Arthur Gains a Teacher

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

The Beginning After the End Ep 5 Review

If you stick with something for long enough, there’s a chance it might end up being better than how it started. If that’s true, then maybe TBATE is finally starting to get better. With the post-credits scene from the last episode ending with Arthur being held at sword point by the Elves of Tessia’s homeland, things did not look good. It looked as though Arthur might be in even more trouble, with Tessa seemingly indifferent to his plight. What makes things more surprising, though, is how this is actually a step up from what happened in the webcomic!

For the first time, the TBATE anime has one-upped its source material.

What Happened in the Webcomic

In the original webcomic, Arthur and Tessia’s arrival in the Elven city is far more lighthearted in tone. The reaction Arthur has when learning that Tessia is the Princess of the Elf Kingdom is more comedic and the attitude of the other Elves is more respectful. Whatever suspicions they had, the fact that Arthur returned with Tessia safe and sound warrants a little courtesy.

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By contrast, the sight of the Elves outright attempting to arrest or kill Arthur could be seen as an improvement on the source material. Not only do the adults’ hostile attitudes increase the tension, but they also drive home just how deeply distrustful the Elves are of Humans for things like slavery. Thankfully, once Tess snaps out of whatever trance she was in, the sweet girl is Arthur’s biggest defender. The sight of her innocently taking Arthur home with her without any prejudice is the kind of thing we should all want to see our kids do.

The original webcomic is already good, but this was probably the first time the anime managed to improve upon things. As funny as Arthur’s reaction to learning his new friend is royalty (and he chews her out over it later), the anime’s decision to have Arthur’s life depend on his ability to talk things through feels more realistic and dramatic.

This episode really helps to hammer home the idea that TBATE seems to be at its best when it’s not focused on the fighting. Instead, the character interactions and the resulting drama help to keep people interested despite not looking as good as other anime. Case in point, when Tessia’s grandfather, the former King Virion, takes an interest in Arthur, he invites him to scrap together. The resulting fight once again shows the series’ criticized “PowerPoint fights,” as the fight isn’t that impressive. That being said, the show does make an effort to include some actual animation.

At Least the Fighting’s Getting Better

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The fight isn’t really what’s important, though. What is truly important is what happens afterward. The reveal of the cause behind Arthur’s increasing chest pains, as well as the fact that they will eventually kill him if left unchecked, is handled well by the anime. As is Virion’s offer to train Arthur as his apprentice. The alternative, though, is what will eventually happen if Arthur doesn’t get help for his chest pains: they’re the result of Sylvia giving him some of her power. And since his body can’t handle it yet, he’ll die if nothing is done.

With Arthur’s plans on returning to his family now on hold for the time being, the show looks set to settle into the land of the Elves for a few episodes. Here’s hoping that things improve for the anime’s sake, or it’s not going to last past the first season.

I Give “The King’s Test” a 3/5

Arthur Just Made His New Friend

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

The Beginning After the End Ep 4 Review

Despite the heavy criticism it has received in its native West, The Beginning After the End is being well-received overseas. Various pieces of data indicate it’s been fairly popular in Japan, while the series itself has a high number of five-star ratings on Crunchyroll.

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While it might have gotten off to a rough start, TBATE has started to show some slow improvement in the last episode as Arthur met, befriended, and was trained by a mysterious dragon named Sylvia. However, their time together got cut short for reasons that likely won’t be made clear in this season, leaving him on his own once more. However, his quest to reunite with his family leads him to make an unexpected detour, as well as make his first real friend in his second life.

Arthur Goes Assassin’s Creed

As seems to be the case, there was a moment from the manwha that was left out of the anime at the start of the episode. Arthur cries in frustration as the realization that Sylvia’s dead hits him, only to be snapped out of it by a pre-recorded message from her. In it, she explains that she imparted part of her “will” to him, but he can’t use it until he grows stronger. This will become an important plot point going forward, but the immediate ramifications are that Arthur’s mana core will soon start to flare up in pain.

Beyond that, though, what happens next with Arthur and the slave traders is nowhere near as bad as it gets in the web comic. The slavers actually bind and gag the poor girl they captured, and the fact that they don’t do that doesn’t make much sense here. The whole point to that is to ensure the captive can’t escape, making the slavers feel like amateurs. Regardless, the way Arthur kills them is just as ruthless as it is in the comics.

After that, though, Arthur manages to make a new friend. And she’s an elf girl.

The King Makes his First Friend

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This is Tessia, and given how TBATE takes pages from Mushoku Tensei, it should come as no surprise that she takes inspiration from several girls in that series. Her physical appearance, status as an elf, and initial timid personality all scream Sylphie. However, once she starts to open up to Arthur, she starts to display some of Eris’ more fiery and confrontational nature. Thankfully, she’s not violent like Eris is, only going so far as get snippy with Arthur when he’s making fun of her.

The two of them make for a rather odd pairing, especially given how Arthur is mentally an adult. Still, it feels nice to see Arthur being able to have a friend his own age, something that the anime all but states he never really had by the time he died. The anime does leave out a few of the more comedic aspects of their journey together, but the overall bonding and sentiment remain present right up to when they make it to the outskirts of Tess’ home.

Don’t Worry: Arthur Will be Fine

Full disclosure: that post-credits scene was not present in the web comic. It appears that the series might be going in a more serious direction to amp up the drama, or at least leave viewers in suspense about what comes next. Those who read the web comic should also be surprised by what happened, and now have something to look forward to next episode. It feels like TBATE might be on the mend, and hopefully, if we stick around long enough, something good might come out of it.

I Give “Saved by the King” a 3/5

The Dangers of Nightclubbing on Lazarus

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Lazarus Ep 4 Review

Thanks to Lazarus’ efforts in the last episode, they managed to get a few leads on Dr. Skinner. Axel and Leland managed to track down Skinner’s grandmother in Istanbul and got a better idea of what the man behind Hapna is like. Meanwhile, Eleina managed to discover that the one responsible for covering Skinner on cameras everywhere is another hacker, Dr. 909. The bad news is that not even the FBI knows who 909 is. The good news, though, is that Eleina has a plan to catch them. However, to pull it off, they have to go to his contact at a swanky nightclub. Lazarus is going clubbing, and that in and of itself carries a number of risks!

Time to Go Clubbing

Thanks to getting 909 to take Eleina’s bait, Lazarus has learned a few things about them. Firstly, that they somehow knew ahead of time that Hapna stocks would crash. Secondly, they worked with a stockbroker to make a ton of money off it. The good news is that they know who the stockbroker is; they’re the owner of a popular nightclub.

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The bad news? This guy, Sam, is a creep, a sexist, and just cringe. The Lazarus team even admits it! Unforutunately, the only way to get to him is by having the girls dress up and get picked up by him at his weekly party. Though, in this case, that means Chris…and Leland dressed as a girl.

Club at Your Own Risk

Clubbing is often a high-energy, potentially high-risk activity. On the one hand, the bright lights, thumping music, and party atmosphere can suck people in. On the other hand, if you’re not careful, bad things can happen to you. Lazarus does a great job of capturing both aspects of the nightclub, and capture them well. The background art alone is praiseworthy and eye-catching, but it’s the smooth animation of the club-goers that makes the place really entertaining. It’s very much like the kind of club that you would expect the young and hip to attend…and for creeps to try and take advantage of people.

From the start, Sam and his guy posse are portrayed as nothing but one-dimensional sleazebags trying to take advantage of women. Sam himself drugs the women he brought with him, which is morally reprehensible and disgusting! His hired DJ, Visionary, is no better, trying to hit on a disguised Leland. Not to mention how the man has no respect for his craft, leaving it up to AI to do all the heavy work for him! And, as Eleina figures out, he’s also the hacker they’re after.

A High-Stake Helicopter Chase!!

The entire experience at the nightclub is capped off by something that is a staple of many a good action film: an honest-to-goodness nightclub shootout. Axel and Doug make short work of the guards, while Chris gives Sam some well-deserved karma for being an enemy of all women.

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And Watanabe continues the trend of beautiful women who can kick men’s asses. All of this culminates in yet another staple of the action film genre: a high-speed chase on a helicopter with Axel flying a drone after them like he’s the Green Goblin!

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Hapna is the Real Deal, and Really Dangerous

Sadly, their efforts prove to be for naught. Neither Sam nor Dr909/Visionary/Donald McDonald know nothing about Skinner. They were just taking advantage of the chaos to earn money, like the wastes of space they were. The one consolation is that these events confirmed that Delta, a medicinal company, was aware of the dangers behind it. Only 24 days remain before Hapna becomes lethal, and if people were doubting this fact, the episode gives major proof otherwise. In the final scene, we see a group of monkeys in a lab that were likely used to test Hapna start to die. In other words, this drug is the real deal.

This was a fun episode in a series that, thus far, has been fun to watch. People seem to love Lazarus so far!

I Give “Don’t Stop the Dance” a 4/5

‘Lazarus’ Got me Craving Baklava

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

Lazarus Ep 3 Review

The hunt for Dr. Skinner has begun, yet so far, there are no leads as to where he could be hiding. Right when Lazarus thought they had a clue, it turned out to be a dead-end. However, with the fate of the human race in the balance, this ragtag band of misfits can’t afford to give up! Whether by fate or dumb luck, they manage to get their hands on another possible lead to Skinner…and it has to do with a delicious, Turkish pastry.

Firstly, though, it feels important to talk about how each episode starts off with a speech about the effects of Hapna, seemingly given by each member of Lazarus. They talk about their thoughts on the “miracle” drug and how it managed to change the world. This week, it appears to be Chris speaking, talking about how Hapna seemingly solved the pain that comes with living, but also questions if that pain is an integral part of life. It’s very philosophical, and it doesn’t always make sense. Yet it does bring up an intriguing question about life.

Never Underestimate a MacGuffin

At the end of the last episode, Lazarus’ resident hacker, Eleina, managed to locate Skinner using facial recognition technology. However, it would seem the Doctor thought ahead, paying someone to replicate his face on thousands of individuals. It seems brilliant, but as Doug points out, it all but eliminates the possibility that he’s disguising himself. In addition, Eleina is able to deduce that, besides herself, only two other hackers are capable of this feat. If they find the hacker, they can use them to track down Skinner.

Once again, the team splits into two pairs. Chris and Leland head to Skinner’s home to find any clues the authorities missed, while Axel and Doug look for Doug’s old mentor, who once worked with Skinner.

The searching of Skinner’s home might not seem that important, but upon closer inspection, there were a few things that stand out. The first is the sheer number of hardy plants he has, such as cacti. It may not seem like much, but the fact that he preferred plants know for surviving harsh conditions could help build a better psychological profile of the Doctor. If you know how a subject thinks, you can guess what they’ll do. The second is that Chris finds a small, orange pill that the authorities overlooked. It may seem insignificant now, but there’s a good chance it could wind up being important macguffin down the line.

Good on anime for the Transgender Woman

The real focus of the episode, though, is on Axel and Doug’s search for Doug’s old college professor. This takes them to a homeless shelter led by a friend from Axel’s prison days. And a quick sidebar: good on the show for deciding to make this person a transgender woman. Not everyone will approve of this, but including it demonstrates how society is working to become more accepting of such things. Plus, Jill also gives some insight into Axel and his ability to adapt to any environment yet never get too close to others.

Also, it might just be my imagination, but did one of those homeless people happen to look like Dr. Skinner? Was that a goof, or possible foreshadowing?

I now Want Baklava

Either way, while Doug’s mentor doesn’t know where Skinner is, he does give Lazarus their first concrete clue, mentioning the Doctor’s only known relative. As a result, Axel and Leland head for Istanbul in search of this relative, Grandma Belinda. The resulting chase and fight sequence provides another example of how Watanabe is able to craft attention-grabbing action without being overtly flashy. Plus, it was funny to hear the two get out of trouble by saying they wanted to try some of Grandma Belinda’s baklava.

There really is nothing better to eat in this world than the cooking made by one’s family. And once she opens up to them, Belinda is rather willing to help them find her wayward grandson. At the very least, she shows them a video he sent her three years earlier, possibly around the time he was getting ready to introduce Hapna to the world. Plus, Axel does find a hidden camera, presumably left by Skinner himself. And that ended up leading to the hacker making their move and falling right into Eleina’s trap.

Twenty-six days remain before Hapna starts to turn fatal, and Lazarus has its first real lead. The hunt is only going to escalate from this point forward. This is shaping up to be quite the globetrotting mystery!

I Give “Long Way from Home” a 4/5

OG Founder: Don’t Call It A Comeback!

Aside D&A Anime Blog Uncategorized

So…in the words of Cody Rhodes…

I’m pretty sure I don’t really need an introduction, as judging by the tone of my writing style, you guys already know who this is. While I’ve been away, I’ve been keeping tabs on the anime community as well as the anime industry. And so far…things have been great in a few areas, while absolute trash in others (based on the rants I’ve seen on social media). Now, I don’t wanna get anybody’s hopes up of a comeback, but just like the title of this post says, don’t call it a comeback!

When I look back at January 11, 2016 I feel like Aaron and I have done a lot in terms of our vision for D&A Anime Blog, and where we want to take it. I’ll admit, there were a few bumps in the road, as well as a couple times where we wanted to jump ship. However we hung in there during those rough times, and we’re still going strong today!

So, with that being said, I want to let you all know where I stand with D&A going forward.

[Once in a Blue Moon Drop-Ins]

While I may have stepped down as ‘CEO’ of D&A, I’ll drop in with an article or two once in a blue moon. There will be no timetable of when the drop will happen, but like an RKO, they’ll come outta nowhere!

The topics won’t be all anime, all the time. They’ll be things that I feel like talking about whenever I feel like talking about them. Again, this is not a full-time comeback, this is more of a ‘drop-in’. This also includes the “Nerdz of the Decade” podcasts, where we have guests on the show; from VAs to content creators.

[Select Anime Reviews]

I don’t really write anime reviews that much anymore, but I feel like I don’t have to since that’s covered. If there’s a series that pulls me in (like New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt), then I miiiiiiiiiiight drop a series review on it. No timetable of when it drops, it drops whenever I feel like it. Y’know? Also, there won’t be any lengthy, meaty posts (unless its a review on a show I like) from me. And consistency? Yeaaaaaaah, probably not that much.

Also, there’s something I wanted to get off my chest, that’s been scratching at it for awhile…

When I “left” D&A December 18, 2023 I was in a rough season of my life. I needed to vanish to save my friendship and my sanity, and while I was gone I had a revelation. I wanted to find my identity outside of D&A, as I didn’t want the blog and the Youtube channel, to be the ONLY thing I’m known for. That’s why on July 1, 2023 I created Club BASSMODE (BASSMODE: Nerdz Nite Out at the time), a DJ & Cosplay Party Promotion I could call my own. Its not to say that I don’t like you guys or anything, but I just didn’t like where I was at the time. Now almost two years later; I’m in a much better headspace than I was before thanks to Club BASSMODE, and Aaron and I have returned to cons. (The caveat being that they’re local, or I get booked to DJ their rave/afterparty.)

I did get to DJ Colossalcon East, so check that out here!

I’m gonna wrap this up with this.

I’m still a part of D&A even if I’m away. I don’t regret for a second about creating this platform, as its done a lot for us even though the expectations we had for it were a bit out there. Yes, Aaron and I have “split” but not in the way you’re thinking. We’re still collabing even though we’re not on the same brand. (He shouts-out Club BASSMODE, and I shout-out D&A.)

I’m not coming back full-time, but I’ll circle the area some of the time.

With that said…

OG Founder, out!

Is TBATE Starting to Get Better?

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

The Beginning After the End Ep 3 Review

Okay, now we are starting to get somewhere! It’s not secret at this point that the first two episodes of The Beginning After the End weren’t that good. Between the poor animation and skipping over minor details, it looked like TBATE was on the fast track to becoming the laughing stock of the spring 2025 anime season. Much like the final season of Game of Thrones, there’s a petition to have the series remade from scratch. TurtleMe has asked fans to be patient on Reddit, but the comments make it clear that they’re disappointed with the animation studio. They don’t want to be patient if all that will lead to is something failing to meet their expectations, and I don’t blame them. Last year, I forced myself to keep watching Star Wars: The Acolyte, hoping it would get better by the end.

Spoiler alert: it didn’t.

But, despite its rocky start, the TBATE anime might finally be starting to get its act together. There’s still hope for it, people, and it’s thanks to the story starting to get to the good parts.

That Time I Got Saved by a Dragon

As explained at the end of the last episode, the anime made some changes regarding the events after Arthur fell off that cliff. Firstly, he didn’t wake up in the presence of that giant black creature in the webcomic. When he came to, he was lying besides the body of the bandit that was responsible for the fall…and threw up. After passing out again, he finally managed to stand enough to go in search of the giant creature who was speaking to him telepathically. After hiking for the better part of the day, Arthur makes it to the cave where he meets the one who saved him, Sylvia.

This is where the episode really starts to shine. While the animation continues to remain of questionable quality, TBATE starts to make up for it by embracing that which makes it truly great: the story itself. While Arthur’s time living and training with Sylvia gets condensed for the sake of time, and it does skip over some of the more personal moments, it manages to get the overall message across. Sylvia serves as a valuable mentor to Arthur, not just in combat but in morals. Despite his initial urges to kill the remaining bandits if given the chance, Sylvia helps him see how toxic hatred and revenge can be long-term. It’s better to just move on and live your best life.

That, and the scene where Sylvia shows him how to gather mana is decently animated.

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Alas, their time together is short-lived, for an enemy of Sylvia comes looking for her. One that is too powerful for Arthur to take in his current state. Worse, the story doesn’t explain who this mysterious being looking for Sylvia is until much further down the road in the webcomic. All that you need to know is that if the anime continues to that point (and it will need a miracle), then it will be a long time before the truth comes out.

Is there Hope for Us, Yet?

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This episode marked a slight improvement in the series, and thank god for that! There might be hope for TBATE yet. Though, to be fair, it’s gotten to the point where TurtleMe himself had to step in and run damage control. Look it up on Reddit!

Also, the dub for TBATE is now out…but it’s not good. Watch it subbed!

I Give “Meeting the King” a 3/5

Oh, Skinner, Where Art Thou?

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

Lazarus Ep 2 Review

Twenty-nine days. That’s all the time that humanity has to find Dr. Skinner and the cure for Hapna. Otherwise, everyone who has ever taken the “miracle” drug is going to start dying. And since almost everyone has taken the drug, the human race faces extinction. Now, it’s up to Lazarus, a ragtag task force of misfits, to get to Skinner and save the world like superheroes.

There’s just one problem: they have no idea how to find Skinner!

Firstly, though, let’s gush over the OP to Lazarus. Whether it was Watanabe himself or the people who worked with him to create the anime, they must have been taking a page from Cowboy Bebop. From the way it makes extensive use of big, stylized text in the background while having the main characters remain shadowed or in black-and-white in the foreground, “VORTEX” takes a lot from Bebop. In addition, the music, while more subdued compared to “TANKI,” still has the notable inclusion of the jazz music that Watanabe is so fond of. It’s clear that Watanabe is aiming to make Lazarus the spiritual successor to Cowboy Bebop, and so far, he’s succeeding!

A Ragtag Bunch of Misfits

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The first half of the second episode is largely focused on one of two things: introducing us more to the members of Lazarus and exploring Dr. Skinner’s motives. When it comes to the former, the show seems to adopt a “less is more” attitude regarding their backstories, though it does establish that each of them has things in common. They’ve each committed crimes of some sort, ranging from petty theft to hacking on a global scale. Each of them is insanely talented in an area of expertise:

  • Axel is an all-rounder and a genius escape artist.
  • Doug is good in combat and can think well under pressure
  • Christine is skilled with multiple firearms
  • Leland is an expert on piloting drones
  • Eleina is a master hacker notorious around the globe

Furthermore, each of them admits to having taken Hapna, meaning they’ve got skin in the game and a reason to locate Dr. Skinner.

As for Dr. Skinner himself, the premiere already established that he made Hapna a deadly trap because he was fed up with humanity. This episode elaborates on that by giving us an exposition dump about his backstory, and it soon becomes obvious why he came to this mindset. He devoted his entire life to helping others, to the point where he gave up the money he could’ve gotten off patents for his drugs. In addition, he was a major voice in the fight against climate change, urging people to do everything they could to undo the damage humans have done to the Earth. As is often the case in real life, his pleas were met by apathy and silence from those in a position to do something about it. Hence why he likely made Hapna a trap; he decided mankind wasn’t worth saving.

And I don’t blame him.

Look, Mankind Needs to Get its Act Together

As much as I want to see mankind’s continued existence, there are times when I cannot help but wonder if it would be better if we weren’t around. That being said, I feel the ultimate solution is for us to spread across the stars so the Earth can have some breathing room. I still have faith in mankind’s ability to grow and change, and it feels like Lazarus is being set up as a symbol of that optimism.

In a layman’s terms, Lazarus might be a story of optimism vs cynicism, but we won’t know until the story is finished.

Oh, and Lazarus has armbands that will melt their hands off if they try to go AWOL. They’re basically the Suicide Squad meets the Avengers.

A Wild Goose Chase

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The back half of the episode sees the entire group splitting up to track down leads on Dr. Skinner. Unfortunately, the man seems to have covered his tracks very thoroughly to make things as hard as possible. Case in point, Axel and Chris head to a survival shelter they think Skinner purchased, while Leland and Doug head to the office of the company he bought it from. At first, the deserted atmosphere of both makes it seem like there’s a greater conspiracy at work, especially when people show up and start threatening the team. In a humorous twist, though, not only is the person they find not Dr. Skinner, but the people shooting at them weren’t even looking for him. They spent a whole day on a wild goose chase for a man who ran out on his debts.

This is going to be harder than we thought, and there are only 28 days remaining. It can be easy for someone of Skinner’s intellect to disappear, and it could take years to find him. Lazarus has less than a month before humanity faces extinction. In the meantime, though, I’m going to be enjoying this potential second coming Cowboy Bebop.

Join the chase. Catch an all new episode of #Lazarus next Saturday at midnight! Only #Toonami, on adult swim.

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— Toonami Squad (@toonamisquad.com) April 13, 2025 at 12:38 AM
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I Give “Life in the Fast Lane” a 4/5

Devil May Cry is the Anime I Never Knew I Needed

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

Devil May Cry Season 1 Review

Adapting video games into other mediums can be a tricky subject, but Netflix seems to have done a good job. Over the past few years, they’ve managed to churn out hit after animated hit based on video games, including Castlevania, Arcane, & Tomb Raider. Now, thanks to Studio Mir and director Adi Shankar, they get to add Devil May Cry to that list. And thank all that is holy for that, because I never knew how badly we needed a Devil May Cry animated series until we got it. Especially when you consider some of the talent behind the roles.

Based on Capcom’s popular video game series of the same name, Devil May Cry tells the story of Dante, a human-demon hybrid with cool weapons and an even cooler longcoat. He makes his living by hunting down demons before they can harm his fellow man, but all of that changes when he attracts the attention of two very powerful people. On one side, there’s DARKCOM, led by Baines, the Vice President of the United States, who’s made it their life’s work to hunt down demons. On the other side, there’s the White Rabbit, a being who’s determined to tear down the walls separating Earth from the Demon Realm and bring forth an apocalypse.

The Truth is Often More Complicated

Beyond the initial premise, most of my knowledge about Devil May Cry. doesn’t go beyond the premise of humans fighting demons. Most demons are supposed to be the bad guys we root against, with the exception being Dante’s father for turning on his kind. However, few conflicts are ever that black-and-white in real life, so the same applies here. And while it is true that several of the demons found in the show are ruthless, cold-blooed killers, it also makes us ask an important question: are people born evil, or do they become evil due to what they experience? In other words, the nature vs. nurture debate.

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Over the course of the first season, it’s slowly revealed that the place that humans call Hell is more than deserving of its title…because it’s like that for even its own inhabitants. As it turns out, many of the demons from Hell, or Makai, as they call it, are miserable in their home dimension and want nothing more than to leave. And while Earth is far from a paradise, to them, it’s lightyears better than living in a place where the air’s too dangerous to breathe! The White Rabbit’s entire motivation behind breaking down the barriers is so he can lead the normal demons to a better life. It’s like a dark, twisted version of Moses trying to lead his people to the promised land. Except this time, the suffering of those already living there will end up being more overt. It’s the kind of scenario is which somebody is going to end up suffering, and everyone can wind up losing.

If any of that sounds political, there’s a good reason for that. Over the course of the first season, it becomes more and more apparent that Devil May Cry is drawing from real-life history to fuel its own story. In this case, it’s taking heavy inspiration from the United States’ post-9/11 foreign policies during the 2000s. The main anti-demon force, DARKCOM, is very gung-ho about hunting down and killing demons. And the mere idea that any other demons could be good, or at least not an enemy, is enough to be considered blasphemy or treason. And it doesn’t help that DARKCOM’s leader, an original character named VP Baines, is like a scarier version of a certain Vice President at the time.

The scariest part about him, though? He’s voice by Kevin Conroy.

WE MISS KEVIN CONROY!!!!

At its heart, Devil May Cry is a largely character-driven story. It’s how they interact with each other that helps drive the plot along, and for that to work, the show needs the right people playing the right roles. And did Netflix hit jackpot, because they got two voice acting legends to play leading characters.

Firstly, there is Baines, leader of DARKCOM and Vice President of the United States, played by the late Kevin Conroy. If you don’t know who that is, he was Batman. The GOAT Batman. The voice that everyone thinks of when they think of Batman. Kevin Conroy would provide the voice of Batman off and on for thirty years before passing away from cancer in Novmeber 2022. And, in a surprising move, he had also done the lines for Baines before he died. And he absolutley nailed them! It may not be noticeable at first, but once you recognize the distinctive voice of the caped crusader, you start to see Baines the same way criminals see Batman: fear, awe, and even respect. Kevin gives Baines this air of someone of great faith and belief in his cause, but also someone who is not afraid to be incredibly ruthless. And as time goes on, you start to realize that Baines is far darker than initially thought. It really is a tragedy that Kevin died. If he hadn’t, he could’ve made a new name for himself voicing more sinister characters, just like Mark Hamill did as Joker.

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Then we the man playing Dante. In lieu of getting his voice actor from the games, Netflix decided to get none other than Johnny Yong Bosch. That has proven to be a very good decision. Not only does this mark the second time Johnny’s played a badass gunslinger in a red longcoat, but he manages to bring this snarky, dry wit to the role of Dante. He’s very sarcastic, loves to make quips and pop culture references, and acts like a very chill and confident person, overall. Emphasis on the acting part, because his backstory is as sad as it is in the games, and that’s not even including what he goes through during the show.

GIVE ME MORE!!

Netflix has likely struck gold with its adaptation of Devil May Cry, and it looks like that vein still has some more to be tapped into. The first season of the show ends on a rather grim cliffhanger with a full-blown war between humans and demons set to start. And worse, Dante is in no position to do anything to stop it! It’s clear that Netflix is hoping to make this into a multi-season story…and I’m all for it. I want to see more of this show ASAP.

The first season of Devil May Cry was an absolute banger from start to finish and is worthy of all the praise it’s getting. If you have a Netflix account, I highly recommend that you go check out the show for yourself. It’s well worth the time it would take to binge-watch it.

Shinichirō Watanabe Presents Lazarus

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

Lazarus Ep 1 Review

Shinichirō Watanabe, one of the greatest directors in anime history. The director of Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, and Space Dandy. Next to the late Akira Toriyama, no other man’s works did more to help anime gain a foothold in the West than Shinichirō Watanabe. As longtime fans of Toonami and lovers of anime in general, it wouldn’t be right if the D&A Anime Blog didn’t cover his newest creation, Lazarus. And judging by the first episode, we are going to be in for a banger!

A Doctor Decides to End Humanity

The year is 2055, and humankind is facing potential extinction. Three years earlier, a man named Dr. Skinner released a painkiller called Hapna, a miracle drug that could potentially end all disease and pain. Most of mankind started taking the drug, and a while, it looked like the world was on the path to utopia. But then Skinner, who had gone into hiding a year earlier, gave mankind a message: Hapna was a giant trap.

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In a nutshell, Skinner said “screw all of humanity, we’re unworthy to keep living. You have a month to prove me wrong.”

From the outset, Lazarus is already showing all the hallmarks that make Watanabe’s works great. The cyberpunk, retro-futuristic aesthetic. The use of smooth jazz as background music. The incredibly attractive main characters with cool attitudes. It feels very much like Lazarus is meant to be a spiritual successor to Cowboy Bebop, and nowhere is this better seen than with the main male lead, Axel Gilberto.

The Second Coming of Spike Spiegel

If Spike Spiegel was the Lupin III of the 90s, then Axel could very well be the Spike of the 2020s. Hes got parkour skills that would make an Assassin’s Creed lover green with envy. He’s got Spike’s amazing sense of fashion and the confidence that made him a great husbando. And he’s got Lupin’s uncanny ability to talk his way out of any situation. In the span of the first episode, he proceeds to break out of the prison he’s in, outrun the police, and outsmart a police officer that doesn’t recognize him until it’s too late. The best part? He was serving 888 years in prison because he kept escaping like it was a game to him. The only reason he gets caught by the task force being assembled is because he’s caught off-guard.

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While Axel serves as the main focus of the episode, the premiere does introduce viewers to the other members of the titular Lazarus. Each of them is quirky in their own way, and they all seem to have their own unique talents. One is a college student who’s great with drones. Another is this girl who’s a master hacker. There’s a man whose good with guns, and we have this woman who feels like an expy of Faye Valentine. I can’t remember who is who yet, but I’m sure that will change in the next episode or so.

This is Gonna be Fun

Overall, Lazarus looks to be another big hit from the mind of Shinichirō Watanabe, but there’s another reason why the anime could be one of the big hits of the spring season: its name. Lazarus is often a name associated with the act of resurrection. There’s the biblical Lazarus, who was raised from death by Jesus. There’s the Lazarus Pits from DC comics, able to grant long life and revive the dead. And now we have the team, formed in order to save mankind from possible extinction. It’s possible that Dr Skinner is bluffing and that this is one big test to see how humanity will react to potential annihilation. However, I doubt that anyone would make such an announcement without be willing to back it up. Either way, this si going to be one fun adventure.

I Give “Goodbye Cruel World” a 4/5

Baby Arthur Almost Dies

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

The Beginning After the End Ep 2 Review

The Beginning After the End is only in its second episode, but the Internet seems to hate it already. The two most common complaints are that a.) it’s copying Mushoku Tensei, and b.) the animation is terrible. They’re not wrong; TurtleMe admitted Mushoku Tensei was a big inspiration for TBATE. And when comparing TBATE to the mega-hit that is Solo Leveling, the animation is severely lacking. But to encourage people to at least read the web novel and comic, we’ll keep reviewing the show.

The Anime-Original Scene is Decent

Like the first episode, the second episode of TBATE includes an original scene that helps shed light on Arthur’s past life as King Grey. This memory shows Grey dealing with an attempted assassin from a foreign country as well as his family. Knowing that they will all face death upon returning home, Grey chose to spare the assassin’s wife and child a horrific end by killing them with his own weapon.

This moment might seem cruel and heartless to others, but it actually speaks volumes about Grey’s true character. Were he truly as cruel as everyone (even himself) thought he was, he would’ve let them all face the cruel death that awaited them. Instead, he chose to give them a mercy killing. This moment shows how Grey was a good person at heart but had to be ruthless to survive in his dangerous world. Furthermore, it provides further context about Grey’s ultimate decision during the episode’s climax.

Unfortunately, the rest of the episode proves to be severely lacking when it comes to adapting the story.

After realizing just how gifted Arthur is, his parents argue what they should do about his future. Reynolds wants him to study in an elite school, while Alice thinks he’s too young to leave his parents behind. Arthur solves things with a “here’s a bright idea” moment: they all move to the big city together. It’s a little funnier in the webcomic, with images of the parents fighting with armies made out of their dinner, though.

On the Road

This decision to move leads to the introduction of the Leywin’s former adventuring party, Twin Horns, who help escort them to their new destination. However, I’m not even sure if the name of the city they’re headed is brought up. If it wasn’t, that was one of several minor details and moments from the webcomic that helped to flesh out the world and its inhabitants that the anime chose to leave out. It might seem like a good idea to cut out things like the group bonding over things beyond eating together or Arthur helping their youngest, Jasmine, train. However, when you’re going to be telling a story that requires extensive world-building and character development, that’s not a good idea. Taking the time to develop everything early on will help maintain interest in the long run.

The moments that the anime does choose to focus on are the fighting scenes, which normally wouldn’t be a bad thing. When done right, a good fight scene can carry an entire episode. However, the anime is hindered by the fact that it’s very poorly animated. The worst example is during the sparring match between Arthur and Twin Horns member Adam. It’s neither exciting nor eye-catching, which doesn’t help things.

The one good thing that I could say about all this is the fact that we get to see Arthur do a ninja run from Naruto. As a Naruto fan, seeing this get referenced will never not make me smile.

Sadly, Arthur’s family trip to the city gets cut short by what could be described as either a turning point or canon event as their group is ambushed by bandits. In the fight that ensues, Arthur is ordered to take his mom to safety, as she’s pregnant with her and Reynold’s second child. Sadly, a mage catches them in their crosshairs, and, to save his mom’s life, Arthur’s forced to sacrifice himself.

Okay, the Anime Helped This Moment, at Least!

This is the moment that that anime-original scene helps elevate in importance. As he’s falling off that cliff, Arthur notes the irony of him now being in the same position as that assassin from his first life: giving up his life for the ones he loved. Since he had to close himself off from others, this is another important milestone in his life. And, to his credit, it’s a lesson that Rudeus took longer to understand. The sad thing is, it comes right as he’s apparently about to die. And for extra tragedy points, right as he learned he was about to be a big brother.

Thankfully, there’s a post-credits scene revealing that Arthur survived the fall. But as with other examples in this episode, the anime cut out a few things for the sake of time and to set up the next episode.

Studio A-Cat, You Have Some ‘Splainin to do

For the second week in a row, TBATE fails to meet expectations. This time, though, it feels even worse, considering how they cut out so much from the webcomic. If they were going to do it, then maybe they should’ve split things up into more than one episode. In addition, I think everyone’s reactions to Arthur’s apparent death could have been more emotionally distraught. As distraught as Eris was when she saw Rudy almost die at the hands of Orsted.

Here’s hoping that things start to get better in the next few episodes. Otherwise, this show is going to become infamous for doing a disservice to the source material.

In the meantime, go read the novel and webcomic!

I Give “The King, Under Attack” a 2.5/5