s wrong with Rudy’s family, Sylphie’s now sporting longer hair. I will miss the short-haired Sylphie, but longer hair makes her look cuter.

The Painful Part

Then comes the tearjerker moment where they tell everyone about Paul’s fate. I already read the light novels, but I still felt my heart breaking for Norn, who took the news the hardest out of anyone. Out of everyone in the family, Norn had been with Paul the longest, and thus was the one closest to him. As she starts bawling her eyes out, I can only imagine how much she must regret not staying with him. At the same time, I like how the story subtly shows off her desire to become stronger by asking for her father’s sword and for Rudy to train her. She’s probably thinking that if she had been stronger, Paul wouldn’t have sent her away. I don’t know if that’s the case, but if that’s what helps her grieve her loss, then good.

As a quick sidebar, it was equally heartbreaking to see Zenith cling to Paul’s armor like she did. She’s likely going to have lucid moments like this for the rest of her life, and while it might be painful, Rudy and his family have no intention of abandoning her. They will be a family and live together, even if its not the way Rudeus envisioned.

Speaking of which, time for the awkward part.

Norn, You Protest Too Much

So, after everyone else leaves, Rudeus tells everyone the news: he cheated on Sylphie with Roxy and wants to take her in as his second wife. And like before, Norn is the one with the strongest reaction. Or overreaction, and it’s pretty faithful to the light novels. It’s also going to be the scene that will make many people hate Norn for a while.

Seeing Norn tear into her brother for how selfish he’s being and how unfaithful he was to Sylphie was hard to watch, even if she did break up some good points. Rudy broke his promise to be faithful to Sylphie, and Roxy understands that, even if desperate times called for desperate measures, she slept with Rudy because part of her was selfish. However, at the same time, Norn is also being inconsiderate. She lets it slip how Millis (the god of the Millis religion) wouldn’t forgive Rudy for doing this. Good intentions or not, she’s projecting her beliefs onto the situation without thinking about the context or how others feel. Thank heavens that Sylphie stops her before Roxy leaves.

Sylphie Truly is the Goddess of Love

I knew this moment had been coming for a long time, but this marks the first time that Sylphie and Roxy have ever met, and it was worth the wait. And not only is Sylphie not mad at Rudy or Roxy, but she says she’s cool with it! And the anime doesn’t skimp on some of the reasons why she is, too!

Firstly, Sylphie knows that her husband is super horny. She openly admits that she expected Rudy to bring another girl back home. At the same time, she also recognizes that he’s loyal, so if he brought home any other woman, it would be because they’re special to him. It’s a paradox, but that’s just how Rudeus is, and she’s fine with it.

Sylphie’s tolerance for it also stems from her memories of Rudy’s family in Buena Village. She remembers how Paul married Zenith and Lilia and kept them both happy. It may not have been his intention, but Paul’s actions influenced Sylphie to be open-minded about polygamy. If Paul can do that with Zenith and Lillia, so can Rudy.

Secondly, Sylphie already knows all about Roxy. From the day she met Rudeus, he’s gone on and on about how much he respects Roxy. And that did make Sylphie a little jealous at times. But seeing her in person and how much she loved Rudy greatly humanized her in Sylphie’s eyes. She was just as capable of making mistakes as the rest, and seeing how upset Norn’s yelling made Roxy caused Sylphie’s empathy to go into overdrive. Plus, Sylphie has Roxy to thank for meeting Rudy. If she hadn’t taught Rudy, Rudy never would’ve left home and met Sylphie. And if that never happened, Sylphie wouldn’t have survived the Mana Incident! Sylphie and Rudy are both alive, thanks to Roxy’s teachings!

Lastly, as Sylphie points out, Rudy isn’t a follower of Millis, so Norn doesn’t have the right to judge him by her own religious beliefs. Also, what she says is very insensitive towards Aisha and her situation. So Norn backs down.

And with this, Sylphie truly cements herself as Rudeus’ Goddess of Love. She already became that when she healed his impotence with her kindness, but her empathy towards Roxy kept their family from falling apart. Best girl for Mushoku Tensei!

And with that, Roxy joins the Greyrat family. Oh, and that part from the light novels about Elinalise telling Rudy he got her pregnant? That was a big, fat lie Lise told him.

I Don’t Have a Problem With the Two Wives Thing

So, I’m well aware of how controversial it is for Rudy to take more than one wife, even among the fans. Some object on moral grounds. Others object because they only want their girl to be with Rudy. My opinion, though: I don’t mind it.

Maybe it’s because I’ve seen a lot of harem anime over the years, but I doubt that’s the case since most of them have me preferring one waifu over everyone else. The reason why I don’t object to Rudy having more than one wife is simpler. Rudy loves them both equally and will do everything he can to make them happy. So long as he does that and does sleep with some random women he meets at a bar, then I think any god wouldn’t hold it against him or consider him unfaithful. Although that’s just how I see things.

Also, let’s face it: when Eris returns, and we know she will, she will join him as wife #3 once they work things out. So, we should start preparing ourselves.

Rudy Joins the Anime Dad Club

There’s one last part to the season: the birth of Sylphie and Rudeus’ child. And it was one of the sweetest moments in the entire series. It does cut out most of the birth itself, but thankfully, we do end up seeing the birth of their child, a beautiful baby girl. And you know that people will tear up at this alongside Rudy.

Of all the moments a person can experience in their lives, one of the most surreal might be holding your child for the first time. That goes double for Rudeus. Never, in either of his lives, did he ever think he would become a father, but here he is! He’s joined the club of anime protagonists that get to say they’re parents! He’s father to a little girl named Lucie Greryat.

Rudeus Continues to Grow and Be a Better Person

The final shots of the season are of Rudeus celebrating at Paul’s gravesite in Sharia. He pours drinks for both of them and starts pouring his heart out about how sorry he is for not being a better son. He never truly considered himself Paul and Zenith’s son until now, and it’s something he’ll always regret. That being said, he’s being too hard on himself. If you got reincarnated into another world and still had all your old memories, wouldn’t you have a hard time considering your new birth parents your parents?

Regardless, though, Rudy isn’t going to let this stop him. As we get a few scenes showing what everyone else has been up to (including Eris), Rudeus reaffirms his resolve to keep living his new life to the fullest. And with that, the second season of Mushoku Tensei ends…or is it?

This entire season, one character has been missing the entire time. Someone very important to Rudeus, whether he likes it or not. Someone that we just got a quick look at in the final moments of the episode: Eris. While Rudeus has been off trying to live his life, Eris has been having her adventures. A few key parts of them get covered in some interludes at the end of a few light novels, and there’s even a spin-off manga focused on her training. Oddly, the anime will adapt at least part of them into another OVA. Which will help to tide us over until Season Three.

And yes, Mushoku Tensei is going to get a third season. And I won’t spoil anything! All you need to know is that there will be plenty of slice-of-life, but once it gets going, things will start hitting the fan.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to indulge in all the fanfics and extra material.

I Give “Succession” a 5/5

Roxy Stans, You Won.

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Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2 Ep 23 Review

Death is an undeniable fact of life, but losing someone well before their time is beyond painful. Rudeus and the Black Wolves saved his mother, but it came at the cost of his arm and the life of his father. Paul died saving Rudy, and the guilt over that has all but broken him. If this keeps up, he’s going shut himself off from everything like he did in his first life. And someone else has to step up with Sylphie too far away to help him. And that someone is Roxy.

Too bad the anime skipped a few crucial scenes, though.

How Roxy Planned to Help Rudeus, Now With Context

From day one of his second life, the choices that Rudeus has made have been defined by the trauma of his past life. He didn’t appreciate his family in his first life, and that led his siblings to throw him out when he refused to attend their parent’s funeral. Rudy has always strived to avoid making the same mistakes in his new life, but by not seeing Paul and Zenith as his actual parents, he made the same mistake again. Now his self-loathing has him thinking he’s a worthless son. He isn’t, but it’s hard to escape that mindset alone.

That’s where Roxy comes in.

I’ll be blunt: the anime didn’t do an excellent job handling how Roxy helps Rudy recover. Some anime-only people might even mistake Roxy’s decision to sleep with Rudy as her taking advantage of his mental state. However, the anime skipped an important scene, revealing that the idea wasn’t Roxy’s.

While Rudy spends a week holed up in his room, Roxy and the others discuss how to help him. Elinalise suggests letting Rudy sleep with a woman to help him. When she refuses to do it, she drops a bombshell on Roxy: Rudy is married to her granddaughter and will soon be a father. Neither of which Roxy was aware of until this moment in any adaptation. So now, she feels stupid for flirting with him so much. In her defense, though, Rudy was too dense to realize she was hitting on him.

Maybe Roxy was being a little selfish and took advantage of his mental state. And yes, Rudy did cheat on Sylphie. Given how bad things were, though, I can’t hold it against them. Others will, but I won’t. Desperate times call for desperate measures. And it does work.

The Anime left out Rudy’s big confession!

This next scene also happened to be one that the anime cut out. After mentally berating himself for being so rough with Roxy (it was her first time), Rudy starts telling her a story. He claims its fictional, but the light novel clarifies that he’s just telling her everything that happened to him in his first life. All his regrets, insecurities, guilt, and negative emotions just burst out.

I think the anime made a mistake not including this scene. To my knowledge, Rudeus has never told anyone about his first life. Maybe it was the right decision; he had no clue how his parents or friends would react to hearing that. However, keeping it all inside of him has been detrimental to his mental health. For example, when Eris left him, his low self-esteem and experiences from his first life led him to the worst possible conclusion about Eris’ actions. And after Paul’e death, he couldn’t keep it in anymore. He had to tell someone! And I’m glad he told Roxy.

It’s never made clear if Roxy understood the hidden meaning behind his story, but I wouldn’t put it past her; she’s smart. More importantly, though, she tells Rudeus what he needs to hear when he asks what the man (him) should do. Her advice to Rudy, remembering the people he still has left, is cliche. Rudeus himself thinks so. But that doesn’t make them any less accurate. He lost something that he can never get back, but he still has more people who care about him. And thanks to that, Rudy regains his strength to keep moving forward.

Which does bring up an awkward issue…

Roxy Stans Can Be Happy Now

So, as the group makes the trip back to Sharia, Rudy needs to address the elephant in the room. Roxy admits she fell in love with him when he saved her life. And between the feelings he already had and her saving him from complete mental collapse, Rudy realizes he feels the same way. But he also swore loyalty to Sylphie, and they have a child on the way. So…what now?

It’s Elinalise who states the apparent solution to him: marry Roxy. Marry both her and Sylphie. And here’s where some more controversy for Mushoku Tensei pops up. Some people aren’t cool with the idea of a person marrying more than one person. However, Elinalise makes some intense arguments.

Firstly, keep in mind that Sylphie is still Elinalise’s granddaughter and she wants her to be happy. But she’s also Roxy’s best friend, and she hates the idea of Roxy denying herself her best chance at happiness like this. She wouldn’t suggest this if she didn’t think Rudy could make both happy.

Which brings us to the second point: Paul’s example. Once he took responsibility for getting Lilia pregnant, he married her, too. Instead of their family falling apart, it became happier than ever. Sure, not everyone supports polygamy, even in our world. From how I see it, though, if Rudy can love both girls equally, there’s not much of an issue.

Also, and this was taken out of the anime, but in the light novels, Elinalise implies that Rudy got Roxy pregnant. If he abandoned her now, he really would be a scumbag.

So, that’s that.

Return Home

So, I was expecting this episode to be the season finale, but it turns out, we have one more to go. Even though Rudy has finished grieving for his father’s death thanks to Roxy, he still has a few significant hurdles to overcome. He has to explain how Paul is dead, how Zenith is a mental invalid, and…how he wants to marry Roxy.

No matter how you slice it, the next episode will be hard for Rudeus. But now that he’s healthily dealt with his grief, I think he can handle it. I just wish the episode hadn’t skipped so much.

I Give “Let’s Return Home” a 3/5

Muzan, We Come for You!

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

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba S4 Ep 8 Review

There have been a lot of horrifying villains in anime over the years. One Piece is filled with so many detestable scumbags that I can’t keep track. Madara Uchiha was an evil mastermind whose mere name getting thrown around was enough to start a war. And Frieza is so brimming with black air force energy that its become his strongest form to date! However, another name deserves to be added to the list of baddest anime villains. The monster in the dark seeking immortality, the being who stole Michael Jackson’s whole flow. The mortal enemy of the entire Demon Slayer Corps, Muzan Kibutsuji!

Demon Slayer hasn’t been around as many other big names in Shonen, but there are reasons why it’s considered one of the all-time greatest. And a big part of that is because of how much of a menace Muzan is. The penultimate episode for Demon Slayer’s fourth season airs, and the big thing everyone’s talking about is that two-minute-long scene of him arriving at Ubuyashiki Mansion, looking like the Devil himself. And the hour-long season finale only serves to hype him up even further. As Muzan tries to cut the head off the Demon Slayer Corps, he finds himself at the center of an elaborate trap. What he does in response marks the start to the endgame to this ancient war between humans and demons.

Kagaya Stares Down the Devil Himself

As lighthearted as Season Four of Demon Slayer is, there’s an unspoken sense of dread. Everyone knows the final battle against Muzan is coming, but the Corps doesn’t know when or where he’ll strike from. The Hashira Training Camp was meant to help prepare for the final battle, but even that may already be too late. After years of searching, Muzan has found the Ubuyashiki Mansion, the de facto HQ for the Demon Slayer Corps. And he shows up in the middle of the night, ready to kill the man leading the corps…only to find it’s pointless. Kagaya Ubuyashiki isn’t just on death’s door. He’s a talking corpse that should’ve died months ago. The only reason he’s still alive is because of his pure, unadulterated hatred for Muzan.

As Kagaya reveals to the Demon King, the Ubuyashiki family is distantly related to Muzan. Because their bloodline produced the first demon, they’ve been cursed to die young until they kill him. Thus, when Muzan comes to kill Kagaya, the man isn’t afraid of him. He already knows he’s going to die anyway, with his wife and two of his kids to follow at Muzan’s hands. Rather than fear death like Muzan, Kagaya mocks his distant relative for how pathetic he is and how the world will be a better place once he’s gone!

See you in Hell, Muzan!

I loved this scene. Don’t ask me why, but seeing someone stare down a monster that could easily kill them and choose to definitely flip them off is so awesome. However, it’s what Kagaya does in his final moments that is so badass that it takes even Muzan aback: he blows up the mansion and everyone in it. The anime does a great job of increasing our emotional responses by having the explosion play out in slow motion.

Plenty of fictional characters have used the “taking you with me” card before, but the context here sets Kagaya apart. He didn’t just blow himself up; he blew up his wife and two of his children. And while it doesn’t say it outright, the story clarifies that they all knew this would happen. However, instead of running or panicking, they all chose to remain calm and accept it. They understood that Muzan is such a threat to humankind that they have to pull out the contemporary equivalent of a nuclear bomb.  And they do it to make sure that the Demon Slayer Corps can end Muzan here and now.

The entire sequence of events is masterfully animated, with Ufotable pulling out all the stops. And that’s only the beginning. Seeing Muzan slowly regenerate from that is both grotesque and fascinating to look at. And though he’s still alive, it really got to him. He didn’t think Kagaya would have the guts to do that. But that was just the first part of the trap that Kagaya laid.

Wrath of the Hashira

The next part sees Tamayo, one of the few demons not under his control, trap him in place with her blood demon art. Then, she injects him with a sample of the fruits of her labor: she’s finally made a drug that can turn demons back into humans. In other words, the means to turn Nezuko back to normal now exists. I didnt read the manga, so I don’t know if Tanjiro’s sister took the drug yet, but I’m willing to bet that she did. Not only does that mean that one of Tanjiro’s biggest goals is about to be completed, but the minute she becomes human again, Muzan will lose his means of conquering sunlight.

And the bad news just keeps coming for Muzan.  The Hashira and Tanjiro, having been made aware Kagaya was in danger, were already in the process of rushing to the Ubuyashiki Mansion. They arrived just in time to see it go up in flames. Now they’re…I actually can’t think of a word to best describe how angry they are.

One would think that the combined might of 8 Hashira, a demon, and a boy on par with a Hashira, would be enough to pin Muzan down. However, that is when Muzan brings out his own trump card. He not only teleports himself to the safety of the Infinity Castle, but pulls in the entire Demon Slayer Corps. Every. Last. One. No matter where they are, they fall into the Infinity Castle. And we get yet another amazingly animated shot in an episode that’s already packed to the brim with them. I could feel myself getting goosebumps as my heart began to race. I started grinning like Inosuke because I knew what was about to happen. The final battle between the demons and humans was about to begin!!

And the best part? Ufotable is treating the final battle with the reverence its going to deserve. Rather than give Demon Slayer another season, they’re turning the Infinity Castle Arc (and presumably the one after it) into a movie trilogy!

Infinity Castle Needs to Break the Box Office!

To date, there is no news about when the trilogy will come out, but when it does, I am hoping that they dont just make it a limited-run event. I want to see it compete with other movies and remain in theaters as long as possible. And you can bet that I will get in line to see each on opening night!

Demon Slayer has always managed to go hardcore regarding the season finales, but this one might be the best. The animation, the story, everything is flawless! This is why Demon Slayer is one of the GOATS! I am looking forward to seeing the Infinity Castle trilogy, and I hope we can get them to break box office records!

Muzan, your days are numbered!

I Give “The Hashira Unite” a 5/5

Training’s Almost Over. Muzan is on the Move

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba S4 Ep 7 Review

So, the Hashira Training Arc is already ending, and it’s happening soon. I knew that this arc was going to be short, but I wasn’t expecting it to be this short. That being said, even without reading the manga in advance, I already knew that this whole arc was going to be the calm before the storm. I just didn’t expect the storm to roll in so quickly.

Gyomei’s Backstory is SO SAD!

Tanjiro and his friends continue their training under Gyomei, and thankfully, Tanjiro and Inosuke have made some progress. Both of them are now able to move the boulder, though the effort almost causes Tanjiro to pass out from dehydration. Thankfully, Gyomei is there to give him water to drink, so he doesn’t die of thirst. And in the process, Gyomei opens up about his past…and it is so sad!

Gyomei was born blind, meaning that the lack of irises wasn’t just an artistic choice. Yet that didn’t stop him from living the humble life of a priest and taking care of a group of orphans. They didn’t have much, but they were still happy together. However, one night, one of them stayed outside after dark, and ran into a demon. To save himself, he sold out everyone else, leading to the demon slaughtering all but Gyomei and one other child. Then he snapped and somehow managed to beat them to death with his bare hands, an act that deeply ashamed him.

It gets worse. When the authorities showed up, they mistook the little girl’s words to mean Gyomei killed everyone and arrested him. It was only thanks to Kagaya, the head of the Demon Slayers, that he escaped execution.

…Sweet mercy, that is a sad story. No wonder the man is always seen crying like that. He’s haunted by his failure to save most of his adoptive family and for lashing out like he did. He was in the right to do so since it was self-defense, but even so, the act of killing someone is not something one should take lightly. So, when Gyomei chooses to praise Tanjiro for saving the villagers in the Swordsmith Village, he means it. He doesn’t Tanjiro to make the same mistake he did.

Too Late, Demon Slayers. The Shadows Have Arrive

And with that, Tanjiro finishes his training with Gyomei and heads to the next Hashira…is what I would say! However, the forces of darkness are already converging on the Demon Slayer Corps!

Throughout the season, Muzan and his army of demons have been laying low. That’s because Muzan is using one of the Upper Ranks powers to help locate Nezuko and the head of the Demon Slayers, Kagaya Ubuyashiki. And as Sanemi manages to catch one of those demonic eye monsters, he realizes something horrible: they’ve already been found out.

Sure enough, the final moments of the episode are dedicated entirely to Muzan showing up at the Ubuyashiki Mansion and confronting Kagaya. And much like all the important moments in Demon Slayer, the animation is knocked into high gear. The way the air seems to freeze as Muzan comes strolling in wearing his white suit and hat is bone-chilling to look at. It’s as if the devil himself has descended upon the Earth; and given who Muzan is, that’s pretty much accurate!

The next episode is going to be the final one of the season, and from what I’ve heard, it’s going to be an hour long. Given how it’s setting us up for the final battle, it needs to cover as much as possible. Because once that’s done, there’s no turning back. No more funny moments, no more wholesome stuff. Just a fight to the finish with the fate of all Japan at stake. Make some popcorn. This is going to be epic.

I Give “Stone Hashira Gyomei Himejima” a 4/5

This Summer, Anime is Gonna Cook!

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RJ Writing Ink’s List of Anime He’s Looking Forward to For Summer 2024

Summer is here at last! That means it’s time for Sun, surf, beach days, and enjoying some ice cream to beat the heat. And while I may never get to enjoy the carefree days of summer vacation of my childhood, nothing’s stopping me from enjoying it to the fullest. And, as a lover of good anime, summer also means new stuff to watch.

I’m RJ Writing Ink for D&A Anime Blog, and today, I’ll be talking about a few anime for Summer 2024 that I’m looking forward to. For this list, I will be limiting my choices to anime that either premiere in the summer 2024 or are returning with a new season. Shows that started airing before this will not be counted, as will shows that are getting movies. Sorry, My Hero Academia, but that leaves you out of the running. I will likely be covering most of these anime, either in one-shot posts or series reviews.

Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture

Bow to one of the kings of Mecha, for Code Geass has returned…sort of. While this series is touted as a sequel to the original, Rozé of the Recapture takes place in the alternate timeline established by the compilation films and Lelouch of the Resurrection. Set seven years after the events of the latter, the story sees the Japanese island of Hokkaido occupied by remnants of the Britannian Empire. In this brutal occupation, two brothers, Ash and Rozé, serve as mercenaries for the Japanese resistance. Armed with their knightmares and the power of Geass, the two set out to liberate the island.

That’s a surface level description, but remember, this is Code Geass. The truth is, as always, far more complicated. Rozé, like Lelouch before them, also possesses the power of Geass, which means things aren’t always as they appear. The show’s only two episodes in, but it’s already shaping up to be promising. Granted, it’s treading some of the path from the original series, but if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. The one issue? It’s stuck on Hulu, of all platforms, and Disney isn’t doing much to promote it. Spread the word to the masses, people! Code Geass is back!

My Deer Friend Nokotan

Torako Koshi is considered a perfect and beautiful girl by her high school, but that’s a ruse. She’s actually an ex-delinquent who has gone to great lengths to keep her past hidden. Then, one day, her entire life crumbles when she saves a strange girl with antlers who enrolls at her school. Chaos ensues.

I am still trying to figure out how to describe this series since it has yet to come out. However, this will be the funniest anime of the season, possibly the entire year. The entire series is running on chaos, memes, and bad CGI deer. Studio Wit, the studio famous for Attack on Titan, is also aware of its meme-worthiness. They posted an hour-long of the show’s intro on repeat!

And it’s already been copied by others!

This show knows what it’s doing, and I look forward to seeing it.

Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest

Ah, Fairy Tail, how we have missed you. After five years of waiting, fans will finally see the sequel to Hiro Mashima’s hit Shonen series, Fairy Tail, adapted into anime. After the end of the original series, 100 Years Quest sees the titular wizard guild’s resident fire dragon-slayer and his time take on a quest that has yet to be able to accomplish in over a century. Their journey will see them travel to new lands, come across new and old opponents, and get into all sorts of crazy hijinks. So, just another day for Fairy Tail.

Yes, I am well aware of people’s criticisms against Fairy Tail. It’s been called generic, having too much fan-service, and uses the power of friendship to ridiculous levels. However, I have plenty of my reasons for liking it:

  1. It’s got one of the best dubs out there with an all-star roster of voice actors behind it.
  2. The music is epic and uplifting to listen to.
  3. I like the series’ sense of humor!

Whenever I’m feeling down, I have to watch a clip of Fairy Tail, and I’ll feel a little less sad. Seeing this quirky, chaotic guild of wizards makes me smile.

Also, I respect that the new anime’s coming out on July 7th. For those who don’t know, that’s a pretty important date for Natsu in the series, and the events that took place on that day were one of the enduring mysteries of the series.

Suicide Squad Isekai

I still can’t believe this is a thing, but here we are: Suicide Squad has now gotten its anime. After getting caught by the authorities for the umpteenth time, Amanda Waller drafted Harley Quinn into her Suicide Squad. She then uses them as guinea pigs to test a portal that’s supposed to take them to another world. When they get trapped there, they have three days to return. Otherwise, the bombs in their necks will go off and kill them.

I salute you who thought it was a good idea to combine DC Comics and anime. Not only does this series’ existence prove how much anime has integrated itself into western culture, but Harley Quinn can now be classified as an anime waifu. I’m not entirely sold on the idea of seeing a group of villains becoming “heroes” in another world, but it’s isekai. At this point, the isekai genre is all-consuming and we should accept that. I can’t help but chuckle at how Clayface’s default form resembles Michael Jackson. However, anime fans would argue that he looks more like Muzan.

And these are just some of the ones that I’m gonna be watching! I’m probably going to be making initial reviews for many more to come!!!

Do you agree with my picks? What other anime coming out Summer 2024 are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below!

Why Does Disney Get the New ‘Code Geass’ Anime?!?!

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Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture Promotion

What’s the best mecha anime of all time? Well, the idea of best depends on everyone’s perspective, but it helps that there are many great mecha anime. Name most incarnations of the Gundam franchise? Most people will accept it. Neon Genesis Evangelion is an all-time classic, even if the ending was confusing. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is legendary for being so awesome, they might as well have a picture next to the word in the dictionary. And while Gurren Lagann is one of the GOATs, I only consider it the second-greatest mecha anime of all time. The number one title should be the late 2000s epic, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.

I found Code Geass when I was in high school, and I wound up becoming obsessed with it for a good, long while. It was unlike any anime I had seen. The fight for freedom against an oppressive empire. The exiled Prince turned rebel with psychic powers leading the rebellion. The complexities as Lelouch proceeded to do morally questionable things for questionable reasons. I loved Code Geass. It was one of those stories that only happens once in a generation. It’s Dune, if Dune were a mecha anime. And that makes it so awesome! So imagine my surprise when I learned that we would be getting a sequel series set in the alternate timeline of the compilation films? Given how amazing Code Geass is, one would think this would be one of the biggest things of the Summer 2024 season.

It’s not. I looked on Twitter and more than a few people didn’t even know that another Code Geass anime was coming out. And the reason why is because it’s not on the big anime streaming platforms. It’s stuck…with Disney+ and Hulu.

Time for an intervention. This is Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture.

Britannians Refuse to Learn their Lesson

Seven years have passed since the events of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Ressurection. The Holy Britannian Empire is gone, replaced by the more benevolent Principality of Britannia, while the world remains at peace. However, not everyone from Britannia will adjust to the new reality. Four years earlier, remnants of the Empire, calling themselves the Neo-Britannian Empire, invaded Japan and conquered the island of Hokkaido. Using a high-tech barrier built to keep them out, the Neo-Britannians turn Hokkaido into a prison for the Japanese people, free to abuse them as much as they want.

All is not lost, though. A resistance movement has hired a pair of Britannian brothers, Ash and Rozé, known as the “Nameless Mercenaries.” Between Ash’s skill behind a Knightmare and Rozé’s strategic planning., the two of them might be enough to free Hokkaido.

In a nutshell, this series is a microcosm of the original Code Geass meets Ghosts of Tsushima. Don’t believe me? A foreign power invades an island part of a larger island nation, and elite fighters who call it home must set it free.

For the record, Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture is technically not a series. It’s being released in four acts between May and August of this year in Japan. Worldwide, though, it’s been broken up into twelve episodes.

Not Exactly Groundbreaking for Code Geass

Beyond that, though, the series isn’t breaking any new ground regarding Code Geass. As I said before, the series’ plot is a smaller-scale version of the original anime. The main protagonists can even be considered copies of Suzaku and Lelouch, but with their personalities reversed. Ash is the stoic and ace pilot in a Knightmare Frame, while Rozé is the more outgoing and the brains. Not even the Neo-Britannian’s have anymore substance to them; most of them are as racist and imperialistic as ever.

Some might consider this series unecessary since it’s not adding anything new to the franchise. However, I don’t care. Code Geass is one of the best anime I’ve ever seen, and I’m just happy that we get to have more of it. And if it does well enough internationally, then Sunrise might decide to give us some more spin-offs.

There’s just one problem: poor distribution.

Why Does Disney Get this Awesome Series?

For reasons I cannot fathom, Rozé of the Recapture is being distributed internationally by Disney, of all companies. If you live in America, you can watch on Hulu. Anywhere else outside of Japan, Disney+’s “Stars.” And none of that makes sense. Disney isn’t exactly the first company people think of when distributing anime. Nor is Hulu the go-to platform for many people looking to watch new anime. They have plenty of it, but most people these days watch it on streaming services like Crunchyroll.

The worst part is that Disney doesn’t seem to be putting much effort into promoting the series. As a result, it looks like it might end up flying under many people’s radars. I barely heard anything about it in the months leading up to its premiere. That’s not good!

That’s why I’m writing this. I’m putting out a call to arms for all fans of Code Geass, Sunrise, and Mecha anime: go out there and spread the word about Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture. Make sure more people know about this series. Do not let it fly under the radar because it’s stuck on Hulu! And if you don’t have Hulu or Disney+, hopefully, find somewhere else.

WIND BREAKER is the Whirlwind Hit of Spring 2024

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WIND BREAKER Series Review

Delinquency is like a universal constant in the course of human history. It doesn’t matter what day, age, or society you look at. There are always going to be young people who go against the grain and do things like skip school, wear edgy clothes, and pick fights with others. Maybe that rebellious attitude makes them so popular in Japanese pop culture, and I can see the appeal. And while some of my favorite anime characters take inspiration from them, I’ve never been into a full-on delinquent anime before. Until I came across one of the best anime of the Spring 2024 season, WIND BREAKER, on Crunchyroll. It has all the hallmarks of a good anime: great sub and sub, good animation, nice music, and some good themes if you look hard enough.

And yes, the fistfights are cool. Think JoJo without the supernatural elements.

The Delinquent’s Paradise that is Furin High

All his life, Haruka Sakura’s been an outcast. He’s got little social skills, and his eyes and hair are both heterochromatic, making everyone think he looks like a freak. Eventually, Sakura gave up on being friendly with everyone and decided to become the delinquent everyone thought he was. Training himself to become strong, he has no time for the weak and for weaklings who think they’re strong. And once he’s old enough to go to high school, he decides to go to Furin High. Its the school with the lowest marks in the country, but the strongest fighters. A paradise for delinquents like him where he can rule!

Or so he thinks.

Once he gets to Furin High, Sakura discovers its not quite what he thought it is. While everyone there is as crazy strong as people say, they dont act like your typical delinquents. They go around protecting the town from anyone seeking to cause trouble, protecting the weak from the strong. That’s why they’re known as “Bofurin,” the Wind Breakers. And for the first time in his life, people don’t reject Sakura. Even though he’s confused by this, Sakura still aims to become the strongest at Furin while learning what it means to be accepted by others.

A Male Tsundere with a Heart of Gold! What’s Not to Like?

I know I’ve said I’ve never been into delinquent anime before, but that’s not quite true. While I’ve never been into the genre itself, I’ve seen plenty of Shonen Series that have characters with varying degrees of delinquency. Naruto Uzumaki started out as a prankster and troublemaker. Bakugo acts like a hot-headed delinquent despite wanting to be a hero. And even though he doesn’t regularly cause fights, Jotaro Kujo acts like a delinquent and doesn’t put up with people’s nonsense.

The bottom line, I’ve been exposed to plenty of misfits and delinquents in anime before. And one thing I’ve noticed about some of the best of them is that, despite their attitudes, they’ve got hearts of gold. Now imagine an entire high school of people like them, and you get Bofurin of WIND BREAKER. They’re delinquents, to be sure, but besides using their fists for justice, they are pretty friendly people.

That’s why, during the first episode, Sakura has no clue how to react to them, and he’s a big reason why I like the series.

Sakura is a tsundere. He acts like he’s tough and doesn’t care about anyone or anything, but as the first episode demonstrates, its the opposite; he does care about others. The problem is that hes been scorned and spat on for so long, the idea of people being nice to him is practically a foreign concept. Thus, he acts like any tsundere would: with hostility. Yet despite everything, he never says no to others kindness and never pushes them away. As a result, seeing Sakura begrudgingly start to open up to the other Bofurin is pretty endearing.

Its not just Sakura, though. The anime’s only eleven episodes long so far, but a good deal of that time is spent fleshing out the side characters in the coolest way possible: fighting.

There’s More to Fighting Than just Fists in WIND BREAKER

I know it sounds cliche, but there are some things that can’t be communicated through words alone. Sometimes, the best way for people to truly understand each other is by trading blows from their fists. In that regard, the fights between the members of Bofurin and those they fight can become whole philosophical discussions. I’d explain better, but its best to watch for yourself. And the animation used for the fights is also pretty incredible. It’s just normal people trading punches and kicks, but the way the anime does it feels as good as any shonen battle.

WIND BREAKER is one of the best anime to come out of the Spring 2024 season, and I think that it’s a must-watch for fans of delinquent characters. The fighting is awesome, the characters are great, and the emotions it tries to convey can make a grown man tear up a little. I really love it!

I say WIND BREAKER is a must-watch anime for 2024