Shonen

The Netflix One Piece Series is Bigger and Better in Season 2!

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One Piece Season 2 Review

Everyone, would you do me the honors and come sail with me to the Grand Line in search of the One Piece?

Three years ago, Netflix managed to do what many, myself included, thought impossible: made a live-action version of One Piece that was actually good. For that matter, making a live-action adaptation of an anime that was good, period. How did they do this? To paraphrase Honest Trailers, “by changing absolutely nothing, no matter ridiculous it may seem.” That, and Eichiro Oda made sure the streaming giant didn’t wreck his life’s work. The bottom line is that Netflix’s One Piece was better than anyone thought possible. People who had never gotten into the series got to give it a try, and the people who had stuck with it for years got to fall in love with it all over again. But the thing about the first season is that it was just a warm-up. The second season is when the show would really show whether or not if it could live up to the legendary anime and manga.

After spending the entirety of my weekend binging the series, I can confidently assert that, once again, One Piece knows what it’s doing. Thank you, Eichiro D. (G)oda!

One Piece is Back

The first season of One Piece was an abridged retelling of the first part of the story of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew. How he met and assembled the pirates that initially made up the Straw Hat Pirates, got their first ship, and became the toughest pirates in their native East Blue. After that, it’s off to the Grand Line to find the One Piece…with one last stop.

For reasons I cannot understand, some fans were convinced that Netflix was going to skip the Loguetown Arc, the last portion of the opening saga of the series. I knew that they weren’t going to do that, though! That would bring up too many plot holes in the future! I still found it funny, though, when the show had Nami cheekily say “and you thought we were gonna skip Loguetown.” The writers know the fans so well!

As for the Loguetown Arc itself, it’s only the first episode of the season, so it has to condense a lot of material. That includes adding in a certain character who sees what Luffy does in Loguetown and becomes an important ally much later in the story. That’s the benefit of the Netflix series, though. Having almost three decades of extra lore and knowing who and what will be important means they can add a lot of stuff that Oda didn’t add when writing the story.

Who Cares Who Plays the Characters?

Case in point, we got to see Luffy sing Oda’s original song, Binks Brew, to a giant whale. And we got to see a flashback to Brook, his future crewmember, back when he wasn’t a talking skeleton. For some reason, though, people seemed surprised to have him played by a Black man. Me? I just shrugged my shoulders and didn’t care. The Straw Hats were already supposed to be a multi-national crew, so why does it matter?

Speaking of which, I need to bring up the elephant in the room: Princess Vivi, who joins the cast as one of the main characters this season. Last year, a lot of people were in an uproar about who was cast to play the Princess of Alabasta: Charithra Chandran, a British-Indian actress. Haters thought that it was Netflix trying to enforce diversity onto the show. However, that is not true. Not only did Oda base Alabasta on Middle Eastern and Indian cultures, but he personally chose Charithra to play Vivi. And in that regard, I think Charithra excelled. She starts off as the menacing Miss Wednesday, but once she abandons that, she’s the same kind, compassionate, and caring princess I remember watching in the trenches from the 4Kids days. So all those people owe her an apology.

It Gets Crazier from Here

Now, the real test of this season was how accurately it could capture the story going forward, as the first season was just a warm-up. Once the story moves from the East Blue to the Grand Line, realism starts to take a backseat as Oda started to incorporate the more fantastical elements to the world he created. Whales big enough to swallow ships; islands that need special compasses to navigate to them; every location varying in climate, culture, and wildlife. The halfway point of the season alone takes us to an island populated by dinosaurs! And that’s not even getting into all the new powers!

In the first season, the only two characters who had the powers of a Devil Fruit were Luffy and Buggy. That changes in the Grand Line, as almost every location the Straw Hats visit and many of the foes they face have Devil Fruit powers. From a guy turning his boogers into explosives to a creep who can create candle wax, the powers are only going to get crazier from here on out. And some of the ancillary characters that survive in the manga bite it here.

I’m not kidding. If you thought Mihawk killing Don Krieg was surprising, wait until you see how many of the bad guys end up dying once their roles are fulfilled. At least they go out in style, though.

Which brings me to another great aspect of the show: the combat.

Remember how Zoro cut down 100 Bounty Hunters?

Given how fantastical One Piece is, the fights tend to be absolutely insane. So adapting them for live action was always going to be a big concern. The first season showed that it could do it, but like everything else, season two is where the series really has to step up. To make a long story short, it does, and while I could give plenty of examples, my favorite has to be Zoro’s legendary 1v100 bar brawl. They could’ve skimped on it, but Netflix didn’t. Mackenyu gave us twelve minutes of Zoro annihilating everyone in his path, and it is glorious. I have no idea how long it took to film all that, but considering how he did his own stunts, that must have been a crazy workout! Respect to him and the rest of the cast for all that they did.

Speaking of the cast, though, we need to talk about my favorite part of the season: Drum Island.

Drum Island Still Made me Cry

I started my One Piece journey right around the tail-end of the Drum Island arc that introduced us to the series mascot, the ever-adorable, floofy Chopper. I spent the better part of my time watching reruns on Cartoon Network to get caught up. And when I got to the Drum Island Arc…man, it stuck with me.

If you know One Piece, then you know that a lot of the characters have very, very sad backstories. But for ten-year-old me, Chopper’s backstory had to be the saddest. Ostracized by his fellow reindeer, considered a monster by humans (why, though? He’s so cute!) And losing his father figure, Hiruluk? Even with all the censoring that 4Kids did for the dub they never wanted, I knew that Hiruluk blew himself up! That was hard to watch as a kid, and the Netflix series managed to make it every bit as heart-breaking to watch as an adult. In other words, I LOVED IT! And I loved Chopper.

Don’t get me wrong: at times Chopper’s CGI model could be cringe to look at, especially his human-bruiser form. And I do wish that they had just gotten Brina Palencia to voice him like she does in the dub, as it took me a while to get used to his voice actor. I’m not even sure if I really got used to him by the time the season ended! But I knew going in that the show was going to be fighting an uphill bringing Chopper into live-action. All things considered, I think that they did a decent job. It could’ve been far, far worse than what we got. Plus, the climax of the entire season was absolutely incredible. Something that we didn’t get to see in the anime, and still managed to be awesome.

I Give Netflix’s One Piece another 3 Seasons, tops

So, did One Piece manage to hit the mark once again? Yes. Is it a perfect adaptation? No, but is anything really perfect in this world? Are some of the changes for the better? I can’t be the one to decide that. Am I going to watch it again in Japanese? ABSOLUTELY. But where do we go from here?

Well, the next season is going to cover the arc where I actually stepped into the world of One Piece, the Alabasta Arc. And given how big that arc was, and how it marked the start of several major formulas for the series going forward, I think it’s safe to say that it will be the sole focus of the entire season. Which is fine by me, because I’m well aware that there’s no way Netflix can adapt the entire anime into live-action. At some point it will take too long, cost too much money, the actors will get too old to reasonably play the roles, and frankly, I don’t think the technology exists to capture the franchise in its latter stages. My guess is that it will run to the end of the Water Seven Saga, if we’re lucky! But regardless of how long it lasts, I intend to enjoy it all. My only wish is that the third season will switch to a weekly release date. This way we can fully enjoy everything as it comes out. Please, Netflix? Give this to us!

Verdict: WATCH IT!!

The Legal Crash Out: Hiromi Higuruma

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Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 Ep 8 Review

Crash outs. Moments where people hit their rage-breaking point and proceed to commit acts that can be considered violent, reckless, or stupid. Jujutsu Kaisen has already given us a prime example of how dangerous a crash-out can be thanks to Makiโ€™s purging of the Zenin Clan. Though in that case, it was justified by the fact that they were already planning to kill her on top of the years of abuse. However, Yuji and Megumiโ€™s efforts to stop the Culling Game have led them to look for someone else who not only crashed out, but is in the middle of it: Hiromi Higuruma. And we get to see firsthand what happens when a good person hits their breaking point and proceeds to crash out.

No Bullying EVER!

Now, Yuji and Megumi have gotten separated after entering Tokyo Colony No. 1, but their ultimate goal remains the same: finding a Culling Game player with the points to add rules that will allow them to play without killing anyone or giving unwilling players the chance to tap out. Their first target is a guy named Higuruma, and while both find someone who claims to know where he is, Megumi is being led into a trap. That girl he met is bringing him back to this player whose powers I think have to do with receipts. Am I worried? No; it’s Megumi. He’s got his shikigami! It will work out!

Yuji, on the other hand, is being told the truth. The guy whose leading him is someone who knew him before he became a sorcerer. He was this guy who hung with bullies and did what they said because it was easier than making himself a target. One day, though, Yuji showed up and beat the bullies up, and this guy realized he had been a coward and decided to clean up his act.

This is why I love shonen protagonists so much. Whether it’s Goku, Luffy, Naruto, or Yuji, they have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to people abusing their power for evil. It doesn’t matter if they’re stronger than them, or higher in status, or even if they’re a god. If they catch you doing wrong, they’re gonna throw hands. And more often than not, they bring them to justice in one form or another.

What Happens when a Good Man Crashes Out

Justice, by the way, is something that needs to be mentioned. Because justice, or the lack of it, is what defines the man whom Yuji came to find: Hiromi Higuruma. And it’s why this man chose to crash out.

Interesting fact about the Japanese criminal justice system: it has a successful conviction rate of 99%. Thatโ€™s not because it’s just that good, but because it only pursues cases that it already thinks will end in a guilty verdict. That might sound efficient, but there’s a flaw to this line of thinking: what if the defendant is innocent? Then the prosecution will look stupid and ruin their careers. Even worse, though, is being the defense attorney. How are you supposed to do your job when everyone else thinks it’s a waste of time since they already decided the person is guilty? That is not good for oneโ€™s mental health, and nowhere is this better shown than with Higuruma, Defense Attorney.

Higuruma is a man with an incredibly strong sense of justice. If he thinks that a client is innocent, then he will raise hell to prove it. He genuinely wants justice to be enacted, no matter what society thinks. But a society that’s already decided the defendantโ€™s guilty will use everything it has to make sure it wins. And then when his clients are still found guilty, they blame him for giving them false hope. He knows that theyโ€™re only doing this because of how desperate they are, but it still hurts!

Case in point, there was latest client accused of murder. He didn’t do it, and was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and despite the mountain of evidence proving his innocence, the justice system wouldn’t take the L. So they appealed the verdict, and despite not finding any new evidence, they still convicted the man. And that was enough to make him finally crash out and awaken as a Jujutsu Sorcerer.

This has to be one of the coldest moments in the entire series, and for good reason. There are people online saying that Gege Akutami consulted with actual defense attorneys to make Higuruma as authentic as possible. If that is true, then he managed to write an absolutely scathing critique of his countryโ€™s justice system, because Higuruma is a man who has reached his limit with the law. And when the law fails a good person too many times, they may crash out and take matters into their own hands. In Higurumaโ€™s case, he manifests a Shikigami and forces a retrialโ€ฆbut not for the defendant.

Spoiler alert: he ended up killing the judge and prosecutor. And by the time Yuji meets up with him, he’s still in the middle of a crash out, as he doesn’t care about helping Yuji. And when Yuji presses the issue, he hits back. Hard.

This is gonna be one Epic Fight!

This is one of the best moments of the entire season for me. Not only is the animation as smooth as butter, but it also shows just how powerful Higuruma is. He’s only been a Jujutsu Sorcerer for two weeks, and he’s already got a Domain Expansion. Do you know how insane that is? It’s so impressive, itโ€™s actually scary! And now Yuji has to fight this guy in a courtroom-style fight. The next episode cannot get here soon enough, you guys!

If what I have seen with all the gifs and memes about Higuruma online are any indication, this is going to be a fan favorite episode. Higuruma is in the running for the crash out hall of fame, and I can’t wait to see his technique at work!

I Give “Tokyo Colony No. 1 – Part 2” a 4.5/5

Yuji and Megumi enter the Culling Game!

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Jujutsu Kaisen S3 Ep 7 Review

Itโ€™s time, everyone. The Culling Game has been underway for a while now, and the longer it goes on, the easier it will be for Kenjakuโ€™s insane plans to be fulfilled. With Yuji and the others having gathered their allies, theyโ€™re ready to enter the Game. Which, at this point, Iโ€™m basically considering to be the JuJutsu equivalent of Fortnite.

Ironically, Yuji, Gojo, Nobara and Megumi are already in Fortnite.

Hakari Wants in On the Future

So, after getting Hakari and Kirara to calm down and listen to them, the former has the same reaction as the latter when they learn Gojo was sealed. To be fair, though, hearing that their strongest has been sealed would make anyone react like that. But now that Hakari knows that there backs are up against the wall, heโ€™s willing to help them out. But heโ€™s not just doing this out of the goodness of his heart! He wants to make a deal!

The short version: now that the existence of Cursed Spirits is public and the leaders of Jujutsu society are gonna need to be purged, things are going to need to be reformed. And Hakari wants to make sure the new rules will benefit him and his money-making schemes. Megumi agrees to the terms, since heโ€™s the head of the Zenin Clan now. Seeing Hakari start sucking up to Megumi after he hears that was pretty funny. What makes it even funnier, though, is that the next day, Maki wipes out the Zenin Clan, making it a moot point.

Even if Megumi canโ€™t really flex that clan power anymore, though, I think Hakari has the right to be involved in rebuilding Jujutsu society. I didnโ€™t mention it in my review of the last episode, but one reason he got ostracized is that his Cursed Technique is more modern and tech-based. And the jerks in charge are so old-fashioned that they look down on it. But no society can improve if it keeps the same old ways forever, and if its leaders resist that notion, get rid of them. And after what they have done since Shibuya, Jujutsu HQ is going to be burned to the ground once Gojo gets out.

But enough of that: itโ€™s time to enter the Culling Game, especially Yuji.

Let the Culling Game begin!

So, it was previously established that entering one of the colonies of the Culling Game makes someone a player by default. Since the group hadnโ€™t entered yet, they thought they had time to prepare. However, they overlooked one possibility: that Sukuna might have agreed to take part in the Game in the past. Thanks to that, Yuji is already a player and canโ€™t put off entering any longer. Thus, the group heads to the Tokyo Colonies.

Their plan is simple. To ensure that Megumiโ€™s sister can get out of the Culling Game, they want to find players who already the points needed to add more rules. They figure that if they persuade them, they can add two new rules: one to allow points to transfer between players, and another that lets players tag someone else in to take their place. This way, they can make it through the Game without killing anyone. Yuji and Megumi go into one colony to find a player who has the points, while Hakari and Panda take the other to find Angel, the only one who can unseal Gojo. However, no plan survives first contact with the enemy, and this is no exception.

Firstly, the second Yuji and Megumi enter the colony, they find themselves separated. This was a rule that the barriers added so players would spawn in at different points without any control over it. Itโ€™s like PUBg or Fortnite in that regard. And unfortunately for Yuji and Megumi, the game already has players pulling off toxic gamer moves, like spawnpoint camping.

As a gamer with years of experience in online multiplayer, it disgusts me to see people using spawnpoint camping to earn points. That being said, I canโ€™t help but find it funny seeing Yuji get jumped by two random newbies and turning the tables on them. They shouldnโ€™t have messed with the main protagonist. And as it so happens, their third member is someone Yuji used to go to school with and knows where to find one of the hundred-point playersโ€ฆor so they say.

Someone is Sus

Meanwhile, Megumi runs into this woman whoโ€™s trying way too hard to play up the weak and helpless damsel routine, which sparks plenty of red flags in my head. She also claims to know where this player theyโ€™re looking for is, but she gives him a different location. Which means one of them is being lied to, and will thus be getting an ass-whooping later. Sadly, we will have to wait at least two weeks to find out. The anime is going to be on break.

I donโ€™t really care that much that the anime will be on break. Months of One Piece going on break for recap episodes have gotten me used to the idea. Plus, the next episode is going to be absolute fire, I just know it! In the meantime, what Iโ€™m more interested in is Hakariโ€™s English voice actor. I assumed that it would go to Chris Sabat, but Yuri Lowenthal was not someone I was expecting! People from my generation are probably already saying how heโ€™s delinquent Sasuke. To be fair, though, Sasuke was a delinquent for half the series.

I Give “Tokyo No. 1 Colony, Part 1” a 4.5/5

Why are Cursed Techniques so Confusing at Times?

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JuJutsu Kaisen S3 Ep 6 Review

Well, that didn’t take long. Yuji, Megumi, and Panda infiltrated the underground fight club run by their jujutsu senpai’s, Hakari and Kirara, to recruit them for the Culling Games. Unfortunately, they’ve been made! Now, since they’re not going to do this the easy way, they’re gonna have to do this the hard way. Which is fine by me, because it gives us a chance to see how our protagonists measure up against their senpai’s. That, and we got confirmation that Megumi is ripped as they come!

I Don’t Get Kirara’s Power

So, while Yuji was upstairs talking to Hakari, Megumi and Panda were trying to sneak into the fight club in case things went south. Unfortunately, they were spotted by Kirara (who we will use they/them pronouns for). They think the two are working for Jujutsu High’s higher-ups (who are toxic conservatives), so they alert Hakari. That leads into Hakari throwing hands with Yuji as we saw at the end of the last episode, and now things have to be done the hard way.

To Kirara’s credit, Megumi and Panda are from Jujutsu High, but are just choosing not to follow the higher-ups orders. And even when the two tell them that they sought their help because Gojo was sealed, they don’t buy it. If we hadn’t seen it for ourselves, I doubt the viewers would believe it, either! But the only reason that this happens is so that the story can show off what Kirara can do with their cursed techniques. And it’s…pretty complex.

I love the shonen genre; I’ve always loved it. However, one thing that’s always bugged me is how some series have power systems that can be downright confusing to understand. The biggest offender is JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, especially in the later parts, but JJK can be just as hard to understand at times. Case in point, I had a hard time wrapping my head around Kirara’s Cursed Technique. The basic idea is that it marks people and items based on the stars in the Southern Cross constellation. You have to approach each mark based on its order in the constellation, I think. And if you don’t approach in the correct order, you get repelled like being Force pushed.

I’m sorry, but that kind of power just doesn’t appeal to me in the slightest. It’s too confusing to wrap my head around and I think that saying Kirara could repel things they touch would be simpler. It’s only thanks to the show’s superb animation that I was able to maintain my interest. It doesn’t really matter, though, because Megumi and Panda win and convince Kirara to hear them out.

Hakari, on the other hand…is too fired up to listen as he and Yuji come out of the monitor room in a fist fight.

I Respect Hakari’s Love for Passion

Here’s the thing about Yuji as of this moment: he’s not in the best mental headspace. He was talked into coming back with his friends and half-brother, but what happened in Shibuya is not something he can get over. He already put little value on his own life, but after Sukuna’s rampage and what Mahito did, it’s devolved to the point where he sees himself as a cog in a never-ending war. His only purpose is to kill Cursed Spirits and help his friends, and nothing else. As much as I like seeing people act selflessly, though, there’s a point where it becomes detrimental to one’s well-being. And it’s this way of thinking that gets on Hakari’s nerves the most.

Unlike Yuji, who’s entire reason for living is to help others, Hakari embodies the concept of putting one’s own interests above all else. He’s passionate about what he loves, and likes seeing that kind of passion in other people. It sounds selfish and greedy at first glance, but when you think about it, everyone wants something more than anything in life, even if it’s something selfless. He wants to see a world where people are free to do what they love the most, which is why he initially can’t stand seeing Yuji think so little of his own existence. To put it bluntly, it pisses him off.

Ironically, it’s this very mindset of Yuji that gets Hakari to finally hear him out. Yuji Itadori’s so determined to stop the Culling Game that he tanks every one of Hakari’s punches, which just makes him angrier. It gets to the point where Kirara calls out how riled up Yuji’s resolve has gotten him. By his own logic, Yuji has passion.

The timing couldn’t be better. A new rule has been added to the Culling Game by one of the players: players can see the status and location of all other players. This rule was added not by them or any of their allies, but by one of the players who’s already at work. To make it worse, it’s one of the Sorcerers who was brought back by possessing someone else. Their name is Hajime Kashimo, and judging by what he says in his first appearance, he’s a real blood knight. The whole reason he added that rule was so that he could track down and fight Sukuna.

I repeat, this reincarnated Sorcerer actually wants to fight Sukuna. And he’s not Gojo! You have to be next-level crazy to want to do that!!

If this is the kind of enemy that’s in the Culling Game, then Yuji and the others are gonna need all the help they can get. They need Hakari!

Next episode, we’re finally joining in on the Culling Game, and it looks like we’re starting off on the best foot possible.

I Give “Cog” a 4/5

Hakari the Gangster Sorcerer Joins the Story

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JuJutsu Kaisen S3 Ep 5 Review

The preparation for the Culling Game continues. Maki may not have gotten the cursed tools of the Zenin Clan and lost her sister, but she did wipe them all out. No more of their toxic influence and Game of Thrones scheming. Meanwhile, Yuji and Megumi have to go and convince a senpai on bad terms with the authority figures to help them in the Game. And this guy is a real rebel who believes in following oneโ€™s passion to the fullest!

Which is fine by me, as I like people who want to follow their dreams even if they’re crazy. And anyone on bad terms with the leaders of the Jujutsu world gets bonus points in my book. Plus, it helps that their seiyuu is the guy who plays Roronoa Zoro!

Those Old Geezers at JJ HQ are on my Hate List

If it hasn’t been made clear by my reviews of JJK, or some of my other writings, I hate toxic conservatism. By which I mean I hate dogmatic people who insist on maintaining things the way they are, even when changing with the times would benefit them. And the leaders of Jujutsu society that aren’t named Satoru Gojo all qualify as such. Not only did they try to kill Yuji and make it a crime for Gojo to be unsealed, but this episode opens with one of their most heinous crimes: the murder of Principal Yaga.

Yaga was the one who created Panda, the first self-sustaining Cursed Corpse. HQ wanted that secret technique to create their own army of puppets to enforce their rules, but Yaga refused. And he made sure that before he died, he only told his fellow Principal Gakuganji the secret because he saw that knowledge as a curse. And this actually manages to get to the old man! Even more so when Panda comes along only moments after Yaga died and says that he’s not mad at him for following orders.

This entire thing was genuinely heartbreaking for me to watch. This is the equivalent of Pinocchio coming home to find Geppetto dead because some jerk ordered a hit on him. It’s downright tragic to watch, and even Gakuganji is shaken by his fellow educatorโ€™s death. When Gojo is unsealed, those higher-ups shouldn’t even bother praying, because they already signed their own death warrants.

I Like Hakari Already

While all of this is happening, Yuji and Megumi are on their own mission: to find and recruit their senpai, Hakari Kinji. He’s a third year at Tokyo Jujutsu High, but he’s been suspended by the higher-ups for being a good-for-nothing, headstrong rebel. As the two first-years see for themselves, that’s not an unwarranted opinion; he’s running a fight club for Sorcerers.

Even before we meet him, it’s clear why the conservatives running Jujutsu society hate Hakari. They’re rigid traditionalists who hate any concept of changing with the times, while Hakari is the new blood chafing under authority and longing to break free. Heโ€™s the kind of guy who encourages people to indulge in what they love and find passion in, because without that, what is life even about? Hence, his main reason for clashing with the higher ups is because wants encourage everyone in Japan to follow their passions. And for him, that means wanting to legalize his fight club and gambling in Jujutsu society.

I have to admit, I was pretty sold on Hakari before we even got a chance to meet him. Firstly, itโ€™s because HQ hates him. Secondly, while I dont exactly approve of a fight club, I respect the hustle. Thirdly, he’s voiced by Zoroโ€™s seiyuu, which gives him bonus points for aura. And once Yuji meets him, his aura only manages to get even better.

The entire meeting between Yuji and Hakari has to be one of the best scenes in the entire anime. It’s just one continuous shot with no change in perspective, camera angles, or anything. It’s impressive, crazy, and somehow manages to work. Then again, chaos seems to be what this series is about to run on, so I’m not surprised.

Overall, this episode was big on both the tearjerking moments as well as the exciting ones, as something tells me that I’m gonna like Hakari. A lot.

I Give “Passion” a 4.5/5

The Uchiha Clan Massacre 2.0, Brought to you by Maki

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Jujutsu Kaisen S3 Ep 4 Review

The Uchiha Clan Massacre, one of the defining moments in the backstory of the Naruto series. In a single night, one lone ninja proceeded to slaughter almost the entirety of his powerful clan, save for himself, the guy who helped him, and his little brother. And he did it all under the orders of a man who had no authority to make him do that. It was a tragedy that could’ve been prevented, and in the long run, it caused more harm than good for everyone involved. Why am I bringing this up now when we’re talking about Jujutsu Kaisen? Because the anime just gave the Uchiha Clan Massacre 2.0. Except this time, it’s entirely justified, the one doing the killing is in the right, and the clan in question deserves everything happening to them. Maki did what she had to do.

F the Zenin Clan

So, after spending the last episode focusing entirely on exposition as Tengen, Yuji, and all their allies prepare to stop Kenjaku’s plans, this one is focused on the actual preparation. Their first order of business is to retrieve all the weapons and gear the Zenin Clan has locked in their storehouses. So Maki heads to their compound with the authority of her cousin Megumi, who is now the clan head, remember, to do just that. The Zenin Clan, though, has no intention of playing ball whatsoever.

Let me remind you what I said in my review for the preview movie: the Zenin Clan sucks. They are one of the three biggest and oldest clans of Jujutsu sorcerers in Japan, and a family of backwards thinking, ultra-conservative, sexist jerks. Not to mention how they’re convinced that they’re in a story like Game of Thrones where it’s all the intrigue and scheming. Because even though they are facing the existential threat Kenjaku is bringing to Japan, all they care about is their own power. They have no intention of letting Megumi be clan head, with their leaders using those dumb orders banning Gojo from being unsealed as an excuse to try and off him. And when Maki comes back, all they do is look down on her for having zero cursed energy and being a woman. Naoya even says she’s worthless now that she’s got all those scars on her. But that’s only the start, as Maki goes to the vault, and all she finds there is her deadbeat dad and her mortally wounded twin sister, Mai. And then her dad almost kills Maki and leaves them both for dead.

Time for a quick tangent, by the way. Gege, you are an absolute master of the art of making characters whose existence people can loathe with their entire being. Naoya was already a arrogant, sexist jerk that deserves a punch to the face. But the girl’s dad? All he does is whine about how he’s not the clan head and blaming it all on his daughters’ existence. He even says that “children shouldn’t hold back their parents,” with a straight face. This is the definition of a deadbeat parent, and while there are a lot of things I hate, there’s nothing worse than a bad parent.

Which only makes what happens next all the more satisifying.

All my Homies Hate the Zenin Clan

There’s a reason why Maki has no cursed energy whatsoever. The rules of Jujutsu treat twins as the same person. So when twins are born, they get restricted. In the girl’s case, Mai got all the cursed energy, while Maki should have gotten a superhuman body like Toji did to compensate. So long as one lives, the other can’t reach their full potential. Which is why Mai, who never wanted to be a sorcerer, chooses to let herself die so that her sister can unlock her full potential.

This is an absolute tragedy, and even though I wish that the anime could’ve spent an entire episode on just this, I think it manages to hammer that aspect home. All Maki wanted was to change the Zenin Clan so that it could accept her and Mai and give them the home they wanted. But the Zenin Clan was so rigid in their beliefs that they refused to let that happen, even when it would’ve benefitted them in the long run. Thanks to everyone’s stubbornness, Mai has died, and Maki has lost everything.

But thanks to their arrogance, the Zenin Clan didn’t kill the twins when they had the chance. Because now, it’s time for their own Uchiha Clan Massacre.

Toji Could’ve gone Full Kratos on the Zenin Clan if he Wanted

Fans of JJK know who Toji Fushiguro is. Born to the Zenin Clan with no cursed energy, he bailed on them and discarded his last name due to them treating him like dirt. They shouldn’t have, because the universe chose to compensate him for his lack of cursed energy by giving him a body as strong as steel, with superhuman senses and strength to go with it. That meant that he could kill Jujutsu sorcerers with hardly a scratch, and made him their absolute worst nightmare. He could’ve killed his entire clan for treating him like garbage, but chose to take the high road on it.

Maki, on the other hand? Let’s review everything all the crimes the Zenin Clan has committed against her:

  • A lifetime of emotional and physical abuse
  • Disobeying a direct order from the head of their clan
  • Murder of her sister
  • Multiple accounts of attempted murder

The verdict is guilty, the sentence is death, and the executioner is Maki, courtesy of the sword Mai made her before she died.

The Massacre Straight out of Kill Bill

What happens next isn’t just the Uchiha Clan Massacre for a new generation. It’s the Uchiha Clan Massacre fused with Kratos’ rampage against the Olympian Gods. And it is as close to perfect as possible…at least if you’re from the West.

It’s common to find anime fans from the West disagreeing with their Japanese counterparts, but there’s something special about how our reactions to this episode of JJK. Everyone I’ve seen stateside has been calling the best episode of the series. They’re looking at the scene of Maki wasting those mooks and are saying how it’s just like the Bride killing the Crazy 88 in Kill Bill. I looked up a clip of the scene on YouTube, and everyone’s commenting just that!

And the part where Maki tanks the hits from the Hei unit! That one guy dies thinking that he helped kill Maki, but she just walks away with the head of another Hei member and throws it into a pond!

And that fight with Naoya! Even if he gave us one of the first memes of the year, everyone agrees Naoya deserves to get his face caved in! And the anime didn’t disappoint as Maki absolutely embarrasses him! They repeated the clip of her breaking his skull four times, and it’s still satisfying! And her carnage didn’t stop at the compound! She hunted down any Zen’in clan members who weren’t there and killed them all! Is it any wonder why those with Maki stock are taking a victory lap?

So why are the Japanese hating on this? From what I’ve heard, cultural differences.

Japan Didn’t See this the Way Americans Did

According to what I’ve heard, a big issue they have with the episode is how it portrays the massacre. They don’t like the upbeat and energetic music and pacing. To them, this event is supposed to be a somber tragedy because of what happens to Maki and Mai. And I do agree with them on that part. What happened to Maki and Mai is indeed a tragedy brought about by Maki and her clan’s mutual stubbornness. Had Maki not tried to spite the family that didn’t deserve her and just walked away with her sister, Mai wouldn’t have had to die. And I do think that the anime could’ve made this entire thing more menacing to respect Mai. Remember, despite thinking it had to be done, Itachi hated himself for having to kill his clan and wanted to face justice for it, even if others might not see it that way. But while what happens is a tragedy, Westerners don’t see it like that.

We often consider getting revenge to be a costly, self-destructive act. At the same time, though, if we find the ones who are the targets of said revenge to be utterly reprehensible, we’re willing to justify it. And, admittedly, there’s something satisfying on a primal level in seeing the hero beat the snot out of a villain who greatly wronged them. Ergo, while we may mourn Mai’s death, I couldn’t help but smirk as I saw Maki bury the backwards, sexist, backstabbing Zen’in clan six feet under. Even more satisfying is seeing Naoya go out like a chump at the hands of Maki’s dying mother.

So, despite what the Japanese have to say about it, and despite me wanting an entire episode dedicated to Maki’s killing spree, I still loved this. I have been wanting to see this animated for a while now, and while it wasn’t quite what I expected, it’s already one of my favorite anime moments of the year. Maki, you have effectively solidified your place as THAT girl! All hail the Queen of Jujutsu Kaisen, Maki!!

I Give Perfect Preparation a 4.8/5

THIS IS THE YEAR OF DRAGON BALL!!

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

Itโ€™s hard to believe that itโ€™s been two years since the world lost Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball. Yet for the time being, his greatest creation has continued to endure across the world and in the minds of its fans young and old. With this year marking the 40th anniversary of the original manga, fans are expecting big things to commemorate it. And it looks like weโ€™re going to be feasting, because on January 25th, the powers that be dropped a few big pieces of news. A Dragon Ball anime is coming back, weโ€™re getting a remake of one arc, and there was some big video game news that is leaving fans drooling.

Letโ€™s start with the first big piece of news: the Beerus arc from Dragon Ball Super is getting a remake.

DB Super Beerus Remake

After the disaster that was Dragon Ball Evolution, the late Toriyama was so mad about his creation being mishandled that he came out of retirement to fix things. The result was the hit 2013 film Battle of Gods thrusting the series badk into the spotlight for a new generation. That eventually led to a sequel film, and both would lead to a new anime series in 2015, Dragon Ball Super. I never watched the first two arcs in the anime since they were just retelling the films, but I have heard that there were a few complaints about it not being that good. There were issues with the animation, pacing, and other things that fans didnโ€™t like. So, I guess I dodged a bullet on that!

It seems that things were so bad that Toei has decided to remake the entire Beerus arc with new animation, with the resulting Dragon Ball Super L: Beerus releasing sometime this fall. Again, I preferred the movie to the anime arc, so I probably wonโ€™t watch it. However, that doesnโ€™t mean Iโ€™m not happy for other fans. And I know that a number of content creators are going to be happy about this.

What Iโ€™m looking forward to, though, is something that weโ€™ve had to wait for years to see: the return of Dragon Ball Super.

Super is Coming Back!

In 2018, after the Tournament of Power Arc came to its legendary end, DB Super went on what we thought was a hiatus. This was so that the manga adaptation could have time to tell the next major arc, the Galactic Patrol Arc, which everyone has expected to be what Super would cover next. But it never came back, and some fans started to lose hope that it would. For those who had faith, though, itโ€™s about to pay off. Dragon Ball Super: Galactic Patrol Arc is coming!

The basic premise of the arc is that Goku and Vegeta are asked to temporarily join the Galactic Patrol, an intergalactic police force that tries to maintain peace throughout the universe. Emphasis on trying, as theyโ€™ve never been strong enough to stop Frieza, his family, or any minions like the Saiyans. And when one of their most dangerous prisoners escapes custody, they need the twoโ€™s help to save the day. Itโ€™s a pretty good arc, and one that a lot of fans have wanted to see made into an anime. Which means that the return of Super is a pretty big deal for fans. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing it get animated, even if we donโ€™t know when it will release.

As for gamers, weโ€™ve got a lot to look forward to, as well.

Sparking Zero DLC

Two years ago, the legendary Budokai Tenkaichi series came out of retirement with its first release in decades, Sparking Zero. The game proved to be immensely popular at first thanks to having the biggest roster of characters in the entire line of games, online multiplayer, and what-if stories in the main campaigns. It also seemed to quickly lose steam on Steam, though, as it lost 90% of its player base in less than a month, but it has retained a steady base since then, from what Iโ€™ve heard. And that player count might grow this year as we just got our first look at the new DLC. And thereโ€™s cause for excitement.

This upcoming DLC is going to add even more characters to the gameโ€™s already massive roster, including Super Android 17, King Piccolo, and Super Saiyan Bardock. As a big fan of Gokuโ€™s dad, that last is especially exciting for me. Iโ€™m actually tempted to start playing the game again to get ready.

But all of this is nothing compared to the biggest announcement: in 2027, we are getting a new Dragon Ball game. While we still donโ€™t know its name, the title alone is enough to get hardcore fans pumped: Dragon Ball: Age 1000.

Dragon Ball: Age 100

You might not know this, but in 2010, there was actually a Dragon Ball MMORPG, Dragon Ball Online. Released exclusively in East Asia, it takes place 216 years after the events of the Majin Buu Saga, and Earth has changed a lot since then. Most humans are now at least partially Saiyan, the Namekians relocated to Earth, Majin Buu started his own race, and best of all, the use of Ki is universally recognized, meaning everyone sees Goku and the others as the heroes they are. But the Earth is now threatened by the like of Towa and Mira as they mess with the timeline, leading many to join the Time Patrol led by Future Trunks.

If all of this sounds like the Xenoverse games, thereโ€™s a good reason. DBO shut down in 2013, but many of its concepts and characters became a part of Xenoverse and Xenoverse 2. That hasnโ€™t stopped fans from wanting an actual DB Online game again, though, and thatโ€™s why this trailer is a big deal. That, and this new character might have been designed by Toriyama before he died.

We wonโ€™t know more about Age 1000 until April, but Iโ€™m betting fans are already coming up with their own ideas about what this game could be like. I liked the Xenoverse games myself, but I do want to see something more like DB Online here in the west. Hopefully, weโ€™re finally getting what we want!

And that is everything that we know so far! Hopefully, Toei and Shueshia will release more info in the coming months, as itโ€™s got the fandom in a frenzy and eager to learn more. We will try to cover it as best as possible here, as we are massive fans of Dragon Ball and are eager to take part in the celebration ourselves. Until we meet again, guys!

LET THE CULLING GAME BEGIN!

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

Jujutsu Kaisen S3 Ep 3 Review

My fellow Jujutsu sorcerers, Jujutsu Kaisen is back! Well, it’s been back for about a week by the time I’m writing this, but I didn’t write about the first two episodes. There was no need to, since I had already covered them in my review of the compilation movie. But now that they’re out, I’m free to cover everything going forward as we get into the Culling Games. I’m going into this basically blind, but from what I’ve heard, and based on how crazy the new OP is, this is going to be absolute chaos!

What is the Culling Game?

So, where were we when we last left off? Yuji was a fugitive from the corrupt Jujutsu heads alongside his half-human, half-cursed spirit half-brother. Nagoya โ€œDbagโ€ Zenโ€™in tried to kill Yuji. Yuta showed up like an absolute CHAD and helped Yuji fake his death. And now all the good guys reunite at Tokyo Jujutsu High to meet Tengen, the immortal responsible for the barriers protecting the high schools in Tokyo and Kyoto. This brings us to this episode, which is more or less dedicated to exposition dumping on what the heck is about to happen.

Which is good, because I’ve always had a hard time understanding the power system in JJK, and I’ve had an even harder time trying to understand what the end goal of the antagonistโ€™s is for the Culling Games.

To sum it up as best as I can understand it, it’s like the Infinite Tsukuyomi from Naruto meets Fortnite.

No, really. The ultimate plan of Kenjaku, the sorcerer who has possessed Getoโ€™s corpse, is to force humanity to evolve by giving everyone access to cursed energy. His plan is to have humanity fuse with Tengen, who has evolved to become less a human and more an abstract entity, granting them all curse energy. To do that, he needs a massive amount of cursed energy be unleashed, hence why he’s been working behind the scenes for a thousand years trying to make the Culling Games happen. He made pacts with ancient sorcerers to have them participate in exchange for bringing them back in new bodies, which he did by feeding people cursed objects containing their souls. He also found people with cursed techniques who couldn’t use them and modified their brains so that they could, using the disaster curses and others to accomplish this. And since users of the Six Eyes like Gojo kept foiling him in the past, he made sure to seal Gojo so the technique wouldn’t pass on to someone else. All of this culiminated at Shibuya, where Kenjaku used everything to awaken thousands of sorcerers, both ancient and modern-day, and unleashed countless cursed spirits across Japan.

Da Rules

So, there a boatload of sorcerers who appeared out of nowhere, hordes of cursed spirits that have formed colonies across Japan, and Kenjaku is forcing them all to fight in the Jujutsu equivalent to Fortnite. All so he can merge humanity for the sake of transcending their current limitations. And to make matters worse, joining the Culling Games is non-negotiable for those picked. There are rules that even say so!

  1. Anyone who gets a cursed technique has to join nineteen days after awakening said technique by entering one of the colonies.
  2. Refusal to join will lead to players deaths by removal of cursed technique.
  3. Non-players who enter colonies become players by default.
  4. Points are gained by killing players and non-players
  5. Point values are determined by game master
  6. Players who gain 100 points can ask game master to add a new rule to the game. No takebacks!
  7. The game master must agree to new rule as long as it doesn’t mess with the game.
  8. Players whose scores haven’t changed after 19 days will die.

And to make sure that the game can’t end if he dies, Kenjaku made it so he isn’t the game master. This Shinigami thing called a kogane is!

Credit where credit is due; as someone who enjoys games myself, Kenjaku really thought this out. A pity that he’s doing this for the sake of evil. And with Gojo sealed in the Prison Realm, and the tools needed to free him destroyed or out of energy, there’s no way for him to stop Kenjaku.

Or is there?

One Chance

As fate would have it, one of those reawakened sorcerers, Angel, has a technique that can nullify other cursed techniques. Which means that she’s able to open the back door to the Prison Realm and let Gojo out. So, if they want to stop this madness, then they’re going to have to find Angel. But since this episode already gave us plenty of exposition, the anime decided to cut us some slack and give us this video explaining the good guyโ€™s plans.

Everyone has their marching orders now, and so everyone must get ready to play the deadliest game of their lives.

Now, some people are no doubt asking why Kenjaku decided to make the rules as they are, let alone give players the chance to alter them or provide an out. That seems counterproductive to his evil plans for forced assimilation. The thing is, he probably doesn’t care if he ends up failing. His only goal is to force humanity to evolve, and conflict has always been a surefire way of seeing this happen. Think of how many leaps and bounds in technology have been made thanks to war making them a necessity. Even if he fails and even if the game falls apart, that won’t change the fact that he’s shaken Jujustu society to its core. They have to change now.

Great Exposition

Personally, I liked this episode. It might have to do with growing up watching Yu-Gi-Oh!, but I enjoy hearing exposition so I can better understand what’s going on. And judging by the comments on that Crunchyroll video, there are plenty who are having a hard time understanding how this whole thing will work. But what I think is my favorite part of this episode has to be the ending as we get our first look at one of those awakened sorcerers. I read about him on TV Tropes, and from the sounds of it (and how he is in the OP), he’s going to be pretty funny. Heaven knows we need that considering what’s about to happen.

I Give “About the Culling Game” a 4/5

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 whichโ€ฆ

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 Naruhataโ€™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 Zenโ€™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. Denjiโ€™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. Shinobuโ€™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!