Evil Eye Arc

What a Musical Battle

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

DanDaDan S2 Ep 8 Review

DanDaDan is at its best when its doing one thing: embracing chaos. And it has seen a lot of chaos so far. From escaping perverted aliens to fighting a Loch Ness monster in a flooded pocket dimension, where there is chaos, the show thrives. But this episode might be among the strangest and most chaotic things that DanDaDan has done to date. And it all has to do with Ken and Aira using angry musical ghosts to train.

Musical Chaos

Having grown frustrated at not being able to stop the Evil Eye, Ken and Aira opt to train under Turbo Granny. Unfortunately, her idea of “training” involves them fighting the Music Room Portraits. They’re beings created from people’s fears of their freaky paintings, and they will kill anyone who plays music badly in front of them. As a result, Okarun and Aira are forced to fight them in an increasingly chaotic battle.

I will be blunt: I find it very hard to accurately describe what is going in this episode. From the teens having to dodge musical notes to the portraits creating a domain expansion and summoning armies of clones to fight, it’s the sort of thing that has to be seen to be fully appreciated. It’s these kinds of moments when DanDaDan is at its absolute best, as it gives the story the chance to run wild with its imagination. As usual, Science Saru does a superb job of bringing the chaos to life, going evern further by having the entire fight set in monochrome, with only Okarun and Aira’s ghost forms providing color.

The main focus of the training, though, is to help the pair find their sense of rhythm in battle. I don’t really understand it, but the whole point is to get Okarun to tap more into Turbo Granny’s powers. And when you’re into a song that makes you want to get up and move, you’d be surprised to know what rhythm you gain.

It ends up working in the end. Aira holds her own against the music portraits even after they grow to the size of Titans. Which, by the way, gave me Attack on Titan vibes!

And by the end, Okarun is able to move faster than he was before. And according to Turbo Granny, there’s still plenty more of her power that he has yet to tap into. Assuming he doesn’t die along the way. TG admits that she didn’t care if he or Aira didn’t survive her training. Which makes it feel like karma when she accidentally riles the portraits up a second time by accident.

Let the Rematch Begin!

Meanwhile, things aren’t looking good at the Ayase house. After the recent scare, Seiko’s apprentice is insisting that it’s not safe to keep Jiji bonded to the Evil Eye and wants to call the Hayashi back. All of this is taking a toll on poor Jiji, who feels guilty about putting everyone in danger. It’s not his fault the Evil Eye is doing this. His kindness led him to want to save the ghost in the first place. He shouldn’t have to feel bad about wanting to help someone who deserves it. But he can’t do it alone.

And that brings us to the end of the episode. Having leveled up from training, Okarun comes back to the Ayase house with one purpose and one purpose alone: to fight the Evil Eye.

Next episode is going to be straight fire, people. That’s all that I have to say. Straight. Fire. I can hardly wait!!!! You can do it, Okarun! Which is also the name of this episode!

I Give “You can do it, Okarun” a 4.5/5

Heavy Metal Hayashis, Maid Cafes, and Evil Paintings, oh my!

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

DanDaDan S2 Ep. 6 & 7 Review

So, since I was at a convention last week, I was unable to watch the new episode of DanDaDan. So, I’m combining my review for the last two episodes since they both continue the Evil Eye Arc! And as we have already seen multiple times by now, the Evil Eye is a problem, and will continue to be a problem until it’s gotten under control. But since Jiji is such a good person, that means that the family is going to have to do things the hard way. And as these two episodes demonstrate, this ragtag group has very much become a family.

So, after Jiji almost lets the Evil Eye out thanks to some room-temperature soy sauce, it becomes apparent that the Family can’t keep going like this. Fortuntately, the Hayashi that Seiko sent for arrive…and they double as a heavy metal band! In some cultures, music is said to have mystical properties and can banish supernatural evils, but this takes it to a whole new level! As a casual fan of heavy metal myself, I wholeheartedly approve of this creative decision. Especially since the anime does a great job of giving us the private concert that manga readers have waited years to see!

One might think that having Jiji decide to not exorcise the Evil Eye would make that entire scene pointless, but it wasn’t. It was a good source of entertainment, which is what stories are supposed to do. Plus, it’s likely that we’ll see the band again in a future arc. Until then, though, the group has to keep watching Jiji while they train to get stronger to stop the Evil Eye.

In all honesty, though, we can’t really fault Jiji for feeling sympathy for the Evil Eye. After what they went through in life, many people would end up as angry and vengeful as that yokai has become. This also isn’t the first time that a teenager has opted to try and befriend a demonic being calling their body home, either. Granted, Yuji never could get Sukuna on his side, but Naruto was able to win over Kurama the Nine-Tailed Fox, so there’s hope! Not that it doesn’t make it any easier when Jiji nearly loses control again and almost kills Momo. The look of guilt on his face is overwhelming. That is the look of someone who thinks they’re a burden and a monster. But more on that later; let’s talk about Momo’s new job!

MAID-O BEAM!!!

In light of the recent damage to her home, Momo has come to the decision that she needs to get a part-time job to help pay for repairs. That’s when her two gyaru friends come in clutch and land her one at a nearby cafe. However, they also do two things. Firstly, they mischeviously drag (literally drag) Okarun there while she’s working to embarass the two of them. Secondly, they neglect to tell her that this cafe in particular…is a maid cafe.

It takes a certain level of confidence to work in a restaruant that requires its employees to wear potentially embarassing attire. Normally, Momo has that kind of confidence down pat. When she’s forced to work in front Okarun, her mutual crush, though, it’s likely one of the most embarassing moments of her life up to that point! Anyone who has had the misfortune of being on the clock when their crush walks in on them can relate! Still, it does feel like it’s worth it when the two end up walking back to the Ayase home together. Sadly, this is also when the incident with the Evil Eye happens again, meaning it’s back to the seriousness.

The fact of the matter is that at this time, none of the Family can hold a candle to the Evil Eye. If they want to win, they need to get stronger fast, especially Okarun. Surprisingly, Turbo Granny proves quite forthcoming about ways to tap into her power more, bringing him to his school after dark, with Aira following out of curiosity/she’s simping for Okarun. She talks about having to maintain a steady rhythm or something during combat and how slow Okarun is. That matter can wait, though, as they have to fight haunted paintings.

…Wait, haunted paintings? Oh dear!

I Give “We Became a Family” and “Feeling Kinda Gloomy” a 4/5 and 3.5/5

Jiji 1/2 Needs an Exorcism

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

DanDaDan S2 Ep 5 Review

Well, somehow the gang managed to pull it off. They defeated the Kito Family, killed their pet Death Worm, and saved the village of Byakuja from being destroyed by a volcano. That’s the good news, though. The bad news is that Jiji is still possessed by the Evil Eye, the yokai that’s so far into its crash-out that it won’t be satisfied until it’s killed all of humanity. And because they can’t get rid of it yet, the entire gang is going to have to work 24/7 to keep it under control as we enter into the next arc of the series: The Evil Eye Arc.

This is going to be stressful for everyone involved.

The episode starts off as Manjiro and the Ayase’s attempting to exorcise the Evil Eye from Jiji (who’s secured inside Taro) as everyone watches. Much to their irritation, though, the yokai is so angry that it refuses to leave Jiji or move on to the afterlife. When it becomes clear that nothing’s working, they’re left with only one option: head home and keep Jiji sealed inside Taro until they figure out a plan.

Dang Failed Exorcism

Upon returning home and reuniting with Aira (who wasn’t happy about being left behind), Seiko apologizes to everyone for what’s happened. If she had gone with them in the first place, they might not be in this mess. Therefore, it’s up to her to help Jiji, but even she can’t do it alone. So they’re going to have to hire Hayashi (musicians that exorcise spirits and yokai). In the meantime, Taro attempting to eat some Oden winds up revealing a temporary solution to their Evil Eye problem. When Jiji’s splashed with hot liquids, he turns back into himself. But when he gets hit by cold liquids, the Evil Eye takes over and will go back to trying to kill everyone.

So, for the time being, the gang will have to watch Jiji with thermos’ full of hot water on hand. It’s not foolproof, but it’s better than making Taro serve as a living prison for the poor teenager. Easier said than done, though. Skipping ahead to the end of the episode, we see that all it takes is for a single drop of soy sauce to get on him for the Evil Eye to come back.

If there’s an analogy for this situation, it would like someone being asked to guard a nuclear bomb that is armed and could go off at any given moment.

Yet, despite everything, life goes on.

Life Goes On

Part of the beauty of DanDaDan is that it’s not just a Shonen action series. It’s about teen romance, with the mess that comes with it. By now, it’s clear that Momo and Okarun have some sort of feelings for each other. So, seeing them try to figure out what they are to each other is just adorable, giving us cute moments like this.

https://twitter.com/DandanShots/status/1950958635200475279

As for Aira, though, she’s now reaping the cost of her own actions. After confessing to spreading lies about Momo getting around, she’s gone from school idol to pariah. However, it’s for the best. If people only liked her for her good looks, then they don’t know her at all. She’s found real friends in Momo and Okarun. Speaking of which, she and Okarun move in with the Ayase’s until they fix Jiji.

Mantis Shrimp and Chiqi are here to Stay!

The best part, though, is the return of Mantis Shrimp and the introduction of his son. Due to the cow they got being unsuitable for survival on their planet, Mantis opted to move to Earth for his son’s sake. And they’re right next door to the Ayase’s!

More importantly, though, is how quickly the teens take a liking to Chiqi. Some of the funniest background scenes involve Aira just gushing over the boy’s cuteness, and I can’t blame her. The kid deserves his own plushie!

It’s nice to see that the show’s sense of humor remains as fresh as ever. Considering the headache that the Evil Eye will be, it does a good job of balancing out the drama and action with comedy. Like this!

The mangaka and writers are hilarious.

By the way, this episode reveals what happened to the Kito’s. They got their just desserts and hauled off to prison, with the sole exception of their matriarch. Who also happens to be a being called a Subterranean who’s now out for Momo’s blood. Move on, woman!

Great episode, though. Really great!

I Give “We Can All Stay There Together” a 4.5/5

DanDaDan, Check out This Giant Worm!

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

Dandadan S2 Ep 1 Review

When the world needed them most, DanDaDan returned!

Welcome back, everyone, to an all-new season of the megahit Shonen anime, DanDaDan. When it came out in the Fall of 2024, this anime set the entire world on fire. The animation was god-tier, the characters were hilarious, and the OP was so good, it wound up trending on YouTube. Not to mention how the episode “To a Kinder World” went down as one of the best moments in anime history. Needless to say, people have been eagerly awaiting its return, and are grateful we did not have to wait long. Especially since the first season ended on a big cliffhanger. Okarun and Jiji found a creepy room in Jiji’s house, and Momo was under attack from a gang of perverts. Anime-only fans wanted to know what happened next, and now is the time!

But first, let’s discuss the new OP, “On The Way” by AiNA THE END. As with the previous OP, fans are treated to a visual spectacle as they see Okarun, Momo, and their growing list of allies face the forces against them. It’s got the same high-tier animation as before, if not better. At the same time, though, I feel like the song itself is a little softer. It’s not as great a beat as that of “OTONOKE”, but that’s just my personal opinion.

Now, Where Were We?

The episode opens up right where we left off in December: Momo being attacked by perverts. Guys peeping on girls is not out of the ordinary in anime, but that doesn’t make it any less disturbing. Thankfully, the hot spring was falling apart, so Momo was able to escape unharmed. In addition, it’s revealed that Turbo Granny smuggled herself along for the ride because she wanted to enjoy the hot springs, and her cat body might have helped. It’s good that she’s not alone, but it’s unsettling to hear her say that the entire house is bad news. And she is absolutely right.

The short version: the locals have a legend about the nearby volcano being home to a dragon that will destroy the village unless it receives a sacrifice. And guess who the dragon’s priests are?

Meet the Kito family, aka Jiji’s landlords and the perverts who tried to molest Momo. They’ve been luring victims in for two hundred years and sacrificing them to the dragon to keep the volcano dormant and the hot springs running. It’s like the sacrifice from The Wicker Man, but with a dragon. And Jiji, Okarun, and Momo are their victims this time. Naturally, none of them are keen on this happening, and they refuse to go down without a fight. However, once they arrive in the lair of the Tsuchinoko (the dragon), it’s revealed that it’s not a dragon. It’s a cryptid called a Mongolian Death Worm.

As soon as we learned the “dragon” was a Death Worm, I knew that things weren’t going to turn out how the Kito Family expected. That didn’t dampen the black comedy, though, when the beast chose to eat the Kito Family first. However, that doesn’t change the fact that the quartet is now facing a giant worm cryptid, and Okarun and Momo start tweaking out!

Man, what a good episode! DanDaDan is back and it is looking to be one of the best anime of the year for a second year in a row! Definitely looking forward to spending my summer watching this!

I Give “Like, This is the Legend of the Giant Snake” a 4/5