The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 2, Episode 7 Review
It feels like only yesterday that Rentaro met his first two girlfriends. Now, he’s sitting at nine, with ninety-one girlfriends left to meet and win over! And the more girlfriends join the Rentaro Family, the more chaotic and sillier things will get. Case in point, this next episode has the Family go on another group date. Then, Rentaro finally hits double digits as his tenth girlfriend appears! And she happens to already have history with another girlfriend!
Who Doesn’t Love Karaoke?
The episode starts off making us think Rentaro’s about to meet his soulmate #10, but it’s a fakeout. In truth, the Rentaro Family’s out on a group karaoke date!
The entire date is a demonstration of one advantage that the anime has over the manga it’s adapting. In the manga, readers have to imagine what everyone sounds like when they’re singing. Because it’s an anime, the show lets us hear each girl belt out songs in all their glory. Even better, you can actually hear the OP and ED amongst the songs being played for a few moments. Considering how good they were, it’s a welcomed callback.
This account is a fan of Shizuka Yoshimoto.
Watch The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You.
The real show, though, starts when Shizuka plucks up the courage to get up there and start singing. And thanks to another one of Kusuri’s drugs, her natural cuteness gets amplified to the point where it physically overwhelms the Family.
I don’t know what’s funnier: how each of the girls tries to tank this onslaught of cuteness, or how each of them does the famous Yamcha pose when they can’t take it anymore.
That’s one of the great things about The 100 Girlfriends. It regularly includes parodies of pop culture to the point where you could spend each episode trying to figure out reference. Special mention goes to Rentaro and Shizuka’s duet (first CHADtaro moment of the episode) leading to a recreation of the “girl falling from the sky” scene from Castle in the Sky.
NEW GIRLFRIEND APPROACHES
The second half of the episode starts with Rentaro heading to a high-class mall to scout out date spots. That’s when he crosses paths with this girl who’s boasting about how beautiful she is and…ZING!
New character teaser for โThe 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really Love Youโ Season 2!
Meet girlfriend #10, Mimimi Utsukushisugi, AKA the narcissistic beauty. She is an incredibly beautiful young woman capable of making heads turn as she walks by. Not only does she know this, but she revels in it. She considers herself the most beautiful woman in the world and will not accept anything less. And when she becomes smitten with Rentaro, she immediately gives him a makeover to conform to her beauty standards.
Normally, a character like Mimimi would be seen as toxic. Since this is The 100 Girlfriends, though, she deconstructs the narcissist. She actively puts in the work to being beautiful and maintaining it. She works hard to earn money, does daily maintenance on her face, and taught herself how to speak eloquently. She’s even capable of recognizing how one’s personality traits make them beautiful.
Case in point, when another couple jealously tries to ruin her outfit via spilled boba, Rentaro has his second CHADtaro moment of the episode. He willingly shields Mimimi with his body and ruining the new clothes he got.
Another episode, another reminder why Rentarou is a man who deserves 100 girlfriends pic.twitter.com/ELcrwmxsCd
And then, when that guy almost slips on his own drink, he doesn’t hesitate to save him. Because, according to him, he was just trying to stand up for his own lady, something he can respect.
Thus, Rentaro gains his tenth girlfriend. His selflessness so moves Mimimi that she says he’s already beautiful as he is and begs him to go out with her. She even takes the news that she’s his tenth girlfriend as a compliment. So all seems right with the world…
…then Nano shows up, and Mimimi goes off.
Uh-oh.
As it turns out, despite calling herself the most beautiful, there was one black mark on her record. She and Nano competed in a beauty pageant in the past, and Nano won! Mimimi hasn’t forgotten this slight, and can’t tolerate joining any group with that has Nano! So she challenges her to a rematch, with the penalty being the loser will have to leave the Family. FOREVER!
Damn, the 100 girlfriends episode ended on a cliffhanger… Well, as usual, another peak episode, karaoke episode was done incredibly. And Mimimi's first chapter's adaptation was fucking incredible as well, Lynn's a perfect casting for her, I loved that episode a lot. pic.twitter.com/Q3qdTwPlFz
So, the episode ends on the biggest crisis the Rentaro Family has faced since the day they met Hahari! And Rentaro seems powerless to stop this coming duel! Remember, if any of his soulmates don’t date him, they’ll eventually die. This is serious business to him! How will he get out of this mess?
Find out in the next review, which will hopefully be up soon. Also, it should be noted that I had to look up the reference that Nano made at the end. A rare instance where I didn’t get the reference.
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love YouS2 Ep 6 Review
Next to its birthplace in the land of the Stars and Stripes, the country that loves baseball the most is Japan. Baseball is incredibly popular in Japan, and it has been for more than a century. Hence why Iku Sutou is obsessed with the sport and why sheโs determined to keep the schoolโs baseball team running. Were this any other anime, it would treat the big practice game that Iku and the Rentaro Family has to win seriously. However, since 100 Girlfriends is a comedic parody that loves using meta-humor, this baseball episode winds up being equal parts silly and serious. But mostly silly.
PLAY BALL!
Itโs the day of the big practice game to determine if the high school girls baseball team will survive. And, by the rule of funny, Rentaroโs stand-ins wind up sick, conveniently allowing Hahari, Kurumi, and Mei the chance to play. But this is not the first example of how silly the anime is treating this baseball game.
The second example stems from the fact that their opponents, the Jurassic High Team, are all based on dinosaurs. Right down to their names being puns on dinosaur names.
The episode makes it clear from the start that itโs not trying to treat this game seriously unless it has to. Thus, it has free reign to parody the over-the-top nature of sports anime. From the opposing team coming up with flashy names for moves to said moves breaking the girl’s bats, anime logic is in full effect here. Unfortunately, that also means that the relatively inexperienced Rentaro Family is unable to do much, especially after Iku injures her pitching hand. Before long, theyโre at the bottom of the seventh inning and have yet to score a point.
But then, the opposing team does the last thing they could hope to do. Their leader messes with Shizukaโs head, making her mess up so bad, the poor girl is reduced to tears.
To paraphrase Saruman from Lord of the Rings, โSo you have chosen death.โ
No one. Hurts. SHIZUKA
As saddening as it is to see Shizuka reduced to tears over the enemyโs dirty playing, the episode veers right back into the realm of hilarious with what happens next. Something that, with the Internet still recovering from the high of the end of Dragon Ball Daima, has to be seen to be believed.
Say what you want about 100 Girlfriends, but if youโre a fan of Dragon Ball, you can at least appreciate the affectionate parody that this is. Right down to the iconic eye-catchers. The fact that they got this riled up because the enemy made their precious cinnamon bun Shizuka cry only makes this even funnier.
Anyone who purposefully makes Shizuka cry is deserving of death!
The Perfect Catch
By the time they end their rampage, the Rentaro Family is only four points away from winning the game. Thatโs when Iku gets up to bat, and when things turn serious once more. While the story has already shown Iku dealing with her masochism, the climax of this episode has her dealing with another fear. In this case, itโs her fear of hitting someone in the stands by accident.
Cue the episodeโs CHADtaro moment!
And with that, Iku secured the future of the girls baseball team. The anime got to have fun with a sports episode. And the fans got to see Rentaro make out with a cool tomboy!
In a series that gives us plenty of funny moments and is all about enjoying its premise, this episode might be one of the best thus far. Top five episodes just for the Dragon Ball reference.
Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadowsย S2 Ep 9 Review
From the day he became a Hunter, Sung Jin-woo had only one goal: to look after his family. Thanks to becoming a Player, the idea of curing his comatose mother no longer felt like an impossible dream. Heโs fought, struggled, and risked his life time and again to gain the materials needed to create a cure capable of saving his Mom. Now, at long last, heโs done it. Heโs managed to bring his Mom back. And it makes the absolute hell that heโs been through over his time being a Hunter worth it.
Miracle Cure, Acquired!
With the battle against Baran won, Jin-woo has the ingredients to make the medicine that could save his mom. And despite how much heโs managed to accomplish, the viewers can tell that heโs still nervous as heโs crafting it. He knows that if it were to go wrong, heโd lose his only chance to do so. The relief on his face is palpable as he sees it succeeds. And so, he returns to his world, his quest at an end! And he manages to revive Baranโs dragon as part of his army!
As for Esil, she has to walk herself back home. Unfortunately, she doesnโt appear again after this. Anyone who was a fan of hers that wishes she got more screen time can go play Solo Leveling: Arise, where sheโs one of the recruitable Hunters.
A Heartfelt Reunion With Mom
At last, we arrive at the moment of truth. This was one of the most important moments in the manwha, and one that the anime couldnโt afford to mess up. Thankfully, not only did the anime rise to meet the emotional impact of Jin-wooโs mother waking up after four long years, it went above and beyond. Jin-woo, who weโve gotten so used to seeing as a stoic man by this point, starts crying his eyes out in joy as he gets to talk to his mom again. And you canโt blame him! If you went through everything he has all so he could have a chance of saving one of your parents, youโd end up crying tears of joy and relief, too!
The next few days of Jin-wooโs life are joyous ones. For the first time in years, he has his family back together (except for his missing Dad.) However, now that his Mom is back, doubts begin to set in about his future. He doesn’t say it out loud, but he even questions the need to continue getting stronger as a Hunter.
The timing could not be worse.
The Jeju Island Raid is Coming
Since the first season, Solo Leveling has been steadily building up to the Jeju Island Raid Arc. There’s an army of giant, man-eating ants that’s made the island its home that’s getting ready to invade the mainland. If that happens, everyone in Korea will die. And since all previous attempts to retake the island have failed, Korea and Japan are teaming up to ensure this fourth attempt succeeds. To do that, they’re calling for all hands on deck. Most of Korea and Japan’s S-Rank Hunters will be taking part in this raid, and Chairman Go is hoping that Jin-woo will join in.
To be fair, having Jin-woo there would turn this dangerous mission into an absolute curb-stomp. However, before he can even decide, they get interrupted by the sheer aura of the S-Ranks training together!
A few months ago, the idea of Jin-woo stepping into a world like this would feel crazy. Yet here he now stands, with the strongest Hunters in Korea as they spar together. And then the Japanese Hunters show up, led by Goto Ryuji, the strongest Hunter in Japan.
Can Korea and Japan Work Together?
Japan and Korea have had a complicated history over the years, so the two countries arenโt exactly on the best terms. That enmity seems to bleed over into the Hunters as the two start wanting to scrap with each other. So, to ease the tensions, most of the S-Ranks decide to have some sparring sessions together! Which means that the next episode is going to see what the Hunting Elite are capable of doing!
While it is sad to see that the anime brought an end to the Demon Castle Arc so quickly (the manwha had it last longer), hopefully the season can stick the landing with the Jeju Island Raid Arc. And, despite some people complaining about Jin-woo crying (which will be addressed), the reunion of mother and son was genuinely heartfelt. Congrats, Jin-woo. Youโve earned this!
One year ago, the anime workd was devastated by the news of Akira Toriyamaโs death. Toriyama, the man many consider the godfather of the modern Shonen manga, was gone. Millions of people around the world, from his friends and family all the way up to world leaders, all mourned his passing. However, his death would not be the end of his story. At least, not yet.
Less than a year earlier, Toei animation had announced that Dragon Ball would be returning with a new anime series to celebrate its 40th birthday. Even better, though, was the fact that Toriyama himself had written the story for this new anime, Dragon Ball Daima. Now, by fate or chance, Daima had become the last thing Toriyama worked on for the world that he created. If fans were already excited as it was for Dragon Ball to return in anime form, now they wanted to see how his final story would play out.
Now that Gokuโs untold adventure had come to an end, though, how does Daima hold up? Did it meet fans expectations? Could it have done anything better? Is it even canon? While that last question will likely be debated for a while, the first two have an actual answer to them: yes and yes.
What is Daima About?
If you didnโt keep up with Daima during its run, hereโs a quick synopsis.
Taking place shortly after the defeat of Majin Buu, Goku and his family are enjoying their lives now that peace has returned (and Gokuโs alive again.) Unbeknownst to them, Gomah, the new Supreme King of the Demon Realm that Dabura ruled before his death, has been watching them for a while. Terrified at how Goku and the others defeated Majin Buu and seeing them as a threat to his rule, Gomah hatches a plan. Traveling under the radar to Earth, he uses the Dragon Balls to turn Goku and all his allies into kids, thinking they wonโt be a threat in that state. And, for good measure, he kidnaps Dende to make even more Dragon Balls in the future.
Naturally, Goku and the others canโt let this stand, and when someone from the Demon Realm comes saying they were sent to bring the ones who beat Buu, they embark on a quest to rescue Dende and return to their normal ages. This quest will take them to the Demon Realm, a part of the cosmos that has never been fully explored in the history of Dragon Ball!
This is Like GT but with Better Writing
In case itโs not obvious, Dragon Ball Daima takes a lot of inspiration from another anime in the franchise, Dragon Ball GT. Released back in the 90s by Toei as a sequel to DBZ, GT told a completely original story that starts with Goku being reduced to a child by a set of Dragon Balls. The initial arc would see him, Trunks, and his granddaughter Pan travel the galaxy to retrieve these Dragon Balls in the hopes of saving Earth from being destroyed. Becauseโฆreasons!
In hindsight, GT felt like an attempt by Toei to fuse the original adventure genre of Dragon Ball with the more popular Shonen fighting genre that most people know the franchise for. Unfortunately, while it did have its good points, most notably Super Saiyan 4, GT wasnโt as good as DBZ. Toriyama himself had little to no involvement beyond some character designs, and it showed! The plot tried too hard to be funny, only to come off as cringe. Several of the characters became unlikable. And the less said about Dolltaki, the better! Itโs for these and many other reasons that fans debate whether or not GT is even canon or part of another timeline!
Daima is Toeiโs second attempt to tell a story that returns Dragon Ball to its adventurous roots. And unlike before, Toriyama was fully on board. In aย recent interview with Akio Iyoku, Daimaโs exec producer, it was confirmed that the series was a deliberate attempt to evoke the feeling of GT. Funnily enough, that same interview confirmed that Toriyama was only meant to have limited involvement. But Toriyama found it so exciting, he pretty much handled it all by himself.ย
In hindsight, that might partly why he died so young, but at least he died doing what he loved. And it also explains yet another thing he worked on being a big influence on Daima.
Good Old JRPG Action!
Outside of his work as a mangaka, Toriyama is famous for his work in another medium of entertainment: video games. He was the character designer for the Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger series, the latter being one of the greatest JRPGs ever made. Whether he intended to or not, it seems that his experiences with those games helped to influence how he wrote Daima, because it feels an awful lot like a JRPG.
Itโs been stated several times throughout this blogโs reviews for this series, but Daima feels like the Dragon Ball equivalent to Dragon Quest. The quest to save an entire world from a tyrannical king. The ragtag party of heroes that add more members as the adventure goes on. The concept of the Medi Bugs even sounds a lot like items you find in an RPG!ย
It doesnโt stop with the story and gameplay mechanics. Up until the final battle against Gomah, the fights give off the feeling of a classic JRPG fight. And this blog isnโt the only one whoโs noticed the similarities. Plenty of other fans have noticed the comparisons between Daima and Dragon Quest.ย One article from Screenrantย even says that it only serves to make Daima an even bigger tribute to the legacy of Toriyama. It combines his magnum opus for both manga and video games into a fairly entertaining story that could easily work as a standalone video game! Itโs funny enough to be one!
Toriyama Never Lost his Sense of Humor
When it comes to the action, Dragon Ball Daima can feel a tad lackluster when compared to Z and Super. However, there is a good reason for that: Dragon Ball didnโt start out as a franchise focused solely on fighting. Fighting and martial arts were always a part of the story, but in the beginning, Dragon Ball was more concerned about the adventure. The entire story starts because Goku and Bulma go on an adventure to find the rest of the Dragon Balls together. Daima was an attempt to return to the franchise roots as a story inspired by Journey to the West, best exemplified by Gokuโs retrieval of his Power Pole. By focusing more on the adventure aspects, this meant that the series could also focus more on the comedic aspects.
Toriyama was a man with a pretty good sense of humor. His first big manga, Dr. Slump, was a gag comedy. And while it would come to be best known for the fights, Dragon Ball never really lost its sense of humor. Thanks to its premise, Daima was able to bring the comedy back in full. From the oaf and straight-man routine that Goku and Glorio established to even the villains proving to be fairly goofy, you can tell Toriyama wanted to make his fans laugh. And it largely worked. Special mention goes to Hybis and his absolute deadpan attitude towards everything!ย
Thankfully, Daima never forgot about the action, and when it wanted to focus on that, it went HARD! By the time the final episodes rolled around, it had already returned to the same levels of action from DBZ before starting to edge closer to what comes in Super. And judging by the Internetโs reaction, fans were more than satisfied with what we got.
SUCH EPIC FANSERVICE!
Speaking of which, can we just bring up the fact that Daima was amazing at delivering fanservice? Most people associate that concept with images of attractive anime characters, but in a broader sense, itโs about giving the fans what they want to see. In the case of Dragon Ball Daima, it was getting to see things that plenty of fans wanted to see. The return of Gokuโs Power Pole was a good example of fanservice for those who like the earlier Dragon Ball adventures, but thereโs more than that.
Exhibit A: Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta. Vegeta was only ever shown achieving this form in video games, which were, by their nature, non-canon. Getting to see that form appear in the anime, albeit as Kid Vegeta, was a big deal. However, that would end up paling in comparison to what we would get next.
Exhibit B: Super Saiyan 4 Goku. Say what you want about GT, but you cannot deny that SSJ 4 was cool! The red fur and wild hair may feel super-edgy these days, but that can be chalked up to it coming from the 90s. That decade was all about being edgy! What was more important is that this marked the first time in decades that fans got to see the fabled SSJ 4 in the anime, and we just ate it up! People are already saying that Gokuโs transformation into SSJ 4 is the second coming of the legendary first time we saw SSJ 3. And theyโre right!ย
Just donโt expect any explanation as to why this form never comes up in Super.
They Shouldn’t Have Rushed Things so Much
When it comes to it, there are two main problems regarding Dragon Ball Daima. One seriously affects the overall story, while the other is something that mainly concerns hardcore fans.
The big problem is the length and pacing of the series. The first nine episodes are focused on the setup and then Goku and the others’ journey through the first of the three worlds making up the Demon Realm. The time spent in the Second World amounts to around five episodes, with the last five focusing on the final battle against Gomah and his army. No matter how you look at it, thatโs some pretty uneven levels of focus! The show spends so much time in the Third World and expanding it, the lack of attention the Second World gets is a problem. Especially when you consider that it was hinting at parts of the Demon Realm we may never get to see!
The other problem is regarding whether or not Daima counts as canon. Since none of what happens gets mentioned in Super, some fans wonder if it counts as canon. The fact that Super Saiyan 4 never gets brought up doesnโt help matter. However,ย that same interview with Ikoyuย confirms that, yes, Daima is canon, mainly because it was written by Toriyama. That answer, though, does imply that anything made for the franchise following his passing may be non-canon.ย
My thoughts? Who cares?
Let’s be Happy We got more Dragon Ball
Who cares if Dragon Ball Daima is canon or not? Who cares if might contradict the established lore for Dragon Ball in a few ways. And who cares that none of this ever comes up in Super (yet.) At the end of the day, I donโt think whether Daima is even canon should be whatโs important. Whatโs important is that we got more Dragon Ball.
Itโs not something that fans want to think about, but the passing of Toriyama marks the end of an era for Dragon Ball. From now on, the franchise will have to continue without its creator, and while plenty of franchises have managed to do so, thereโs always the concern that things wonโt be the same. Whatโs more, many of the people who voice the characters arenโt getting any younger. Sooner or later, theyโre going to have to retire or will eventually pass away. Masako will let her voice live on through AI, but thereโs no telling what will others will do. Even Bulmaโs original seiyuu passed away years ago!ย
The bottom line is that Dragon Ball may not last forever, as much as we may want it. Sooner or later, itโs going to have to end or end up like The Simpsons: a pale shadow of its former self. So the way I see it, we should enjoy Dragon Ball as much as we can while we still have it.
A Worthy Send-off for a Legend
So, was Dragon Ball Daima a perfect series? No! It had its ups and downs, and I do think it couldโve benefitted from more episodes. However, the idea of a perfect story doesnโt exist, and if it did, that would just mean mankind couldnโt tell anything better. At the end of the day, though, Daima wasnโt trying to be a perfect story. It was just trying to entertain people, either by making them laugh or squealing in joy. And it largely succeeded, with most of the people I know and follow online loving it.ย
Whatโs most important, though, is that this series was the final gift that we got from Akira Toriyama. Thereโs no telling if he knew that his life was coming to an end, but if he did, then he chose to spend his final days pouring his heart and soul into making Daima the best that he could make it. And it paid off! Most fans seemed to love Daima, and consider it a worthy final work from a man who helped change the world. Dragon Ball will likely go on for years to come, and it might not be the same without Toriyama, but heโs already given us everything he had. Heโs more than earned the right to go to that big studio in the sky where all the great storytellers in human history get to chill for the rest of eternity. The least we could do as fans was make sure he got the sendoff he deserved.
And we did. Arigato, Toriyama-Sama. Youโve earned the rest.
It’s over, everyone. After five months and twenty episodes, Dragon Ball Daima, the series made to honor the franchise’s 40th anniversary, has ended. The real question, though, is whether or not the series ended on a high note. And since it wound up being the last thing Toriyama worked on before his passing, fans wanted the finale to be the highest note possible. So, did it stick its landing? Did Toriyama choose to end the story in an epic fashion, or a comedic one?
Let me put it this way: if you loved Toriyama’s sense of humor, then you’re going to laugh at how the finale plays out.
The second the episode cuts away from the Toei logo, Daima lets everyone know it’s not messing around. Instead of wasting time with the OP, it opts to get right into the action as SSJ 4 Goku and Gomah continue their final battle. And much to Dragon Ball fans elation, Daima gives eight minutes of glorious, uninterrupted fighting. And I do mean uninterrupted, as beyond the screaming, there’s almost no talking of which to speak. Just two super strong people punching each other in fast-paced sakuga fashion, epic beam struggle and all!
Those eight minutes aren’t just to entertain the audience. They’re a testament to why Dragon Ball is such a legendary anime. When it wants to go all-out on the fighting, it will pour every yen it has into giving the audience a show to remember.
Unfortunately for the heroes, their big gambit fails at the last second, leaving them unable to get the Evil Third Eye out of Gomah. For a moment, it looks like things might really be all over for Goku and his comrades with Gomah poised to kill them all. It’s like those cutscenes some video games add after the player defeats the boss, only to make it seem like they failed. And like those cutscenes, Daima pulls something out of the fire that saves them in the most unexpected fashion.
At first glance, it might seem like having Kuu be the one to stop Gomah feels like a cheap copout. However, this is Toriyama we’re talking about. That man loved to make everyone think things would go a certain way, only to have something unexpected and silly happen. Like Yajirobe cutting off Vegeta’s tail? Or Recoome getting one-shotted? Watch something long enough, and you’ll notice these sorts of things!
Plus, it makes what happens next pretty funny, too.
ALL HAIL KING KUU
So, Gomah doesn’t die after being defeated. Instead, the heroes opt to imprison the now ex-Demon King along with Degesu in a magic prison for the next 99 years. At least they’ll have plenty of video games to play while they think about what they did. However, things get interesting when Arinsu declines to become the next King (or Queen) because she didn’t get her wish from the Dragon Balls. Instead, the title goes to the one responsible for defeating Gomah: Kuu!
From being hated during his first appearance to being loved by everyone.
From Zero to Hero to King.
The most beloved and funniest character in all of Daima, Supreme Demon King Majin Kuu!! pic.twitter.com/ofcbG6MDRJ
Of all the ways that this could end, I donโt think anyone expected Majin Kuu to be the one becoming the new King of the Demon Realm. However, it makes sense. He may not be strong, but heโs good at befriending others and recognizing their talents. Case in point, he makes Arinsu his Vice-Demon King so she can keep using her knowledge to help everyone. Even better, he makes Neva, Marba, Glorio, Duu, and Kadan all Ministers to help him rule. And for the first time in eons, the Demon Realm has a ruler worthy of the position!
And so, like any good JRPG, the world this adventure took place in becomes a better place. People can now travel freely between the Demon Worlds, and thanks to the tunnels opening, the gas that gave Goku so much trouble in the Third Demon World becomes much lighter.
And so, with their quest done, Goku and the others head home, heroes one and all. But not before we get one last joke.
Leave it to Toriyama to turn a seemingly ancient and unique artifact into something found at a drug store. I had the biggest grin on my face when I saw that.
PEAK. ANIME.
So, how was the finale to Dragon Ball Daima? Honestly, it was pretty good! It did a great job of balancing fanโs expectations for the action with Toriyamaโs sense of humor. That final fight between Goku and Gomah may not have been as epic as the fights heโll have in the future, but it stands as one of the series best in recent years. The kamehameha alone might be among the best in the entire franchise!
Dragon Ball Daima, What else can I say. Absolute Cinema. (Thank You Toriyama) pic.twitter.com/wwIBfpii5z
As for the comedy, for those who saw the outcome as a cop out, I reiterate my previous examples. Toriyama understood the humor behind hyping someone up, only to have them absolutely embarrassed, and that was something he never forgot. The ending wasnโt just an epic shouting match. It was also a return to the comedy found throughout Toriyamaโs works!
Weโll likely be doing a full series review for Daima soon, so we can fully explore what worked and what didnโt. However, at the end of the day, I would say that Daima proved to be a success for Dragon Ball. Even if it hadnโt been the last thing Toriyama worked on before he died, it likely still would have been a success.
Also, it should be pointed out that the finale ended right before midnight, March 1st in Japan, exactly one year to the day that Akira Toriyama left this world to join the other great storytellers in Heaven. That could not have been a coincidence! People knowingly chose the finaleโs date in honor of Toriyamaโs memory! It was Japanโs way of allowing him to move on to Otherworld, his work fulfilled!
Go, Akira Toriyama. Go teach a dinosaur to ride a ball in Heaven and spend eternity with the great storytellers of history.
There are only two words that can be used to describe these final episodes of Dragon Ball Daima: absolute. Cinema. And the fandom certainly seems to think so.
We are now in the final two episodes of Toriyama’s last gift to the world, and Daima has never been more popular. In-universe, though, things were looking dire for the Dragon Team. Goku and the others were unable to leave a dent in Gomah thanks to the Evil Third Eye. To make matters worse, Glorio chose this crucial moment to summon the Demon Realm’s Dragon on behalf of Dr. Arinsu. It looked like the betrayal that was teased earlier was about to take place, and the episode’s title didn’t help much.
The episode starts off with everyone, from the Dragon Team and their allies to the audience, watching as Glorio has summoned the Demon Realm’s Dragon (Red Porunga). It looked like he was about to make Dr. Arinsu’s wish to be stronger than Gomah a reality. However, much to everyone’s astonishment, he didn’t end up wishing for that! Instead, he wished for the Dragon Team to be returned to their adult selves!
This isn’t the first time that Toriyama decided to give us this kind of bait-and-switch; after all, he did it when Krillin chose not to shut down 18. However, the fact that the audience was just as in the dark about Glorio’s wish due to it being in Namekian was brilliant. Cliffhangers may not always be enjoyable, but when done right, the payoff is worth the wait.
As for why Glorio chose to betray his employer, who had saved him from the Third Demon World, no verbal explanation is given. However, the look on Glorio’s face as he’s warmly greeted by the others says it all. He did it because he’s grown to like his traveling companions. Good on him for that! Even better knowing that Goku finally got his name right.
Besides, it’s not as if Arinsu has no other allies. Kuu and Duu remain loyal to her, and the relationship she has with them seems pretty positive. Even moreso when it’s thanks to Kuu that Arinsu learns how to get the Evil Third Eye out of Gomah.
Vegeta Gets his SSJ 3 Moment Yet Again!
Now that they’re back in their adult forms, the heroes can fight Gomah on more equal ground. Unfortunately, they fall back into the old habit of fighting the enemy one at a time, with Vegeta going first. Try as Vegeta might, not even his adult SSJ 3 form is enough to hurt Gomah. Or rather, it does hurt him, but the damage doesn’t stick, thanks to the Evil Eye.
IT FINALLY HAPPENED!!!!! WE FINALLY GOT TO SEE ADULT SUPER SAIYAN 3 VEGETA IN DRAGON BALL DAIMA BATTLE AGAINST KING GOMAH!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/LMVyTmA1vy
No wonder why that eye is considered so dangerous. It basically gives the user infinite health and stamina! But, like any good video game boss, it does have a weakness. And it’s something so simple, it’s actually laughable: hit the user on the back of their head three times, and the Eye will fall out.
That’s nowhere near as funny as the threat that Bulma gives Vegeta if he won’t let Goku and Piccolo fight, though.
It may seem silly (and it is), but it’s moments like this that show just how much Toriyama understood his fans. He knew what would make us laugh, make us cry, and most of all, leave us squealing in joy. And if seeing SSJ 4 Goku as a kid was awesome, that’s nothing compared to what happens next. As Goku prepares to distract Gomah so Piccolo can get in the hits, we not only get a call-back to one of the most famous transformation sequences in the franchise, but a bonus.
In all seriousness, though, these last few episodes have done wonders to help make up for whatever shortcomings Daima might have. It’s very bittersweet to think that the next episode will likely be the grand finale, but all good things must end. Let’s make sure that Daima gets the attention it deserves before we send Toriyama off to that great studio in the sky.
Last time on Dragon Ball Daima, Goku and the other heroes made it to King Gomahโs castle. There, they managed to take down Degesu and rescue Dende, fulfilling one of their two goals of traveling to the Demon Realm. However, when they arrive at the final Tamagami, they realize that the Dragon Ball is missing! At the same time, Gomah manages to get his hands on the Evil Third Eye and places it in his forehead, unlocking a powerful new transformation. Will Goku and the others be able to defeat the Demon King in their current state?
Honestly, theyโre in for a pretty rough go of it.
Since the beginning of Daima, this blog has said that Dr. Arinsu was working against Gomah. The signs were all there: she gave him the idea of trying to mess with Goku and his friends. She hired Glorio to bring them to the Demon Realm and retrieve its Dragon Balls. She created Duu and Kuu to get the last Dragon Ball. The writing was on the wall, and it should come as no surprise when this episode has her say it. She wants to overthrow Gomah, and use the Dragon Balls to turn the Demon Realm into her own empire. An empire from which she can conquer the rest of reality.
Again, none of this should be a surprise. Arinsu had โStarscreamโ written all over her face. What is surprising, though, is the fact that she doesnโt have Glorio turn on the others right away and give her the Dragon Balls. Instead, she has Duu fight Goku with the Dragon Balls on the line.
The fight between Goku and Majin Duu is brief, but it also turns out that the two are pretty evenly matched. Goku does a good job, but Duu manages to tank most of his hits and give them back just as well. However, their fight soon becomes moot when the real threat shows up: King Gomah.
A few weeks ago, some fanart of what King Gomahโs ultimate form would look like wound up trending online. He was seen as this big, menacing figure akin to Frieza and Cell.
Imagine the disappointment fans must have felt when this episode reveals Gomahโs Third Eye form looks like this.
However, keep in mind that when it comes to the villains, Toriyama liked to subvert our expectations regarding their appearances. Friezaโs true form may look plain, but in truth, itโs downright terrifying. Cell may look more humanoid than bug in his perfect form, but his power is unreal. And letโs not forget the menace that was Kid Buu. So, as goofy as Gomahโs new form seems, the power he has is the real deal.
Donโt believe that? Hereโs proof: Goku takes a moment to ask all the other strong fighters to help him jump Gomah. In a franchise famous for having the main heroes fight while the others watch, that doesnโt often happen. The fact that Goku is openly acknowledging that he cannot handle this on his own shows how serious this is!
So, the climax of the episode has Goku, Vegeta, Glorio, Shin, Piccolo, Duu and Kuu, and even the Tamagami all rushing Gomah. And, in keeping with the Dragon Quest leanings, the fight feels like the climatic boss fight of a video game. Itโs incredibly well-animated with some great, continuous shots. But, much like in the original Broly movie, not even jumping him at once is enough for the heroes. Gomah just tanks all their hits, and comes dangerously close to killing Goku. Itโs only thanks to Duu and Kuu jumping in at the last second that heโs able to catch a break.
The episode ends with Goku powering up to the only form he has that can handle Gomah, Super Saiyan 3. He may. Or be at his full power as a kid, but this is his last resort. And judging by the previews for the next episode, this fight is going to be wild. Something that fans have been wanting to see from the very beginning!!!
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 2 Ep 5 Review
Masochism is a noun describing the act of deriving pleasure from one’s pain. And in the anime world, no masochist is more famous than Darkness from KonoSuba. Darkness will throw herself in front of enemy attacks to experience pain. She regularly (and openly) fantasizes about painful and humiliating scenarios she can go through. She might be the ultimate masochist, but 100 Girlfriends may have just given us someone who rivals her interest. And for extra irony, this new girl is voiced by the seiyuu of Darkness’ party member, Megumin!
Also, good on the anime for updating the OP to now include Mei Meido.
Megumin Joins the Family!
As Rentaro is walking near the entrance to his high school, he sees a girl in a baseball uniform asking other girls to join the baseball team. But then, the two’s eyes meet and…zing!
Rentarou's 9th girlfriend – Sutou Iku the Masochist baseball gf โพ
Meet girlfriend #9 Iku Sutou, a tomboy and only member of the girl’s baseball team. She loves the sport and is determined to be the best at it. She’s so determined, in fact, that she will practice until every part of her body is screaming at her to stop. And she likes it! She’s a colossal masochist!
Most of the girlfriends have quirks that viewers and readers will consider funny, but Iku might be among the funniest. Rentaro sees her have hearts in her eyes while dealing with the pain of swinging the bat 10,000. And when she finds out Rentaro already has a girlfriend(s), she’s heartbroken…and loves it!
The funniest part about Iku isn’t even something found in the manga; it comes from anime. Her seiyuu is Rie Takahashi, AKA the seiyuu of Megumin from KonoSuba. This was a brilliant casting choice, and it cannot have been a coincidence. Someone must have realized how hilarious it would be to have a character that takes after Darkness’ looks and personality but has Megumin’s voice. She’s easily the funniest character to join the cast since Hahari’s reveal as one of Rentaro’s soulmates, and the same goes for her love confession. He pretends to reject her confession because he knows she’ll love it.
Doing that is so painful it makes Rentaro vomit blood. Peak comedy, and girlfriend #9 is now secured.
Masochism+Determination=COMPLETE DISASTER
Iku’s masochism might be used for laughs, but her determination is very genuine. With all her teammates training in America, the girl’s baseball team is in danger of being shut down. Hence why she’s spent every day asking girls to join the team for an upcoming practice game so it can stay open. Once the Rentaro Family accepts her, though, they all agree to help. Partly because they’ve been trying to burn off the calories from the eating contest but mostly so they can exercise with Rentaro.
As expected, the girl’s practice is full of jokes and visual gags centered around how their quirks affect their practice. They’re all pretty funny, ranging from Kurumi trying to eat the ball (it reminded her of a candy,) Nano throwing the ball like a pitching machine, and Kusuri copying Zoro’s three-sword-style with bats. If you like the jokes about each girl, you’ll like the training. However, things do take a serious turn when Iku stays up practicing all night, only to collapse from exhaustion!
Like every girl, Iku deconstructs an archetype found in fiction. In this case, her determination to do better, combined with her masochism, feed into this loop that could quickly become self-destructive. She is what would happen if Goku or Vegeta trained themselves past their limits but never gave themselves the time to rest. It’s not something one should always do, and it moves the Rentaro Family enough to stay overnight to look after her.
This is gonna be fun
Black comedy points for the reason they found it being Hahari overhearing Iku underneath the bed in the nurse’s office. The anime even shows her doing this!
Iku might be one of the best girlfriends to join the Rentaro Family thus far. Her determination is endearing, she gets extra points for being a tomboy (#tomboysupremacy), and her quirks, combined with her seiyuu, are hilarious. Welcome to the family, Iku, and good luck at the game.
Natsuko has been on an absolute tear ever since she came to the world of A Tale of Perishing. Every time a Void has shown up, whether she’s seen them before or not, Natsuko has managed to win. At the rate Zenshu is going, she can change the downer ending into a happy one. However, it would make for a boring anime if things continued along this same pathfr the rest of the series. With Zenshu nearing its halfway point, it has to mix things up to keep the viewers interested. In this case, that, sadly, involves teaching Natsuko an important lesson: just because she knows the original story, doesn’t mean she can solve all its problems.
It was established in the first episode that Natsuko wasn’t someone who worked well with others. Because she has such high standards for herself, she would get repeatedly frustrated when others couldn’t be on her level. Thus, instead of admitting she had no clue what she was doing with her romance flick and asking for help, she tried to do everything alone. While Zenshu already indicated that things were getting bad for the studio she worked at, the opening to this episode showed us just how bad they were getting. If that upcoming film didn’t do well, the entire studio would go under, and it would all be Natuskoโs fault.
Here’s the thing, though: Natsuko never figured this out. Nor have her experiences in a world of Perishing helped to curb her lone wolf mentality. Instead, her string of victories over the Void has caused her ego to swell to the size of a planet. She’s openly basking in the peopleโs adulation and saying that she’s handling everything. Even when she acknowledges how the story has gone way off the rails, she thinks she’s got it covered.๏ฟผ Even the cocky Unio believes she’s got too big a head on her shoulders!
Natsuko needs to get her act together
There are two significant issues with how Natsuko is acting in this episode. Firstly, there’s the story itself. If Natsuko is dreaming all this on a hospital bed, then when she wakes up, she wont have learned any important life lessons. Nothing will change, and thus sheโll doom her job due to her ego. Secondly, thinking you know how a story in an isekai will end can be a recipe for disaster. Case in point, the other heroes in Shield Hero thought the same thing. Look up how that turned out for them!
Bottom line, Natsuko needs to start learning how to work with a team, especially now that she’s begun to make an impact on the Nine Soldiers.
Luke is getting jealous of Justice
By now, it should be evident that Luke is falling for Natsuko. Luke may try to deny those feelings, and Natsuko might be oblivious to them (for now), but Unio is fully aware and hates it! Those feelings only continue to grow in this episode when Destiny asks the group to help out the orphans in the District of Despair. Not only is Luke impressed with how easily Natsuko wins over the kids, but he grows jealous when they reunite with an old friend of there’s who starts hitting on Natsuko.
This episode introduces the audience to Justice, a Dragon-man and former member of the Nine Soldiers before he quit. On the surface, it looks like did it to indulge In a life of debauchery. In truth, though, it was because in an earlier battle where a teammate died, his wings got crippled. As a result, he can’t fly. To a dragon, that’s the same as being paralyzed. The worst part, though, is that Luke didn’t even notice it because he was so worried about their other dying comrade.
Natsuko is able to bond with Justice because she understands his pain genuinely. Unfortunately, she doesn’t learn from his mistakes of not asking for help from others. In addition, her spending time around Justice starts giving Luke the wrong idea.
Natsuko might have bit off more than she can chew
Eventually, though, Natuskoโs hubris catches up with her when the next group of Voids appear. For the first time since she got isekaiโd, Natsukoโs drawings fail to defeat the good. The last moment of the episode is of her sitting vulnerable on the ground as the Void looks ready to end her life!
What a cliffhanger! For the first time, things are about to take a turn for the serious! Even if Natsuko makes it out in one piece, the consequences will still be significant. Hopefully, this experience will be the wake-up call she needs. Otherwise, this whole isekai experience will have been for nothing.
The final battle is upon the Dragon Teamโฆor Z Warriors or whatever the fans call Gokuโs group of friends and allies. After stumbling their way into the First Demon World, Goku and the others are on the verge of ending their quest to rescue Dende and return to their proper ages. However, thereโs one problem: Gomah knew they were coming and isnโt pulling any punches. To make matters worse, it turns out that a certain theory that came up regarding the Evil Third Eye turned out to be right. And with Gomah now aware of this fact, heโs determined to get his hands on it! The question isโฆdid he manage to do that?
As fans, including this very blog, speculated, that eye in Hybisโ belt is, in fact, the legendary Evil Third Eye. Anyone who places it in their forehead can gain immense power that can make them nigh-unstoppable. However, the reason why it was lost was due to a power struggle between royalty. For the late Dabura, in an effort to overthrow his father, Abura, hired a thief to steal the Eye while his dad was away. Fortunately, the plan went south when said thief got killed before he could meet his client. Dabura overthrew his dad anyway, and Hybis found the Eye and kept it, ignorant to its true purpose. For further comparison, think Bilbo Baggins finding and keeping the One Ring, never realizing how dangerous it could be.
So, the prediction that Hybisโ eye belt was the Evil Third Eye turned out to be correct. However, this should come as no surprise if one considers the hints that were dropped earlier in the series regarding this. And once Gomah becomes aware that Hybis has the second-most important artifact in the Demon Realm, he orders Degesu to get it. Which leads to what is, easily, the funniest part of the episode.
While itโs not clear whether this Demon woman was Degesu in disguise, that doesnโt take away from the fact that this moment was hilarious. In the same conversation, Hybis calls the belt his favorite and most prized possession. And then he just trades it away for that big hat like itโs nothing! The fact that he doesnโt even want a kiss makes it even funnier! Hybis just became one of the funniest characters in the series! Time will tell if the Evil Eye becomes a factor in the final battle, though.
This storming of the castle could be harder than we thought.
Now, onto the main event of storming the castle. Given how theyโve effortlessly managed to demolish Gomahโs forces up to this point, one would think the Dragon Team would have no problem getting past them. After all, Goku single-handedly demolished the Red Ribbon Army as a child. This should be a breeze for him and the others.
In a surprising subversion of one of Gokuโs great early feats, the fight isnโt as one-sided as fans would expect. Thanks to their sheer numbers and weaponry, the Gendarmerie manage to pressure the Dragon Team at several points. They manage to keep pushing, but by the time the tanks roll out, itโs clear that the heroes are starting to feel the strain a bit. And thatโs great!
As some of the strongest beings in their universe, weโre used to seeing the Dragon Team steam-roll past the nameless grunts and mooks. Seeing them start to struggle as they press onward ensures that the tension remains realistic. Had Panzyโs father and his gang not shown up, thereโs a real chance that Goku and his allies might have been pushed back. But show up, Panzyโs father did, and his gang manages to help the heroes rout the enemy. All thatโs left is for them to storm the castle and get the Dragon Ball and Dende!
Things are about to get tougher
Or so they think. Most of the party doesnโt know that Arinsu already has the Dragon Ball and two skilled warriors capable of guarding it. And Gomah has the Gendarmerrie Force and Degesu at his disposal. Combine that with the chance that he could gain the Third Eye, itโs clear that Goku and the others are in for a tough battle ahead. Itโs a shame that the story has to end so soon, though.
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