Anime

Welcome Back to the Life of Rudeus Greyrat!

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

A Candid Recap of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, Pt. 2

Last time on Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, a fat, miserable shut-in got himself thrown onto the streets by his family. After saving a group of teens from the dreaded Truck-Kun, this bum found himself Isekaied and reborn into a world filled with magic, magical species, and more. Now going by Rudeus Greyrat, this guy’s ready to live life to the fullest and make the most out of this second chance. He starts learning magic, gets himself a waifu teacher that looks like a loli and becomes a certified badass. He even calls himself a best friend in the form of a cute elf-girl named Sylphie. But if he wants to succeed in life, he’s got to enroll in a big magic school.

Since his new Dad will only pay for him to enroll and not Sylphie, Rudeus decides he needs to get a job. So his Dad, Paul, pulls some strings and calls him a job working as a tutor at their distant relative’s home. He also knocks him out, lets their bodyguard/his former adventuring buddy, Ghislaine, take him, and leaves a letter saying, “Hey Rudy, don’t come back home for five years. You and Sylphie need to learn to be self-sufficient and not rely on each other. Otherwise, it isn’t gonna end well. Oh, and no writing letters either.” 

So, Rudeus leaves home for the first time. How will he fare with his new job? Will this end up being too much for him? And will we learn how scary a tsundere can be? Find all this and more in part two of my recap of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation!

Eris, the Tsundere to End all Tsundere’s

Now, besides having to teach Ghislaine essential learning, Rudeus’ main job will be to teach the head of the Boreas’ house granddaughter, Eris Boreas Greyrat. Everyone tells her that Eris is “a little willful,” but nothing that Rudeus can’t handle…right?

Now, in anime, there are tsunderes. They’re characters that act harsh and abrasive before warming up to others. Then there’s Eris. She’s not just a tsundere. She’s a tsundere cranked up to eleven. She’s like if you fused Asuka from Evangelion with Jotaro Kujo from JoJo’s. She yells at Rudeus, talks down to him since he’s younger, and when retaliates her response. Beat the ever-loving crap out of him!

Like, for real, no cap; she’s so scary that even the adults are afraid of her. Despite the beatdown he’ll get, though, Rudeus refuses to go crawling back to his Dad and be like, “Wah, Dad! I couldn’t handle that demon spawn from the depths of Hell!” Nah, he’s got a better idea to get her to respect him: he pretends to get them both kidnapped.

No, I’m being serious. He talks to Eris’ parents, and they decide to hire some actors to pretend to kidnap them. Then Rudeus can save them both and show her the importance of knowledge. Except it goes haywire. One of their servants decides to kidnap them for real and sell Eris off to some pervert. Luckily, Rudeus still manages to bust them out, and then Ghislaine comes in clutch and wastes one of the kidnappers. She blows his head off, and there’s blood all over the ground in front of Rudeus. It’s traumatizing for him!

So, after his brilliant plan goes haywire, Rudeus decides to dip out, thinking he failed. But then Eris dials the tsundere back enough to admit that he’s not as worthless as she thought and that she’ll allow him to tutor her. Bet.

Being a Professional Tutor Comes With Perks

So after this rough start, Rudeus settles into the Boreas household, serving as a tutor to Eris and Ghislaine. He’s teaching them how to read, write and Eris how to use magic. And despite being utterly terrifying and using him as a punching bag when he’s being a pervert, the two become friends.

Eventually, the time comes for Eris’ tenth birthday. Now, in this world, birthdays aren’t celebrated yearly. The big ones are at 5, 10, and 15 when you’re considered an adult. So her Grandpa, Sauros, who Eris gets a lot of her personality from, throws this big bash to show Eris off to everyone…except Eris sucks at dancing. But Rudeus steps in and somehow teaches her how to dance and sweep her off her feet at her party. 

Happy Birthday, Rudy!

Two more years pass, and it’s Rudeus’ 10th birthday. So Eris gets everyone to throw this big surprise party for him that he totally knows about. But he still acts like he’s moved to tears by the whole thing. He does get sad for real, though, when he finds out his parents couldn’t visit due to monsters acting up. But then, out of nowhere, Eris’ mom glomps on him and is like, “Forget about them, sweetie! We’ll be your family now, and you can marry my daughter to make it official!” And Eris and Rudeus are both like, “WHAT!?!?” Other than that (and Sauros saying he’ll kill Rudeus’ uncle and make him the head of his family branch), the parties are great. Eris even gets Rudeus this cool new staff called Aqua Heartia.

But then her Dad pulls Rudeus aside and says, “Hey, man. We were being serious about all that stuff before. Join our team, and we’ll help you become the head of your family’s branch. Heck, I’ll even let you have my daughter.”

Remember that Rudeus’ is only ten, and Eris is twelve. But this is a medieval world with Game of Thrones vibes, so they don’t bat an eye at this. Heck, Mr. Greyrat even tries to have Eris seduce Rudeus that night. Thankfully, since Rudeus pushes her too far, Eris acts like Eris and slaps him to his senses. They both apologize, and Eris says, “Look, Rudeus. Let’s put a rain check on this for now. We’ll return when we’re both adults in five years and see what happens.”

And Rudeus is like, “AWWW, YEAH!!! EVERYTHING’S COMING UP, RUDEUS!! MIGHT HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN ERIS AND SYLPHIE, BUT WHO CARES?!”

Too bad for him; his whole life changes the next day.

The First Turning Point

Now, I know what you’re all thinking: what’s so special about this Isekai? What sets it apart from the other light-hearted ones we’ve seen? While the show hasn’t had the highest stakes for the first seven episodes, that’s just to lull us into a false sense of security. Because, at this point, the story takes a complete 180. 

So, for months now, this weird, magical sphere thing’s been hovering above the capital of the Fittoa region. And no one knows what it’s doing there. It just keeps sitting there, all mysterious, while these weird storm clouds gather around it. So, the day after Rudeus’ birthday, he, Eris, and Ghislaine head off to test out his new staff, and it hits the fan. First, this weird guy shows up and tries to kill Rudeus. Then, that sphere explodes into this column of light! Before anyone can figure out what’s happening, they’re all engulfed in this thing, with Rudeus barely managing to grab onto Eris before they get hit!

And this ends the first turning point in Rudeus Greyrat’s life.

Oh, You Thought this was a light-hearted Isekai?

So, if you thought this would be some light-hearted Isekai, think again. Everything that you just read or watched was setting up everything for what’s to come. From here on out, expect Rudeus’ life to become a lot more dangerous and filled with a lot more trials and tribulations. That’s part of what sets Mushoku Tensei apart from a lot of other Isekai. It’s a slow burn at first, but the story gets a lot more interesting once it takes off. 

Please tune in for the next part as we cover what happened to Rudeus and Eris as they get thrust into an adventure neither of them expected as their lives are changed forever.

Muichiro Unlocks his Tragic Past…and New Powers

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba S3, Ep 8 Review

They say when you’re about to die, your life starts flashing before your eyes. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but it’s always a good plot device in fiction. Besides serving as a means to remind people of key moments in a character’s life, it also helps explain more about how they ended up the way they are now. In this case, we get to see the life of Muichiro Tokito and learn what made him into the Hashira he is now. The obtuse, potentially thoughtless Hashira we’ve come to know.

This Was My Life…and it Sucked!

Even though he managed to free himself from the water pot thanks to Kotetsu, Muichiro’s in no better shape. Those needles Gyokko and the fish Demons hit him with were poison. As a result, he’s still on the verge of passing out right as the low-level grunt Demons swarm around him.

And this is the moment where Muichiro remembers all of his traumatic past. It soon becomes apparent why his mind chose to suppress the memories, though.

When he was younger, he was the son of a kind and compassionate woodcutter, and he took a lot after his father. However, tragedy struck their family when his mother died from an illness brought on by overworking herself. In addition, his father died trying to find herbs that could’ve helped her. He lost both his parents in one day, leaving him an orphan and alone.

Alone, that is, except for this twin brother.

Yuichiro and Muichiro Needed Therapy!

In essence, Yuichiro, in order to cope with the loss of his parents, shut himself off from the world and not caring about anyone else, thinking that it would keep himself and his brother alive. That’s why even though the wife of the head of the Demon Slayer Corps came to recruit them since they were descendants of one of their members, he kept turning her away. However, that proved to be a massive mistake when a Demon came to kill them both. 

 

In what can only be described as a fit of primal rage brought on by the urge to survive, Muichiro somehow managed to kill the Demon. The episode leaves the details a mystery, with not even the future Hashira knowing. What is known, though, is that Yuichiro didn’t survive the attack. In his final moments, the boy prayed to the heavens for forgiveness for his misguided attempts to protect his brother, something Muichiro witnessed. 

No wonder Muichiro developed amnesia! He might have gone insane had this not happened.

 

Awakening a New Power and Wasting Gyokko

As painful as his past was, remembering it did help Muichiro in the long run. As a result of this near-death experience trigger his dormant memories, the Hashira unlocks a new level of power. His face gains markings similar to the ones displayed by Tanjiro in his fights against Demons. Without going into spoiler-territory, it’s safe to say that these marks are the Demon Slayer equivalent to the Super Saiyan. Once he gains them, Muichiro wastes all the fish Demons to save Kotetsu, then turns his attention to the distracted Gyokko.

What follows is the beginning of a fight that, once again, shows off Demon Slayer’s greatest asset: it’s animation. The animation becomes smoother, crisper, and breath-taking to look at. That’s the anime’s way of showing that the stakes are higher than normal, and that we’re going to see things get destroyed, as Gyokko soon learns.

The fight’s between the Mist Hashira and the psychotic artist Gyokko isn’t over yet, but I can already see the writing on the wall: Muichiro’s going to win. 

This was another great episode of Demon Slayer, but I do have one complaint: the meaning of the episode’s title. It’s referring to how the Kanji for ‘Mu’ in Muichiro can have two meanings, according to his late brother: incompetence…and infinite or infinity. However, that loses a little meaning in translation to Western Audiences. Chalk that up to cultural differences, I suppose.

I Give “The ‘Mu’ in Muichiro” a 4/5

Also, this is a quick reminder that the dub for this season of Demon Slayer is now airing on Crunchyroll. If you’ve been waiting to watch it dubbed, then now’s the time to start!

‘My Clueless First Friend’ is Hilariously Endearing!

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My Clueless First Friend Initial Review by RJ Writing Ink

Have you ever had that one friend that’s so different from you? You question why your friend’s in the first place. Or you’ve seen a show about a gloomy person who has a super happy and upbeat person decide to be friends with them? Better yet, have you seen fictional protagonists who can win over the most closed-off people by being so kind, no matter how dumb they are? Combine all those concepts into one, and you get the anime “My Clueless First Friend.”

The result: something so hilarious, sweet, and heartwarming that you can’t help but smile!

The Shy Grim Reaper and the Embodiment of Kindness

My Clueless First Friend revolves around Akane Nishimura, this shy Elementary School girl. Because of how creepy her eyes look, everyone makes jokes about her, saying that she’s a “Grim Reaper” and that if they hang around her, they’ll get cursed! As a result, she has no friends and is very lonely in her life. 

One day, a new transfer student, Taiyo Takada, this hyperactive, extroverted bundle of energy, shows up and hears about her nickname. His response? “THAT’S THE COOLEST THING EVER!!!!” Thus, Takada latches onto Nishimura like glue, becomes her first friend, and helps to bring her out of her lonely shell.

And for a long time, he’s convinced that Nishimura’s an actual Grim Reaper! He’s so clueless that any attempts to make him understand this go through one ear and out the other. 

Taiyo Takada, the CHAD Chuunibyo

To understand the thought process of someone like Taiyo Takada, one must understand what a ‘Chuunibyo’ is. A Chuunibyo, or ‘chuuni’, is a kid who usually acts all high-and-mighty, makes dramatic speeches about stuff, and may or may not believe they have special powers. Now, Taiyo himself would be a loose example of this. While he’s prone to being melodramatic and wears his emotions on his sleeve, he doesn’t think he has special powers. However, after hearing everyone call Akane a Grim Reaper, he’s convinced she does. And where other kids find that scary, he thinks that’s the coolest thing in the world. 

It gets even crazier from there. No matter how many times people try to bully him for hanging out with Akane, he doesn’t let it get to him. He’s so pure-hearted that he fails to grasp the idea that someone’s insulting him or Akane. As a result, he takes every bad thing someone says as a compliment, throwing said bullies so far off their game they just leave. 

In other words, Taiyo’s a clueless idiot. But he’s also the best friend anyone could ever ask to have, especially Akane. He doesn’t even realize it, but it’s clear early on that he’s gotten Akane to fall for him. I love this kid! It helps that his dub VA is Madeline Morris, who also does Rudeus for Mushoku Tensei.

Akane Nishimura, the Cutest Introvert You’ll Ever Meet

On the other end of the duo, we have Akane Nishimura, the girl everyone calls the Grim Reaper. Because of the way her eyes look, her classmates cruelly taunt her and give her that nickname, not wanting anything to do with her. As a result, she’s never had any friends, to the point where she lies to her Dad about her school life so he won’t worry. She even tries to tell Taiyo not to hang out with her since she knows everyone else will bully him for it. 

So when all the hints fly over Taiyo’s friend, and he keeps taking that “Grim Reaper” stuff as compliments, she’s thrown for a loop. And the more and more he turns those insults into compliments, the more amazed she gets. It’s pretty clear early on that she’s fallen for him because she won’t stop blushing whenever he says something nice about her. Takada takes the cruel nickname she has and turns it into a term of endearment. This is good because it’s eventually revealed that Nishimura thinks her nickname’s appropriate for sadder reasons.

*Minor Spoiler Warning to Follow*

It’s revealed a few episodes into the show that Nishimura’s Mom died when she was young. To be more precise, she died shortly after giving birth to Akane. While none of her family blames her for it and showers her with love because they know that’s what her mom would want, Akane can’t help but blame herself. She thinks she’s taken her Mom’s place, and it’s why she never liked the Grim Reaper nickname. And poor Taiyo! When he finds that out, he thinks he’s been a horrible person calling her the Grim Reaper. 

Clueless First Friend is Such a Sweet and Heartwarming Anime

This is another spoiler, but Akane eventually tells Taiyo that she doesn’t mind him calling her the Grim Reaper. Through his sheer levels of kindness, he turned the nickname she hated into one of endearment. It’s one of the sweetest things I’ve seen in anime in some time, and it’s why I love My Clueless First Friend.

The world we live in can be harsh, cruel, and unforgiving at times. That’s why it’s important that we remember to treat each other with kindness. With that in mind, I think what Akane and Taiyo have is the kind of friendship everyone should have at least once in their lives. If we had someone like Taiyo Takada in all our lives, the world would be all the better for it. My Clueless First Friend is on my watchlist for the Spring/Summer Anime season of 2023!

The Sad, Sad Story of Genya.

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba S3 Ep 6 Review

So, after the end of the last episode of Demon Slayer, I took the initiative and looked up what the deal was with Genya. I remembered reading how he has this power to absorb a Demon’s strength by eating them, but that’s all I could remember about him. After consulting the Demon Slayer Wikia and an anime channel on YouTuber, though, I found there’s more to Genya than meets the eye. Even though he’s a hot-headed and abrasive guy in the vein of Bakugo, he’s got a very tragic past. As in, it could give what happened to Sasuke a run for his money. 

No wonder he wants to be a Demon Slayer so badly.

So Close to Victory, but Not Quite.

Last week, it looked like Tanjiro and Genya managed to end the split Demons of Hatengu of the Upper Four. All of their heads were separated from their bodies and everything. However, despite this…the Demons don’t die. Their injuries only slow them down, but they’re ready to make Demon Slayer heads roll once they heal.

This is a regular occurrence in Demon Slayer. Right when the Demon Slayers look like they’ve got things in the bag, the Demons pull an ace out of their sleeves. Tanjiro realizes that the main Demon, Hatengu, isn’t dead in this case. Instead of fully splitting into four Demons, Hatengu broke them off his body while he ran and hid. As a result, Hatengu’s body is the size of a mouse and beyond durable. The sword breaks when Genya tries to hit him with his shotgun and sword! How does that make any sense?

Now, Genya’s lost his sword, and one of the emotion Demons is about to run his skull through with their staff. That makes it the perfect time for a flashback! 

The Sad Story of Sanemi and Genya Shinazugawa

I don’t know if it was already explained, but the flashback reveals Genya’s the younger brother of the Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa. AKA the man who stabbed Nezuko in her box before trying (and failing) to goad her into attacking him. The fact that they’re brothers make so much sense, but what happened to them explains why Sanemi was so biased against Nezuko.

Sanemi and Genya’s childhood was fairly horrible. Their father was an abusive deadbeat who died via stabbing on the streets. Their tiny Mother had to care for them and their five brothers and sisters. Since they were the oldest of the two, they had to look out for their Mom and siblings. 

Then, one cruel night while their Mom was out, a monster broke into their home and killed all but Genya and Sanemi. Sanemi forced the monster outside while Genya ran to find a doctor, unable to accept his siblings were dead. Then, as the sun rose, he saw something that made his blood run cold. His brother, Sanemi, stood over their Mother’s bloodied, dead body. Sanemi killed their own Mom! It wasn’t until later that Genya realized that their Mom had been turned into a Demon and killed her own family, forcing Sanemi to kill her in self-defense. Thus, Genya feels like the worst brother ever.

Genya Needs to Open up His Heart to Become a Hashira

I cannot lie: what happened to Genya and Sanemi is messed up. It might be up there with what happened in Sasuke and Itachi’s backstories; it’s that bad! Like Sasuke, Genya blamed his brother for what happened, only to realize that his brother had no choice. It was that or let himself die and, more importantly, let his brother die. In other words, Genya feels like the worst brother ever and thinks Sanemi hates him for it. That’s why he wants to become a Hashira despite being unable to use Breathing techniques. He has to rely on his ability to eat the flesh of Demons and gain their strength. However, determination alone does make someone great. Naruto proves it, Luffy proves it, and Tanjiro proves it. Genya must learn to open his heart again if he wants to succeed.

Genya’s intentions are good, but due to the absolute hell he went through as a kid, he’s closed himself off and become abrasive to everyone. His powers, while cool, can only take him so far. Now compare that to Tanjiro. Despite losing almost his entire family and his sister becoming a Demon, he remains cheerful and friendly. That equates to him making powerful friends and thus overcoming great obstacles, a hallmark of the Shonen genre.

Now, Tanjiro’s kindness even gets through to Genya. Despite wanting to secure the win against an Upper Four, he realizes he can’t do it, but Tanjiro can. So, he lets himself get skewered while allowing Tanjiro find and end Hatengu. It’s the start of good character development.

Once again, Demon Slayer slays with another awesome episode. It might be my preference, but I’ve always been fond of expository flashbacks, so this episode got points. Meanwhile, we still have depraved Demon artist Gyokko holding one Hashira hostage and another defending the Swordsmith Village. If we’re lucky, this arc will end with a fight as cool as the one that leveled the Entertainment District!

I Give “Aren’t You Going to Become a Hashira?” a 4/5

Gyokko is A MENACE to the Arts!

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba S3, Ep 5 Review

One of the big draws to Demon Slayer is how creative the Demons themselves can be. They can range from the ones that can pass for Human to the ones that look like hideous abominations, but they all look interesting. However, I don’t think I’ve seen a Demon as strange or unnerving as that of Gyokko of the Upper Four. Not only does he have mouths where his eyes would be, but Gyokko looks like centipede with stunted limbs! The most disturbing thing about him, though, is his sick, depraved ideas about “art.” If I hadn’t already seen many sick things in fiction, the art of Gyokko might make me puke. 

The Demon Slayers and swordsmiths have their work cut out for them in this fight!

I Now Understand Why Mitsuri Kanroji’s a Waifu

First, though, we need to address the arrival of the Love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji, at the Swordsmith Village. With Tanjiro and the other’s tied down fighting the Upper Four, the Swordsmiths can’t do much to stop the fish Demons from killing them all. However, all that changes when Misturi arrives on the battlefield. We get to see her Love Breathing style first-hand, and it is impressive. It’s strange that her sword’s more of a whip, but the results speak for themselves. She wastes the Demons attacking the villagers and saves the village chief while doing so!

Her crazy strength alone is enough to impress most people. What makes Mitsuri a top-tier waifu is her personality. The first thing she does after saving the village chief is to make sure they’re all right, much to his happiness. She’s a precious treasure, and I’m looking forward to seeing what else she can do in this arc.

Gyokko is One Messed Up Demon

While all of this is happening, Muichiro’s heading to the shed with Kotetsu to get the new sword promised to him by the swordsmith Kozo, only to save the latter en route. By the time the three make it to the shed, though, Gyokko’s already beaten them there in his demonic vases. The Demon’s already creepy enough, but once he decides to show the three his “art” before killing them, it’s enough to make people’s stomachs churn. This Demon has been capturing villagers from the Swordsmith Village in his vases, fusing them, and then spitting them back out as these horrifically grotesque statues! If that wasn’t bad enough, then Gyokko explains in great detail the meaning behind everything like an artist explaining his work to critics, and he does it without caring how he made the thing.

The worst part, though? When Gyokko twists a sword embedded in the thing, the “statue” starts screaming in pain. The people that make up his “art” are still alive and in unspeakable agony! If it weren’t for the fact that I’ve seen messed-up stuff like this before, I might have puked then and there. Muichiro needs to put Gyokko down. He’s not only a threat to humanity, but a menace to art! That might be hard, though, since Gyokko can create magic vases, teleport them wherever he wants, and imprison people in water. 

Tanjiro Unlocks that Shonen Super State!

Meanwhile, Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Genya’s fight against the four Demons that make up Hatengu isn’t going well. The Demons prove to be even stronger when fighting together, as seen when they level the building they were fighting in! Tanjiro gets ready to fight them anyway but is surprised when Nezuko grabs his sword and refuses to let go until it’s coated in her blood. At first glance, it looks like she’s trying to stop him, but then the sword catches fire. Nezuko used her Blood Demon Art to set Tanjiro’s blade on fire! 

A flaming sword’s cool enough as it is, but it’s more than just for coolness points. The blade that Tanjiro and Kotestu found in the training doll was also bright red. The same bright red used by the man Tanjiro’s had dreams of, and what his own sword became in the Entertainment District’s final battle. A lot of Shonen stories have the protagonist’s unlocking some kind of super-powered state at one point or another, and this red sword, combined with that mark on Tanjiro, is the Demon Slayer equivalent. As a result, Tanjiro cuts through three of Hantengu’s selves like a hot knife through butter! Once again, Demon Slayer’s animation proves to be one of its biggest draws.

The Fight Could Go Either Way Right Now

As of now, the Demon Slayers and Demons seem to be in a stalemate. At first glance, it looks like the Demons have the upper hand, but that’s what tends to happen in these fights. The Demon Slayers are always fighting an uphill battle. However, between Mitsuri showing up, Muichiro tying down Gyokko, and Tanjiro’s flaming sword, things could turn in their favor. In addition, one of Hantengu’s persona’s has a memory from Muzan of that swordsman from Tanjiro’s dreams using the same power against him. People who read the manga know what that power is, and what it means that Tanjiro’s unlocked it for the second time now. Muzan has reason to be afraid. 

Thus far, the Swordsmith Village Arc’s shaping up to be just as exciting as the Entertainment District was, if not more. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens, but above all, I want to see Gyokko get what’s coming to him! That Demon must die!

I Give “Bright Red Blade” a 4/5 

Battle for the Swordsmith Village! Demon Slayers and Demons Clash!

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba S3, Ep 4 Review

How did the Demons find the Swordsmith Village in the first place? That’s what I’m asking myself as I watched the new episode of Demon Slayer. The fact that it’s under attack by two members of the Upper Four, though, is just as concerning. However, for all their power, the Demons have themselves a tough time against the likes of Tanjiro, Nezuko, and their allies. What follows is a rather interesting series of battles that sees all the Demon Slayers get a chance to show off their skills. And that includes Nezuko!

Muichiro Does Have a Heart, After All

Despite having a personality akin to sandpaper at first, the last episode proved that underneath all that, Muichiro’s a decent person. He wound up taking Tanjiro’s words about kindness to others to heart. As a result, he saves Kotesu from the fish Demon. What’s more, despite wanting to prioritize the safety of the village over a single person, he agrees to help Kotetsu save Hotaru and his comrade. 

So, Muichiro’s not a bad person. However, this episode also revealed something interesting: he has amnesia. He doesn’t remember much about his past, so the head of the Demon Slayer Corps has been telling him to talk to others. Sometimes, minor moments can trigger a person’s memories. Thus, he jumps back into the fight to save Hotaru, AKA the guy fixing the sword that Tanjiro’s going to need to win.

Speaking of which…

Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Genya vs. the Quadruplet Demons

I’ve seen a number of Demons with bizarre powers in this series, but I wasn’t expecting one that could split into more Demons like Hantengu can. As a result of this ability, now the three are facing off against four Demons, each representing a different emotion of Hantengu: Urogi, Sekido, Karaku, and Aizetsu. At first glance, they all appear to be tougher than them, but that’s usually the case with Demons. Yet thanks to some good old-fashioned swordsmanship and inegunity, Tanjiro still manages to come out on top. Thanks to his wits, Tanjiro discovers that there’s a limit to how many times the Demons can split themselves. In addition, despite being separated from his sister and Genya, he uses Urogi to quickly reunite with his comrades. This is why Tanjiro’s one of the best the Demon Slayer Corps has to offer.

Nezuko, meanwhile, starts struggling against her opponent. On paper, she should be fine, but the more she uses her Demon powers, the greater the risk she has of succumbing to them. Thankfully, Genya manages to cover for her well enough, despite taking a beating himself.

I don’t know that much about Genya, but his fighting style’s unlike any Demon Slayer we’ve seen thus far. He doesn’t use breathing techniques, he uses a shotgun, and he can heal from bad injuries. He’s an interesting character, to be sure. I hope we learn more about him as the arc progresses.

The War has Come to the Swordsmith Village

It doesn’t matter how you slice it, the war against the Demons has come to the Swordsmith Village. Worse, since it’s location is a secret even from the Demon Slayers, there’s no surefire way to get people there in time to help. It’s fortunate that the Love Hashira, Misturi, happens to be nearby and rushes to help. Beyond that, the villagers and the Demon Slayers there are on their own.

I don’t know the full details of what happens, but I do know that something very important happens at the very end of this arc. As such, I’m going to be paying close attention to what happens. Given how this is Demon Slayer, we’re bound to get some jaw-dropping action in the coming episodes. It will be worth it!

I Give “Thank You, Tokito” a 4/5

Tanjiro vs The Super Doll

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba S3, Ep 2 Review

In my review for the season premiere, I missed an important scene at the end of the episode. In it, Tanjiro’s in the woods near the swordsmith’s village when he stumbles upon a man who looks exactly like the one he saw in his dream in the episode. As we see in this episode, that man isn’t a man but a training dummy. A training dummy that puts 21st-century robotics to shame, at that! Modeled in the likeness of a long-dead Demon Slayer, it will help Tanjiro get stronger if he can get past the abrasive Hashira who called dibs on it. The Yoriichi Type Zero doll appears!

Muichiro Tokito, the Sand Paper Hashira

Picking up where the last episode left off, Tanjiro watches as one of the twelve Hashira, Muichiro Tokito, butts heads with this little blacksmith named Kotetsu. Muichiro demands to use the mechanical doll, the Yoriichi Type Zero so that he can get stronger. However, that young blacksmith refuses, not wanting it to get damaged. The Yoriichi doll was made by his ancestors three hundred years ago, and it’s so advanced they don’t know how to repair it if it gets damaged.

Muichiro doesn’t care, though. After knocking Tanjiro out for trying to intervene, the Hashira proceeds to train with it and chops off one of the arms! Muichiro’s officially the Mist Hashira, but he might as well be the Sand Paper Hashira. He’s so abrasive and arrogant he makes the likes of Sasuke, Bakugo, and Vegeta look pleasant in comparison. 

So, Tanjiro and this little boy, Kotetsu, aren’t going to take this disrespect lying down. Even though he’s only ten and knows he can’t fix the doll if it breaks anymore, Kotetsu doesn’t care. He goes full drill sergeant and forces Tanjiro to try without rest or food until he can beat the thing. It gets so bad, Tanjiro has to drink the rainwater to stay upright! 

It’s worth it, though, to fight the Yoriichi doll.

The Six-Armed Demon Slaying Doll

There needs to be a way to discuss the person who the doll was modeled after without spoiling the manga. For now, the important thing to know is that Yoriichi was a Demon Slayer who lived three hundred years ago and was a master swordsman. He was so powerful that swordsmiths had to give the Type Zero doll six arms to capture his skill with a blade fully. In addition, as Tanjiro discovers from his dreams, this man eventually meets Tanjiro’s ancestors. The earrings that Tanjiro wears match the ones Yoriichi wore in the dream. In other words, the Kamado family was close to this man.

That doesn’t do a lot of good for Tanjiro, though. Despite his best efforts, his exhaustion (and Kotetsu’s drill Sgt. behavior) almost get the better of him. However, in true Shonen fashion, pushing himself to his limits lets Tanjiro unlock a new power. And while I don’t understand how smelling the doll’s attacks works, I don’t need to understand it. It allowed him to beat the doll…and break it.

The Perfect Sword for Tanjiro, Courtesy of Yoriichi

As shocking as it was to see the Type Zero doll break thanks to Tanjiro’s training, what’s more, surprising is that a sword is embedded inside the doll. It may have shocked Tanjiro and Kotetsu, but I know why it was in the doll. I guess that Yoriichi himself put the sword inside the doll that bears its likeness as a reward. Anyone strong enough to beat the Yoriichi Type Zero would be good enough to wield the blade within. In other words, it’s likely that the sword’s special. 

Again, I never read the manga, so I am still determining what will happen next. However, I’m willing to bet that that mystery blade will become Tanjiro’s new weapon of choice before this arc ends—the perfect tool to kill Muzan’s evil Demons. 

This season’s gotten off to a slow start, lacking the ecstasy-inducing action we saw in the Entertainment District’s climax. However, once things get underway, Demon Slayer will start breaking the Internet again. I look forward to seeing what happens and learning more about Yoriichi in anime form.

I Give “Yoriichi Type Zero” a 3.5/5

‘Demon Slayer’ Returns for Long-Awaited Swordsmith Village Arc

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba S3, Ep 1 Review

Since its anime debut in 2019, Demon Slayer has risen to international superstardom. With a cast of memorable characters, incredible music, and animation so good it borders on otherwordly, Demon Slayer is one of the biggest names in Shonen anime. So when a new season drops, people pay attention to it, like they are right now.

During the events of the last season, Tanjiro and his comrades emerged from their toughest battle yet in the Entertainment District Arc. That battle reduced the location to rubble and left every Demon Slayer terribly injuries, but it was worth it. For the first time in a century, the Demon Slayers took out one of the feared Upper Six, AKA Muzan’s strongest Demons. The upside is that this could mark a shift in the war between the two factions. The downside? Tanjiro’s broken his sword for the umpteenth time, forcing him to get it repaired. With this as the backdrop, Demon Slayer heads into its third season and the Swordsmith Village Arc.

The Upper Six Demons Terrifying…ly Dysfunctional.

With the death of the Upper Rank Six holders Daki and Gyutaro, the King of Demons Muzan is not happy with his followers. Thus, he summons them to his lair in the Infinity Castle to remind them why they shouldn’t fail him. This marks the first time we see the rest of Upper Rank Six in person, and, in true Demon Slayer form, they’re all horrifying to look at. Their bodies are misshapen and distorted, with one Demon having mouths where his eyes should be and eyes where his mouths should be. They’re the stuff of nightmares!

At the same time, though, one thing becomes clear about the Upper Ranks: they’re on the same side, but they’re not a team. They make constant, mean-spirited jabs at each other…or flat-out try to kill one another. They’re at each other’s throats jockeying for power, and its only the power of Muzan and the Upper Rank One, Kokushibo, that keeps them in line. In short, they give off the impression of beings that, were it not for their powers, would be easy pickings for the Demon Slayers. That, or they would kill each other.

Tanjiro Awakens, and Hilarity Ensues

While all of this is going on, Tanjiro’s been out cold following the fight with Daki and Gyutaro, during which he has a strange dream. He seems a man who looks much like himself, minus the burn scar, speaking with a man wearing the earrings he now wears. Those who read the manga know who these two are and how important they are to the story. Anime-only people, though, have to wait for this to be revealed down the line. In the meantime, Tanjiro wakes up, much to everyone’s joy.

Especially Inosuke. He wouldn’t stop screaming at him to wake up from his spot on the ceiling.

Following yet another rehab session, though, Tanjiro hits a bit of a snag: his sword broke for the umpteenth time. Now the one who forged it is so mad, he’s refusing to make it again. As a result, Tanjiro and Nezuko have to go to the Demon Slayer Corps secret swordsmith village and get it fixed there.

Swordsmith Village: So Secret No One Can Know Where it is!

Calling the swordsmith village a secret is an understatement. It’s the Demon Slayer Corps most closely guarded secret. Without it or its swordsmiths, the Demon Slayer Corps would be unable to create the treasured swords that help them slay Demons. They pull out all the stops to keep its location a secret from everyone, even their own members. I would call this paranoia, but given how dangerous Demons can be, they have good reason to be paranoid.

As someone who takes an interest in historical facts and settings, it was fun seeing what this ancient, revered village looks like. The forging of swords is an art form in Japan, so getting to see it up close, even in an anime, was fun to watch. In addition, this episode also sees the return of the love Misturi Kanroji. Beyond the fanservice, I can see why people like her; she’s nice. In contrast, we also meet Genya, another Demon Slayer who’s rude and abrasive to everyone, including Tanjiro and Nezuko. Both are interesting contrasts.

The Demons Are Going to Find the Swordsmith Village, Aren’t They?

Now, I would normally say that this Swordsmith Village arc is going to be peaceful to counter how explosive the Entertainment District Arc was. However, the fact that this village is so important invites people to target it. In other words, the Demons are coming, and they’re out for blood.

Overall, this was a decent start to the new season. I’m not as devout a follower of Demon Slayer as I am with other anime, but I can see the appeal behind it, and the animation’s amazing. Given everyone’s expectations, I’m hoping that the new season can build on the hype of the last one as we ring in the Spring 2023 season of anime.

Also, Muzan’s a jerk.

I Give “Someone’s Dream” a 3.5/5

Suzume, a Heartfelt Disaster Film by Makoto Shinkai

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Suzume Review

Twelve years ago, Japan found itself wracked by the deadliest earthquake in its history. Tens of thousands lost their lives in the earthquake and tsunami. Hundreds of thousands lost their homes thanks to these things and the nuclear meltdown, and many have never been able to return home. This incident has deeply scarred Japan in recent years, with many only now coming to grips with what happened. Suzume, the latest film from the director of Your Name, Makoto Shinkai, addresses the effects of that great disaster. It does it not in some grandiose fashion, but in a surreal, retrospective way.

Also, there’s a talking chair.

What the Heck is Going On?!?

After a surreal dream, the film Suzume introduces us to our main protagonist, the titular Suzume, a normal high-school girl living in Kyushu with her aunt. Then one day, after meeting this stranger named Souta, she finds this magical doorway in some ruins and picks up the keystone she finds on the other side. However, by doing so, she ends ups freeing this supernatural monster that causes massive earthquakes whenever it gets out. Even weirder, Souta, whose job is to close these doors so this doesn’t happen, gets turned into a chair. Before Suzume can process what’s happening, she’s dragged on this cross-country road trip to find the keystone, turn Souta back to normal, and fix this mess before it can destroy Japan. 

I could not make any of this up even if I tried. Given all of the strange things that can happen in anime, though, a guy getting turned into a chair isn’t the most bizarre thing I’ve seen.

Suzume is a Bizarre, Supernatural/Road trip/Disaster Film

When I was a teenager, I got to read a copy of the nonfiction book Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. It told the real-life story of Chris McCandless, a young man who left his life behind to become a nomad, traveling across the United States before dying in the wilderness in Alaska. While the circumstances of his death are sad, the idea of traveling the world while young has a certain appeal to audiences. Thus, getting to see Suzume take this unplanned trip across most of Japan was an interesting idea. On the surface, she’s doing it to fix her mistake and help Souta, on the inside, she’s doing it to make peace with her traumatic past. 

Without getting into too much detail, Suzume’s revealed to be a survivor of the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami. Twelve years onward, people are still trying to pick up the pieces from that great disaster. One moment, they’re leading normal lives, only for catastrophe to change everything forever. It’s a bitter reminder of how bad things happen without warning, and how easy it is for people to lose what hey hold dear the most. 

I still remember hearing news about the disaster, and its clear that its something that Japan hasn’t forgotten what happened. It also ties back to Shinkai’s previous films, Weathering With You and Your Name. Both of them involved dealing with natural disasters via the supernatural. It was a means of coping with what happened, and a good one, at that.

Suzume Makes an Effort Not to Repeat the Romances of Shinkai’s Previous Films

While I’m a fan of Makoto Shinkai thanks to his previous works, I don’t think that Suzume reaches the same emotional highs as that of Your Name. However, one thing that sets it apart from Shinkai’s previous films is how there’s less of a focus on the romantic aspect. Which is good, too, because Suzume’s a high schooler while Souta’s at least a few years older, given that he’s stated to be in grad school. There is some chemistry between the two, but the film solves this by having Souta remain a chair the majority of the time. 

While the idea of someone getting cursed into a chair might sound weird (and it is), it’s brilliant from a storytelling perspective. It allows Souta and Suzume’s relationship to develop in a platonic fashion during the film, eliminating the threat of shipping. In addition, it also allows Suzume to become introspective at times as she thinks about her traumatic past and how it’s affected her life. She doesn’t realize it until the end, but this whole journey has been to help teach her an important life lesson. That lesson being that, regardless of how sudden life can change, it can also leave people open to new experiences. 

A Heartfelt, Coming-of-Age Story

Not everyone’s going to enjoy the movie Suzume. Compared to the likes of Your Name, it feels like Makoto Shinkai failed to recapture that great spark he had. However, the ones who do like it are in for a treat.

Suzume is a good movie about overcoming past trauma through the bonds we forge, and as always, the art and animation are breathtaking. The look of the sky alone is good enough for an art gallery! If you got a chance, I recommend you give this film a shot.

I Give “Suzume” a 4/5

Tomo-Chan Ends the Only Way it Can: With Love and Gusto!

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Tomo-Chan is a Girl! Ep 13 Review

It’s been a fun ride, but all good things must come to an end, lest they end up like The Simpsons. In this case, Tomo-Chan, one of the best anime of the Winter 2023 season, came to a happy conclusion. In the last episode, Jun finally got the courage to tell Tomo that he loved her back. In some shows, that would mark the end of it and leave the rest up to the fans imaginations. However, there’s still one last problem to deal with. The same problem most people have to deal with regarding their romantic partners: the parent’s approval. 

Grab some popcorn and get ready for some laughs.

Their First Romantic Christmas Together…Gets Derailed.

It’s the Holiday Season, and in Japanese Culture, Christmas is to them what Valentine’s Day is to people in the West: romance and spending time with your loved one. That makes it the perfect chance for Tomo and Jun to have their first real date. It goes as well as we’ve come to expect from these two.

On the one hand, Tomo gets embarrassed as hell when the romance film she picks out gets too steamy for her. On the other hand, she and Jun exchange presents with each other. On the other other hand, Jun and Tomo can’t take the next step and kiss and actually be boyfriend and girlfriend. As it turns out, Jun neglected to tell Tomo something important: her Dad said that if Jun wants to date his daughter…he’s got to beat him in a fight.

Tomo takes this news very poorly. She tells her Dad she hates him and refuses to speak with Jun for the rest of their break.

Mr. Aizawa’s Testing their Resolve

After catching up with Misuzu and Carol (who aren’t happy with her ditching them over break), Tomo vents all of her pent-up frustrations to the two. And while she claims she’s fine with waiting for Jun to be ready, it’s clear she’s lying to herself. She wants Jun to date her now, and I don’t blame her. She’s waited for years for Jun to return her feelings, and now she’s getting blocked by her Dad. It’s every teen’s worst nightmare.

While I don’t approve of his methods, I do understand why Tomo’s dad is doing this. He knows how strong and strong-willed her daughter is, so any guy who would want to date her should be able to keep up with her in both aspects. Otherwise, they’re not worthy of her time. Plus, it’s always been Jun’s goal to surpass him, so this kills two birds with one stone.

The fight (or at least the parts we see) isn’t wild like one you’d expect from a Shonen manga, but it’s still entertaining to watch. And with Tomo there to motivate her in her own, Tomo way, Jun actually manages to win!

Congratulations! Jun and Tomo are now boyfriend and girlfriend, and seal the deal with a kiss that makes the wait worth it. THE END.

No, really, that’s the end. The manga it’s based on was only four panels per chapter, and they managed to cover all of that in the span of twelve episodes.

Tomo-Chan: a short, sweet, and funny romcom anime.

So, in retrospect, how would I rate Tomo-Chan is Girl! as a series? Let’s see.

Firstly, we have the premise. I have seen plenty of romcom and harem anime that include a tomboy as one of the potential love interests. However, I think this might be the first romcom anime I’ve seen where the tomboy is the lead heroine. As a fan of tomboys in fiction, this felt like a breath of fresh air.

Next, we have the voice acting. I primarily watched this in dub form, and while I know some people prefer subbed, I think the English VA’s did a great job. Heck, Carol was voiced by the same person subbed and dubbed.

Lastly, there’s the show’s ace in the hole: the length. All too often, I’ve seen romcom anime that drag this “will they, won’t they” thing for as long as possible. Not Tomo-Chan, though. It sticks to its goal of getting from point A to point B and gets it done as efficiently as possible. I might be a little sad it’s over already, but it’s better than dragging its heels to the end like so many other romcom anime do across multiple seasons. That’s a win, in my book.

So, on that note, we say goodbye to one of the best romcom anime I’ve seen in years. It’s a shame we have to say goodbye already, but it was fun while it lasted.

I Give “To Stay by Your Side…” 4/5

THANKS FOR READING MY REVIEWS, EVERYONE! I HAD A LOT OF FUN!