Even before we learned about the traitors in the human ranks, I knew that it was only a matter of time before Xylo and the Hero Unit would have to face off against their own people. Xyloโs main goal in life is to find those who led to Senervaโs death and get revenge; itโs inevitable. However, I didnโt expect things to happen so quickly, but the fighting at Mureed Fortress has forced everyoneโs hands. Now Xylo, Kivia, and the others have to stay away from the front to protect Teoritta. And in doing so, we get to meet more members of the Hero Unit, as weโll see for our own eyes that Venetimโs story about demons disguised as humans was true.
After defeating another Demon Lord at Mureed, Kivia visits Xylo in the hospital and lets him know that he and Teoritta are being benched. Not because theyโre doing a bad job, but because theyโre doing so well that the Coexisters want Teoritta dead. So to make sure theyโre taken care, sheโs having them pretend theyโre on vacation to draw them out. On the plus side, this gives Xylo and Teoritta a chance to collect themselves, as well as give us a chance to meet another member of the Hero Unit. And he might be my favorite one yet.
Meet Jayce Partiract, a man who exudes main character energy. His spiky red hair alone makes him look like the protagonist of a JRPG, but then thereโs the fact that heโs also a dragon rider. He loves dragons so much that he tried to free all the ones serving the kingdom, which led him to get the hero sentence. And the dragons love him for that, much to the dismay of his personal dragon, Neely. Heโs smug, rude, and the first thing he asks of Xylo is to pay up for winning a bet about who could kill the most Demon Lords. If you dyed his hair blonde, he could pass for a Targaryen. But anyone able to befriend a dragon has to be tough, and he does come in handy at a critical moment in the episode.
The biggest surprise, though, has to be the visitor that Xylo gets, this priestly-looking woman named Frenci. She used to be Xyloโs fiance, but due to heroes being banned from marriage, it was canceled! She claims to be working on getting him pardoned, but meeting her is enough to make Teoritta jealous that the source of her headpats could get stolen. That gets superseded, though, by the reveal that Frenci is hunting another Demon Lord called Spriggan, who can disguise themselves as a human. So Venetim was right without even knowing it.
An Imposter Among us
This is a legitimately stressful situation. It’s bad enough the heroes have to look out for enemeis amongst their own, but if the demons can disguise themselves, it can make everyone seem sus. What’s worse, though, is the fact that Teoritta can’t use her powers on the humans she’s supposed to protect. And sure enough, both problems rear their head by the end of the episode.
Xylo and Kiviaโs plan to draw the heretics out works as they, Teoritta, and Tsav are attacked in the market. To be fair, though, they were pretty sloppy in their methods, and they saw them coming easily. Once they drew them into an alleyway, though, they find themselves outnumbered by more heretics, including two assassins, Shiji Bau and Boojum. Jayce saves the day with Neely burning the rabble, but Shiji escapes. What’s more concerning, though, is Boojum? He took the flames head-on, and he didn’t flinch. And Teoritta notes how he felt different from the rest of the assassins.
It’s safe to say that Xylo found the Demon Lord Spriggan. But how are we going to deal with him? Questions for later. I’m still stuck on the fact that Xylo has a fiance!!!
I Give “Sentence: Feigned Day Off at Port City Ioff” a 4/5
So, it should be apparent by now that there are elements amongst humanity that are actively sabotaging its efforts. From Xylo getting set up for the death of his previous goddess to Venetim being right about that story of the Demon Blight infiltrating human society, there is something sinister going on. I had hoped that this was just some idiots using the threat to pull some Game of Thrones bs, but it turns out itโs worse than that. There are traitors that are openly aiding the demons, and they want Xylo dead.
The defense of Mureed Fortress was going so well. The hero unit had a good plan and they were pulling it off. But then out of nowhere, a group of humans showed up and ruined everything. Now the demons are threatening to overrun the fort and its defenders are scrambling to regroup. And the worst part? Teoritta canโt do a thing about them. Sheโs supposed to help humanity, not kill them!
Like I said in my review of the last episode, these guys are scumbags. They werenโt transformed against their will and forced to help the demons. Of their own free will, they are betraying their own species in a war for survival. And as we learn at the end of the episode, they are part of this faction of people who want humans to coexist with demons. And by coexistence, we mean let the demons take over and enslave every human being.
Some people would call them collaborators with the most insulting connotations possible. I call them something simpler: complete a-holes. Iโm all for coexistence between species, but when one of them is an existential threat to the other, there canโt be any peace. And I know they probably think theyโre saving lives by letting the demons win, but theyโre not. I donโt even think that the Demon Blight will listen to reason or negotiate. Humanity either fights or it dies!
Well, itโs a good thing that karma exists. Because when these coexisters try to break through the underground defenses, they all get slaughtered by Tatsuya. That man absolutely destroyed them all. It was like a mook horror show, but given that theyโre betraying humanity, they kind of have it coming.
When all else fails…
The bad news from all this is that the original plan of baiting the demon lord in is no longer viable. So Xylo and Teoritta have to take the fight to the enemy. And the pair comes dangerously close to being overwhelmed by the sheer numbers before they even have a chance to engage. If it wasnโt for the reinforcements Venetim called for, and Dotta being chased by angry mercenaries for stealing their money, they would be dead. And they still come dangerously close to dying because, as with all the other demon lords, Iblis is a Dark Souls boss.
No, really. You know those boss fights from games like Dark Souls where you think you beat them only for them to come back with a second form and extra health bar? Thatโs this fight. And once again, Teoritta refuses to listen to Xylo when he tells her to run.
Itโs rather obvious at this point, but Teoritta is the one who spells it out for us: Xylo doesnโt hate goddesses. He hates himself. Even if it was someone else who put him in the position, he hates himself for having to kill his previous goddess. He hates that he had to lead his men to die. And he hates having to put Teoritta in danger for his sake. But, if he’s going to have to keep doing it, then he’s willing to do it with Teoritta. And then we get this.
bro…i cant get over how fucking amazing the soundtrack is in this anime, it elevates every scene to a new level of peak
So, the fight ends with none of the heroes dying once again. But Xylo now has a target on his back. And if these coexisters are as embedded in their kingdom as I think they are, then we are in for a lot of headaches. But at least Teoritta got her headpats.
Teoritta finally received her headpats from Xylo, oh that's father and daughter ๐ญpic.twitter.com/w2MMmu8X0d
Itโs time, everyone. The Culling Game has been underway for a while now, and the longer it goes on, the easier it will be for Kenjakuโs insane plans to be fulfilled. With Yuji and the others having gathered their allies, theyโre ready to enter the Game. Which, at this point, Iโm basically considering to be the JuJutsu equivalent of Fortnite.
Ironically, Yuji, Gojo, Nobara and Megumi are already in Fortnite.
Hakari Wants in On the Future
So, after getting Hakari and Kirara to calm down and listen to them, the former has the same reaction as the latter when they learn Gojo was sealed. To be fair, though, hearing that their strongest has been sealed would make anyone react like that. But now that Hakari knows that there backs are up against the wall, heโs willing to help them out. But heโs not just doing this out of the goodness of his heart! He wants to make a deal!
The short version: now that the existence of Cursed Spirits is public and the leaders of Jujutsu society are gonna need to be purged, things are going to need to be reformed. And Hakari wants to make sure the new rules will benefit him and his money-making schemes. Megumi agrees to the terms, since heโs the head of the Zenin Clan now. Seeing Hakari start sucking up to Megumi after he hears that was pretty funny. What makes it even funnier, though, is that the next day, Maki wipes out the Zenin Clan, making it a moot point.
Even if Megumi canโt really flex that clan power anymore, though, I think Hakari has the right to be involved in rebuilding Jujutsu society. I didnโt mention it in my review of the last episode, but one reason he got ostracized is that his Cursed Technique is more modern and tech-based. And the jerks in charge are so old-fashioned that they look down on it. But no society can improve if it keeps the same old ways forever, and if its leaders resist that notion, get rid of them. And after what they have done since Shibuya, Jujutsu HQ is going to be burned to the ground once Gojo gets out.
But enough of that: itโs time to enter the Culling Game, especially Yuji.
Let the Culling Game begin!
So, it was previously established that entering one of the colonies of the Culling Game makes someone a player by default. Since the group hadnโt entered yet, they thought they had time to prepare. However, they overlooked one possibility: that Sukuna might have agreed to take part in the Game in the past. Thanks to that, Yuji is already a player and canโt put off entering any longer. Thus, the group heads to the Tokyo Colonies.
Their plan is simple. To ensure that Megumiโs sister can get out of the Culling Game, they want to find players who already the points needed to add more rules. They figure that if they persuade them, they can add two new rules: one to allow points to transfer between players, and another that lets players tag someone else in to take their place. This way, they can make it through the Game without killing anyone. Yuji and Megumi go into one colony to find a player who has the points, while Hakari and Panda take the other to find Angel, the only one who can unseal Gojo. However, no plan survives first contact with the enemy, and this is no exception.
Firstly, the second Yuji and Megumi enter the colony, they find themselves separated. This was a rule that the barriers added so players would spawn in at different points without any control over it. Itโs like PUBg or Fortnite in that regard. And unfortunately for Yuji and Megumi, the game already has players pulling off toxic gamer moves, like spawnpoint camping.
As a gamer with years of experience in online multiplayer, it disgusts me to see people using spawnpoint camping to earn points. That being said, I canโt help but find it funny seeing Yuji get jumped by two random newbies and turning the tables on them. They shouldnโt have messed with the main protagonist. And as it so happens, their third member is someone Yuji used to go to school with and knows where to find one of the hundred-point playersโฆor so they say.
Someone is Sus
Meanwhile, Megumi runs into this woman whoโs trying way too hard to play up the weak and helpless damsel routine, which sparks plenty of red flags in my head. She also claims to know where this player theyโre looking for is, but she gives him a different location. Which means one of them is being lied to, and will thus be getting an ass-whooping later. Sadly, we will have to wait at least two weeks to find out. The anime is going to be on break.
I donโt really care that much that the anime will be on break. Months of One Piece going on break for recap episodes have gotten me used to the idea. Plus, the next episode is going to be absolute fire, I just know it! In the meantime, what Iโm more interested in is Hakariโs English voice actor. I assumed that it would go to Chris Sabat, but Yuri Lowenthal was not someone I was expecting! People from my generation are probably already saying how heโs delinquent Sasuke. To be fair, though, Sasuke was a delinquent for half the series.
JJK SEASON 3 ENGLISH DUBโผ๏ธ Ok Yuri Lowenthal does NOT sound as bad as some people made him out to be for Hakari. Also love Kiraraโs VA fr ๐ญ๐ค๐ป pic.twitter.com/AHByb47vW4
Well, that didn’t take long. Yuji, Megumi, and Panda infiltrated the underground fight club run by their jujutsu senpai’s, Hakari and Kirara, to recruit them for the Culling Games. Unfortunately, they’ve been made! Now, since they’re not going to do this the easy way, they’re gonna have to do this the hard way. Which is fine by me, because it gives us a chance to see how our protagonists measure up against their senpai’s. That, and we got confirmation that Megumi is ripped as they come!
I Don’t Get Kirara’s Power
So, while Yuji was upstairs talking to Hakari, Megumi and Panda were trying to sneak into the fight club in case things went south. Unfortunately, they were spotted by Kirara (who we will use they/them pronouns for). They think the two are working for Jujutsu High’s higher-ups (who are toxic conservatives), so they alert Hakari. That leads into Hakari throwing hands with Yuji as we saw at the end of the last episode, and now things have to be done the hard way.
To Kirara’s credit, Megumi and Panda are from Jujutsu High, but are just choosing not to follow the higher-ups orders. And even when the two tell them that they sought their help because Gojo was sealed, they don’t buy it. If we hadn’t seen it for ourselves, I doubt the viewers would believe it, either! But the only reason that this happens is so that the story can show off what Kirara can do with their cursed techniques. And it’s…pretty complex.
I love the shonen genre; I’ve always loved it. However, one thing that’s always bugged me is how some series have power systems that can be downright confusing to understand. The biggest offender is JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, especially in the later parts, but JJK can be just as hard to understand at times. Case in point, I had a hard time wrapping my head around Kirara’s Cursed Technique. The basic idea is that it marks people and items based on the stars in the Southern Cross constellation. You have to approach each mark based on its order in the constellation, I think. And if you don’t approach in the correct order, you get repelled like being Force pushed.
I’m sorry, but that kind of power just doesn’t appeal to me in the slightest. It’s too confusing to wrap my head around and I think that saying Kirara could repel things they touch would be simpler. It’s only thanks to the show’s superb animation that I was able to maintain my interest. It doesn’t really matter, though, because Megumi and Panda win and convince Kirara to hear them out.
Hakari, on the other hand…is too fired up to listen as he and Yuji come out of the monitor room in a fist fight.
I Respect Hakari’s Love for Passion
Here’s the thing about Yuji as of this moment: he’s not in the best mental headspace. He was talked into coming back with his friends and half-brother, but what happened in Shibuya is not something he can get over. He already put little value on his own life, but after Sukuna’s rampage and what Mahito did, it’s devolved to the point where he sees himself as a cog in a never-ending war. His only purpose is to kill Cursed Spirits and help his friends, and nothing else. As much as I like seeing people act selflessly, though, there’s a point where it becomes detrimental to one’s well-being. And it’s this way of thinking that gets on Hakari’s nerves the most.
Crazy battle with lower graded People but they make the most of the show! cant wait for more and see what our team of people will do!
Unlike Yuji, who’s entire reason for living is to help others, Hakari embodies the concept of putting one’s own interests above all else. He’s passionate about what he loves, and likes seeing that kind of passion in other people. It sounds selfish and greedy at first glance, but when you think about it, everyone wants something more than anything in life, even if it’s something selfless. He wants to see a world where people are free to do what they love the most, which is why he initially can’t stand seeing Yuji think so little of his own existence. To put it bluntly, it pisses him off.
Ironically, it’s this very mindset of Yuji that gets Hakari to finally hear him out. Yuji Itadori’s so determined to stop the Culling Game that he tanks every one of Hakari’s punches, which just makes him angrier. It gets to the point where Kirara calls out how riled up Yuji’s resolve has gotten him. By his own logic, Yuji has passion.
The timing couldn’t be better. A new rule has been added to the Culling Game by one of the players: players can see the status and location of all other players. This rule was added not by them or any of their allies, but by one of the players who’s already at work. To make it worse, it’s one of the Sorcerers who was brought back by possessing someone else. Their name is Hajime Kashimo, and judging by what he says in his first appearance, he’s a real blood knight. The whole reason he added that rule was so that he could track down and fight Sukuna.
JUJUTSU KAISEN SEASON 3 EP. 6
Finally Kashimo is here โก mf wants to fight Sukunaโฆ well we all know how that went lmao. pic.twitter.com/WkEZog2jwG
The preparation for the Culling Game continues. Maki may not have gotten the cursed tools of the Zenin Clan and lost her sister, but she did wipe them all out. No more of their toxic influence and Game of Thrones scheming. Meanwhile, Yuji and Megumi have to go and convince a senpai on bad terms with the authority figures to help them in the Game. And this guy is a real rebel who believes in following oneโs passion to the fullest!
Which is fine by me, as I like people who want to follow their dreams even if they’re crazy. And anyone on bad terms with the leaders of the Jujutsu world gets bonus points in my book. Plus, it helps that their seiyuu is the guy who plays Roronoa Zoro!
Those Old Geezers at JJ HQ are on my Hate List
If it hasn’t been made clear by my reviews of JJK, or some of my other writings, I hate toxic conservatism. By which I mean I hate dogmatic people who insist on maintaining things the way they are, even when changing with the times would benefit them. And the leaders of Jujutsu society that aren’t named Satoru Gojo all qualify as such. Not only did they try to kill Yuji and make it a crime for Gojo to be unsealed, but this episode opens with one of their most heinous crimes: the murder of Principal Yaga.
Yaga was the one who created Panda, the first self-sustaining Cursed Corpse. HQ wanted that secret technique to create their own army of puppets to enforce their rules, but Yaga refused. And he made sure that before he died, he only told his fellow Principal Gakuganji the secret because he saw that knowledge as a curse. And this actually manages to get to the old man! Even more so when Panda comes along only moments after Yaga died and says that he’s not mad at him for following orders.
This entire thing was genuinely heartbreaking for me to watch. This is the equivalent of Pinocchio coming home to find Geppetto dead because some jerk ordered a hit on him. It’s downright tragic to watch, and even Gakuganji is shaken by his fellow educatorโs death. When Gojo is unsealed, those higher-ups shouldn’t even bother praying, because they already signed their own death warrants.
I Like Hakari Already
While all of this is happening, Yuji and Megumi are on their own mission: to find and recruit their senpai, Hakari Kinji. He’s a third year at Tokyo Jujutsu High, but he’s been suspended by the higher-ups for being a good-for-nothing, headstrong rebel. As the two first-years see for themselves, that’s not an unwarranted opinion; he’s running a fight club for Sorcerers.
Even before we meet him, it’s clear why the conservatives running Jujutsu society hate Hakari. They’re rigid traditionalists who hate any concept of changing with the times, while Hakari is the new blood chafing under authority and longing to break free. Heโs the kind of guy who encourages people to indulge in what they love and find passion in, because without that, what is life even about? Hence, his main reason for clashing with the higher ups is because wants encourage everyone in Japan to follow their passions. And for him, that means wanting to legalize his fight club and gambling in Jujutsu society.
I have to admit, I was pretty sold on Hakari before we even got a chance to meet him. Firstly, itโs because HQ hates him. Secondly, while I dont exactly approve of a fight club, I respect the hustle. Thirdly, he’s voiced by Zoroโs seiyuu, which gives him bonus points for aura. And once Yuji meets him, his aura only manages to get even better.
The entire meeting between Yuji and Hakari has to be one of the best scenes in the entire anime. It’s just one continuous shot with no change in perspective, camera angles, or anything. It’s impressive, crazy, and somehow manages to work. Then again, chaos seems to be what this series is about to run on, so I’m not surprised.
"Jujutsu Kaisen S3 Episode 4"
LMAO 4+ min single-camera-angle shot, only JJK can pull this unusual stuff in every ep. ๐ญ tho idk if any anime did that already. pic.twitter.com/6vkCtvzI2N
I know it’s WAY to late to say “Happy New Year”, as this is an OG Founder post the night before Valentine’s Day. By the way, for those who celebrate it and have someone special, be sure you love them and take care of them. If you’re single, eh, watch some High School DxD with a bottle of lotion and Kleenex and call it a night. (Most of ya’ll know where I’m comin’ from with that one.)
Now with the dry jokes out of the way, I feel the need to bring this lil’ thing to your attention. It’s 2026, and next month will mark 29 years of me being an anime fan. Yes, I’m ‘Unc’ and old as hell, but in the almost three decades of being a fan, I’ve seen the anime community grow and become what it is today. Now, you’d think that the show that got me into anime would be the usual suspects; Pokemon, DBZ, Digimon, and Yu-Gi-Oh. Of course you’d be right, but those are ‘childhood anime’. The show that really got me into anime, was Tenchi Universe.
This of course came up as part of the Toonami lineup, preferably the ‘Moltar Era’. Its been awhile since I’ve watched it so I might do a “One-2-One” character analysis on one, or more of the characters in a later post. Now back to the real reason behind this post; in the upcoming 29 years that I’ve been an anime fan, I’ve gone through many changes in terms of my opinions and perspectives, of where I stand in my relationship with anime in the modern era. Do I have biases towards certain shows? Yes, especially if they’re guilty pleasures. However with seasonal anime, I find myself experiencing a ‘Love-Hate’ relationship with the hype behind the quality of the shows, that have come out.
With every season; there are some outliers that deserve more attention than it receives, but with every outlier, there’s at least ten duds that are straight BOOTY! That’s another topic for another post. So, DJing and producing music…why do I like doing that, more than watching anime…?
It’s funny that I find myself saying that, because anime is the reason why I started producing music and being a DJ. Back in 2008 when Otakon was still in Baltimore, I went to the raves and stood where the DJ was. After hearing a techno remix of Daft Punk’s “Faster, Stronger!” (ya’ll know the words better than I do), I knew I wanted to be a DJ. At the time I had a passion for creating things, and that passion has led me to create D&A Anime Blog; as you guys see it today. It also led me to create my own DJ & Cosplay Party Promotion known as Club BASSMODE. You’ll hear the REAL reason why it was shut down in a future OG Founder post, and how I bounced back with NEW Thursday and Saturday Nite Events.ย
I believe it stems from creative freedom and artistic integrity; where the music that I produce is only as good as I want it to be, and what I’m feeling at the time. Not having or being on a deadline or an anime simuldub schedule, allows my imagination and creativity to breathe, and not feel rushed. If you haven’t noticed by now from the words of this post, I’m a BIG advocate for creative freedom, and creative control. The creators of your favorite anime have the same passion about the characters and the worlds that they’ve built; from the stories they tell, to the character dynamics that we see.
In my 29 years of being an anime fan, I never thought I’d see Vegeta become who he is today, and Toriyama (rest his soul) wanted to ‘kill’ him off in the first arc. That took time to create, and the payoff was the development of a well-written character going through his redemption arc.
I don’t know, guys. I guess maybe the novelty may be wearing off (probably because I’m still icky about the recast and script for New Panty & Stocking), or maybe I’m nostalgic for titles and shows that take me back to a time when the world wasn’t so damn crazy! So to cope, I channel what I’m feeling through DJing and producing electronic music, and that’s the one thing I can control. Anime will always have a special place in my heart, so I don’t really see myself leaving it any time soon, but DJing and producing music does allow me to take a break; and be creative elsewhere.
So, what cha’ll got? Let me know what ya’ll like to do when you need a break from anime. Type in the comments down below.
On the last episode of Sentenced to be a Hero, we got to see what Xylo and the hero unitโs missions are like when theyโre not basically going AWOL. Xylo, Teoritta, this madman called Tatsuya, and this guy named Norgalle whose convinced heโs a king, all went on a mission to secure a mine. But when they discover demons infesting the place and a group of miners still trapped inside, what does Xylo do? Disobeys orders to rescue them, naturally. Which, to be frank, is a pretty heroic thing to do. And after this episode, I think that Xylo and the others deserve to be called heroes in the traditional sense, especially Norgalle.
Don’t Try to Die Nobly in Battle if you Can Avoid it
So, with the Holy Knights ordered to collapse the mines hanging over their heads, Xylo, Norgalle, and Tatsuya work to rescue the remaining miners. Teoritta is forced to stay behind due to Xylo refusing to unnecessarily put her life at risk. This ends up conflicting with Teorittaโs own willingness to do just that, not caring what happens so long as she does a noble death.
The entire theme behind this whole episode seems to be about how we view war and death in battle. Teoritta and Norgalle donโt seem to mind dying so long as they do so helping others live to see another day, which is an admirable mindset. That, and they think going out taking as many enemies as possible is a metal way to die. In contrast, we have Xylo, the weary war veteran who understands that once youโre dead, thatโs it. Barring unnatural methods like what the heroes are sentenced to, and unless thereโs an afterlife or reincarnation cycle, thatโs the end. Even coming back like the heroes takes a toll on them, so death is still something to worry about. And after seeing what he has, Xylo refuses to let anyone die a pointless death.
Which is why, when Teoritta eventually chooses to ignore his orders to stay behind, heโs mad. But I can understand why she did it.
Never Abandon your Comrades
Anime has taught me a lot of things, but one big one is that if you have to choose between following the rules or breaking them to save lives, itโs better to break them. Itโs why Xylo and the others went to rescue the miners, and itโs why Teoritta opts to do the same. But while Xylo is the one who agreed to this, itโs actually Norgalle who steps up in this episode.
I donโt know if Norgalle is actually a king or not, but even if he isnโt, heโs got the bearing of one. Whereas other monarchs would insist on staying behind the frontlines and act as if their life is more important, Norgalle is the kind of king who does the opposite. Je spends this entire episode putting the miners’ needs before his own, doing everything in his power to ensure they make it out alive and refusing to see them as expendable. Delusional or not, that kind of selflessness is endearing, and it inspires the miners to help fight back the demons. Which, by the way, were indeed created due to a Demon Lord brainwashing the other miners, much to Norgalleโs fury. His majestyโs best moment, though, comes when he chooses to cut off his own leg so he can stun the Demon long enough for Xylo to kill it. That is the kind of crazy that can get things done!
Thanks to the heroes and Teoritta, all the remaining miners are able to escape and return home to their families. And despite many still viewing them as scum, a small handful of them work up the courage to thank them. Scum or not, they saved people, and that is worthy of respect. Even Kivia stands up for them by saying they did the right thing. I donโt know if this will end up sticking or not, but if Xylo was able to change a small group of peopleโs minds, then maybe he can do it more and more until everyone sees him as the hero that Teoritta, and by extension, the audience, know he can be.
I Give “Sentence: Spearhead the Recapture of the Zewan Gan Tunnels 2” a 4/5
The Uchiha Clan Massacre, one of the defining moments in the backstory of the Naruto series. In a single night, one lone ninja proceeded to slaughter almost the entirety of his powerful clan, save for himself, the guy who helped him, and his little brother. And he did it all under the orders of a man who had no authority to make him do that. It was a tragedy that could’ve been prevented, and in the long run, it caused more harm than good for everyone involved. Why am I bringing this up now when we’re talking about Jujutsu Kaisen? Because the anime just gave the Uchiha Clan Massacre 2.0. Except this time, it’s entirely justified, the one doing the killing is in the right, and the clan in question deserves everything happening to them. Maki did what she had to do.
F the Zenin Clan
So, after spending the last episode focusing entirely on exposition as Tengen, Yuji, and all their allies prepare to stop Kenjaku’s plans, this one is focused on the actual preparation. Their first order of business is to retrieve all the weapons and gear the Zenin Clan has locked in their storehouses. So Maki heads to their compound with the authority of her cousin Megumi, who is now the clan head, remember, to do just that. The Zenin Clan, though, has no intention of playing ball whatsoever.
Let me remind you what I said in my review for the preview movie: the Zenin Clan sucks. They are one of the three biggest and oldest clans of Jujutsu sorcerers in Japan, and a family of backwards thinking, ultra-conservative, sexist jerks. Not to mention how they’re convinced that they’re in a story like Game of Thrones where it’s all the intrigue and scheming. Because even though they are facing the existential threat Kenjaku is bringing to Japan, all they care about is their own power. They have no intention of letting Megumi be clan head, with their leaders using those dumb orders banning Gojo from being unsealed as an excuse to try and off him. And when Maki comes back, all they do is look down on her for having zero cursed energy and being a woman. Naoya even says she’s worthless now that she’s got all those scars on her. But that’s only the start, as Maki goes to the vault, and all she finds there is her deadbeat dad and her mortally wounded twin sister, Mai. And then her dad almost kills Maki and leaves them both for dead.
Time for a quick tangent, by the way. Gege, you are an absolute master of the art of making characters whose existence people can loathe with their entire being. Naoya was already a arrogant, sexist jerk that deserves a punch to the face. But the girl’s dad? All he does is whine about how he’s not the clan head and blaming it all on his daughters’ existence. He even says that “children shouldn’t hold back their parents,” with a straight face. This is the definition of a deadbeat parent, and while there are a lot of things I hate, there’s nothing worse than a bad parent.
Which only makes what happens next all the more satisifying.
All my Homies Hate the Zenin Clan
There’s a reason why Maki has no cursed energy whatsoever. The rules of Jujutsu treat twins as the same person. So when twins are born, they get restricted. In the girl’s case, Mai got all the cursed energy, while Maki should have gotten a superhuman body like Toji did to compensate. So long as one lives, the other can’t reach their full potential. Which is why Mai, who never wanted to be a sorcerer, chooses to let herself die so that her sister can unlock her full potential.
This is an absolute tragedy, and even though I wish that the anime could’ve spent an entire episode on just this, I think it manages to hammer that aspect home. All Maki wanted was to change the Zenin Clan so that it could accept her and Mai and give them the home they wanted. But the Zenin Clan was so rigid in their beliefs that they refused to let that happen, even when it would’ve benefitted them in the long run. Thanks to everyone’s stubbornness, Mai has died, and Maki has lost everything.
But thanks to their arrogance, the Zenin Clan didn’t kill the twins when they had the chance. Because now, it’s time for their own Uchiha Clan Massacre.
Toji Could’ve gone Full Kratos on the Zenin Clan if he Wanted
Fans of JJK know who Toji Fushiguro is. Born to the Zenin Clan with no cursed energy, he bailed on them and discarded his last name due to them treating him like dirt. They shouldn’t have, because the universe chose to compensate him for his lack of cursed energy by giving him a body as strong as steel, with superhuman senses and strength to go with it. That meant that he could kill Jujutsu sorcerers with hardly a scratch, and made him their absolute worst nightmare. He could’ve killed his entire clan for treating him like garbage, but chose to take the high road on it.
Maki, on the other hand? Let’s review everything all the crimes the Zenin Clan has committed against her:
A lifetime of emotional and physical abuse
Disobeying a direct order from the head of their clan
Murder of her sister
Multiple accounts of attempted murder
The verdict is guilty, the sentence is death, and the executioner is Maki, courtesy of the sword Mai made her before she died.
The Massacre Straight out of Kill Bill
What happens next isn’t just the Uchiha Clan Massacre for a new generation. It’s the Uchiha Clan Massacre fused with Kratos’ rampage against the Olympian Gods. And it is as close to perfect as possible…at least if you’re from the West.
It’s common to find anime fans from the West disagreeing with their Japanese counterparts, but there’s something special about how our reactions to this episode of JJK. Everyone I’ve seen stateside has been calling the best episode of the series. They’re looking at the scene of Maki wasting those mooks and are saying how it’s just like the Bride killing the Crazy 88 in Kill Bill. I looked up a clip of the scene on YouTube, and everyone’s commenting just that!
And the part where Maki tanks the hits from the Hei unit! That one guy dies thinking that he helped kill Maki, but she just walks away with the head of another Hei member and throws it into a pond!
And that fight with Naoya! Even if he gave us one of the first memes of the year, everyone agrees Naoya deserves to get his face caved in! And the anime didn’t disappoint as Maki absolutely embarrasses him! They repeated the clip of her breaking his skull four times, and it’s still satisfying! And her carnage didn’t stop at the compound! She hunted down any Zen’in clan members who weren’t there and killed them all! Is it any wonder why those with Maki stock are taking a victory lap?
So why are the Japanese hating on this? From what I’ve heard, cultural differences.
Japan Didn’t See this the Way Americans Did
According to what I’ve heard, a big issue they have with the episode is how it portrays the massacre. They don’t like the upbeat and energetic music and pacing. To them, this event is supposed to be a somber tragedy because of what happens to Maki and Mai. And I do agree with them on that part. What happened to Maki and Mai is indeed a tragedy brought about by Maki and her clan’s mutual stubbornness. Had Maki not tried to spite the family that didn’t deserve her and just walked away with her sister, Mai wouldn’t have had to die. And I do think that the anime could’ve made this entire thing more menacing to respect Mai. Remember, despite thinking it had to be done, Itachi hated himself for having to kill his clan and wanted to face justice for it, even if others might not see it that way. But while what happens is a tragedy, Westerners don’t see it like that.
We often consider getting revenge to be a costly, self-destructive act. At the same time, though, if we find the ones who are the targets of said revenge to be utterly reprehensible, we’re willing to justify it. And, admittedly, there’s something satisfying on a primal level in seeing the hero beat the snot out of a villain who greatly wronged them. Ergo, while we may mourn Mai’s death, I couldn’t help but smirk as I saw Maki bury the backwards, sexist, backstabbing Zen’in clan six feet under. Even more satisfying is seeing Naoya go out like a chump at the hands of Maki’s dying mother.
So, despite what the Japanese have to say about it, and despite me wanting an entire episode dedicated to Maki’s killing spree, I still loved this. I have been wanting to see this animated for a while now, and while it wasn’t quite what I expected, it’s already one of my favorite anime moments of the year. Maki, you have effectively solidified your place as THAT girl! All hail the Queen of Jujutsu Kaisen, Maki!!
Itโs hard to believe that itโs been two years since the world lost Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball. Yet for the time being, his greatest creation has continued to endure across the world and in the minds of its fans young and old. With this year marking the 40th anniversary of the original manga, fans are expecting big things to commemorate it. And it looks like weโre going to be feasting, because on January 25th, the powers that be dropped a few big pieces of news. A Dragon Ball anime is coming back, weโre getting a remake of one arc, and there was some big video game news that is leaving fans drooling.
Letโs start with the first big piece of news: the Beerus arc from Dragon Ball Super is getting a remake.
DB Super Beerus Remake
After the disaster that was Dragon Ball Evolution, the late Toriyama was so mad about his creation being mishandled that he came out of retirement to fix things. The result was the hit 2013 film Battle of Gods thrusting the series badk into the spotlight for a new generation. That eventually led to a sequel film, and both would lead to a new anime series in 2015, Dragon Ball Super. I never watched the first two arcs in the anime since they were just retelling the films, but I have heard that there were a few complaints about it not being that good. There were issues with the animation, pacing, and other things that fans didnโt like. So, I guess I dodged a bullet on that!
It seems that things were so bad that Toei has decided to remake the entire Beerus arc with new animation, with the resulting Dragon Ball Super L: Beerus releasing sometime this fall. Again, I preferred the movie to the anime arc, so I probably wonโt watch it. However, that doesnโt mean Iโm not happy for other fans. And I know that a number of content creators are going to be happy about this.
What Iโm looking forward to, though, is something that weโve had to wait for years to see: the return of Dragon Ball Super.
Super is Coming Back!
In 2018, after the Tournament of Power Arc came to its legendary end, DB Super went on what we thought was a hiatus. This was so that the manga adaptation could have time to tell the next major arc, the Galactic Patrol Arc, which everyone has expected to be what Super would cover next. But it never came back, and some fans started to lose hope that it would. For those who had faith, though, itโs about to pay off. Dragon Ball Super: Galactic Patrol Arc is coming!
The basic premise of the arc is that Goku and Vegeta are asked to temporarily join the Galactic Patrol, an intergalactic police force that tries to maintain peace throughout the universe. Emphasis on trying, as theyโve never been strong enough to stop Frieza, his family, or any minions like the Saiyans. And when one of their most dangerous prisoners escapes custody, they need the twoโs help to save the day. Itโs a pretty good arc, and one that a lot of fans have wanted to see made into an anime. Which means that the return of Super is a pretty big deal for fans. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing it get animated, even if we donโt know when it will release.
As for gamers, weโve got a lot to look forward to, as well.
Sparking Zero DLC
Two years ago, the legendary Budokai Tenkaichi series came out of retirement with its first release in decades, Sparking Zero. The game proved to be immensely popular at first thanks to having the biggest roster of characters in the entire line of games, online multiplayer, and what-if stories in the main campaigns. It also seemed to quickly lose steam on Steam, though, as it lost 90% of its player base in less than a month, but it has retained a steady base since then, from what Iโve heard. And that player count might grow this year as we just got our first look at the new DLC. And thereโs cause for excitement.
This upcoming DLC is going to add even more characters to the gameโs already massive roster, including Super Android 17, King Piccolo, and Super Saiyan Bardock. As a big fan of Gokuโs dad, that last is especially exciting for me. Iโm actually tempted to start playing the game again to get ready.
But all of this is nothing compared to the biggest announcement: in 2027, we are getting a new Dragon Ball game. While we still donโt know its name, the title alone is enough to get hardcore fans pumped: Dragon Ball: Age 1000.
Dragon Ball: Age 100
You might not know this, but in 2010, there was actually a Dragon Ball MMORPG, Dragon Ball Online. Released exclusively in East Asia, it takes place 216 years after the events of the Majin Buu Saga, and Earth has changed a lot since then. Most humans are now at least partially Saiyan, the Namekians relocated to Earth, Majin Buu started his own race, and best of all, the use of Ki is universally recognized, meaning everyone sees Goku and the others as the heroes they are. But the Earth is now threatened by the like of Towa and Mira as they mess with the timeline, leading many to join the Time Patrol led by Future Trunks.
If all of this sounds like the Xenoverse games, thereโs a good reason. DBO shut down in 2013, but many of its concepts and characters became a part of Xenoverse and Xenoverse 2. That hasnโt stopped fans from wanting an actual DB Online game again, though, and thatโs why this trailer is a big deal. That, and this new character might have been designed by Toriyama before he died.
We wonโt know more about Age 1000 until April, but Iโm betting fans are already coming up with their own ideas about what this game could be like. I liked the Xenoverse games myself, but I do want to see something more like DB Online here in the west. Hopefully, weโre finally getting what we want!
And that is everything that we know so far! Hopefully, Toei and Shueshia will release more info in the coming months, as itโs got the fandom in a frenzy and eager to learn more. We will try to cover it as best as possible here, as we are massive fans of Dragon Ball and are eager to take part in the celebration ourselves. Until we meet again, guys!
My fellow Jujutsu sorcerers, Jujutsu Kaisen is back! Well, it’s been back for about a week by the time I’m writing this, but I didn’t write about the first two episodes. There was no need to, since I had already covered them in my review of the compilation movie. But now that they’re out, I’m free to cover everything going forward as we get into the Culling Games. I’m going into this basically blind, but from what I’ve heard, and based on how crazy the new OP is, this is going to be absolute chaos!
What is the Culling Game?
So, where were we when we last left off? Yuji was a fugitive from the corrupt Jujutsu heads alongside his half-human, half-cursed spirit half-brother. Nagoya โDbagโ Zenโin tried to kill Yuji. Yuta showed up like an absolute CHAD and helped Yuji fake his death. And now all the good guys reunite at Tokyo Jujutsu High to meet Tengen, the immortal responsible for the barriers protecting the high schools in Tokyo and Kyoto. This brings us to this episode, which is more or less dedicated to exposition dumping on what the heck is about to happen.
Which is good, because I’ve always had a hard time understanding the power system in JJK, and I’ve had an even harder time trying to understand what the end goal of the antagonistโs is for the Culling Games.
To sum it up as best as I can understand it, it’s like the Infinite Tsukuyomi from Naruto meets Fortnite.
No, really. The ultimate plan of Kenjaku, the sorcerer who has possessed Getoโs corpse, is to force humanity to evolve by giving everyone access to cursed energy. His plan is to have humanity fuse with Tengen, who has evolved to become less a human and more an abstract entity, granting them all curse energy. To do that, he needs a massive amount of cursed energy be unleashed, hence why he’s been working behind the scenes for a thousand years trying to make the Culling Games happen. He made pacts with ancient sorcerers to have them participate in exchange for bringing them back in new bodies, which he did by feeding people cursed objects containing their souls. He also found people with cursed techniques who couldn’t use them and modified their brains so that they could, using the disaster curses and others to accomplish this. And since users of the Six Eyes like Gojo kept foiling him in the past, he made sure to seal Gojo so the technique wouldn’t pass on to someone else. All of this culiminated at Shibuya, where Kenjaku used everything to awaken thousands of sorcerers, both ancient and modern-day, and unleashed countless cursed spirits across Japan.
Da Rules
So, there a boatload of sorcerers who appeared out of nowhere, hordes of cursed spirits that have formed colonies across Japan, and Kenjaku is forcing them all to fight in the Jujutsu equivalent to Fortnite. All so he can merge humanity for the sake of transcending their current limitations. And to make matters worse, joining the Culling Games is non-negotiable for those picked. There are rules that even say so!
Anyone who gets a cursed technique has to join nineteen days after awakening said technique by entering one of the colonies.
Refusal to join will lead to players deaths by removal of cursed technique.
Non-players who enter colonies become players by default.
Points are gained by killing players and non-players
Point values are determined by game master
Players who gain 100 points can ask game master to add a new rule to the game. No takebacks!
The game master must agree to new rule as long as it doesn’t mess with the game.
Players whose scores haven’t changed after 19 days will die.
And to make sure that the game can’t end if he dies, Kenjaku made it so he isn’t the game master. This Shinigami thing called a kogane is!
Credit where credit is due; as someone who enjoys games myself, Kenjaku really thought this out. A pity that he’s doing this for the sake of evil. And with Gojo sealed in the Prison Realm, and the tools needed to free him destroyed or out of energy, there’s no way for him to stop Kenjaku.
Or is there?
One Chance
As fate would have it, one of those reawakened sorcerers, Angel, has a technique that can nullify other cursed techniques. Which means that she’s able to open the back door to the Prison Realm and let Gojo out. So, if they want to stop this madness, then they’re going to have to find Angel. But since this episode already gave us plenty of exposition, the anime decided to cut us some slack and give us this video explaining the good guyโs plans.
Everyone has their marching orders now, and so everyone must get ready to play the deadliest game of their lives.
Now, some people are no doubt asking why Kenjaku decided to make the rules as they are, let alone give players the chance to alter them or provide an out. That seems counterproductive to his evil plans for forced assimilation. The thing is, he probably doesn’t care if he ends up failing. His only goal is to force humanity to evolve, and conflict has always been a surefire way of seeing this happen. Think of how many leaps and bounds in technology have been made thanks to war making them a necessity. Even if he fails and even if the game falls apart, that won’t change the fact that he’s shaken Jujustu society to its core. They have to change now.
Great Exposition
Personally, I liked this episode. It might have to do with growing up watching Yu-Gi-Oh!, but I enjoy hearing exposition so I can better understand what’s going on. And judging by the comments on that Crunchyroll video, there are plenty who are having a hard time understanding how this whole thing will work. But what I think is my favorite part of this episode has to be the ending as we get our first look at one of those awakened sorcerers. I read about him on TV Tropes, and from the sounds of it (and how he is in the OP), he’s going to be pretty funny. Heaven knows we need that considering what’s about to happen.
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