Shonen

I’m Already Stuffed from Anime, and 2026 isn’t Here Yet!

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

All the Anime RJ Writing Ink is Looking forward to in 2026 (So Far)

Looking back on 2025, it was pretty much a golden year for anime. There were so many amazing series, both new and returning, that graced our TVs, smartphones, and computers. But with the new year upon us, that means new anime to appreciate. So much so that my poor brain is struggling to remember everything we have to look forward to. However, that will not stop me from going over all the confirmed series that I think most people will want to see.

Sentenced to Be a Hero, January 3rd

You would think that getting to be a hero would be a sweet gig, but then you remember all the peril that would involve putting yourself in. Then you have what’s going on in this anime, where being a hero is considered a punishment for criminals wjo are forced to fight against demons. Not even death can save them from this fate, as they just get revived and forced to go through it all again. What makes this anime stand out isn’t the story, though. It’s the animation. The directors behind this anime adaptation are the ones responsible for the best scenes from Mushoku Tensei. The first season of that isekai has some of the best animation you’ll find in an anime, so this could end up being one of the most beautiful anime of the year. I’m very tempted to review it myself!

Speaking of which…

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3

One of the pinnacles of the isekai genre will be returning for its third season sometime in 2026, and I’m absolutely stoked for it. A lot has changed in the life of Rudeus Greyrat. He’s back home with his mother and the rest of his family, he’s now married to both Sylphie and Roxy, and to top it off, he’s now a father. All seems right with the world for Rudy, but as we see in the trailer, things are only going to get crazier for him. The return of his ex-girlfriend Eris is just the tip of the iceberg, as things will be revealed that will reframe the entire story thus far. And as someone who read ahead, I’ve been keeping my mouth shut about everything long enough!

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, January 5th

My Hero Academia may be over, but we still got the prequel spin-off series to look forward to as it returns for its sophomore. After the events at Narufest at the end of the first season, Koichi and Pop are surprised when Knuckleduster up and disappears, leaving them on their own. Nonetheless, they strive to continue their roles as Naruhata’s friendly neighborhood heroes without their mentor. Anyone who misses MHA will be able to rest easy knowing that we won’t be leaving the world of MHA behind anytime soon.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3, January 9th

Ladies and gentlemen, peak shonen is about to return. I already talked at length about what we have to look forward to with the third season of JJK in my review of the movie preview, but I just want to remind us that things are going to get crazy. Yuji is a fugitive from a corrupt Jujutsu society, Kenjaku has turned Tokyo into a warzone, and one of the craziest arcs in the story is about to begin. And that’s not even going into the sub-plot about the Zen’in clan!

Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Season 2, January 16th

I have yet to watch the show for myself, but even I’ve heard about the fantasy greatness that is Frieren. And now that greatness is coming back for more. I think that’s all that needs to be said.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Season 4, April

We here at the D&A Anime Blog are big fans of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, and for good reason. It’s another example of what I call the Seven Summits of Isekai, and 2026 is looking to be a good year for Slime fans. Not only are we get a new film about Rimuru and the others going on vacation in February, but it’s reported that season four of the anime will be premiering sometime in April. In short, we’re going to be eating well this year.

Dr Stone: Science Future Cour 3, April

Another long-running Shonen series is returning for its final act in the form of Dr. Stone. Despite knowing how things would turn out, I more or less abstained from the second part of the final season because it was way too depressing for my tastes. However, considering how the ultimate goal of the Kingdom of Science remains getting to the moon, I cannot help but want to watch what comes next.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run, March 19th

The legend returns, and that means it’s time for everyone to brush up on their JoJo poses and memes. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure will be returning for Part Seven, Steel Ball Run, this March exclusively on Netflix. Set in an alternate timeline from the one we’ve known, Steel Ball Run is Araki’s take on the spaghetti western as we see an alternate version of the original JoJo, Johnny Joestar, participate in a race across the United States that hides some deadly secrets. Steel Ball Run is the biggest shake-up to the long-running Shonen series since Stardust Crusaders, but JoJo is still JoJo. So, expect gorgeous artwork, epic posing, and plenty of memes to be made starting in the spring.

One Piece, Elbaph Arc, April 5th

It’s crazy to believe that One Piece will now be a seasonal anime, but it’s for the best. It means that Oda will not have to worry about keeping the manga ahead of the anime, and that the anime can focus more on quality over quanity. And given how the next arc is also the biggest yet, that is saying something. As the Straw Hat Pirates finally make it to the homeland of the Giants, fans will be in for an experience unlike anything we’ve seen up to this point. Having been reviewing the manga on my personal blog, I can say that Elbaph will be worth the wait.

And this is only the anime that I’m aware of and want to watch. There is going to be plenty more to look forward to in 2026. Happy new year, everyone!

So Many Fire Moments of Anime, So Little Time!

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

RJ Writing Ink’s Picks for Best Anime Moments of 2025

What a great year of anime that we’ve had! 2025 was filled with so many hits that there was no way I could possibly watch them all. From Jin-Woo continuing to slay as an aura farmer to Rentaro’s legendary yap about his girlfriends, there were a lot of anime moments that will live rent-free in my head for a long time. To celebrate the end of the year, I’m continuing my tradition of naming my favorite anime moments of 2025. Full disclosure: I will be limiting this to the anime that I managed to watch. This year got pretty busy for me, so I was unable to follow through on everything I wanted to see.

Super Saiyan 4 Returns, Dragon Ball Daima

Dragon Ball Daima was a bittersweet event for Dragon Ball fans, as it would be Akira Toriyama’s final contribution to his creation before his passing. However, he made sure to cook us up a feast before he died, culminating in the return of one of Goku’s most legendary forms, Super Saiyan 4. While Dragon Ball GT remains a controversial entry to the franchise, everyone agrees that SSJ4 was the best thing to come out of it. Needless to say, getting to see it re-enter the canon at the climax of Goku’s journey through the Demon Realm was like a blessing from the heavens themselves. Thank you, Toriyama.

Kuma Gets Revenge on Saturn, One Piece

If you remember my post praising the story of Bartholomew Kuma, then you also remember how offended I am by the mere existence of his mortal enemy, Jaygarcia Saturn. The monstrous member of the Five Elders of the World Government went out of his way to make Kuma’s life miserable, kidnapping and injecting the love of his life with a fatal illness, giving said illness to her daughter, and then forcing Kuma to give up his humanity to save her life. Needless to say, every fiber of my being wanted Saturn dead before the Straw Hats left Egghead. While that would end up happening, I found it way more satisfying when Kuma came to rescue his adoptive daughter from death at the hands of Saturn, and then repay him for a lifetime’s worth of pain in one cathartic punch. Guess good things come to those who wait.

Rentaro’s 2-Minute Monologue about his Girlfriends, The 100 Girlfriends

I know I like to talk about 100 Girlfriends a lot on this blog, but normally, I wouldn’t include something from it as one of the greatest moments in anime for the years. However, I think this should count as an exception. In the final minutes of season two, Rentaro proceeds to go on an entire monologue about everything he loves about his girlfriends. Besides demonstrating just how much of a CHAD he is, that monologue actually made the record books, earning the record for the longest speech in Japanese Animation at over 7,453 characters. The dub is just as impressive, coming in at more than 3k words! And all of it had to be sped up to fit it into that one scene. Earning a world record is more than enough to make it onto this list!

Jin-woo vs the Ant King, Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadows

I’ve called Sung Jin-woo the Black Air Force Hunter for a reason, and the second season of his show continued to demonstrate why he’s worthy of that title. There were plenty of epic moments throughout the season, but its magnum opus is, without a doubt, when Jin-woo faces off against the Ant King on Jeju Island. When the best Hunters of two countries are left at the brink of death, Jin-woo shows up to save the day. The entire country then gets to see firsthand why Jin-woo is the strongest as we get this visually spectacular battle between Hunter and Monster. And the music they used was just the icing on the cake!

Natsuko Rewrites the Ending, Zenshu

After getting isekaied into a world based on her favorite movie, A Tale of Perishing, Natsuko did everything in her power to change the story’s ending, only for it to seem to be for naught. As the world begins to be destroyed by the embodiment of despair, the Ultimate Void, Natsuko uses all her drawing skills to make one last attempt to rewrite the story, creating a version of Luke strong enough to destroy it. In doing so, not only does she confess her love for the actual Luke, but manages to recreate the entire world and bring back everyone who died in the process. Not only is this whole thing absolutely gorgeous to look at, but it ties back into the show’s overall message of hope over despair. And it’s a much better ending than the film’s creator could ever have made. Score one for fan writing!

Speaking of which…

Midoriya and the Heroes Defeat All for One, My Hero Academia Final Season

Speaking as a fellow Star Wars fan, I can’t but think that Kohei Horikoshi looked at the climax of The Rise of Skywalker and thought, “hey, maybe I can do better.” I don’t know if that’s true or not, but seeing all of the Heroes help Deku defeat the evil All for One definitely gave off those vibes. As Midoriya puts everything he has left into one final attack, we get a montage of all the Heroes still capable of fighting doing everything they can to help him, culminating in a final, gorgeous moment as Deku lands the blow that will ultimately seal the villain’s fate. To make it even better, the entire thing was played to the series most iconic song, the ever-memeable “You Say Run.” That song really does go with everything!

Mecha vs. Space Kaiju, DanDaDan S2

You know what’s better than giant robots fighting equally giant monsters. Absolutely nothing! There were a lot of standout moments in the second season of DanDaDan, but I think the gang turning the Ayase house into a mecha to fight a space kaiju takes the cake. But even more importantly was getting to see newcomer Kinta not only solidify his role as an ally of Okarun and Momo, but he got to live out his dream of piloting a giant robot. Every Gundam fan in the world has got to be jealous of that guy at that moment! He may have his flaws, but when push came to shove, Kinta proved he had that dawg in him!!

Chainsaw Man vs Storm Devil, Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc

After waiting years for the story ofChainsaw Man to continue in anime form, the Reze Arc movie didn’t fail to disappoint. Denji’s fight against the likes of Reze was already crazy enough as it was. However, we all know that Chainsaw Man is one of those series that thrives on being as chaotic as possible. Ergo, instead of fighting just Reze, we get to see Denji fight her and the Typhoon Devil. All while riding atop the Shark Fiend. What is is crazier than riding a shark into battle?

The Whole Thing, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba-The Movie: Infinity Castle

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle was the kind of film that needed to be seen on the big screen. Anything less would be a great disservice, as would my attempting to pick one moment from it to single out. This entire movie was pretty much one big greatest anime moment of the year. The Demon Slayer Corps charging into their final battle against the Demons. Shinobu’s ultimate fate fighting Douma. Zenitsu killing his former sibling disciple turned Demon. Tanjiro fighting and beating the Demon that killed Rengoku! There’s too much to choose from, so I’m choosing it all! I’m so glad I got to see it on the big screen!

So, what were your favorite anime moments from 2025? Let us know!

All Jujutsu Sorcerers, Prepare for the Culling Games

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

Attention, Jujutsu Sorcerers! The Culling Games shall commence in approximately one month! So if you could make your way to your nearest theater to see JJK: Execution, you may receive your briefing on what’s happened as well as what comes next.

Two years ago, Jujutsu Kaisen gave us one of the absolute coldest arcs in Shonen History, the Shibuya Arc. Or as I like to call it, the worst night of Yuji Itadori’s life. One mentor was sealed away, another died, many of his friends and comrades were killed or maimed, and worst of all, Sukuna was let off the leash. Needless to say, any lightheartedness that the series had was gone as Yuji had become a fugitive. After that, fans had to wait for season three to come out, and while we still have a month to go, Shonen Jump’s got us covered. I went to see the compilation film Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution, and not only does it recap the Shibuya Incident, it gives us a sneak preview of Season Three. And, boy, are we going to be in for a show come January!

You are my SpecialZ

Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution can be split up into primarily two parts: the first part is recapping the events of the last season, namely in Shibuya. Normally, I would gloss over everything to get to the previews for the new season. However, I want to make an exception in this case because the recap is just so good! It starts off with what is arguably the most important moment of the series: the capture and sealing of Satoru Gojo. Until that point, Gojo was basically the series’ nuclear deterrent, allowing the main characters to relax a little since they had Gojo to look after him. He was so overpowered that they had to write him out of the story for the foreseeable future just so the stakes could be raised enough for us to worry. And the second he went inside the Prison Realm, all hell begins to break loose.

From there, we are treated to a greatest hits montage as we see the biggest moments of the first half of the Shibuya Arc take place, all to the song “SpecialZ.” It’s awesome, you guys. All of the fighting, pain, and suffering rolled into a single montage, all building up to the moment when Sukuna is let off the leash. We then get another montage showing his subsequent rampage, leading up to the moment when Yuji awakens to the sight of the black hole that was once Shibuya. I chose to see it in dub, and I have to say, Adam McArthur sells it when showing just how traumatized Yuji is. And then he has to see Nanami die and Nobara get half of her face blown off at the hands of Mahito. I almost forgot just how much of an insufferable jerk that Curse is. Of course, it only makes his defeat and death all the more cathartic. It’s not much comfort, though, considering how Kenjaku escapes with the Prison Realm and having unleashed an army of Curses on Tokyo. And then we learn that not only is Yuji marked for death by the corrupt higher-ups, but that his executioner is none other than Yuta Okkotsu, AKA one of the other GOATs of Jujutsu Kaisen.

If you haven’t seen the movie Jujutsu Kaisen: 0, then I recommend you go watch on Crunchyroll. However, here’s the short version about Yuta. He’s a second-year at Jujutsu High, and next to Gojo, he’s the strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer alive. He’s so strong, in fact, that when his best friend Rika, got killed by a car, she accidentally turned her into a curse that haunted him for the next ten years. And he was also the one who beat Suguru Geto. And now, he’s come back from abroad to hunt down Yuji…or has he?

With everything now in place, we get to the start of the third season of Jujutsu Kaisen with what I believe are the first two episodes. Spoilers are ahead, in case you wanted to wait until January.

Itadori: Fugitive!

The first episode opens on a moment that I thought was very surreal as we see Yuji trying to wash his hands clean of blood. I loved the symbolism behind this, as it demonstrates the guilt that Yuji is feeling. He thinks the blood of everyone that Sukuna killed is on his hands, and I get why he would think that, since Sukuna was using his body. However, I don’t see what happened as his fault; he wasn’t in control of his actions, so he shouldn’t be held accountable. That was all Sukuna’s doing, and he did it to hurt Yuji because of how much of a good person he is. However, that doesn’t change the fact that Jujutsu HQ has reinstated his death sentence now that Gojo was gone, so he’s now a fugitive. He’s continued to take down Curses running rampant throughout Tokyo, but he won’t risk going back to Jujutsu High. The only good thing about all this is that he’s not alone. He has his older brother.

During the Shibuya Incident, Yuji met and fought Choso the Death Painting, one of these nine Human-Cursed Spirits hybrids Kenjaku created in an experiment in one of his previous hosts. Furthermore, a flashback to Yuji’s infancy revealed that his mother, Kaori, had the same stitch marks that Geto now has as Kenjaku’s host. In other words, Kenjaku is technically Yuji’s mother, meaning that the Death Paintings are his half-siblings. Yuji and his friends had killed two of the Death Paintings before the Shibuya Incident, but after Choso learned they were technically related, he dropped all intention of killing him in favor of protecting him.

Admittedly, Choso is a bit of a creepy character, and I can understand why Yuji would be a little uncomfortable with him repeatedly calling himself Yuji’s older brother. However, I could tell that he’s a good person at heart, something that he demonstrates by constantly looking after Yuji’s well-being like any good older sibling would do. He also acts as an anchor for Yuji, keeping him from going over the edge into madness over the guilt of what happened. If he weren’t around, I don’t think Yuji would have survived on his own.

This especially becomes apparent when Yuta and someone else come after Yuji. That someone else being one of the most vile, disgusting, and detestable characters in the series: Naoya Zen’in.

The Zen’in Clan Sucks!

It’s backstory time: the Zen’in Clan are one of the three strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer clans in Japan, and the clan that Toji, Megumi, Maki, and Mai belong to by blood. Like a lot of the leaders of Jujutsu society who aren’t named Satoru Gojo, though, they’re also a clan of backwards-thinking, toxic conservatives who measure one’s worth by their skill as Sorcerers, not to mention being unbearably sexist. No joke, when we see Naoya at the Zen’in Clan’s mansion, he’s making the twins mom walk behind him in silence while also hoping that his dad, mortally wounded at Shibuya, dies so he can become Clan Head. And then he calls Maki worthless now because of her ruined looks since he thinks the only things she had going for her were her pretty face and body. It’s disgusting. No wonder Toji took his wife’s last name after they banished him!

At any rate, the death of the clan head means that there’s a succession crisis. According to the Naobito Zen’in, Naoya will be named the next clan…is what would have happened! Secretly, Naobito had made a deal with Toji before they died about his son, Megumi. If Gojo were incapacitated when Naobito died, not only would Megumi be brought into the clan, but he would be made the next head. Needless to say, this pissed Naoya off beyond belief. So much so that he decides to flat-out kill Megumi, leading him to hunt down Yuji in the hopes of using him as bait.

See what I mean? Naoya is a piece of trash. The Zen’in are trash outside of the people I mentioned. And to further prove that point, Naoya doesn’t even come close to taking down Yuji. Instead, he gets bodied by Choso, who can’t understand why Naoya would hate his own brothers so much. Extra points for the fact that Choso says how an older sibling’s role is to show the younger what to be and what not to be.

The real highlight, though, has to be the fight between Yuji and Yuta. Both of them are powerful sorcerers, each of them has main character energy (Yuta was the original protagonist of JJK: 0). The fight is short, but epic…and it ends with Yuta seemingly killing Yuji.

Except he didn’t.

PSYCH!!

Like Yuji before him, Yuta had once been sentenced to death thanks to Rika being the strongest Curse ever, but Gojo stepped in and saved him. There was no way that Yuta was going to let HQ pull the same thing with Yuji, which is why Gojo secretly asked him to look after his junior if anything happened to him. He conned HQ into thinking Yuji was dead (again) by stopping then restarting his heart at the same time. A true Batman gambit if there ever was one. It won’t fool HQ for long, but it buys the good guys some time to think of a plan. More importantly, it gives Yuji a chance to reunite with Megumi. And despite still feeling guilty about what Sukuna, Megumi is able to talk him into coming back to Jujutsu High because the entire country has been plunged into complete anarchy thanks to Kenjaku.

Here’s where things stand right now. Thanks to the Shibuya Incident, Kenjaku has managed to awaken hundreds of new Jujutsu Sorcerers across Japan. He’s unleashed tens of millions of Cursed Spirits that are wreaking havoc on Tokyo. And there are a bunch of barriers that have created sealed off sections of the country to fight something that Kenjaku calls the Culling Game. Think of it as like PubG or Fortnite for Jujutsu sorcerers. Not to mention that they need to find Gojo and free him in case Sukuna gets off the leash again.

The film ends with Yuji, Choso, and Megumi regrouping at Jujutsu High with their remaining allies to figure out a plan, and that leads them to meet with the one keeping the Jujutsu world together: Master Tengen.

Let the Culling Game Begin

I don’t know the specifics of what happens next in the story beyond a few things. What I do know, though, is plenty of people were upset with the way the series originally ended, so maybe the anime hopes to fix that. Beyond that, I only know one other thing: this season is going to be crazy. And I’m looking forward to covering it in 2026.

Also, this is a PSA to all Jujutsu Sorcerers: you don’t have to follow orders from HQ when they’re acting like jerks. Fight the system!

I Give “Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution” a 5/5

Yu-Gi-Oh! Season 0 is an Underrated Gem

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

Have you ever seen the show DEATH BATTLE! before? The famous web series where two characters from pop culture are pitted together in a fight to see who would win. Well, it just so happens that they aired their final episode of the year, and it was one that, one way or another, was going to make people upset: Ash Ketchum vs Yugi Muto. The Pokémon champion vs the King of Games. I couldn’t take sides in this fight, but it reminded me of how much I love Yu-Gi-Oh! growing up. And that led me to a part of the franchise’s history that I had only heard about, but never seen until now: Yu-Gi-Oh! Season 0.

When people think of Yu-Gi-Oh!, they think of either the card game or the anime that initially inspired it (or its spin-off sequels). So, it might come as a surprise to learn that the anime that became world famous in the 2000s was not the first adaptation. That distinction belongs to a little-known anime created by Toei in 1998. Dubbed Season 0 by the fans, the series largely covers the first fifty-nine chapters of the original manga, AKA the days before Duel Monsters became the franchise’s focus. And while I think that Takahashi made the right call by pivoting to the card game that he would ultimately invent, it’s fascinating to see what the early days of the franchise were like.

You know what’s even cooler, though? Atem, or as most people remember him by, Yami Yugi, and seeing him being even more of a badass than we remember.

Not Quite the Story You Know

By now, most people know the premise behind Yu-Gi-Oh!. The card game that everyone plays, Yugi and his band of supportive friends, and his supernatural roommate/brother from another mother, Yami Yugi. That remains consistent across every adaptation of the original series, and that doesn’t change here.

What does change, and what will likely surprise anyone who hasn’t read the manga or only knows the 2000s anime, is Yami Yugi. Because Season 0 might as well be known as Yami’s King Von era, as he was a menace to society. At least the worst aspects of society.

Most of the episodes in Season 0 tend to follow the same basic formula. Some wicked person decides it’s a good idea to cross Yugi or one of his friends. Yugi would inadvertently turn into Yami Yugi, who would proceed to challenge the offender to a Shadow Game that he makes up. And when he eventually wins, and they cheat, he subjects them to a penalty in the form of an ironic punishment.

Take Tea hostage and threaten to shoot her and Yugi? He’ll make them think they’re on fire.

Kidnap one of his friends for their sick fantasies? Make them think they were eaten by their virtual pet.

Fire the nurse looking after Joey’s sister for not going out with you and letting your patients die? Their zombies will get you!

You would think that after all of these examples, people would learn not to mess with Yugi or his friends. Then again, we always have Kaiba.

Kaiba Was a Menace Back in the Day

If there was a Mount Rushmore for the greatest anime rivals in history, Seto Kaiba would be up there next to Vegeta. The battles between him and Yugi are the stuff of legend, not to mention one of my favorite things from my childhood. But while his ego might be the size of a blimp, the Kaiba most people know isn’t actually a bad guy.

What if I told you that wasn’t always the case?

Much like how we see in the 2000s anime, Yugi and Kaiba clash over Grandpa Mutou’s precious White Dragon card. Whereas he got his butt whooped in the Duel Monsters anime, in the original, it was a draw. But if Season 0 was Yami’s King Von era, then the same could be said for Kaiba. Not only does he keep trying to best Yugi without regard for his safety, he even hires four mercenaries to threaten Yugi and his friends, leading us into the legendary duel that ends up starting the series. Except this one isn’t as cool.

If there is one aspect of the series where I feel like its successor does better, it has to be how it handles Duel Monsters. Granted, when Takahashi added the card game, he never intended it to become the focal point of the franchise. But it just got so popular that it…happened. And sadly, this early version of the game lacks many of the rules or cool factor that would come to define the game. Which also means that when the time comes for the duel that would spark Yugi and Kaiba’s rivalry, it’s not as epic or dramatic. It actually makes me wonder what it would have been like had someone decided to create a single, consistent series.

Don’t get me wrong: I love the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime that I grew up with, but that doesn’t mean I won’t acknowledge its flaws. The second anime actually took a lot of creative liberties with the storyline, especially when it came to Kaiba. In the manga, he actually left the story after Battle City, while he kept showing up in the anime because he’s just that good. It also means that there were a number of things about the final arc that would get changed up. But seeing Season 0 and how it turned out has gotten me thinking: what if we could do it all over again?

Restart Yu-Gi-Oh! from the Beginning?

I’m serious. What if some studio had the guts to start the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime over from the actual start? We could keep the best of both series, including the changes the anime made that were for the better, especially near the end, but do our best to keep it truer to the manga. And best of all, we could keep the darker elements thanks to 4Kids not being around with their pesky censors! It’s just something to think about.

Regardless, though, this whole thing has reminded me of why I fell in with Yu-Gi-Oh! in the first place. It’s Takahashi’s legacy of gaming, and as a fellow gamer myself, I respect that. Also, it’s got me playing Master Duel, and I’m enjoying it.

After All these Years, One Piece Goes Seasonal

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

One Piece to become a seasonal Anime Starting Spring 2026

This coming January is going to mark the end of an era, not only for One Piece, but for anime as a whole. And I’m not sure how to feel about it.

For almost thirty years, the One Piece anime has been a near constant in the world of anime. Almost every week would see new episodes of the anime air on Fuji TV before eventually making their way online and to the West. That was the norm for a lot of Shonen anime at the time, with its contemporaries like Naruto and Bleach following the same formula. The bad news is that this often meant the anime would have to create filler arcs to make sure it wouldn’t overtake the manga, and most people hate filler. But things have changed since then. Most anime is now released seasonally, a method meant to ensure quality over quantity. One Piece was one of the last holdouts, and even that is about to come to an end!

At the time of this writing, One Piece is airing the climax of the Egghead Island Arc. But over on social media, it was announced that once that is done in January 2026, the anime will be going on another hiatus. And when it returns in April, it will no longer be releasing year-round. From now on, One Piece will be a seasonal anime, releasing episodes in two batches of 13 for a total of 26 per year. In other words, One Piece is finally going seasonal.

End of Longform Anime

This is the end of an era for anime. No longer can fans tune in once every week and expect a new episode of their favorite anime. Now everyone will have to wait until a new season drops. It allows for the people working on the anime to have more time to work on it, ensuring that it’s the highest possible quality. It can potentially mean a less stressful work environment for the people in the industry, because heaven knows they need it. More importantly, though, it means that filler arcs are going to be largely relegated to the history books. Still, having grown up on the weekly anime format, I can’t help but feel sad to see it go. Yet I understand that it’s for the best, as One Piece deserves to be as peak as possible. Especially when you consider what it’s going into once it comes back: the Elbaph Arc.

Elbaph is Worth the Wait

For those who don’t know, the Elbaph Arc is the ongoing arc in the manga, and next to Wano Country and Luffy finding the One Piece, it is the most hyped up thing in the history of the franchise. First mentioned back in 1999, Elbaph is the homeland of most of the Giants, the strongest warriors in the world. It’s a place that Luffy has been dying to visit for years, and fans have waited decades for the moment Oda would introduce it to us outside of flashbacks. Once he did in 2024, he did not disappoint, with it being everything we imagined, and then some. I’m currently covering it on my own blog, and I can promise you that the hiatus will be more than worth the wait, with some of the biggest battles and most insane lore drops that we will ever see. I might even end up reviewing the episodes here if that’s possible!

The One Piece Netflix Series is Returning.

The good news is that we won’t be entirely bereft of One Piece until April. The Netflix series is finally returning.

Two years ago, Netflix and Eichiro Oda worked together to give us a live-action adaptation of One Piece. And it didn’t stink! While it had to do away with the more cartoonish aspects, it still managed to capture the heart and soul of the series. The Japanese dub even got the series’s seiyu to reprise their roles! Since then, fans have been waiting for the second season to come out, and it looks like we don’t have to wait much longer. The second season will drop on Netflix on March 10th, 2026, and it looks to be bigger and better than the first. With the story taking us into the Grand Line, longtime fans know that this is when One Piece starts to pick up as the Straw Hats come into conflict with the evil Baroque Works. More importantly, though, we get our first appearance of fan favorites like Robin and Chopper. If I had to guess, I’d say that the season will cover the Loguetown arc to the end of Drum Island, with the next season bringing us to Alabasta. And there will be a third season; Netflix has confirmed it.

Bottom line: now is a great time to be a fan of One Piece. And if you’re not, then you’re welcome to come aboard. Even if you don’t have the patience to watch the entire anime, there are plenty of people on YouTube that cover the series and the important parts.

The Shibuya Incident, Recapped

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

The Shibuya Incident of Jujutsu Kaisen S2

The Shibuya Incident, AKA the turning point of the original Jujutsu Kaisen manga. On Halloween night, 2018, Jujutsu society was rocked by an event that would change it forever and take a dark story and make it even darker. With season three of JJK coming next year and a compilation movie set to release in December, now is the perfect time for us to recap what happened on that Halloween Night. If you haven’t read the manga or seen the anime, then I highly recommend that you stop reading this, because there will be spoilers from here on out!

How it all Started

The root cause of the Shibuya Incident stems from the existence of one man: Satoru Gojo, the CHAD-master and strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer alive. Time and again, the group of “Geto” and the special-grade Cursed Spirits had tried to kill Gojo, only to fail. So long as Gojo was around, they could never enact their plans of causing chaos in the Jujutsu world. So they decided to change tactics by doing the next best thing by sealing him away. Over the course of several months, their group gathered allies and tools they would need to fulfill their goal. And by Halloween night, 2018, they were ready, with the Shibuya District chosen to be their stage.

At 7 pm local time, a massive curtain was drawn up around the Shibuya District. All civilians and non-sorcerers were trapped inside and unable to escape, and all phone service was cut off. The only way they would be let out is if they started demanding the arrival of Satoru Gojo. So the leaders of Jujutsu society (who are total jerks) told Gojo to head in and take care of the people responsible for this, alone. Four other squads would remain outside to act as backup.

Being the Jujutsu equivalent of Superman, Gojo would be able to handle everything inside the curtain on his own. That’s why Pseudo-Geto and the Curses rigged everything in their favor. The civilians would slow him down while Mahito transfigured hundreds of random people to slow him down even further. Being Gojo, though, he manages to deal with all of this in about five minutes or less while also battling the Curses. But that was all the time that Pseudo-Geto needed to get the Prison Realm close to him and activate it. In one stroke, Satoru Gojo, the strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer, was sealed within it, much to the shock of all of his comrades. Yuji’s team races to get to the Prison Realm before the enemy can escape, but they already prepared for this. They’ve filled Shibuya with Curse Users, Cursed Spirits, and transfigured humans to attack anyone that gets inside the curtains. It’s pretty much open season as everyone starts fighting all over the place. But this was only the beginning, as two even bigger threats soon join the fray: Toji Fushiguro and Ryomen Sukuna.

The Return of the Chick Magnet Toji

If you know Gojo’s backstory, then you know about Tojo Fushiguro, the father of Megumi, AKA the man who came closer to killing Gojo than anyone else. Despite not having any cursed energy, nature compensated him by giving him strength and durability beyond that of any sorcerer alive, allowing him to make a living hunting them. Gojo only survived because he unlocked his reverse curse technique. And in the midst of all this chaos, this old woman decoded to use her grandson as a medium to call Toji’s spirit back to the land of the living. Her plan was to use the strength it gave her grandson to have him start killing all the sorcerers they could find. But it backfired when Toji’s spirit overtook the grandson and left him in full control, bringing him back from the dead. And since he didn’t use cursed energy, there was no way to stop the technique. It’s honestly surprising that that old woman didn’t think this through in the first place!

Toji would proceed to go on a rampage throughout Shibuya, fighting anyone with cursed energy. At one point, he even entered the domain of one of the Special Grade Curses the others had been fighting, and proceeded to slay them without almost no effort. His relative, Maki, and her comrades had been struggling, and he did it so effortlessly. After that, he went after Megumi as he tried to escape. However, that proved to be unnecessary, as Toji stopped his assault as soon as he realized that Megumi was his son all grown up. Rather than keep on killing, Toji regained his senses and, content that Megumi had taken his mom’s last name, chose to take his own life, removing himself from the equation.

But that was just a prelude to the real carnage that was about to go down.

The Dawg Has Returned

In the middle of all this chaos, Yuji is trying to make his way to Geto, whose currently guarding the Prison Realm. However, he gets waylaid by multiple Cursed Spirits, Curse Users, and lastly, Choso, the last of the Death Paintings, these hybrids of Cursed Spirits and Humans that Yuji and his friends defeated. They fight, and Yuji ultimately loses. But before Choso can kill him, he gets these memories that tell him that, somehow, Yuji is related to him. But before that can be explained, he leaves, and then these two girls that were raised by Geto show up and feed Yuji one of Sukuna’s fingers. They wanted Sukuna to save Geto for them, but all they were doing was sealing their own fate. Then Jogo the Special Grade Curse shows up and proceeds to feed Yuji ten of Sukuna’s fingers. And this feeding session was all that was needed for the dog to be let off the leash. And without Gojo around to stop him, he wasn’t going to pass up this chance to let loose.

The first thing that Gojo did was murder those two girls for trying to order him around by saving Geto. Jogo was a little more tactful, though, and Sukuna was in a good mood from the fingers. So they made a deal: if Jogo could land one hit on Sukuna, he would work under him and kill everyone in Shibuya except for Megumi. But this was just Sukuna wanting to play with his food before going in for the kill.

Sukuna proceeded to go on a rampage, throwing off everything Jogo and everyone else threw at him while killing anyone unfortunate enough to get in his way. Jogo can’t keep up, and while the King of Curses says he put up a good fight, Jogo still dies. And then he proceeds to go after Megumi, saving him from another enemy just so he could fight him himself. Not even Megumi’s Mahoraga is able to stop the King! But Sukuna stops just short of killing Megumi, leaving him with his allies. And with his control over Yuji running out, his last act is to head to where the Shibuya Crossing once stood just so Yuji can see the full carnage for himself when he comes to so he can break the kid.

And it works. When Yuji regains control and sees what has happened, he is absolutely traumatized! But his suffering was not over.

Mahito is a Worthless Nobody

At this point, the only major enemies left were Pseudo-Geto and Mahito, the latter of whom was continuing to hurt innocent people. He made Yuji watch as he killed his mentor, Nanami, and proceed to main Nobara. And for a long time, we weren’t even sure if she made it out alive or not. Not to mention how he kept mutating innocent people, forcing the Sorcerers to kill them. And all of this just destroys Yuji in mind and spirit. The young man is scarred for life by what’s happened. But it is at this point that Yuji crashes out.

Thanks to the arrival of his self-proclaimed brother, Aoi Todo, Yuji locks in with the single-minded goal of making Mahito pay. The sadistic embodiment of Mankind’s hatred of itself throws everything he has left at the two, but it’s not enough. They plow right through it until, finally, Mahito runs out of gas in the tank. And then Yuji just looks at him and tells him that his existence is less than worthless, and that he needs no reason to kill him. Terrified, Mahito runs, only to be stopped by Pseudo-Geto. Instead of helping him, though, Geto decides he has no use left for him and proceeds to absorb him into himself. Crazier still, Choso shows up and reveals that “Geto” is an imposter whose been jumping from body to body for centuries. And in one of those bodies, he had been the creator of the Death Paintings, and might somehow be related to Yuji.

That’s when the fake Geto reveals he did all this to unleash chaos by making cursed energy users stronger than ever. To that end, he activates a technique that causes hundreds of people across the country to awaken as Jujutsu sorcerers, some of whom being possessed by the spirits of sorcerers from ages past. With that done, Geto manages to escape with Prison Realm, despite the best efforts of everyone to try and stop him.

Thus, the curtain falls on the Shibuya Incident, AKA the worst Halloween Japan has ever seen.

Where Season 3 Picks Up

The next episode and chapters show how Japan has been plunged into chaos in the aftermath of the Shibuya Incident. Hundreds of people are dead, hundreds more have become Jujutsu Sorcerers, and tens of millions of Cursed Spirits have been unleashed upon Japan. Tokyo’s a warzone, the economy is in shambles, and the existence of the Jujutsu World has been exposed to the entire country. Jujutsu Society has been rocked to its core, and it only gets worse thanks to the leadership.

If you’ve read or seen Jujutsu Kaisen, then you should know by now that the leaders of Jujutsu Society are the epitome of toxic conservatism. They’re made up of a bunch of backward-thinking, sexist old men who refuse to change with the times and run things the same as always even when it’s clear that won’t work anymore. The forward-thinking Gojo has been their greatest opposition due to being the strongest and able to keep them in check. But now that he is gone, the higher-ups decide to do everything they want, declaring him an accomplice of Shibuya and unsealing him to be a crime. They sentence his and Geto’s teacher to death, reinstate Yuji’s death sentence, and assign it to be carried out by Gojo’s other student, Yuta Okkotsu. Thus, Yuji has to go on the run, while his allies are left to deal with the aftermath of everything on their own.

And with that, we have now covered a general overview of the Shibuya Incident. Hundreds are dead, Japan is on the brink of collapse, and the main protagonist is a fugitive. Yet the real fight has only just begun. In January 2026, we will see the start of the Culling Game Arc with Season Three. However, a compilation film will be released on December 5th, covering the Shibuya Incident and giving us a look at the first two episodes of Season Three. That should be plenty of reason for fans to get excited!

Until then, Happy Halloween!

Chainsaw Man the Movie is Finally Here!!

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

Chainsaw Man: the Movie-Reze Arc Review

Well, well, well, Studio MAPPA. It’s about dang time you decided to give us more Chainsaw Man! It only took you three whole years to get to what might be one of the best arcs in the entire series, the Bomb Girl Arc. I chose to forgo reading the manga so that I could fully enjoy what would come next, but when I learned that the arc would be getting its own movie, I knew I had to see it. So, how was Chainsaw Man: the Movie-Reze Arc? Was it a worthy return for the series and can it pave the way for another season?

Honestly, yes to both.

Welcome Reze

Its just after the end of the Katana Man Arc, with Denji and his friends working to deal with the aftermath. Power is stuck having her blood drained, while Aki is working with the Angel Devil, so Denji has to fly solo for a while…sort of. This fanboy Shark Fiend gets assigned to be his bodyguard, much to his annoyance. But at least Denji gets to have a movie date with Makima, so he can’t complain. Until, that is, he encounters a beautiful woman his age named Reze, and now his heart starts getting torn in two. He wants to stay loyal to Makima, but it feels like Reze is really into him! If only he had to deal with something like a love triangle. Because Reze is, in fact, a Devil hybrid with the ability to create bombs and explosions. And all she wants is that special heart that Denji has on him!

Just Let Denji be Happy!

I’m just going to come out and say it: Denji’s love life is just the worst. That’s coming from me, and I’ve had a hard time getting any dates. The girl he’s mainly interested in is basically emotionally manipulating him (you dont need to read the manga to see the red flags.) And now this new girl shows up and is doing the same thing. And poor Denji is so starved for affection that he’s letting himself be played like a fiddle! It’s honestly depressing to watch!

What makes it even more depressing, though, is that the first half of Reze Arc is a slow burn focusing on Denji’s unfortunate love life. Even though Reze is ultimately going to betray him, you can’t deny that she manages to give him a taste of the normal life that he hasn’t had up to this point. Yes, the Devil Hunters do feed him and give him a place to stay, but as Reze points out, he’s still not living a normal life at age 16. Normal can often be subjective, and there are plenty of shonen protagonists his age who deal with danger. But at some point, you can’t help but wonder if this is really the life that Denji should be living.

The worst part, though, is that even after Reze shows her true colors, a part of Denji still likes her. Enough to even consider running away with her. Surprisingly, Reze actually considers doing so, mission be darned. And if you’re caught up on the manga, then you may agree with me when I say that I really, really think Denji should’ve gone through with that decision. If he had, then it would’ve prevented a lot of pain and suffering. But instead, any second chance is left to bleed out unceremoniously in an alleyway, which only makes the whole thing even more tragic.

But we don’t watch Chainsaw Man just for the drama. We want it for the over-the-top violence. And lucky for us, the second half of the film is devoted almost exclusively to the action!

The Real Action Was Awesome!

For those who need a quick refresher, Devil’s get stronger the more they inspire in humans. Given how dangerous bombs can be, Reze is an extremely dangerous foe once she decides to take Denji by force. Her attacks are stronger than Bakugo from My Hero Academia, and considering how the young hero can hold his own against Shigaraki and All for One, that’s very concerning. A good part of the second half is the Devil Hunters trying to play keep away until they can get Denji to heal, with her blowing up sections of the city in the process. And then she summons another Devil working for her and proceeds to turn the place into a disaster zone! It honestly makes me question how human civilization is able to remain intact in this universe!

Of course, though, the real show starts once Denji joins the fight. The fight itself is like something out of a JRPG game, so I’m not going to spoil it for you. I will, however, leave you with this tantalizing image: Chainsaw Man riding a shark and battling a Devil the size of the Colossal Titan. Have fun with that.

In summary, Chainsaw Man: the Movie-Reze Arc was everything the fans wanted and then some. And if Studio MAPPA knows what’s good for it, it will give us more of the anime. SOON!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I Give “Chainsaw Man: the Movie-Reze Arc” a 4/5

One Piece Fans Worried for Eichiro Oda

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

Eichiro Oda, you need to go on a vacation. NOW.

Eichiro Oda is one of the most influential authors in the entire world, and it’s all thanks to his absolute epic, One Piece. Since it began publishing in Shonen Jump back in 1997, One Piece has become the best-selling manga of all time.  There’s a list of the best-selling fictional authors in history on Wikipedia, and he’s at number eight. One Piece has changed the world to the point where a generation of young people are waving the Straw Hat Pirates flag at protests, showing how they believe in the series themes of freedom and liberation from oppression. Needless to say, Oda is a big deal in the world of anime.

Which only makes it harder for fans to watch as their hero threatens to work himself into an early grave.

Oda started serializing One Piece when he was twenty-two and in the prime of his life. He could afford to work himself to the bone and run on a fraction of the sleep he needed. But over the last few years, it seems as though his commitment to his creation has begun taking its toll. He’s started taking scheduled breaks every few chapters or so, but at the same time, unscheduled breaks are becoming more and more frequent. And it’s making fans ask the same thing: Is Oda alright?

No one is going to question whether or not Oda is losing his work ethic. However, people are more aware of how grueling working in the anime and manga industries is now than they were when he started. The long hours or ceaseless work can be incredibly stressful, and that stress can start to add up as we get older. The worst-case scenario, they could end up working themselves to death. That’s something that Dragon Ball fans know all too well.

Last spring, the anime world was shocked by the sudden news of the death of Akira Toriyama, the legendary creator of Dragon Ball. His death at the relatively young age of 68 sent shockwaves throughout the industry. Many people started to question if the hard lifestyle of a mangaka led Toriyama to an early grave. Oda, for his part, seemed to take the hint, as he went on a vacation so he could process his hero’s passing. However, that hasn’t stopped people from worrying about him. He’s fifty years old, been working on One Piece most of his life, and it could be another 5-10 years before the story is finished. He needs to look after himself.

Oda has become beloved in the world of anime and manga for creating One Piece, and he’s managed to change the world for the better. Millions of people have been inspired by his characters and how to live their lives by their example. There are people out there waving the Straw Hat Pirates flag as a symbol of rebellion against oppression right now. His legacy has already been secured. But none of that will matter if One Piece leads him to an early grave. If that happened, I don’t think the fans would be able to live with themselves.

Fortunately, it seems the One Piece Fandom is among the most understanding in anime and manga. Every time Oda has to go on break, fans have been understanding and wishing him well. None of us wants to see him work himself to death, including myself. And when the day comes for him to end One Piece, he should be able to enjoy retirement for decades to come with his wife, kids, and hopefully grandkids. It’s the least that Oda deserves.

Fall 2025 Has Some Good Anime to See!

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

There’s no getting around it anymore: it’s Fall. Leaves are falling, the capitalist system is preparing for the Holidays, and new anime seasons of anime are on the way. There’s just one problem: for the first time in a while, I’m worried that I won’t have an anime to cover on a weekly basis. There are plenty of great anime coming out to watch, but I’m not sure which one to cover for the D&A Anime Blog. That being said, it’s not stopping me from talking about some of the big names that might be worth watching.

Let’s Play, October 1st, Crunchyroll

Our first potential pick is potentially for anyone whose a fan of video games, romcoms, or webcomics, Let’s Play. Sam Young is an introverted 22-year-old software developer whose love for video games led to create her own, Ruminate. At first, it did great on the market, until her favorite Let’s Player, Marshall Law, gave it a bad review, leading his fans to trash it. It gets worse, though, as she discovers Law has just become her new neighbor. Talk about a drama bomb.

Believe it or not, I’m actually one of Let’s Play’s earliest fans, having read it from its first chapters on WEBTOON. At first it seems like another romcom built around gaming, but once Mongie starts picking up steam, she starts getting into some pretty heavy subjects like depression, trauma, and insecurities. Unfortunately, I don’t think that the show’s animation lives up to Mongie’s own artwork. Having been let down by The Beginning After the End earlier this year, that’s left me a little weary. However, I think I’ll at least give it the benefit of the doubt.

My Hero Academia Final Season, October 4th, Crunchyroll

Ever since the manga came to an end last year, fans have been waiting to see if the My Hero Academia anime can live up to their expectations. As the final war between the Heroes of Japan and All for One nears its climax, Deku will be drawn into his final confrontation with the ultimate villain and Shigaraki in a battle to decide the fate of the world.

For the past decade, My Hero Academia has been one of the biggest names in the Shonen genre, and anime in general, and for good reason; people

love superheroes! The series has had its highs and lows, but given how the manga ends, people are eager to see if the anime can live up to the hype or surpass it. Having covered the series on my own blog since Season Four, getting to see the finale will be a bittersweet experience for me. At least we’ll still have Vigilantes to look forward to, though!

Ranma 1/2 Season 2, October 4th Netflix

Last year, Netflix gave us their remake of one of the OG romcom anime, Ranma 1/2, and now it’s back for more. Too bad for Ranma, his misfortunes when it comes to love, as well as his curse, are going to keep giving him grief.

When anime and manga started arriving in force to America back in the 90s, Ranma 1/2 was among the first wave, helping to introduce fans to Japanese romcoms. Granted, modern audiences might take issue with several things about it, like how argumentative Ranma and Akane are, or how they’re betrothed by their dads without their consent. However, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still one of the OG romcom anime, and it’s cool that it’s getting more love.

Spy x Family Season 3, October 4th, Crunchyroll/Hulu

Everyone’s favorite spy family is back for a third season. As Loid continues to work towards his ultimate goal of completing Operation: STRIX, the Forger family continues its efforts to keep looking like a normal family. Which is tough considering how the “Dad” is a spy, the “Mom” is an assassin, neither knowing that, and their “daughter” Anya has to help keep it that way. Which will be hard, considering how this season is slated to include an escort mission on a cruise ship and Anya’s school bus getting hijacked by terrorists.

I’m not that overly big a fan of Spy x Family, only really watching it when I have nothing better to do. However, I can appreciate why people like it so much. The characters are likable, there’s a good balance between action and comedy, like many great Shonen, and the animation itself is great. What might tip the scales, though, is that this season will give us a look at how Loid became the superspy Twilight.  

Star Wars: Visions Volume 3, October 29th, Disney+

Four years ago, Disney teamed up with some of the biggest animation studios in Japan to give us Star Wars: Visions, an anthology series that combined two of the greatest things in the world: Star Wars and anime. Now, it’s returning to those roots with a third season that promises to be just as good, if not better, than the last two. Not only will we be getting new shorts inspired by the Star Wars universe, but three are going to be sequelss to some of the most popular shorts from Volume One: The Duel, The Village Bride, and The Ninth Jedi. If you’ve seen the shorts, then you know why this alone is worth the hype.

I’ve been a fan of Star Wars since I was a little kid, and despite how Disney has kept fumbling things since 2012, I’m still a big fan of the franchise. Combining it with anime is naturally enough to get my blood pumping! Given how amazing the first two volumes are, I’m eager to see what comes next from this anthology series!

Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, October 29th, Theaters

It’s been three long years since the end to the first season of Chainsaw Man, and while manga-readers have feasted, anime watchers are starving . But all of that changes as Chainsaw Man gets the movie treatment with Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc.

After defeating the Katana Man and his Yakuza flunkies, Denji continues his work under Makima as a hunter of Devils. His world winds up getting turned upside down, though, when he winds up meeting a girl his age named Reze, and she actually seems interested in him! But since the universe seems to love seeing Denji suffer, you don’t need to read the manga to know that this cannot end well.

I had my criticisms of the first season of Chainsaw Man, and for good reason. Considering all the hype about the manga, it felt like the anime failed to meet my expectations when it comes to action. However, I did promise myself I would go back and review it again once it continued, and I intend to keep that promise. Given how effectively Demon Slayer has adapted arcs into full-on movies, I have high hopes for this flick. Hopefully, it also means that the anime will be coming back soon with a new season.

GIANT ROBOTS VS MONSTERS RULES! Or, the DanDaDan Season Finale

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

DanDaDan S2 Ep 12 Review

Do you know what’s more metal than fighting giant monsters inside a giant robot? Absolutely nothing! The Mecha and Kaiju genres are some of Japan’s oldest and most respected cultural exports, and they’ve gained popularity with people around the world. Since DanDaDan is essentially a giant love letter to all things sci-fi and supernatural in Japanese pop culture, including the two is a no-brainer. And with a Space Kaiju baring down on the teens of the series, it only makes sense that they fight it off with a giant mecha for the season finale. And it is everything that the nerdy Konya ever wanted…when it works at least.

YOU! DIG! GIANT ROBOTS!!

In order to fight off the giant, thunder-breathing Space Kaiju trying to kill them, the quintet of Takakura, Momo, Aira, Jiji, and Kinta resort to turning the Ayase House (made out of nanobots) into a weapon that can fight back. Fortunately for everyone, Kinta’s love of mecha anime comes in clutch, turning the house into a buddha-themed combiner robot in the style of Voltron, Power Rangers/Super Sentai, and later versions of Gurren Lagann. That’s the good news about this situation, at least if you’re Kinta.

The bad news is that the Family lacks the teamwork needed to pilot the thing.

I’m not sure how often this is an issue when it comes to combiner mechs, but teamwork is often the most essential thing for making them work right. The Power Rangers and Voltron may make it look easy, but in real-life, coordinating to pilot a giant robot would be very difficult. If one member isn’t in sync, it could derail everything. Case in point, this surprisingly realistic outcome results in Okarun getting ejected, the Evil Eye busting free without caring about what’s going on, and the remaining three getting their butts kicked.

But this is where Kinta starts to show what he is truly capable of, and how there’s more to him than his appearance would suggest.

Don’t Mock Mecha

Much like Okarun before he met Momo, Kinta lived a very lonely life, mocked for his nerdy interests; in his case, for his love of mecha and giant robots. Before anime became mainstream, and even now, that is something that many an unfortunate nerd has had to experience. However, like a true nerd, Kinta refuses to feel bad about liking what he does. Because he knows that at the rate that technology is progressing, the possibility of being able to pilot a giant robot is becoming more and more likely. That’s not even a joke: companies are working on real-life mechas capable of being piloted by humans, and if they got mainstream, they will need capable pilots. And it’s people like Kinta, who understand mecha and sci-fi and trained for them, that will be first in line.

And it is with these burning feelings in his heart that we see Kinta become the mecha pilot he always wanted to be. And it is awesome!

Robot vs. Kaiju!

The fight between the Great Kinta and the Space Kinta is nothing short of epic! It’s the kind of fight that makes any fan of either genre just want to grin from ear to ear. And the way the girls use their own powers to help enhance the Great Kinta mecha! Absolutely insane! And the other two boys manage to be a comedic duo the entire time since all they can do is watch everything! The comedy and action don’t stop!

In the end, the group manages to beat the Space Kaiju, but they come back to reality in the middle of the city. So, they have to hoof it back to the Ayase property with their fallen opponent. And Momo and Aira have to puke from motion sickness, LOL. Besides that, though, Kinta managed to solidify himself as a member of the group. His mecha skills are something else! But believe it or not, the giant robot vs Kaiju fight wasn’t the biggest surprise of the episode. It’s what the boys find inside the Kaiju. Or rather, Kaiju suit.

This whole time, the Space Kaiju was really a suit, and the person piloting it will surprise you.

A New Waifu has Appeared

DanDaDan now has a new waifu. Manga readers have been waiting for her for a while now, but sadly, anime watchers will have to wait until season three. Thankfully, it’s already been confirmed that there will be a third season of the anime. When it will come out, though, is anyone’s guess.

But, since DanDaDan is such a tease, it decides to end the season…with this!

Momo, a fierce rival has just appeared!

GIANT ROBOTS RULE!

I Give “Clash! Space Kaiju vs Giant Robot” a 4.5/5