Isekai

Have Yourself a Slimey Little Christmas

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

Slime Diaries Christmas Episode Review

If there are good examples of why you don’t need to be Christian to celebrate Christmas, Japan is one of them. Most of Japan isn’t Christian, but they celebrate the holiday nonetheless for the commercial and romantic aspects. People drink, celebrate, and give gifts to loved ones, with couples getting a lot of focus. That doesn’t mean that the concept of how Christmas is celebrated in the West isn’t unheard of in Japan. A good example of this is in the penultimate episode of Slime Diaries, a slice-of-life spin-off to the popular Isekai anime That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.

With winter having arrived in Tempest in full, Rimuru remembers that it must be close to Christmas time back on Earth. When his friends/citizens/companions get curious, Rimuru ends up introducing the concept of Christmas to Tempest. Never one to pass up a chance to party, the citizens of Tempest eagerly get into the spirit of the holiday. The rest of the episode consists of everyone celebrating Christmas in their own way.

Slime Diaries Christmas

At the D&A Anime blog, we’re big fans of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. It’s not hard to understand why. It’s a member of what I consider the Seven Summits of Isekai, it’s got some of the best world-building in any isekai, and Rimuru might be one of the most OP protagonists in all of anime. And his true form is a slime, one of the most basic enemies you can find in a JRPG. But despite achieving godlike power and getting plenty of chances to show it off in the main anime, anyone who knows Rimuru knows he’s a pretty chill person. All he wants to do is make a place where he can enjoy his second life to the fullest. So, Slime Diaries depicts him and his friends doing just that, with no real tension to be had.

The end result? No real drama, no plot involving everyone having to save Christmas. Just some good people getting to enjoy the holidays together. Shuna cooks a delicious Christmas dinner for everyone at Tempest’s big festival. Resident ms. fanservice Shion shows off in a Sexy Santa outfit, only to tick Rimuru off when she brings up the romantic aspects of the holiday (he was a 37-year-old single man in his first life. It’s a sore subject!) And as soon as she hears about Santa, Millim becomes convinced that she’s going to get a present. This is in spite of the fact that her frequent acts of destruction would be grounds for being a naughty-lister.

However, it makes the moment Rimuru tries to leave her a present, and she mistakes him for Santa pretty funny. Every little kid has tried at least once to stay up and get a look at Santa (including me!)

I Love Santa!

Speaking of the jolly man in the red suit, the episode ends on a very heartwarming moment. Rimuru returns to his office to find a present addressed to him…from Santa.

Full disclosure: I don’t really care if Santa’s real or just a historical saint. What matters is that the legend of Santa provides us with a sense of wonder everyone needs as a kid. Plus, I wouldn’t be surprised if Santa could travel to other universes to give people presents. He’s Santa; it just works.

All in all, this is a pretty fun Christmas episode. No real stakes, no real drama, just a family enjoying themselves like people should.  

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

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

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

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

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

How an Overpowered Guy Got Isekai’d Against His Will

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

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

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

No, I am not making this up.

The Anime is Isekai Trash, but Takatou Isn’t

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

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

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

An Interesting Take on the OP Isekai Protagonist

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

My Verdict: Worth a Binge Session if you got HiDive

‘No Longer Allowed in Another World’ is the Anti-Isekai

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

RJ Writing Ink’s Initial Series Review for No Longer Allowed in Another World

Disclaimer: The following series uses the subject of suicide for comedic purposes. It is not meant to be taken seriously. If you or a loved one have thoughts of suicide, then seek help or call the suicide prevention lifeline at 988. You are not as alone as you think you are.

In this world, there are two kinds of isekai protagonists. On the one hand, we have the people who embrace getting sent to another world for all its worth and see it as a chance to make up for how dull or miserable their lives were back home. On the other hand, we have people who, for one reason or another, want nothing to do with it and want to go home. We got your Hajime’s, Naofumi’s, Nanahoshi’s, and Anne Boonchuy’s in that category. But those people wind up getting pulled into whatever isekai stuff they’re part of anyway, so it doesn’t matter. But what if there was one isekai protagonist that was just absolutely done with all that stuff before they even started? In fact, they’re just done with everything in general and want it all to end. In other words, they long for the sweet embrace of the eternal slumber that is death.

Someone in Japan decided that that could be a thing, because that’s one of the latest in the summer crop of isekai, No Longer Allowed in Another World. And after seeing the first three episodes, I can honestly say this: it’s built different, and it knows it!

Who is Osamu Daizai?

Before we start, let’s talk about a certain Japanese author, Osamu Daizai. He’s not that well-known in the West, but in Japan, he’s pretty the equivalent to Edgar Allen Poe. He’s famous for creating incredibly dark literature, much of which remains popular in his homeland. He was also famous for his multiple attempts to end his own life due to how troubled he was. In June, 1948, he managed to succeed, with himself and his lover drowning themselves in a swollen river canal at the age of 38.

When the anime starts, Daizai, called “Sensei” here for copyright reasons, is about to make his final suicide attempt with his lover, here called Sacchan. Then, out of nowhere, Truck-Kun’s grandpa shows up, and we all know what happens next.

When Sensei wakes up, he’s in a Western-style church and being greeted by this elf priestess named Annette. She gives him the speech about how he’s been chosen by their magical world to become its newest hero, destined to save them from the Dark Lord. In other words, your standard isekai scenario.

Here’s the thing: Sensei doesn’t care about that. Since he’s from the time before anime and manga were widespread, he doesn’t even know what an isekai is. All he cares about is that his latest attempt to un-alive himself failed, and he just wants to find someplace nice to finish the job. And, if he can help it, find Sacchan in this new world so they can keep their promise. And because his stats are so weak and he’s not an arrogant, pretentious snob like everyone else she’s summoned, Annette and this cat girl that he calls Tama decide to go with him to make sure he’s safe-ish.

And with that, Sensei’s anti-isekai adventures begin.

Sensei is a Different Kind of Protagonist

Right off the bat, the anime makes it clear that it’s not for those who get triggered by suicide. The moment Sensei realizes his last suicide attempt fails, he tries again by overdosing on sleeping pills. And when he gets attacked by a tree monster that tries to choke him out, he accepts it without complaint; and that’s just the first episode. Both times, Sensei’s foiled and it’s played for comedic purposes, but that doesn’t change what he tried to do. Sensei is a man who is so done with life that he wants out. He thinks the only way he’s going to be happy is when he can welcome the sweet embrace of the grim reaper!

One would think that a story about someone as depressed as Sensei is would be equally depressing. Or for Sensei to be this jaded, nihilistic man who sees no value in anything, which is why he wants to end it all.

Yet, he oddly isn’t.

Yes, Sensei’s main goals in this new world are to find his lover and then off themselves together. However, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t see the value in what other people care about. He’s very respectful, listening to other people’s problems and encouraging them to live however they want. And the fact that he does it without any of the confidence or arrogance that many people would have in an isekai helps him to win over the likes of Annette and Tama. The former of whom, the first episode makes it a point of explaining, was starting to get jaded by how full all the Otherworlders she met were.

Which is good, because, by the third episode, things take a turn for the worse when the Dark Lord is defeated a week after Sensei arrives. And without anyone to fight, the Otherworlders start going mad with power and taking over. For comparison, think about what Homelander is about to do with his army of Supes in The Boys, only not as scary.

I guess Truck-Kun’s family isn’t as good as their job as they think.

Sensei is the Anti-Isekai Protagonist

Sensei is an odd protagonist, without a doubt. He has such a passion for what he does as a writer, which I can respect, yet he’s also critical about himself. He’s brilliant, kind, and understands how important life is, yet he finds no value in his own. He doesn’t want to deal with the nonsense of an isekai, but he’s rather suited for it. He’s a rather refreshing change of pace in the genre. And while this can’t reach the same heights as the GOATS like Konosuba, Re:Zero, and Mushoku Tensei, No Longer Allowed in Another World should be an interesting watch.

My Verdict: Watch it if you Have the Time

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

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Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2 Ep 24 Review

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

…The awkward levels are off the charts.

Love Sylphie’s New Hairdo

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

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

The Painful Part

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

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

Speaking of which, time for the awkward part.

Norn, You Protest Too Much

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

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

Sylphie Truly is the Goddess of Love

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rudy Joins the Anime Dad Club

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

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

Rudeus Continues to Grow and Be a Better Person

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

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

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

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

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

I Give “Succession” a 5/5

Roxy Stans, You Won.

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Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2 Ep 23 Review

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

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

How Roxy Planned to Help Rudeus, Now With Context

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

That’s where Roxy comes in.

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

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

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

The Anime left out Rudy’s big confession!

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

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

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

Which does bring up an awkward issueโ€ฆ

Roxy Stans Can Be Happy Now

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

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

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

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

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

So, that’s that.

Return Home

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

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

I Give “Let’s Return Home” a 3/5

Good Heavens, Roxy Has Got it Bad!

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Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2 Ep 21 Review

By decree of High Priest Rudeus, all Roxy stans are asked to report to their local Temple of Roxy to pay homage to her Roxyness. Their blue-haired goddess of wisdom/waifu has returned to bless the world with her teachings.

That’s just my way of saying that after more than ten years, Rudeus has reunited with his beloved Master Roxy. Having saved her from certain death in the labyrinth at the end of the last one, this episode of Mushoku Tensei focuses primarily on the reunion between Master and Student. And I know that I was pretty critical about last week’s episode and how it ended. However, seeing what happens this week, I’m glad they waited. Its all kinds of heartwarming.

I should probably mention this now: the group has a new problem. Roxyโ€ฆis in love.

How I Met My Future Husbando

The episode starts with a brief look back at how Roxy has survived in the labyrinth by herself for so long. And while I’m glad that the anime did dive into it, I still think the light novels did a better job conveying how bad things were for her. However, that gets overshadowed by it jumping immediately to the reunion between master and student. And this moment is not just significant because it’s the first time Rudy has seen Roxy since childhood. He doesn’t know it, but he did something greater than he can imagine.

I didn’t mention it in my recap of Roxy’s journey throughout season one, but there’s a moment when she tells Elinalise what she’s looking for in a guy.

And guess who just checked all those boxes without even realizing it? The whole thing’s made even funnier because she doesn’t realize at first that her knight in shining armor was the boy she taught. That and Rudy puked from shock. I couldn’t stop laughing at that. Or the idea that Rudy somehow sensed her presence and charged through the walls like the Hulk to get to her.

The rest of the episode does show the party, Roxy now included, as they continue their efforts to reach the bottom of the labyrinth. However, beyond the smug grin Paul gets when Rudeus praises him (dads like to look cool in front of their kids), the main focus is on Roxy and Rudeus. It should be pretty obvious that Roxy has fallen head over heels for Rudeus. The side glances she gives him. Her acting more awkward than usual. The silent fist pumps when she asks him to go on a date in another labyrinth when this is over. Everyone can see that Roxy has got it bad for her former student.

The sad irony: Rudeus is oblivious to this.

I’ve noticed this has been a problem with every relationship Rudy has had with a girl up until now. Events from his first life left him with such low self-esteem, he’s unable to tell when someone’s actually into him. Thats part of why things went so bad when Eris left despite (in her eyes) making it clear she loves him. Now that I think about it, every girl he’s tried to date has had to make the first move! He thinks so badly about himself that he can’t understand when the women are into him!

Thankfully, Paul manages to give Rudeus some pretty good advice.

While the setting for the moment changes from the way they use the bathroom, I still liked Paul’s speech to Rudeus about his two swords. It’s pretty obvious to viewers that it’s a clever metaphor for his two wives. He may have only planned to marry Zenith, but that doesn’t change the fact that Lilia is just as important to him and needs them both by his side to be the best he can be.

Or, in simpler terms, Paul knows Roxy’s into his son, and he’s giving Rudy his blessing.

This might be one of my favorite episodes of the entire season, and for good reason. Roxy has been largely absent from the series until now, but that may no longer be true. However, if this feels like the calm before the storm, that’s because it is. The red, ominous-looking teleportation circle that the party finds within the sixth level of the labyrinth has all the hallmarks of a point-of-no-return. And since the anime opening already spoiled things, yes. They’re going to have to fight a Hydra. So, prepare for that!

I Give “Magic Circles of the Sixth Stratum” a 4.5/5

Is Rudy Making a Mistake Leaving Like This?

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

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2 Ep 19 Review

Rudeus has made up his mind: heโ€™s going to the Begaritt Continent to help rescue his Mother. Itโ€™s going to be a long and hard trip (and I know how it ends), but this soemthing he has to do. The good news is that heโ€™s not going alone. The bad news? Itโ€™s an eight-month trek to his destination and back. Factoring in the time heโ€™ll be in the Labyrinth, heโ€™ll be gone for two years. In other words, he wonโ€™t be there when his kid is born; a hard pill to swallow. But, Nanahoshi has a solution that might work.

I havenโ€™t been able to bring myself to read the volume the animeโ€™s adapting yet, but I still know the major details of whatโ€™s about to happen. As a result, I can say a few things with confidence: Rudeus is making a mistake rushing into this.

Maybe He Should’ve Asked More People to Go With Him

After making his decision, the first two people Rudeus tells about his decision are Elinalise and Nanahoshi. The former tries to talk him out of going, but since sheโ€™s unable to persuade him otherwise, theyโ€™ll travel together. And thanks to Cliff upgrading the suppressor device, Elinalise can go longer stretches before her curse hits her! Which is good, because that would make things super awkward.

Nanahoshi, meanwhile, gives Rudy something that could help them get there and back faster. Orsted showed her these teleportation circles around the world that they used to fast-travel. Since Rudy helped save her life, she shows him one that will take them within a month or so from their destination of Rapan. And itโ€™s not far from Sharia.

After that, the episode segues into Rudy and Elinalise saying goodbye to everyone, with Cliff even asking Lise to marry him when she returns. Good on you, Cliff! You do have rizz after all!

As heartfelt as this moment was, I have to criticize the story at this point. Thereโ€™s no easy way to say this, but Rudeus shouldnโ€™t have left with just him and Elinalise. I understand the need to keep the circles a secret, but he couldโ€™ve asked any one of his super-strong friends to go with him as backup. Zanoba has super-strength; Luke is a pretty good swordsman; the Beast Girls have excellent hearing and smell. Badigadi is an immortal Demon God! Any one of them could be a big help in the rescue! Then again, they might not.

A Super Abridged Desert Journey

As for the journey across the Begaritt Continent, the anime leaves out much of the journey from the light novels. The one thing that they do end up focusing on is also the most unsettling. The pair get attacked by a succubus, a monster whose pheromones will drive men berserk with lust. And the only ways to cure it is by detoxification magic orโ€ฆthat.

Suddenly, Iโ€™m glad Eris isn’t around. I can only imagine the kind of beatdown she would have given Rudeus had that happened.

Joking aside, the anime leaves out some finer, world-building details about the Begaritt Continent. They donโ€™t intend to stay for long, but since Mushoku Tensei is the kind of story that likes to build the world, it seems to be somewhat of a letdown. But thatโ€™s just my opinion.

In any case, the anime must not want to waste time on that, highlighting how urgent this mission is for Rudeus. By the time the ED roles, the two have already made it to their destination of Rapan. And this is where it leaves things off.

Rudeus Biggest Battle Yet is Just Beginning

Full disclosure: we are now at the end of volume 11 of Mushoku Tensei. The entire labyrinth arc will be the sole focus of volume 12 and the remainder of the season. And while I havenโ€™t finished reading it myself, I can still attest to how big things are going to get. We need to prepare for action, drama, and probably a lot of pain and hardship. We have one week from the time Iโ€™m writing this, and for all I know, it could already be out by the time this goes out. Be prepared!

Quick plug, though: there’s a new Mushoku Tensei light novel out, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation: Recollections. Itโ€™s an anthology collecting a bunch of different short stories of events that take place during the first ten volumes of the series. Or, in other words, the start of the series up to not long after Rudy and Sylphie tie the knot. See how Rudeus secured his “Holy Relic” of Roxy. Or some of the misadventures Dead End got up to on their great odyssey. It’s the kind of slice of life stories that I think really flesh out a good story, in my opinion! You can find it in book form or buy it as an Ebook!

I Give “Desert Journey” a 3/5

I Almost Cried Watching this Episode of Mushoku Tensei

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

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 wasnโ€™t 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 wasnโ€™t prepared for the feels. This might be one of the best episodes in the entire series, and as youโ€™ll see for yourself, thereโ€™s a good reason why.

Rudy is scary when He’s Mad. No, really!

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 heโ€™s 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 โ€œaskingโ€ย herย class and teacher, the horrible realty sets in for him.ย Norn was never bullied by anyone; itโ€™s worse.ย They wouldnโ€™t stop comparing her to her brother.ย 

Rudy Doesn’t Know How to Help Norn

If it were as simple as someone threatening her, Rudeus could handle things with little effort. But once he hears that heโ€™s the reason Norn has shut down, Rudeus doesnโ€™t 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 doesnโ€™t know what to do. You can practically feel the frustration pouring out of him as he tries to get her to doโ€ฆsomething. Anything.

And this is where the story does the best thing it could hope to do: it gives us Nornโ€™s perspective.

Norn Has a Lot of Complicated Feelings about Her Older Brother

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 didnโ€™t matter if Paul told her afterwards that he started things. When youโ€™re 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 didnโ€™t 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 brotherโ€™s 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 wasnโ€™t 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 didnโ€™t care about her. Then people wouldnโ€™t stop comparing her to them. She wants to reach out to him, but, like Rudeus, she doesnโ€™t know what to do.

I donโ€™t remember who made the first move in the novels. But, even so, Iโ€™m glad that it was Rudeus that did so. Even though he doesnโ€™t 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 itโ€™s like to shut yourself off from the world. And he never wants his family to go through the same experience. 

I donโ€™t really know how to transcribe the thoughts and feelings in my head as I saw the siblingโ€™s reconciliation. Some things are just tooโ€ฆcomplex to form into words. But, seeing Rudy sit down and hold his sister as she cried her eyes outโ€ฆI could feel myself starting to cry.ย 

This is Only the Beginning…

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 canโ€™t help but be amazed at. He even admits that if he had been half as strong as her in his first life, maybe things wouldnโ€™t have turned out the way they did. 

I will never understand why people donโ€™t like the time Mushoku Tensei spends at Ranoa University. Itโ€™s not as exciting as Rudyโ€™s trip around the world, but the drama and emotional moments are incredible.ย Andย itโ€™s 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 oneโ€ฆbe careful what you wish for, everyone.

I Give “My Older Brother’s Feelings” a 5/5

Parenting is Hard, By Rudeus Greyrat

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

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2, Ep 16 Review

Itโ€™s been said that one of the hardest jobs in the world is being a parent. Even if theyโ€™re  good at it, a parent can still make mistakes and do things that will make their kids hate them, sometimes forever. And even though theyโ€™re 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, theyโ€™ve 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: whereโ€™s 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 Ruijerdโ€™s advice into account if Eris ever comes back.

That doesnโ€™t change things for Rudeus, though. Intentional or not, Eris broke Rudyโ€™s heart and put him into a depression that lasted years. If Eris comes back, and we know she will, sheโ€™s going to have to do a lot of apologizing. The kind that a single night canโ€™t 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 isnโ€™t 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. 

Aisha Doesn’t Need to Prove Herself to Anyone

First, we have Aisha. On the surface, Aisha seems to have no issues. Sheโ€™s 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! 

Itโ€™s when it comes to Norn that her issues come to light. While Rudeus was going on his odyssey, Norn and Aisha stayed at Zenithโ€™s mothers house. And they didnโ€™t 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 itโ€™s great that the anime didnโ€™t skip out on Aishaโ€™s 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. Itโ€™s Norn that is Rudeus biggest concern. 

Norn Still Doesn’t Like Rudeus

Letโ€™s cut to the chase: Norn doesnโ€™t like her big brother. Given how the first time she met her brother, he was beating the daylights out of their Dad, you canโ€™t blame her for having a negative impression. It didnโ€™t matter if Paul told her that heโ€™s the one who started it. Many kids donโ€™t get the nuance to it at that age. And seeing him to a girl she doesnโ€™t know (she doesnโ€™t really remember Sylphie) doesnโ€™t 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.

It doesnโ€™t.

One month later, Nornโ€™s 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 doesnโ€™t 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 shouldโ€™ve 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 itโ€™s heavily implied that one of those girls was Norn. 

They should count themselves lucky that Rudeus isnโ€™t 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. Itโ€™s 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, itโ€™s 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. Itโ€™s going to beโ€ฆemotional.

I Give “Norn and Aisha” a 4.5/5

Our Boy Rudeus is Getting Married!

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

Mushoku Tensei S2 Ep 13 Review

After going on hiatus for the fall and winter seasons, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation is back with the second half of its sophomore season. And the above song can accurately describe the current emotional state of Rudeus Greyrat. Heโ€™s reunited with his best friend/love, Sylphie, and thanks to her, heโ€™s cured of the last two years of depression and impotence! Not wanting to lose her like he thinks he lost Eris, he straight-up asks her to marry him. Regardless of his faults, thereโ€™s little denying that Rudy has earned this chance to be happy.

One problem, though. He has no idea how marriage works in his new world and no home to live in. What he does have is friends who have his back.

Rudy Got his Game Back

Now Rudy has his confidence as a man back, it shows. All his friends at Ranoa University notice it. Heโ€™s smiling more, carries himself with greater confidence, and even gives Lilna and Pursena that trademark, lecherous grin of his, though nothing comes of it. His heart belongs to Sylphie. And while he still doesnโ€™t explain what he was suffering from in the anime, it makes up a little for this. The comments from people like Cliff and the Beast Girl duo imply that they put two and two together. 

Thereโ€™s one problem, though: now that Rudeus has asked Sylphie to marry him, heโ€™s realized he has no clue what to do next. Heโ€™s not lacking money, but heโ€™s been homeless since he was ten. Thus, the first thing he does is find a home. Though, given its size in the anime, itโ€™s less a house, and more like a small mansion!

Who You Gonna Call?

No, seriously. Itโ€™s bigger than the home he grew up in. Big enough for at least a dozen or more people to live comfortably in. Itโ€™s the perfect place to spend the rest of his life with Sylphie. Thereโ€™s one problem, though: itโ€™s haunted by something that kills anyone who sets foot after sunset.

The majority of the episode centers around the trio of Rudy, Cliff, and Zanoba trying to clear the house a la Ghostbusters. Sadly, while it does its best to build up tension due to their unseen foe, it doesnโ€™t stick due to who the group is. One is a guy who can cast spells without incantations, another is an elite healer in his own right and the final member has super strength and can tank anything thrown at him. Zanoba pretty much manages to handle the monster all on his own. However, the big surprise is saved for when they catch it. As Rudeus and Zanoba discover for themselves, itโ€™s not a monster. Itโ€™s a magically-powered doll capable of moving on its own. In other words, itโ€™s the magical equivalent of an automaton, robot, droid, etc.

Itโ€™s never explained in any version of Mushoku Tensei who made the doll, so the anime didnโ€™t skimp on that. In the end, it doesnโ€™t matter. After finding it, Zanoba and Rudy realize if they can reverse-engineer it, they can make their own line of doll bots to do anything (including robot maids.) And since he canโ€™t really help with anything else, Zanoba begs Rudy to let him handle the research himself. Itโ€™s touching to see how dedicated the man is to dolls as an art, even if others find it weird. It makes you want to root for him.

The New Greyrat Household

As for Rudy, he gets a small mansion for himself and Sylphie. And, having read the light novels and manga ahead of time, I can say that itโ€™s not too big for the two of them. When the time comes, itโ€™s going to be home to a large family and pets. And despite Sylphie worrying that sheโ€™s being selfish by continuing to protect Ariel, Rudy reassures her that sheโ€™s anything but. If she wanted it, Rudy would give her the moon and the stars for what she did for him.ย 

This was another slow episode, but I canโ€™t complain. Not every Isekai is all about the action. Itโ€™s the slower moments that people tend to remember, and itโ€™s in this area that Mushoku Tensei has always excelled. It goes out of its way to build its cast in a believable manner, hence why itโ€™s one of the best Isekai out there. The sole complaint I would have is that, unlike in the source material, their new home is set up in a more remote area outside Ranoa. Thatโ€™s just a nitpick, though. 

Next episode, weโ€™re going to have a wedding reception!

I Give “My New Home” a 4/5