Netflix

Warm Up This Spring With Some New Anime

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

RJ Writing Ink’s Picks for Spring 2025 Anime to Look Out for

The sakura blossoms are in bloom, and that means that spring is finally here! While that means that it’s time for anime lovers to say goodbye to the winter’s big hits like Solo Leveling, Zenshu, Sakamoto Days and more, there’s no reason to fret. Spring 2025 is packed with potential hits. From newcomers trying to make their mark to returning veterans, there will be plenty of anime to binge this spring.

I’m RJ Writing Ink for the D&A Anime Blog, and this is a list of some of the anime that people will likely be paying attention to this spring. Yes, I’m going to be watching most of it. Yes, there’s a chance I’m going to review some of this. And yes, I am aware that by the time this goes up, many of these will be out! That’s a consequence of covering four series at once over the course of the winter!

The Beginning After the End, April 2nd

Isekai anime might be dime a dozen these days, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be a diamond in the rough. For the Spring 2025 season, that diamond might be The Beginning After the End, or TBATE. Based on the Korean-American Web Novel and Webcomic of the same name, TBATE is about Arthur Llewyn. Formerly known as Grey, Arthur was a powerful king in his first life before abruptly dying a mysterious death and waking up in a world of swords and magic. Now going by Arthur, the former king strives to master the powers that govern this new world while also making sure to enjoy everything that he missed out on in his first life.

Full disclosure: I’ve binge-read most of the webcomic after Aaron reccomended it to me, saying it could become the next Solo Leveling. While I wouldn’t got that far, the series certainly lives up to TV Tropes description of it being “Mushoku Tensei meets Naruto.” Since I love both of them, that makes it worth my time. The one downside is that everyone is complaining how basic the animation is compared to the likes of Mushoku Tensei and Solo Leveling. Hopefully, that won’t be too much of an issue.

Wind Breaker, Season 2, April 3rd

Let’s get ready to rumble!!! Wind Breaker, the deliquent anime of spring 2024, is back for round two. This time, Haruka Sakura and the members of Bofurin are up against a ruthless gang going by the name of KEEL. And from the looks of the trailer, the boys of Bofurin are going to be in for one heck of a challenge.

Despite seeming like another series extolling how cool the rebel deliquent life seems to be, Wind Breaker turned out to be an anime with a surprising amount of depth to it when it first aired. The fights themselves are well-choreographed and often serve as a means for the story to elaborate on why the characters are fighting in the first place. It may still be a series about fighitng, but sometimes, the questions of why people fight and what’s worth fighting for can be just as interesting as the fights themselves.

Devil May Cry, April 3rd

DMC fans, your prayers have been answered. Capcom’s popular half-human, half-demon Demon Hunter is getting another anime. And from the looks of things, it’s going to be an absolute banger. Set in an alternate contiunity from the games, Devil May Cry will follow Demon Hunter Dante as he comes face to face with the villainous White Rabbit as he attempts to stage a demonic invasion of Earth.

I know very little about Devil May Cry beyond the basic premise, but that doesn’t stop me from thinking this series has the potential to be one of the big hits of the season. Firstly, the animation looks absolutley gorgeous, brought to life by Studio Mir of Kipo and My Adventures with Superman fame. Secondly, the voice cast has multiple legends among it, with Johnny Yong Bosch voicing Dante this time around. However, it’s the inclusion of the late Kevin Conroy and Tony Todd that’s gotten plenty of people talking. Having recorded their lines for the show before their passings, this will likely be the final chance people will get to hear the GOAT Batman and Candyman. And I’m going to take full advantage of it.

One Piece, April 6th

It’s only been six months, but if you’re a One Piece fan, it’s felt like an eternity. After going on a vacation for the first time in its history, One Piece is returning with the second half of the Egghead Island Arc. When we last left off, the anime had just finished going over all of the major events that were taking place in the world at large while the Straw Hats are busy on Egghead Island. With everything abroad now wrapped up, though, the series is ready to focus on the Straw Hats as they try to defend the island and the genius Dr. Vegapunk from the forces of the World Government.

And things are only going to get crazier from here.

I’ve been covering every chapter of the One Piece manga on my own blog for years, so I know what’s going to happen with the rest of this arc. I am not exaggerating when I say fans are in for an absolute emotional rollercoaster. I can’t even say anything about what happens without veering into spoiler territory. What I will say is that you should be prepared for some of the most exciting moments in One Piece history as well as some of the most heart-breaking, tearjerking ones. Keep tissues ready!

Witch Watch, April 6th

This rom-com on Netflix is about Morihito Otogi, an ogre who looks like a human who’s loving his best high school life. Until, that is, his childhood friend, the witch-in-training Nico Wakatsuki, moves in with him and decides to make him her familiar. While Morihito is supposed to guard Nico, his job gets harder due to the fact that a.) she lets everyone know she’s a witch, and b.) she is madly in love with him.

After the end to 100 Girlfriends, I’m going to be needing a new rom-com fix. And judging by the description to Witch Watch, this series looks to be right up my alley. I’m a big sucker for the childhood friend romance trope, so I’m sure to enjoy whatever will happen here!

Lazarus, April 6th

If something seems too good to be true, that’s because it is. That is the lesson that the world learns when they discover the wonder drug, Hapna, will soon kill everyone who took it. The only way to prevent this is to find its creator, Dr. Skinner, in the next thirty days. Thus, the worldโ€™s best hope for salvation is in the hands of the task force known as Lazarus.

If this series feels like the second coming of Cowboy Bebop, that’s because it is. This series was created by none other than Shinichirล Watanabe, AKA the creator of Cowboy Bebop. Considering how instrumental the adventures of Spike Spiegel were in bringing anime westward, having Watanabeโ€™s next work come to Toonami is a big deal. This has the potential to be this generationโ€™s Cowboy Bebop, and I am all in for that idea! Bring on the gunfights!

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, April 7th

The story of Deku and Class 1-A might be winding down, but there are still plenty of stories to tell in the world of My Hero Academia. Nowhere is this shown better than with the new prequel series, MHA: Vigilantes. Taking place five years before the events of the main series, Vigilantes follows a pair of aspiring heroes who, after various things happen, wind up becoming unlicensed Heroes. Now they have to fight evil while staying outside the reach of the law.

The big irony of the world of My Hero Academia is that the concept of superheroes has become a profession rather than an ideal. In most works of fiction, superheroes are often vigilantes operating outside the law; people let them do this because they tend to be good at it. If the original MHA focuses on world-ending threats, then Vigilantes is going to be the series that focuses more on the streets, like Batman and Daredevil would. Either way, this should tide people over until the final season hits this fall.

Any anime we missed? I know that there are going to be anime we missed, so let us know in the comments below!

Dan Da Dan is the Best Anime of 2024. CHANGE MY MIND!

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

Dan da Dan Episode 1 Review

Everyone, I need to get real with you. I think I’ve found my favorite anime for 2024, and its not an isekai, or the new Dragon Ball anime. Its an entirely new anime series thatโ€˜s hilarious, surreal, full of quirky, memorable characters, and has some of the best animation that I’ve seen in years. Animation that’s on par with the original FLCL and the best of Studio Trigger; if you’ve seen the former and any of the latter, the you know how high praise that is. So what is the name of this new kid on the block thatโ€™s so good, Hideo Kojima himself is praising it? Its name is Dan Da Dan!

Thereโ€™s only one episode out by the time I’m writing this, but if you’re wondering why I’m already calling this the GOAT of 2024, read on.

Give Us Your Banana

Meet Momo Ayase and Okarun, two teenagers that couldn’t be more opposite if they tried. Momo is an extroverted gyaru-type quick to stand up for herself. Okarun is an introverted nerd who doesn’t have friends and a prime bully target. Even their shared belief in the strange is opposing: Momo believes in ghosts but not in aliens, while Okarun believes in aliens but not ghosts. They get so passionate that they bet each other to prove the other wrong.

Spoiler alert: not only are they both right, but they both get in trouble. Okarun gets possessed by a ghost obsessed with genitalia and becomes like Danny Phantom. Momo gets abducted by perverted aliens that want her โ€œbananaโ€ for reproduction and awakens psychic powers.

Did I mention that Okarun also got his junk stolen by that ghost? Or how the aliens were planning to molest Momo for the sake of propagating their species while also taking her junk? The anime doesn’t hold anything back. At all. Then again, the mangaka worked as an assistant on Chainsaw Man, so that explains a few things.

Dan Da Dan is Gorgeous from Start to Finish!

From the moment the opening credits start to the end credits finish, Dan Da Dan doesn’t hold anything back in terms of animation or storytelling. The series is animated by Science Saru, a studio that came to my attention last year for creating Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. However, that show feels like the studio was on training wheels compared to what they give us in the premiere of Dan Da Dan. To clarify what I said at the start, this show is what I imagine would happen if the original FLCL was made today. It has some of the best animation I’ve ever seen in an anime, and I’ve seen what Studio Trigger can bring to the table!

Nowhere is this shown better than with the OP, which wound up trending on YouTube. Anime OPs can exaggerate the show for the sake of hyping things up, but Dan Da Dan is one of the rare few that doesn’t do that. Because the animation in the show itself is just as crazy as in the OP. The fluidity of the characters as they make meme-worthy expressions is just amazing to look at.

I Love What Momo and Okarun Have Going On

But good animation doesn’t matter if the characters are flat and boring. Thankfully, Momo and Okarun are anything but, and quickly establish their personalities within seconds of screen-time. We see Momo getting dumped by her loser boyfriend for not putting out, then crying about she only dated him for looking like this brooding actor she has a crush on. While she may seem shallow, the premiere also reveals that she’s very insecure about herself. Her grandma is a famous psychic medium, and that got her bullied as a kid.

Then we have Okarun. He’s timid and mousy, but lights up when he thinks someone shares his interests in aliens. He’s basically Dib from Invader Zim, but somehow even sadder. He even admits that he wanted to meet aliens so they could be his friends. How sad is that? But to his credit, he steps up when he and Momo are in danger, showing a hidden inner strength.

And the best part? He shares the same name as Momoโ€™s celebrity crush!

This anime isn’t just a surreal shonen series, by the way. Its also going to be a love story, and Momo and Okarun seem to be the main focus.

Watch this Now!!!

This might be one of the best premiere episodes for an anime that I have seen in years. Dan Da Dan seems to check off all my boxes. Its hilarious, has a surreal plot, interesting characters, and watching the animation is like a spiritual experience. Weโ€™re only on the first episode, but I’m already putting it on my list of best anime of 2024. If you havent seen it yet, then please! Stop what you’re doing, go watch it on Netflix or Crunchyroll, and then come back for the next episode!

I Give “That’s How Love Starts, Ya Know!” a 5/5

Cozy Up this Fall With Some Good Anime!

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

RJ Writing Ink’s Picks for Fall 2024 Anime

Summer’s over, so it’s time for the cozier part of the year to begin. Fortunately, when we’re not outside enjoying the changing weather and prepping for Halloween (and Thanksgiving), we can enjoy plenty of anime beneath the comfort of a warm blanket. And this year, it looks like the anime community is going to feast! And since I enjoyed talking about what I was looking forward to watching in the summer, I decided to make that a trend here at the D&A Anime Blog. That being said, I’m RJ Writing Ink, and here are all of the anime I’m looking forward to watching for the Fall 2024.

As was the case with my list for summer 2024, this will only include anime that premiere in the fall. Anything that premiered before then will not count. I would also like to note that there will be big anime coming out that I will not be covering by me not being interested in them. In other words, no Bleach: Thousand Year War, even if it’s going to be one of the big ones.

Uzumaki (9/28/2024, Dub 10/04/2024), Toonami/Adult Swim & Max-

Something is not right with the town of Kurouzu-cho. These mysterious spirals are starting to appear on everythingโ€”first on objects, then the environment, and then on people. As people start wondering what the heck is going on, paranoia and fear begin to set in as the curse of the Uzumaki threatens to devour all.

Up until Toonami and Adult Swim aired the first teaser for this a few years ago, I had no idea that Uzumaki and its mangaka, Junji Ito, even existed. The repeated delays haven’t helped, as I haven’t been particularly motivated to read the manga. That being said, I’ve heard people sing its praises and call it this masterpiece of Japanese horror. And with Halloween coming up, I’m going to need some scary shows to watch, and something tells me this will be perfect for that. Here’s hoping I’m not traumatized!

Re:Zero-Starting Life in Another World Season 3 (10/02/24), Crunchyroll-

After three years of hiatus, one of the Seven Summits of Isekai is coming back! With Mushoku Tensei on break until its next season and Reincarnated As a Slime winding down its latest season, it’s time for Re:Zero to step up to the plate with that high-quality isekai goodness.

I wish that I could say more about this anime, but the hard truth is that I’ve never watched it before. I know it’s one of the all-time greatest isekai, so I consider it part of the Seven Summits. But beyond reading the synopsis for the episodes on Wikipedia, I’ve never had time to watch it. However, with the new season premiering with a 90-minute special, this fall might be the perfect time for me to get into it. Given how it was one of the series that helped kickstart the isekai craze we live in, it will be good.

Dan Da Dan (10/04/24) Crunchyroll-

A girl who believes in ghosts but not aliens, and a boy who believes in aliens but not ghosts. When both make a bet to see who’s right, it turns out that they’re both right. A spirit possesses the boy, and aliens abduct the girl and discovers she has psychic powers. Now they both have to deal with the paranormal together while navigating the pressures of being in high school. And I’m not sure which is easier.

I know almost nothing about this series, but from what I’ve seen in the trailers and heard about online, it sounds like complete and utter chaos. And I love it! I’m a big fan of paranormal things such as ghosts and aliens, so having a series dealing with both sounds like a good way to create some interesting stories. Additionally, the series is being produced by Science Saru, who made last year’s Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. Given how much I liked that series, I’m willing to give this one a look. Also, with Nokotan now over, I’m going to need a new source of vitamin crazy in my anime diet.

Is it Wrong to Try and Pick up Girls in a Dungeon Season 5 (10/04/24), HiDive-

With how much the founders of this blog love Hestia and think she’s bestia (and she’s up there in my book), I would be remiss to not include the new season on here.

It’s the time of the Goddess Festival in Orario, AKA the time when people pay respects to the Goddesses of fertility that bring the city and its labyrinth to life. And it just so happens that Bell receives a letter from his friend Syr asking him out on a date to the festival. And with Bell’s track record of getting involved in big events, there’s a good chance that things are bound to get nuts.

I wish I could say I would watch this since I do like DanMachi, but there are two problems. First, I haven’t kept up with anything past season two. Second, my schedule for the fall is already pretty booked, as you can see. The fact that it’s only on HiDive and not Crunchyroll doesn’t help matters, either, but with the Internet being what it is, that’s more of a nuisance than a problem.

Ranma 1/2 (10/06/24), Netflix-

Urusei Yatsura made a modern-day comeback with its own remake a few years ago. Now it’s Ranma 1/2‘s turn. For those who don’t know, never watched the previous anime or read the manga, the series revolves around Ranma, a young martial artist thrown into an arranged marriage with the daughter of a man his dad trained alongside. There’s just one catch: Ranma’s cursed. When he’s splashed by cold water, he turns into a girl. And when he’s splashed by hot water, he goes back to being a boy. Hilarity ensues.

I’ve never seen the original anime or read the manga, but I have heard that the former gets flak for all the filler due to outpacing its source material. However, there are two reasons why I’m giving this a shot. Firstly, the manga finished back in 1996, so there’s no chance for history to repeat. Secondly, I’m a big fan of the mangaka, Rumiko Takahashi, thanks to her other works like Urusei Yatsura and Inuyasha. The art style and the way she utilizes exaggerated facial expressions are both entertaining to look at.

Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest Season 3 (10/14/24) Crunchyroll-

Hajime Nagumo and his team of overpowered women have returned for another season. As the now strongest man in the other world continues his quest to find a way home, they get sidetracked by a mission to the neighboring Hoelscher Empire. With his friend Sheaโ€™s people being threatened by the Empire, Hajime teams up with the Rabbit Men to put them in their place.

First, I am well aware of Arifureta’s shortcomings, especially regarding the pacing in its first season. Secondly, Iโ€™m also aware that itโ€™s a power fantasy where the protagonist gets OP abilities and a harem of girls that all love him for one reason. But it’s a guilty pleasure because I like how badass Hajime is. And unlike most of his fellow summons, he sees their task of saving the world for the nonsense it is and refuses to be used like that. Here’s hoping the anime keeps doing a better job of adapting the light novels!

And now, the best for last!

Dragon Ball Daima (10/11/2024) Crunchyroll-

The next chapter in Dragon Ball is coming this fall, and it looks to be taking the franchise back to its roots. Taking place sometime between the defeat of Kid Buu and the end of Dragon Ball Z, Daima centers around a conspiracy that shrinks Goku and his allies down to the size of kids. With no other alternative, Goku retrieves his old Power Pole and goes on a quest to the Demon Realm to set things right.

This is likely going to be the anime that people are going to be focusing on this fall, and for good reason. Outside of the additional movies (and the anime based on Dragon Ball Heroes), this is going to be the first anime in the franchise since Super finished its run. Secondly, with series creator Akira Toriyama’s passing earlier this year, Daima will be his final contribution to the world he created. With many fans still mourning the legendary mangaka’s passing, odds are we’re going to throw our full support behind it.

It’s also coming out the same day as the highly anticipated new game, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero. That can’t be a coincidence, and it’s going to make that weekend all about Dragon Ball.

Bonus-Naruto x TMNT Crossover Comic (11/13/24)-

Starting in November, VIZ Media and IDW Comics are teaming up to bring the Ninja Turtles and the Hidden Leaf’s number one, hyperactive, knuckleheaded ninja together in a limited series! According to the official synopsis, the set-up involves the Turtles’ friend April O’Neil meeting up with the Hidden Leaf’s Lady Tsunade, only to be targeted by the Foot Clan. Naturally, the Turtles will get involved, bringing them into contact with Naruto and Team 7 in this story of east meets west.

I know that this isn’t an anime, but I’m putting it on here anyway for several reasons:

  1. I’m a big fan of Naruto and a casual fan of the Ninja Turtles, so I am understandably excited.
  2. I think the idea of the famous Turtles teaming up with one of the greatest Shonen heroes of all time is excellent.
  3. November will officially mark ten years since the end of the original Naruto manga. That can’t be a coincidence, and I’m feeling nostalgic.

Good times.

Do you agree with my picks? What anime are you looking forward to this fall? Let us know in the comments down below and enjoy the season!

Netflix ‘Avatar’ a Success or Failure? Honestly, In the Middle.

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

Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender Season One Review

November 2004: I, a ten-year-old, saw The Spongebob Squarepants Movie with my family. That’s when I saw a trailer for this new, anime-inspired series coming to Nickelodeon called Avatar: The Last Airbender. Three months later, I was watching the series premiere on TV with my sister, and I knew it was special. It was unlike any Western cartoon I had ever seen. And, while I didn’t realize it then, it would be one of the most important shows of my life. 

Calling myself an Avatar: The Last Airbender fan would be an understatement. I’ve seen most of the episodes, read the comics, and spent the money on autographs from most of the main cast. My most prized possession, which I have since had to replace, was a dog tag necklace featuring the main character. It’s also why, like most, I loathe Shamylan’s crime against cinema that tried adapting it. So, I was skeptical when I heard that Netflix would be making a live-action adaptation. This is more so when the series creators bailed on it in 2020. Then we got the live-action One Piece last year, which turned out alright. Maybe the remake wouldn’t be so bad. So, was Netflix’s Avatar capable of living up to its legendary source? Was it any good?

Meh. I’ve seen worse.

A Different Version of Avatar

Much like One Piece, the Netflix adaptation isn’t a shot-for-shot retelling of Avatar. The first episode clarifies that by devoting its first twenty minutes to a prologue. Said prologue retells the night that Aang became frozen in an iceberg and shows the opening salvages of the Hundred Year War. That includes the genocide of the Airbenders, something the show never did due to how dark it was. 

It’s a reasonable effort, but right away, we start to see some of the drawbacks of live-action. The bending here feels underwhelming after seeing what firebenders can do with their comet-powered hacks. The spirit is there, and the horror of the events rivals Order 66 in Star Wars. But after almost twenty years of imagining it, the whole thing doesn’t measure up. 

That opening sequence indicated just what this remake would be like: it tries so hard to measure up to how excellent the original is. And while it does succeed in some places, it fails in others.

Acting All over the Place

For example, the acting was all over the place regarding quality. Some did great, like Gordon Cormier as Aang and Dallas Liu as Zuko. Others didn’t do so well like the ones playing Katara and Azula could have done better. They were trying, and I’m willing to bet it’s because of bad writing, but they didn’t quite capture the essence of their characters. Katara had the compassion but little of the fiery nature that Mae Whitman gave her. And Azula? She was ruthless and manipulative, but without Grey DeLisle, she lacked the psycho girl edge that made everyone fear her. And plenty of the supporting cast suffered similar problems. I cringed hearing Katara and Sokka’s Gran-Gran recite the opening lines to the original series! She was no Mae Whitman!

Even the characters that I did end up liking had their issues. The show was trying too hard to act more adult, and it downplayed some character traits. For example, despite saying he’s a fun-loving kid, Aang here spends much more time feeling bad about what happened to his people. It takes away a lot of what made him lovable in the original!ย 

No Excuse to Make Shorter Episodes

Furthermore, there are issues with the pacing and how they condensed many things from the original series for the live-action version. That meant some stories got abridged or outright didn’t happen. That could work withย One Pieceย because they had dozens of episodes to cover in a fraction of the time. But here? The first season of OGย Avatarย and this series clock in around the same run time. They could do the same amount of stuff as the original series if they didn’t insist on sticking to the hour-long format.

So, either Netflix or the people who made the series wanted to stick to the Game of Thrones, hour-long format. Or they didn’t want to risk the extra money. Either way, no excuse. But, at least, they kept the Cabbage Merchant.

No matter what universe he’s in, the Cabbage Merchant suffers

They Did Improve Some Things

In all fairness, this is not the worst we could’ve gotten. The fans have already seen the worst in the form of Shmyalan’s hot garbage. At least the show makes an effort to capture the spirit of the original series, and there are plenty of callbacks and references to the originalโ€”enough to have a drinking game. The show improves on a few things from the show, as impossible as it sounds. 

Exhibit A:ย Iroh reveals to Zuko’s crew why they got stuck with him on his hunt for the Avatar. They’re part of the division that would’ve been sacrificed in a suicide mission had Zuko not spoken up on their behalf. That’s a nice touch that endears him even more to fans and his crew. And honestly, I’m hoping they come back in season two because that was an issue I had with the OG.ย 

Exhibit B: at the funeral for his son, which the OG never showed, Iroh spends the whole time hearing people insult him as a coward or saying Lu Ten died a hero. Zuko is the only one who shows him sympathy and compassion, telling him about the time Lu Ten encouraged him with his studies. They added a soft rendition of “Leaves From the Vine,” and I couldn’t help thinking of Iroh’s late voice actor, Mako. Chef’s kiss!

Exhibit C: when Aang goes to the Spirit World for the first time, he meets his mentor and father figure, Monk Gyatso. Gyatso chose not to move on or reincarnate until he could see Aang again. In doing so, Aang apologizes for running away and not being there, something OG Aang never got to do. And Gyatso? He tells Aang what he deserves to know: that the War wasn’t his fault and that he would’ve died with everyone else had he stayed. It’s an incredibly cathartic moment for both Aang and long-time fans.ย 

At Least it wasn’t Bad as the Movie

So, as a whole, the Netflix series meets different heights than the animated series. Though that may be impossible, to begin with. A: TLA is one of the greatest shows ever, as close to perfect as possible. Anything trying to adapt it would face a lot of scrutiny, especially since the fans had already gotten hurt once before.

Don’t get me wrong: the original series is the best. However, what Netflix managed to do was still pretty impressive. It makes me love Avatar even more because we remember how good it is. Also, the show’s still way better than that horrible film. I consider that a win.

I Give the First Season a 3/5

‘Monsters’ Finally Adapts Eichiro Oda’s One-Shot Manga

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

Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation Review

Before he became the man who created One Piece, Eichiro Oda was a young man who aspired to become a mangaka. In the 1990s, he cut his teeth in the industry with a series of one-shots that would be published in a collection after One Piece started, but one in particular stood out. So much so that Oda would eventually incorporate it into the overall story of One Piece itself. Almost thirty years after it was published, this one-shot has been adapted into an ONA on Netflix. While Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation doesn’t reach the same levels of action and silliness as One Piece does, it demonstrates the groundwork for what would later become Oda’s massive success. 

A One Piece Prequel

Taking place several hundred years before the events ofย One Pieceย in an unknown location,ย Monstersย revolves around Ryuma, a wandering swordsman with a few eccentricities. Chief among them, he’s constantly begging for food, always repays his debts, and considers anyone who bumps into the scabbard of his sword as challenging him to a duel. That seemingly comes back to bite him when a passing con man frames him for trying to attack him and uses a horn to summon a giant dragon. However, there’s more to the story than people realize…

The main that should stick out regarding this ONA is how familiar the main character, Ryuma, feels. With his appearance, wandering nature, and skill and dedication to the sword, one would assume that he’s the prototype for Roronoa Zoro fromย One Piece. They’re not wrong, as Oda would refine many of Ryuma’s traits into Zoro. It’s more than that, though. After the end to the Wano Country Arc, Oda confirmed in an OBS that Zoro is, in fact, a direct descendant of Ryuma. This only makes the events of the ONA all the more important to the greater lore ofย One Piece. In addition, the special ends with the moment when Zoro bested the zombified Ryuma during the Thriller Bark arc, earning his sword and (unknowingly) the right to call himself his descendant.

Not that Zoro would ever care about something like that. 

The Seeds to Oda’s Success

Look closer atย Monsters, and one will also find some of the concepts and ideas that Oda would incorporate intoย One Piece. Besides the dragon, there are two main villains. One is a hammy bandit that wouldn’t look out of place next to Buggy the Clown, while the other acts like they’re the good guy, only for it to be a facade. One is a card-carrying bad guy, the other is more insidious, but both are bad news. And both are the kinds of enemies that the protagonists usually fight inย One Piece.ย 

The special itself is short, only clocking in at about 25 minutes. However, it makes up for it by capturing the anachronistic feel of the original one-shot, the art style of the anime, and Oda’s sense of comedy. Getting to see a creator’s early work adapted and comparing it to what they’re most famous for is an interesting experience. And while Monsters isn’t as grand, silly, or epic as One Piece would become, you can see the seeds of what Oda would one day create.

Overall, Monsters is less of a must-watch for 2024, and more of a gift for longtime fans of Eichiro Oda. If you ever wanted to see more of what Oda did in his youth and how it would help shape the mangaka he would become, though, I’d recommend giving Monsters a watch.

Also, if you want to read the original one-shot, Viz Media just published it onto their website. Click this link to see it for yourself. 

I Give “Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation” a 4/5

So Many Good Anime to Come out of 2023

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

RJ Writing Ink’s Best Anime of 2023

The Year 2023 was undoubtedly an absolute banger of a year for anime. From seeing how Satoru Gojo became an overpowered rizz God to the most upbeat zombie apocalypse to the end of the Rumbling, it has been a glorious year in anime. With 2024 now, it is the perfect time to reflect on the best to grace our screens. I’m RJ Writing Ink for D&A Anime Blog, and in no particular order, here are my picks for the best anime of the year.

Full disclosure: most of this list will cover anime I’ve seen this year. Thus, this is more of an opinion post than a formal review and breakdown. Most of my choices were anime that set the Internet ablaze with hype, so I think I’m good.

Attack on Titan: the Final Chapter

This should’ve been shown in theaters, plain and simple. Two years after the end of the manga, the anime Attack on Titan ended in two earth-shattering, apocalyptic specials that set the world on fire. As the long-awaited Rumbling flattened the world, fans saw the true horror of what Eren Yeager had unleashed in visceral detail. Everything from the music to the animation was on point courtesy of studio Mappa, delivering some of the best moments anime has seen in this decade. At the end of the day, the real triumph was how the finale improved the ending.

The ending to the manga garnered a fair amount of criticism over the past two years, and it seems the people making the anime took it to heart. As a result, the series finale saw several additional scenes that better explained things that seemed vague in the manga. IE, they better explained Eren’s rationale, how he hated himself for what he did, and how Armin reacted to it. That and it confirmed that, yes, Paradis did get centuries of peace before its eventual destruction. That’s as close to a happy ending as we’re gonna get, and I’ll take it. 

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Once again, Demon Slayer reminds us why it’s one of the greatest Shonen anime of the next generation with the Swordsmith Village arc. Having damaged his sword in the battle at the Pleasure District, Tanjiro and Nezuko head to the Demon Slayer’s secret Swordsmith Village to get him a new one. However, things go awry when two of the Twelve Kizuki infiltrate the village to destroy it. A desperate battle follows as Tanjiro and the other Demon Slayers fight to protect the makers of the only weapons capable of stopping the Demons.

As always, Demon Slayer remains a visual feast for the eyes. The anime has achieved international renown for the stunning beauty put into its animation, but something should also be said for the emotional depth of the characters. From the depravity of the Demons, as they embody the worst of mankind, to Tanjiro’s refusal to ever give up, there’s a reason why Demon Slayer is so popular. The best moment, though, comes in the final episode when Nezuko steps out into the light of the sun and is fine. Such a simple sight, once thought impossible, is enough to bring tears to people’s eyes. 

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

The story of Rudeus Greyrat, the man given a second chance at life via reincarnation, continues in Mushoku Tensei. Unfortunately, the anime picks up with Rudeus at rock bottom, having been seemingly spurned by his love, Eris. Rudy struggles to deal with the trauma of Eris’ abrupt departure as he journeys North to attend the magic school of his dreams. In doing so, he encounters faces both familiar and new as he tries to make the most of his second life, including a certain friend he hasn’t seen in years.

Say what you want about Isekai being a dime a dozen these days, but Mushoku Tensei is one of the good ones. That’s because, unlike many others, it goes out of its way to portray the protagonist as a flawed person whose first life still affects their worldview. While Rudy is still far from a necessarily good person, you can’t help but root for him as he tries to improve. And after the ill-planned stunt Eris pulled, you can’t help but want him to be happy. And the season still needs to be finished, with the second half coming in 2024. Here’s to seeing Rudy’s life continue improving until it isn’t. 

No spoilers. 

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You

Ever since he was eight months old, all Rentaro Aijล has wanted was a girlfriend to love. Unfortunately, by the time he reached high school, he’d been rejected 100 times. That’s when he visits a local temple, and its Love God tells him something incredible: he won’t just meet his soulmate in high school. He’ll meet all 100 of his soulmates. The catch is that if he rejects one of them, the resulting misfortune will eventually kill them. Refusing to let this happen or make anyone sad, Rentaro decides to date all of them. 

No, you read that right. This man is going to date 100 girls before he leaves high school.

Harem anime don’t always get a positive reputation, but 100 Girlfriends should be a big exception:

  1. The protagonist is aware of every girl falling for him and goes out of his way to make them all happy.
  2. Almost every girlfriend serves as a deconstruction of their character archetype. Behavior that would be one note in another series becomes more nuanced here and serves as actual issues they may have to solve.
  3. The show embraces the pros of the genre and takes them to new comedic heights.

I can’t remember the last time a harem anime made me laugh so hard, so much so that I wrote a whole, separate review of this!

Scott Pilgrim Takes off

Thirteen years since Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, the world was glad to hear that the famous graphic novel was getting an anime adaptation. Animated by Science Saru and debuting on Netflix, the show saw most of the film’s cast reprising in what looked like a full adaptation of the graphic novel series. However, the end of the first episode changed everything. Instead of winning against the first of Ramona’s evil exes, Scott disappears and is presumed dead by almost everyone. Thus, the story shifts to following Ramona as she attempts to uncover who took Scott while everyone tries to move on from their lives.

Since fans expected a proper adaptation of the popular graphic novel series, some were unhappy that Netflix blindsided everyone. The majority of viewers, though, had nothing but praise. The anime keeps the spirit of the novels and film alive, and it’s clear that everyone was on their a-game working on this. Additionally, the changed timeline allows Scott Pilgrim to deconstruct itself without as much drama. The show gives Ramona more depth and shows that, despite her cool demeanor, she’s made just as many mistakes as Scott did. So, she gets that character development, and so does Scott when he returns. 

Jujutsu Kaisen

After years of waiting for the next chapter, fans of Jujutsu Kaisen got their wish with the show’s second season debuting on Crunchyroll. The first five episodes of the season serve as a prequel to the series, chronicling the events that turned a teenage Gojo into the man who would serve as Yuji, Nobara, and Megumi’s mentor and establish how he is that guy. He was so powerful that the follow-up Shibuya Arc saw him sealed away by the Cursed Spirits, the Jujutsu Sorceror’s fight. And from there, everything that could go wrong did go wrong, as everyone present in Shibuya either died or was thrust into hell.

Let’s come out and say it: the Shibuya Arc is one of the darkest arcs in Shonen history. Between the protagonist’s primary mentor being sealed away and Sukuna using Yuji’s body to destroy Shibuya and kill thousands. By the time the dust settles, the initial villains of the story, who aren’t Sukuna or Geto, are dead, and most of the supporting cast is either dead or heavily injured. Did we mention how Sukuna leveled the district? Not including Jujutsu Kaisen on this list would be a disservice to it. It gave fans everything they wanted and then some!

Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead

Have you ever had a job so bad that a zombie apocalypse seems like heaven in comparison? That’s precisely what Akira Tendou felt in his borderline sweatshop corporate job. So when an actual zombie apocalypse occurs, Akira’s first thoughts? He never has to work again! With a growing group of friends by his side, Akira decides to live his life to the fullest before he potentially becomes a zombie.

The idea of someone being happier in a zombie apocalypse sounds so absurd on paper, but Zom 100 does it so well it might as well be the anti-High School of the Dead. Besides being a rebuke of how oppressive corporate society is, the series also serves as a reminder of what it means to live life for oneself genuinely. Akira’s joy at his freedom in such bizarre circumstances is infectious and enough to inspire people in the universe without focusing more on what makes them happy. That, and it’s just plain funny. 

Baki Hanma

The Baki franchise has always been crazy, but this year, it reached absurd levels of ridiculousness. The first half of the season sees the world’s best fighters trying to fight Pickle, a 190 million-year-old caveman thawed out from ice that are dinosaurs for lunch. The second half of the season saw Baki prepare for his final confrontation with his father, Yujiro, the strongest creature in the world. The results: bones are bones, missing limbs, and punches flying at the speed of sound.

Baki is the kind of series that has to be seen to be believed. The idea of a caveman waking up in the modern day isn’t new, but a caveman that fought dinosaurs and made victims out of everyone he fought? It sounds so dumb, yet so awesome. Additionally, the fight between Baki and Yujiro isn’t just incredible but emotional. Watch this if you haven’t already!

One Piece

If there’s one anime that came out of this year more popular than ever, it’s the legendary One Piece. The long-running Wano Country Arc, which saw Straw-Hat Luffy and his crew and allies fight their most brutal fight to date against the inhumanly strong Kaido and his Beast Pirates, come to its climactic conclusion. Pushing himself beyond all his limits to defeat Kaido and save Wano Country, Luffy unlocked a new form so ridiculous that it can only be described as a weaponized form of Toon Force. 

Say what you want about One Piece, but the world eats well when it cooks. Clips uploaded by Crunchyroll took the top trending spot on YouTube multiple times throughout the year. The live-action Netflix series broke the mold by not being bad. And Luffy got his own balloon at this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  

2023 Was a Badass Year for Anime

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

Best Anime Moments of 2023

Another year ends, another year of anime on the books. And this year saw some of the best anime in recent years set the Internet on fire. From Isekaiโ€™s setting new standards to martial artists fighting actual cavemen, this year had some crazy moments to show for it. Therefore, it only feels right to end the year by recounting some of the best moments.

Iโ€™m RJ Writing Ink with D&A Anime Blog, and here are my picks for the best anime moments in 2023. For this list, Iโ€™ll limit myself to anime that Iโ€™ve either watched or watched enough to get a general understanding of whatโ€™s going on. If your anime didnโ€™t make the list, apologies in advance. 

Rudeus and Sylphiette Get Together-Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

Growing up in Buena village together, Rudeus Greyrat and Sylphiette were inseparable best friends until the day he left to tutor his distant relative. Then the Teleportation Incident destroyed their home, scattered everyone around the world, and set them on different paths in life. Fate (and the handiwork of Princess Ariel) saw the two finally reunite after nearly ten years attending the magic school they always talked aboutโ€ฆonly for Rudy to not recognize her, and Sylphie too shy to tell him who she was. It took a year and the help of her best friends, but Sylphie finally managed to tell Rudy who she was. One romantic night later, and the two were a firm couple.

Thereโ€™s something sweet about childhood friends taking that next step to becoming lovers, and these two earned the right to do so. Sylphie trained hard for years to match Rudeusโ€™ level of magical skill, and had to endure the deadly intrigue of the Asura Kingdomโ€™s royal court. Meanwhile, Rudy spent almost three years trying to get home, only for his love, Eris, to seemingly abandon him. Rudy may have flaws, but he didnโ€™t deserve to get traumatized. Seeing Sylphieโ€™s love for him pull him from the depths of despair was immensely satisfying to witness. Even more so when Rudy didnโ€™t hesitate to ask Sylphie to marry him. Theyโ€™ve earned this chance to be happy!

Akira Realizes He’s Free from Work-Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead

For three long, agonizing years, Akira Tendou had been stuck in hell. His dream job wound up being little more than corporate slavery, his boss gaslit him into thinking he was worthless, and the girl he liked was having an affair with the CEO. At the rate things were going, he was on the both to an early grave. Then the zombie apocalypse happened, and Akira suddenly realized something: he never has to go to work again. Cue the absolute euphoria.

All too often, people get stuck working in jobs that they come to hate. But whether itโ€™s because they need the money or theyโ€™d feel guilty for leaving or wouldnโ€™t know where else to work, they stay there and let it beat them down until thereโ€™s almost nothing left. It gets so bad in Japan that people have chosen suicide rather than endure another day of their horrible jobs. Thus, seeing the look of absolute euphoria on his face as Akira realizes that heโ€™s finally free is catharsis at its finest. It also sets the tone for Zom100 being one long middle finger to corporate culture. 

(Almost) Every Scene with Pickle-Baki Hanma

In a world filled with absolute powerhouses like Yujiro and Baki Hanma, how do you top them? By introducing an actual caveman so tough that he hunted T-Rexes for food. Meet Pickle, the evolutionary-defying caveman from the Jurassic era preserved for 190 million years in ice and salt, only to be revived in the present day. From the second he woke up, Pickle made victims out of everyone he ran into. He tore through the US Army, bent a Siberian Tiger into the letter โ€˜Cโ€™, slew Truck-Kun, and ate the limbs off several of the worldโ€™s best martial artists. He even made Yujiro use an actual technique when they had the manliest fist-bump ever.

Pickle is the kind of impossible, indescribable menace that could only come from a series as insane as Baki, and he is amazing. Thereโ€™s something both amazing and terrifying of seeing this evolutionary impossibility not only exist, but make mince meat of the worldโ€™s strongest. The fact that not even Baki, the main character, could beat him, only makes watching Pickle even more amazing. The only scene that isnโ€™t cool to watch is when he violated that news reporter who foolishly got too close to him. Assault is never cool. 

Gojo Unlocks Limitless-Jujutsu Kaisen

Satoru Gojo is many things: a master of rizz, an absolute troll, and Kakashi 2.0. But like many, he didnโ€™t start out like that; he had to work for it. After being stabbed and left for dead by Toji Fushiguro, Gojo survived by unlocking the full extent of his technique, Limitless. When he next confronts Toji, he proceeds to utterly decimate the assassin. Itโ€™s not even a fight at this point; just a beatdown.

Thereโ€™s a reason why everyone considers Gojo to be that guy, and this moment demonstrates what heโ€™s like when heโ€™s off the leash. As cool as it is to see him use the full extent of his powers, though, his behavior here is very, very unsettling. Heโ€™s laughing and raving like a lunatic or someone high on drugs, drunk on his own power and not caring at the fact that one of his friends is now dead. By the time he comes down from it, the sobering reality of how worthless having all that power is if he canโ€™t save anyone hits him like a freight train. As cool as this was, it also marked the start of Gojoโ€™s character development that made him become the teacher he is in the present day. 

Miyo Stands up to her Half-Sister and Stepmother-My Happy Marriage

Saying that Miyo Saimori had a horrible family would be like comparing apples to orange. Treated as an unwanted reminder of the arranged marriage he never wanted, her father did nothing to stop her stepmother and half-sister from abusing her and treating like a servant. It wasnโ€™t until she was sent away to marry the enigmatic Mr. Kudou that she finally started got to experience happiness for the first time. In a jealous fit of rage, though, the evil stepmother and sister kidnapped Miyo and proceeded to beat her senselessly until she agreed to renounce her engagement. However, for the first time ever, Miyo stood up for herself. 

Seeing fictional characters like Cinderella and Miyo suffer domestic abuse from their own family is bad enough. The fact that such things happen in real life, though, can be downright heartbreaking. The worst part is that not everyone can escape this ordeal like Cinderella and Miyo did. Thus, getting to see Miyo find the strength in her to stand up to her family is cathartic to watch. What makes it better is knowing that Mr. Kudou stormed their home and let it burn to the ground to get her back. Thatโ€™s karma at its finest.

Netsuko Walks in the Sun-Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba-Swordsmith Village Arc

From the beginning of his journey, Tanjiroโ€™s goals as a Demon Slayer have been simple: turn his sister, Nezuko, back into a human, and defeat the Demon Muzan. The Demon Slayers made a huge step towards the latter goal during the Swordsmith Village Arc. The Demon Slayers managed to slay two of Muzanโ€™s Upper Ranks, but to do so, Nezuko was left standing outside when the sun came up. However, instead of burning into ashes like other Demons, a miracle occurred: Nezuko had become immune to sunlight.

Hands down, this is one of the most heartwarming, tearjerking moments in the entire Demon Slayer series. Tanjiro has fought tooth and nail to ensure that Nezuko can become human again. To see him burst into tears when he thinks the whole reason he became a Demon Slayer go up in smoke, only to find Nezukoโ€™s fine. After all the pain heโ€™s gone through, this little victory of his makes it all worthwhile.

Sukunaโ€™s Rampage-Jujutsu Kaisen

By its nature, Jujutsu Kaisen is a dark series, but thatโ€™s balanced out by the lighthearted comedy found in many Shonen manga. The Shibuya Arc, though, had no such protective netting, as everything that could go wrong did. Gojo getting sealed alone was bad enough, but then the Cursed Spirits upped the ante by force-feeding Yuji Itadori ten of Sukunaโ€™s fingers. As a result, Sukuna was unleashed, leveled the Shibuya District, and killed multiple Cursed Spirits and likely hundreds of civilians. And thatโ€™s only putting it lightly!

Everything about this moment is the pinnacle of what Shonen anime aspires to be. Seeing what Sukuna can do when left free for an extended period of time was flat-out terrifying. From killing Jogo to battling Fushiguroโ€™s most powerful Shikigami, everything about this is flat-out awesome. Well, for the viewers. For . 

Shanks Scares Greenbull out of Wano Country-One Piece

Kaido and Big Mom had been defeated and Wano Country was finally free, but there was one last battle to fight. With the two Emperorโ€™s out of the way, Navy Admiral Greenbull tried to march right into Wano to kill Luffy, only to be met by Momonosuke, the Red Scabbards, and Yamato. While they put up a good fight, Greenbull looked ready to overwhelm themโ€ฆuntil Shanks pulled up from afar.

Shanks is one of the most popular characters in One Piece for a reason, often acting as an avatar for series mangaka Eichiro Oda himself. And when Shanks gets and tells someone to back off, itโ€™s best for them to listen. Shanks only had to unleash a fraction of his Haki to paralyze Greenbull without ever leaving his ship. Another burst of Haki was enough to make him turn tail and leave Wano Country altogether. 

The cool thing about this, though? He didnโ€™t necessarily have to do that. Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Jinbei were already observing the battle from the capital. They couldโ€™ve intervened if things got out of hand, and likely wouldโ€™ve beaten Greenbull. Shanks did it to remind everyone how badass he is!

The Entire Finale-Attack on Titan: the Final Chapter

This finale deserved to be a feature-length movie released in theaters. Wrapping up the Attack on Titan anime with a bang, this two-part finale saw Eren Yeager unleash the Rumbling onto the world in order to wipe out all of humanity beyond his home island of Paradis. His former friends in the Scouts and the remaining Warriors of Marley are forced to abandon their past grudges to save the world while thereโ€™s still a world left to save. What ensues is an absolute desperate fight for survival that pushes everyone involved to their absolute limits.

Everything about these two specials qualifies as a best moment for 2023. The animation reaches new levels of quality, the music is on point, the action is breathtaking, and everything is just perfect. In addition, the anime improves on the ending to provide better context. Itโ€™s as close to perfect as one can expect.

Luffy Goes Gear Fifth for the First Time-One Piece

This was the moment that One Piece fans had been waiting the entire series for, and they didnโ€™t even know it. As the Wano Country Arc reached its climax, Luffy was once again bested by the monstrous pirate Kaido, seemingly for good. Just when it looks like all hope for victory seems lost, Luffyโ€™s body begins to stir as the sound of drums begins to pierce the heavens, heralding the awakening of his Devil Fruit and unlocking of Gear Fifth.

There are almost no words to describe how unbelievably epic this moment was for fans. The intimidating yet whimsical sound of the drums. The way itโ€™s juxtaposed against Luffyโ€™s unheard-of transformation. An elephant the size of an island proclaiming the second coming of Joyboy in Luffy. Luffyโ€™s grin at the end indicates that heโ€™s about to kick some serious ass. This moment needs to be studied as an example of building up hype. And given how the following episodes see Luffy turn into SHONEN POPEYE, itโ€™s hands-down the best anime moment of 2023. No ifs, ands, or buts!

‘Zom100’ Came Home for the Holidays!

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

Zom100: Bucket List of the Dead Eps. 10-12 Review

It’s been three months since the last episode of Zom100 came out, thanks to delays with production from behind the scenes. Many people despaired that one of the year’s best anime would never be finished. However, after three months of hiatus, Akira is back for the holidays! When we last left off, he and his friends had settled in his secluded hometown in the mountains, safe from the zombies. Unfortunately, their oasis was about to become a battlefield thanks to another quartet looking to do whatever they wanted. Unlike Akira, though, this group wants to hurt everyone around them! It’s up to Akira and the others to save his home in this three-part finale!

Getting to Know Everyone in Akira’s Hometown

At this point, Akira, Kencho, Shizuka, and Beatrix have integrated themselves into Akira’s hometown. Akira is helping his parents work in the field. Kencho has taken to trying to cheer up a little girl named Angie, who lost her parents. Beatrix has learned more about how the villagers keep the zombies out. As for Shizuka, she works as the village’s unofficial doctor. As a kid, she always wanted to study medicine and become a doctor, but her dirtbag wouldn’t let her because it wouldn’t be a high-paying job, which doesn’t make sense. After all, being a doctor is one of the best-paying jobs in the world. 

All this downtime allows everyone to relax and bond with the villagers and other refugees. Akira, in particular, tries to devise a way to repay his parents for everything they’ve done for him. As someone lucky enough to still have both his parents, it’s a sentiment I can greatly relate to. Plenty of kids give up so much for the sake of their kids, and not every kid can fully repay or express that gratitude while they still have a chance. It’s a genuinely wholesome moment and one I enjoyed getting to see.

It’s too bad the moment gets ruined by a group that’s the yin to Akira and his friend’s yang, who open the barrier, keeping the zombies out so they can destroy the village.

Higurashi and his Group of Haters 

Meet Kanta Higurashi, a 24-year-old shut-in and the anti-Akira. Like Akira, his life before the zombies was terrible, with no friends, family, or job. This made him bitter at the world and blame everyone else for how his life turned out. Thus, when the apocalypse happened, he decided to indulge in everything he wanted and found others who wanted to do the same thing. In other words, he’s a mirror version of Akira.

Here’s the difference, though. The problems that Akira and his friends had before the zombies came were external, resulting from things that weren’t always in their control (bad job and worse boss, bad Dad, etc.) Higurashi’s group? As the zombies come pouring in and each member of Akira’s group has to fight a member of Higurashi’s group, it becomes clear that most of their gripes are self-inflicted.

  • Kurasugi hated his wife because she always complained about him never being there for her. In reality, though, he failed to put in the effort that came to a successful marriage, expecting his wife to do everything for him and ask for nothing in return. That’s not how marriage works!
  • Atenbou (who tries to French kiss Shizuka) complains he’s had bad luck, but it was due to his lazy and careless nature. I.E., he forgot to put out his cigarette in the restaurant he worked in, which burned down.
  • This woman named Kanbayashi got fired from her job, but it was because she had an overbearing attitude, insisted she was always right, and was generally a Karen.

Thankfully, Akira’s friends all beat each other while shutting down their arguments about why they’re jerks.

  • Shizuka points out how Atenbou’s lack of care for anyone but himself means his bad luck is self-inflicted. Then, she helped all the elderly people capture him.
  • Kencho outsmarts Kurasagi by diving into a cesspit to hide himself from the zombies. Gross, but effective.
  • Beatrix shuts down the water mill, providing power to the electric fence, trapping everyone, and points out the fact that so many different cultures and ways of thinking in the world mean that no one can be right about everyone. She’s then eaten by zombies instead of crushed by a water wheel.

As for Akira, he outsmarts Higurashi by disguising himself as a zombie to get close enough to pin him. Higurashi (who went to college with Akira and Kencho) then breaks down in tears and complains about how miserable his life has been.

Happiness is Something that Has to be Worked for

As sad as it is to see Higurashi cry about how miserable his life was, like his friends, a lot of his misery was self-inflicted. While his introverted nature did make it hard for him to reach out to anyone, it wasn’t like no one tried to. Akira did offer to befriend him in college, but his fear and loathing at how carefree Akira seemed to be led to him refusing this offer. 

According to T.V. Tropes, Higurashi is a deconstruction of the NEET archetype that’s become popular in many skis. Unlike someone like Rudeus Greyrat, who puts in the effort to be a better person, Higurashi doesn’t. He gave up on the world, so the world gave up on him and led him to what he is today. Unfortunately, Higurashi gets bitten by a zombie amidst his epiphany, denying the chance for a redemption arc. Instead, he sacrifices himself to lure the zombies away.

On to the Next Adventure

In the end, everyone’s able to escape the zombies, seal back in the tunnel, and rebuild the village. And, though I’m not sure if it’s shown onscreen, Atenbou’s the only one still alive and works to help rebuild and make amends. The bigger question, though, is what Akira and the others will do now. 

As it turns out, Akira’s father is suffering from a painful illness. The good news is it’s hemorrhoids, something a doctor can take care of. The bad news is that zombies make that pretty hard. Not wanting to let his Dad die this way, Akira comes up with a new goal: find the cure for the virus.

In almost every zombie story, one of the top priorities for survivors is to find a cure for whatever’s creating the zombies. Barring that, it’s trying to get them under control and rebuild society. Thus, the fact that Akira wants to eventually find some way of ending the zombie apocalypse is kind of expected. Given who he is, though, some people might not believe Akira can be the guy who could save Japan or the world if it’s spread that far. However, I think he might be able to do it.

No, really. Akira might be the guy who saves the world. He’s outgoing and friendly, bringing out the best in others and inspiring them to be better. If he managed to win over Shizuka as he did, then he might be able to get everyone to unite and stop the outbreak.

Thus, Akira, Kencho, Shizuka, and Beatrix all head out on their next adventure: finding a cure for the plague and completing more on their now-shared bucket list. Thus, the first season of Zom100 came to an end. 

A Season Two on the Horizon?

I will be upfront about this: I want to see a second season of Zom100 under better circumstances.

This anime is one of the best out of 2023; there’s no denying that. The problem is that it was plagued by production issues that led to delays and more. As a result, much of the hype around this amazing series started to fizzle out. This is sad; I’ve taken to read the manga, and it’s pretty good. This anime has much more potential, and I hope it continues. Until then, though, I will enjoy what we’ve gotten.

Happy Holidays!

I Give “Hometown of the Dead Pts 1-3” a 4.5/5. Each

‘One Piece’ Getting a Remake from Studio Wit

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

2024 Shall Be the Year of One Piece๏ปฟ

This year, One Piece fans got to eat well. Next year, One Piece fans will be eating even better than before. 

One Piece is a modern-day epic that few can measure up to. It’s a story about following your dreams and living life to the fullest. And right now, it’s more popular than ever. It’s the latest film earned big money in North America. Luffy got his balloon at this year’s Macyโ€™s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The live-action Netflix series broke the curse of lousy live-action adaptations. And when Crunchyroll posts clips from the anime on YouTube, they trend. Bottom line, One Piece is more popular than ever. And next year, it’s going to get even better. 

Early One Piece is getting a Remake

Next year marks the 25th birthday of the One Piece anime, and it will be commemorated In a big way. In an announcement on Twitter, Netflix announced that they would be remaking the anime from the start. More importantly, instead of being made by Toei, this remake, named The One Piece, will be produced by Studio Wit. Wit is renowned for creating the first three seasons of Attack on Titan. More recently, it’s also Co-animated another popular Shonen anime, Spy x Family, alongside CloverWorks. 

This is big news for One Piece fans. Despite being more popular than ever, One Piece can still intimidate a lot of potential fans from enjoying it. At 1,100+ chapters and 1,078+ episodes long, it takes a lot of dedication for newcomers to work through. Even factoring in the movies that abridge some of the earlier arcs, it will still take a while to get through! An ongoing fan project, One Pace, cuts out much of the filler and padding by Toei, but it’s still long.

This remake offers a chance to retell the earliest days of One Piece better than ever. With updated animation in the vein of Attack on Titan and the ability to not include filler, One Piece can retell its early days and attract even more fans. 

In Other One Piece News

In addition to the remake, there are plenty of other things that One Piece fans have to celebrate going into 2024. In January 2024, Netflix will be debuting the ONA Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation. Based on a one-shot One Piece mangaka Eichiro Oda created in 1994, the ONA tells the story of the Samurai Ryuma as he travels his country and fights powerful monsters. It’s also a story that’s been retroactively added to the timeline of One Piece, so this is official lore.

There’s more: The live-action One Piece series is getting a second season. Making huge waves in the summer of 2023, the series broke the trend of bad live-action adaptations of popular anime. It helps that Oda actively guided production, and Netflix listened to him. 

Lastly, January 7th will mark the animeโ€™s official start to the Egghead Island Arc. Currently ongoing in the manga, this arc has already seen multiple jaw-dropping moments and reveals that fans are eating up:

  • The official introduction to the mysterious Dr. Vegapunk. 
  • The backstory of the enigmatic Bartholomew Kuma
  • The rapidly changing status and allegiance of several named characters.
  • Confirmation that one of the most hotly anticipated locations in the series is imminent.

The bottom line is that now is a great time to be a One Piece. With the series directly into its final saga, it’s the perfect time for people to participate in this legendary story. One Piece could go down as one of the greatest stories ever told. Stories like it only come once in a generation or even generations. 

‘Scott Pilgrim’ Anime isn’t An Adaptation; It’s a Canon AU

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

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off Spoiler Review

Have you ever seen the plot of JJ Abrams’ 2009 Star Trek film? Thanks to the power of time travel, Abrams could alter the circumstances around the day James T. Kirk was born and create a separate, alternate timeline from the established canon. The result was similar to what the Star Trek fans had known for forty years, but the dynamics between many characters changed, as did their paths in life. That’s what the new hit anime Scott Pilgrim Takes Off amounts to. Instead of being the adaptation of the popular graphic novel or the 2010 based on it, it does the same thing that Abrams did with Star Trek. While some fans might be mad we don’t get the adaptation of the graphic novels or films they wanted, I don’t care. This is like a licensed AU Fanfiction, and I freaking love it!

This is my spoiler review ofย Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. If you haven’t watched the show (or don’t care), do so and return. Or read my spoiler-free review.

Pulling the Wool over Everyone’s Eyes

The anime starts following the graphic novels and film. Scott’s a slacker who plays in his band Sex Bob-omb and dates a high schooler. He meets Ramona Flowers, the girl from his dreams, and asks her for a date. Then he learns that she has seven “evil” exes that he has to fight so he can date her. Everything is going the way fans expect it to go. 

Until it doesn’t. As Scott starts fighting the first evil exes, Matthew Pattel, he seemingly dies, exploding into coins like Matthew should’ve. And everyone, in-universe and out, is going, “What the heck just happened?!?” 

WHAT A TWIST!!

This is the moment where Scott Pilgrim Takes Off reveals its ultimate surprise. Going in, everyone thought that this was an adaptation of the film or graphic novels. Instead, a sequel a la Alternate Universe, and despite being the titular character, Scott Pilgrim’s barely in it

I loved this twist when I first saw it. I never read the novels and couldn’t get into the movie, but I knew the general synopsis of what would happen. To see everything go off the rails into AU territory before the first episode was done made me want to jump up from the couch and yell “holy snap, this is going to be good!” And while some people might not like this twist and how it changes things, I liked itโ€”especially considering what happens next and who the series follows.

What the Cast Does Without the “Main Character.”

At first glance, it looks like Scott Pilgrim is dead, and the story’s plot is now lost. However, while the original canon is now impossible to follow, the show opens up to new possibilities as the cast grapples with Scott’s apparent passing and what this means for their lives. 

Starting in episode two, everyone that knew Scott personally attends his funeral and takes the time to grieve for him (or not.) As is the case in real life, though, they eventually have to move on with their lives in some way, shape, or form. And while most of the cast handles this event in their ways, Knives gets the best change from the original story.

In the original story, Knives Chau was the high-schooler the adult Scott was dating, to everyone’s dismay. She got a little too obsessed with Scott for her good, and what happens with Ramona leads to a lot of drama. Initially, that part remains unchanged, with Knives blaming Ramona for getting Scott killed. However, once she takes the time to process everything, she realizes that her relationship with Scott won’t work out. In addition, she also joins Sex Bob-omb and proves to be an amazing musician, helping her move on with her life. This is one welcome change to the original story. People frowned upon an adult dating a minor when the story first came out, even more so today.

A Pointless League of Evil Exes=Character Development

The people in Scott’s circle of friends aren’t the only ones affected by the loss of Scott, either. After his surprise win, Matthew Pattel calls the League of Evil Exes and gets them all to realize something important: they have no reason to exist. More importantly, they realize that they’d never win Ramona back even if they won. Their leader, Gideon Graves, was using them to get her back for himself. As a result, the League falls apart with everyone their separate ways, with varying levels of importance in the series. The most important, though, are Matthew Pattel and Gideon, the former of which challenges the latter to a fight for his business empire and wins. Suddenly, the starter villain ends up being the top dog!

As interesting as this is, though, the fate of the League serves as a deconstruction of how silly their whole concept was. They were only united by their pain of getting dumped by Ramona. Most of them weren’t even evil. The second ex, Lucas Lee, even says they called themselves that for branding purposes. Furthermore, they all move on with their lives without the need to fight for Ramona (since she wouldn’t take them back anyway). Several of them go so far as to join the circle of Scott’s friends, proving that most weren’t evil. They were just upset over how bad things ended with Ramona.

Except for Gideon. He decides to keep being evil, not to get Ramona back but because he enjoys it. That, and his new girlfriend, Scott’s frenemy Julie Powers, thinks his evil is hot, which I find hilarious.

Ramona is the Real Main Character of the Series

With Scott seemingly gone, someone else has to take up the main character role. And that person winds up being Ramona Flowers. After dealing with the loss of Scott, Ramona discovers that he might be alive and that one of her exes might have kidnapped him. As a result, she makes it her mission to figure out who did it and get Scott back.ย 

While some might wonder why Ramona would go so far for a guy she went on a single date with (including Scott’s friends), I don’t see it as too much of a stretch. I see it as her feeling guilty for what happened to him. Plus, there were sparks between them by her admission, so she thinks he might be worth it.

Ramona Was no Saint With Her Exes

Besides the added benefit of allowing Ramona to meet with and befriend Scott’s friends on her terms, the show also serves another, interesting premise. The source material only sometimes understood why she dumped her exes beyond the bare minimum of details. In contrast, though, the anime not only gives fans greater detail about what happened, but demonstrates how Ramona isn’t entirely innocent of what happened. As the show reveals, rather than handling rough patches with her partners when they came around, Ramona tended to break things off and bail. For whatever faults they had, her exes have every right to feel bitter at Ramona. 

Ironically, this makes her a lot like Scott regarding their relationships. Scott had a problem with actually ending them, and Ramona has a problem with ending them too brutally. The anime allows her to find closure with most of her exes, helping everyone move on and become semi-better people. Even Gideon, the only evil ex, finds some closure with Ramona.

Scott Pilgrim’s Worst Enemy is Himself

Now, for the big twist at the end of the series with Scott’s inevitable return. As it turns out, he was pulled into the future by himself. Or rather, a version of himself from a timeline where things proceeded as they did in the original canon. Despite winning against the Exes and marrying Ramona, Old Scott got into a fight with Ramona after several years, and becomes convinced she dumped him. She didn’t; she just wanted space, and he overreacted by trying to change his past and stop himself from dating Ramona in the first place. All this created an alternate reality, like in the 2009ย Star Trekย film.

https://twitter.com/SladeTroy19111/status/1725482723866034586

Despite Old Scott’s best efforts, he fails to convince Show Scott to stay away from Ramona. Telling Show Scott what would’ve happened helps Old Scott accelerate his character development. Thanks to Future Ramona’s help, by the time he gets back, he realizes that dating Knives was a bad idea- drama averted.

Old Scott Pilgrim ultimately proves to be the final villain of the series, as his inability to fix his problems leads to him, ironically, becoming another evil ex. Some might call it corny, but I like the idea of an alternate version of oneself being evil. It’s a look into what we’d be like if we decided to be the worst versions of ourselves. 

I Would Watch a Season Two

Ultimately, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off doesn’t just adapt the movie or graphic novels but improves on them while becoming its own thing. The fans loved it, and I think it’s one of the best anime to come out in 2023. Considering the anime we’ve gotten this year, that’s saying something. 

Will they make a second season of the anime? After all, the show has already broken free of the original canon and could keep going. I would want to watch it!

I Give “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” a 5/5