The following is an emergency announcement from the D&A Anime Blog concerning an important member of the Dragon Ball community.
Less than a year ago, the world of anime wept at the loss of Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball. Now, another prominent member of the anime community is in need of our help: Mike McFarland.
For those who aren’t aware, Mike McFarland is a veteran voice actor with more than 400 roles to his credit. The one we should concern ourselves with the most, though, is one of the OG conossseuirs of Waifus, Master Roshi. And right now, he’s in trouble.
Earlier this week, Colleen Clinkenbeard revealed on Twitter that Mike went to the hospital for what he thought was a bad ear infection. Instead, it turned out to be a brain tumor that the doctors had to get out of him. Thankfully, the operation was successful, and Mike is out of the hospital and recovering. However, with that comes another problem: paying the bills. He will need someone to stay with him until he is fully recovered, which won’t be cheap. That is why Brandon McInnis and J. Michael Tatum have set up a gofundme page to help the man cover his medical fees. Fortunately, the fundraiser has already met its goal…but some extra money cannot hurt.
Many Dragon Balls are still mourning the loss of Toriyama a year ago, and I’m still saddened by the loss of Rachael Lillis in that same year. So, the fact that the man who gives Master Roshi life facing something so scary is too much to bear. Fans of Dragon Ball and anime need to do whatever they can to help a man who plays one of the OG Shonen mentors in his time of need. And if this winds up being more serious than doctors first thought, we need to ensure that he has enough money for further care.
RJ Writing Ink’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 you’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. That’s how much we could end up eating this year!
I’m RJ Writing Ink for the D&A Anime Blog, and this is my baker’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 he’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 it’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 doesn’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
We’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 allies…and 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
Everyone’s favorite apothecary detective returns with a new season! If you don’t know what The Apothecary Diaries is, it’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, there’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 wouldn’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, it’s apparent that it’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 don’t know (or didn’t ready my review of the series), 100 Girlfriends is, as the name suggests, about a boy who’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, he’s due to make it to the double digits before the end of the season.
Harem doesn’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., Karane’s tsundere-ness is something she hates due to it making her too insecure to say what she’s really feeling. Or Shizuka’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 haven’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 aren’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 doesn’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 Jiji’s house, and Momo was under attack from a bunch of creeps. Thankfully, fans don’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 wouldn’t have it any other way!
My Hero Academia Final Season-Fall 2025
It’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 not…you remember what happened with Oshi No Ko, right?
Kaiju No. 8 Season 2-Unknown Release Date
Here’s another up-and-coming Shonen anime that’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, he’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 don’t have a concrete release date for the film, that doesn’t change the fact that it’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 they’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, it’s currently unclear if the Infinity Castle movies will premiere in theaters in the West. It’s not even clear if the movies will finish the series as a whole or just cover the Infinity Castle Arc. However, I’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 should’ve aired in theaters.
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 (I Hope!)
JUJUTSU KAISEN "Culling Game Arc" Officially Announced!
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.
Yuji’s execution has been re-instated.
With the next season set to adapt the Culling Games Arc, this is JJK’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!
RJ Writing Ink’s Picks for Best Moments in Anime for 2024
With 2024 all but over, once again, it’s time to look back on all the anime we’ve watched…and 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.
I’m RJ Writing Ink, and here are my picks for the best anime moments for 2024. As was the case with last year, I’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-Woo’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.
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 Muzan’s personal domain. Everything about this moment is meant to excite fans as the final battle between Humans and Demons begins! It’s a shame that we have to wait until later in 2025 for the movies.
Bakugo’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 didn’t make it any easier to watch. I still remember how freaked out the fandom was over Bakugo’s apparent death, only to grow irate when it’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, she’s horrified when that same deer girl ends up becoming a transfer student in her class. To make matters worse, she’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 can’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 “shii-ka” like she’s the boss of some video game. The fact that most of the students keep the same smiling faces even as they’re pummeled by rocks! I found it so funny that I decided to make a meme out of it, and it blew up.
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 what’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 don’t know if it was a coincidence that this episode came out on Father’s Day or not, but if it wasn’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 didn’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 aren’t going to abandon him whether he’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 who’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 they’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, there’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 you’ve seen Dan Da Dan, then you can’t argue with the fact that it’s one of, if not the best, anime of 2024. It’s quirky characters, balls-to-the-walls levels of insanity, and gorgeous animation quickly won fans over. However, anyone who hadn’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 Silky’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 ghost’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 Silky’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 you’ve seen it, then you’ll understand why!
What Were Your Favorite Anime Moments of 2024? Let us Know!
Most of Japan may not be Christian, but that hasn’t stopped them from enjoying the season of Christmas. Whereas in America it’s all about the exchanging of presents and time with family, in Japan, Christmas is considered a more romantic holiday. Couples, especially young ones, use Christmas Eve to show their partner how much they care about each other. That’s why many episodes of anime that feature Christmas tend to focus on the romantic aspects of the day. However, one of my favorite examples of how Christmas is seen in Japan also stems from a Shonen anime that has a…mixed reception: Fairy Tail.
Based on an omake chapter of the same name, Fairies’ Christmas revolves around the titular magical guild enjoying the holiday season. When resident swordswoman Erza decides (unilaterally, I might add) to throw a Christmas party at her teammate Lucy’s apartment, things get out of control. Most of the women get drunk and start clinging to whatever guy they’re closest to, leaving Erza alone and upset at the fact that she’s single. In a drunken haze, she forces everyone to take part in a penalty game that forces everyone to do rather embarassing things to each other if they lose.
Chaos. Ensues.
You’ll Either Love This…or you Won’t
I already said it before, but I’ll say it again: I’m well aware that Fairy Tail has a mixed reception. However, that doesn’t change the fact that, when it’s allowed to let loose, it can make for some pretty hilarious moments. And since the concept of Legal Drinking Age doesn’t exist in their world, that means that drunken hijinks ensue thanks to Erza. As if Erza isn’t scary enough as it is, when she’s drunk, she’s an absolute wildcard.
As mean and unwelcome as Erza’s penalty game may seem when you consider the context behind it, it’s somewhat understandable. Japan sees Christmas as a romantic holiday, but due to circumstances beyond their control, she’s unable to be with the guy she likes, Jellal. Though that hasn’t stopped Hiro Mashima from teasing the heck out of fans about shipping them.
This OVA really has no purpose to it beyond giving us some laughs for the holiday season, but that doesn’t make it pointless. While things do get crazy, that’s generally par for the course when it comes to Fairy Tail. Plus, the special does end on a rather awkward, but still sweet, Erza and Jellal. As to what happens, that’s up for you to see for yourself. If you’re willing to give Fairy Tail a shot, it might be worth a watch for the holidays. If not, no loss.
It’s been a wild ride this fall, but the first season of Dan Da Dan is now in the history books. Fortunately, the next season has already been announced to be closer than we thought, and given how this season ends, fans will appreciate it. But before we get to that, we have to go over everything that happens in this season finale. As Momo, Okarun, and Jiji head to exorcise Jiji’s house, Okarun is still trying to get over the fact that he’s jealous of Jiji’s relationship with Momo. If only he could see that Momo doesn’t think of him like that.
We Can’t Hate Jiji!
So, after that whole fiasco with the living mannequins (and convincing Seiko to let the girlfriend live at their house), it looks like the mannequin thing is wrapped up. Unfortunately, Taro the mannequin didn’t have one of Okarun’s missing balls. He was just alive because…reasons.
Some people might want an explanation as to why these two mannequins are alive, but it’s actually funnier to leave people guessing as to why. With all the weirdness in the series, you learn to roll with this sort of thing.
Speaking of rolling with things, Okarun is dead set on keeping Momo’s attention firmly on him. That leads him to spend much of the episode trying to find ways to impress her, only for Jiji’s extroverted attitude to interfere. The worst part is that Ken can’t bring himself to hate the friendly Jiji, either. The young man is so nice that the two even start to bond over their shared interest in the supernatural. However, that doesn’t stop them from butting heads over who is closer to Momo, which is fun to watch.
LET'S GOOOOOOO. it's been kinda obvious now that Jiji's just being friendly and now it's the first time him and Okarun has the genuine friendship energy. I LOVE THIS#ダンダダン#Dandadanpic.twitter.com/cngHaVgsBf
What wasn’t fun to watch, though, was the way that the episode decides to end things. And since this is the season finale, it’s going to be generating a lot of controversy.
As Jiji explained, and Momo confirms for herself, his house is haunted by a powerful spirit. So powerful that it even manages to alter the appearance of the structure in a way that they don’t notice at first. However, that’s not the most unsettling part. During the episode, Momo breaks one of the cardinal rules of the horror genre by choosing to try out one of the village’s hot springs alone. Worse, the hot spring she winds up choosing is co-ed, a fact she only becomes aware of when a group of men come barging in. The episode ultimately ends with those same men openly attempting to assault Momo!
This…was not a good moment for the season to end things. While seeing perverts trying this sort of thing on women isn’t new in the Shonen genre, that doesn’t make the site of it any less horrifying. The fact the anime chooses to end the season without showing how Momo will get out of this only adds to the anxiety it’s going to put fans through. While they can always read the manga, some people prefer only to watch the anime to enjoy the story as it goes along. For that matter, having the anime cover the start of the next big arc only to end the season on such a tense moment seems like a failure to properly pace things out.
As much as I have enjoyed Dan Da Dan, I think that the anime genuinely screwed up by choosing to stop when it did. Not everyone is going to appreciate having to wait months to find out what happens next. It’s only the fact that they don’t have to wait long that may end up bringing them back.
While it was likely meant to be revealed at the end of the episode, Studio Saru announced that the next season of Dan Da Dan would be coming in July 2025. Relatively speaking, that’s fast for an anime! Hopefully, the season finale won’t end up driving away the fans that the show has worked so hard to gain, as it’s easily one of the best anime of the year. I, for one, am looking forward to getting to see more of it next summer!
RJ Writing Ink’s Look back on The Last: Naruto the Movie
December 2014, one month since the popular Shonen manga Naruto ended. It was the holiday season, but I only wanted one thing for Christmas that year: to see The Last: Naruto the Movie. I wanted it so badly I bought tickets to see it in theaters despite it being in another state. By fate or by luck, I wound up not needing them, as I was able to watch it somewhere else a few days after Christmas. At the time, I thought the film was a masterpiece, but that was due to riding the emotional high that came with the ending to the manga. Fast-forward ten years later, would I still consider it to be a masterpiece? Wanting to know this, I went back and rewatched it for the first time in years. And I’m happy to say that it’s as good as I remember it being.
A Thrilling Epilogue
Taking place two years after Naruto and Sasuke’s final battle, The Last: Naruto the Movie revolves around two things: saving the world and romance. Right as Hinata is working up the courage to confess to our titular hero, her sister gets kidnapped by a mysterious man named Toneri, who also wants her for some reason. Simultaneously, the Moon begins falling towards the Earth, threatening to wipe out all life on the planet. Sensing the two are connected, the now Hokage Kakashi sends Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, Sai, and Shikamaru on a mission to rescue Hinata’s sister, find Toneri, and stop the coming armageddon. However, the mission gets complicated by Toneri’s conitnued pursuit of Hinata and Naruto coming to realize just how much he means to her, and she to him.
There’s no denying that Naruto is one of the all-time Shonen greats, but even its most die-hard fans can admit it had two major shortcomings: lead female heroines and romantic sub-plots. She may not have started out as the main heroine, but it became apparent that many fans preferred Hinata over Sakura. Hinata’s efforts to grow out of her shy and timid nature, as well as her unconditional support for Naruto, endeared her to countless people. In contrast, Sakura started out the series being a flat, uninteresting character who’s only defining trait was her interest in Sasuke. Kishimoto tried to have her grow out of this, but the damage had already been done.
Furthermore, despite the series coming to have many different ships over the years, Kishimoto never capitalized on it due to his embarrassment over writing about romance. As a result, the chief ships found in the series, NaruHina and SasuSaku, the former didn’t get as much focus as it’s supporters wanted, while the latter ended up becoming toxic in nature after Sasuke went AWOL before Naruto finally set him straight.
Being Rushed Didn’t Make it Bad, Ya Know?
To put it simply, The Last was the film team and Kishimoto’s attempts at course correction, but some people say that it came too little, too late. To be fair, they’re not wrong. Looking back, the aftermath of the Invasion of Pain arc would’ve been the perfect chance for Naruto and Hinata to get a relationship upgrade. Hinata had not only fought to protect Naruto from Pain, but she flat-out told him she loved him. Yet nothing came of it, and with everything that followed, that plot thread never had time to be properly addressed. So, yes, the film had to shoehorn the romance in while they had the chance.
Here’s the thing, though: that doesn’t necessarily make it a bad thing. Sometimes, we can do our best when we’re under pressure. And with this being the last chance Kishimoto had to tell how Naruto and Hinata became a couple, he and his team were definitely feeling the pressure! But once he got over his reluctance to write a proper romance, he knocked it out of the park. I fully consider the time Naruto and Hinata spent searching the abandoned Ninja Village together to be their first date, and am prepared to die on that hill! I’m pretty sure I gasped when the moment came when Naruto turned out to be the one to confess his love to Hinata first, rather than the other way around. And that famous kiss that the two of them shared at the end of the movie, as they’re floating in the sky with the moon in the background. *Chef’s kiss* That’s how you do a kiss scene, people! And that’s not even getting into the scenes of their wedding that take up the credits. I started crying tears of joy when I went back to watch it again!
As sweet as it was to see the two getting the chance to make up for lost time, though, there’s another reason why I think the romantic part of this film works. In a critical scene partway through the film, the group gets trapped in a genjutsu based on their memories. During that time, Naruto winds up seeing many of Hinata’s memories, including a recent conversation she had with Sakura. That memory has Sakura explaining that Naruto has no concept of what romantic love really is. To some, that might not make sense because Naruto has understood what romantic love is. But remember that for all his emotional intelligence at times, Naruto did grow up orphan. Not having his parents around to show him what a romantic relationship looked like probably didn’t do him any favors. Also, the tearjerker section for the TV Tropes page for the movie speculates that, thanks to his lonely childhood, the idea of someone being in love with him was practically a foreign concept. He may have largely gotten over his hard early life, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t still affect him!
ABSOLUTE PEAK FIGHTING!
It wasn’t just the romance that made the movie so enjoyable for me. This is still a Shonen film, and that means that there’s plenty of action to be had. Naruto’s friends and allies working to destroy the falling meteorites before they can wipe out the planet. Hinata holding her own against Toneri’s army of puppets until Toneri himself intervened and captured her. And last, but not least, Naruto fighting against the empowered Toneri on the surface of the Moon. They wound up traveling all the way from Earth to the Moon and fought on its surface with no problems whatsoever. It doesn’t matter if that shouldn’t be possible; it’s cool as can be! And the best part is that that final clash was done to a remix of Naruto’s original theme song. It’s a testament to where our hero has come from and how much he has grown from being a weak outcast to the strongest ninja alive! Ten years later, I still get goosebumps rewatching it!
If I could list at least one major complaint that I have looking back on the film, though, then it would have to be about the film’s main antagonist, Toneri Otsutsuki. When I first watched the film ten years ago, I saw as this poor, misguided young man who thought he was following his ancestor’s wishes by trying to destroy the world. As Hinata discovers for herself, though, that belief was based on his half of the family misunderstanding their ancestor’s wishes. That led to them wiping each other out while Toneri was still a child, leaving him the last person alive on the Moon. And after being defeated and learning how wrong he was, he chooses to exile himself there forever, with not even his puppet servants to keep him company.
My One Gripe (or Two)
As sad as Toneri’s life is, after rewatching the film years later, my sympathy for him has decreased. While he does try to care about Hinata as a person, the way he interacts with her reminded me of an abusive husband, right up to the point where he tries to violate her free will using his own Chakra. That just shows how little he understood other people! And unlike the whole “colony drop” thing, his actions against Hinata and Naruto were all on him. He’s lucky that they were nice enough to save his life when they could’ve simply let him die at the end!
Oh, and I never really liked Naruto’s new appearance in this movie. I don’t like seeing his hair so short! It looks weird to me!
So, the bottom line is that, while it would’ve been better had the series done more to move Naruto and Hinata’s relationship forward, I can’t complain that much about The Last: Naruto the Movie turned out. Ten years since its release, it still remains one of the series best stories. It shows that Kishimoto did have it in him to write a good romance. And while some might see it as a reminder of what we could’ve gotten had he realized this sooner, I’m still happy that we got it at all!
Jealousy, envy, coveting; call it what you want, but when we feel it, it’s never a good thing. And right now, Ken Takakura is feeling both jealous…and dejected. When Momo’s old friend and first crush shows up at her doorstep, the poor boy’s already low self-esteem takes an even bigger nosedive. Thankfully, this episode revolves around him getting a reminder of why he shouldn’t be so quick to give up on his feelings. And, in typical Dan Da Dan fashion, it happens in the most hilarious, over-the-top fashion.
Is Jiji’s Gojo’s Long-Lost Cousin?
At the end of the last episode, Momo opens her front door to find a tall, athletic, and handsome young man standing outside. This is Jiji, Momo’s old friend when they were little kids, and, according to her grandma, her first crush. His family moved before middle school, and, to make a long story short, their house is haunted. So haunted that the ghost chased off every medium they hired…or made them kill themselves. Now his folks are in the hospital, and Seiko is the only one who can purge the ghost. But since she’s useless outside their city, Momo will have to do it. That won’t happen until the next episode though.
The main focus of this episode is the arrival of Jiji and how he affects the status quo. Played by Aleks Le, Jiji is, essentially, a younger, even goofier version of Gojo from JuJutsu Kaisen. Given how goofy Gojo can be, that should tell you what kind of person he is. Between his good looks, his extroverted personality, and charisma, he quickly wins over everyone at school. Even Seiko likes him, though that’s because he compliments how amazing she looks. Momo, though, sees him and finds herself questioning why they were friends to begin with.
It should be noted that Jiji was one of the people who made fun of her for believing in ghosts as a kid, a fact that he deeply regrets. Combined with the possibility that he returned her crush (and may still have one), it’s clear he’s trying to make amends for his past actions. However, Momo just finds him annoying now, preferring a more solemn guy like Ken Takakura…the actor. She still won’t admit that she’s fallen for Ken-Chan.
Speaking of which, poor Okarun’s already low self-esteem takes an even further nosedive here. Jiji is everything that he isn’t, or at least what he thinks he isn’t. And since he’s starting to fall in love with her, that is making him jealous. Rather than get angry and aggressive over it, though, he decides to bow out. While that normally would be the right thing to do, in this case he means to cut himself off from Momo altogether.
Don’t Stop Fighting for Momo, Okarun!
EP 11 At the end there is some romance again – Dan Da Dan style
Love and friendships can be hard when you are young, and with how introverted Ken-Chan can be, it’s understandable that he doesn’t see how good a person he really is. If he higher more self-esteem, he would be able to recognize that Momo’s one-time friend now greatly irritates her with his antics. Fortunately, since he is a protagonist, the universe provides him with the reminder he needs…in the silliest way possible.
Dan Da Dan has shown us many crazy things: aliens of all sorts, ghosts, and more. But I think the sight of an anatomical mannequin running through the streets to find his girlfriend at a dump might be the craziest thing I’ve seen on this show. And that’s counting the race with Turbo Granny! But seeing him be so passionate about reuniting with his love lights a fire in Okarun. Thanks to that, he’s able to overcome his insecurities and fight for his friendship with Momo. Not that he needs to fight for it, mind you. The reason why he and Momo work so well together is because they’re polar opposites. They balance each other out, keep the other grounded. Rest assured, their friendship is stronger than either of them realizes.
Sad to say it, though, but next episode will mark the final episode for this first season of Dan Da Dan. However, with how popular it has proven, it’s going to get a second season. And I look forward to seeing that come to pass.
The last few episodes of Dan Da Dan have been chaotic for our group of teens. First, Aira’s misguided attempts to seduce Ken lead to a misunderstanding between him and Momo. Then those banana-obsessed aliens come back with minions and try to capture Ken and kill Momo and Aira. And even though they win, every high schooler’s worst nightmare takes place. The entire school sees the girls in their underwear and Ken in his birthday suit!
After the most embarrassing moment of their lives up to that point, Ken, Momo, and Aira take shelter in the nurse’s office and get spare tracksuits. Thankfully, the nurse is the understanding and supportive type…though I almost lost it when I saw that she gave off the energy of a dominatrix. She had the flogger and everything!
Now comes the real issue: explaining the incident and salvaging their reputations before they have to change schools. Momo’s friends come up with the silliest, but also most believable, explanation in the form of a gladiator fight between the girls over Okarun. To be fair, they’re not wrong to assume there’s a love triangle. We should know by now that there is a love triangle between Momo, Aira, and Okarun, even if Momo and Okarun don’t realize it yet. And while Ken does manage to explain what really happened when she walked in on him and Aira, I didn’t appreciate how she teased him over his reasons for being quiet about exercising. Trying to look cool in front of a person you like is a big deal for someone like Ken, and as light-hearted as it was, her trolling him felt a little mean.
But not as mean as what Aira did to Momo.
RIP Aira’s Popularity
Initially, the trio planned to tell the school that the incident was Momo’s fault, but before Aira can do that, her past actions come back to haunt her. Remember how she spread lies about Momo being promiscuous before? Those lies, combined with what happened, almost incite Aira’s classmates into an angry mob. And Aira, in a moment of character development, fesses up that she started the fake rumors, destroying her popularity.
When we first met Aira, she was the kind of shallow, self-absorbed person who would do something that mean-spirited. And while she’s still a bit full of herself, the fact that she was willing to fess up for the sake of a girl she doesn’t like that much is a sign of positive character development. There might be hope for Aira yet, people! There has to be, though, since they still have to deal with Yokai and Aliens.
Earlier in this episode, Ken theorizes that the reason the Serpoians wanted Turbo Granny’s powers is because the aliens’ tech is useless against all the supernatural forces found on Earth. I’m no stranger to seeing science and magic existing in a shared world, but it’s still pretty cool hearing that ghosts and spirits are acting like a nuclear deterrent against alien invasion. However, at least one alien won’t bother them anymore: The Mantis Shrimp, AKA the Dover Demon, Kappa, and Mr. Peeny-Weeny.
EVER SEEN AN ALIEN ABDUCT A COW?
Somehow, Mantis Shrimp survived their fight, but is so beat up that he passes out right in front of the girls. Everyone feels so sorry for him that they nurse him back to health and feed him, prompting the grateful alien to pledge his loyalty to them. And Dover becomes even more sympathetic when it’s revealed he only took the job to pay for life-saving blood transfusions for his son. I might not approve of him working for the Serpoians, but I think most of us can agree that he’s a good dad! Also, we got this!
The funniest part, though? It turns out their species’ blood is exactly like cow milk. So we get one of the most over-the-top versions of the classic “Aliens stealing cattle” trope I have ever seen! And it’s made even funnier when Seiko refuses to believe that Mr. Shrimp’s an alien!
….Uh-Oh
This episode is mostly dealing with the falling action and aftermath to last week’s frankly insane experience. However, just when it looks like things might calm down, we get thrown another curve-ball. Momo’s childhood friend, a boy named Jiji, comes over, having been invited by her grandma to stay for reasons. And to make matters worse, Seiko tells Ken that Jiji was Momo’s first crush.
And with that, our love triangle has become a love…rectangle? Quadrangle? Double-triangle? No matter what it’s called, the look on Ken’s face and the previews for the next episode tell us that the drama’s about to increase. I feel so sorry for Ken right now!
I Give “”Have You Ever Seen a Cattle Mutilation?” a 4/5
Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Now that Goku has beaten one of the Tamagami, his name is spreading like wildfire throughout the Demon Realm. This next episode of Daima has us dealing with the aftermath of Goku’s victory and the unwanted attention it provides. And while the episode largely focused on the comedy, we got a hint about something Gomah is looking for, and see the birth of a potential threat to Goku.
Don’t Steal From Goku
Having won the first of the Demon Realm’s Dragon Balls, the gang decides to spend the night in a hotel instead of camping out again. That means that Goku has to put on a disguise to avoid attracting attention thanks to his newfound notoriety. Since it’s Goku, though…it doesn’t last very long. And, just as the others fear, thieves attempt to steal their Dragon Ball. They do succeed for a short time, but thanks to Panzy putting a tracking device on it, and Goku’s intimidation, they get it back pretty quickly.
The fact that they almost lose the Dragon Ball isn’t the point, though. The point the series is trying to make is that, from here on out, they’re going to need to be a little more careful about their prize. To the best of my knowledge, they didn’t bring a dragon radar, so if they lose it again, it could hard to get it back. And speaking of losing things, guess who lost their own plane due to it getting stolen by bandits.
In a rather hilarious echo of the first group, Vegeta’s group lost their own plane after he beat up a group of bandits. What’s worse is that when Goku’s team catches up to where Vegeta’s team is stuck, they don’t have the room to hold all of them. Thus, any chance of the parties merging gets put on the back burner.
To be fair, it seems like keeping the entire party in two separate groups is a deliberate handicap on the story’s part. If they all joined up into a single group, they would be strong enough to handle everything thrown their ways. Goku, Vegeta, Glorio, Shin, and Piccolo would mow down every enemy in sight, while Bulma and Panzy would invent something capable of getting them straight to King Gomah. No Mr. Warp needed. As for Hybis, he might be more important than he realizes. Here’s why.
Just a Theory. A Dragon Ball Theory!
During this episode, word reaches Gomah that not only have Goku and the others followed him to the Demon Realm, but Goku already beat one of the Tamagami. With his plans to neutralize the potential threat having backfired, the king once again laments being unable to obtain the Evil Third Eye. Described as a powerful artifact lost during the reign of one of Dabura’s predecessors, the Evil Eye is said to grant immense power to anyone who puts in on their forehead. However, I don’t think it’s actually lost. During this episode, it’s revealed that Hybis has this weird, living he found attached to his belt. The fact that this came up right as we heard about the Evil Eye again can’t be a mere coincidence. It’s subtle foreshadowing that this potentially powerful MacGuffin is already in the hero’s hands and they don’t even realize it. If I’m right, then all those years reading One Piece and learning about foreshadowing were worth it!
While Vegeta’s party ends the episode with them poised to recover their plane from the bandits, the episode ends by shifting back to Marba and Dr. Arinsu’s attempts to make a clone of Majin Buu. They manage to succeed, combining the Buu fragment with a Saibaman seed. I never thought we’d see the Saibamen again, so this was a big surprise. Unfortunately, then we learn the name that Arinsu gives her new minion: Majin…Kuu.
I’m sorry, but what? I’m aware that Toriyama liked to name his characters based on puns. However, for the life of me, I can’t figure out if Kuu is meant to be a pun, or just a lame reuse of Buu. I’m really hoping that there’s a pun in there, or that Kuu is just as strong as Buu. Otherwise, the tension of having someone compete for the Dragon Balls will seem a bit pointless.
It now looks like the race is on for the Dragon Balls, and while this episode was relatively slow, not every episode has to be an absolute banger. Comedy is just as much a part of Dragon Ball as action, and since Daima is returning the franchise to its roots, we should expect plenty more comedy.
It’s been two months now since the start of Dragon Ball Daima, there’s yet to be any dub of it on Crunchyroll. So far, the only dub for the new Dragon Ball series has been in the form of a compilation film that came out for a few days in November, and that only covered the first three episodes. With simuldubbing becoming more and more common in recent years, these two months could feel like years for those who insist on only watching dubbed anime. Granted, many anime still like to get a few episodes out before they start airing the dub to prevent it from being overtaken, but that’s not the point. But the wait for the dub of Daima will only be a few more weeks. In a recent post on their website, Crunchyroll announced that the dub for Dragon Ball Daima will begin January 10th, 2025.
Besides the obvious interest that stems from the dubbing of the new addition of a legendary anime, there’s another reason why people should pay attention to the dub of Daima. Because they’ll be spending most, if not all, of the series stuck in their kid forms, most of the returning characters won’t be voiced by their regular actors. The one exception will be Goku, once again voiced by Stephanie Nadolny. She’s famously provided the dub voice for Kid Goku in most Dragon Ball media. Most of the rest of the kid-ified cast will be voiced by relative newcomers. What makes this exciting (to me, at least) is that it’s giving a new generation of VA’s to leave their marks on the popular franchise. More importantly, if they do well enough, that could lead to them getting more work. With how tough the entertainment business can be, especially for newcomers, landing a potentially high-profile role can go a long way for job prospects.
As for me, I’m just happy to be able to watch the series in dub form come the new year. Having spent my teen years watching the original Dragon Ball in dub form online, it will be nice to get to hear Stephanie Nadolny’s voice again after all this time. And I wholeheartedly support letting my generation of VA’s try their hand at Dragon Ball.
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