Manga

Sayonara, Toriyama! World Mourns Death of Shonen Legend

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Legendary Mangaka Akira Toriyama, Creator of Dr. Slump, Dragon Ball, and modern Shonen, dead at 68

To anyone who grew up watching Dragon Ball Z, you’re going to want to get your tissues ready; you’ll need them. Akira Toriyama, the legendary mangaka that gave the world Dr Slump, the art for Dragon Quest, and most important of all, Dragon Ball, has died at the age of 68. And the entire world of anime is in mourning.

Akira Toriyama Made Shonen What it is Today

For those of you who don’t know who he was, Akira Toriyama is, for all intents and purposes, the godfather of the modern Shonen anime. Entering the world of manga at the age of twenty-three, Toriyama first made a name for himself as the creator of the popular gag manga, Dr. Slump. Running from 1980 to 1984, it proved to be a major hit. However, it wasn’t until 1984 when the man truly began the work that would cement his status as one of the greatest mangaka of all time: Dragon Ball. Inspired by the Chinese novel Journey to the West, Dragon Ball would wind up becoming one of the most important works in manga history. 

Spawning a media juggernaut that has continued to thrive to this day, Dragon Ball has multiple anime series, dozens of movies, and so many video game adaptations that I can’t even keep track of it. It’s no exaggeration to say that without Dragon Ball, the shonen genre of anime and manga as we know it today wouldn’t exist. By the time it had ended its initial run, Dragon Ball had already sewn the seeds for the shonen genre to thrive. It inspired the next generation of mangaka to create the likes of Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece, the last of which is the best-selling manga of all time. And none of that would be possible without Dragon Ball or Toriyama. 

And then there’s the impact that Toriyama’s creation has had on pop culture. When anime started to make its way to the West in the 90s and early 2000s, Dragon Ball was one of the series that paved the way. It was the gateway anime for countless kids the world over, and the love that it engendered can be found in the all the fan-based content it’s inspired. TeamFourStar, KishinPain, DevilArtemis, Daitomodachi, Slick Goku (RIP), Prince Vegeta. These are only a handful of the people I know of who have made amazing works based on the characters that Toriyama created. And there will likely be even more content coming out in the years to come. Sadly, fans will now have to live with the fact that the man who gave it all to us has departed for the Otherworld.

Toriyama’s Legacy Will Live On

While Toriyama may no longer be with us, he still left us with a few stories left to be told. Less than a month from now, Sand Land, a game adapting another one of Toriyama’s many works, will be released. In addition, Dragon Ball Daima, a spin-off/sequel to Dragon Ball that Toriyama was heavily involved in, will be releasing sometime in Fall 2024. Not much is known about it, but it seems like Daima will be returning Dragon Ball to its roots. However, the fact that it is likely the final project that Toriyama worked on before his death means its premiere will be a bittersweet one for fans.

I’ll be upfront about this: I didn’t grow up watching Dragon Ball on Toonami like a lot of anime fans did. I knew about it, but I didn’t get into it until I was in high school. Once I had, though, I regretted not trying it out sooner. These days, I’m a full-on fan of Dragon Ball. And while I may lack the nostalgia of watching it air on TV, I know how much it means to fans. And more importantly, I understand how much Toriyama’s death is hitting fan. I follow a ton of people who make Dragon Ball-related content, and right now, they’re pouring their hearts out online. Rest in Peace, Toriyama. May you join all the other great storytellers in human history as you deserve. 

Jin-Woo is About to Claim Victims

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Solo Leveling Ep 6 Review

Have you ever seen the “You’re a victim” meme? It comes from a SupaHotFire video on YouTube from six years ago, and is best used in situations where a person gets absolutely wrecked. And now that Jin-Woo is no longer the weakest Hunter in all mankind, that’s what will happen to any monsters, or Humans, that get in his way. In this episode, Jin-Woo begins the true start to what will be a long list of people and beasts that he makes victims.

Round 1: Jin-Woo vs Giant Spider

After getting left to die by their so-called party members, Jin-Woo has two options: fight or die. And after facing off against the things he’s fought, the crippling fear that Jin-Woo once felt is not so great. Compared to the demonic statues, a giant spider is nothing.

The fight that follows in the anime seems to take a lot of cues from the likes of Sword Art Online. And that’s not just because it’s produced by the same studio that does SAO. Like Kirito, Jin-Woo’d movements are based around speed and agility. He jumps, dodges, and constantly looks for new angles from which to attack. The way the fight’s animated even evokes some of the frenetic energy of Kirito’s more over the top battles. In other words, it’s pretty fun to watch if you’re into that sort of thing.

Hilariously, by the time it’s over and you see how devoted Jin-Ho is to Jin-Woo, I can’t help but hear Deku, subbed or not. This is the beginning of a beautiful bromance.

Here’s the thing, though: Jin-Woo is not a hero. 

Hwang Dongsuk becomes a Victim

When Dongsuk and his party come back and realize that Jin-Woo and Jin-Ho aren’t dead, they realize they have to cover their tracks. When their attempts to coerce Jin-Ho to kill his newfound bro fail, though, they try to kill Jin-Woo themselves. He no-sells it, but that’s not the issue. The issue is that the System gives him a new quest telling him to kill Dongsuk’s party.

And, if it wasn’t before, what happens next establishes that Jin-Woo is an anti-hero. He might have balked at killing other humans before, but after seeing the worst of humanity in the double-dungeon, he’s ready to respond in kind. Even if the System didn’t threaten to kill him for refusing, Jin-Woo would still kill them. He’s a man whose spent his whole life as a Hunter being a punching bag. Now that he has the power, he’s going to use it. And woe to anyone foolish to make themselves a victim of his. 

Side-note: the music playing as Jin-Woo makes victims is hauntingly beautiful.

This Could be the Start of Something Beautiful

After the ordeal in the dungeon, Jin-Ho and Jin-Woo tell the authorities how the others died in battle, without including the specifics. Even if they did, the law would (hopefully) justify it as self-defense. There’s just one issue: Dongsuk has a younger brother who’s also a Hunter. And from the way he was bragging, he’s likely a big deal. It won’t matter to Jin-Woo, though. He’ll keep getting stronger and survive.

Having been unable to resist the wait, I wound up reading the entire manwha in a few days, and trust me. Things will only get crazier from here. By the time the story is done, Jin-Woo will claim more victims and it will be amazing. This is shaping up to be one of the big anime of the Winter 2024 season!

I Give “The Real Hunt Begins” a 5/5

God of War, Solo Leveling Edition

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Solo Leveling Ep 7 Review

If Sun Jin-Woo had any remaining doubts that he’d gotten stronger, they are gone. Last week, he didn’t just kill the boss of the dungeon he was in. Except for Jin-Ho, he killed the party that tried to kill him. At this rate, he might start thinking he’s unstoppable, which could be a huge problem. Thankfully, Jin-Woo’s conscious enough to understand that if he doesn’t want to die, he needs to keep getting stronger.

This is good because he’s got the authorities interested and angered one of the strongest Hunters in the world. Time to level grind!

Jin-Woo is Getting Noticed

For someone who just had to kill six people, the episode starts with Jin-Woo handling things well. Some people would be traumatized by killing another human being, even if it was in self-defense. Jin-Woo, though, doesn’t even use that as an excuse to cope. It’s more concerning how irritated he is at how they thought they had a chance against him.

Jin-Woo recognizes the benefits that becoming a Player has given him, both for his confidence and his family’s well-being. Plus, he discovers in this episode that his body detoxes him so fast he can’t get drunk. However, and not just because the System forces him to do so. It’s because he’s attracting unwanted attention.

First, reports about what happened have reached the Hunter Bureau and the desk of Mr. Woo. AKA the guy who saw Jin-Woo after the Double Dungeon Incident. He’s starting to suspect that something’s up with Jin-Woo, which could be an issue. However, what’s more important is the guy that Jin-Woo’s angered.

Remember Dongsuk, the leader of the party that Jin-Woo killed? He wasn’t joking about his little brother being a big deal. He’s an S-Rank Hunter living in America and is now out for revenge. 

Jin-Ho is a True Bro

At least there’s one person who isn’t out to get Jin-Woo right now: Jin-Ho.

It might be because his dub voice is done by Justin Briner or the sincere manner in which he conducts himself, but Jin-Ho is the kind of guy Jin-Woo wants in a best friend. Not only does he keep his mouth shut about what happened out of gratitude, but he makes a massive offer. His dad’s the CEO of a big construction company, and he wants to set up his own Hunter’s Guild. If Jin-Ho helps do raids to help him become a Guild Master, he’ll give him a building worth billions.

It’s a very tempting offer, one that benefits both of them. It would help Jin-Woo hide his strength for a bit longer, and Jin-Ho can show he’s worthy of his father’s trust. Sadly, Jin-Woo has things he must accomplish first. 

This whole conversation highlights what’s great about Jin-Ho. While he wants Jin-Woo to help him for his benefit, he’s also doing it to help Jin-Woo. He’s genuinely grateful to him for saving their lives and wants to do everything to help. Even if Jin-Woo still says no, he’ll keep his secret. Granted, he’s worried that Jin-Woo might kill him, but the loyalty is genuine. That’s authentic bro material, there!

God of War: Manwha Edition-Cerberus Boss Fight

The big highlight of the episode, though, remains the impressive fighting. After blowing past his daily training, Jin-Woo gets a key to unlock an S-Rank dungeon. He can’t resist the chance to see how far he’s come, leading him to head inside. What he encounters, though, can only be described as God of War fused with an urban apocalypse. 

Anyone who’s ever read Greek mythology will know how dangerous Cerberus, the three-headed guard dog of the Underworld, is. The Cerberus that Jin-Woo fights is something straight out of the likes of Dark Souls and as bloody as God of War. It also isn’t as one-sided as it is in the manwha; it’s a deliberate attempt to make Jin-Woo not feel so OP. In the end, it makes his ultimate victory all the more badass.

Solo Leveling keeps managing to raise the bar when it comes to fights, and this is only the start. If you’ve read the Manwha (I binged it in less than a week), you know how insane the fights will become. 

In the end, Jin-Woo leaves the dungeon feeling a little more confident in himself. What he did in the last episode wasn’t a fluke. Now he knows he’s tough and will only get more challenging. At the same time, he took enough of a beating that he knows that he’s not invincible. No matter how powerful he gets, he shouldn’t start thinking himself to be unbeatable. However, doing these dungeons will still be worth it, as they lead him on a path that could end with a potential cure for his comatose mother. 

Sadly, there will be no new episode next week. We’ll only be getting a recap. The silver lining, though, is that we’ll be able to catch up on the dub. 

I Give “Let’s See How Far I Can Go” a 4.5/5

RJ Writing Ink Doing a New Series

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Hello, everyone, RJ Writing Ink here with a special announcement regarding a new series I will be doing. So, a few months ago, it was announced that Donte, co-founder of this blog, would be leaving to pursue his own projects, leaving Aaron as the head of the blog and myself as one of its writers. Before he left, Donte liked to write recommendations he was watching for everyone to check out. In the past, I have done some posts for anime that I have liked but didn’t have the time to review episode by episode, such as My Clueless First Friend, and The 100 Girlfriends. It’s a fun, easy, and time-saving way to get the word out about what’s airing that’s worth watching.

In the spirit of what Donte did, and with Aaron’s permission, I will be picking up where the former left off. I’ll be checking out anime that I feel are worth writing about but don’t have the time to review each episode. The first post to this series will be coming soon! Hope you enjoy, and thanks for your continued support of the blog!

‘Zom100’ Came Home for the Holidays!

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Zom100: Bucket List of the Dead Eps. 10-12 Review

It’s been three months since the last episode of Zom100 came out, thanks to delays with production from behind the scenes. Many people despaired that one of the year’s best anime would never be finished. However, after three months of hiatus, Akira is back for the holidays! When we last left off, he and his friends had settled in his secluded hometown in the mountains, safe from the zombies. Unfortunately, their oasis was about to become a battlefield thanks to another quartet looking to do whatever they wanted. Unlike Akira, though, this group wants to hurt everyone around them! It’s up to Akira and the others to save his home in this three-part finale!

Getting to Know Everyone in Akira’s Hometown

At this point, Akira, Kencho, Shizuka, and Beatrix have integrated themselves into Akira’s hometown. Akira is helping his parents work in the field. Kencho has taken to trying to cheer up a little girl named Angie, who lost her parents. Beatrix has learned more about how the villagers keep the zombies out. As for Shizuka, she works as the village’s unofficial doctor. As a kid, she always wanted to study medicine and become a doctor, but her dirtbag wouldn’t let her because it wouldn’t be a high-paying job, which doesn’t make sense. After all, being a doctor is one of the best-paying jobs in the world. 

All this downtime allows everyone to relax and bond with the villagers and other refugees. Akira, in particular, tries to devise a way to repay his parents for everything they’ve done for him. As someone lucky enough to still have both his parents, it’s a sentiment I can greatly relate to. Plenty of kids give up so much for the sake of their kids, and not every kid can fully repay or express that gratitude while they still have a chance. It’s a genuinely wholesome moment and one I enjoyed getting to see.

It’s too bad the moment gets ruined by a group that’s the yin to Akira and his friend’s yang, who open the barrier, keeping the zombies out so they can destroy the village.

Higurashi and his Group of Haters 

Meet Kanta Higurashi, a 24-year-old shut-in and the anti-Akira. Like Akira, his life before the zombies was terrible, with no friends, family, or job. This made him bitter at the world and blame everyone else for how his life turned out. Thus, when the apocalypse happened, he decided to indulge in everything he wanted and found others who wanted to do the same thing. In other words, he’s a mirror version of Akira.

Here’s the difference, though. The problems that Akira and his friends had before the zombies came were external, resulting from things that weren’t always in their control (bad job and worse boss, bad Dad, etc.) Higurashi’s group? As the zombies come pouring in and each member of Akira’s group has to fight a member of Higurashi’s group, it becomes clear that most of their gripes are self-inflicted.

  • Kurasugi hated his wife because she always complained about him never being there for her. In reality, though, he failed to put in the effort that came to a successful marriage, expecting his wife to do everything for him and ask for nothing in return. That’s not how marriage works!
  • Atenbou (who tries to French kiss Shizuka) complains he’s had bad luck, but it was due to his lazy and careless nature. I.E., he forgot to put out his cigarette in the restaurant he worked in, which burned down.
  • This woman named Kanbayashi got fired from her job, but it was because she had an overbearing attitude, insisted she was always right, and was generally a Karen.

Thankfully, Akira’s friends all beat each other while shutting down their arguments about why they’re jerks.

  • Shizuka points out how Atenbou’s lack of care for anyone but himself means his bad luck is self-inflicted. Then, she helped all the elderly people capture him.
  • Kencho outsmarts Kurasagi by diving into a cesspit to hide himself from the zombies. Gross, but effective.
  • Beatrix shuts down the water mill, providing power to the electric fence, trapping everyone, and points out the fact that so many different cultures and ways of thinking in the world mean that no one can be right about everyone. She’s then eaten by zombies instead of crushed by a water wheel.

As for Akira, he outsmarts Higurashi by disguising himself as a zombie to get close enough to pin him. Higurashi (who went to college with Akira and Kencho) then breaks down in tears and complains about how miserable his life has been.

Happiness is Something that Has to be Worked for

As sad as it is to see Higurashi cry about how miserable his life was, like his friends, a lot of his misery was self-inflicted. While his introverted nature did make it hard for him to reach out to anyone, it wasn’t like no one tried to. Akira did offer to befriend him in college, but his fear and loathing at how carefree Akira seemed to be led to him refusing this offer. 

According to T.V. Tropes, Higurashi is a deconstruction of the NEET archetype that’s become popular in many skis. Unlike someone like Rudeus Greyrat, who puts in the effort to be a better person, Higurashi doesn’t. He gave up on the world, so the world gave up on him and led him to what he is today. Unfortunately, Higurashi gets bitten by a zombie amidst his epiphany, denying the chance for a redemption arc. Instead, he sacrifices himself to lure the zombies away.

On to the Next Adventure

In the end, everyone’s able to escape the zombies, seal back in the tunnel, and rebuild the village. And, though I’m not sure if it’s shown onscreen, Atenbou’s the only one still alive and works to help rebuild and make amends. The bigger question, though, is what Akira and the others will do now. 

As it turns out, Akira’s father is suffering from a painful illness. The good news is it’s hemorrhoids, something a doctor can take care of. The bad news is that zombies make that pretty hard. Not wanting to let his Dad die this way, Akira comes up with a new goal: find the cure for the virus.

In almost every zombie story, one of the top priorities for survivors is to find a cure for whatever’s creating the zombies. Barring that, it’s trying to get them under control and rebuild society. Thus, the fact that Akira wants to eventually find some way of ending the zombie apocalypse is kind of expected. Given who he is, though, some people might not believe Akira can be the guy who could save Japan or the world if it’s spread that far. However, I think he might be able to do it.

No, really. Akira might be the guy who saves the world. He’s outgoing and friendly, bringing out the best in others and inspiring them to be better. If he managed to win over Shizuka as he did, then he might be able to get everyone to unite and stop the outbreak.

Thus, Akira, Kencho, Shizuka, and Beatrix all head out on their next adventure: finding a cure for the plague and completing more on their now-shared bucket list. Thus, the first season of Zom100 came to an end. 

A Season Two on the Horizon?

I will be upfront about this: I want to see a second season of Zom100 under better circumstances.

This anime is one of the best out of 2023; there’s no denying that. The problem is that it was plagued by production issues that led to delays and more. As a result, much of the hype around this amazing series started to fizzle out. This is sad; I’ve taken to read the manga, and it’s pretty good. This anime has much more potential, and I hope it continues. Until then, though, I will enjoy what we’ve gotten.

Happy Holidays!

I Give “Hometown of the Dead Pts 1-3” a 4.5/5. Each

How to Train your Dragon, Shield Hero Edition

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The Rising of the Shield Hero S3 Ep 8 Review

Things are once again looking up for Shield Hero Naofumi. Thanks to Eclair bringing Ren back to his senses, the Sword Hero’s now living in Lulorona Village. That village is getting bigger every episode, with all sorts of new people moving in. In addition to people, the village is also getting its fair share of animals to help out, including an egg that hatches into a dragon. Unfortunately, dragons aren’t the easiest mythical creatures to tame, as Naofumi soon discovers.

As a side note, this episode also marks the first significant role of a character that Allen Blaster, author of the Diligence of the Shield Hero series, likes. 

More Slice-of-Life Stuff

This week’s episode starts off on a relatively calm note, and it largely retains that tone up until its final minutes. While some might find this boring, a story’s slower moments are just as important as the exciting ones. Moreso since they leave plenty of room for introducing new characters, developing existing ones, and showing them interact outside of battle. 

The first of the new characters to join the cast this episode gets introduced in a rather hilarious fashion: by trying to ride atop a panicking Filo. Enter Ratotille “Rat” Anthreya, an alchemist and researcher specializing in create new life-forms. After getting thrown out of her country due to slander, the Queen of Melormarc hired her to work for Naofumi. Unfortunately for Filo, she’s also the kind of person who does things first without asking permission, hence the attempt to ride her. She makes up for her lack of social etiquette by helping raise the animals, though, so it turns out alright.

 Given this episode’s slower, slice-of-life feel to it, a lot of the supporting cast gets a few moments to show off their own growth. Keel reveals that he’s learned how to transform into a dog much like how Sadeena can go killer whale. S’yne creates a plushie (that looks like Fohl) that can talk for her, helping her communication problem. Ren grows closer to Eclair as she shows him how to read Melromarc’s language. It’s little things like this that flesh out the characters and make them more believable.

This girl will not stop until she gets what she wants.

Perhaps most humorous (and concerning), though, is Atla’s actions. Several times now, Atla’s been caught sneaking into Naofumi’s bed. Her excuse is that, as his shield, she needs to guard him…but nobody buys that. Especially since she tricks her brother into falling asleep before restraining him so she can do this. 

We may have a budding yandere here, folks!

A Baby Dragon: Cute But Dangerous

The supporting character that gets the most attention in this episode, though, is a little dog-girl named Wyndia. There’s things that cannot be discussed without entering spoiler-territory, but the episode does reveal a few key things about her. Chief among them, she has a strong affinity for beasts and animals, especially dragons. Wyndia has a strong fondness for dragons, so when a box of supplies that Naofumi gets includes a dragon egg, her first thought is to want to raise it herself. While Naofumi’s the one who watches the egg until it hatches, it’s Wyndia who ends up naming it: Gaelion.

Despite starting out looking like Gaelion the dragon is the second coming of Filo, things don’t go so smoothly for everyone. While in Glass’ world, Naofumi had the cores of the dragon that Ren killed (and became a zombie) and the one that threatened that world fused into one. However, Gaelion winds up eating it. He then proceeds to grow ten times his size, wrecks Naofumi’s house, and runs off.

Again, can’t reveal what happens without spoilers. However, just know that the next episode will be very entertaining. 

I Give “The Girl and the Dragon” a 4/5

Ren is a Kirito Wannabe, Confirmed!

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The Rising of the Shield Hero S3 Ep 6 Review

An interesting fact about Ren Amaki from Shield Hero: he’s a pretty obvious expy of Kirito, the main protagonist of Sword Art Online. AKA, one of the stories that made isekai a popular genre from the 2010s onwards. People know Kirito as either this lone-wolf gamer with a heart of gold or a sword-wielding badass. The anime makes it all the more apparent with Ren sharing the same seiyuu, or voice actor, as Ren in the native Japanese. Unlike Kirito, though, Ren is more of someone who wants to be a badass yet fails miserably when it counts. Case in point, this episode of Shield Hero shows Ren’s mindset before getting summoned and how he ended up the way he is now.

Kicking off with a flashback to Ren’s life before the present day, fans see how much of a contradiction the young man is. On the one hand, he likes being the strongest or being seen as the strongest and having others sing his praises. On the other hand, though, he’s a lone wolf who is unsure how to interact with his peers, and thus fails to understand the value of the teamwork. As a result, when he got isekai’d, his whole party only fed his ego, exacerbating the problem. Despite all evidence to the contrary, Ren kept thinking he was all his party needed, and neglected their own growth. Which came back to bite him tragically when his party got slaughtered by the Spirit Tortoise. 

Then, in a move surprising no one but himself, Witch robbed him of his gear and money. After that, the same guys who attacked Naofumi’s party try to kill him, only he’s got no party to help him; no deus ex machine like S’yne; and none of the townspeople want to help him. He’s all alone. And that leads him to activate not one, but two, cursed series for his Cardinal Sword and become a bandit leader.

The difference between Ren and Kirito is that, while Kirito started out as a lone wolf, he managed to grow out of it. He opened himself up to others, made friends, and even got a girlfriend. Ren was never willing to take that first step, though, despite dying saving someone else’s life. He never had the kind of people that Naofumi found, which only served to reinforce these negative qualities. All of these things ultimately drove Ren to the point where Naofumi finds him. Wearing a tuxedo mask, fighting Motoyasu, and corrupted by the curses of gluttony and greed. 

Ren Gets a Reality Check

Clearly, Ren is in need of a reality check, and where Naofumi fails, his friend, Eclair, steps up. And, since we skipped out on the second season, Eclair is the daughter of the Lord that ruled the land that Lulorona Village’s a part of. When he died, she hunted down the slavers who kidnapped the villagers, only to get imprisoned by the Three Heroes Church until Naofumi brought them down.

The fight between Ren and Eclair is short but important for two reasons. Firstly, despite him being a Cardinal Hero, Ren gets his butt kicked by Eclair, showing him how weak he is. It’s even implied that Eclair wasn’t fighting him seriously, to boot, driving the point home further. Secondly, Eclair cuts to the root of Ren’s problems: he doesn’t know what he wants beyond the role he was given. He lacks the resolve needed to point his strength towards something worthwhile, stagnated from that, and hates himself for it, since it means he got his party killed. 

That is the power of the “fight no jutsu” and “talk no jutsu” at work in tandem.

With the main conflict now resolved, the episode wraps up with the two assassin’s from before attack the group while they’re recovering. However, Motoyasu kills them both in two seconds thanks to taking Naofumi’s training advice, and Raphtalia kills their souls so they can’t come back. One less problem to deal with, and two of the Cardinal Heroes now willing to listen to Naofumi.

This wasn’t one of the most exciting episodes of the season, but nonetheless, it was an enjoyable one. We got to see inside Ren’s mindset and learn why he is who he is. Furthermore, getting to watch him see reason was very satisfying. With six episodes left in the season, the only hero left to find is Itsuki. Fingers crossed, Naofumi finds him before he can get hurt or cause too much trouble. 

I Give “Where You Point Your Strength” a 4/5

Attack on Titan Anime Ends With Epic, Movie-Length Finale

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Attack on Titan Final Season THE FINAL CHAPTERS Special 2 Review

Ten years ago, Attack on Titan rocked the world with one of the darkest and most morally complicated stories in anime history. Now, more than two years since the final chapter of the manga, the anime has come to a close in a movie-length event so hotly anticipated, it broke the Crunchyroll website. 

Of those who managed to watch it right when it appeared, they had nothing but praise for it on social media. As one of the people who read the manga, my expectations for the finale were very high. And while knowing what would happen did dampen my excitement a little, the animation was so amazing, I couldn’t help but get excited to see how it all ended. What’s more, series mangaka Hajime Isayama listened to fan criticisms about things ended and actively took steps to improve on it. He even apologized to Studio MAPPA for making them do extra legwork.

Like Something Out of a Triple-A Video Game

Picking up right where the first part left off, the anime wastes no time diving into the Scout’s and Titan Shifters final, desperate battle to stop the Rumbling. They pull out all the stops to keep Eren from destroying what’s left of the world, and it shows. Gone are the green rookies that got thrust headfirst into the fight against the Titans. In their place are some of the best soldiers and warriors in the world, and they give everything they have against Eren. While some people might complain about the fact that none of the remaining protagonist’s died and call it plot armor, I don’t think it’s entirely that. It’s more of a testament of how well they’re able to work together. This is in spite of the fact that just a few days ago, both groups were trying to kill each other. War makes for strange bedfellows, it seems. 

The entire film (it deserves to be called such) plays out like the final battle of a triple-A video game in the vein of Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy. Much like those series, interspersed between all the action are scenes that provide emotional depth to most of the main characters. The best of these scenes, though, are the ones between Armin and Zeke, and later, Eren. Getting to see Armin talk Zeke out of his nihistilic views on life and how it has meaning beyond survival is a major highlight for the former. It shows how, even after everything he’s gone through, Armin strives to see the best in humanity. The world needs more people like him. 

The action itself was, of course, jaw-droppingly good. From the appearance of Falco’s Jaw Titan to Mikasa dealing the final blow to Eren, it was clear that Studio Mappa didn’t hold anything back. No wonder Hajime apologized for making them work so hard. 

Hajime Isayama Improved the Ending

When it first came out two years ago, a lot of fans didn’t like the way Attack on Titan ended, and made sure Isayama knew this. It got so bad that some people even started a rewrite for the finale called AoT no Requiem. Isayama himself stated he’d also come to have problems with how he ended things, so he took the criticism to heart. Thus, the anime’s finale was his chance to change things for the better. While the ending as a whole remained the same, he did add more depth to certain moments to make it better.

More to Say Between Eren and Armin

First, there’s that infamous scene between Eren and Armin. Eren breaks down and starts crying over the fact that he won’t get to live out his life with Armin and Mikasa. I never had a problem with this, because I took it as proof that the cold-hearted facade he’d been putting on since the timeskip was an act. A coping mechanism to deal with the chaos he would one day unleash and alienate himself from his friends so they wouldn’t feel bad once he died. Not everyone saw it that way, though. 

The anime extends that scene in the hopes of better explaining Eren’s rationale behind everything. To summarize, he was disgusted with what he had to do as everyone else was. He didn’t want to do it; no sane person would! However, due to the hand that the world had dealt him, and his own, future actions, he had no other choice. He was forced into this role by himself and those around him, something that Armin even acknowledges and accepts that he’s partially guilty of allowing. It was horrific, but to save the world from the Titans, Eren was forced to become a sacrifice.

The reason why I never had a problem with this ending is because I had already seen a similar one happen in another great anime, Code Geass. In that story, the main protagonist conquered the world and became its sole dictator to unite everyone in opposition against him. Once that was done, he had his best friend fake his death and then assassinate him to erase all that hatred, letting the world move on in peace. That’s more or less what Eren did here: he set himself up as the enemy of the world to be taken down by his friends. They’d become heroes, their home would be spared for centuries, and the power of the Titans would vanish from the world for a long time. It wasn’t a wholly happy ending, but it was the best one they got with the cards they had.

Paradis Got to Thrive For a Long Time

Another key thing that got improved was the epilogue for the series. After the release of the final chapter, Isayama made an extended version that showed the future of the world of Attack on Titan. Mikasa got to live out her life in peace before dying in old age, her new family burying her next to Eren under their tree. Time then flashes forward and shows Paradis becoming a modern metropolis before getting destroyed in another war. 

Some fans saw this as a way of saying that everything Eren sacrificed had been for nothing. Thus, Isayama and Studio Mappa changed the images seen in the end credits to provide better context. Rather than lasting for a few generations after the story’s events, the anime clarifies that this war likely occurred hundreds of years later. More than enough time for Paradis to live and thrive in peace like Eren wanted, and enough time for the rest of the world to start recovering. It might seem unfair that Paradis still got destroyed, but it was going to happen. For all we know, it might have been due to a completely different reason besides the Rumbling. In addition, the sight of the boy entering Eren’s tree means that the Eldian people weren’t wiped out. 

As for the power of the Titans, it’s still not clear if it would return in the distant future. However, if it does, I’d like to think mankind will have learned not to use it as they did in the past. Or, at the least, they’ll have progressed to the point where it won’t be so big of a threat. 

Still an Amazing Ending for Attack on Titan

Regardless of my own opinions, one cannot deny the fact that the finale to Attack on Titan was epic. Everyone working on it brought their A-game, and it showed in the acting, animation, and music. Speaking of music, there were several instrumental remixes to some of the best songs in the anime peppered throughout the anime. What’s more, the anime also dives into a little more detail about what happened to the secondary characters who survived the ending. Each of them is doing their best to live their lives and rebuild the world, even Yelena. It’s not much, but it’s nice to see what happened to the secondary cast. 

The only regret I do have is that this was never released in theaters as the movie it deserves to be called. 

I Give “Attack on Titan Final Season THE FINAL CHAPTERS Special 2” a 5/5

Naofumi Gets More Enemies on His List

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

The Rising of the Shield Hero S3 Ep 5 Review

There seems to be a recurring trend in Shield Hero. Whenever things start looking good for Naofumi, life throws him a curveball or two. First there was the thing with Witch (that’s what Malty shall be henceforth called). Then he went on the run from the Three Heroes Church. The attack of the Spirit Tortoise and traveling to Glass’ world. Now, the universe throws Naofumi another curve ball. Not only are there more world’s than his, Raphtalia’s, and Glass’, but more people want him dead. 

After giving up on the now full-blown Filocon that is Motoyasu, Naofumi, Raphtalia, and Filo are hoofing it back to Lulorona Village. Without Filo’s beloved carriage, to boot. Suddenly, they’re ambushed by a pair of arrogant, yet powerful, men in black hoods. Much like the surprise, scripted boss fight in a JRPG, their attackers prove too dangerous to fight in their current state. One of them even drops a meteor on them like they’re Sephiroth or Madara Uchiha! Thankfully, they’re beaten thanks to their own hubris and the intervention of S’yne. 

As S’yne reveals once they’re back in Lulorona Village, she’s not from their world. She was the Vassal Hero from a world that was destroyed by the people their assailants work for. Emphasis on the ‘work’, as despite killing them, S’yne states that they will return. It’s like the equivalent of respawning in a video game after dying. While it may seem like a lazy way to bring back enemies, Shield Hero seems to use it to emphasise how dangerous this mystery group is. If they’re powerful enough to invade other worlds and destroy them, then Naofumi should heed S’yne’s words. 

Some good does come out of this skirmish, though. While Naofumi still doesn’t trust her, he lets S’yne stay in Lulorona Village. The downside to having her come back after a single episode, though, is that it renders the sight of her leaving seem pointless. On the upside, though, the debuff’s their attackers used on Naofumi’s party managed to get rid of the curse they got at the end of last season. 

Despite this unexpected event, things continue to go well for Naofumi and his allies. They’re getting stronger training in armed combat and the Hengen Musou martial art courtesy of Old Lady Elrasla. So much so that Naofumi’s able to take a number of them to get a class upgrade. Again, another example of RPG elements that work well in this story. Now, all they need is someone to test their prowess against. As fate would have it, Eclair knows the perfect targets.

Ren Has Become a Chuni Edgelord

A group of bandits has been attacking stray adventurers and travelers on the roads nearby, prompting Naofumi to take a group to hunt them down. However, when he finds their leader, he’s surprised to learn who it is: it’s Ren, fighting Motoyasu.

You don’t need to have read the light novels to connect the dots here. Witch burned Ren like she did Naofumi and Motoyasu, and now he’s gone all in on his edgelord persona, complete with black armor and a mask that, honestly, looks dumb on him. As for Motoyasu, he likely only found Ren because he was looking for Filo, to her dismay.

I’ve never fully read the light novels, so I don’t know what exactly happens, but it seems like the anime’s trying to condense a lot of important details. However, given the fact that this season only has 12 episodes, it feels necessary. And the end result remains the same by showing viewers the most important parts of what’s happening. Plus, while it was lighter on the action, the episode does demonstrate the new enemy that Naofumi has. We should expect to see them again soon.

Also, Motoyasu now deserves to be on the FBI’s list of lolicon’s.

I Give “Each of Their Paths” a 3.5/5

Anime Monsters are the Scariest There Are

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 RJ Writing Ink’s Picks for Terrifying Monsters in Anime

Halloween is the time of year where people embrace the macabre and monstrous, and anime is filled with some of the biggest monsters in all of fiction. From demons pulled straight from myths and legends worldwide to conventional monsters like vampires and zombies, anime has them all. In the spirit of Halloween, it seems appropriate to talk about the monsters of anime that will give everyday people nightmares. 

I’m RJ Writing Ink with D&A Anime, and here are my picks for some of the most terrifying monsters to be found in anime.

Titans, Attack on Titan Franchise

Woe to those who see one of the Titans approaching them, for they are almost always harbingers of death. Created when a certain group of people are injected with their spinal fluids, Titans are hulking, near-mindless monsters. Their only goal in existence is to find one of the nine people with the power to shift in and out of Titan form and devour them so they can regain human form. Thus, they chase down any human they see in the hopes of eating them. In the Attack on Titan universe, the number of deaths they’ve caused is enough to kill the world’s population three times over.

What makes the Titans so horrifying is that, unlike many fictional monsters, they usually appear distinctly human. Seeing a group of giant, naked, grotesque caricatures of human beings running towards is the stuff of nightmares. Is it any wonder people in Attack on Titan are so afraid of them?

Demons, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

While Demons are not a new thing in works of anime, the Demons in Demon Slayer are unlike anything fans have seen before. Craving human blood, vulnerable to the sun, and capable of turning more humans into them, they have more in common with vampires than that of classical Demons. However, that doesn’t really matter, though, considering that they’re still horrifying.

What makes the Demons in Demon Slayer even more dangerous is the many and varied powers they can possess, ranging from super-strength to being able to rewrite the world around them on a whim. Worst of all, their progenitor, Muzan, is so monstrous that he’s compared to a force of nature. Is it any wonder why the Demon Slayer Corps is constantly struggling to wipe them out? 

The one positive trait about them is that they’re not entirely devoid of humanity, as proven by Nezuko. 

Devils, Chainsaw Man

Imagine a world where the thing that you’re afraid of, the very concept of it, could take physical form and threaten you. That’s the kind of world that serves as the setting for Chainsaw Man. In this alternate version of Earth, Devils are real, and they are the phsyical manifestations of the things that mankind fears. And the more humans fear them, the stronger they become. No matter how silly or absurd it may be, if someone is afraid of it, there’s likely a Devil for it.

What makes the Devils of Chainsaw Man truly horrifying is that there are things that almost every living thing is genetically programmed to be afraid of. Falling from great heights, darkness, and even death itself are things that all life instinctively fears. Imagine how powerful their Devils are. No wonder why the only people who choose to become Devil Hunters have a few screws loose.

Shinigami, Death Note

Death is already a scary concept by itself, but what if there were extra-dimensional beings capable of killing you with a pen and a notebook. If that sounds terrifying, then the Shinigami of Death Note are the stuff of nightmares. Grotesque in appearance and residing in an alternate plane of reality, the Shinigami have only one purpose in life: to end the lives of others. To that end, they use the power of their Death Notes to end the lives of humans living on Earth and use them to extend their own lifespans.

The scariest part about the Shinigami, besides their appearance, is their almost universal apathy regarding humanity. At worst, they view humans as sources of food for themselves; at best, they’re sources of entertainment. Even Ryuk, the one who gave Light Yagami the Death Note that let him become Kira, abandons Light when he finally gets cornered. They don’t care about mankind, and they never will. 

Cursed Spirits, Jujutsu Kaisen

In the world of Jujutsu Kaisen, feeling too many negative emotions isn’t just bad for your mental health; it can lead to the creation of supernatural monsters. Cursed Spirits are beings that manifest from the collective cursed energy that leaks out of humans whenever they’re feeling negative emotions. Much like the Devils in Chainsaw Man, they’re the embodiments of mankind’s fears and anxities, and thus can take many forms that range from the simple to the truly demonic. 

While they can be scary-looking, most Cursed Spirits are capable of being dealt with by the Jujutsu Sorceror’s that protect society from the shadows. That is, however, except for Sukuna, the King of Curses. The amount of black air force energy he has in him is so powerful that he managed to persist a thousand years after he died. The only hope the Jujutsu Sorceror’s had of finally being rid of him was by gathering all his cursed energy into his host, Yuji Itadori, and then finally killing him. As of now, that still has yet to work out. 

So, does everyone agree with my picks. I am well aware that there are plenty of monsters in anime that are just as terrifying as the examples I came up with. However, if I tried to mention them all, we’d be here all night. Feel free to let us know any other scary monsters in anime that you think should be on this list.