Zenshu has now hit its third episode (fourth by the time this is out), and that marks an important milestone. The anime’s reaching the point where viewers will decide whether it’s worth watching or they decide to move onto something else. Thankfully, after a few rough patches, the third episode manages to be its strongest thus far. In addition to further expanding on the world that Natsuko finds herself in by introducing Luke’s designated love interest, the episode hints that what she knows should happen and what will happen might not always add up.
Which is a fancy way of saying that the story might be mixing things up in an attempt to course-correct.
I Respect Natsuko’s Aversions to Fancy Clothes
Thanks to the efforts of Natsuko, two of the tragic events that originally occurred in A Tale of Perishing have been averted. As a result, rather than the joint funeral for Unio and the townsfolk that Natsuko notes would’ve happened, the Last Town’s harvest festival takes place as planned. To her dismay, being the guest of honor also means she has to wear a fancy dress, which she despises, much to Unio’s amusement.
The harvest festival, as a whole, serves as an excellent means of further developing Natsuko and the Nine Soldiers. Natsuko’s disdain for her fancy dress highlights how she wants to live life on her own terms and doesn’t care what others think. Unio proves to be a casanova wannabe who tries and fails to flirt with multiple women, to Natsuko’s amusement. Memmeln refrains from the town’s religious practices because she’s lived so long, she sees them as a fad. And despite his good looks, Luke is shown to be very shy around large groups of women. Which may explain his earlier sexist remarks towards Natsuko.
This is unfortunate, as this episode marks the introduction of his love interest from the film Destiny Heartwarming (yes, that is her real name.) She’s the sweet, sheltered daughter of the town’s mayor, engaged to a wealthy businessman to be the next of his many wives…and that’s it. As Natsuko notes, she’s only there for her and Luke to fall in love…so that when she shows up at the worst possible time and dies, it will break him even further.
There’s a name for characters like this: dead. weight. Natsuko thinks that in her inner monologues, which is likely Zenshu providing commentary on how fans can come to hate certain characters for various reasons. In Natsukoโs case, not only is it because sheโs a jinx, but because sheโs only marrying that businessman because she thinks itโs the best way to start an orphanage for the townโs children. For someone who values her own freedom like Natsuko, Destinyโs way of thinking offends her to her very core.
In any case, Natsuko tells everyone that they have a month before the Void return, so they can take it easy. However, sheโs soon proven wrong when a Void comes in disguised as a priest, something that shouldnโt have happened until later in the story. How this is happening is unclear, but itโs possible the story is attempting to right itself after Natsukoโs interference changed events. And with Destiny in danger and Luke drunk in vodka, she has to come up with another deus ex machina.
WRESTLING!!!
Another amazing Zenshu episode. Definitely one of my favourite anime airing. MAPPA been cooking with this anime original. Zenshu Sundayโs is real. Hyped for the next episode!!!!#ๅ จไฟฎ#ZENSHUpic.twitter.com/CGroZBzgrs
This time, itโs a cat luchador. Which leads to an enjoyable moment where Natsuko provides commentary as her creation delivers a smack down like itโs an actual wrestling match. Say what you want, but someone at MAPPA has a sense of humor.
In the end, another crisis is averted thanks to Natsuko, and in more ways than one. After waking up three days later (which seems to be standard), she finds out her words left a positive impact on Destiny. Not only did she dump business guy and open the orphanage on her own, she decided to follow Natsukoโs example and live life on her terms. And those terms include emulating the cat wrestler, which is hilarious.
Natsuko Hirose. Making bad characters better since 2025.
It was touch and go for a while, but after this episode, Zenshu looks like it can handle itself with the big boys. This is one anime to watch for the winter season of 2025, as thereโs no telling how things will turn out. We still donโt know how Natsuko got to this world or why she was brought there, but there are sure to be some theories at work already.
Even if they would be quickly overshadowed in strength by future villains, most Dragon Ball fans remember the Ginyu Force. Their flamboyant personalities, their unique powers, and their love for choreographed posing. The Ginyu Force was Toriyama’s first affectionate parody of the tokusatsu genre and Super Sentai series, AKA the Power Rangers. A tribute to the franchise he’d grown to love from watching alongside his son. Dragon Ball would come to incorporate other sentai parodies like the Great Saiyaman and the Pride Troopers, but the Ginyu Force are the most iconic. Therefore, it’s perhaps fitting that Toriyama’s last gift to Dragon Ball would include yet another sentai parody among the antagonists. And while it’s easy to see that Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, Shin, Glorio and the others will mop the floor with this new group, they’ll still be fun to watch.
After their detour in the last episode, the hero’s party is back on track for the First Demon World. Unfortunately for them, Gomah already knew they were coming and planned ahead. Not only did he pull back the bulk of his forces to the First Demon World to defend him, he had Degesu shut down Warp-Sama across the entire Demon Realm. Whatever world its inhabitants are in, they’re now trapped there. In addition, he’s mobilized his elite forces, the Gendarmerie Force. AKA, the Demon Realm’s version of the Ginyu Force.
From the outset, a longtime Dragon Ball fan see Toriyama’s love of tokusatsu and sentai oozing off the Gendarmerie Force. They’re essentially Demon clones of the Ginyu’s, right down to their friendly nature and love for synchronized posing. The only difference between them and the Ginyu’s is that, unlike Frieza, Gomah has zero tolerance for their hammy nature. Given how he already knew how strong Goku was as an adult, and seeing how strong he and his allies are as kids, his intolerance is understandable. He’s taking the threat seriously, but his best soldiers care more about getting chips and giving candy to kids (Kuu and Duu.)
It doesn’t take a genius to know that, while they might put up a good fight, the Gendarmerie Force is going to lose to the combined force of Saiyans, Namekians, Demons, and two super-geniuses. The one upside is that, unlike the Ginyu, the Gendarmerie might stand getting out of this mess alive. That would be a nice change of pace; one last way for Toriyama to show his love of the sentai genre.
This feels like a cop-out
Meanwhile, thanks to being stuck on a planet of giants, it’s only now that the party arrives at Warp-sama. Thus, it’s only now that they learn that Gomah shut Warp-sama down, and with the barriers connecting the Demon Worlds up, they look to be trapped. At least, they do, until Neva reveals he was the one who put the barriers up to protect the Second World from thugs and snooty elites and brings it down.
As impressive as this feat is, with Piccolo even saying Neva deserved his legendary status, it feels too much like a deus ex machina. The heroes traveling with the one who created the Demon Realm’s Dragon Balls is believable, as that has happened in the past. But for that same person to be the one who created the barriers separating the Demon Realm? That’s pushing it, and it feels like Daima only did to save fans time by slogging through an episodes-long fetch quest. Normally, that would be a good thing, but in this case, it might have done more harm than good.
Firstly, consider how much time Daima’s spent in the Second Demon World. Now compare it to the time spent in the Third Demon World. The Second World is nowhere near as well explored as the Third, and that’s a problem. This is the first time outside the games and supplementary material that fans have gotten a look at the Demon Realm. The show should try and build it up as much as possible, not rush through it like this!
What makes it worse is the revelation that Daima will be ending in February with twenty episodes. Considering how this series is Toriyama’s final contribution to the world he created, many fans might not be ready to say goodbye so soon. However, it’s out of the fan’s control, with the episode seeing the party of Saiyans, Demons, Namekians, Kai, and human making it to the First Demon World…and losing their plane again.
Gomah’s preparations seem to have borne fruit, as the second the group arrives, they’re immediately beset by the Gendarmerie. The episode ends with them running from the sheer force of numbers, and they’ll likely be in for a tough fight. As exciting as that sounds, though, and as funny as the Gendarmerie Force is, it doesn’t change the fact that this episode feels rushed. That could spell bad news for the ending and, ultimately the legacy, of Daima. As any Game of Thrones fan attests, a good story can be ruined if it doesn’t stick the landing. Seeing Toriyama flex his love for sentai one last time helped, but not much. Unless the last six episodes are really good, Toei made a mistake with the number of episodes it gave Daima, and this proves it.
After a week off, Dragon Ball Daima is back for the new year, and it’s gearing up for the latter half of its story. To recap where we left off, Goku and the other just retrieved the second of the Demon World’s Dragon Balls. Simultaneously, Dr. Arinsu got the last one thanks to her new minions, Majin’s Kuu and Duu. As for her boss, Supreme King Gomah, he’s entering full-blown panic mode as Goku and his allies look set to arrive on his doorstep. As he takes drastic measures to stop him, the group runs into its own problems a-la Gulliver’s Travels. Though Attack on Titan might be more appropriate, given how this is an anime.
Supreme King Gomah is being backed into a corner, and he knows it. His attempts to try and weaken Goku and his friends and family so they’re not a threat have completely backfired on him. And with his army pulled back to his stronghold in the First Demon World, he faces the very real risk of losing his control over the Demon Realm. Thus, he decides to take drastic measures. He orders Degesu to shut down Warp-sama in a last-ditch attempt to keep Goku out.
We don’t yet know the implications of shutting down the main form of transit between the Demon Realm and the multiverse, but this will likely be a problem for the heroes. Not only does this make getting to Gomah and Dende (their goal) harder, but without Warp-sama, they might not be able to make it home. And since there’s no guarantee Goku’s instant transmission can get them to Dende, they might have to find another way!
Giant. DEMONS.
That problem can wait, though. Continuing their string of bad luck with planes, the group’s plane goes down on a mysterious planet that has Neva shaking in fear once he remembers its name. Enter, Planet Mega, AKA the second most dangerous planet in the Demon Realm due to everything there being so big, including its inhabitants, the Megath. Inhabitants who, even as kids, make a Saiyan’s Great Ape form look puny in comparison. And the adults are big enough to hunt the Krakens that inhabit the seas of the Second Demon World.
Saying that Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo and the others are out of their league would be an understatement. A single Megath child manages to pressure them to the point where they can’t win a straight-up fight. Even in their adult forms, it’s likely the Megath would be too much for the Saiyans and Namekian to handle at this point in their lives. As a result, viewers have to watch as the group flees for their lives. And even then, they only manage to get away by the skin of their teeth. Little wonder why Neva said that not even the Supreme Demon King and his army dared to travel to Mega; it’s terrifying!
The scariest part, though? This is only the second most dangerous place in the Demon Realm. According to Neva, the most dangerous place, Planet Giga, has beings even bigger than the Megath!
This unexpected excursion conjures mixed feelings within me. On the one hand, I can’t help but be curious as to how strong the Megath and Gigath are compared to an adult Goku and Vegeta. On the other hand, I think that they might be too much for even a Saiyan to handle. Still, if this counts as a filler episode, I’m not going to complain. This was a fun, yet terrifying, experience.
RJ Writing Ink’s (hilarious) recap of Season One of Solo Leveling
Sung Jin-Woo, the main protagonist of the Korean manwha Solo Leveling and the black air force Hunter. AKA Sung Him-Woo, because he is that guy. Once mocked and considered the weakest Hunter in the world, after the latest in a long line of near-death experiences, gains the unique ability to level up. Before long, he goes from a meek little piece of cannon fodder into one of the coldest protagonists to ever come out of South Korea. And he’s only getting started!
I’m RJ Writing Ink for the D&A Anime Blog, and today, we are recapping the first season of Solo Leveling and the rise of Sung Him-Woo as he gains his black air forces. This way, you will be caught up in time for the new season, which will either be out by now or mere days from release. You will want to watch this show!
Sung Jin-woo’s Humble Beginnings
Let’s provide some context first. Ten years ago, magical portals, or Gates, to other dimensions began appearing worldwide. And from those Gates, monsters started appearing, threatening to overrun Earth. While normal weapons proved unable to kill the monsters, some humans started gaining magical abilities that could. They became the Hunters, whose job it is to defeat the monsters in the Dungeons on their side of the Gates, sealing them and keeping them from overrunning humankind. However, once a Hunter awakens their skills, they’re stuck with them and unable to get stronger. The strongest Hunters are the S-Rank, some of whom are strong enough to rival an entire nation’s military, while the weakest are the E-Rank. And Sung Jin-Woo has the misfortune of being the weakest E-Rank of all time.
Poor Jin-Woo is barely stronger than the average human being, and is considered a joke or someone for other Hunters to pity. Every time he goes into a Dungeon, he almost dies and has to be bailed out by the party healers. Despite being so weak, though, he keeps at it because his Dad’s missing and presumed dead, his Mom’s in a coma and requires medical support, and his sister is in high school. In other words, he’s desperate and needs the money, even if he barely gets by due to being so weak. However, all of that is about to change.
On what should have been a simple raid of a D-Rank Dungeon, Jin-Woo and his party discover a second, secret Dungeon hidden away. Jin-Woo casts the deciding vote for the group to investigate the second Dungeon, and everyone heads inside. However, it soon becomes apparent that they should have stayed far away from this new Dungeon.
Welcome to Hell
This Double-Dungeon turns out to be S-Ranked, filled with giant statues whose smiles would make the Smiling Titan from Attack on Titan wet herself. They proceed to slaughter almost all of the Hunters before only Jin-Woo and a handful of others are left alive, with Jin-Woo losing a leg from the carnage. So, the young man decides to stay behind and keep the door open so his comrades can escape. He figures its all a weakling like him can do to give his life any value. But, as soon as the others are gone, that feeling of self-sacrifice evaporates, and the realization that he’s about to die sinks inโฆand he HATES IT!
Jin-Woo starts cursing out the universe for what’s about to happen to him. He curses the fact that he’s about to leave his family to fend for themselves. And most of all, he wishes that he was stronger so that none of this would even be happening to him!
But something happens right as he’s about to die. A message from this display straight out of an RPG pops up and says “Congratulations, buddy! You completed the secret quest and get the chance to become a [Player]. If you do, you’ll get the chance to earn yourself some black air forces. If notโฆyou can guess the rest.” Since Jin-Woo isn’t a dummy and doesn’t want to die, he gladly accepts the deal.
Little did he know, but this is the moment when Sung Jin-Woo would begin his journey as the black air force Hunter.
Getting Used to His Black Air Forces
Three days later, Jin-Woo wakes up in the hospital and learns he was somehow rescued from the Double Dungeon. The experience, though, left all the survivors traumatized. Some have survivor’s guilt for abandoning the others. Their leader lost his arm and may have to retire. And Jin-Woo’s healer friend, Joo-Hee, is left with PTSD. No one got out unscathed. But that doesn’t matter, because its time for Jin-Woo to begin his training in the way of the black air forces.
That display that gave Jin-Woo the offer to become a Player returns and lays down the ground rules. Firstly, it is a program called the System, and it functions like the mechanics to an RPG, giving him quests with rewards, keys to Dungeons that only work for him, etc. Secondly, said RPG mechanics give him the ability to level up his status, making him the only Hunter in the world who can do so! Lastly, since he wasn’t born with black air force energy and has to gain it, he has to complete daily goals, usually by doing enough exercises. If he tries to welch on them, he will be dropped into a penalty zone and attacked by giant, poisonous centipedes. So, Jin-Woo has some pretty good incentives not to neglect his training.
So after he spends the rest of his time in the hospital getting into this daily routine of training, Jin-Woo begins to evolve. He goes from the meek, little twig he started out as into a full-on demigod. He’s tall, has the face of a Korean Adonis, and is swole as they come! And all the young nurses are practically drooling over him. When one of them comes in to check on him, she catches him exercising without a shirt and almost passes out from his hotness!
And that’s only the visible side effects of him training to master his black air force energy. His power has skyrocketed far beyond E-Rank.
Taking a Shady Job
Once he’s out of the hospital, Jin-woo decides its high time for him to start making money again. That means he has to go back into a dungeon, so he finds a C-Rank party that needs a few extra members. The only problem is that the party leader, Hwang Dongsuk, is sus, making him sign a contract saying that he doesn’t have to fight, but doesn’t get any item drops.
Rounding out their 8-man party is a rich, D-Rank newcomer Yoo Jin-ho, AKA the ultimate wingman and Jin-woo’s new best friend. And we say that because, despite having better equipment due to his dad being super rich, Jin-ho stands up for Jin-woo when they reach the boss room and find it loaded with mana crystals. Dongsuk tries to keep Jin-woo from getting any of this valuable loot, but Jin-ho looks at the contract and says “Hey, man. I just looked this thing over and it doesn’t say anything about those crystals counting as battle drops. My man Jin-woo should get a share!” All Dongsuk can do is grumble about itโฆis what you’d think would happen!
As it turns out, Jin-woo was right to be suspicious about Dongsuk and his party, because they’re all a bunch of murderers! Every time they hit a dungeon, they hire on a few red shirts to serve as cannon fodder to soften the boss up so they can kill it without issue, letting them focus on collecting the loot! These guys are serial killers, and they try to pull the same thing on Jin-woo and Jin-ho, leaving them to fight the giant spider boss alone!
HIM-woo Begins to Catch Bodies
But they weren’t dealing with some E-Rank Hunter anymore. Sung Jin-woo had been growing into those black air forces, and it was for him to flex. It takes some doing, but Jin-woo manages to squash the spider. And the whole time, Jin-ho is looking at him and thinking, “Dang. I need to make this guy my new best friend!” But then, Dongsuk and the sucky gang return.
Now, since they think Jin-woo is still some lowly E-Rank, these guys think Jin-ho killed the boss. So they offer Jin-woo’s new bestie a deal: help kill Jin-woo, and they’ll let him live and give him a cut of the loot. And Jin-ho is like, “Oh, heck no! I ain’t turning on my new bro like some chump! Take that offer and shove it!” And Dongsuk decides, “Oh, well. Your funeral. Boys, kill them both!” And they slam Jin-woo into the wall, thinking that would be enough.
Jin-woo’s response? “So, you have chosen death.”
So the System gives Jin-woo this urgent quest, saying that he’s got to kill his attackers, or his heart will stop. Truthfully, though, Jin-woo would have done it anyway, because there was no way these guys would face justice back home. When Hunters are strong enough, they’re able to avoid legal charges and are basically untouchable. But, as Jin-woo repeats what Dongsuk back to him, “What happens in a Dungeon stays in a Dungeon.” And then, in one of the coldest anime moments of 2024, Sung Jin-woo turns the group of six into victims.
Jin-woo saves Dongsuk for last, and the man is on his butt looking ready to wet himself in terror, begging Jin-woo to spare him! Because if he doesn’t, his younger brother will come after him! But Jin-woo had no F’s to give, and ended that man’s life. After that, they just left the trash there, walked out like bosses, and Jin-ho covers for his new best friend by saying the dungeon killed the others.
Fate Has a Cruel Sense of Humor
Not long after, Jin-ho meets with Jin-woo and explains his situation. His dad is looking to start their own Hunter’s guild, which is where Hunters work together to pull off jobs, so that his company can have a steady stream of resources. Jin-ho offers him his own building if helps meet the requirements to start his own guild, but Jin-woo says, “No thanks. But we’ll keep in touch.” Don’t forget, he’ that got to keep meeting the System’s requirements and look after his Mom and sister. Shortly afterward, he maxes out his dailies and gets a key to an S-Rank Dungeon, whose reward is a potion that can cure any illness. And Jin-woo realizes he can use this to cure his Mom, so he dives right him. Sadly, the dungeon is like a real-life version of Dark Souls, because fighting the first boss, a giant Cerberus, almost kills him.
Which means he’s got to train even more.
Jin-woo then calls up Jin-ho and says, “Hey, man. You still want help running those Dungeons to make that guild?” But before they can make any progress, Jin-woo gets recruited to form a last-minute party to handle a C-Rank dungeon. It just so happens that the other party members include Kang Taeshik, an agent from the Hunters Association that oversees all Hunters, some Hunters serving time in jail, and the other survivors of the Double-Dungeon incident. This must be fate at work!
The Black Air Force Hunter Finds his Next Victim
There turns out to be more to this job than anyone realizes. Some time ago, one of the convicts had murdered a girl, so the girl’s dad paid Kang to kill him in the Dungeon. Kang gladly does so, only for the two Double-Dungeon survivors that abandoned everyone to catch him in the act. So
Kang kills them both to cover everything up. And this is where things get really sad, as one of those guys only took this job so he could apologize to Jin-woo for leaving him to die. To make it even sadder, the man has a wife and kid he’s leaving behind!
So, Jim-woo reveals his black air force energy and, in a pretty epic fight, manages to kill Kang. Afterwards, just like before, the remaining party members cover for him as that is for saving their lives. But Joo-hee? She’s done being a Hunter. The trauma she’s experienced is too much, and she wants out, so she’s moving back home with her parents. Which also means anyone who shipped her with Jin-woo has been left high and dry.
The Bromance’s Grinding Scheme
So, after that latest incident, Jin-woo and Jin-ho put their plan to start a guild into motion. Jin-ho buys up the rights to a bunch of C-Rank Dungeons and then hires some low-rank Hunters so they can meet the party quota. The two of them are the only ones to head inside and clear everything. By which we mean Jin-woo clears them while Jin-ho helps carry the stuff and serve as his hype man. But despite Jin-woo’s attempts to fly under the radar, people are starting to take notice.
Case in point, a high-ranking member of one of the top Guilds in Korea puts the pieces together and realizes that Jin-woo has “reawakened.” Reawakening is when a Hunter goes through a second awakening that makes stronger than they once were. To be fair, that is technically what Jin-woo has gone through. Though when this man tries to recruit Jin-woo, he turns him down. And for good measure, he flexes his BAFE to let him know what will happen if he tries to tell anyone else.
Jin-Woo Gets a Promotion
At this point, Jin-woo is getting stronger and stronger. So strong, in fact, that the System decides this is the point where he can pull a job-change to get even stronger. He’s subsequently dropped into a giant castle and has to fight his way through a horde of magical warriors before making his way to a throne room. That’s where he challenges the boss, Igris, the Bloodred Knight Commander. Igris pushes Jin-woo to his limit, but he manages to win by the skin of his teeth. And he acknowledges that he only won thanks to dumb luck!
Unfortunately for him, this wasn’t the job-change quest. This was just the warm-up for the real quest: fighting an endless horde of armored warriors until the time limit expires. All while he’s exhausted, unable to use potionsโฆand missing the teleportation stone that acts as his escape rope.
Jin-woo almost gives up because he thinks he bit off more than he can chew. Just as he’s about to give up, though, his past self gives him the pep talk he needs to keep going. That’s when remembers something important: be was so eager to start the quest, he forgot to do his dailies. So, back to the penalty zone he goes!
And, like anyone with black air force energy, Him-woo makes short work of the opposition and uses the drop items to get back to full strength. Once back, he wastes the enemy with time to spare.
Long Live the Shadow Monarch, Sung HIM-woo!
With the quest over, the System appears again to say “Congratulations for completing the quest and proving yourself worthy of black air force energy. Now, time to assign you your new job based on your performance.” Sadly, Jin-woo can’t pick his new job class, but lucky for him, the System chooses the most OP one it has: Necromancer. And since he killed everyone before the time limit, he got so much XP that he automatically levels up to Shadow Monarch, the one who rules over an army of the dead!
The coolest part, though? He can extract the shadows of the deceased and revive them as unkillable, unflinching minions! And the stronger he gets, the more Shadows he can control. This man is capable of creating his own private army! And, since every army needs commanders, Jin-woo revives Igris as the first of his elite warriors!
You Will be Calling him Sung HIM-woo before the show is over!
And that is where the first season comes to an end. Sung Jin-woo has obtained the power of black air forces and proven that he is that guy, but his journey is far from over. He needs to keep getting stronger to save his mom and deal with the powerful individuals that will no doubt continue to take notice of him. And if you thought he was badass already, then trust me when I say that you haven’t seen anything yet. I read through the entire webtoon in a few days, and lets just say that I was right to give him the nickname of Sung Him-woo. He will be in a class all his own by the time the anime comes to an end!
Now, go get ready to watch the next season of Solo Leveling. And if you’re too impatient, go try the mobile game, Solo Leveling: Arise!
The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World Initial Review
Somewhere, somehow, a mangaka asked the following question: what if we put a super sentai protagonist in an Isekai story? How would these two different types of stories work together? What chaos would ensue from the clashing of genres? Apparently, not only did someone decide to find out, but it was enough to warrant the resulting manga an anime. This is The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another Worldโฆand it might be one of the most ridiculous ideas of the year.
The Red Ranger Who Got Isekaied
Meet Asakagi Togo, AKA Red, AKA the Red Ranger of the Kizuna Five, his worldโs version of the Super Sentai/Power Rangers. Right in the middle of their final battle against their nemesis, the (I’m not making this up) Breakup King, Red apparently sacrifices himself to end the fight for good. Instead of dying, though, Red wakes up to find himself in the middle of a world full of swords and sorcery. He got Isekaied.
Six months pass. Red has been trying to find a way home, only for its attempts to come up fruitless. However, after seeing all the hardships the people of this new world face, his sense of justice compels him to keep being a hero by becoming an adventurer. And, since he still has all his Sentai abilities, he can no-sell almost anything thrown at him. The people of this world donโt even understand what Redโs powers are!
Meet Yihdra Arvoln, the daughter and heir to a noble family of wizards. For generations, her family served their kingdom as, for lack of a better comparison, the Hands of the King, but with magic. Until her father lost the title to someone who wants to abuse magic for power and got exiled. Now, sheโs trying to reclaim her familyโs position by contributing to the study of magic. Sadly, every adventurer she hires to retrieve materials proves unfit for her high standards.
Then Red arrives and throws her for a loop with his powers, his ability to make enemies explode for no reason, and his constant talking about the importance of bonds. He talks so much about friendship and bonds, it would make Naruto proud!
This is a Satire. Don’t Take it Seriously
At this point, it should be apparent what kind of story The Red Ranger is meant to be: a satire. Itโs deliberately playing up the more absurd aspects of the Sentai genre to make fun of how ridiculous the whole concept can seem to someone who doesnโt get it. However, the anime makes it evident that itโs meant to be playful ribbing rather than mean-spirited criticism. Despite how much Yihdra is thrown off-guard by Redโs personality, she realizes that he genuinely believes in what he says about the importance of friendship. Case in point, he takes the time to hear out her dream of using magic to help make the world a happier place. While she fully expects him to scoff or laugh at the idea, Red instead fully supports her goal because heโs just that nice.
At the end of the episode, Yihdra repays Redโs kindness by offering to form an adventuring party and work on finding a way to get him home. Redโs so moved by this act that he starts crying tears of joy!
Also, she doesnโt say it, but itโs pretty obvious from her expressions that Yihdraโs falling in love with Red. Opposites do attract, after all!
The Red Ranger is, by all accounts, a ridiculous show with a ridiculous premise. Yet, try as I might, I canโt help but want to watch it. With how prevalent the Isekai genre has become, people have had to get creative with their approach to it. So, why not have a Power Ranger get isekaied and see what happens? At the very least, it will make for some good laughs!
Verdict: Imma Watch it…for reasons I don’t understand
I take back everything I said in the last review about Vegeta getting the short end of the stick. This episode of Dragon Ball Daima saw Vegeta cook! Not only did he manage to continue his fight against the Tamagami, but he also showed a transformation that, until now, had been relegated to fanfics and video games. As for Dr. Arinsu and Majin Duu, they also cooked, scoring a big win for themselves.
Before we get started, it should be noted that the OP credits to Daima have changed to reflect whatโs going on in the series. Itโs not much, but considering how the OP and ED to an anime can set its tone as well as reveal potential plot points, itโs nice to see it get updated.
In the last episode, it looked like Vegeta had been swallowed by a giant Kraken and that Goku would have to bail him out. As it turns out, though, the Prince of the Saiyans was fine, escaping the Kraken in the nick of time!
Itโs not clear what Toriyama was involved in regarding and what wasnโt, but this feels like another one of his fake-outs meant to troll us. Dragon Ball has a running gag where it looks like something bad happened to a character, only for it to be revealed to be a false alarm. It can seem a bit cruel to mess with the fans emotions like that, but at this point, unless you count disease and old age, death isnโt going to stick for the heroes.
Now that Vegeta is warmed up, heโs able to fight to his fullest, and continually pressures the Tamagami. Thanks to a little cheating by Neva, though, he has to use a transformation that, until now, remained non-canon. For the first time ever, Vegeta goes Super Saiyan 3! After that, the fight ends fairly quickly.
From a meta-standpoint, the reason why Vegeta never used this transformation in future stories can be chalked to them being written before Daima. From the perspective of the story, though, it can be best explained by the fact that SSJ3โs rapid draining of ki makes largely a hindrance in long-term fights. After the discovery of Super Saiyan Blue, the form practically becomes useless. So, unless Vegeta thinks he can swiftly end a fight, heโs not going to use it.
In a very amusing moment, Vegeta also proves to be smart enough to win the game that comes afterwards. Vegeta for the win!
Majin Duu Steamrolls Tamagami
Meanwhile, back with Dr. Arinsu and her creations, Duu continues to run circles around the Tamagami while remaining a total goofball. The only time he winds up on the ropes is when he starts wanting chocolate, prompting Kik to run out and get him some. After that, he steamrolls through the guardian of the Dragon Ball. In another humorous moment, though, itโs Kuu that solves the puzzle thatโs supposed that comes with each Dragon Ball.
There seems to be no purpose beyond these puzzles beyond being a source of humor, but itโs fun to see the characters wrack their heads instead of using their fists.
At this point, the heroes now have two of the three Dragon Balls, while Arinsu has the last one. All that is left is for them to make their way to the First World, get the last Dragon Ball, and rescue Dende. However, theyโre going to have to deal with the threat of Gomah, Arinsu and her Majin, Shinโs brother, and whatever Glorio is being asked to do. The group is in for a tough battle going forward. Though this isnโt the first time the Dragon Team has gone barging into an enemy base with half a plan. They should be fineโฆright?
At least Vegeta got to come in clutch this episode!
Thereโs a running gag in Dragon Ball surrounding Vegeta: he keeps getting the raw end of the deal. No matter how many times he gets stronger, no matter how much he yells, he seems to end up losing when it matters the most. Toriyama admitted that he didnโt like Vegeta that much, despite how heโs become the co-protagonist of the franchise alongside Goku. Knowing this, you canโt help but feel that what happens to Vegeta in this episode feels like a cruel joke Toriyamaโs playing on him from beyond the grave. Once again, Vegeta gets shafted.
Dragon Ball Just Solved the Problem of Keeping Them Away from Villains
At the end of the last episode, our heroes were getting ready to leave the abandoned home of the Namekians for the next Tamagami. However, they werenโt alone. Neva, the last Namekian in the Demon Realm and guardian of its Dragon Balls, appears before them. And while he pretends to act senile, Piccolo sees through his act. Thus, Neva gets right to the point: he wants to go with them to the next Tamagami.
While the flight is a bit cramped for the occupants, it does give viewers the chance to learn more about the Demon Realmโs Dragon Balls. When they were created, they were unguarded like the other sets were. As was the case with the sets on Earth and Namek, though, evil beings sought to use their power. In other words, the Tamagami were created to address one of the biggest flaws the Dragon Balls have had throughout the franchise: that anyone can use them for evil if they get their hands on them.
This…this is smart writing!
Honestly, this decision makes a lot of sense. Thanks to inventions like the Dragon Radar, the Dragon Balls main defense of being scattered across whatever planet theyโre on becomes little more than an issue of time. And given how villains have tried to use the Dragon Balls time and again, with King Piccolo succeeding, it highlights how dangerous they are in the wrong hands. Having a powerful guardian to protect them means that most people cannot use them unless theyโre strong enough. And given how Goku had to go Super Saiyan to beat one, itโs likely that if Namek had their own Tamagami, Frieza wouldnโt have gotten close to them. That’s some smart writing going on! The kind that makes me wonder if Toriyama took a page or two from fans like TeamFourStar
As an aside, this episode establishes that Piccolo doesnโt know Namekian. Didnโt he and Kami speak it during their fight in the World Martial Arts Tournament that one time, though?
At any rate, Vegeta gets to fight the next Tamagami, and like with Goku, heโs more than capable of holding his own. Sadly, the fight is cut short when Vegeta falls underwater and is attacked by a kraken, swallowing him whole.
Kuu, now Duu? Where did Toriyama come up with these names?
Meanwhile, back with Dr. Arinsu, sheโs given up on using Majin Kuu to get the third Dragon Ball. Instead, she and Marba use the last of the essence of Buu to create another Majin, Majin Duu. Whereas Kuu seems to have Kid Buuโs build and Super Buuโs intelligence, Duu takes after Good Buu in both appearance and mannerisms. Heโs big, goofy, and loves to eat chocolate and other candies. Much like Good Buu, though, underneath his unremarkable exterior, Duu is a formidable warrior. When he fights the Tamagami, heโs able to give it a run for its money. The fight doesnโt end before the episode does, but what is shown proves to be a good callback to Majin Buuโs first appearance in DBZ.
Basically, Duu is strong but silly, like Buu. And if what we have seen on social media is true, Duu might not be the last Majin we see before the show is done.
So, once again, Vegeta has gotten shafted by fate and the anime, meaning itโs up to Goku and the others to save him from the Kraken. That, or Vegeta might end up killing it from the inside. Meanwhile, weโll also be seeing whether or not Duu measures up to his template. Given how much fun Buu was even when he was evil, this could make for some entertaining fights.
Full disclosure: the original draft for this review was somehow erased like Zeno erased a third of the Dragon Ball multiverse, leaving it to be redone. Thus, this review will not be quite as detailed as one would hope it would be, but enough to cover the key points of the tenth episode of Dragon Ball Daima.
Speaking of Zeno, we might have been introduced to Zeno’s predecessor as the ruler of the multiverse in this episode. As it turns out, the Demon Realm might be the oldest place in all of creation, predating everything that we have seen!
Giant Sea Monsters!?!?
Having completed everything they can in the third Demon World, Goku, Panzy, Glorio and Shin all set out for the Second Demon World. Unfortunately, the show drops some hints that indicate it doesn’t intend to stay long in this second world, which largely consists of vast oceans…with giant sea monsters in them!
Kaiju-sized monsters aren’t anything new to Dragon Ball thanks to the Saiyans being able to become Great Apes. However, the Krakens that dwell in the ocean are shown to be so powerful, even Goku has to give them a wide berth. It’s the first big reminder since the start of the series that Goku’s operating with a noteworthy handicap, hence the need to return to his adult form fast as he can.
So that’s how the Multiverse came into existence!
The main focus of this episode, though, comes when Goku and the others arrive at the original homeworld of the Namekians. Besides serving as a call-back to Namek and New Namek, this is also where Shin drops some major lore regarding the history of the cosmos. According to Shin, the Demon Realm existed before the rest of creation, but one of the first Supreme Demon Kings asked a Super Majin named Rymus to create more worlds for the Demons to explore. Rymus’ creations became what we know as the multiverse for Dragon Ball!
This is big news in more ways than one. Besides confirming that the Demon Realm is, in fact, the origin point for existence, it gives us a concrete look at how the multiverse came to be. However, while it may seem to contradict everything we learn in Super about Zeno and how he governs the multiverse, it doesn’t. Rymus looks a lot like Zeno does, leaving many fans to conclude that Zeno is a descendant of Rymus.
It’s details like this that make worlds like Dragon Ball so entertaining. I doubt few fans ever considered learning how the Multiverse began, but Daima decided to tell us anyway.
Kuu turns out to be a chump!
The other big thing about this episode is that we got to see the fight between the first Tamagami and Dr. Arinsu’s new minion, Majin Kuu. Despite getting hyped up as being as strong as Majin Buu, if not Kid Buu, the show managed to pull the wool over all our eyes by having Kuu lose the fight! Kuu puts up a good struggle, but he’s ultimately unable/unwilling to keep fighting the Tamagami. Thus, he bails, leading Arinsu to deem him a failure and head back to the drawing board.
This was such an unexpected twist. Given how he shared the skinny physique of Kid Buu, it would be easy for fans to assume that he was as strong as Kid Buu. And given how Kid Buu is the biggest menace Goku has faced up to this point in his life, that prospect is terrifying. Instead, it seems that Toriyama or whoever came up with this part of the story decided to prank us. Personally, I’m fine with this. Toriyama always did have a good sense of humor.
What does Neva want?
The episode ends on a cliffhanger on the hero’s side, and for good reason. Right as Goku’s group is getting ready to leave the ancient Namekian home to meet Vegeta’s group, they’re approached by a lone figure, the last Namekian in the Demon Realm, Neva. But what could the ancient Namekian want with the group?
We already know by this point, since the next two episodes are already out. Rather, three episodes, depending on when this goes up.
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 2 Premiere Review
Everyone, the GOAT harem anime where no one loses has returned! After what felt like an eternity, The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You has returned to grace our screens once more!
It should come as no secret by now, but I am a big fan of 100 Girlfriends. Of all the harem anime that Iโve seen over the years, itโs one of the funniest and most wholesome in the entire genre. More importantly, itโs about a protagonist whoโs got an actual personality, but who is proactive in how he treats his girlfriends. Rentaro is the gold standard that every boyfriend should aspire to be, and I love seeing him and his growing family enjoying their lives together.
So, despite it not being my intention, Iโm going to be reviewing every episode of this new season as we watch and laugh at all the hilarity. And the show comes out of the gate swinging like itโs Karaneโs killer left hook.
Freaky Friday or Your Name?
After the new OP (which is one of the series best parts), rather than jump into the story of the manga, the series decides to come up with an original story for the first half of the premiere. And it doesnโt hesitate to resume its fourth-wall-breaking by having the girlfriends acknowledge that itโs been a year since the last episode. So, to shake things up, Hakari had Kusuri develop a drug to alter their personalitiesโฆonly for it to somehow make them switch bodies. Itโs a scenario straight out of Your Name, and not only does the anime acknowledge this, it even recreates it one of its famous montages.
If that wasnโt funny enough, what makes it funnier is the fact that they try to avoid getting sued for name-dropping it. As well as Rentaro trying to figure out whoโs in what body based on their mannerisms.
I think what makes it even better is that they didnโt switch seiyuuโs for this like other anime would. They got to act out of character as much as they wanted, and I canโt wait to hear this in dub.
In any event, itโs up to Rentaro to figure out how to get them back in their bodies, and this is one of those moments where the show just chooses to ignore realism in the name of comedy. In this case, the girlfriends each have to kiss Rentaro, making them feel so ecstatic that their souls leave their bodies. I cannot make this up!
Girlfriend #7 Comes to Feast!
Once thatโs done, though, the anime gets back to following the plot of the manga. That means that itโs time for Rentaro to get his seventh soulmate. And the winner isโฆ
A new Character Trailer for โThe 100 Girlfriends Who Really, REALLY Love Youโ Season 2 anime released!
Meet Kurumi Haraga, a third-year middle schooler and the big eater girlfriend. She and Rentaro meet when she sneaks into high school cafeteria to get some lunch. And, as with all the other girls, Kurumi has her own issues that serve to make her unique amongst the growing Rentaro Family. In this case, her big eater tendencies are not by choice. She suffers from an abnormally high metabolism, meaning she burns through calories like crazy, so she has to eat a lot to keep going. Worse, whenever someone mentions a specific food, sheโll start craving it and will remain grumpy until she has it. In other words, combine the eating habits of a Saiyan with the eating disorder that Big Mom from One Piece has, but without destructive tendencies.
Because of her unique issue, Kurumi has a hard time opening up to people, as she will lash out at others when sheโs hungry. And since sheโs hungry all the time, she has no friends. Thus, despite bonding over lunch with Rentaro after they meet, she lashes out at him the next day when she canโt get the food she wants.
Thankfully, Rentaro, being the CHAD he is, manages to soothe her hunger painsโฆand win her heart.
Did I mention I like her design? The headphones and hoodie are a cool combo.
Prepare for Lots of Foodservice Next Episode
The episode ends with Rentaro introducing Kurumi to the Family, only for Kurumi to say sheโs not interested in being friends with them. So, to break the ice, Rentaro has them all sign up for an eating contest with a special gelato as the prize, setting us up for the next episode!
This entire episode, from start to finish, was an absolute blast. I love 100 Girlfriends for how unhinged it can be with its premise, and itโs the comedic moments in this episode that provide a good example of why. It doesnโt care about being hated; itโs only interested in having a good time. Iโm really glad itโs backโฆand I love the ED just as much as the OP.
The following is an emergency announcement from the D&A Anime Blog concerning an important member of the Dragon Ball community.
Less than a year ago, the world of anime wept at the loss of Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball. Now, another prominent member of the anime community is in need of our help: Mike McFarland.
For those who arenโt aware, Mike McFarland is a veteran voice actor with more than 400 roles to his credit. The one we should concern ourselves with the most, though, is one of the OG conossseuirs of Waifus, Master Roshi. And right now, heโs in trouble.
Earlier this week, Colleen Clinkenbeard revealed on Twitter that Mike went to the hospital for what he thought was a bad ear infection. Instead, it turned out to be a brain tumor that the doctors had to get out of him. Thankfully, the operation was successful, and Mike is out of the hospital and recovering. However, with that comes another problem: paying the bills. He will need someone to stay with him until he is fully recovered, which wonโt be cheap. That is why Brandon McInnis and J. Michael Tatum have set up a gofundme page to help the man cover his medical fees. Fortunately, the fundraiser has already met its goalโฆbut some extra money cannot hurt.
Many Dragon Balls are still mourning the loss of Toriyama a year ago, and Iโm still saddened by the loss of Rachael Lillis in that same year. So, the fact that the man who gives Master Roshi life facing something so scary is too much to bear. Fans of Dragon Ball and anime need to do whatever they can to help a man who plays one of the OG Shonen mentors in his time of need. And if this winds up being more serious than doctors first thought, we need to ensure that he has enough money for further care.
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