Toonami is a name that almost every fan of anime in America should know about. After all, if it wasn’t for Toonami, anime might never have gained a foothold in the West. Beginning in 1997, Toonami served as an afternoon block on Cartoon Network and helping to bring anime to millions of American children. It proved widely successful, with many people (myself included) crediting it for being a big part of why anime is now mainstream. Much to my dismay, though, I was never able to experience that fabled afternoon block. In April, 2004, Cartoon Network moved it to Saturday nights from 7 to 11 PM, which is where I found it and where it remained until its original cancellation in 2009. Even after it got revived on Adult Swim in 2012, Toonami remained confined to the weekends. Those halcyon days of afternoon blocks, a distant memory.
Or they were. For the first time in almost twenty years, Toonami will be airing on a weekday.
Over the past few months, Adult Swim has been pushing its runtime back earlier and earlier into the day during the weekdays. Then starting in August of 2023, they upped the ante with Checkered Past. For two hours, they air cartoons from the golden age of the late 90s and 00s, much to the delight of those who grew up with them (like me!) Now, they upping the ante again.
Starting Friday, May 31st, Adult Swim will be airing Toonami Rewind, featuring episodes of the anime that made anime big in the West: Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z (Kai), and one of my all-time favorites, Naruto. It’s only three shows right now, but it’s a start.
That’s not all. Unlike the ongoing Toonami block on Adult Swim, Toonami Rewind will be using the aesthetics of the TOM 3.0 Era. Which, arguably, was the best-looking era of the original Toonami run.
I never got the chance to see the classic Toonami at its height, having only started watching it after it had moved to Saturday nights. For those who did, though, this is a big win. For an entire generation, Toonami was the after-school block to watch on TV. Not only did it provide an introduction to the world of anime, it gave them the perfect excuse to not worry about things like homework or tests that wouldn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. And while it only consists of three anime right now, who knows? If it does well enough, they might add more in. Either way, Toonami faithful win big!
They say you always remember your first. The first time you kissed someone, the first time you got behind the wheel of a car, and the day your first kid was born. But for anime fans, one of theย biggestย firsts is our first anime crush.ย Forย me,ย I am not ashamed to admit that it was Misty from the originalย Pokรฉmonย anime.ย Maybe it was because I liked her fashionย sense,ย or her fiery nature. Which is ironic, considering she uses water-type Pokรฉmonย . Whatever the reasons, Misty holds the distinction of being my first anime waifu.
Which is why I am very sad to report this: Misty’s voice actress has cancer.
On Monday, May 13th, 2024, a new campaign went up on GoFundMe, organized by the sister of voice actress Rachel Lillis. Those who grew up watching Pokรฉmon will best remember her as the voices of Jessie and Misty from the show. And, as of January, 2024, she’s been living in a nursing home in Los Angeles. The cancer in question, breast cancer, has already spread to her spine, making it almost impossible for her to walk.
A mere nursing home is not enough, though. If Rachel wants to get the best help, she needs to be able to pay for an assisted living home or at-home care. Thus, her sister has organized this GoFundMe campaign to help support her. At the time of this writing, it’s raised $70k, 50K more than the original goal.
This is not easy news to share. I have been friends with Rachael for over 25years. Most people may know us as the silly villains Jessie and James from Team Rocket or Misty and Brock from Pokemon. Please give what you can. Fu*k cancer. https://t.co/rDkOYrF3aH
Rachel’s co-stars and friends have also shown their support. Eric Stuart, her co-star and the original voice for both James and Brock, has helped to spread the word about it on Twitter. And now I’m wanting to do the same.
I freaking hate cancer, you guys. It is one of the worst ways that anyone can die from, especially since it is something that your body is unable to fight back against. I’ve seen family, pets, and even celebrities taken before their time due to cancer. And I refuse to let it take the woman who voiced my first waifu without a fight. So, please, if you have it in your heart, please donate to help Rachel. She doesn’t deserve this.
They say you always remember your first. The first time you kissed someone, the first time you got behind the wheel of a car, and the day your first kid was born. But for anime fans, one of the biggest firsts is our first anime crush. For me, I am not ashamed to admit that it was Misty from the original Pokรฉmon anime. Maybe it was because I liked her fashion sense, or her fiery nature. Which is ironic, considering she uses water-type Pokemon. Whatever the reasons, Misty holds the distinction of being my first anime waifu.
Which is why I am very sad to report this: Misty’s voice actress has cancer.
On Monday, May 13th, 2024, a new campaign went up on GoFundMe, organized by the sister of voice actress Rachel Lillis. Those who grew up watching Pokรฉmon will best remember her as the voices of Jessie and Misty from the show. And, as of January, 2024, she’s been living in a nursing home in Los Angeles. The cancer in question, breast cancer, has already spread to her spine, making it almost impossible for her to walk.
A mere nursing home is not enough, though. If Rachel wants to get the best help, she needs to be able to pay for an assisted living home or at-home care. Thus, her sister has organized this GoFundMe campaign to help support her. At the time of this writing, it’s raised $70k, 50K more than the original goal.
This is not easy news to share. I have been friends with Rachael for over 25years. Most people may know us as the silly villains Jessie and James from Team Rocket or Misty and Brock from Pokemon. Please give what you can. Fu*k cancer. https://t.co/rDkOYrF3aH
Rachel’s co-stars and friends have also shown their support. Eric Stuart, her co-star and the original voice for both James and Brock, has helped to spread the word about it on Twitter. And now I’m wanting to do the same.
I freaking hate cancer, you guys. It is one of the worst ways that anyone can die from, especially since it is something that your body is unable to fight back against. I’ve seen family, pets, and even celebrities taken before their time due to cancer. And I refuse to let it take the woman who voiced my first waifu without a fight. So, please, if you have it in your heart, please donate to help Rachel. She doesn’t deserve this.
Whatโs the one thing cooler or scarier than giant monsters? Getting to fight giant monsters, thatโs what! For decades now, Japan has been enamored by the idea of giant monsters, or Kaiju. From the early days of Godzilla and Gamera to Attack on Titan, Kaiju has been a big part of Japan, and so are series that revolve around fighting them. And with Japanese culture becoming more popular than ever worldwide, now is the perfect time for a new anime about fighting Kaiju to come out. And thatโs where the newest Shonen anime, Kaiju No. 8, steps in to fulfill all our monster-fighting needs. Or does it?
Yes. Yes it does.
Iโm RJ Writing Ink, and after watching the first two episodes of the new Shonen series, Kaiju No. 8, hereโs my initial review.
The premise behind the series is similar to that ofย My Hero Academia. In a world where Kaiju regularly attack and destroy everything they can, some people stand up to fight back and protect those who canโt. In Japan, that task falls to theย Anti-Kaiju Defense Force.ย But while they fight the Kaiju and get all the glory, others have to haul the guts and parts away. And unfortunately for him, thatโs where our protagonist, Kafka Hibino, is stuck.ย
As a kid, Kafka and his friend, Mina Ashiro, promised to join the Defense Force and fight Kaiju together. While she got in and became Captain of an entire division, Kafka failed several times, like Naruto or Deku. Then, just as Kafka decides to give it another try before itโs too late, he swallows this parasitic Kaiju, and it turns him into a Kaiju.
— VINSMOKE D. MERCI (AGAINST A.I.) (@MerciusJambe13) April 19, 2024
A Kaiju with super-strength, transformation, and can pee out of his nipples.
No, really. Iโm not making this up.
NOT ONLY ARE THERE BAD ASS MOMENTS AND LOTS OF BLOOD, THERE'S PLENTY OF STUFF LIKE THIS. THIS IS ALREADY THE BEST SHOW OF THE YEAR LMAOOOOOO.๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ #KaijuNo8pic.twitter.com/vYNGALBFJL
— Jadeหฃแต CW: Naruto Shippuden (@Wildbergerrrr) April 20, 2024
Despite all of this, though, Kafka also discovers that heโs kept his human mind intact and, with effort, can transform back-and-forth between Human and Kaiju.
๐คฉ#KaijuNo8 IS DEFINITELY THE ANIME OF THE YEAR, NO IFS, ANDS, OR BUTS! I KNEW IT WAS RIGHT FOR ME TO GEEK OUT OVER IT!!๐ pic.twitter.com/LsFrT0gVFq
So, despite the massive target on his back, Kafka and his new friend/junior, Reno Ichikawa, still decide to try and join the Defense Force together. And thatโs where the anime stands at the time of this writing.
Kaiju No. 8’s Subversion of Shonen Tropes is What Makes it Good
Right off the bat,ย Kaiju No. 8ย sets itself apart from other Shonen series by subverting a big trope: the protagonist. Instead of starting off as a young boy or teen like Goku, Denji, Luffy, Yuji and more, Kafka is 32. Heโs already experienced what itโs like to have your youthful ambitions turn into letdowns, and as someone whose closer to him in age than Iโd like to admit, that hits pretty close to home. I donโt want to give up on any of my dreams, but as you get older, you canโt help but wonder if youโve met your limits or are living your life to the fullest. Kafka was going through that when the anime starts, and right when he decides to give things one more shot, he becomes a Kaiju! A humanoid Kaiju with super strength and speed, but one that will get hunted by everyone except for Ichikawa. The brutal irony.
Speaking of which, Ichikawa is also a bit of a subversion himself. At age 18, heโs closer to the Shonen demographic. He has both the never give up attitude youโd expect from a Shonen protagonist and the coldness of a typical rival (at first), yet heโs not the hero. Itโs a strange sight to behold, made even stranger when you consider that his English VA is Adam McArthur, the voice of Yuji from JuJutsu Kaisen!
Until season 1 is done SATURDAY IS THE 8TH DAY OF THE WEEK!!! It's time for a new ep of KAIJU NO. 8!!!! Stream it on @Crunchyroll and let me know what you think!!! pic.twitter.com/h95CKHKtDX
I donโt really know if this series is going to be any good, but given what Iโve seen in the first two episodes, it looks pretty solid. It balances the comedy with the action quite well, and the premise itself is interesting enough to give it a shot. Alas, due to time constraints, I wonโt be able to review it episodically. I simply have too have much on my plate as it is. Having said that, I do think that this show is worth watching. This looks to be one of the heavy hitters for the Spring 2024 season!
It’s over, people. After three months of watching Higan’s quest for revenge, we have reached the end of the road. Andย Ninja Kamuiย managed to go out on quite theย bang,ย if I do say so myself. With the Ninja now poised to conquer the US, and Joseph ready to blow the AUZA reactors to oblivion, things were looking desperate.ย Butย in a final battle fought on multiple fronts, Higan, Morriss, and Jason not only stop Yamaji and Joseph.ย They prove that the former’s views on the Ninja being cold, uncaring killersย isย wrong.ย
Joseph Finally Gets his Just Desserts
On the first front, we have Agent Morriss and Jason as they go after their main target, Joseph. After escaping Yamaji’s Ninja for the moment, the cowardly CEO of AUZA attempts to smuggle himself out of the country. On a plane stuffed with pigs. But Morriss isn’t having any of it. Thanks to his instincts and Jason’s hacking, they manage to ruin his ride out of the US. More importantly, Jason manages to hack the satellites that would’ve let Joseph blow the nearest reactor sky-high. The end result is pure cathartsis for Emma’s death, as Morriss proceeds to beat the smug CEO’s face in. Then, when the man boasts how he’ll be out of jail in no time, Morriss pulls a move that would make Batman proud.
For a while, the anime makes it appear that Morriss lost his temper and proceeded to kill Joseph. Given how he killed Emma and committed who knows what other crimes, no one would’ve held it against Morriss. Instead, the Veteran FBI Agent stays true to his moral code and simply makes the cowardly man so scared for his life, he wets himself. Furthermore, hearing Morriss promise Joseph that he’ll come find him if he ever tries to escape justice is pure, unadulterated badass. Knowing Morriss, he’ll be happy to sacrifice his retirement to follow through on that promise. Go ahead and enjoy it, though, Morriss. You’ve earned it.
Yamaji Just Another Would-Be Despot
The big draw of the episode, though, is the fight that’s been built up the entire series: Higan vs. Yamaji. A fight between a Ninja and a former Ninja over the fate of their entire clan. The fight is, naturally, impressive to watch, but what cinches it is how it boils down to a fight of ideals. Yamaji, for his part, continues to insist that his way of thinking is right and that with the Ninja watching over the world, there will be true peace. In other words, the same self-serving spiel that many wannabe conquerers spout; I could feel my eyes rolling as I heard him go on and on about it. While he does get a brief flashback that hints at how he developed his way of thinking from witnessing the horrors of war, it doesn’t matter. Yamaji’s so blinded by anger that he chooses to shut himself off from the world, and thinks that that’s best for everyone.
As I hoped, Zai does return for the final battle, and, at a crucial moment, he turns on Yamaji, choosing his friend over the man who turned him into a weapon. It costs him an arm, but it was still nice to know that Mari’s hopes for Zai came true. More importantly, it gives Higan the chance he needs to rally.ย Spurredย on by the memory of his wife and her philosophy on living, with the anime’s OP playing inย full, Higan wastes Yamaji.
And, to sweeten things, we get to see those who remained loyal to the former head of the Clan like Emma take down their brethren. Thus, the threat of the Ninja has ended. Whether or not this means the end of the Ninja as a whole, though, is left up for debate.
Time to Put the Ninjas Behind us
For Higan, though, that doesn’t matter.
Higan started this journey for one reason and one reason alone: to bring down Yamaji and his former clan. In the process, he also managed to reconnect with his old comrade, Zai, and convinces him to find a new purpose in life outside of being a weapon. Having done all he set out to do, Higan heads off for parts unknown, wandering the earth as the series comes to an end.
It’s the kind of ending that would make the likes of John Wick proud, and Iย personallyย loved it.ย Whileย Iย do think thatย the action lagged atย certainย points in the story, I stillย thinkย thatย Ninja Kamuiย was a pretty fun anime to watch.ย While there are someย deeper,ย philosophicalย questions about life that itย seems to pose, I’ve decided that that doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.ย All we wanted wasย to see Ninjas doing cool Ninja things, and we got that in spades.ย Iย justย might have to binge-watch the entire thing on Maxย nextย chance I get.ย
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2 Ep 17 Review
Remember what I said at the end of my last review for Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation? I wasnโt joking-this episode left me on the verge of tears. Even though I knew from reading the light novels and manga that Norn would shut herself in her room, and why, I still wasnโt prepared for the feels. This might be one of the best episodes in the entire series, and as youโll see for yourself, thereโs a good reason why.
Rudy is scary when He’s Mad. No, really!
Just to show you how angry Rudeus was in the classroom interrogation scene
In the light novels he was actually tempted to MURDER AN INNOCENT GIRL, just because she was about to speak up about Norn
After hearing how Norn has shut herself in her dorm room, saying Rudy is mad is an understatement. The look of pure wrath on his face is enough to scare the teachers as he marches for her classroom. Linia and Pursena are afraid of him.ย The anger heโs feelingย here is leagues above what the Beast Duo experienced when he found out they smashed his Roxy figurine. And while that incident was played with humorous intent in mind, the show takes this moment dead serious. Having shut himself off from everyone in his first life, the idea that something happened to make Norn do the same is enough to drive him berserk.
I will be blunt: as much as I love seeing Rudeus better himself, in this moment, I was afraid of him. If he ever went off the deep end, Few people in the world could be capable of stopping him.
The anger does not last long, though. After โaskingโย herย class and teacher, the horrible realty sets in for him.ย Norn was never bullied by anyone; itโs worse.ย They wouldnโt stop comparing her to her brother.ย
If it were as simple as someone threatening her, Rudeus could handle things with little effort. But once he hears that heโs the reason Norn has shut down, Rudeus doesnโt know what to do. In his first life, his older brother tried to get through to him, but he was too stubborn to listen. Now, circumstances have put him in his brothers position, and beyond going to her room to visit her, he doesnโt know what to do. You can practically feel the frustration pouring out of him as he tries to get her to doโฆsomething. Anything.
And this is where the story does the best thing it could hope to do: it gives us Nornโs perspective.
Norn Has a Lot of Complicated Feelings about Her Older Brother
#mushokutensei Big bro Rudeus raced to be by his sisters side, eager to save her from being a shut-in. it was insightful seeing the events from Norms perspective, Im glad she cleared up misunderstandings of her brother, Too wholesome.#็ก่ท่ปข็pic.twitter.com/hRYPguDLwP
For so long, Norn has had no idea what to think of Rudeus. When she first met him, she saw him hitting their father, not understanding why. It didnโt matter if Paul told her afterwards that he started things. When youโre a little kid and you see someone hurting your parents, you tend to think of them as a bad person. No amount of explaining from the adults can change that.
Then, when Norn came to live with him, she saw him drunk and carrying a woman she didnโt remember, looking so happy. Meanwhile, their dad was running himself ragged trying to find their Mom. That only made her opinion of him even worse.
Then, when she asked to live in the dorms, Norn expected Rudeus to get angry at her. But when he agreed, she thought he saw her as in his way.
And then came her start at Ranoa U, when everyone learned she was Rudeusโ sister. No one, be they students or teachers, saw her as Norn Greyrat. All they saw when they looked at her was the sister of the strongest person at school. Everywhere she went, all she could hear was her brotherโs name, and it started to make her physically ill.
This Episode Almost Left Me in Tears
Sweet mercy, Norn deserves all the hugs in the world.
I knew going into this that Norn had a serious inferiority complex, but even after reading the light novels and manga, I still wasnโt prepared for the tearjerker we got. Norn has no clue what to think of her brother. At first, she was afraid of him, and then she thought he didnโt care about her. Then people wouldnโt stop comparing her to them. She wants to reach out to him, but, like Rudeus, she doesnโt know what to do.
I donโt remember who made the first move in the novels. But, even so, Iโm glad that it was Rudeus that did so. Even though he doesnโt know what to do or how to help his sister, he still tries to reach out to her. He may never tell anyone why, but he knows what itโs like to shut yourself off from the world. And he never wants his family to go through the same experience.
I donโt really know how to transcribe the thoughts and feelings in my head as I saw the siblingโs reconciliation. Some things are just tooโฆcomplex to form into words. But, seeing Rudy sit down and hold his sister as she cried her eyes outโฆI could feel myself starting to cry.ย
— Andrew (OtakuSpirit) (@OtakuSpirited) May 5, 2024
After that day, Rudeus and Norn are finally able to be brother and sister. Norn managed to work her feelings out all on her own, something that her brother canโt help but be amazed at. He even admits that if he had been half as strong as her in his first life, maybe things wouldnโt have turned out the way they did.
I will never understand why people donโt like the time Mushoku Tensei spends at Ranoa University. Itโs not as exciting as Rudyโs trip around the world, but the drama and emotional moments are incredible.ย Andย itโs moments like this thatย are some of the best in the entire series.ย In fact,ย I think this might be the best episode of the season to date.ย
And for those who want to see more of the action we got in season oneโฆbe careful what you wish for, everyone.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2, Ep 16 Review
Itโs been said that one of the hardest jobs in the world is being a parent. Even if theyโre good at it, a parent can still make mistakes and do things that will make their kids hate them, sometimes forever. And even though theyโre his sisters, not his kids, the fact that Rudeus was tasked by their dad to look after them makes him and Sylphie their guardians. And, as Rudeus realizes, theyโve both come with some emotional baggage.
Rudy and Ruijerd Reunited!
The episode starts off on a rather positive note , with Rudeus more than happy to have reunited with his old friend, Ruijerd. The feeling is mutual as the two spend time talking and reminiscing about their travels well into the night. However, things get awkward when Ruijerd addresses the elephant in the room: whereโs Eris? And Rudy simply explains how she ran out on him.
To his credit as a person and a fictional character, and as someone who looked after them for three years, Ruijerd demonstrates how well he knows Rudy and Eris. Even without him going into all the details, Ruijerd deduces that Eris’ departure is a mutual misunderstanding. He knows that Rudy can overthink things, while Eris isn’t good at using her words. Combine the two things, and a disaster was going to happen. Nonetheless, Rudy does take Ruijerdโs advice into account if Eris ever comes back.
That doesnโt change things for Rudeus, though. Intentional or not, Eris broke Rudyโs heart and put him into a depression that lasted years. If Eris comes back, and we know she will, sheโs going to have to do a lot of apologizing. The kind that a single night canโt fix.
Rudeus is a Parent Now
After Ruijerd leaves the next morning, Rudy and Sylphie begin their lives as guardians for Norn and Aisha. And as smart as he is, Rudeus isnโt prepared to be a parent.
As Rudeus quickly learns, being a parent to her sisters is hard, especially when said sisters come with emotional baggage.
after the marriage stuff it look like these next few eps will focus on the family dynamic. Ive seen ppl say its been boring but they could spend the entire szn on some chill & wholesome shit like this & I'd be all for it. Def more entertaining than Part 1 of szn 2 #mushokutenseipic.twitter.com/8FRrDcabYj
First, we have Aisha. On the surface, Aisha seems to have no issues. Sheโs self-sufficient, extroverted, and rivals her brother in brains. When Rudy tries to enroll her in Ranoa U., she proceeds to get perfect marks. The girl not only proved school was a waste of time, but she got her GED!
Itโs when it comes to Norn that her issues come to light. While Rudeus was going on his odyssey, Norn and Aisha stayed at Zenithโs mothers house. And they didnโt take kindly to having a bastard child outshine Norn. That only led Aisha to work even harder to become better than Norn, which only made things worse. Rinse, repeat, family drama ensues.
She doesnt get as much focus this episode as Norn does, but itโs great that the anime didnโt skip out on Aishaโs own problems or how Rudeus tries to address them. He knows how easy it could for her to let her talents go to waste, and that he needs to discourage any notion of her being inferior because of who she is.
Aisha is the easy one, though. Itโs Norn that is Rudeus biggest concern.
Norn Still Doesn’t Like Rudeus
Letโs cut to the chase: Norn doesnโt like her big brother. Given how the first time she met her brother, he was beating the daylights out of their Dad, you canโt blame her for having a negative impression. It didnโt matter if Paul told her that heโs the one who started it. Many kids donโt get the nuance to it at that age. And seeing him to a girl she doesnโt know (she doesnโt really remember Sylphie) doesnโt help matters. Coupled with how her sister keeps outshining her, and the first chance Norn gets, she wants to live in the dorms at Ranoa U. She wants her space from her brother and sister. And Rudy gives it to her, thinking respecting her space will help her open up.
One month later, Nornโs still distant from Rudeus. Then, Lilna and Pursena make things worse. They steal the panties from every first-year girl at Ranoa U and give them to Rudeus as an offering! And while the anime doesnโt explain further, their troll logic is this:
Boss keeps panties as holy relic and prays to them.
Boss worships panties
Bring boss panties=happy boss!
I know they meant well, and that Rudy shouldโve explained that he worships the person those panties belonged to, not the panties themselves, but those two idiots went too far. And, it may not say it out loud, but itโs heavily implied that one of those girls was Norn.
They should count themselves lucky that Rudeus isnโt a violent person and cleared things up with Ariel. Otherwise, they might have had to deal with another inquisition.
For these reasons, and for ones that will come to light next episode, this episode ends with Norn shutting herself off in her room. Itโs too much for her!
Parenting 101 is a Hard Class to Pass
Being a parent is never easy, something that Rudeus has had to come to terms with this episode. If he wants to have any chance of repairing the bond with his sister, then he needs to get through to her. Now. That being said, itโs these slower moments that really make Mushoku Tensei a cut above most Isekai. This series takes the time to flesh out its characters, to great success. Now, get ready for the next episode. Itโs going to beโฆemotional.
ใEnding Themeใ Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2 Ep 15 Review
You know what I love about Mushoku Tensei? How itโs never afraid to shy away from serious topics. Conflict between parents and children, depression, lingering trauma, and the importance of bonds to keep us going in bleak times. Rudeus has experienced all these before, and he will again, so he knows how serious it can be when someone they know is going through the same thing. When Nanahoshiโs attempts to go home hit another roadblock and pushed her to the breaking point, Rudeus knew he had to step in and do something. No one should go through life alone, after all.
Nanahoshi Almost Loses it
Life is going well for Rudeus right now.ย Heโsย got aย giant house, plenty of friends at school, isย married to his best friend, and plenty of money to spend.ย To top it off, he gets a letter from Paul sayingย theyโreย going to find Zenith, soย theyโreย sending his sisters to live withย him. Life is going well forย him.ย But whileย heโsย happy as a clam, Nanahoshi is falling further and further into despair.
Nanahoshi has been working for years now to find a way to return home to Japan, wanting nothing to do with this other world. Sheโs poured everything into learning how magic circles work to get home. Sheโs worked so hard trying to get it to work, only to keep coming up short. Andโฆshe snaps from this.
What i can say is Mushoku Tensei delivered it again with Nanahoshi ๐ story. Ik there's so much skip from LN but it's already good. Imagine if they adapted everything from LN.pic.twitter.com/5gwJUTMUPs
— ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ โ (@jackcibo) April 22, 2024
Like I said, this show doesnโt pull its punches on serious issues, and it does a great job of portraying Nanahoshiโs breakdown in a realistic manner. Her destroying part of her lab was disturbing enough. Seeing her pass out from exhaustion is concerning, as is her disheveled state after waking up. What makes things straight-up nightmare fuel is when Sylphie finds a dagger on Nanahoshiโs person.
The look on Rudeusโ face says it all. He knows what Nanahoshi might do with that dagger if left alone. Itโs a haunting reminder of how bad things got for him after Eris left and Sara dumped him.
Intervention time. Now!
No One Has to Do Everything Alone
I really love the depiction of depression in the Mushoku Tensei anime, as someone who's been there before I really feel represented lol. pic.twitter.com/HOqLgOswji
Knowing how suicidal Nanahoshi is right now, Rudeus has her stay at his place while he works with his friends to figure out a solution to this roadblock. And while they donโt entirely understand what sheโs trying to do beyond getting home, sometimes one doesnโt need to fully understand the finer details to come up with good ideas. Taking inspiration from their research on the doll they found, Cliff and Zanoba manage to come up with a few ideas on what to do. After that, they show them to Nanahoshi, and it seems to do the trick. She gets that fire back in her eyes. Not long afterwards, her second attempt manages to pull something over from Earth!
As exciting as this small victory is, what matters more is the message the story is trying to convey: trying to do things alone, no matter how good you are, can eventuallyย end in failure. In addition, oneย shouldnโtย shut themselves away from everyone, especially whenย theyโreย in pain like Nanahoshi.ย Itโsย only thanks to Rudeus going through similar experiences that he realized how bad things had gotten. If heย hadnโtย intervened, Nanahoshi might have killed herself.ย
One Crisis Averted…Another One Shows Up
Real talk, though: Nanahoshiโs breakdown can hit very close to home for some people watching this. Maybe theyโve gone through something similar, like what they do wonโt amount to anything or keep failing at something. Or maybe they know someone whoโs been through something like that. Theyโre not alone, nor should they think that they are. There are people who care about them and will help them, if theyโre brave enough to reach out.
Ultimately, it looks like the lesson sticks with Nanahoshi. She still may hate the world she got pulled into, but at least she knows that sheโs not alone there anymore. Crisis averted, Rudeus! And just in time for another one to pop up.
Special ED performed by Nanahoshi (Shion Wakayama)
Remember the letter from Paul about Rudyโs sisters coming to live with him? The episode ends with them finally arriving, and while Aisha is overjoyed to see himโฆNorn still doesnโt like him. So, heโs going to have to deal with that soon. The one silver lining is that the person who escorted them there is an old friend: Ruijerd!
As great as it is to see Ruijerd again, it will also make things awkward when he notices Eris is absent. This will happen sooner or later, though. Good luck ripping that bandaid off, Rudy!
There comes a time in every nation or big organization where the way things work stops working. When they need to chart a new course, evolve, or else they die. In the worst cases, a disillusioned member of that group could decide to burn the whole thing to the ground and start fresh. And, as the penultimate episode of NinjaKamui indicates, the Ninja have reached that point under Yamaji. And the only one who can bring him down for good is Higan. Otherwise, the whole world will be swallowed by the shadows of the Ninja.
Time to Burn it All Down
As Higan continues to rest from his fight with Zai, he’s visited by the same old doctor who treated his wounds in Episode 2. Except it’s revealed that he isn’t just any elder. His true identity is that of the former Chief of the Ninja before Yamaji seized power. And much like Higan, Aska, Mari, and many others, he thinks its time for the Ninja to either end or be born anew.
This episode delves deeper into the backstory of the Ninja as an organization, and how they defended their native Japan for centuries from the shadows. However, as Japan prospered, they stopped relying on the Ninja to aid them in favor of other groups. The Chief saw the writing on the wall: if they didn’t adapt, they would die out, but he couldn’t see another path beyond the cold, rigid code the Ninja followed. Until he saw Higan, Mari, and Zai embrace their emotions to make them stronger. And he thought that, maybe, that was the future the Ninja could take.
Yamaji is a Stubborn Fool
Yamaji, though, thought the opposite. Instead of embracing change, Yamaji led a coup, nearly killed the Chief, and decided to double-down on their strict code, which led them to work for AUZA. But as the series has demonstrated, that way of thinking won’t help them survive, but hasten their doom.
— Badgerclops ๐๏ธ๐๐ต๐ธ๐ (@BadgercIops) April 28, 2024
Case in point, Dilly, the Ninja protecting Joseph, grew to admire his crazy plans to change the world, and chose him over Yamaji. Ultimately, the conflict of Ninja Kamui could be boiled down to a conflict of tradition vs. change. And in this case, the traditionalists like Yamaji are in the wrong.
It might be too late to save the Ninja from themselves, though.
Joseph, AUZA, and the Ninja Just got Busted
Joseph may have gotten away with his life thanks to Dilly’s sacrifice, but AUZA just got backed into a corner. While he was busy running, James managed to blow the whistle on AUZA by uploading all the dirt Emma/Aska had on them. Illegal activities, the Ninja, the names of high-ranking government officials, everything. And Morris is able to use that to turn the FBI on AUZA.
— Badgerclops ๐๏ธ๐๐ต๐ธ๐ (@BadgercIops) April 28, 2024
Then, Joseph ups the ante by threatening to rig his companies’ reactors to blow sky-high unless the government calls off the hunt for him. And to add even further to the chaos, Yamaji makes his move. Using an army clad in Gusoku Gear, the Ninja drop all forms of stealth and openly attack the US Government. And that’s only the start. Once they’re done in America, they’ll move onto the rest of the world, and with their Gusoku Gear, the world will fall.
— Badgerclops ๐๏ธ๐๐ต๐ธ๐ (@BadgercIops) April 28, 2024
The Final Battle is at Hand!
Bravo, E&H Production, Sola Entertainment, and Sungwoo Park. This is the kind of stakes that I have been wanting to see. An army of evil Ninja out for world domination? Using mech suits? That is all kinds of awesome! It’s actually a pity that next week marks the finale to NinjaKamui, because it just got really, really good. I’m looking forward to seeing the finale, though!
The story of Ninja Kamui is coming down to the wire, and things are getting desperate for all sides. Higan and Zai are settling their grudge match, the FBI is hunting Morris, and James is working on getting access to the intel that Emma/Aska stole from AUZA. On the other side, the tension between AUZAโs Joseph and Yamaji ends in the only way it could: with both turning on each other. And by the time the episode ends, the only one in control of anything is Yamaji himself.
A Meeting of Fists and Ideals
There can be more to fighting than an exchange of fists and weapons. Fighting can be about the ideals, the motivations behind the people who are doing it. And much like Naruto and Sasukeโs numerous clashes, the fight between Higan and Zai is less about winning and more about whose side is right. Was Higan right to abandon the Ninja? Was Zai right to remain loyal to Yamaji despite him taking them away from their original ways? Their fight is as much a battle of ideals as it is their fists, and it is epic.
Higan and Zai both put everything on the line as they fight for their ninja ways, with Zai making it known how betrayed he felt by Higan and Mari leaving him. In return, Higan says that they wanted to one day see there could be a life outside the Ninjas, but he was too blinded by anger to listen to them. Mari even hoped that seeing their son would make him realize this.
Ultimately, the battle itself ends in a draw with neither dead. Given how Zai walks away and starts pounding his fist into ground and crying, though, itโs safe to say that Higan won the argument. Zai has spent his whole life blinded his anger and pain, and pushed away the two people who cared about him as more than just a weapon. Yamaji and the other Ninjas, in contrast, not only berated Zai for not stopping them, but scarred his face as punishment. Thatโs messed up!
— Badgerclops ๐๏ธ๐๐ต๐ธ๐ (@BadgercIops) April 21, 2024
Meanwhile, even as AUZA needs its plans to control the world from the shadows, schisms have already formed between them and the Ninjas. Having become aware of Yamaji planning to manufacture the Gusoku Gear on their own, Joseph tries to put them in their place by killing them all.
Yamaji, in return, makes it painfully clear who the Devil is in their deal, and itโs not Joseph.
If the previous episode didnโt make it clear, this episode does: Yamaji was just using Joseph and AUZA to make the Ninja more powerful. They only wanted the resources to make the Gusoku gear for themselves, and now that they have it, theyโre leaving. And they come close to killing Joseph as they do so. As big of a jerk as he is, a part of you canโt help but feel a little bad seeing him panicking when his bodyguard, Dilly, seemingly throws him out a window. He survives, but still.
They Have to Leak the Documents!
In the c-plot of the episode, we also have James and Morris finally unlocking the intel that Emma left for them. And it was all thanks to the drawing that Morissโ daughter made for him having her fingerprints. However, to buy time, Moriss gets caught by the police. If they canโt expose AUZA now, then Moriss can look forward to spending his retirement in prison.
— Badgerclops ๐๏ธ๐๐ต๐ธ๐ (@BadgercIops) April 21, 2024
There are two episodes left after this, and things are coming down to the wire. Will any of the characters make it past the finish line? Will Higan avenge his wife and son? The tension is building, and I donโt know if it can be resolved in the short time the show has left.
— Badgerclops ๐๏ธ๐๐ต๐ธ๐ (@BadgercIops) April 21, 2024
On a side note, Toonami took the time from this episode to promote the upcoming prequel game, Ninja Kamui: Shinobi Origins. The game looks to be an action side-scroller, and for $24.99, it looks decent. The game releases May 30th, so the anime will still be fresh in peopleโs minds. Maybe Iโll give it a try.
You remember watching Naruto and remembering how angsty and rage-driven Sasuke was? That led him to abandon the Hidden Leaf Village and study under a criminal for years, and it only escalated from there. Now imagine if it was the reverse that happened. Instead of Sasuke leaving, it was Naruto and Sakura who left instead? That is a basic explanation of what Zai went through when Mari and Higan left, and why heโs so determined to bring Higan down. And with AUZA and Yamajiโs plans getting closer to fruition, the time to settle this grudge draws near.
Everyone is Sadder than Ever
In the aftermath of Emmaโs death, her friends are left reeling and trying to figure out what to do next. Ideally, they want to expose AUZA using everything that Emma/Aska got from their servers. However, there are two big problems facing them. Firstly, Emma left everything encrypted and only she knew how to decrypt it. Secondly, AUZA managed to be one step ahead of them. They already revealed that their reactors were โattacked by terrorists.โ Now any attempts to whistleblow on them could get passed off as fake news or covered up altogether. The worst part is that Morrisโ best plan to take them down, using what few people in the FBI he thinks arenโt on their payroll, doesnโt work. His former partner tries to turn him in.
— Badgerclops ๐๏ธ๐๐ต๐ธ๐ (@BadgercIops) April 14, 2024
Whether AUZA can even be brought down remains to be seen. However, the more immediate issue is Yamaji and Zai.
Zai’s Life is SO SAD!!
I said before that Zai took Higan and Mariโs defection personally due to the bond they forged. However, I underestimated just how personal it was for him, as this episodeโs flashbacks reveal. Unlike Higan and Mari, he wasnโt born into the Ninja, but was recruited.
— Badgerclops ๐๏ธ๐๐ต๐ธ๐ (@BadgercIops) April 14, 2024
He was an unwanted orphan held prisoner by a group that Yamaji brought down. Seeing how angry at the world the boy was, Yamaji took him in with the obvious intent of using him as a deadly tool. And for the most part, he succeeded. Zai was a ruthless killer who didnโt care about anyone else. Until their first mission together when Higan saved his life. It was likely the first act of kindness Zai ever got towards him.
That’s why Zai hates Higan so much. He and Mari were the first people he was ever able to open up to and be vulnerable with. He trusted them, and when they saw how corrupt Yamaji was making the Ninja and left, he took it as a personal betrayal. That led him to double down on his previous beliefs that no one else mattered, and itโs why he needed to kill Higan with his own hands.
Itโs like Naruto and Sasuke, but with the roles reversed. And theyโre about to have their final showdown.
One More Duel
In the closing moments of the episode, Higan receives a challenge via crow from Zai. While Morris tries to find someone to take the leaked intel and James stays safe, Higan dons the Kamui, travels to a hidden Ninja hideout, and faces Zai for what will likely be the final time.
— Badgerclops ๐๏ธ๐๐ต๐ธ๐ (@BadgercIops) April 14, 2024
Sadly, we will have to wait another week to see the fight in full, if it lasts that long. However, while this fight might be the most personal one that Higan faces, his ultimate enemy remains Yamaji. Even though heโs letting AUZA and that smarmy executive give him orders, the episode makes it clear that hes making plans to double-cross him. Hes been working on getting the schematics for the Gusoku gear so the Ninjas can make them themselves, so heโs likely been playing them this whole time. As much as AUZA needs to go down, the idea of a corrupt group of Ninjas having that kind of suit is just as bad, if not worse. And, as it turns out, I misread the number of episodes. Three episodes actually remain, and Iโm hoping the series reaches a good conclusion before all is said and done.
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