May I ask for One Final Thing

So Many Great Waifu’s to Come Out of 2025

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RJ Writing Ink’s Picks for Top Waifus of 2025

Well, another year is in the books, and that means it’s time to reflect on everything that’s happened. For anime fans, that means it’s time to talk about their favorite moments of the year, their favorite anime, and just as important, what fictional characters they would date if they were real. I’m RJ Writing Ink, and once again, it is time for me to go over my picks for the best waifus for 2025. As was the case with last year, I will be including multiple entries from the same series if I deem it necessary. Mostly because some picks are so good that I can’t decide on one.

The Rentaro Family-The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You

First up on our list, it would be crazy to have a waifu list and not include one of the biggest group of best girls out there, the Rentaro family. This year, 100 Girlfriends was happy to welcome five new girlfriends to its membership: a constantly hangry girl, a maid, a tomboy, a beauty queen, and a super-shy girl. Given how well-writen and entertaining they all are, we’re just going to include all of them by default. However, if I had to play favorites, I think my personal choice is Iku Sutou. Firstly, she’s a tomboy, and I believe in tomboy supremacy. Secondly, I love the irony of her being a masochist who’s seiyu is played by Megumin’s from Konosuba. If you know, you know.

Cha Hae-In-Solo Leveling

Admittedly, Solo Leveling is not the kind of anime that you would think of when you think of best girls since it’s focus is on Jin-woo. However, the anime seems to make a notable exception when it comes to Cha Hae-In. From day one, the anime has gone out of its way to include extra scenes focusing on Hae-In, with some not-so-subtle money shots included. Don’t be fooled, though. She’s the strongest female Hunter in Korea, with only a handful of the boys able to surpass her. The most notable being Jin-woo himself, whom Hae-In’s taken an interest in. And it’s not just because he’s the only Hunter whose smell she can stand.

Natsuko Hirose-Zenshu

For the life of me, I can’t remember the last time I saw a woman be the protagonist for an isekai, but man, did Natsuko slay. At the start of the series, she managed to turn her love of animation into a career, and she was incredibly talented at it. The catch was that because she focused so much on her art, her social skills were almost nonexistent by the time she gets isekaied. Over the course of being stuck in her favorite movie, though, she learns how to open up to others, accept help, and even understand what love is. Thanks to that, not only does she manage to rewrite the film’s downer ending, but the ending implies her true love found a way to make it to her world. And, if I’m being honest, she is very pretty underneath that hoodie she wears.

Yihdra Arvoln-The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World

Speaking of the isekai genre, let’s talk about the main heroine for this fun series I mentioned, The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World. Or, as Yihdra would call it, I teamed up with a hot-headed weirdo and ended up falling for him without meaning to. Yihdra is a talented young mage who’s goal in life is to restore her family’s honor and prove that magical items can be used responsibly. That leads her to teaming up with Red to fight against the threat of returning demons, and while his antics do exasperate her at times, his talk about bonds and friendship does grow on her. It also becomes pretty obvious that she’s started to fall for him. She took the bandaid he gave her for her finger and acted like it was an engagement ring!

Huntr/x-Kpop Demon Hunters

Is Kpop Demon Hunters an anime movie? No, and Huntr/x isn’t even Japanese. But if their movie was big enough to get them on the cover of Time Magazine (look it up), then we’re giving them a pass. This K-pop trio of songstresses protects the world from demons and looks amazing while doing so. Their dynamic reminds people of another close-knit trio inspired by anime, the Totally Spies. And everyone of their songs is an absolute banger. Ergo, they’re on this list!

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The Mikadono Sisters-Dealing With the Mikadono Sisters is a Breeze

If you read my reviews of Tomo-Chan is a Girl!, then you know I believe in tomboy supremacy. So what’s better than having three tomboys at the heart of this heartwarming anime about family. Kazuki, Niko, and Miwa are three talented sisters at the top of their prestigious school and their respective talents, but they’re also incredibly cold. All that changes when they take in the son of a friend of the family who wants nothing more than to have the family life he never had with his late mom. And, despite being utterly talentless, Yuu Ayase wins them over with his kindness, warmth, and ability to get them flustered without even realizing it. In fact, I don’t even think he’s realized that the three of them have started to fall for him.

Popโ˜†Step-My Hero Academia: Vigilantes

From the My Hero Academia universe, we have the young vigilante, Popโ˜†Step. Well, being a vigilante is not her first choice. She’s actually an aspiring pop star who regularly holds street performances, using her Quirk to bounce high while her singing takes care of the rest. Young, brash, and a little insecure about herself, Pop winds up becoming a vigilante by complete accident when she runs into Koichi and Knuckleduster, and winds up sticking with them. Her ultimate goal is to make it big as a singer, and she’s got the skills to do it.

Nico Wakatsuki-Witch Watch

This is one witch that you definitley want as your best friend, and lucky for you, she probably would want to be your friend. Nico is a witch-in-training who returns to Japan to live with her childhood friend, Morihito. He’s supposed to be her bodyguard and keep her safe, but his efforts are complicated due to Nico’s friendly nature compelling her to use magic to help others, with often disastrous results. Friendly, outgoing, and eager to aid others, Nico is the kind of friend that everyone would want. Her one weakness: her huge crush on Morihito, who just can’t seem to get it.

Reze-Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc

Normally, I wouldn’t include someone who tried to kill the main protagonist on this list, but I will make an exception for Reze’s case. Born and raised as a Soviet agent, Reze was tasked with the mission of capturing Denji and obtaining his chainsaw heart. Despite trying to kill him, though, Reze did seem to become genuinely fond of Denji, enough to consider leaving it all behind with him…until Makima intervenes. While their relationship ends in bloodshed and tragedy, Reze represents the kind of life that Denji could have if the world wasn’t out to constantly screw him over.

Scarlet El Vandimion-May I Ask for One Final Thing?

Admit it: after all the time I’ve spent singing her praises, I would be crazy to not include the queen of crash-outs, Scarlet El Vandimion. All her life, this highborn girl has loved nothing more than throwing hands with wicked people, only to force her to repress that due to her terrible arranged marriage. The second her idiotic fiance breaks things off, though, the dog is let off the leash and won’t go back on. Scarlet is absolutely fearsome and capable of pulverizing anyone dumb enough to arouse her anger. At the same time, though, she’s actually a very kind and caring person who truly loves her kingdom and wants the best for everyone in it. Or as I like to put it, she has a zero tolerance policy for other people’s bs. Given how her victims crimes include corruption, slavery, attempted murder, blackmail, brainwashing, and warmongering, it’s not hard to see why.

Who Were Your Favorite Girls for 2024? Let us Know!

Scarlet Finally Satisfies her Fist in Finale to Her Anime

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May I Ask for One Final Thing? Ep 13 Review

Scarlet, when I do my annual list of best waifus for 2025, you are going to be on it. Because you are just built different. Even when having to face down your brainwashed ally, Prince Julius, do you give up? Do you hold yourself back while trying to get through to him? You do not. Instead, you go full bore so you can stop him because heโ€™s standing between you and Terenezza. The final episode of what might be one of my favorite anime for 2025, and Scarlet doesnโ€™t hold anything back!

So, Terenezza continues to prove how stupid she is as she watches with incredulity as Scarlet refuses to back down from fighting the mind-controlled Julius. She fully expected Scarlet to be wracked with despair from this turn of events. But when she isnโ€™t, sheโ€™s quick to call her absolutely heartless.

Then we proceed to get a look at what her life was like back in Japan before she got isekaiโ€™d. Even as a high schooler, she resented everyone around her for being happy when she wasnโ€™t, and she psychologically projected her insecurities onto others. She wanted to prove that everyone could be as shallow and petty as she could be and see them wracked with despair. To make them suffer the same way she has.

Terenezza Was Never Heroine Material

I normally sympathize with people who are suffering from trauma. I take mental health pretty seriously. But with all disrespect, Terenezza really is a b****. So she was ignored all her life and not treated as the center of attention like she wanted to be. And now that sheโ€™s in another world, she thinks that sheโ€™s owed adoration when sheโ€™s done nothing to deserve it? Does she know how many Isekai protagonists had to work to become liked and admired? Rimuru Tempest got the best possible build to start his Isekai life, but he had to put in the work to build an entire nation and loyal following. Naofumi was framed for attempted assault by some b**** and had to endure an entire country being out to get him before proving himself. And Rudeus Greyrat may have had his knowledge from his past life to give him a head start, but he still has to work on his personality flaws. Yet even with the power of an actual goddess on her side, Terenezza still wants to complain about things not going her way?

No wonder she canโ€™t be the heroine. Sheโ€™s just not cut out for the role, whereas Scarlet is. And to prove it, she does what any great heroine does in a time of crisis: uses the power of love to ruin the vilainessโ€™ plans.

True Love’s Kiss

Juliusโ€™ own blessing is actually something super embarassing: Heroic Tale, which only activates when the person the bearer loves the most is in danger. When that happens, they enter giga-CHAD God mode and are unstoppable. You can guess where this is going.

It should come as no surprise that the two end up kissing. Their dynamic, as strange as it may seem, has always had this romantic edge to it. Personality-wise, the two compliment each other so well. In fact, it makes me wonder why they werenโ€™t engaged in the first place instead of Scarlet and Kyle.

At any rate, Terenezza crashes out and is possessed by Palmia herself. But like I said before, even with an actual god in her corner, sheโ€™s still a *****, and it doesnโ€™t take much effort for Scarlet to send her blasting off like Team Rocket. Sheโ€™ll liveโ€ฆprobably.

All’s Well that Ends Well

And so, our tale of Scarlet the crash-out queen comes to an end. With Terenezza bested, the rank and file Palmians see her for the fraud she is and quickly return to Dianism. Especially since Saint Diana, or rather, Saint Sanya, saved them all. The leaders of the Palmians are arrested, and their religion is disbanded. The remaining foreign armies stand down. Dios becomes an agent for Julius in exchange for a pardon. And order and peace is restored as Sanya restores the barrier crystals. All is right with the worldโ€ฆuntil Scarlet realizes that Julius put himself in danger on purpose just to get her to do what she did. Punch time!

I have to admit, I didnโ€™t think that I would like this show as much as I have, but I was pleasantly surprised. The fall 2025 anime season hasnโ€™t had as many good anime that I can write about on this blog, but this kept me going. At least starting next month, we will be in for a feast.

I Give “May I ask for One Final Thing” a 4.5/5

Terenezza Faces her Punishment

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May I Ask for One Final Thing Ep 12 Review

The time has come, Terenezza. She has been a very naughty girl and committed multiple nefarious acts against the kingdom of Pallistan. Murder, brainwashing, blackmail, acts of terrorism, and orchestrating wars. But worst of all, she managed to piss off Scarlet El Vandimion beyond belief. And one way or another, she’s going to have to accept the consequences of her actions. In this case, the pounding of Scarletโ€™s fists. But it seems like the bitch has one last card to play.

So, Scarlet, Diana, Dios, Julius, and everyone else of importance flies to where the second gem is located, where the Palmians are holed up, and where Terenezzaโ€™s waiting to finish this. The Palmians are dug in like ticks and rigged the place with traps, but…okay, do we really expect any of this to work?

Seriously, at this point, why’d the Palmians even bother with the booby traps. They should know by now that Scarlet can no-sell everything they throw at her. It’s a little more than comedy to see her waste them.

At any rate, it doesn’t take them long to reach the Palmians. They are heavily outnumbered by the cultists, and can only hold them off for so long without Dianaโ€™s powers. And to make matters worse, Dios reveals he had to give up his protection from the wind spirit to get the Elves to fall back. They’re basically trying to hold back a flood.

Julius Triggered a Trap Card

Julius gets a chance to shine, at least. He faces off against the Palmianโ€™s Grand Inquisitor, this man who’s so irrelevant that I can’t even remember their name. All that I know is that the fight between these two is surprisingly interesting to watch. We’ve rarely gotten to see Julius have the chance to cut loose, but when he does, we can see why he’s considered the crown prince. He’s close to being Scarletโ€™s equal in combat as he wipes the floor with the Grand Inquisitor.

It’s too bad that he managed to activate his trap card in the process.

Meanwhile, Scarlet finally manages to reach her goal: Terenezza, the bitch from another world. On the one hand, her stupidity was the reason why she was able to finally break off her leash for good and give Kyle his punishment. On the other hand, though, Terenezza is guilty of all those other things I mentioned, including making her future little sister sad. So, she gets a double dose of punishment.

The fight between the two, if you could even call it that, was pretty much decided before it even started. Whatever Palmia gave Terenezza to work with, Chronoa gave Scarlet double the amount. It doesn’t take her long to get in close and grab her by the hair before retrieving the power she had stolen. Thanks to that, Diana gets her power back in time to save everyoneโ€™s hides.

Terenezza is Only Delaying the Inevitable

Unfortunately, this is when Terenezza plays her trap card. When Nanaka was under her thrall, she had him place a spell on Julius to enable her to mind-control him with her charm. It didn’t work, merely weakening the defenses he had as a prince. However, the Grand Inquisitor had used his powers to tear a hole in space connecting her to Julius, allowing her powers to fully take control. In other words, Julius is now fighting for Terenezza. She’s gambling that Julius can kill Scarlet and that Scarlet would be too reluctant to harm Julius to do any real damage.

Once again, this girl is all kinds of stupid. Not only has Scarlet made it clear that she’s willing to beat up even Julius, but she will do it without hesitation. And Julius would want her to do that if it meant snapping out of this brainwashing. If anything, Scarletโ€™s probably happy at the chance to pay him back for all the times he’s annoyed her.

And this is where we stand going into the finale. A mind-controlled Julius is all that stands between Scarlet and the bitch responsible for all this chaos. And as we have come to expect, nothing will stand between Scarlet and whatever has invoked her wrath. So, this final episode should prove to be very interesting, indeed. Don’t hurt Julius too badly, Scarlet!

I Give “May I Pay Off the Massive Debt My Fists Have Accrued?” a 4/5

So We’re Shipping Scarlet with Julius, Right?

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May I Ask for One Final Thing Ep 11 Review

No plan survives first contact with the enemy, especially when you’re relying on a group of hot-headed knuckleheads to pull it off. Thanks to the Dragoons of Vankish being hot-headed as they come, it’s up to Scarlet to make sure everything goes according to the plan.

So, Dios and Nanakaโ€™s route to Falconiaโ€™s army has been blocked by more monsters that the Dragoons are keeping at bay. They wanted to wait for them to clear a path so they can make it through. However, when Jinn gets grazed by an enemy attack, he took it personally. The next thing they know, its chaos. Thankfully, Scarlet is able to pull up on Alflame and get him to rein his men in. And then she has to bail him out later when he’s about to be overrun by monsters.

The whole time, Nanaka is weary of Dios for his previous betrayal, as Scarlet has given him a second chance. However, Dios manages to prove he’s as good as his word. When the Elves led by his uncle come, he’s able to convince him to have Falconia withdraw by making a deal. They didn’t want to fight in the first place; the Beastkins were brainwashed by Terreneza. And while we dont know what this deal was supposed to be, I can imagine that it’s going to cost Dios in the future.

At any rate, the allies have won the day. They managed to take out the majority of the monsters and talked Falconia into standing down. Sadly, Alflame and the Dragoons must return to Vankish. But before they do, Alflame straight up asks Scarlet to come with him so she can be safe if Eldrand attacks. Right in front of Julius, no less.

By now, it’s pretty clear that despite saying otherwise, Julius has romantic feelings for Scarlet. Who wouldn’t, though? Scarlet is just that awesome! So seeing him become possessive of her is rather touching. We even get more hints when they talk later that he’s been in love with Scarlet for years, though it’s disguised, humorously enough, as a love for apple pie. Way to flirt, Julius!

The moment is ruined, though, when Alflame tries to challenge his โ€œlove rivalโ€ to a duel, and he has to be dragged back home by his men.

Alflameโ€™s men may not always respect him as their leader, but you can tell by looking at them that they do care about him. The fact that they’re able to treat him in such a casual manner despite being royalty is proof of this in my eyes.

Terenezza Must be Punished

With the immediate threats dealt with, all that is left is to deal with the root of the problem: Terenezza. She’s trying to destroy another one of the gems holding the barrier protecting Pallistan together. It will take her a few days to be ready, so if they want to stop her before that happens, they have to do it now. So Scarlet, Dios, Diana, and the others need to track her down and punish her before that happens.

Elsewhere, the bitch in question is having an argument with her puppet master. It would seem that Palmiaโ€™s desire to see Pallistan ruined extends to the point that she wanted her puppet to raze every settlement in her path, despite Terenezza wanting to actually rule Pallistan. As if anyone in their right mind would want a shrew like her to be their leader. But now that she knows that the heroes are coming for him, she’s putting her own plan in motion. And our last sight for the episode is of Nanaka standing over a sleeping Julius, doingโ€ฆsomething. Something bad, obviously!

We’re in the endgame now, and I’m looking forward to seeing how this ends. In hindsight, though, a lot of this mess could’ve been avoided if Scarlet had known back in the first episode to beat Terenezza to the point where she’d be breathing through a tube for the foreseeable future. It would be wholly justified in this case! Good thing Scarlet can fix that.

I Give “As These Appear Undercooked, May I Turn Them Into Minced Meat?” a 4/5

Scarlet Goes to War…and Ends it!

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May I Ask for One Final Thing? Ep 10 Review

So, letโ€™s recap: thanks to that absolute shrew, Terrenezza, one of the crystals keeping Pallistan safe has been shattered. Thereโ€™s an army of bloodthirsty monsters about to invade. And to top it off, two of the kingdomโ€™s neighbors have declared war for the love of the game. In short, everyone looks to be screwed to the point that not even Scarlet can handle this alone. Lucky for her, her not-so-secret admirer from another country has come to help her.

Sweet!

War is Coming

In the time that Scarlet was asleep, the Palmians were busy being a menace to society. They managed to talk two of Pallistanโ€™s neighbors, Falconia and Elrand, into declaring war. Between them and the monster horde, the kingdom is facing a three-way battle on its borders. Even if youโ€™re not a strategist, you should know how less than ideal that is!

The good news, though, is that now that Scarlet is awake, sheโ€™s ready to subject everyone deserving of it to punishment. The problem? She can’t be everywhere at once, so that means they have to divide and conquer. Dios will handle the other elves, while Nanaka will handle the Demi-humans. That leaves the Monster hordes to Scarletโ€ฆand Aflame.

Yes, Prince Alflame of the Vankish Empire has returned. Instead of backing the Palmians, though, he’s choosing to throw his lot in with Julius. In exchange, they’ll give him support for his bid for the throne. Because in his lands, the firstborn is not a shoo-in for succession. In exchange, heโ€™ll provide himself, and his personal army of a thousand Dragon Knights. It might not seem like much, but then you remember the fact that they’re all riding dragons. Giant, flying, apex predators that can breathe fire. If you’ve ever seen the Game of Thrones franchise, then you know what a handful can do. And they have a thousand of them. Do the math.

So Scarlet takes Rex and goes to the battlefield with Alflame. And as it turns out, she already has quite the reputation amongst his followers.

The Infernal Bride? Sounds so Cool!

Spike Spiegel once said that he loves a woman who can kick his butt. As we already know, Alflame is of the same mindset, because the last time they met, he decided that Scarlet was the one for him. Since then, he’s been going around telling his Redsky Dragoons that she’s his fiancรฉe and that he gave her Rex as a gift. They’ve even taken to calling her the โ€œInfernal Bride.โ€

Scarlet is not amused. But her retaliation doesn’t freak the Dragoons out. If anything, they’re impressed. And I can understand why.

Their respect only grows when the time comes for the actual fighting. When an Orc Lord takes one of the Dragoons’ own hostage, it tells Scarlet that the first thing the monsters will do is to devour the women and children of her country. Scarletโ€™s response? To beat it to death with its fists.

This is one of Scarletโ€™s finest moments of butt-whooping. Not only is the Orc Lord thought, but it has a healing factor allowing it to regenerate from even a decapitation. Her response. Slow down time to deliver hundreds of punches at once! Enough to overload its healing factor and become another feast for Scarlet. The Dragoons are so grateful they start calling her big boss.

Bow to the Queen

So that’s one problem solved. But now there’s another one. Dios and Nanakaโ€™s peace negotiations are not going anywhere due to more monsters being in the way.

Uh-oh. Is Scarlet going to have to get involved to save the day, or can Dios and Nanaka pull this off? It could go either way, honestly!

I Give “May I Cook This Thick Cut of Pork Through With Body Punches?” a 4/5

We’re Watching More of Scarlet

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May I Ask for One Final Thing? Ep 3 Review

Slavery, one of the oldest and most recurring crimes found throughout history. No one should be allowed to another person without their consent, so skavery is a most universally frowned upon by the world. It also means that, with a few exceptions (I’m looking at you, Naofumi), anyone caught partaking in this trade is fair game for a butt-whooping. And that is precisely what Scarlet proceeds to give over the course of these next few episodes.

Also, I’ve decided to cover this show instead of Let’s Play. No offense, but that anime is not looking that good, and TBATE already made me hit my yearly limit for bad anime.

Scarlet Continues Her Crashout

So, after proceeding to have the greatest crashout in the history of her kingdom, what is next for Scarlet El Vandimion. The good news is that Prince Julius, Kyleโ€™s smarter older brother, has offered the best job ever: rooting out all the corrupt nobles in the country and punching their lights out. And thanks to Scarletโ€™s rampage, they now know that all the nobles who backed Kyle were doing some incredibly illegal things, and the worst is that of Minister Godwin. He has to go, and thankfully, Scarletโ€™s rampage has given her, her brother, and Julius the perfect in.

Meet Nanaka, a beastkin slave working undercover on Godwinโ€™s orders at the Vandimionโ€™s estate. After Scarlet punched his sonโ€™s face in, he was ordered to kill her while she slept, only to fail miserably. So Scarlet earns his loyalty by reversing time until he no longer has his slave crest (yes, she can do that.) After that, he was more than happy to help her, even if it means going back into the slave auction. In other words, they’re pulling off a sting operation, and as long as Scarlet keeps her cool, everything should work out fine.

Of course, this is still Scarlet. And when she sees the slaver’s bodyguard brutalizing Nanaka, she can’t help but send him flying.

I now see why Julius finds her so interesting.

I Can already see the Shippers at Work

This third episode serves as a means to further the relationship between Scarlet and Julius, and explains why heโ€™s so adamant about annoying her: he’s bored. He’s bored about a lot of things in the world, and he knows that he will never get to see all of it for himself. So when he finds something interesting, he wants it around him. And while his feelings for Scarlet are not romantic as we think of them, they are very strong, much to Scarletโ€™s annoyance.

If I had to properly explain the sort of relationship that Scarlet and Julius have, its similar to Jinshi and Maomaoโ€™s dynamic in Apothecary Diaries. Julius likes pushing Scarletโ€™s buttons because sheโ€™s one of the few people who won’t bend over backward to please him. So it’s no wonder that he’s so fascinated by her.

But there might be someone even more fascinating out there: Terenezza.

As Scarlet made clear in the first episode, she’s never met Terenezza until the day of her crashout. She didn’t even know she existed. But whatever it is she’s planning, Kyleโ€™s downfall hasn’t stopped it in the slightest. Now she’s working directly with Minister Godwin to take Scarlet out, and she’s given him something very interesting: a flintlock pistol. In a world of magic and swords, the presence of firearms is something that sticks out like a sore thumb. What’s even more concerning is that she claimed to get this from a deity called Palmia. If there is a goddess involved in all this, then that could be a problem for Scarlet.

Then again, this is Scarlet. Sheโ€™ll probably be fine.

I give “I Considered A Negotiated Resolution, But May I Biff and Pow Those Noblemen Instead?” a 4/5