One Piece

Let 2025 Anime COOOKK!!!!

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

RJ Writing Inkโ€™s List of Anime to Look Out For in 2025

Anime fans, we are going to be eating like kings this year.

By the time youโ€™re reading this, the year 2025 will likely be here, and it is promising to cook a feast for anime lovers around the world. From popular anime returning with new seasons to newcomers on the block, the year is going to be filled with so many potentially great anime. So much so that for the first time in recent memory, I actually had to stop looking to keep my brain from overloading. Thatโ€™s how much we could end up eating this year!

Iโ€™m RJ Writing Ink for the D&A Anime Blog, and this is my bakerโ€™s dozen of all the anime I will be paying attention to in 2025.

Solo Leveling-Arise from the Shadows-January 4th, 2025

Only a few days into 2024, the world of anime got its first big hit in the form of Solo Leveling. Based on the Korean manwha of the same name, this megahit told the story of Sung Jin-Woo as he started going from being the weakest Hunter in the world to a contender for the title of That Guy. And heโ€™s going to get even stronger.

At the end of the first season, Jin-Woo gained the ability to raise the dead as shadow warriors, giving him the means to build his own army. This upcoming season will see him grow his forces while continuing to level up his skills. And the stronger he gets, the more attention he will end up attracting. And, having read the entire manwha to the end, I can promise you when I say that we have seen nothing yet!

Zenshu-January 5th, 2025

This next anime is unique on this list, as itโ€™s the only one that wholly original. Created by studio MAPPA, Zenshu takes the all-too-familiar concept of the Isekai and puts someone who works in the anime industry into the protagonist role. When the young animator Natsuko Hirose apparently dies from exhaustion at work, she wakes up in the world of her favorite anime. Unfortunately for her, said anime is one where anyone can die, like its Game of Thrones. The good news is that she learns that she has the power to re-animate scenes from the story, thereby changing it in the process. So, she does what any fan who doesnโ€™t like how a story turns out: she gets to work fixing it.

These days, Isekai are a dime-a-dozen, and creators have to get creative to help themselves stand out in the crowd. That being said, the premise of someone rewriting the world of her favorite series because they hate what happens is something plenty of fans can relate to. Take, for example, the recent ending to the Oshi No Ko manga. Plenty of disillusioned fans would love to fix that controversial ending! Not to mention how the last two seasons of Game of Thrones need a complete overhaul! The bottom line is that Zenshu is the power fantasy for every fan disillusioned by a story gone wrong, and we should give it a shot.

Dr. Stone Science Future-January 9 2025

Weโ€™re ten billion percent ready to return to the world of Dr. Stone, the sci-fi manga with an emphasis on science. Following the events of the third season, Senku and the Kingdom of Science to acquire one of the mysterious devices that caused humanity to petrify. In addition, they also learned the device and its brethren were getting their orders somewhere on the Moon, meaning they would have to travel there to uncover the truth behind the Petrification Event. Doing that will require more resources, meaning Senku and the others will have to travel the globe and gain new alliesโ€ฆand new enemies.

While I never watched Dr. Stone past season one, the anime has caught up to the part of the manga where I started reading it every week. Since I know what happens, I know how interesting things are going to get. And while it might not be the most exciting Shonen series, Dr. Stone balances learning about science with goofy humor, making it interesting enough for me to watch. That, and the dub voice cast is pretty good.

The Apothecary Diaries Season 2-January 10 2025

Everyoneโ€™s favorite apothecary detective returns with a new season! If you donโ€™t know what The Apothecary Diaries is, itโ€™s an anime that premiered back in 2023 before running into the following year. It tells the story of Maomao, a talented young apothecary forced to work as a lowly servant at the palace of an Emperor. Once she starts using her talents to solve mysteries, though, she starts taking on a much greater role. With the new season heralding the arrival of spring, thereโ€™s sure to be more mysteries to solve. And more importantly, more chances for Maomao and Jinshi to mess with each other!

Normally, The Apothecary Diaries wouldnโ€™t be the kind of anime I would be interested in. However, the combination of good voice acting, mysteries, and the dynamic between Jinshi and Maomao is enough to pique my interest. With how many popular like to cosplay as characters from the series, itโ€™s apparent that itโ€™s got a pretty big fan base already, and will surely grow bigger with the new season.

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 2-January 12th 2025

The ultimate sigma harem anime returns at last! For those who donโ€™t know (or didnโ€™t ready my review of the series), 100 Girlfriends is, as the name suggests, about a boy whoโ€™s destined to meet and have 100 girlfriends. As of the end of the first season, our protagonist/the ideal every boyfriend should aspire to, Rentaro Aijo, stands at six girlfriends. Given what the trailer revealed, heโ€™s due to make it to the double digits before the end of the season.

Harem doesnโ€™t have the best reputation in the anime community, but as I said in my review, 100 Girlfriends is the exception to the role. Not only does it have a protagonist who actively gives his partners reasons to like him, but each partner serves as a deconstruction of a different female archetype. I.E., Karaneโ€™s tsundere-ness is something she hates due to it making her too insecure to say what sheโ€™s really feeling. Or Shizukaโ€™s muteness is not by choice, but due to her extreme shyness. The point is that each girlfriend has more depth than you would think. Not only that, but the series is pretty funny.

One Piece-April 2025

This fall, One Piece shocked fans everywhere when, for the first time in its 25-year history, it went on hiatus. Fans have had to be content with a retelling of the Fishman Island Saga over the course of the fall and winter months. However, all of that ends April, 2025 as One Piece returns to the actual story.

For those not caught up, the series went on hiatus in the middle of the Egghead Island Arc. That arc has the Straw Hats meet the genius scientist Dr. Vegapunk, who begs them to get him and his clones as far away from the World Government as possible. While the arc has already been filled with plenty of epic moments, I can promise you that you havenโ€™t seen anything yet. Expect your mind to be blown into a million pieces, put back together, and then blown again before the Straw Hats leave Egghead. No spoilers, though!

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes-April 2025

My Hero Academia might be heading into its final season, but there are still stories left to be told in this world of superpowers and heroes. Case in point, we have the anime adaptation of the MHA spin-off/prequel, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes. Set five years before the events of the series, Vigilantes follows Koichi Haimawari, an aspiring hero who opts not to become a Pro Hero in favor of becoming an illegal vigilante.

Anyone who has read an American superhero comic knows that vigilante heroes arenโ€™t a new thing. Technically, most of the superheroes in Marvel and DC comics are vigilantes that have charges pressed against them. The only reason that doesnโ€™t happen is because the heroes are all fairly competent at what they do. Having a spin-off that brings the concept of superheroes back to its vigilante roots should provide a new and interesting perspective on how heroism works in the world of My Hero Academia. That, and it will keep the fandom alive for a little bit longer.

Dan Da Dan Season 2-July 2025

If you read my reviews of Dan Da Dan, then you know I consider it to be the best anime of 2024 hands down. Unfortunately, the first season ended on a pretty awkward vote: Okarun and Jiji found a secret room in Jijiโ€™s house, and Momo was under attack from a bunch of creeps. Thankfully, fans donโ€™t have to wait years to find out what happens in anime form, with the next season due in just a few months.

Continuing the story where the last episode left off, Okarun, Jiji, and Momo will have to face both a deadly cult and an evil spirit known as the Evil Eye. Given everything that we see in the trailer, including Jiji being possessed by the spirit and the image of an erupting volcano, things are going to get wild. And I wouldnโ€™t have it any other way!

My Hero Academia Final Season-Fall 2025

Itโ€™s been a long, long road, but My Hero Academia is finally nearing the end of its run. The last season ended as the final battle between the heroes and the villains was reaching its climax. As Deku continues his fight against Shigaraki, All Might fights to stall the evil All for One from reaching his apprentice so they can merge and become unstoppable. With all the other battles now out of the way, the series can focus on making this the finale that the fans deserve.

Once again, this is a series where I read the entire manga in advance. Thus, I know how things are going to turn out and care more about its executed. If Studio Bones does this right, then it will cement MHA in the Shonen hall of fame. If notโ€ฆyou remember what happened with Oshi No Ko, right?

Kaiju No. 8 Season 2-Unknown Release Date

Hereโ€™s another up-and-coming Shonen anime thatโ€™s getting another season, Kaiju No. 8. At the end of the last season, Kafka Hibino managed to prove his humanity despite being able to transform into a Kaiju. As a result, heโ€™s getting another chance with the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force. With the threat of Kaiju No. 9 and other intelligent Kaiju still looming, the JAKDF will need all the help they can get.

Sadly, a concrete release date for the new season has yet to be announced. In fact, every entry beyond this point has no clear release date.

Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc-Unknown Release Date

Right when it looked like it may never continue, Chainsaw Man bursts back onto the scene in all of its bloody glory. Some time ago, it was announced that the next arc of the popular Shonen series, the Reze Arc, would be made into a movie. However, with no news after such a long time, it began to feel like we may never get to see the Reze Arc play out. Thankfully, our wait may not be for much longer.

While we still donโ€™t have a concrete release date for the film, that doesnโ€™t change the fact that itโ€™s coming in 2025. Given how popular the anime is, fans will likely line up in droves to see this next chapter in this bloody, unhinged story.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba-Infinity Castle Movie Trilogy-Unknown Release Dates

Speaking of popular Shonen series getting the movie treatment, it seems that Demon Slayer is returning to the movies not once, not twice, but three times in 2025. With the fourth season covering the Hashira Training arc and the start of the final battle against Muzan, the studio behind the anime must have decided to give Demon Slayer the send-off it deserves. Thus, it looks like theyโ€™re adapting the Infinity Castle arc into a trilogy of films, giving Demon Slayer the stage it needs to play out its final act.

At the moment, itโ€™s currently unclear if the Infinity Castle movies will premiere in theaters in the West. Itโ€™s not even clear if the movies will finish the series as a whole or just cover the Infinity Castle Arc. However, Iโ€™m hoping that they do both. With how cinematic Demon Slayer has proven to be over the years, it feels right to have it end on the big screen. Just like the series finale to Avatar: The Last Airbender shouldโ€™ve aired in theaters.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 (I Hope!)

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This last one is less of a confirmed release and more like wishful thinking, but given how the JuJutsu Kaisen manga ended earlier this year, it would be appreciated. After all, the second season of JJK ended on a pretty bleak note.

To quickly recap what went down in the second season of JJK:

  • Gojo was sealed inside a cursed prison with his enemies in Jujutsu society forbidding his rescue.
  • Sukuna made Yuji level most of the Shibuya District, killing hundreds in the process.
  • Tons of new curse users have been awoken alongside many cursed spirits.
  • Yujiโ€™s execution has been re-instated.

With the next season set to adapt the Culling Games Arc, this is JJKโ€™s chance to regain much of the love that was lost due to how the manga ended. Hopefully, more news will come in the next few months!

What other anime are you looking forward to seeing in 2025? If you have any recommendations feel free to leave a comment about it! Happy New Year!

So Many Best Girls in 2024!

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RJ Writing Ink’s Picks for Best Waifus for 2024

With the year 2024 ending, the time has come for anime fans to look back on what they liked about this year and what they didnโ€™t. One of the topics that will inevitably come up is who we think qualifies for the status of best girls and best boys in anime. Last year, I came up with my list of who I think were the best anime girls of 2023, and I see no reason why I canโ€™t do the same for 2024. Iโ€™m RJ Writing Ink, and in no particular order, here are my picks for best girls of 2024.

As before, this list will include girls from anime that premiered in 2024 as well as girls who gained prominence on returning shows. And since last year set the precedent that an anime can have more than one, I will be combining those with multiple entries

Vegapunk/Lilith-One Piece

For years, fans of One Piece had been waiting to be introduced to the mysterious genius known as Dr. Vegapunk. Said to be the smartest man in the world, the Dr was responsible for many of the tools used by the World Government to maintain their control over the world. Imagine everyoneโ€™s surprise when the Straw Hatโ€™s meet this young woman who calls herself Vegapunk. However, thatโ€™s only partly true. This woman, Lilith, is a clone of Vegapunk called a Satellite. He created them to help do his research faster, with all of them connected via a hive mind and representing a different aspect of his personality. Fitting for a woman named after an ancient demon, Lilith represents his โ€œevilโ€ aspect.

Donโ€™t let the evil part fool you, though. While Lilith embodies Vegapunkโ€™s manipulative, impulsive, and ruthless side, sheโ€™s actually a very nice person. Sheโ€™s incredibly loyal to her fellow Vegapunks, and as with many characters they meet, she becomes a steadfast ally of the Straw Hats after she gets to know them. If anything, her rough nature made me enjoy her even more. It also helps that her English VA is Madeline Morris, AKA Rudeus Greyrat.

Akane Tendo-Ranma 1/2

One of the earliest anime waifus to make their way to the West returns for a new generation. The main heroine of Ranma 1/2, Akane Tendo is a headstrong martial artist whose beauty makes her the object of affection for many boys at her high school. Unfortunately for them, she hates most men. Unfortunately for her, her unwilling fiancรฉ, Ranma Saotome, not only thinks sheโ€™s not attractive but manages to get on her nerves.

Then again, that seems like the standard formula for one of Rumiko Takahashiโ€™s manga.

Contrary to Ranmaโ€™s assertions that she has no charm, Akane Tendo has plenty of charm to go around. While she may come off as rough and abrasive towards most guys, itโ€™s repeatedly shown that she has a soft side. She has an innocent crush on the boy her older sister likes, and sheโ€™s shown to be very affectionate towards her sisters and those she considers friends. She even starts to be nicer to Ranma after they get to know each other better. Theyโ€™re still regularly at each otherโ€™s throats, but thatโ€™s par for the course in one of Takahashiโ€™s manga.

Alya Kujou and Yuki Suou- Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian

For the first anime on this list to have more than one entry, we have Alisa โ€œAlyaโ€ Kujou and Yuki Suou from Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian. Both of these high schoolers are seen as beauties in their series, hut for different reasons. Alya is seen by many as an unattainable kuudere, with her white hair and half-Russian parentage only adding to her reputation. In contrast, Yuki is more of a traditional Japanese beauty, owing to her refined bearing and coming from a distinguished family of diplomats and former nobility.

Anyone who knows them personally, though, would better describe them with two words: tease and troll.

As Masachika Kuze can attest, Alya may seem like a kuudere, but she likes to flirt and tease him in Russian, thinking he canโ€™t understand it. The irony is that he can, and if she knew, she would be embarrassed to no end. As for Yuki, while they act like strangers in public, sheโ€™s actually Masachikaโ€™s younger sister. When theyโ€™re alone together, she loves to indulge in manga-reading, is a total pervert, and regularly flirts with her brother to get under his skin. The bottom line is that both of these young women can be menaces if left unchecked, but are still genuinely good people.

Sylphie and Roxy Greyrat-Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

Full disclosure: I initially intended to just include Roxy on this list since Sylphie made it last year. After thinking it over, though, I felt it only fair to put them both on due to how they help Rudeusโ€™ life.

Now that sheโ€™s no longer keeping her identity a secret from Rudy, Sylphiette couldnโ€™t be any happier. The two are young, married, and before the season is over, theyโ€™re parents to a beautiful little girl. However, the reason she made this list a second year in a row is due to how accepting she is of Roxy becoming Rudyโ€™s second wife. She even says that she expected Rudy to bring another woman home one day, and that he wouldnโ€™t do so unless they were very special to him.

As for Roxy, Rudy could spend hours singing her praises, but the reason sheโ€™s on here is due to her helping Rudy recover from the shock of losing his father in the teleportation labyrinth. Whatโ€™s more, despite having fallen in love with her former student, she was willing to walk away rather than risk being a homewrecker. Combine that it was Roxyโ€™s teachings that helped Rudy survive the hardships of his life, is it any wonder why sheโ€™s earned a spot on this list. Keep doing your best to support Rudy, you two!

Kikoru Shinomiya-Kaiju No. 8

One of the three main protagonists of Kaiju No. 8, Kikoru Shinomiya is considered a genius Kaiju slayer despite only being a rookie. As the daughter of the leader of the Japanese Anti-Kaiju Defense Force, everyone has high expectations for her, ones that she has strived to meet by becoming the best at fighting Kaijus. And with good sheโ€™s shown to be at fighting them over the series first season, her reputation is one well-earned.

While Kikoru may come off as arrogant and abrasive at first, sheโ€™s actually a very nice and loyal woman once she starts to befriend Kafka and Ichikawa. Case in point, before Kafka chooses to out himself, sheโ€™s the only person the duo willingly tells about him being a humanoid Kaiju. Despite her hatred of Kaiju, the fact that Kikoru chooses to keep quiet speaks volumes about how kind she is.

Himiko Toga-My Hero Academia

While normally a villain wouldnโ€™t go on this list, an exception will be made in the case of Himiko Toga, as youโ€™ll see here.

When first introduced in My Hero Academia, Toga came off as a sadistic killer with a love of blood, and the blood part is a part of her personality. However, as we learn more about her, we realize she only became as bad as she is because she failed to get the help she clearly needed. Instead. She was told to act โ€œnormalโ€ until the strain became too much, making her snap. Anyone whoโ€™s had to hide what theyโ€™re like to the world can relate to how tough that can be!

Ultimately, while Togaโ€™s actions during the final war threatened to cost the heroes everything, itโ€™s what she does at the end of her story that shows that, deep down, she was a good person. After Uraraka finally gets through to her, Toga chose to sacrifice her life to save Urarakaโ€™s. That selfless act feels like itโ€™s earned her a spot on this list. Plus, Urarakaโ€™s right. Toga does look cute when she smiles.

Kara Zor-El-My Adventures With Superman

The only non-anime waifu to make the list is the latest incarnation of Kara Zor-El, AKA Supergirl, from My Adventures With Superman. As is the case for most versions of her, Kara is Superman’s cousin who was separated from him during the destruction of Krypton. Unfortunately for her, she wound up being raised by her universe’s version of Brainiac, AKA the rogue AI of Krypton that destroyed it in the first place. Kara spent her entire life conquering planets in the name of Brainiac’s twisted version of Krypton, but everything changed when she went to Earth to look for her cousin and found out how evil Brainiac really is.

While she may not be from an anime, there are several reasons why this version of Kara is on the list. Firstly, My Adventures With Superman is heavily inspired, in both animation style and story structure, by shonen anime. Secondly, her casual attire is almost an exact copy of Android 18’s clothes from Dragon Ball Z. Lastly, despite being raised by one of the most evil versions of Brainiac ever made, Kara is so nice and friendly. Seeing her getting to experience all the little things that make life on Earth worth living is infectious, and her growing, mutual crush on Jimmy Olsen is pure puppy love.

Jimmy, ask her out! NOW!

Momo and Seiko Ayase-Dan Da Dan

If Dan Da Dan was the best anime of 2024, then Momo Ayase and her grandmother, Seiko, are our best girls. Momo is an extroverted gyaru-girl believes in ghosts, has psychic powers, and swoons at the mention of Ken Takakura. Meanwhile, Seiko is a psychic medium who looks to be in her 20s despite having a granddaughter, loves Hiroshi Abe, and is a talented spirit medium whoโ€™s teaching Momo everything she knows. Together, the two make for a pretty badass pairโ€ฆwhen they arenโ€™t getting on each otherโ€™s nerves.

The reason why both are included on this list are because they each have their own appeal to them. Momoโ€™s quirky personality, sense of fashion, and loyalty to those she calls friends like Okarun have won over many fans. Not to mention thereโ€™s the fact that her psychic powers mean that she can go toe-to-toe with both aliens and ghosts and come out on top. As for Seiko, while she does come off as abrasive at times, she does care about her granddaughter and want the best for her. I even compared to an older, more mature Haruko from FLCL. Itโ€™s fitting, considering how her English VA is Kari Wahlgren, AKA the VA for Haruko.

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

Most Shocking Anime Moments in 2024

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RJ Writing Ink’s Picks for Best Moments in Anime for 2024

With 2024 all but over, once again, itโ€™s time to look back on all the anime weโ€™ve watchedโ€ฆand figure out what moment broke the Internet the most. There were plenty of moments that would gain their fifteen minutes of internet fame, and like many people, I have my own opinions on what moments live rent-free in my head. Last year, I recounted my favorite anime moments for 2023, and I see no reason not to consider that tradition.

Iโ€™m RJ Writing Ink, and here are my picks for the best anime moments for 2024. As was the case with last year, Iโ€™ll be limiting myself to the anime I watched.

Sung Jin-Woo Slaughters Hunters, Solo Leveling

If you ever need an example of why humans are the most dangerous game in the world, this is a prime example. When most of Sung Jin-Wooโ€™s party of Hunters use him and newcomer Jin-Ho as fodder for a dungeon boss, they fully expected him to die. When they come back and find the boss slain, they decide to kill them both to cover-up what they did. Little did they know that Jin-Woo was not a man that they should make an enemy of. In one of the coldest anime moments of the year, Jin-Woo proceeds to kill every last one of them without any signs of remorse or empathy.

Solo Leveling had already established itself as one of the first big anime of 2024, but this moment? This moment cemented it as one of its best. Seeing the once meek and powerless Jin-Woo effortlessly kill the Hunters was equally exciting and terrifying. Exciting because it showed that Jin-Woo was become THAT GUY, and terrifying because it represented him losing a part of his humanity. Coupled with the superb insert song, DARK ARIA <LVL2> playing in the background, is it any wonder this broke the Internet?

Muzan is Cornered by Demon Slayer Corps, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba-Hashira Training Arc

This was the moment Demon Slayer had been building towards. After coming out of hiding to hunt down Nezuko, Muzan tried to cripple the Demon Slayer Corps by killing its leader, Kagaya Ubuyashiki, in his hidden mansion. Little did he know that this was all part of an elaborate trap. Kagaya sacrificed himself and most of his family to blow the mansion up, stunning the Demon long for fellow Demon Tamayo to inject him with a drug meant to turn him back into a human. Driven into a corner by the arrival of the Hashira, Muzan countered by dropping the entire Corps into the Infinity Castle in the hopes of finally wiping them all out.

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Demon Slayer is well-known among anime fans for its superb levels of animation, and moments like this are why the reputation is justified. The slow-motion explosion as the mansion goes sky high. The incredibly well-detailed shot of a dazed Muzan trying to regenerate himself. The sweeping sight of the Infinity Castle as the Corps falls into Muzanโ€™s personal domain. Everything about this moment is meant to excite fans as the final battle between Humans and Demons begins! Itโ€™s a shame that we have to wait until later in 2025 for the movies.

Bakugoโ€™s Sacrifice, My Hero Academia

The penultimate season of My Hero Academia is filled with plenty of epic and emotional moments, but few were as upsetting as this. As the heroes try to keep Tomura Shigaraki contained long enough for Deku to arrive, Bakugo steps up to buy them some time. While he manages to wound the villain, though, all it does is anger Shigaraki for his repeated interference. Fans and heroes alike were thus forced to watch as Shigaraki cut Bakugo down in cold blood, seemingly killing him.

As someone who read the manga in advance, knowing that this was coming didnโ€™t make it any easier to watch. I still remember how freaked out the fandom was over Bakugoโ€™s apparent death, only to grow irate when itโ€™s revealed to be a fake-out. Fake-out or not, there was a very really possibility that Bakugo was dead, and in a season full of shocking moments, this was not one I wanted to relive.  

Nokotan’s Entrance, My Deer Friend Nokotan

If you want to establish a reputation as chaos incarnate, look to Nokotan as an example. After meeting the mysterious deer girl on her way to school, Koshitan just wanted to return to her perfect life at high school. Instead, sheโ€™s horrified when that same deer girl ends up becoming a transfer student in her class. To make matters worse, sheโ€™s the only one to have a reasonable reaction when Nokotan breaks the door with her antlers, sending debris flying into the poor students faces.

Say what you want about Nokotan as an anime, you canโ€™t deny the fact that this moment is hilarious. The slow-motion effects as Nokotan forces her way through the door. The ominous chanting of โ€œshii-kaโ€ like sheโ€™s the boss of some video game. The fact that most of the students keep the same smiling faces even as theyโ€™re pummeled by rocks! I found it so funny that I decided to make a meme out of it, and it blew up.  

Paulโ€™s Sacrifice, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

Rudy has had plenty of terrible moments during his second go at life, but few were as bad as what happened when he lost his dad. While Rudeus and his father are fighting a massive hydra to rescue his mother, Rudy makes a mistake that leaves himself open to attack. Paul pushes him out of the way in time to save his life, allowing Rudeus the chance to kill the monster, but the act cost Paul his life. By the time Rudy is aware of whatโ€™s happening, all he and his party can do is watch as Paul quietly dies, smiling at the fact that his son is alive.

I donโ€™t know if it was a coincidence that this episode came out on Fatherโ€™s Day or not, but if it wasnโ€™t, the powers in charge are sick sadists. Just as Rudy thought he was getting his life together, he makes a mistake that cost Paul his life. Had Roxy not helped him to grieve, he might have reverted to his shut-in mentality from his first life. Considering that the alternative meant that Rudy would have died and left his new wife, Sylphie, a widow and their unborn child without a father, though, I think that Paul made the right choice. He protected his child like any good parent should do.

Kafka Punches A Kaiju Bomb, Kaiju No. 8

Even after he became a humanoid Kaiju, Kafka Hibino never stopped aspiring to join the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force. He did his best to keep his powers a secret from all but two of his comrades, knowing that exposing himself could lead to his death. However, when Kaiju No. 9 threatened to drop a massive bomb on Kafka and his comrades, the man didnโ€™t hesitate to transform into his Kaiju form and punch the bomb straight into the sky in a move that would make All Might proud.

Besides being one of several well-animated moments in a series that was already well-animated, this moment marked a turning point for the story of Kaiju No. 8. Now that the JAKDF was aware that he could turn into a Kaiju, they were naturally going to want to apprehend him. The fact that he chose to put himself anyway speaks volumes about his character, and his friends knew that. While Kafka has to face an uphill battle going forward, his friends arenโ€™t going to abandon him whether heโ€™s human or a Kaiju.

One Piece Fan Letter, One Piece (the whole thing)

The year 2024 was a big year for One Piece fans, as it marked the 25th anniversary of the anime. To commemorate this event, Toei decided to release this special adapting a series of short stories released back in 2027. Taking place during the Return to Sabaody Arc as the Straw Hats reunite after two years apart, Fan Letter shows the impact that Luffy and his crew have had on ordinary people. From a pair of Marine brothers whoโ€™s lives Luffy inadvertently saved during the Marineford War to a girl wanting to give Nami a fan letter, this special shows the impact that the Straw Hats have had on the world through the people theyโ€™ve inspired.

Besides the great animation, what makes this special important is the dual meaning behind the title. To put it simply, the title lets everyone know that this episode is the fandom saying thank you to One Piece. The series has entertained and inspired countless people the world over, serving as a guiding light in a potentially dark and chaotic world. While the story has yet to conclude, thereโ€™s no doubt that One Piece has more than earned its spot in the history books as one of the best stories of modern times.

To A Kinder World, Dan Da Dan Ep 7 (the whole episode)

If youโ€™ve seen Dan Da Dan, then you canโ€™t argue with the fact that itโ€™s one of, if not the best, anime of 2024. Itโ€™s quirky characters, balls-to-the-walls levels of insanity, and gorgeous animation quickly won fans over. However, anyone who hadnโ€™t read the manga expected it to do what it did with its seventh episode: make the Internet collectively cry.

After defeating the Yokai Acrobatic Silky, the characters and audience are treated to a silent, extended flashback to Silkyโ€™s life as a human. Without any dialogue, we are shown the life of a single mother who struggled to provide for her daughter, only for her to be ripped away by a group of loan sharks. Left in despair, the mother performed one last ballet dance before jumping off a roof to her death. When a younger Aria mistook Silky for her deceased mother, this led to the ghostโ€™s obsession with seeing her as her lost daughter. Ultimately, this led to Silky sacrificing herself to give Aria a second chance at life.

Sweet mercy, this episode was an absolute tear-jerker. Everyone who watched this episode of Dan Da Dan agreed that it was the series’ finest moment to date. I was barely able to keep myself from crying as we witnessed Silkyโ€™s tragic life story. This entire episode virtually cemented Dan Da Dan as the best anime of the year, garnering acclaim from fans and critics alike for how poignant it was. If youโ€™ve seen it, then youโ€™ll understand why!

What Were Your Favorite Anime Moments of 2024? Let us Know!

Goku & Luffy Share Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2nd Year in a Row

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You know, considering how much Goku and Luffy eat, it feels appropriate that theyโ€™re balloons at the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

This year marks the hundredth anniversary of the Macyโ€™s Thanksgiving Day Parade, though itโ€™s only the 98th. It got canceled from 1942-44 because they needed the rubber for World War II. In that time, countless cultural icons have had their likeness be a part of the parade, reflecting what is considered popular in the US. And with anime having gone mainstream, that now includes the likes of Shonen icons such as Goku and Luffy.

This year, Goku appeared at the parade with a new balloon. Rather than the Super Saiyan Blue balloon thatโ€™s been used since his 2018 debut, Goku was shown off in his base form, smiling as he gives a two-finger salute to those watching. Considering how his new series, Daima, has him returned to a child form, this is very timely on the part of whoever makes the balloons. It should also be noted that this is first time Gokuโ€™s in the parade without his creator due to Akira Toriyamaโ€™s passing earlier this year. It should be noted that NBCโ€™s hosts for the parade did not make any mention of Toriyama as Goku went by, though. It feels like a missed opportunity.

As for Luffy, this year marks his second year of being a part of the Macyโ€™s parade, having debuted in 2023. Unfortunately, the future Pirate Kingโ€™s debut was marred when his balloon got blown into a tree as it passed by. The branches tore open the brim of his iconic straw hat, making it resemble a bucket hat instead. Fans took this in stride, though, as many jokingly called him โ€œBucket Hat Luffyโ€ and even made fanart of it.

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Unlike last year, this year had no branches or trees to get in Luffyโ€™s way. Considering how the One Piece anime had its 25th anniversary this year, itโ€™s good to see this happen to him. Itโ€™s a reminder of how much people love One Piece and support its creator, Eichiro Oda. Oda has had to take frequent breaks from the manga in recent years for his well-being, but many fans have been understanding of his needs.

Did you see the parade this year? Any other anime characters you hope to see join someday? Let us know!

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

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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

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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

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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

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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!

‘One Piece’ Getting a Remake from Studio Wit

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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. 

Shonen Villains that are the Stuff of Nightmares

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Anime Villains that Can Induce Nightmare Fuel in Fans

There can be no good without evil, and that means that a great hero needs a great villain. Batman has the Joker, Cloud has Sephiroth, Spider-Man has the Green Goblin. The best heroes have the best villains, and the best villains can be as popular as the heroes. However, no matter how much people may like them (or like to hate them), that doesn’t change the fact that they’re evil. If people were to somehow encounter them in real life, they’ll generally have three choices.

  1. Run for your life and pray that they don’t come after you.
  2. Bow down to them and pray that they spare.
  3. Make peace with your impending death.

Since Halloween is about scaring ourselves, here are some of the villains in Shonen anime that are the stuff of nightmares. Villain’s that, if encountered by someone unprepared, should be run away from as fast as you can.

DIO, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

There’s hatred, and then there’s the concentrated malice that is known as DIO. As the overarching antagonist of most of Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, DIO is one of the most vile beings to ever walk upon God’s green earth. Which is ironic because his name means “God” in Italian!

Despite starting out as nothing more than an extremely cruel bully to Jonathan Joestar, Dio graduated from that and humanity when he used an ancient mask to become an immortal vampire. After that, Dio slaughtered his way through Victorian England before the OG JoJo took him down, sacrificing his own life in the process. Unfortunately for the world, it didn’t stick.

DIO (now all caps) returned a hundred years with JoJo’s body and a Stand power that let him stop time, and even then, he wasn’t satisfied. Had JoJo’s descendant, Jotaro Kujo, not slain him, he would’ve eventually evolved his Stand into one that could rewrite reality itself. The worst part, though, is that even in death, DIO remained a threat thanks to his followers, one of whom would find a way to end and restart the universe.

DIO is like Dracula on steroids. He’s brilliant, has almost no regard for humanity, and worst of all, incredibly charismatic. Even if someone manages to resist his charisma, it won’t matter since he can implant a parasite in their brains and force them to serve him. Anyone unlucky enough to cross his path should run, lest he devours you mind, body, and soul.

Frieza, Dragon Ball Franchise

There are a lot of villains in theย Dragon Ballย franchise that would terrify even the bravest people. However, even when stacked against beings like Cell, Majin Buu, and Goku Black, Frieza stands as the biggest villain inย Dragon Ballย for good reason. Series mangaka Akira Toriyama based him off his own worst nightmares fused with real estate speculators that, at the time of his creation, were raking in dough at countless other’s expense. As a result, unlike most villains in the franchise, Frieza has an unthreatening appearance and eloquent way of speaking one might expect from Hannibal Lecter, which only makes him all the more terrifying.

While he was eventually surpassed by stronger villains like Cell and Majin Buu, Frieza remained the most popular villain in the franchise. That popularity would eventually see him not only come back from the dead (twice), but gave him a power-up that put him back on top. At the time of this writing, Frieza’s gotten to the point where he’s stronger than Goku and Vegeta. The only reason they’re still alive is because he let them live just to prove a point. Unless you’re a Super Saiyan or a god of destruction, then Frieza is the last person that you want to anger. He will not kill you but your entire species in the process.

Also, he’s got his own heavy-metal theme song.

Akainu, One Piece

There are plenty of villains and monsters inย One Pieceย that make ordinary people tremble in fear, but few of them can get away with their actions by being one of the “good guys.” That’s different for Navy Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, AKA Akainu (“Red Dog.”) Akainu is everything wrong with the Marines personified. If you step out of line with his extreme views on justice, he will not hesitate to kill you. And with his Magma Magma Fruit powers letting him turn his body intoย magma, there’s little anyone can do to stop him.ย 

Many of the actions that Akainu has committed over the course of the series would, in a fairer world, likely constitute as war crimes. From blowing up a refugee ship on the off-chance a single fugitive would be on board to killing his own men for getting in his way or losing their nerve, this is someone that shouldn’t be put in charge of anything. For fans of One Piece, though, his biggest crime was murdering Luffy’s brother, Ace, right before him. This monster needs to be stopped, and many fans would love to see Luffy beat him into the ground before the series ends.

No, really. Luffy needs to beat him to a pulp and avenge his brother’s death. 

Muzan Kibutsuji, Demon Slayer : Kimetsu no Yaiba

He may look like Michael Jackson, but Muzan is a complete and utter monster. The centuries old progenitor of all Demons, Muzan is less of a person and more of a plague upon the world. Born a sickly human a thousand years ago, he took an incomplete medicine to survive, only to have it turn him into the first Demon. Since then, he has plagued Japan from the shadows, spawning countless Demons. His ultimate goal is to attain true immortality and conquer the light of the sun.

Even with his weakness to sunlight, Muzan is a terrifying, nigh-immortal foe. With a healing factor that rivals the likes of Cell or Majin Buu and an insatiable will to live, Muzan is the stuff of nightmares. Not even his fellow Demons are safe from him, as he’ll kill them for no reason. Any unlucky soul who finds themselves facing him shouldn’t even bother running. Just pray to God to let you into Heaven when you die.

WARNING: This Final Entry Provides MAJOR SPOILERS for Chainsaw Man. Anime-only fans and those who haven’t read the manga, stop reading!

Makima, Chainsaw Man

This blog’s review forย the 9th episodeย of theย Chainsaw Manย anime called Makima a dangerous and, indeed, scary person. That had been written with little knowledge about what happens in the manga. That assessment turned out to be accurate to the extreme. Makima isn’t just a dangerous woman. She’s aย menace!

While the anime has dropped hints that Makima isn’t a normal person, the manga eventually reveals that she’s actually the Control Devil. AKA, the embodiment of humanity’s fear of control, oppression, and the loss of free will. As such, her ability to control those she sees beneath her is so broken it puts Lelouch Vi Britannia’s Geass to shame. She’s a manipulative, cruel, and sociopathic villain whose idea of a perfect world is one without Devils and everyone under her heels. In other words, she’s the stuff of nightmares.

The worst part is the fact that she’s almost impossible to kill. Any damage done to her gets sent to some random person instead. With nigh-immortality and the ability to manipulate almost anyone she meets, she’s an enemy to everyone who loves free will. It doesn’t matter if she’s called a waifu; she’s a monster.