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So, What Was Roxy Up to In the Meantime?

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While I was getting ready to watch the new season of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, something occurred to me. While my recap of the first season managed to cover much of what happened, there was one aspect I had to omit for length reasons. That aspect is what happened to Rudeus’ teacher, Roxy Migurdia.

Roxy is a significant character in the Mushoku Tensei series, and it’s not just because she’s Rudeus’ teacher. Nor is it because he worships her as a goddess by unironically praying to that pair of panties he took from her. Several episodes in the first season shift their focus from Rudeus’ odyssey home to Roxy’s journey as she tries to find his family. In the process, we’re introduced to various side characters that will play a role in the story as a whole, and also learn more about Roxy’s backstory. Since the anime decided to show what Sylphie was up to during Dead End’s trek back home, Iโ€™m doing the same for Roxy. Given how much the second season will likely cover, she will become important in the second half.

Making the Mistake of Teach Pax Shirone

It’s already been stated, but after she finished training Rudeus, she left to continue her travels. She thought she reached her limits when it came to magic, but seeing how much Rudeus admired her despite seemingly surpassing him lit a fire in her. She wanted to become someone worthy of calling themselves Rudeus’ teacher. So, she started training.

Eventually, Roxy got a job as the court mage for the Kingdom of Shirone, where she ended up tutoring Prince Pax. However, while Pax was a good student, he wasn’t in the same league as Rudeus, and she wouldn’t stop comparing the two. That made Pax extremely bitter and resentful towards Rudeus.

Her being an Adult doesnโ€™t make this right!

Not helping matters was that, like Rudeus, Pax kept simping for Roxy. Whereas Rudeus’ feelings were tempered by his genuine admiration for her, Pax openly lusted after Roxy. He kept trying to get handsy with her, and she kept setting him on fire for it. Eventually, it got to the point she couldn’t take it anymore and bailed. That decision ended up causing problems for Rudeus on his journey home.

Looking for Rudeus

Eventually, though, Roxy returned to the Fittoa region of the Asura Kingdom. A few years had passed, and she wanted to see how her student was doing. Instead of the reunion she thought she’d be getting, she found something worse. The entire region was in ruins, its population scattered, and too many people were missing or dead. And Roxy is like, “Oh my God, Rudy! That adorable little kid could be lying dead in a ditch somewhere! And his parents and Lilia! I gotta find them!” Fortunately, Roxy had some help in that regard. Rudeus’ dad, Paul, wound up being one of the first people to make it back, and he’d been leading the efforts to find as many people and get them home, including his family. And he got help from his old band.

In his younger days, Paul and his future wife Zenith were part of this adventurer’s party called Fangs of the Black Wolf. Ghislaine and Geese were also part of it, alongside a dwarf named Tallhand and an elf named Elinalise. They split up after Paul and Zenith settled down, and despite having issues with him, most of them reunited to help Paul find his family. With that in mind, Roxy chose to help them. She liked Rudeus’ family because of how nice they were when she was living with them, and she didn’t want to see her best student die. 

So Close, Yet So Far!

With Elinalise and Tallhand accompanying her, one of the first things that the trio did was set out for the Demon Continent, where Roxy first came from. Despite not wanting to go back (they didn’t have any sweets), Roxy did it for the Greyrat’s sake. 

As fate would have it, the group arrived in port at the exact same time that Rudeus and the party of Dead End made it there. Now, this is the perfect time for Rudeus and Roxy to reunite. And by doing so, it would make Rudeus and Eris’ attempts to get home that much easier. But no, it wasn’t to be. Through a series of events, Rudeus and Roxy miss each other several times. Roxy even stumbles across Eris and Ruijerd training on the beach while Rudeus is out on errands. However, as soon as she realizes that Ruijerd is a Superd, her fear of them kicks in, and she runs all the way back to where she and Elinalise are staying. What she finds is just as traumatizing, though. 

A side note about Elinalise since she’s going to gain more prominence in Season Two. The thing about this elf woman is that she sleeps with a lot of guys, and while she does enjoy it, it’s not entirely of her own volition. Elinalise has this curse on her that make her mana levels rise to potentially fatal levels if left untreated. The only known solution is for her body to create these mana crystals, and the only way that can happen is by acquiring a man’s…reproductive DNA. In other words, she needs to sleep with guys, or she’ll die. And when Roxy comes back, she shows up right as she’s busy with a few guys. Roxy freaks the heck out and destroys their room. It’s like something out of a rom-com/doujinshi. 

After that happens, Roxy, Elinalise, and Tallhand leave town and head further into the interior to keep looking for the Greyrat’s. It’s not until much later that they realize they missed Rudeus by that much and how it would’ve saved both groups a lot of time and energy. 

Roxy Comes Face to Face With Her Past

As time passes and Roxy continues searching the Demon Continent for Paul’s family, she doesn’t find them. However, she does end up meeting several people from her past, and viewers get to know a little more about who she was before she met Rudeus. There’s also a spin-off manga that delves more into it, but this will cover the basics.

Roxy’s people, the Migurds, have more going for them than long lives and spending most of them looking like loli’s. They also have this ability to communicate with each other telepathically, so when it’s just them, they normally don’t talk. Unfortunately for her, Roxy was born without this ability, and while they were all very nice regardless, she felt like an outcast among her own people. So once she became a teenager, she ran away from home the first chance she got and became an adventurer. However, the first adventuring party she joined wound up disbanding after their leader died while doing a job. Eventually, she left the Demon Continent altogether.

Since this was the first time she’d been back in twenty years, Roxy was due for a reunion or two. She wound up reuniting with the only other member of her party that was still alive (who happened to have also met Rudeus) and caught up over drinks. After that, she eventually decided to return home for the first time in years and reconciled with her parents. Despite being born different from the rest of them, her Mom and Dad showed how much they loved her by going out of their way to help her learn how to read, write, and talk. They were good parents, and were just happy that their daughter was doing fine.

Roxy Be Like “Are You Kidding Me?!?”

Oh, and her Mom and Dad also dropped some big bombshells on her: first, they mentioned how their village regularly got visits from a Superd name Ruijerd. Secondly, they mentioned how two years earlier, he came into town with two human kids in tow, one a redhead and the other some boy saying that he was Roxy’s student. And Roxy is floored by this as she starts putting the pieces together. She realized, “Oh my gosh, that guy and the little girl I saw sparring on the beach must be the people Mom and Dad are talking about. And if they were at the port that day, then must mean that…”

And with that, Roxy realizes that if she hadn’t freaked out and run away like she did, then she would’ve run into Rudeus on that day. She and her group could’ve gotten them all back to the Central Continent way sooner. And, as a side note, that would’ve meant that Rudeus wouldn’t have had to deal with a laundry list of issues during his trip, like getting thrown in jail by the beast people, or that fight with his Dad, or getting captured by Pax Shirone. Granted, it all worked out for the best in the end, but it would’ve saved everyone a lot of trouble. And Roxy reacts like any calm, rational adult would in that sort of situation: by passing the heck out on the floor!

It’s still hilarious in hindsight.

On to the Next Adventure

Now that she knows that her student’s safe and is probably close to getting back by now, Roxy and her friends depart from her village after reconciling with her parents. From there, they keep scouring the Demon Continent looking for the rest of Paul’s family, until they come across a bar where this little demon girl dressed in stripper attire (Iโ€™m not joking,) is drinking everyone under the table. And Roxy and Tallhand wind up getting into a drinking contest. 

Well, Tallhand does; Roxy taps out way earlier. And despite being known for drinking everyone he meets under the table, Tallhand loses to this girl. Too bad she canโ€™t afford to pay the bill. If Roxy hadnโ€™t covered for her, she’d have gotten sold off to pay for everything.

As luck would have it, that girl wasn’t an ordinary girl, either. She was actually the immortal Demon Empress Kishirika Kishirisu. She could die, but she would eventually come back, with her last death being recent (to her), hence her small size. She also happened to have met Rudeus in that same town Roxy was in two years ago. Since she now owed Roxy a favor, she used one of her demon eyes to locate where the Greyrat family was for her. The good news was that most of them were safe. Paul and Norn had reunited with Aisha and Lilia. Rudeus was back in the Central Continent, albeit super depressed. He thought his girlfriend dumped him, after all. As for Zenith, Kishirika discovered that she was located in the city of Rapan on the Begaritt Continent, south of the Central Continent. So thatโ€™s where Roxy and her party head next.

All Caught Up Now

At the time of this writing, thatโ€™s where things stand in the anime regarding Roxy. While her importance to the main story remained minimal in the animeโ€™s first season, she’s going to regain prominence as the show progresses. As Rudeus’ mentor/savior, the importance of Roxy in Mushoku Tensei cannot be underestimated. Sadly, at the pace that the anime adapts the light novels, it will likely not be until the second half of the season where we get to see the blue-haired mage once more. Until then, though, there’s always the figurine being sold by Crunchyroll.

What Will You Do Now, Rudeus Greyrat?

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Mushoku Tensei S2 Ep 1 Review

When we last saw Rudeus Greyrat, he was at his absolute lowest since beginning his second life. He finally lost his virginity to his companion, Eris, and he thought they’d be together from then on. However, then Eris realized she relied on him too much, knew she had to get stronger, and left to train. The problem is, Rudeus doesn’t know this since the girl stupidly wrote a letter that didn’t explain anything. So now he thinks he got dumped! Thirteen years of improving himself almost go to waste because of his low self-esteem and Eris’ mistake. 

Now all alone, Rudeus’ left his old home behind for good, because his Mom’s still missing from the teleportation incident and he has to find her. Before he does that, though, he needs to do something else first: remind himself what makes his life still worth living. 

Northward Bound, Rudeus Travels Alone (Sort of)

Sometime after leaving the ruins of Fittoa behind for good, Rudeus starts traveling north to start looking for his Mom. That brings him to the land of the magical countries; ironically, he wanted to study at this big university there before the teleportation incident. Now that he’s there, though, he’s in no mood to enjoy it. He’s too busy feeling sorry for himself because Eris left him hanging. 

While Rudeus has always been somewhat of a serious person, he’s remembered to enjoy his new life as much as possible, no matter what the circumstances. Throughout this episode, though, we see how badly Eris’ insensitivity affected him. He keeps sighing, he’s got this empty look in his eyes, and looks ready to give up on it all. It gets so bad that, during a job, he barely does anything to defend himself from monsters, like he’s ready to die. This is Rudeus at the absolute lowest since getting reincarnated.

The question, then, is what will he do now?

Meeting a New Party in Counter Arrow

Despite officially disbanding his old party of Dead End, Rudeus doesn’t start work alone. While traveling up north, this woman, Suzanne, who’s the co-leader of this party called Counter Arrow, sees how depressed he is. Feeling bad for him, she invites him to join them on a job killing grizzlies, and most of them are nothing but nice to him. Except for this one girl close to his age named Sara. Sara is a total tsundere to him, acting abrasive and getting annoyed with how, from her perspective, he’s ungrateful to Suzanne. And the whole time, it’s just making Rudeus feel worse, because she reminds him way too much of Eris.

From my understanding, Sara and Counter Arrow were created as original characters for the light novels; they weren’t in the web novels. So, Sara was made to be a lot like Eris: outspoken, abrasive to strangers, and has a hard time opening up to others. The problem is that she’s too much like Eris, and after the events of last season, that could rub viewers the wrong way. They could either see her as a replacement for Eris, or think she’s too much like her and find her off-putting. None of this helps Rudeus’ emotional state, though. He still looks like he wants to die. 

Thankfully, he remembers how stupid it is to think like that. 

Rudeus Remembers How Much He Still Has to Live For

It’s during this job with Counter Arrow where they’re surrounded by grizzlies and fighting for their lives that Rudeus starts to snap out of his depression. He’s about to throw away this second chance he got at life, something a lot of people could only dream of having, while everyone around him is fighting for the one life they do have. And he remembers how, when he got reborn, he wasn’t going to waste his life again. So, he snaps out of it, pulls up on the monsters, and wastes them like the badass that he is. Then everyone goes home victorious, and the whole adventuring guild starts cheering his name, and for the first time that entire episode, he starts smiling.

So, having hit rock bottom, Rudeus begins to make his way back up. It won’t be an easy task, and it’s not going to be done over the span of an episode or two, because that’s not how Mushoku Tensei works. It goes out of the way to show the effort Rudeus puts into being a better person. It’s worth it, though. And the first thing he does is burn the locks of hair that Eris left him. He misses her, but he can’t let it ruin his life.

So, the journey of Rudeus Greyrat begins anew. It’s not the most exciting start, especially compared to other isekai filled with a lot of action. However, Mushoku Tensei is a slow burn. Once it gets started, then it becomes interesting to watch. So, while not the most epic of reintroductions, this episode makes up for it with the emotional drama. This is going to be the isekai anime to watch for the summer season.

I mean, listen to the music!

I Give “The Brokenhearted Mage” a 4/5

Mushoku Tensei Season Premiere Answers What Happened to Sylphie

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Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2, Ep 0 Review

After waiting for two years, fans of isekai anime can be happy because one of the best, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, has returned. Even though there are many anime in the market, Mushoku Tensei stands out because it is based on one of the light novel series that helped make isekai so popular in the last ten years. Since this blog has covered the anime’s first season extensively in recent weeks, new viewers are encouraged to read the four-part recap if they need to catch up. Unfortunately, those who expect season two to continue right where the story of Rudeus Greyrat left off might be disappointed. Additionally, the first episode of this season reveals things that are only discussed later in the light novels, spoiling what could have been a big surprise for anime-only fans. However, this episode, labelled as episode 0, focuses on Sylphie, one of the most important people in Rudeus’ life, who will have a major role in the upcoming season.

The Trials and Tribulations of Sylphie

For those who don’t remember or didn’t read the recap, Sylphiette, or ‘Sylphie’ for short, was Rudeus’ best friend/potential love interest from Buena Village. After he saved her from bullies and taught her how to use magic, the pair remained inseparable. It reached the point where Rudeus’ father, Paul, had to send him away to work as a tutor to keep them from becoming codependent. Unfortunately, like everyone else Rudeus knew, Sylphie fell victim to the teleportation incident that destroyed their home. Whereas Rudeus and friend/student/other love interest, Eris, got sent to the Demon Continent on the other side of the world, Sylphie wound in the royal capital of their homeland of Asura. After inadvertently saving the life of Princess Ariel Asura, Sylphie gets taken in to serve as her bodyguard. In exchange for protecting her under the alias of “Silent Fitz”, Ariel promised to find her lost loved ones.

On the surface, Sylphie’s circumstances seem far less dangerous than those that Rudy and Eris endured. Those familiar with medieval politics (or Game of Thrones), though, will know how cutthroat and dangerous court life can be. During the episode, Sylphie has to endure the barbs and scorn of the highborn silently without showing any weakness or fear. On top of all that, there’s the physical threat of assassins working for Ariel’s relatives, trying to end her life and eliminate a rival to the throne. To make matters worse, Sylphie has to deal with the reminder of her trauma on a physical and psychological level. Not only did the teleportation incident turn her once-green hair snow white, but it’s left her suffering from PTSD nightmares. She does everything she can, but it’s clear to Ariel and Luke, her fellow bodyguard, that this new life might be too much for her.

It would’ve been, too, if Sylphie didn’t find the best friend she could’ve ever hoped for in Ariel.

Ariel Becomes Sylphie’s New Foundation in Life

While not to the scale of what Sylphie went through, Princess Ariel also bears scars from the events that brought Sylphie to her doorstep. Right before that happened, she watched as one of her closest advisors died, powerless to do anything to help him. Despite her loss, though, Ariel has to keep a straight face at court, knowing that faltering for even a second could cost her her life. Despite everything, though, Ariel’s compassionate nature enables her to recognize the suffering Sylphie has endured. As a result, she goes out of her way to help Sylphie heal from these past scars, and it shows. By the end of the episode, their relationship’s evolved from that of royal and bodyguard into a genuine friendship.

Ultimately, though, life at the royal court proves to be too dangerous for Ariel, Sylphie, and Luke to handle on their own. Thus, the trio have no choice but to flee abroad and forge the connections they need to help Ariel become the next Queen. Despite offering to let Sylphie go, Sylphie refuses, vowing to help the woman who saved her at one of her lowest points. One can practically hear Rudeus in her voice when she affirms her resolve to protect Ariel from her tormentors.

A Great Episode, But Might Have Revealed Too Much Too Soon

One reviewer’s first impression of the season premiere for Mushoku Tensei points out how this episode 0 shows what makes this isekai stand out amongst all the others. It has heart, intrigue, and action comparable to Game of Thrones at its peak, but in anime form. While I will not dispute any of this, I had one issue with this episode: what it focused on.

While waiting for the new season to premiere, I read the light novels and the manga adaptation, and both of them revealed that ‘Silent Fitz’ was really Sylphie when ‘Fitz’ had already been around for some time. It wasn’t until the moments where the story shifted from Rudeus’ perspective to that of Sylphie’s that readers would realize the truth about who ‘Fitz’ was, making for a significant surprise. However, revealing that Fitz is Sylphie immediately removes much of the wonder that would’ve come from the revelation down the line. Now people who only watched the anime will just get frustrated at what’s to come. 

Trust me; I read the light novels. You’re going to shake your head at a lot of what happens.

Issues aside, this was a solid start to Mushoku Tensei‘s second outing, and I hope that it keeps up this momentum throughout the season. After having to watch so many of its kind fail to live up to what it helped set the trend for, it’s refreshing to see one of the great isekai return. When the dub will come out, though, is another matter entirely.

I Give “Guardian Fitz” a 4/5

The Miracle of Nezuko Against the Daybreak!

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba S3, Ep 11 Review

Full disclosure: I already knew going into this season that this would eventually happen. I read about it years ago online. That said, HOLY COW was this worth waiting for! Demon Slayer regularly blows up the Internet, but this time, so many people went onto Crunchyroll that it crashed the website trying to watch it. I would be mad if it weren’t a testament to the show’s popularity. Considering what happens to Nezuko in this episode, though, the Internet’s right to freak out. What Nezuko manages to do changes the game forever, and makes for what has to be the most emotional moment in all of Demon Slayer.

Hantengu Should Just Die Already!

While Gyokko was bad enough as he was, Hantengu proves to leagues above the deranged artist in levels of heinousness. No matter what Tanjiro, Genya, and Nezuko throw at the Demon, he refuses to die and keeps running. Even after Tanjiro beheads him, the Demon gets up and starts running after some swordsmiths hiding nearby while Tanjiro’s reaching his limit. Even when the Sun starts coming up and burning him, Hantengu keeps running to survive. If it were anybody else, that tenacity would be worthy of respect. For Tanjiro, though, he’s had it, and so have the fans.

The mangaka has always done a good job of showing how most Demons represent the worst of humanity made manifest, but even among them, Hantengu stands near the top. As Tanjiro uses his newly reforged sword from the machine doll, there’s a flashback to Hantengu’s life as a Human. Even then, he was a wretched, lying, despicable person. It got to the point where, even when it’s clear he’s guilty of whatever crimes he’s accused of, he says it’s not him. The man tries to blame it on everyone else or say his hands do it of their own will. He’s such a coward that he can’t admit to himself that he’s a worthless excuse for a person. As a result, when Tanjiro finally ends this wretched old man, it’s very cathartic to watch. 

Alas, it feels like victory is bittersweet. For in order to get to Hantengu, Nezuko forced her to stop protecting him from the approaching sunlight. The anime makes a point of giving us a look back on all the moments the two spend together trying to find a cure for Nezuko just to hammer home the tragedy: Tanjiro is about to lose Nezuko, his sole reason for joining the Demon Slayers.

It is then that a miracle occurs. Nezuko’s standing there, in the middle of the rising Sun, and she’s alright!

Nezuko Has Become An Apex Demon

I would like to reiterate that, having read the spoilers for the manga some time ago, I knew that this moment was coming. However, that did not make it any less emotional for me. When Tanjiro and the others see Nezuko standing in the sunlight, looking alright, no longer burning up, and now able to talk a little, everyone starts crying. Tanjiro’s crying, the swordsmith’s are crying, the fans start crying. In an anime that’s already give us moments capable of bringing us to emotional high’s that few can achieve, this ranks at the top. Nezuko manages to conquer the Sun, something not even Muzan, the original Demon, has done in the last thousand years.

As to how Nezuko has performed this divine miracle, there’s a theory by Lady Tamayo. Most Demons regain their sense of self after being a Demon for a while, but Nezuko hasn’t. That’s because while she’s been a Demon, she’s been subconsciously focusing her body on a more important priority: being able to survive during the day. The woman’s evolved her body to focus on the more important aspect of survival over power, and it has worked. As a result, Nezuko can walk under the Sun again, albeit her mental capacity’s akin to an infant still. It’s such an important moment for the series!

However, now there’s a bigger problem: Muzan.

The Wretched Origins of Muzan

A thousand years ago, in the Heian Era, Muzan was a sickly young man not expected to live past 20 years. Then a doctor came along with an experimental medicine that he said would make him strong, but when it didn’t work, he killed the man. However, it turns out it was, but since it was incomplete, the process turned him into the first Demon. He’s spent the last thousand years killing, murdering, and slaughtering his way across Japan in search of this rare flower needed to complete the medicine. Barring that, he created more Demons in the hopes that one of them would be strong enough to be immune to the Sun. And now, Nezuko has done exactly that.

What this means is that the entire war between the Demon Slayers and the Demons is about to get worse. The Demon Slayers now have a member, a Demon, with the ability to withstand the Sun. If Muzan kills her and takes her powers for himself, he’ll be unstoppable. In other words, the final battle is now approaching. And as Tanjiro and Nezuko depart the Swordsmith Village to great fanfare, this fact hangs over everyone’s heads.

Demon Slayer Proves Once More Why it’s one of the GOATS

This episode proves yet again why Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is among the Shonen greats. This hour-long finale was one of the biggest highlights of a year already full of some great anime. While the season as a whole had its ups and downs, this final episode made it all worthwhile. 

And we don’t have to worry about getting the anime renewed. UFOtable’s already released a promo showing that a fourth season is coming. When that will happen remains unknown. However, as we get closer to the final battle with Muzan, fans excitement remains as high as ever.

I’m Not Even Bothering to give “A Connected Bond: Daybreak and First Light” a Rating. It’s Beyond that.

Mitsuri Kanroji Is Sakura Done Right

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba S3, Ep 10 Review

Everyone remembers Sakura Haruno from Naruto, for better or worse. She started as Sasukeโ€™s number-one fangirl and didnโ€™t do much. Then Sasuke ran away and she dedicated herself to getting stronger, which she did, gaining superhuman strength. However, nothing could save her from the menace of poor character writing. Even someone who thinks sheโ€™s overhated like me understands that she was underutilized. Thankfully, we live in a world where thereโ€™s an improved version of Sakura in anime. Her name is Mitsuri Kanroji, AKA the Love Hashira, AKA Sakura 2.0.

Mitsuri Kanroji is such a Badass

After she swoops in to save Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Genya, the disrespectful demon calls Mitsuri Kanroji a shameless tramp, angering her and the fandom to no end. However, she proves sheโ€™s anything but as she proceeds to demonstrate the power of her Love Breathing style. It lets her cancel out other peopleโ€™s attacks, making it extremely powerful. Unfortunately, she makes the mistake of going directly for Zohakutenโ€™s head, unaware itโ€™s not his real body. Thankfully, the counterattack that follows doesnโ€™t kill her.

It turns out, despite her small size, Mitsuriโ€™s muscles are denser than a normal human’s. As a result, she survives that initial attack long enough for the others to save her. 

Itโ€™s at this moment, though, where we learn about her backstory, and how it makes her better than Sakura.

Those People Donโ€™t Know what theyโ€™re Talking About

As we see in Mitsurriโ€™s memories, sheโ€™s always been this incredibly strong. When she was a baby, she could lift a pickling stone that even adults would have trouble carrying! As a kid, she could out-eat sumo wrestlers and beat them in arm wrestling contests! Instead of giving her a happy life, though, Mitsuriโ€™s abilities brought her hardship. The man she was interviewing for marriage dumped her for this, plus her pink hair color! 

After that happened, Mitsuri felt ashamed of who she was and started hiding it from the world. She wanted to find love and fit in with others, but all this did was make her miserable. All this led her to join the Demon Slayer Corps to help people, find love, and be herself. And it worked!

This is how you write a better version of Sakura Haruno. Sakuraโ€™s initial motivations were shallow, self-centered, and continued to be a big part of her throughout Naruto. While she got better, she never lived up to her full potential. In contrast, Mitsuriโ€™s motivations, while similar, come off as more genuine. She wants to love people, and for people to love her for who she is, something many can relate to. Itโ€™s what makes her a better version of Sakura.

Hantenguโ€™s Done Running

Thanks to the efforts of Mitsuri, Zohakutenโ€™s distracted long enough for Tanjiro, Genya, and Nezuko to chase after Hantenguโ€™s main body. The coward continues to flee, but despite his best efforts, the Demon Slayers arenโ€™t going to let him escape. The Demonโ€™s crocodile tears deserve no sympathy from anyone; heโ€™s done.

Thereโ€™s one problem, though: as Nezuko goes to make the final blow, it becomes apparent that dawnโ€™s almost upon them. If that happens, Nezuko could die! They need to finish this soon for her sake!

Next week, weโ€™re getting the finale to the Swordsmith Village arc, which is a shame, since I thought there would be two more episodes. Given what has happened, though, I think that itโ€™s ending at an appropriate time. At least it doesnโ€™t drag things out like many other Shonen anime tend to do!

I Give โ€œLove Hashira Mitsuri Kanrojiโ€ a 4/5

Score One for the Demon Slayers! And the Arts!

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Ladies, gentlemen, and those who identify as neither, the Demon Slayers scored a significant win! Against all odds, Tokito the Mist Hashira managed to put an end to the terrible artist known as Gyokko. Muzan’s Demon Army has suffered a devastating loss for the second time in a short period. How did this happen, though? Find out now in the new episode of Demon Slayer!

Tokito Channels Inner Spider-Man to Waste Gyokko

What’s one of the reasons why Spider-Man’s so effective as a crime fighter? There’s the powers, the indomitable will, and his genius-level intellect, to be sure. However, another reason he’s so effective is his penchant for quips, jokes, and general mocking of his opponents in a fight. He does this because he knows it angers them; when they get angry, they’re more likely to make a mistake. Tokito uses a subdued version of this strategy in this episode to significant effect.

Having freed himself from Gyokko’s death trap with help from Kotetsu and remembering his past in full, the Mist Hashira goes to town on the Upper Four Demon. Not only does he continuously dodge Gyokko’s attacks, but he proceeds to troll him the entire time. One minute, he won’t say anything to make the Demon mad, and the next, he’ll be insulting him for reeking like fish. The best part is that this tactic works to a tee. Gyokko transforms into this fish-lamia hybrid to get even more robust, but Tokito no-sells it like it’s nothing. By the halfway point, the deranged, Demonic artist has met his end by beheading. Another one of Muzan’s best assets has died in a short amount of time!

Tokito for the Win!

This entire portion of the episode triumphs Tokito’s character growth. We’ve seen his backstory and how he had to claw his way out of Hell to end the threat of the Demons. Now, he’s not only making good on that, but thanks to Tanjiro reaching his wounded heart, he’s able to become the badass he was meant to be. In addition, we get to see the sadistic monster Gyokko die. He’ll have to make his sick, perverted form of art in Hell now.

The most emotional part of the episode came when it was revealed that Kotetsu survived. Just as important, though, is what enabled the boy to survive his injuries: the tsuba, or sword mount, that belonged to the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku. That man went out like a legend, and everyone who knew him missed him. Tokito starts crying as he remembers his late comrade. Given his previously emotionless state, this act feels all the more impactful.

It’s Time for Mitsuri Kanroji to Shine

Meanwhile, the fight against Hantengu’s Hatred Demon could be better for Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Genya. Even though they’re giving it their all, the Hatred Demon keeps overwhelming them. Now Tanjiro’s eardrums are shattered, his left foot gets crushed, and he’s a sitting duck. 

It’s moments like this, though, when the cavalry comes in to help save the day. In this case, said cavalry comes from the Love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji. Fresh from defending the Swordsmith Village, Kanroji is the extra firepower the Demon Slayers will need to destroy Hantengu once and for all. That woman’s started to grow on me in the short timeframe of this season, so I’m looking forward to seeing her go all out.

We are nearing the end of the Swordsmith Village Arc at this point. While there have been plenty of incredible moments, the anime has yet to live up to the sheer destructive power demonstrated at the end of the Entertainment District Arc. z

Given how there are still a few episodes left, though, we should not have much longer to wait. It should be pointed out that by now, the Demons should consider retreating. They’ve lost this fight; they don’t know it.

I Give “Mist Hashira Muichiro Tokito” a 4/5

Welcome Back to the Life of Rudeus Greyrat!

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A Candid Recap of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, Pt. 2

Last time on Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, a fat, miserable shut-in got himself thrown onto the streets by his family. After saving a group of teens from the dreaded Truck-Kun, this bum found himself Isekaied and reborn into a world filled with magic, magical species, and more. Now going by Rudeus Greyrat, this guy’s ready to live life to the fullest and make the most out of this second chance. He starts learning magic, gets himself a waifu teacher that looks like a loli and becomes a certified badass. He even calls himself a best friend in the form of a cute elf-girl named Sylphie. But if he wants to succeed in life, he’s got to enroll in a big magic school.

Since his new Dad will only pay for him to enroll and not Sylphie, Rudeus decides he needs to get a job. So his Dad, Paul, pulls some strings and calls him a job working as a tutor at their distant relative’s home. He also knocks him out, lets their bodyguard/his former adventuring buddy, Ghislaine, take him, and leaves a letter saying, “Hey Rudy, don’t come back home for five years. You and Sylphie need to learn to be self-sufficient and not rely on each other. Otherwise, it isn’t gonna end well. Oh, and no writing letters either.” 

So, Rudeus leaves home for the first time. How will he fare with his new job? Will this end up being too much for him? And will we learn how scary a tsundere can be? Find all this and more in part two of my recap of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation!

Eris, the Tsundere to End all Tsundere’s

Now, besides having to teach Ghislaine essential learning, Rudeus’ main job will be to teach the head of the Boreas’ house granddaughter, Eris Boreas Greyrat. Everyone tells her that Eris is “a little willful,” but nothing that Rudeus can’t handle…right?

Now, in anime, there are tsunderes. They’re characters that act harsh and abrasive before warming up to others. Then there’s Eris. She’s not just a tsundere. She’s a tsundere cranked up to eleven. She’s like if you fused Asuka from Evangelion with Jotaro Kujo from JoJo’s. She yells at Rudeus, talks down to him since he’s younger, and when retaliates her response. Beat the ever-loving crap out of him!

Like, for real, no cap; she’s so scary that even the adults are afraid of her. Despite the beatdown he’ll get, though, Rudeus refuses to go crawling back to his Dad and be like, “Wah, Dad! I couldn’t handle that demon spawn from the depths of Hell!” Nah, he’s got a better idea to get her to respect him: he pretends to get them both kidnapped.

No, I’m being serious. He talks to Eris’ parents, and they decide to hire some actors to pretend to kidnap them. Then Rudeus can save them both and show her the importance of knowledge. Except it goes haywire. One of their servants decides to kidnap them for real and sell Eris off to some pervert. Luckily, Rudeus still manages to bust them out, and then Ghislaine comes in clutch and wastes one of the kidnappers. She blows his head off, and there’s blood all over the ground in front of Rudeus. It’s traumatizing for him!

So, after his brilliant plan goes haywire, Rudeus decides to dip out, thinking he failed. But then Eris dials the tsundere back enough to admit that he’s not as worthless as she thought and that she’ll allow him to tutor her. Bet.

Being a Professional Tutor Comes With Perks

So after this rough start, Rudeus settles into the Boreas household, serving as a tutor to Eris and Ghislaine. He’s teaching them how to read, write and Eris how to use magic. And despite being utterly terrifying and using him as a punching bag when he’s being a pervert, the two become friends.

Eventually, the time comes for Eris’ tenth birthday. Now, in this world, birthdays aren’t celebrated yearly. The big ones are at 5, 10, and 15 when you’re considered an adult. So her Grandpa, Sauros, who Eris gets a lot of her personality from, throws this big bash to show Eris off to everyone…except Eris sucks at dancing. But Rudeus steps in and somehow teaches her how to dance and sweep her off her feet at her party. 

Happy Birthday, Rudy!

Two more years pass, and it’s Rudeus’ 10th birthday. So Eris gets everyone to throw this big surprise party for him that he totally knows about. But he still acts like he’s moved to tears by the whole thing. He does get sad for real, though, when he finds out his parents couldn’t visit due to monsters acting up. But then, out of nowhere, Eris’ mom glomps on him and is like, “Forget about them, sweetie! We’ll be your family now, and you can marry my daughter to make it official!” And Eris and Rudeus are both like, “WHAT!?!?” Other than that (and Sauros saying he’ll kill Rudeus’ uncle and make him the head of his family branch), the parties are great. Eris even gets Rudeus this cool new staff called Aqua Heartia.

But then her Dad pulls Rudeus aside and says, “Hey, man. We were being serious about all that stuff before. Join our team, and we’ll help you become the head of your family’s branch. Heck, I’ll even let you have my daughter.”

Remember that Rudeus’ is only ten, and Eris is twelve. But this is a medieval world with Game of Thrones vibes, so they don’t bat an eye at this. Heck, Mr. Greyrat even tries to have Eris seduce Rudeus that night. Thankfully, since Rudeus pushes her too far, Eris acts like Eris and slaps him to his senses. They both apologize, and Eris says, “Look, Rudeus. Let’s put a rain check on this for now. We’ll return when we’re both adults in five years and see what happens.”

And Rudeus is like, “AWWW, YEAH!!! EVERYTHING’S COMING UP, RUDEUS!! MIGHT HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN ERIS AND SYLPHIE, BUT WHO CARES?!”

Too bad for him; his whole life changes the next day.

The First Turning Point

Now, I know what you’re all thinking: what’s so special about this Isekai? What sets it apart from the other light-hearted ones we’ve seen? While the show hasn’t had the highest stakes for the first seven episodes, that’s just to lull us into a false sense of security. Because, at this point, the story takes a complete 180. 

So, for months now, this weird, magical sphere thing’s been hovering above the capital of the Fittoa region. And no one knows what it’s doing there. It just keeps sitting there, all mysterious, while these weird storm clouds gather around it. So, the day after Rudeus’ birthday, he, Eris, and Ghislaine head off to test out his new staff, and it hits the fan. First, this weird guy shows up and tries to kill Rudeus. Then, that sphere explodes into this column of light! Before anyone can figure out what’s happening, they’re all engulfed in this thing, with Rudeus barely managing to grab onto Eris before they get hit!

And this ends the first turning point in Rudeus Greyrat’s life.

Oh, You Thought this was a light-hearted Isekai?

So, if you thought this would be some light-hearted Isekai, think again. Everything that you just read or watched was setting up everything for what’s to come. From here on out, expect Rudeus’ life to become a lot more dangerous and filled with a lot more trials and tribulations. That’s part of what sets Mushoku Tensei apart from a lot of other Isekai. It’s a slow burn at first, but the story gets a lot more interesting once it takes off. 

Please tune in for the next part as we cover what happened to Rudeus and Eris as they get thrust into an adventure neither of them expected as their lives are changed forever.

Human Will is Why the Demons Will Never Win!

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba S3 Ep 7 Review

I’ve seen my fair share of Shonen stories over the years, and I’ve come to notice a number of familiar tropes in them. Among my favorite of these tropes has to be the importance of one’s will to succeed. Think about it; how many shonen protagonists have we seen get beaten to the point where they shouldn’t be able to stand, let alone fight…yet do exactly that? Some call it corny or ridiculous; I call it a testament to the will of the human spirit. It’s why the good guys win in the end, and its why the Demons can never win no matter how many Demon Slayers they kill. Case in point, Tanjiro and the other Demon Slayers utilize their incredible willpower to turn the tide on the Demons once more in this episode!

Tanjiro Ain’t Buying That “Awful Villian” Garbage

So, right as Tanjiro’s about to decaptitate the diminutive Hantengu, he finds his sword’s unable to penetrate his skin. Then, to make matters worse, Sekido, the Demon representing Hantengu’s rage, takes matters into his own hands. He absorbs several of the other Emotion Demon’s into himself to create a new Demon, Zohakuten, Hantengu’s hatred. And Zohakuten is a piece of work.

The main thing about Zohakuten is the fact that he is a spiteful and foul-mouthed creature, calling the Demon Slayers awful villains for picking on the “weak and defenseless” Hantengu, who he tries to protect. The Demon then doubles down on the awful villains talk when Tanjiro admits that Hantengu’s never killed anyone that he knows or loves. 

Tanjiro, though, is having none of it. He knows that the Demon’s have no right to claim the moral high ground when the vast majority of them slaughter Humans without a second thought. What Hantengu and Gyokko have done in the short amount of time they’ve been in the village is proof that they’re the villains, and they’re going down.

Gyokko Angered Over Haganezuka Being Better Than Him

Meanwhile, back at the shed, Tokito’s attempts to escape from his watery prison continue to be for naught. He’s close to drowning, and he knows it. Gyokko knows it well enough that he turns his back on the Hashira in lieu of seeing what’s inside the shed. There, in the shed, is Haganezuka, who remains hard at work fixing the sword that Tanjiro recovered from the mechanical doll. And Haganezuka is not letting anything distract him, not even the Demon that could easily kill him.

Since Gyokko considers himself a talented artist, he’s incredibly vain and full of himself. So, when faced with a Human that’s willing to ignore him in favor of his craft, Gyokko loses it. He keeps trying to make Haganezuka break his concentration by attacking him, yelling at him, and breaking his mask so everyone can see his face. Yet, Haganezuka’s will and dedication to his work is so strong, nothing can make him budge. And that just makes the Demon even angrier, making him blow his chance to kill everyone.

That proves to be a costly mistake. As Tokito begins to suffocate, Kotetsu demonstrates his own willpower. The young swordsmith willingly allows another Demon inflict a potentially fatal wound on him, just so he can breathe air into the Hashira’s prison. That kid’s willing to die to save Tokito so he can save everyone. As a result, Tokito manages to slice through the water jar to freedom.

The Demons Lack the Will to Win

This episode encapsulates why the Demons are destined to eventually lose to Humanity: they lack the will to do so. Save for the handful I mentioned, every Demon we’ve seen has been selfish and only cared about themselves. When faced with the prospect of death, they’ll run and abandon each other. 

Now, contrast this with the members of the Demon Slayer Corps. Even when faced with certain death, they’re willing to keep fighting to ensure that one of them can come out on top. They’re willing to sacrifice their lives to ensure no one else can be hurt by Muzan. That’s how powerful the Human will can be, and it’s why they keep winning over the vastly more powerful Demons.

Overall, this episode was a good one. It reminds viewers of why Demon Slayer can stand amongst the greats of the Shonen genre. Like Naruto, JoJo, and One Piece before it, the heroes demonstrate a will to fight in spite of impossible odds. And, in accordance with Shonen rules, that can determine who the victor is.

I Give “Awful Villains” a 4/5

The Sad, Sad Story of Genya.

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba S3 Ep 6 Review

So, after the end of the last episode of Demon Slayer, I took the initiative and looked up what the deal was with Genya. I remembered reading how he has this power to absorb a Demon’s strength by eating them, but that’s all I could remember about him. After consulting the Demon Slayer Wikia and an anime channel on YouTuber, though, I found there’s more to Genya than meets the eye. Even though he’s a hot-headed and abrasive guy in the vein of Bakugo, he’s got a very tragic past. As in, it could give what happened to Sasuke a run for his money. 

No wonder he wants to be a Demon Slayer so badly.

So Close to Victory, but Not Quite.

Last week, it looked like Tanjiro and Genya managed to end the split Demons of Hatengu of the Upper Four. All of their heads were separated from their bodies and everything. However, despite this…the Demons don’t die. Their injuries only slow them down, but they’re ready to make Demon Slayer heads roll once they heal.

This is a regular occurrence in Demon Slayer. Right when the Demon Slayers look like they’ve got things in the bag, the Demons pull an ace out of their sleeves. Tanjiro realizes that the main Demon, Hatengu, isn’t dead in this case. Instead of fully splitting into four Demons, Hatengu broke them off his body while he ran and hid. As a result, Hatengu’s body is the size of a mouse and beyond durable. The sword breaks when Genya tries to hit him with his shotgun and sword! How does that make any sense?

Now, Genya’s lost his sword, and one of the emotion Demons is about to run his skull through with their staff. That makes it the perfect time for a flashback! 

The Sad Story of Sanemi and Genya Shinazugawa

I don’t know if it was already explained, but the flashback reveals Genya’s the younger brother of the Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa. AKA the man who stabbed Nezuko in her box before trying (and failing) to goad her into attacking him. The fact that they’re brothers make so much sense, but what happened to them explains why Sanemi was so biased against Nezuko.

Sanemi and Genya’s childhood was fairly horrible. Their father was an abusive deadbeat who died via stabbing on the streets. Their tiny Mother had to care for them and their five brothers and sisters. Since they were the oldest of the two, they had to look out for their Mom and siblings. 

Then, one cruel night while their Mom was out, a monster broke into their home and killed all but Genya and Sanemi. Sanemi forced the monster outside while Genya ran to find a doctor, unable to accept his siblings were dead. Then, as the sun rose, he saw something that made his blood run cold. His brother, Sanemi, stood over their Mother’s bloodied, dead body. Sanemi killed their own Mom! It wasn’t until later that Genya realized that their Mom had been turned into a Demon and killed her own family, forcing Sanemi to kill her in self-defense. Thus, Genya feels like the worst brother ever.

Genya Needs to Open up His Heart to Become a Hashira

I cannot lie: what happened to Genya and Sanemi is messed up. It might be up there with what happened in Sasuke and Itachi’s backstories; it’s that bad! Like Sasuke, Genya blamed his brother for what happened, only to realize that his brother had no choice. It was that or let himself die and, more importantly, let his brother die. In other words, Genya feels like the worst brother ever and thinks Sanemi hates him for it. That’s why he wants to become a Hashira despite being unable to use Breathing techniques. He has to rely on his ability to eat the flesh of Demons and gain their strength. However, determination alone does make someone great. Naruto proves it, Luffy proves it, and Tanjiro proves it. Genya must learn to open his heart again if he wants to succeed.

Genya’s intentions are good, but due to the absolute hell he went through as a kid, he’s closed himself off and become abrasive to everyone. His powers, while cool, can only take him so far. Now compare that to Tanjiro. Despite losing almost his entire family and his sister becoming a Demon, he remains cheerful and friendly. That equates to him making powerful friends and thus overcoming great obstacles, a hallmark of the Shonen genre.

Now, Tanjiro’s kindness even gets through to Genya. Despite wanting to secure the win against an Upper Four, he realizes he can’t do it, but Tanjiro can. So, he lets himself get skewered while allowing Tanjiro find and end Hatengu. It’s the start of good character development.

Once again, Demon Slayer slays with another awesome episode. It might be my preference, but I’ve always been fond of expository flashbacks, so this episode got points. Meanwhile, we still have depraved Demon artist Gyokko holding one Hashira hostage and another defending the Swordsmith Village. If we’re lucky, this arc will end with a fight as cool as the one that leveled the Entertainment District!

I Give “Aren’t You Going to Become a Hashira?” a 4/5

Gyokko is A MENACE to the Arts!

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaibaย S3, Ep 5 Review

One of the big draws toย Demon Slayerย is how creative the Demons themselves can be. They can range from the ones that can pass for Human to the ones that look like hideous abominations, but they all look interesting. However, I don’t think I’ve seen a Demon as strange or unnerving as that of Gyokko of the Upper Four. Not only does he have mouths where his eyes would be, but Gyokko looks like centipede with stunted limbs! The most disturbing thing about him, though, is his sick, depraved ideas about “art.” If I hadn’t already seen many sick things in fiction, the art of Gyokko might make me puke.ย 

The Demon Slayers and swordsmiths have their work cut out for them in this fight!

I Now Understand Why Mitsuri Kanroji’s a Waifu

First, though, we need to address the arrival of the Love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji, at the Swordsmith Village. With Tanjiro and the other’s tied down fighting the Upper Four, the Swordsmiths can’t do much to stop the fish Demons from killing them all. However, all that changes when Misturi arrives on the battlefield. We get to see her Love Breathing style first-hand, and it is impressive. It’s strange that her sword’s more of a whip, but the results speak for themselves. She wastes the Demons attacking the villagers and saves the village chief while doing so!

Her crazy strength alone is enough to impress most people. What makes Mitsuri a top-tier waifu is her personality. The first thing she does after saving the village chief is to make sure they’re all right, much to his happiness. She’s a precious treasure, and I’m looking forward to seeing what else she can do in this arc.

Gyokko is One Messed Up Demon

While all of this is happening, Muichiro’s heading to the shed with Kotetsu to get the new sword promised to him by the swordsmith Kozo, only to save the latter en route. By the time the three make it to the shed, though, Gyokko’s already beaten them there in his demonic vases. The Demon’s already creepy enough, but once he decides to show the three his “art” before killing them, it’s enough to make people’s stomachs churn. This Demon has been capturing villagers from the Swordsmith Village in his vases, fusing them, and then spitting them back out as these horrifically grotesque statues! If that wasn’t bad enough, then Gyokko explains in great detail the meaning behind everything like an artist explaining his work to critics, and he does it without caring how he made the thing.

The worst part, though? When Gyokko twists a sword embedded in the thing, the “statue” starts screaming in pain. The people that make up his “art” are still alive and in unspeakable agony! If it weren’t for the fact that I’ve seen messed-up stuff like this before, I might have puked then and there. Muichiro needs to put Gyokko down. He’s not only a threat to humanity, but a menace to art! That might be hard, though, since Gyokko can create magic vases, teleport them wherever he wants, and imprison people in water.ย 

Tanjiro Unlocks that Shonen Super State!

Meanwhile, Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Genya’s fight against the four Demons that make up Hatengu isn’t going well. The Demons prove to be even stronger when fighting together, as seen when theyย levelย the building they were fighting in! Tanjiro gets ready to fight them anyway but is surprised when Nezuko grabs his sword and refuses to let go until it’s coated in her blood. At first glance, it looks like she’s trying to stop him, but then the sword catches fire. Nezuko used her Blood Demon Art to set Tanjiro’s blade on fire!ย 

A flaming sword’s cool enough as it is, but it’s more than just for coolness points. The blade that Tanjiro and Kotestu found in the training doll was also bright red. The same bright red used by the man Tanjiro’s had dreams of, and what his own sword became in the Entertainment District’s final battle. A lot of Shonen stories have the protagonist’s unlocking some kind of super-powered state at one point or another, and this red sword, combined with that mark on Tanjiro, is theย Demon Slayerย equivalent. As a result, Tanjiro cuts through three of Hantengu’s selves like a hot knife through butter! Once again,ย Demon Slayer’sย animation proves to be one of its biggest draws.

The Fight Could Go Either Way Right Now

As of now, the Demon Slayers and Demons seem to be in a stalemate. At first glance, it looks like the Demons have the upper hand, but that’s what tends to happen in these fights. The Demon Slayers are always fighting an uphill battle. However, between Mitsuri showing up, Muichiro tying down Gyokko, and Tanjiro’s flaming sword, things could turn in their favor. In addition, one of Hantengu’s persona’s has a memory from Muzan of that swordsman from Tanjiro’s dreams using the same power against him. People who read the manga know what that power is, and what it means that Tanjiro’s unlocked it for the second time now. Muzan has reason to be afraid.ย 

Thus far, the Swordsmith Village Arc’s shaping up to be just as exciting as the Entertainment District was, if not more. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens, but above all, I want to see Gyokko get what’s coming to him! That Demon must die!

I Give “Bright Red Blade” a 4/5ย