movies

I’m Calling Nami the Weather Queen after This

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

One Piece Ep 1159 Review

Well, it looks like my prediction was spot-on! This is the last episode that we will be spending in this little mini-arc that was the Block Kingdom! On the last piece of One Piece, Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper managed to confront the “Sun God” who created the LEGO set they woke up in and thoroughly enrage them. Now, they’re on the run from an angry Giant who wants to keep them captive forever for his own amusement. But, as I felt when I was reading the manga, this guy must not be very smart if they think they can hold Monkey D. Luffy!

RUN AWAY FROM THE GIANT!

The vast majority of this episode can be summed as resembling the climax to the classic fairy tale, Jack and the Beanstalk. Well, the parts where the main character is being chased by the Giant, at least. The only thing the Straw Hats stole was the blueprints to the Block Kingdom, and given how they woke up unwilling captives and want to escape, they’re justified. Using the giant cat that Luffy is forcing to obey them, they’re making a dash for the other side of the Block Kingdom. Which, in case it wasn’t obvious, is actually an old cell designed to hold Giants prisoner. Which, given how Luffy is stronger than most Giants by this point, is really not a problem.

I know people are still going to have some problems with the pacing of the episodes, but the anime makes up for the extended scenes with the high quality of its animation. The series has come a long way from the simpler look it had in 1999, with its look evolving to better suit the evolution of the craft. That means that it feels a lot closer to what Oda draws in the manga as he’s grown more and more confident over the years, much to fans’ enjoyment. And, if I’m being honest, I like seeing the Straw Hats continuously outsmart their captor as they try to catch them.

This Guy Technically Works for Luffy

Speaking of which, it’s already obvious that the one holding them isn’t a God, but I don’t think any of us were expecting him to be who he turns out to be. The Giant that built this fake world is named Road, a member of the New Giant Warrior Pirates led by Hajrudin. Introduced back in Dressrosa as mercenaries working for Buggy, they were one of the groups that chose to pledge their loyalty to Luffy and form the Straw Hat Grand Fleet. That means that Road is technically supposed to be one of Luffy’s allies, but he can’t stand the idea of Giants working for a tiny human. So when one of his pet crows found the Sunny and half the Straw Hats fast asleep on it out at sea, he got the bright idea of putting them in his Block Kingdom so he wouldn’t have to work under them. And, for extra renegade points, he stripped them of their clothes so he could put new ones on them, including Nami.

It’s been months since these events took place in the manga, and my thoughts on this whole reveal haven’t changed: this guy’s an idiot. I can forgive him for ignorantly thinking that he could hold someone like Luffy because he hasn’t seen how strong he is like his crewmates have, but he really didn’t think this through. If the other Giant Pirates found out that he was holding Luffy captive, then they would punish him for it! And while I respect him for the LEGO model he built and the hand-made outfits, he’s still giving our fellow nerds a bad name. The part where he pauses mid-chase to gush about how this unscripted conflict in his world is so awesome comes off as creepy coming from him.

So, he must be punished. And it’s fitting that it’s Nami who’s the one who pays him back.

One of Nami’s Best Moments Yet!

The way that Nami has Zeus grow to the size of a storm and then has him hit Road with a lightning strike was already amazing. But that smug, s*it-eating smirk on Nami’s face as she claimed it was “divine retribution” was hilarious! That might not have been divine retribution, but that was a case of karma at work!

So, much to no one’s surprise save for that of Road, the Straw Hats manage to escape from the Block Kingdom. And I am happy to say that next week, we are going to head straight into the good stuff: Elbaph. The actual Elbaph is about to appear, and it is going to be amazing, you guys!! You are going to love it!

I Give “Destroy the Miniature Garden – Escape Block Kingdom!” a 4.5/5

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle Premieres Sept 2025 in US

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

Friday, September 12th, 2025. Anime fans, mark your calendars, clear your schedule that day, and be prepared to head to movie theaters. Demon Slayer is coming back to theaters for its endgame.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has been one of the most popular Shonen anime of the last six years, earning critical acclaim and fans around the world. And it’s not hard to see why. Between the characters, music, and god-tier animation, Demon Slayer lives up to the hype. It even managed to have the highest-grossing film in 2020 with Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train. Five years later, it looks like history is about to repeat itself as the series approaches its climax.

Fans have known for a year now that Demon Slayer would be wrapping up its story on the big screen rather than with a new season. The Final Battle arc, split into the Infinity Castle and Sunrise Countdown, demands no less than that. And Aniplex is splitting everything up into three movies just to make sure they cover all their bases. While the first film should already be out in Japan, Americans will have to wait another two months. And it looks as though it will be released both subbed and dubbed.

Anime has pretty much gone mainstream at this point thanks to the efforts of fans and streaming services, but that doesn’t mean we should be lax when it comes to promoting this film. If we really want to give Demon Slayer the send-off it deserves, then we need to start preparing. Make plans with friends. Coordinate with your local cosplay groups. Make sure that when the time comes, every seat in whatever theater is showing Demon Slayer is filled. Having all three films break box office records in America would be a massive win for us, and I wholeheartedly encourage everyone to see that it happens!

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Is Coming!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Sonic The Hedgehog Movie , , , , , , , , ,

RJ Writing Ink’s Reaction to First Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Trailer

It took an entire season’s worth of waiting, but our patience has been rewarded. The first Sonic the Hedgehog 3 trailer is out, and the fans are overjoyed. Considering what we got in the stinger for the last film, we have every right to be overjoyed. We’re getting Sonic Adventure 2!

Sonic Adventure 2 is the GOAT. Change My Mind

Sonic the Hedgehog’s video games have varied in quality over the years, but most can agree that the original games on the Sega consoles were peak. And the best of them all was, arguably, Sonic Adventure 2. The opening level is one of the best in video game history, the music is filled with absolute bangers, and the darker and more mature storyline still holds up well. That, and you can’t tell me that final boss fight is the definition of awesome. Needless to say, our expectations for this film are pretty high. Thankfully, this first trailer has done an excellent job of demonstrating that it’s going to work hard to meet them.

From the outset, the trailer makes it clear that, like its prequel, Sonic 3 won’t be a beat-for-beat adaptation of the video games. While that shouldn’t be too big a surprise, I did like how Sonic’s role in the film is initially reversed from the game. Instead of being on the run from GUN, they’re being smart and asking him for his help stopping Shadow. But as the trailer makes painfully apparent, Team Sonic is still being prepared for Shadow. And as the trailer continues, things only get worse.

Shadow is Not a Joke

Shadow might be mocked online and called an edgelord and the hedgehog version of Vegeta, but as the trailer takes great pains to remind us, he’s still super dangerous. It doesn’t make it clear if Shadow is an artificial life-form like in the games or if he’s another alien like Team Sonic, but if it’s the latter, then it only makes his status as Sonic’s anithesis all the more apparent. Whereas Sonic found friends and acceptance on Earth, Shadow’s backstory remains in full effect for the movie. And if you played the games or saw the videos, you know how bad that is.

And yes, the rumors were true: Keanu Reeves is voicing Shadow.

Even better, though? Dr. Eggman is back!!

JIM CARREY IS BACK!!!

After Sonic 2 came out, Jim Carrey claimed that he seriously considered retiring from acting after bringing Dr. Robotnik to the big screen. And I don’t blame him. After being one of the big-name comedic actors in the 90s and 2000s, the man almost fell off the grid. His playing Eggman was his best role in years! I put it up there with Ace Ventura and The Mask for him! I would be sad if he wanted to retire, but understand he’d like to end things on a high note. Thankfully, not only is he coming back, but he’s also playing another character that I don’t think anyone expected.

None of us know why Gerald Robotnik is still alive in the film, but it’s a pretty big twist, considering what he does in the video games. Plus, it gives Jim to show off by playing alongside himself. And, his Gerald Robotnik reminds me of when he played the Grinch, but without that weird Sean Connery lisp.

I don’t know why Paramount and Sega decided to wait until less than three months before the film comes out to release the trailer, but they do a good job of making up for lost time. I follow many people in the entertainment industry on social media, and many of them are as excited about this film as the rest of the fans. However, it will be going up against Disney’s Mufasa in the box office. I love The Lion King, but I have yet to see the need for the CGI remake or this prequel. So, let’s ensure that Sonic blows that film out of the water! After that, we can worry about whether Paramount should make more Sonic movies.

Also, if the climax doesn’t have “Live and Learn” then I’m gonna so mad!