Anime

Devil May Cry: Naruto and Sasuke Style

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

Devil May Cry Season 2 Review

It almost managed to fly under my radar due to how busy I’ve been covering things, but last month, the second season of the anime adaptation of Devil May Cry dropped on Netflix. I’m sorry that I didn’t get to it until now, but again, I’ve had a lot of things to do, and I’m sorry. That being said, I was looking forward to seeing how this crazy series would continue telling the story of DMC, even though I’m not that big a fan of the games.ย ย More importantly, though, the plot manages to get better as the war between humans and demons gets even more dangerous with the threat of an ancient evil’s return as well as our introduction to Dante’s twin brother, Vergil.

And I would just like to say that while I don’t know much about the games, I liked how Vergil is portrayed in the anime.

The end to the first season of the anime was a pretty bleak one, if you’ll recall. Dante was captured by Lady and forcibly put on ice just after learning his brother was alive. Vice-President Baines was able to use the White Rabbit’s actions to justify a war against demons, leading to an invasion of Makai. And now, hundreds of humans and demons are dying in a so-called crusade. As someone who grew up watching the War on Terror on TV, the analogy was not lost on me.

You would think that this war between Earth and Makai would be the driving plot of the second season, but you would only be partly correct. The war does play an active role in the series, but the main focus is on two other plots and everything surrounding them. The first is kickstarted when Lady steals a chalice from the Demon King Mundus, with it revealed to be one of four artifacts needed to unseal Argosax, AKA the original ruler of Makai and the series in-game equivalent to the Devil. He was so evil and chaotic that Mundus and Sparda rebelled against him to seal him away. His agent and the one pulling Baines’ strings, Arius von Enhrenberg, wants to free Argosax and bring about the end of the world, which prompts DARKCOM to bring Dante out of stasis so they can use him as a pawn in the game.

The second and most important plot, though, is the introduction of Vergil, Dante’s long-lost twin brother.

Vergil is AWESOME!

I had to look up Vergil’s story on the Internet, and apparently, he was kidnapped by the same demons who killed his and Dante’s mother. They brought him back to Makai, where Mundus raised him to be his ultimate weapon, a history that very much remains intact in the anime. Unlike the games, though, the anime changes up the circumstances. Whereas Vergil was broken and brainwashed by Mundus into becoming his weapon, the anime had Mundus be smarter about it. He lied to Vergil and told him that his mom was killed by demons loyal to Arius’ organization, Urobouros, and thus, Argosax. Naturally, this enraged Vergil, and he willingly chose to serve Mundus because he thought he was avenging his mother and atoning for his father betraying Mundus. Because why brainwash someone when having them work for you freely is a much better strategy?

Now, I’m an outsider with little to no experience with DMC, and therefore, I have no emotional connection to its characters. I know that game purists probably didn’t like the changes to Vergil’s character. I, on the other hand, like Vergil in the anime because it reminds me of Sasuke from Naruto. Both were originally very kind boys who lost their families. Both let the need for revenge guide their actions for most of their respective series. And both of them serve as the edgy rivals to the friendlier protagonists, to whom they are siblings. The main difference is that Dante and Vergil are actual siblings, while Naruto and Sasuke are the reincarnations of the brothers who were their ancestors.

I would also like to point out the fact that Vergil is very smart and charismatic. There’s a memorable moment in the second episode where he goes on live TV and tries to expose how the White Rabbit was a human, what they’re doing to demon civilians they detain, and that the whole reason for them going to war is a lie.

Again, the War on Terror analogy is in play. But I do like how Vergil was smart enough to know that getting the public’s sympathy was a great idea. He wasn’t wrong, either. Knowing that the demon refugees she saved were tortured makes Lady turn on DARKCOM.

The Ship Sailed. And then Sank

Speaking of which, we need to address the relationship between Dante and Lady. I’m told that in the games, their relationship is purely platonic, but in the anime, it was dropping a lot of ship tease from day one. You would think that the ship would be sunk considering how Lady left Dante on ice, but you would be wrong. Once he wakes up, Dante gives us this hilarious retelling of how Lady was so sorry for betraying him and telling him Vergil is alive. The man was either coping, or he really didn’t care about what she did. Either way, they manage to keep working well together throughout the season. And yes, there is a point where they took things further. Sadly, the ship remains sunk, because at the end of the season, Lady opts to go on her own so she can settle some personal things. But to be honest, we’re not here for the shipping. We’re here for the fighting.

And the fighting is pretty awesome, I have to admit.

If Naruto and Sasuke were Half-Demons, We’d Get this!

Given what the series is, it’s natural that the series would spend a lot of time focusing on the fighting. And while my memories of the first season are a bit hazy, I think that this second season was a step up in the fighting department. From the reunion between Dante and Vergil to the climactic fight against Argosax and then Mundus, I think the show did it’s best to capture the chaotic nature of the games. Though, again, I am just an outsider looking in on this, so I don’t exactly have the best view on what’s happening. What I will say, though, is that for all the talk about how terrifying Argosax was, he went down a lot easier than I thought. I even question if Mundus needed the help of Dante and Vergil to defeat him, it’s so easy.

The real crux of the season, though, lies on the relationship between Dante and Vergil. While Vergil ultimately learns the truth about his mother’s death, he still chooses to side with demonkind rather than humanity, unlike his brother. As a result, the two brothers are separated as the barrier between their worlds is sealed once more. The only difference is that Vergil vows to bring down Mundus, become the new king of Makai, and then invade Earth. As for Dante, he is left all alone, but not disheartened, to find his way in the world, with the season ending on this note.

I don’t know if Netflix will choose to greenlight a third season of the anime. It will likely depend on how well the viewership is, but there’s a good chance we will get another season. Where the story will go from here, though, is anyone’s guess, as there was a sense of finality to the season finale. When it does come out, though, I hope to review it. And in a more timely manner, I might add.

The Harley Mural, the Most Important Lore in One Piece, is Revealed

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

One Piece Episode 1168 Review

This is it. Of all the episodes of One Piece that Iโ€™ve been looking forward to all year, this is probably one of my top three. The chapter that this episode is adapting was one of the biggest and most talked-about in the entire series. Given how the series has been ongoing for almost three decades and 1100 chapters and counting, thatโ€™s saying something. However, I can attest to the fact that the two big events of that chapter left the fandom foaming at the mouth. Not only did it confirm a long-standing theory that apparently existed, but it dropped some of the biggest lore in the entire franchise!

Shanks Has an Evil Twin

I donโ€™t know who first came up with it or when, but there was this theory going around about Red-Haired Shanks, the pirate who inspired Luffy to become one himself. It all stems back to this one scene at the Reverie, the summit where world leaders meet to discuss important matters. We saw what looked like Shanks meeting with the Five Elders of the World Government. Since Shanks is a pirate, that should be impossible. I guess someone thought that this means that Shanks might be a Celestial Dragon by birth. I didnโ€™t think too much of it at the time, but then this guy from the Godโ€™s Knights showed up on Elbaph looking like Shanks with longer hair. And all of a sudden, fans were saying that this mystery guy was Shanksโ€™ evil twin brother! And you know what? They were right! As Shamrock and Gunko finish beating the tar out of Loki, the former reveals that Shanks is his younger twin brother!

Oda pretty much dropped a live bomb in the room with this reveal, and I remember the tweets and Reddit posts and discord servers going crazy over it. Suddenly, people were asking all kinds of questions about Shanksโ€™ backstory, and it revealed just how little we actually knew about him. The most we knew was that Gol D. Roger and the Roger Pirates found him in a treasure chest after this big adventure and adopted him. How could a baby Celestial Dragon end up like that?

Well, regardless, fans were glad that this ended up happening, because it was the best thing that could happen to Shanks. Being raised by the Roger Pirates saved Shanks from becoming as cruel and sadistic as the majority of the Celestial Dragons, who are among the most toxic groups of people I have ever seen in fiction.

Speaking of Shanks, when Luffy is talking with those Giant guards and they say Shanks jumped him, Luffy adamantly refuses to believe it. They argue that it looked exactly like Shanks, but in a rare show of intelligence, Luffy is able to point out several flaws in their logic. Firstly, Shanks is chill, while Shamrock is arrogant and a jerk. Secondly, Shanks would never become violent unless he had to. And when the evil twin theory is mentioned, Luffy remembers how Shanks never mentioned his biological family. As far as he knew, the Roger Pirates were his familyโ€ฆexcept for Buggy. Loved the shade thrown at Buggy.

Good on Luffy for not being fooled by this. Heโ€™s always been a good judge of character, and if he says someone is good, then we should take his word for it.

All of that, though, takes a backseat in comparison to the part that set the entire fandom ablaze: the Harley Mural.

They Will Meet again

As Franky and Ripley are exploring the massive tree that covers the island, they come across a mural thatโ€™s believed to have been painted during the Void Century. This gets juxtaposed with Robin, Chopper, and Saul back at the Owl Library as they read this ancient book called the Harley that tells the story of the Sun God, Nika. We hear Robin begin reading the story aloud as we join Franky looking at the mural, and the anime went above and beyond for this. In the manga, everything was summarized in a single panel over a look at the Mural, but the anime has the whole thing revealed bit by bit as Robin reads the story, which I will now show to you.

In the days and weeks after this chapter, there so many video essays about this story that I found online. The most die-hard fans of the franchise poured everything into deciphering the meaning behind the story, and I will be including one of the most prominent at the end of this post. In a nutshell, though, itโ€™s saying that the world has been destroyed twice in the past. Someone tried to stop it from happening, first in the form of the Sun God, Nika, and then in the form of Joy Boy, but for whatever reason, they failed, and the world became what it is today. The last part is a prophecy, though, saying that this time, the Sun God will bring about a new world, one that is better than the current one. In other words, Luffy might be the guy who will end up saving the world.

Pirate. Jesus.

To casual fans, this all might sound confusing, but to those who have stuck with One Piece for the long haul, this was big. One of the big draws of the story is the amount of worldbuilding put into it, with the mysteries about the past being something that fans have wanted to know more about for decades. Itโ€™s gotten to the point that when given the opportunity to learn the truth early, fans will refuse. So, this was a big moment for us.

And we’re going to get even more big moments soon. According to rumors, the second batch of this year’s episodes will drop in July. Which means that I’m going to have multiple shows to go over this summer! Tough, but worth it!

I Give “Ancient History – The Harley Passed Down by Elbaph” a 5/5

OHMYGOSHABABYDRAGONITSSOCUTE!!!

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

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime S4 Ep 12

With the threat of Maribel defeated and Yuuki forced back to the drawing board, life in Tempest returns to normal. Well, as normal as it can get in a nation thatโ€™s evolving at such a ridiculously fast pace! Really, that is what this entire episode is about, though. Tempest is continuing to evolve as Rimruru looks towards the future of his nation. And there is plenty for him to look forward to as we head into the second cours of this incredibly long season!

This episode is more or less a breather episode to get us all caught up to speed on what comes next for Tempest, as Rimuru goes around meeting with his friends and allies and discussing what comes next. First up, he meets with the other leaders of Tempest to discuss the need for a legal system. Now, none of them would object to Rimuru being the end-all for the law, but he must have read up on history, because he knows that doesnโ€™t end well. So, he comes up with a governmental system based on one of the most (objectively) successful on Earth: the United States government! And I say objectively because, letโ€™s be honest, there are times when the US Government is its own worst enemy. Thankfully, everyone in Tempest is incredibly competent at what they do, so itโ€™s not that big a problem.

CHOO-CHOO

One of the bigger highlights of the episode, though, is the surprise unveiling of the first-ever Magitrain! Thanks to Veldora and Ramirisโ€™ help, the engineers got it done faster than I think Rimuru thought it would take!

I know it may not seem like much when we have cars and planes, but when locomotives were first created, they were a game-changer. For the first time, journeys that would take days or weeks were cut down to a fraction of the time. That led to an explosion of travel and trade in our world, allowing populations to skyrocket to what they are today. And with Tempest being the ones building these trains, it stands poised to become the biggest economic hub on the continent! Everyone will be clamoring to be on good terms with them, and that means that the idea of Humans and Monsters living together in peace is one step closer to reality.

The real highlight of the episode, though, has to be Millim and the rebirth of her beloved dragon.

BABY DRAGON

Thanks to Rimuru managing to save them in the last episode, Millim finally has a second chance with the beloved pet that she thought was lost to her. Thereโ€™s one scene where Rimuru finds her fast asleep clutching the egg like itโ€™s a beloved toy or pet, and it really shows us just how much this means to her. Millim may be very childish in nature, but there has always been that part of her thatโ€™s used it as a way to cope with her tragic past. Getting to see her enjoy this second chance is just so heartwarming, and it only gets better.

Given how this is the end to the first cours of the season, itโ€™s natural for the anime to give us a special ending to reflect that. In this case, we see everyone in Tempest celebrating their accomplishments as of late l, only for it to be broken by the news that Gaiaโ€™s egg is about to hatch! As everyone in Tempest gathers around, we see the egg crack open as Gaia, Millimโ€™s dragon friend, is reborn into the world. Itโ€™s honestly just so wholesome to watch, like a big family welcoming its newest member to the world. Seeing Millim happy over getting to see her friend again is enough to make a grown man cry, and thatโ€™s okay! Weep manly tears of joy!

This was such a sweet moment to end this first part of the season on, but thankfully, we donโ€™t have to wait long for the next part. This season is so big that the anime is splitting it up into five parts, and the next one will be coming next week! Which, judging by when this goes up, will have already passed. So, hopefully, I will already have it ready! Fingers crossed!

I Give “Tempest Evolved” a 4.5/5! Bonus for the cute Dragon!

Shamrock Blew Our Minds

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

One Piece Ep 1167 Review

Remember what I said about the next episode going to blow the minds of the anime-only fans of One Piece? I wasnโ€™t joking! When this chapter came out around two years ago, it had fans foaming at the mouth like that guy from Avatar. And itโ€™s all thanks to the appearance of the commander of the Godโ€™s Knights, Shamrock!

Aurust Castle is Spooky

So, the Romance Dawn trio (Luffy, Zoro, and Nami) make it to Castle Aurust with Rodo serving as their semi-reluctant guide and begin their exploration of the ruins. That is pretty much what a good two-thirds of this episode consists of, in my opinion. Since the anime is trying to match the pacing of the manga, that means that it has to take chapters where nothing really happens and stretch them out. Once again, though, this new pacing proves to be a double-edged sword, as while it gives us more time to sit with impactful moments, it also means the slower moments can drag on longer than what viewers may want.

Take, for example, the groupโ€™s exploration of the ruins of Castle Aurust. On the one hand, the anime gives us time to properly see what the castle has been reduced to since the day King Harald died. Itโ€™s as quiet as a tomb, and itโ€™s got the bones of the Giants who died that day to qualify as such. If this were a video game, then this would be the perfect setting for players to explore and learn about what happened. Since itโ€™s an anime, though, we are stuck with hearing exposition from Rodo as he talks more about what happened that fateful day.

Now, I do not mind seeing all of this personally. The vegetation growing into the stone, the bones of the dead, and the light peeking in through various gaps all give it a very creepy atmosphere. Itโ€™s perfect for an adventurer like Luffy. But not everyone is going to enjoy that. What I was more interested in the manga, though, was Rodo telling us more about Elbaphโ€™s history and his and Hajrudinโ€™s backstories. It was a surprise to learn that Hajrudin is the son of the late King Harald from another woman from another country making him Lokiโ€™s older half-brother. The fact that him being born out of wedlock as far as Elbaphโ€™s elders were concerned also added some extra depth to his character. Heโ€™s nice to someone like Rodo because he knows what itโ€™s like to be discriminated against for trivial reasons. More importantly, the fact that Elbaph believes in things like blood purity adds a darker shade to a country that has so far been mostly warm and inviting.

The Loki Situation Needs Addressing

As soon as I heard about that, I already knew where Oda was going with this. Everywhere the Straw Hats go, they take care of some problem that is keeping the locals from being truly happy. In this case, itโ€™s clear that the Straw Hats are going to have to address the Loki situation and how the Giants view their current place in the world before they leave. With the arc still ongoing in the manga, we still donโ€™t know how it will turn out, but I stand by what I said: Elbaph needs to take up arms. The worldโ€™s future may depend on it. If it didnโ€™t, then why would the World Government be trying to seize control of Elbaph?

Speaking of which, the latter half of the episode is much more interesting from an action point of view. Iโ€™ve gotten used to seeing how strong the Godโ€™s Knights are in the manga, but this is the first time we really see just how destructive they can be in the anime. Seeing Gunko use her Devil Fruit powers to torture the defenseless Loki over and over is every bit as jarring to watch in the anime as it was to read it. She was making the man cough up a ton of blood, and he couldnโ€™t even defend himself! The fact that he not only able to survive that kind of punishment, but had the will to keep refusing their offer, is a testament to how strong he is.

But then, we get to the real twist of this chapter. The thing that made the entire fandom lose it when we read the manga: the introduction of the leader of the Godโ€™s Knights, Saint Shamrock Figarland, son of Garling of the Five Eldersโ€ฆand heโ€™s the spitting image of Shanks!

This was the kind of reveal that had us foaming at the mouth. For years, there had been a fan theory that Shanks was born one of the Celestial Dragons, based on the fact that we (apparently) saw him speaking to the Five Elders in Mariejois back in chapter 907. Shamrock being the spitting image of Shanks made that theory explode in popularity in between chapters. Many of us were speculating that Shamrock was Shanksโ€™ evil twin after this, as there was no way Oda would be trolling us about it! That also meant that Luffyโ€™s idol just got an extra wrinkle regarding his past that made some people even doubt if Shanks was as good a person as we thought. Which is understandable, given how wicked most of the Celestial Dragons are. Sadly, we have to wait another week to learn the truth, and it is going to be worth it. More importantly, we are going to get to see one of the best chapters of the manga get animated, and what we see is something that set the fandom on fire.

I Give “Shamrock Appears! The Commander of the God’s Knights” a 4/5

How to Train your Crazy Dragon, By Rimuru

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

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, S4 Ep 11 Review

Once upon a time, Millim had a best friend, a dragon that had been gifted to her by her late father, AKA the creator of the universe. The girl and the dragon loved each other very much, and thought that they would be together forever. But then this punk nation tried to gain control of Millim and killed her friend, making her crash out and become a Demon Lord. Like Rimuru, she used the experience to bring back the one she lost. Whereas Rimuru brought back all the Tempest citizens without issue, though, Millim failed. Consumed by wrath at its death, the dragon went on a rampage, forcing Millim to seal it away. Until Maribel decided to bring it back to distract Millim while she killed Rimuru! And now, Millim has to relive her trauma all over again! The good news, though, is that this time, she has Rimuru.

So, there are likely some people out there who donโ€™t like characters like Rimuru because of how OP he is. And theyโ€™re not wrong; from what I hear about the end of the light novels, Rimuru could solo a vast chunk of fiction. The thing is, though, is that Rimruru has to be OP by necessity. Itโ€™s the only way heโ€™s able to survive in a world filled with so many broken enemies. Case in point, the elemental dragon that Millim called a friend is now going on a renewed rampage. The kind of rampage that, if not stopped, could reduce the entire world to ash!

While Rimuru was busy with Maribel, Millim has been trying to contain her pet dragon, but the anime makes it clear that sheโ€™s fighting with a handicap. I like how natural said handicap feels in the context of the episode. We know Millim could destroy the dragon if she wanted to, but her love for him means that she canโ€™t bring herself to do it. I know that some people wouldnโ€™t hesitate to do what might seem necessary without any remorse, but Millim isnโ€™t like that.

Thank heavens that Rimuru is the way he is, though!

Rimuru Eats a Dragon

So, once Rimuru shows up and sees what the dragon is doing, he doesnโ€™t hesitate to help Millim deal with her problems. And despite being a Demon Lord himself, the dragon does give him a hard time. But thatโ€™s when he realizes something important. It was believed that when Millim revived the Chaos Dragon, they had come back without their soul, hence why they were so angry and destructive. However, Rimuru discovered that this wasnโ€™t entirely accurate: a fragment of the Dragonโ€™s soul was left behind. And thatโ€™s when he comes up with a crazy idea.

I have to admit, itโ€™s crazy to think that Rimuru was able to retrieve that soul fragment from the Dragon before Millim destroyed it. Whatโ€™s even crazier, though, is that he was able to place it inside a container. How many characters in fiction do you know that are capable of manipulating beings on the level of the soul? Very few that I know of, and Rimuru is one of them! But, again, Rimuru has to be the way he is for the sake of the story, and I think that just highlights how crazy Slime Tensura is.

Happy Ending for Everyone

So, everything works out. Rimuru is able to give Millimโ€™s dragon an actual second lease on life, even letting her give it a proper name, Gaia. The ruins get turned into a tourist attraction. A happy ending for all involved who isnโ€™t Maribel or Gaiye. Except Yuuki still got away with everything, and he knows it. He can pin everything on Maribel controlling him, letting him continue scheming unimpededโ€ฆis what he thinks.

Yuuki may have pulled the wool over Rimuru and everyone else, but Raphael isnโ€™t fooled. She knows that Yuuki was faking being brainwashed the entire time and tells Rimuru heโ€™s not to be trusted. He canโ€™t do anything without being made out as the bad guy, but now heโ€™s on his toes. So letโ€™s see what Yuuki will do next.

Thereโ€™s one episode left to the first cours so let’s see what happens next.

I Give “Millim’s Friend” a 4/5

Is Loki a Bad Guy? Meh, it’s Complicated.

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

One Piece Episode 1166 Review

You know who I hate in One Piece the most? The Celestial Dragons. We have seen a lot of jerks in the franchise, but aside from a handful of people who I can count on one hand, they are the biggest d-heads you will ever see! Oda does such a fantastic job of having them embody the snobbish, racist, hedonistic elitism that represents the worst of humanity, itโ€™s almost scary. The good news is that the majority of them are so weak that you could take them out with your bare hands, and Iโ€™m pretty sure many of us fans have wanted to do that. The bad news? There is a small minority of them that are some of the toughest fighters in the entire series, the Godโ€™s Knights, and if youโ€™ve been keeping up with the manga, youโ€™ll know just much of a pain they are. And now, two of them are on Elbaph, meaning that the entire country is in danger. If you donโ€™t believe me, wait until you see what one of them does in this episode.

Party Time!

By this point, the banquet for the Straw Hats is in full swing, and everyone is going around having a good time. The Straw Hats are marveling the Giants with tales of their grand exploits, enjoying the food and company, and just doing what they do. Because if thereโ€™s anyone who know how to have a good party in anime, itโ€™s the Straw Hat Pirates.

Gerd even decided to let Rodo out as long as he apologized and swore never to do what he did again. Not that he could have actually hurt them. Zoro even remarks that the only reason Rodo still has his head is that Usopp wanted them to not hurt him. And Gerd says that theyโ€™re free to take it!!

The funniest part? Rodo is into it. He likes this sadistic side of Gerd! I think even Sanji would have some more self-respect than this!

As funny (in a pathetic sort of way) as this is, though, itโ€™s meant to segue into an important topic: Nika the Sun God, AKA the being who Luffy became the latest incarnation of the day he ate that Devil Fruit. Much like myths and religions in real life, the story of Nika has been muddled and reinterpreted differenly over the centuries. Some of the Giants think he was this god of fun and laughter meant to save the world, while others see him as a warrior meant to conquer and dominate. And as is the case when people are passionate about something, they argue and fight about it. It’s what people do.

At this point, longtime One Piece fans had come to recognize that Nika is tied up with the overarching mystery of the series: what is the One Piece? The fact that so many people see him differently only further strengthens just how important he is to the history of the world, and thus emphasizes Luffyโ€™s role in what will come. Not that Luffy cares about being worshipped as a god, though, and thenk goodness for that. Imagine if someone bad had Luffyโ€™s powers and let it go to their head? Someone likeโ€ฆLoki.

Everyone Hates Loki

As soon as Luffy drops Lokiโ€™s name, almost everyone present gives their opinion about him: he sucks. They proceed to list off all of the horrible things that he either did or have happened since he was born, and the result is impressive

Now, Iโ€™ve read the manga, so I canโ€™t say too much about whatโ€™s true and what isnโ€™t without spoilers. What I will say is that I remember fans debating like crazy when this came out in the manga about whether Loki was evil, a bad boy, or just misunderstood. And Oda only made it even more confusing when Luffy decides to sneak away from the party to find the keys to let Loki free.

Luffy might be an idiot, but heโ€™s also proven to be a great judge of character, which is what makes what heโ€™s doing so controversial in our eyes. Is Luffy being blinded by his desire to see Shanks and making a mistake? Honestly, I didnโ€™t know at the time. But I wasnโ€™t that worried, since if Loki did anything, Luffy would kick his ass. Plus, he did have Zoro tagging along to help judge him, and he can be pretty perceptive. Even better, Nami is coming (with Rodo as her new servant). Partly because she knows the two will get lost, and because she wants to rob the castle.

Little do they know, theyโ€™re stumbling into their next big conflict. The Godโ€™s Knights are on the move.

Loki HATES the Celestial Dragons

By this point, the Knights have made it to the Underworld in search of Loki, because they want to make him an offer. If he agrees to join their ranks, theyโ€™ll set him free. They want that kind of destructive power that heโ€™s got. However, thereโ€™s just one problem: Loki hates, hates, HATES the Celestial Dragons!

I canโ€™t get into all the details right now, but Loki hates the Celestial Dragons with every fiber of his being. If I were to compare it to someone else, he hates them on the same level as Kratos hated the Greek Gods in the original God of War games. So he tells them to take their offer and shove it, promoting one of them, Gunko, to start getting aggressive. She uses her Devil Fruit powers to attack one of the wolves that Loki befriended and threatens to kill him if he doesnโ€™t reconsider. His response? โ€œSo be it! I will just add it to the list of grievances I have against the Celestial Dragons for when I destroy the world!โ€

I love just how cold and ruthless this makes Loki seem, to be honest. Just when we think he might not be as bad as we thought, he does this. In his defense, though, Gunko wouldโ€™ve killed the wolf anyway just to be petty. Therefore, no deal.

There are only two episodes left in this first cours of the season, and I know itโ€™s been slow. But this is just the opening act to something amazing. Trust me, things are about to get way more interesting! And you wonโ€™t believe the uproar that the next part of the story caused in the fandom when the manga came out.

I Give “Encountering Loki – Gunko of the Knights of God” a 3/5

Rimuru Folds Maribel like Paper

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

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, S4 Ep 10 Review

Dang. I knew that Maribel was going to get absolutely embarrassed, and that’s not just because I read the manga ahead of time. Itโ€™s just what happens when you mess with someone like Rimuru. But I didn’t think that seeing it in anime form would be so humiliating! I know that we shouldn’t underestimate kids, but even so, Maribel just got reminded of her place in the world in the worst way possible! For her, that is. It was like watching one of Jinwooโ€™s curb-stompings for me!

What did she think would happen?

So, Maribel has decided to stop messing around and throw everything that she’s got at Rimuru. She’s got Yuuki fighting for her, some knight we dont know, and last, and definitely least, her trump card: Gaiye. Yes, the arrogant and self-absorbed adventurer that made a fool of himself at the opening festival and during the fiasco at the Council is Maribelโ€™s trump card. She used her power to supercharge him up in exchange for most of his life force or something, thinking that it could distract Rimuru long enough to brainwash him. But we already know how that turns out.

And Rimuru just revokes the manโ€™s subscription to life like it’s nothing.

Honestly, what was Maribel thinking here? Gaiye was a chump even before she pumped him with her powers. He couldn’t handle a Dryad, for crying out loud! How did she think that he could fight Rimuru! It would be funny if it weren’t so pathetic!

What follows can be best described as a grown man giving a little girl a lesson on the pecking order of the world. Maribel just keeps trying to throw everything she has at Rimuru, and he just no-sells it all like it’s nothing.

This is just sad

And the more she keeps failing to get rid of him, the more she gets upset as she realizes how badly she messed up making an enemy out of him. But she’s got no one to blame but herself about this, as she chose to go into this fight without learning more about her enemy. If she had, she would have known that it would take way more than what she brought to kill Rimuru. In all honesty, the only useful card she played was Yuuki.

We as the audience should already know just how dangerous Yuuki is thanks to his manipulation tactics. As it turns out, though, he’s also dangerous in the physical sense. His secret power, Anti-skill, lets him seal away any skills an opponent might have, if only for a short while. And since skills are often what determines how powerful a person is, that makes him very dangerous to fight. Even Rimuru realizes that there’s a chance that Yuuki could kill him. But thankfully, he still manages to come out on top. But then Kagali and the others give this impassioned plea for him to snap out of it and not let Maribel control him and he snaps out of it.

Wait, what?

Man, Yuuki is good

Rimuru effectively voices the thought that the audience is meant to think while watching this: this is clichรฉ. Way too cliche, in fact. I’ve seen plenty of anime where a character is mind-controlled and overcomes it thanks to the power of friendship or something else, and it’s usually very heartwarming. It’s supposed to be heartwarming, after all. But this was way too easy, and Rimuru knows it. But he can’t prove that Yuuki was faking it without looking like the bad guy, so he’s forced to let things go and let him deal with Maribel as she tries to blow up a magic reactor and kill everyone.

And you know what? Weโ€™re right to find this sus, because Yuuki was playing everyone!

As Yuuki corners Maribel, alone and wounded in the ruins, he decides to play with his food before eating it. He reveals that he was never under Maribelโ€™s control, and had been faking it the whole time!

This is actually a brilliant play on Yuukiโ€™s part. He knew that Rimuru was starting to become wise to him, and the last thing he wanted was to make an enemy out of a Demon Lord before he was ready. But thanks to Maribel, he can now say that all of it was because he was being controlled by Maribelโ€™s skill, Greed. And since Rimuru can’t prove otherwise, he can’t make a move against Yuuki without looking like the bad guy. Thus, heโ€™s managed to get away with everything he did up to this point.

And then comes the most humiliating aspect. Right before Yuuki delivers the killing blow, Yuuki reveals the fatal flaw to Greed: it doesn’t work if the targetโ€™s own greed exceeds that of its user. And while Maribel wanted to control the world from the shadows, Yuuki wants to rule as its king. You can’t get greedier than that! Maribel was just born too late to do anything, and that costs her her life.

It’s sad, honestly. As evil and selfish as she was, Maribel could have done a lot of good for the world.ย ย Then again, the same could be said for a lot of villains.

I Give “The Master of Greed” a 4.5/5

Wanna see a Giant Kid pick a fight

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

One Piece Episode 1165 Review

Okay, so by now, I think itโ€™s pretty clear that this first part of the new season of One Piece is not going to be heavy on the action. Honestly, I should have warned anime-only watchers about this beforehand. However, I can assure you that when the anime comes back later this year, itโ€™s going to get crazy. Besides, once the chaos starts, you are going to miss the calmer moments. Well, a given level of calm, since weโ€™re talking about the Straw Hat Pirates. Plus, itโ€™s time for the party that weโ€™ve promised for the last few episodes, so thereโ€™s that!

These Kids are So lame!

After the happy reunion with Saul, Robin took Chopper, Lillith, and Bonney (the smart ones, basically) to see the Owl Library, where the Giants keep all the books from Elbaph. And as someone who spent most of his childhood reading a a crazy amount of books (I had to entertain myself at school), that place gets me. Itโ€™s filled with so much ancient knowledge and wisdom! And even if I canโ€™t understand any of it, I know that it would be like a dream for the lore-obsessed portion of the fandom. I love it!

Luffy, on the other hand, doesnโ€™t exactly endear himself to the kids at the Walrus School. Then again, I doubt most people would appreciate him turning a swingset into one of those pendulum rides you see at amusement parks!

Yeah, he deserves that scolding from Nami.

The truth is that Luffy and Usopp canโ€™t hide their disappointment over how wimpy the Giant kids are. It dampens their image of Elbaph! Now, I donโ€™t see anything wrong with being raised to be nice, but there are going to be times when you meet jerks that wonโ€™t listen to reason or talk no jutsu. The only response left is the fist. Still, at least thereโ€™s one kid left who has the spirit of a warrior!

I respect Collun

Everyone, meet Collun. Well, we met him already. He was at a bar that Shanks was visiting, begging him to take him out to sea to be a pirate and listening to stories about Luffy. And unlike the rest of his peers, heโ€™s a fighter. The first thing he does when he sees Luffy is try to jump him with his training sword! But we know how it was going to end.

It can suck being considered the class delinquent and outcast who doesnโ€™t get along with others, canโ€™t it? But Collun is the kind of kid who will live how he wants, no matter what others think. More importantly, though, his willingness to pick a fight with Luffy earns him the respect of the rubber wonder, so I consider that way better! I also respect that! Plus, heโ€™s not a bad kid. After all, he listens to his mom, Ripley, one of the teachers at the school. Plus, his behavior makes sense when you consider how his dad is a former pirate. And also a human. Collun is a half-giant.

Now, remember the golden rule of Odaโ€™s writings: if a new character gets mentioned ahead of time, theyโ€™re going to be important. Though, I was more distracted trying to figure out how a human man can have a kid with a Giant woman. I mean, how dhow does that even work? Iโ€™m not sure it sure I wantt any rate, though, itโ€™s time for the welcome banquet. And the rest of the Straw Hats get some new threads for the occasion! You can tell that cosplayers are going to love it.

Party Time!

The banquet itself is also pretty fun to watch. Especially when Chief Jarul, the oldest Giant in the world, shows up. And yes, I think plenty of us manga readers had the same reaction to the sword sticking out of his head! I would question how that is even possible, but at this point, Iโ€™d be wasting my time!

Not everything is good, though. Remember that threat I was telling you about at the castle? Theyโ€™re here, theyโ€™re looking for Loki, and they are dangerous. More dangerous than you can imagine.

Oh no, not the God’s Knights!

Meet the Gods Knights, the elite guard of the Celestial Dragons. They serve directly under Imu themselves as enforcers of their will, and might be some of the strongest fighters in the series to date. One of them was able to take down a Giant without moving a muscle!!! And their arrival on Elbaph is going to start a storm that will threaten to destroy everything.

By now, itโ€™s obvious that we have to wait for the second half of the season to come out later this year to see more action. But trust me when I say that things are starting to heat up. In fact, if I remember correctly, we are due to get one of the most important pieces of lore in the entire series. So, I canโ€™t wait to see that.

I give โ€œA Welcome With Friendsโ€™ Cups and Intruders Seeking Lokiโ€ a 3/5

THIS was Maribel’s Master Plan? Are you Serious!

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

That Time I got Reincarnated as a Slime S4 Ep 9 Review

It’s storytime with Mr. Jay, no relation to the Joker. Once upon a time, there was a very happy girl with pink hair and godlike power. She spent her days playing with her adorable and easily marketable-as-a-plushie pet dragon. But then this Elven king wanted the girlโ€™s power for himself, so he tried to assert his control by using magic to kill the dragon. But instead, the girl crashed out, became one of the first Demon Lords, killed the King, and leveled his kingdom. The survivors would build a new city that eventually became the ruins that Rimuru and the others are about to explore. Unfortunately for everyone, Maribel has gotten so desperate that she’s willing to do something just as stupid as the stupid king.

Let’s get one thing straight about this episode: it is just the setup to the climax of this first part of Slime Tensuraโ€™s fourth season. As such, anyone who came into this expecting some epic, Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, Uncharted adventure is going to be sorely disappointed. In all honesty, though, those kinds of stories paint a pretty unrealistic picture of archaeology. There are moments when people make epic discoveries and fantastic treasures, but most of the time, archaeology is pretty uneventful. I should know; I took a class on archaeology 101 in college!

What I’m trying to say is that there is not a lot of action for most of this episode. Mostly, it involves exposition about how this city became the way it is as Kagali guides Rimuruโ€™s group and the other explorers through the ruins. Though ruins would be a stretch, as the Dark Elves still live in the topmost sections. The rest is sealed behind magic barriers that only Clayman had been able to unlock. The plan was for the explorers they brought along to unlock it, but Rimuru does it in two seconds. Because of course he does. He’s lucky that those archaeologists are humble enough not to be offended by him making their jobs so easy.

The coolest part about this episode, though, is the mural that the group finds depicting the story I mentioned above. More importantly, though, is seeing how Millim reacts to it. It’s ancient history to everyone else, but to her, it’s looking back on a part of her life that she may not want to remember that well. And unfortunately for her, history is about to repeat itself thanks to Maribel, whoโ€™s so desperate to get rid of Rimuru that she’s willing to do something incredibly stupid. Something that not even Luffy would do!

Going back to the story about how Millim became a Demon Lord, much like how Rimuru used his evolution to revive Shion and the other citizens Falmuth killed, Millim used it to revive her pet dragon. The problem was that it was so hate-filled by its death that it went on its own rampage. Millim had no choice but to seal it away in a pocket dimension for all eternity. But now, Maribel has set it free to lure Millim away from Rimuru so she can control or kill him.

There are so many flaws to this plan that I dont even know where to start. Firstly, Maribel unleashed an angry dragon capable of leveling the world, endangering the lives of billions. Secondly, when Millim finds out who did this, she’s not going to be happy and want to know who did it. Lastly, does she really think that just luring Millim away will be enough to make Rimuru vulnerable? He’s still got Gobta and Shion.

To her credit, Maribel did think ahead by using the ruins for her trap. The securityโ€™s activation is enough to be a hassle for the group. But, again, this is Rimuru. So Maribel has no choice but to reveal herself.

I know I’ve heard speeches about how no one is created equal before, and they do have a point. There are always going to be people that are just better at some things than others and thus see the world differently. Though when the Founding Fathers of America wrote that, they meant that everyone has the same rights regardless of background. If everyone was truly the same and equal, the world would be pretty boring. That’s what Maribel doesn’t get, and that’s why she and Rimuru were always going to be at odds.

Next episode, the fight between Rimuru and Maribel finally begins! But let’s be real: we know Rimuru is gonna win. We just want to see how he wins.

I give “Investigating the Ruins” a 3/5

Why are the Giant Kids Such Wimps?

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

One Piece Episode 1164 Review

You ever wanted to go someplace for so long that you’ve built up this impossible image of it in your head? And then when you finally get there, you find out that your expectations don’t match up with reality, and you feel that bit of disappointment in you? Well, congrats. That is exactly Luffy and Usopp experience in this episode, and it is a feeling I shared when the manga got to this point two years ago, as we discover that Elbaph has gone from a nation of warriors toโ€ฆpacifists.

Oh boy.

Luffy does know how to be formal, after all!

So, after Robin and Saul have their absolutely tearjerkingly wholesome reunion, Luffy introduces himself to the Giant and fellow bearer of the D. And, as goofy as it was seeing him talk like a Yakuza boss, I think most of us can appreciate how Luffy was ltrying to be polite and formally thank Saul for everything that he did for Robin. That’s the good thing about Luffy. If you help out someone he considers a friend, then he’ll already consider you one by default. And if he does, then he’ll fight heaven and earth to help you. And I think that the Straw Hats speak for the fandom when they declare that they will protect Robin with their lives. Anyone who makes Robin sad will suffer!!

Speaking of protecting, Lillith is happy to see Saul again, even if the Giant only ever met the original Vegapunk until now. Speaking of whom, who here was surprised to learn that Lillith had brought a fully-formed clone of the Doctor with her? I certainly was when reading the manga. Not only are the other Satellites still alive, but technically, the World Government failed to kill Vegapunk himself. The doctor played them for fools the whole time! And now that they think he’s dead, Lillith is free to start a new lab in Elbaph where they can’t find them. And it means there’s still hope for restoring Kumaโ€™s humanity, meaning Bonney will have her dad back!

The Giants are Becoming Pacifists

All that aside, the Straw Hats are all eager to explore Elbaph, so they decide to split up. The most important group, though, are Luffy and Usopp. Having wanted to see Elbaph the most out of all the Straw Hats, they’re eager to visit the school and see the next generation of Giants being trained to become warriors. When they get there, though, it’s not what they expected. Not only are the Giant kids not training to be brave warriors of the sea, they’re actually afraid of any kind of fighting whatsoever.

Yes, in a surprise twist, it turns out that Elbaph is trying to leave its warrior ways in the past in favor of a more peaceful way of life that respects other races. Why? Because that’s what their late king, King Harald, wanted.

I was so Bummed out!

You cannot imagine just how disappointing it was for me reading this in the manga. The world is on the brink of armageddon, and I’m convinced that the only way to save it is by Luffy finding the One Piece. And since Luffy is the second coming of Joy Boy/Nika, AKA Pirate Jesus, the figure the Giants worship, I assumed that they would gladly help him out. Having the army of the strongest country in the world on his side feels like a surefire way to ensure the World Government doesn’t win! And you’re telling me that now the Giants want become peaceful? The timing couldn’t be worse.

Now, having read the manga, all I can say is that there is more to the story than we know, and it will be revealed later on. And I knew why Oda was doing this: it was to create tension for the story so the Straw Hats could do their thing and save the day. But still, I shared Luffy and Usopp’s disappointment in how whimpy the Giant kids are.

And, as if to prove my point from earlier, something bad happens. In the ruins of Castle Aurust, where the King lived until he was apparently killed by Loki (it’s complicated), a dark circle appears. It’s the same one we saw when the Five Elders were summoned to Egghead. That’s not good. That can only mean one thing: Imu is on the move.

For those who don’t know, Imu is the secret ruler of the World Government and one of the overarching antagonists of One Piece. At this point in the manga, they were still a mystery, to the point where we didn’t even know if they were a man or woman! What we did know, though, is that they were likely ancient, powerful, and are determined to maintain their rule over the world. And having the Giants of Elbaph submit to them was the perfect means of doing so.

I hope you guys got your fill of the light-hearted wholesomeness thus far, because it’s over. Starting from the next episode onwards, things are going to start escalating as the chaos that follows the Straw Hats comes to Elbaph. And trust me when I say that if you’ve only watched the anime, you’re not ready for what happens next.

I Give “Saul’s Resolve – The Inherited Will of Ohara” a 3/5