The Wrath of the Ant King!

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

Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadows S2 Ep 11 Review

Menaces: a person, people, or entities whose very existence can be considered a threat to one’s health, well-being, and life in general. They are the ones who will end your existence solely for the heck of it. There have been plenty of menaces throughout anime, from Kid Buu to Sukuna to Yujiro Hanma. And now, Solo Leveling has its own menace ready to inflict nightmare fuel upon the whole of Korea. The Ant King has risen, and he is ready to make mincemeat out of everyone in a moment I’ve been waiting to see for a year!

Everything Was Going Fine…

At first glance, the Jeju Island Raid seems to be going well. Throughout the first half, the Korean Hunters manage to make it to the final boss room of the Dungeon, and they’re feeling good about themselves. They think this is going to be their moment to end this threat forever. From an outsider’s perspective, they have everything they need, too! Thanks to their teamwork and, more importantly, the skill of their S-Rank Healer, Byung-Gu, they can handle even the S-Ranked Ants of the royal guard. It’s like watching that one elite team of MMO gamers getting ready to beat the big Dungeon the developer just added!

The fight between the Hunters and the Ant Queen’s guard is fairly entertaining to watch. It’s nothing compared to the fights we’ve seen Jin-woo take part in, but it gives us a good look at why these are the strongest Hunters in Korea. They may not be able to solo the Dungeon like Jin-woo, but they fight like a well-oiled machine. We see Cha Hae-in get the honor of dealing the final blow, providing more evidence for why she’s the best girl in the series. Afterward, everyone starts to celebrate, thinking this 4-year-long nightmare is ending. Little do they know that the Ant Queen wasn’t even the final boss. The real final boss is about to make their debut.

The Ant King Solos Everyone

Despite the anime ruining the suspense in the last episode by showing us what the Queen’s greatest child looks like, it made up for it near the end. The fact that we never see it as it starts killing the Japanese Hunters helps rebuild the tension, which continues at the start of this episode. Without breaking a sweat, the Ant King manages to slaughter that entire team, and then does the same to the ones who came to investigate. However, this moment isn’t what makes this beast a true menace. It’s what he does next.

The Ant King calls all the remaining ants back to the nest, because it knows their mom is dead, and they have to avenge her. So while the other ants start to make their way back, the Ant King walks right in and, through his aura farming alone, manages to make Cha Hae-in drop to her knees in horror.

Then, we hear the same music that played when Jin-woo killed those Hunters in the Dungeon. Even though I read the manwha in advance, my jaw still dropped when I saw what happened next. It was even worse than I remembered!

The Ant King is a Menace!

Byung-Gu’s death was like something out of a horror movie. However, what made it worse was that he had already retired as a Hunter. He quit after the last Jeju raid because he knew if he kept being a Hunter, he’d die gruesome. He was all set to get his certification to be a teacher, but chose to come back because he cared too much about his comrades!

This Ant King is the second coming of Meruem. If he is not stopped, he will lead his army to conquer all of Asia. He’s so strong that he even disrespects the Hunters by telling them they’re not even worth the effort for him to kill. He lets the rest of the Ants finish them while he leaves to find their King and kill them.

So, what are the Japanese Hunters doing during this time? They’re getting ready to leave.

Japan’s Scheming Backfired

Japan never intended to work with Korea to clear out the Ants. Their plan was to use Korea’s S-Ranks as cannon fodder to soften the ants up so they could clear it themselves. Once Goto Ryuji did this, he would meet the requirements to ascend to the one rank beyond S-Rank: the National Rank. They’re Hunters that are so strong they rival an entire country’s military, and they all cleared S-Rank Dungeons. Ryuji had the chance to help clear one in America years ago, but he turned it down to stay in Japan, something that he’s always regretted.

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In other words, this entire plan was a scheme to gain control over Korea and satisfy a single man’s ego. But not even Japan’s strongest Hunter is enough to handle the Ant King. We don’t even see him die; just his blade breaking.

Jin-woo like “Fine, I’ll do it myself.”

The episode looks like it’s about to end on a very bleak note, with all the Hunters about to be devoured by the horde. However, that is Jin-woo decides to make his move.

Planting his Shadows on most of the Korean Hunters was a smart move. It allows him to instantaneously teleport to Jeju Island in time to save everyone. However, it does beg the question why he didn’t do this as soon as the Ant King appeared. Better yet, why didn’t he let them know that he could have his Shadows provide backup earlier? He could have planted them on every Hunter taking part and have them provide support! It feels like a bit of an oversight by the story.

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What’s done is done, though. Now that Jin-woo is about to appear, we are going to get the fight that I’ve been waiting an entire year to see in animated form. Hopefully, this fight will be as good as it is in the gacha game Solo Leveling: Arise. Which, by the way, is in the middle of its spring event.

I Give “It’s Going to Get Even More Intense” a 4.5/5

Jin-woo, Why U no Go to Jeju?

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

Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadows S2 Ep 10 Review

At the time this is being written, the Internet was just coming down from the high of the Invincible War. Now, they’re about to hit an all-new high as the Jeju Island Raid Arc begins in full! Unfortunately for the fans, it starts off with a certain person deciding to take a page out of the life of Achilles. For Sung Jin-woo, the Black Air Force Hunter, has decided to sit this one out. why, you may ask? The details will be revealed below.

A Not-So-Friendly Sparring Session

So, to help them prep for the upcoming raid, all the Korean and Japanese S-Rank Hunters have a friendly sparring session. Everyone except for Jin-woo and Goto Ryuji, the strongest S-Rank in Japan. They sit on the sidelines and let the others fight it out, and the fights are fairly impressive. Even when they’re holding back, you can tell these Hunters are the best of the best. The animation is also pretty good, too. Not as fast-paced as previous fights weve seen this season, but entertaining nonetheless. Special mention should go to Baek Yoonho revealing his beast form!

However, when Hae-in looks ready to be hurt by hurt, Jin-woo instinctively steps in to stop the fight. A big win for anyone who ships them! However, its what happens next that makes things interesting. Goto Ryuji has been observing the fights, but he’s also been observing Jin-woo. And after what he just did, he’s very interested in him. So, he walks to him with his translator, and asks him if he’d like to scrap.

And Jin-woo smiles and agrees to it!

How Could the Anime Not Include this?

The fight between the two is short, but no less epic. The studio clearly wanted to put as much of the animation budget into this one scene, and its very entertaining to watch! Too bad the fight gets called off when it was just getting good, and it leaves out a few key details from the manwha.

Firstly, when Goto starts taking things seriously, the System alerts Jin-woo that he’s facing someone with murderous intent. Had it continued, a repeat of Dongsook might have happened.

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Secondly, and this is important, but after the fight ends, Goto Ryuji is trembling. He is shaken to his core because he knows that if they fought for real, he’d lose.

It’s a real shame that the anime chose to cut this stuff out. Instead, they chose to downplay it to make it seem like Jin-woo and Ryuji are evenly matched.

Sadly, this isn’t the only change the anime makes that feels inferior to the manwha.

Jin-woo Should Have Gone.

At any rate, Jin-woo decides that he’s not going to go on the raid to Jeju Island for two reasons. Firstly, after seeing the other S-Ranks in action, he thinks they can handle it by themselves. Secondly, his mom just woke up from a years-long coma. He wants to spend as much time with her as possible and doesn’t want to scare her by putting his life at risk.

There’s no easy way to say this…he should have gone with them.

As happy as we should be that he’s got his mom back, and as understandable as it may be that he doesn’t want to worry her, he should have gone with them. Almost every Hunter in Korea is on stand-by in case the ants make it to the mainland. Even Song-yi and Joo-hee, both of whom quit being Hunters, are ready to help. Yet here is Achilles, sitting in his tent!

I remember reading this in the manwha, and despite understanding his reasoning, I still think he should’ve gone. Between himself and his Shadows, they could ensure casualties were non-existent. By the time the episode ends, the raid already has bodies piling up, and its all due to the Ants secret weapon.

Which brings us to the second issue that makes the anime feel inferior to the manwha: the Ants Trump card.

A New Challenger Approaches

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If you’ve seen or read HunterxHunter, then you should know about the Chimera Ant Arc. If you know about that, you know about Meruem, the inhumanely strong super-ant that threatened to conquer the world. The creator of Solo Leveling must have taken a page from HunterxHunter, because the Ant Queen of Jeju Island had the same idea. She lays an egg that, when hatched, will give birth to her strongest child, meant to lead her children as they go forth in search of food. An Ant King.

While both the manwha and anime show the birth of the Ant King, they portray events differently. The manwha deliberately has things take place at night, so readers don’t see the King just yet. All we see is its silhouette as it celebrates its birth with a massive explosion of aura. On the other hand, the anime does away with the mystique by showing us the Ant King. And it might just be me, but he doesn’t look nearly as intimidating in the anime than in the manwha.  

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It should also be noted that when members of the Japanese Team start dropping dead, it’s treated as far more horrific in the manwha. Though that’s just me.

Enjoy the Carnage

For better or for worse, the Jeju Island Raid Arc has begun in full. And, sadly, its not getting the movie treatment it deserves. Because what is about to happen needs the budget an anime film can provide! Fingers crossed, the anime does what happens justice. If not, there’s always Solo Leveling: Arise.

Which reminds me: if you haven’t played Solo Leveling: Arise, now would be a good time to get in on it. They just added a new Hunter and gave players gifts for Jin-woo’s birthday. Plus, of you feel bad about that dead Hunter, you can learn about her backstory for even greater tragedy.

I Give “We Need a Hero” a 4/5

Turns Out Natsuko was Always Waifu Material

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

Zenshu Ep 7 Review

By this point in the story, it’s evident that Natsuko Hirose was brought to the World of Perishing for a reason. She’s not just there to turn the tragic ending into a potentially happy one. She’s also been sent to that world so she can learn to overcome her negative character traits. I.E., to teach her the values of friendship and love. While the last two episodes have seen success on getting her to work with others, when it comes to love, she remains clueless. As this episode dives into Natusko’s past through the eyes of others, it’s revealed that her inability to understand love is something she’s dealt with her entire life. And, for extra irony, she’s made more than just Luke fall for her without even trying!

Also, this episode likely gave us the identity of the overall antagonist, AKA that mysterious bird that keeps appearing.

Natsuko is Winning Over Everyone…

Through a series of flashbacks, this episode gives us a look at Natsuko’s life from the perspective of four people. Each of them ranges from a childhood friend of hers all the way up to her boss at her animation studio, but they all have one thing in common. That thing being that Natsuko manages to evoke strong, often romantic, feelings from each of them. Granted, one of them, a senpai from a college, uses those feelings to fuel his (failed) attempts to surpass her, but that’s beside the point. The point is that Natsuko has been capable of making people fall for her, and never realized it.

As the main protagonist, Zenshu has given viewers a pretty good grasp of Natsuko’s personality by now. She can come off as rude and abrasive at times, but, as it should be evident by now, it’s less out of malice and more out of not understanding social cues or personal space. Yet despite these shortcomings, her upfront nature, dedication to her craft, and overall passion also make her very charismatic without even trying. Enough to make multiple people fall in love with her.

Which makes her own inability to understand what it’s like being in love all the more ironic.

…But Has 0 ROMANTIC XP!

As the final flashback of the episode demonstrates, Natsuko is utterly clueless on what it’s like to be in love. So what does she do? She turns to romance manga, harasses people on their own first loves, and attempts to play out romcom tropes in real life. Including “the running into someone while carrying breakfast in your mouth” routine!  But if finding love could be forced to happen like that, then nobody would be single in this world. Sadly, it doesn’t work like that, and all she does is annoy her coworkers.

The funny part to all of this is that Natsuko doesn’t even need to force romance. If she had paid more attention to the people around her, she would see how many people of both genders are attracted to her. Though truth be told, it seems like the events of Zenshu are setting her up for her own first love: Luke. In fact, given her obsession with A Tale of Perishing, it seems like she was always in love with Luke but didn’t realize it. But as the episode ends in the present day, with Natsuko celebrating with the Nine Soldiers, there might still be hope for her.

Assuming that the mysterious bird that’s been appearing doesn’t have anything to say about it.

Who is that Weird Bird?

Over the past few episodes, Natsuko has been repeatedly visited by this mysterious-looking bird with big eyes. It keeps saying that all her attempts to give the story a happier ending won’t work, and it seems to be the one actively changing the story to ensure it returns to its “correct” path. And this episode might have revealed who this being might be.

We don’t get a good enough look at her, but based on the drawings of the creator of A Tale of Perishing that Natsuko looks at, this bird might be the avatar for the film’s own creator. And for whatever reason, she seems to be bent on ensuring things play out as she envisioned them. Which in and of itself could be seen as meta-commentary on creators who actively shut down any and all attempts by fans to improve their story. Or it could all just be a coincidence. Either way, with Zenshu now in the back half of its episodes, things are going to start ramping up. Will Natsuko find a way home? Will she understand the meaning of love? Is all of this a dream as she’s recovering in a hospital bed? Here’s hoping we find out!

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I Give “First Love” a 5/5

Did…did Natsuko Go Through Character Development?

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

Zenshu Ep 6 Review

It was going to happen sooner or later, but that doesn’t make it any less painful: Natsuko has screwed up. Big time. Because she insisted on handling the Voids by herself, she failed to stop them during their last fight. As a result, she came dangerously close to dying, possibly for good! With the Void now poised to get the last Soul Future (the crystal MacGuffin preventing the end of the world), Natsuko needs to get her act together. It’s long overdue for her to learn…how to work in a team.

If this is all a dream or she gets sent back to Japan when this is all over, this will be an important life lesson.

Given how the last episode ended right as the Void were about to attack Natsuko, one would expect its follow-up to pick up immediately from there. However, for some reason, Zenshu never actually shows us exactly how Natsuko escaped certain death. All that is known is that Luke and the others saved her, and then spent days trying to heal her injuries with their magic.

What the show does do, though, is start the episode by revealing the other members of the Nine Soldiers. Save for Justice, the missing members are deceased, a sobering reminder of how bleak A Tale of Perishing was before Natsuko arrived.

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Regardless of what happened, the liquid Void embedded itself next to the tower containing the last Soul Future and placed itself into a chrysalis. When it emerges, it will attempt to consume the one thing keeping the world from ending.

And worst of all? Natsuko didn’t seem to learn anything from her failure.

Reality Check, Natsuko!

This episode’s name is particularly meaningful, as it marks a big change in Natsuko. At first, she says she will handle the Void like she always does, but the Nine Soldiers aren’t having any of it. Everyone (except Unio) does everything from yell at her for being reckless (Luke) to patiently reassuring her she’s not alone. However, it’s QJ, the robot and character who’s had the least impact on the story, that manages to get through to her. In a very sobering moment, QJ plays back footage revealing how hard the others worked to save her life.

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The anime has yet to explain why Natsuko developed this mindset of doing everything herself, but it has shown how detrimental it is. Back in Japan, her stubbornness put the entire studio in jeopardy, which is bad enough. But in A World of Perishing? It almost got her killed. It has to stop, and thankfully, the message sticks with Natsuko. She finally learns the importance of working with a team.

When the Nine Soldiers next fight the Void near the Soul Future itself, this time, it’s not just Natsuko who saves the day. The entire group uses a plan that Luke comes up with that requires all of them. And it works! They manage to stop the Void and save the Soul Future, thus preventing the end of the world once more!

Another Crisis Solved

The best part, though, is that the fight prompts Justice to get back into the fray. And after helping Natsuko pull things off, Luke sees for himself how Justice’s wings were mangled, preventing them from flying to their full extent. And that makes Luke realize that he was so caught up in his own problems that he never realized how Justice was feeling. So, it looks like Justice is going to end up rejoining the Nine Soldiers.

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The timing couldn’t be better. With the Voids now taking on forms that Natsuko doesn’t know about, they need to up their game. They need to change how they work.

And with that, Zenshu has reached its halfway point. Sorry for the delay, but more reviews will be out soon!

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I Give “Change” a 4/5

Wait, Does Kissing Really Do That to People?

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

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 2, Episode 8 Review

Last time on The 100 Girlfriends, the Rentaro Family was facing its biggest crisis since the incident with Hahari! Rentaro’s tenth soulmate, the beautiful Mimimi Utsukushisugi, refuses to be part of any group with Nano in it due to a past transgression. Thus, the newcomer challenges Nano to a contest where the loser must leave the Family! How will Rentaro use his CHADtaro powers to resolve this conflict? What sort of antics will Mimimi bring to the Rentaro Family? And how saucy can this anime make the simple act of kissing?

That last question will make sense soon enough.

Mimimi’s Problem with Nano

So, after Mimimi threw down the gauntlet last time, this episode reveals the exact circumstances that led to her grudge against Nano. After winning a beauty paegant they were both in, Mimimi tried to be a good sport and extend a hand to Nano. In response, Nano rejected her, saying friendship was a waste of time. What made things worse was that Mimimi secretly entered Nano in the pageant all so the two of them could become friends, only to get spat on.

The first half of this episode is as much about Nano’s character development as it is about Mimimi joining the Family. Before she met Rentaro, love and friendship were utterly foreign to her. Her willingness to accept Mimimi’s challenge speaks volumes to her character development. Something that becomes more obvious over the course of their “beauty search” contest.

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Instead of judging each other by what makes them beautiful, they point out everything they find beautiful in the rest of the family. This leads to some very fun moments where everything that makes the others attractive. However, it’s when they get to Rentaro himself that the real funny moment of the episode takes place.

CHADtaro humiliates himself for his Family

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Rentaro uses his CHADtaro powers to turn himself into the least attractive person they can possibly find. He shaves his eyebrows, hair, and puts on a humiliating costume all so they can’t get an edge, and call the entire contest a draw! That’s how far Rentaro is willing to go to keep his girlfriends happy!

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Mimimi almost takes this moment as another loss, but again, this episode demonstrates Nano’s character development. She may not be able to make up for her past slight, but she makes it clear that she finally understands the value of love and friendship. Which is one of the great things about this series. The girl’s problems aren’t fixed overnight, but thanks to the supportive environment Rentaro gives them, they’re able to work on them together! And it’s enough to convince Mimimi to drop her grudge and officially join the Family.

Kissing Galore

In what is now a tradition for the series, the second half of the episode is centered on Mimimi integrating into the Rentaro Family through an activity. In this case, it’s helping each of the girls reach their most beautiful selves by partaking in activities that will aid them. In this case, kissing. Lots and lots and lots of kissing.

This entire half of the episode is primarily an excuse for the anime to skirt the line between SFW and full-on ecchi. Using a new lip balm to stimulate the pleasure centers of the brain, the girls each take turns kissing Rentaro. The moments that come out of this are, suitably, hilarious. Like this!

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Or this!

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This one got crazy!

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And this one was a straight-up shoutout to Food Wars and its infamous Foodgasms.

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And look at how what happened afterwards!

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And with that, we now sit at ten girlfriends, with ninety more to go. And this season only has one girlfriend left to introduce, so there’s no telling what might happen! At least the girls will be able to remain beautiful, though!

I Give “The Beautiful and the Bold” a 4/5

Karaoke Cuteness Chaos

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

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 2, Episode 7 Review

It feels like only yesterday that Rentaro met his first two girlfriends. Now, he’s sitting at nine, with ninety-one girlfriends left to meet and win over! And the more girlfriends join the Rentaro Family, the more chaotic and sillier things will get. Case in point, this next episode has the Family go on another group date. Then, Rentaro finally hits double digits as his tenth girlfriend appears! And she happens to already have history with another girlfriend!

Who Doesn’t Love Karaoke?

The episode starts off making us think Rentaro’s about to meet his soulmate #10, but it’s a fakeout. In truth, the Rentaro Family’s out on a group karaoke date!

The entire date is a demonstration of one advantage that the anime has over the manga it’s adapting. In the manga, readers have to imagine what everyone sounds like when they’re singing. Because it’s an anime, the show lets us hear each girl belt out songs in all their glory. Even better, you can actually hear the OP and ED amongst the songs being played for a few moments. Considering how good they were, it’s a welcomed callback.

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Shizuka’s Flooflness Made everyone Yamcha Pose

The real show, though, starts when Shizuka plucks up the courage to get up there and start singing. And thanks to another one of Kusuri’s drugs, her natural cuteness gets amplified to the point where it physically overwhelms the Family.

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I don’t know what’s funnier: how each of the girls tries to tank this onslaught of cuteness, or how each of them does the famous Yamcha pose when they can’t take it anymore.

That’s one of the great things about The 100 Girlfriends. It regularly includes parodies of pop culture to the point where you could spend each episode trying to figure out reference. Special mention goes to Rentaro and Shizuka’s duet (first CHADtaro moment of the episode) leading to a recreation of the “girl falling from the sky” scene from Castle in the Sky.

NEW GIRLFRIEND APPROACHES

The second half of the episode starts with Rentaro heading to a high-class mall to scout out date spots. That’s when he crosses paths with this girl who’s boasting about how beautiful she is and…ZING!

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Meet girlfriend #10, Mimimi Utsukushisugi, AKA the narcissistic beauty. She is an incredibly beautiful young woman capable of making heads turn as she walks by. Not only does she know this, but she revels in it. She considers herself the most beautiful woman in the world and will not accept anything less. And when she becomes smitten with Rentaro, she immediately gives him a makeover to conform to her beauty standards.

Normally, a character like Mimimi would be seen as toxic. Since this is The 100 Girlfriends, though, she deconstructs the narcissist. She actively puts in the work to being beautiful and maintaining it. She works hard to earn money, does daily maintenance on her face, and taught herself how to speak eloquently. She’s even capable of recognizing how one’s personality traits make them beautiful.

Case in point, when another couple jealously tries to ruin her outfit via spilled boba, Rentaro has his second CHADtaro moment of the episode. He willingly shields Mimimi with his body and ruining the new clothes he got.

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And then, when that guy almost slips on his own drink, he doesn’t hesitate to save him. Because, according to him, he was just trying to stand up for his own lady, something he can respect.

Thus, Rentaro gains his tenth girlfriend. His selflessness so moves Mimimi that she says he’s already beautiful as he is and begs him to go out with her. She even takes the news that she’s his tenth girlfriend as a compliment. So all seems right with the world…

…then Nano shows up, and Mimimi goes off.

Uh-oh.

As it turns out, despite calling herself the most beautiful, there was one black mark on her record. She and Nano competed in a beauty pageant in the past, and Nano won! Mimimi hasn’t forgotten this slight, and can’t tolerate joining any group with that has Nano! So she challenges her to a rematch, with the penalty being the loser will have to leave the Family. FOREVER!

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So, the episode ends on the biggest crisis the Rentaro Family has faced since the day they met Hahari! And Rentaro seems powerless to stop this coming duel! Remember, if any of his soulmates don’t date him, they’ll eventually die. This is serious business to him! How will he get out of this mess?

Find out in the next review, which will hopefully be up soon. Also, it should be noted that I had to look up the reference that Nano made at the end. A rare instance where I didn’t get the reference.

I Give “Karaoke Crisis” a 4.5/5

Behold, the Power of Anime Baseball!

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

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You S2 Ep 6 Review

Next to its birthplace in the land of the Stars and Stripes, the country that loves baseball the most is Japan. Baseball is incredibly popular in Japan, and it has been for more than a century. Hence why Iku Sutou is obsessed with the sport and why she’s determined to keep the school’s baseball team running. Were this any other anime, it would treat the big practice game that Iku and the Rentaro Family has to win seriously. However, since 100 Girlfriends is a comedic parody that loves using meta-humor, this baseball episode winds up being equal parts silly and serious. But mostly silly.

PLAY BALL!

It’s the day of the big practice game to determine if the high school girls baseball team will survive. And, by the rule of funny, Rentaro’s stand-ins wind up sick, conveniently allowing Hahari, Kurumi, and Mei the chance to play. But this is not the first example of how silly the anime is treating this baseball game.

The second example stems from the fact that their opponents, the Jurassic High Team, are all based on dinosaurs. Right down to their names being puns on dinosaur names.

The episode makes it clear from the start that it’s not trying to treat this game seriously unless it has to. Thus, it has free reign to parody the over-the-top nature of sports anime. From the opposing team coming up with flashy names for moves to said moves breaking the girl’s bats, anime logic is in full effect here. Unfortunately, that also means that the relatively inexperienced Rentaro Family is unable to do much, especially after Iku injures her pitching hand. Before long, they’re at the bottom of the seventh inning and have yet to score a point.

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But then, the opposing team does the last thing they could hope to do. Their leader messes with Shizuka’s head, making her mess up so bad, the poor girl is reduced to tears.

To paraphrase Saruman from Lord of the Rings, “So you have chosen death.”

No one. Hurts. SHIZUKA

As saddening as it is to see Shizuka reduced to tears over the enemy’s dirty playing, the episode veers right back into the realm of hilarious with what happens next. Something that, with the Internet still recovering from the high of the end of Dragon Ball Daima, has to be seen to be believed.

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<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Dragon Ball Reference in a harem anime 😭 <a href=”https://t.co/K5vqe705Pt”>pic.twitter.com/K5vqe705Pt</a></p>&mdash; Prince Vegeta (@SSGPrinceVegeta) <a href=”https://twitter.com/SSGPrinceVegeta/status/1891286768822943764?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>February 17, 2025</a></blockquote> https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Say what you want about 100 Girlfriends, but if you’re a fan of Dragon Ball, you can at least appreciate the affectionate parody that this is. Right down to the iconic eye-catchers. The fact that they got this riled up because the enemy made their precious cinnamon bun Shizuka cry only makes this even funnier.

Anyone who purposefully makes Shizuka cry is deserving of death!

The Perfect Catch

By the time they end their rampage, the Rentaro Family is only four points away from winning the game. That’s when Iku gets up to bat, and when things turn serious once more. While the story has already shown Iku dealing with her masochism, the climax of this episode has her dealing with another fear. In this case, it’s her fear of hitting someone in the stands by accident.

Cue the episode’s CHADtaro moment!

And with that, Iku secured the future of the girls baseball team. The anime got to have fun with a sports episode. And the fans got to see Rentaro make out with a cool tomboy!

In a series that gives us plenty of funny moments and is all about enjoying its premise, this episode might be one of the best thus far. Top five episodes just for the Dragon Ball reference.

I Give “A Homerun Promise” a 4/5

What if Rudeus Reunited With Sylphie Sooner?

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Fanfiction , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Early Arrival-A Mushoku Tensei Fanfic

If you read this blog over the over the past two years, you’ll notice that we’re fans of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation. It was one of the stories that led to the Isekai genre’s explosion in popularity. It’s about imperfect and flawed characters who are trying to better themselves. And it’s filled with plenty of rich lore and world-building. However, there are two things about the story that I take issue with. The first is with the way that Eris left the main character, Rudeus, and broke his heart in the process. Secondly, the trauma she unintentionally inflicted on him was so bad that he was left depressed and impotent for the next three years. Whatever faults Rudeus Greyrat may have (and he’s well aware of them), he didn’t deserve what he went through!

So, what if Rudeus didn’t have to spend three years in his own mental hell? What if he managed to get the help he needed earlier than in the canon? How would this affect the story’s pacing and the decisions its characters make? That is the main premise behind this interesting fanfic, Early Arrival. AKA, what happens if Rudy reunites with Sylphie sooner than planned?

Name: Early Arrival

Type of Fanfic: AU

Written By: GameGladiator46

Started: April 2024

Status: Ongoing

What if Rudeus Reunited With Sylphie Sooner?

Like many canon-divergent AUs, Early Arrival is an example of either the Butterfly or Snowball effects in action. Starting right after Rudy discovered he was impotent, the story sees him make a different decision. Instead of events leading him to burn his bridges with Sara and leave with Soldat, here he impulsively decides to leave town altogether. That puts him on the road to Sharia right as Ariel’s party is making their own way there, leading him to save them from assassins and for the Princess to ask him to join them to their mutual destination.

Because of that one decision, events that take place in Rudeus’ life begin to take place years ahead of the canon. As a result, the relationships he establishes with key people at Ranoa University have extra time to develop and mature, allowing him to become closer to many lifelong acquaintances far sooner. Take Ariel, for example. While he’s grateful for her help in reuniting him with Sylphie, they’re still not that close by the end of the anime’s second season. Here, they become close friends, especially after he gets her interested in going out drinking together. Hilariously, this does become a problem when she sometimes gets too into it.

That’s only one example, though. Those two extra years allow Rudy the chance to form stronger bonds with many of the people he comes to know at Ranoa University. He reunites with Zanoba in time to see Linia and Pursena smash his Roxy Figurine. Unfortunately, seeing it happen makes his reaction more extreme than it was in the canon story. However, it should be noted that he feels incredibly guilty about it afterward, and eventually apologizes and tells Sylphie and Ariel everything. As for a silver lining, Luke being there to help him manage his negative emotions means the two form a genuine bond as family. Luke even helps explain how sorry Rudy is to Sylphie and Ariel, preventing a potential fallout.

Say what you want about Luke Notos Greyrat, but he respects the bro code.

Rudy and Sylphie grow even closer before marrying

The main draw to Early Arrival, though, is how it allows Rudeus and Sylphiette to develop their relationship sooner than in the actual Mushoku Tensei. Like in canon, Rudeus doesn’t realize that Fitz is Sylphie when they first reunite. Unlike in canon, though, it doesn’t take Rudy a whole year to figure out who she is. Instead, it happens near the end of their trip to Sharia. However, once he knows who she is, the two quickly capitalize on their feelings and become a happy couple. It doesn’t cure Rudeus of his ED right away, but he doesn’t keep it a secret from her.

In hindsight, one drawback to Rudy and Sylphie marrying almost as soon as they become a couple is that we never get to see them date. They had already spent a year growing closer, but having to maintain her Fitz guise meant Sylphie could never go as far as she wanted. With that guise no longer a factor, though, Early Arrival has them spend that first year at Ranoa U enjoying dating each other. And because Rudy is more open about his problems, Sylphie is in a better position to help him work through them.

Perhaps most important, though, is how the story further explores the opinion Sylphie develops of Eris before ever meeting her. While it’s touched upon in the light novels, the anime doesn’t go into as much detail about her thoughts on Eris. Early Arrival, though, fully explores her complicated feelings towards Rudeus’ former traveling companion. On the one hand, she manages to help Rudy figure out why Eris left, something that he has yet to fully do in the anime. Understanding, though, isn’t the same as accepting something, and Sylphie makes it known that she resents Eris for hurting the man they loved so badly.

The bottom line is that the two will have to work out some issues should Eris return (which we know she will). Talking about it further, though, veers into spoiler territory from the light novels.

An Interesting Read for Mushoku Tensei Fans

For those expecting for Early Arrival to be as detailed a story as Mushoku Tensei itself, they might end up being disappointed. At 142,000+ words and counting, it’s a decent read for a fanfic. A dedicated reader could likely binge the entire thing in the span of a day or two. However, it’s not trying to re-tell the entire story from scratch. It’s only trying to cut out what could be considered unnecessary waste of time. Which, truthfully, isn’t the wrong way to look at the two-year gap between Rudy leaving with Soldat and then heading to Ranoa University. Those two years were likely some of the most miserable of his life, and Rudy didn’t deserve to suffer for that long for all his faults.

It should also be noted that it’s only now that the story is beginning to re-align with several of the events of the canon, meaning it’s technically only halfway through the series second season. There’s still plenty of time for it to develop more ideas. And it is making the most out of its premise, which is always appealing. So, if you didn’t want Rudy to suffer as long as he did, then you should find this fanfic pretty cathartic to read.

Click Here to Read it on AO3

Jin-woo is a Real Man Because He’s not Afraid to Cry

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

Why Getting Upset over Sung Jin-woo Crying is Foolish

It was bound to happen sooner or later, but Solo Leveling, the hot, new anime on the block, has its first controversy. The ninth episode of its latest season received the most dislikes an episode has gotten to date. And the reason is enough to make someone shake their head and ask yourself why it’s a big deal. The reason for the dislikes? Because Sung Jin-woo, the Black Air Force Hunter, cried.

Mr. Sung Jin-woo, Our Glorious King

Based on the popular Korean manwha of the same name, Solo Leveling tells the story of Sung Jin-woo. Set in a world where people have gained the ability to use magic to hunt monsters, Sung Jin-woo was once the weakest Hunter of all time. Until one day, he almost died in a Dungeon and got chosen by the mysterious System to become its player. He gained the unique ability to level up his stats as a Hunter, and went from the weakest Hunter to one of the strongest in all Korea.

More importantly, he’s become one of the most popular anime characters of the last few years.

Ever since he got his black air forces, Jin-woo has been seen as the personification of cool. People either want to be him or want to date him. Anyone foolish enough to make an enemy out of him regrets it before they die. He’s so bad he can even revive the dead to serve as his army. People see him as the personification of manliness. However, a small minority of fans seems to have failed to understand a core part of Jin-woo’s character, and have made that known with their dislike with a recent episode.

WHY PEOPLE UPSET?

In Season 2, Episode 9, “It Was All Worth It,” Jin-woo fulfilled the goal he’s had since the day he became a Hunter: saving his mother. His mom has been in a coma for four years because her body can’t handle exposure to mana. Were it not for being on life support, she would eventually die. So when he manages to cure her and wake her up after all this time, the two have an incredibly emotional moment where they both cry tears of joy.

And some fans hated it—so much so that it became the most disliked episode to date, with over 2.4K dislikes and counting. All because they claim that they “ruined his Aura by showing him crying.” They don’t like that, for a tiny moment, Jin-woo dropped his stoic behavior to show a moment of vulnerability with his mother.

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Now, the rest of the Internet is shaking its collective head in disbelief at the sheer ridiculousness. And it is ridiculous, and here’s why.

Exhibit A: This is a Drop in the Bucket

Firstly, it should pointed out just how small of a minority these dislikes are. The episode in question sits at 180K likes on Crunchyroll and counting. That’s around 75 to 1 in favor of the episode. It’s a small drop in the bucket, and thus does not represent the majority opinion of fans. The fact that the most disliked episode of Solo Leveling has so few dislikes only serves as a testament to its popularity.

Exhibit B: Who Said Jin-woo was Untouchable?

Secondly, where did people get the idea that Sung Jin-woo was untouchable? This small group of people must have a poor memory because Jin-woo is not untouchable.

At the start of the series, Jin-woo was a lowly E-Rank Hunter. E-Ranks are considered the weakest rank a Hunter could have, with them being only slightly stronger than the average normal person. And Jin-woo was considered the weakest Hunter of all Mankind. He was the bottom of the barrel at the bottom of another barrel, and everyone knew it, especially himself. He’d almost die every time he’d enter a Dungeon, and had to be regularly bailed out by his party members. Him becoming a Player for the System didn’t change that overnight. He had to put in the hard work and sweat to get to where he is today, which meant he had to put himself in even more life-threatening situations, some of which he still only came out by the skin of his teeth.

Case in point, there was his recent battle with Baran, the Demon Monarch. Despite how unbelievably strong he’d become, he still had trouble fighting Baran. It got to the point where, had his companion Esil not intervened, he likely would’ve died. That’s not much of an untouchable aura.

But that’s nothing compared to the most important thing haters fail to understand about Jin-woo. He put himself through hell for the last four years for one reason and one reason alone: because he loves his family.

Exhibit C: His Mom Was Cured of an Incurable Disease

Let’s summarize what Sung Jin-woo’s life has been like during his short twenty years on this Earth. His father became a Hunter and went missing close to ten years ago. His mother developed an incurable disease that would send her into a never-ending sleep and kill her if her life support got disconnected. He likely had to drop out of school as a teenager to become the sole breadwinner for himself and his little sister. He wound up getting the weakest rank a Hunter could possibly get. And everytime he went into a Dungeon, he’d wind up in the hospital.

In short: JIN-WOO HAS HAD A HARD LIFE!

Then he almost dies again, and when he wakes up, he’s got powers no other Hunter has. Instead of using them to become rich and powerful, though, his goal remains the same: taking caring of his mom and sister. Then, suddenly, he learns there’s a miracle potion that could cure his Mom, but the ingredients are kept in a nightmarish dungeon. So he has to keep getting stronger so he can make his way through the dungeon, forcing him to keep putting himself in harm’s way. Not to mention how he had to kill other people; even if it was in self-defense, he still had to kill them.

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So, with everything he’s gone through, the hell he had to endure to get to where he is now, he finally managed to save his mom. So, is it any wonder that all of those emotions he’s been bottling up for the sake of his goal wind up bursting out? Is it any wonder that he starts to cry out of sheer joy from being able to talk to his mom again because it just made everything he went through worthwhile?

Real Men aren’t afraid to Cry

There’s an unfortunate belief held by many that any man who’s willing to cry is no real man at all. It is a toxic mindset that encourages guys to bottle up their emotions instead of expressing them in a healthy manner, and it is complete nonsense. Crying is our body’s natural response to extremely strong emotions, most often sadness or joy; sometimes both! Crying helps us deal with these powerful feelings and can help us feel better afterwards! And considering what Jin-woo experienced in this episode, he earned the right to shed tears of joy.

Furthermore, here’s a question to all those who disliked the episode just because Jin-woo cried happy tears. If one of your parents was diagnosed with an incurable disease that, if it didn’t kill them, would leave them stuck in a hospital for the rest of their life. If they suddenly got better, like they were never sick in the first place, wouldn’t you want to cry your eyes out?

Just something to think about.

A Miracle Has Occurred! Jin-woo Got his Mom Back!!

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

Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadows S2 Ep 9 Review

From the day he became a Hunter, Sung Jin-woo had only one goal: to look after his family. Thanks to becoming a Player, the idea of curing his comatose mother no longer felt like an impossible dream. He’s fought, struggled, and risked his life time and again to gain the materials needed to create a cure capable of saving his Mom. Now, at long last, he’s done it. He’s managed to bring his Mom back. And it makes the absolute hell that he’s been through over his time being a Hunter worth it.

Miracle Cure, Acquired!

With the battle against Baran won, Jin-woo has the ingredients to make the medicine that could save his mom. And despite how much he’s managed to accomplish, the viewers can tell that he’s still nervous as he’s crafting it. He knows that if it were to go wrong, he’d lose his only chance to do so. The relief on his face is palpable as he sees it succeeds. And so, he returns to his world, his quest at an end! And he manages to revive Baran’s dragon as part of his army!

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As for Esil, she has to walk herself back home. Unfortunately, she doesn’t appear again after this. Anyone who was a fan of hers that wishes she got more screen time can go play Solo Leveling: Arise, where she’s one of the recruitable Hunters.

A Heartfelt Reunion With Mom

At last, we arrive at the moment of truth. This was one of the most important moments in the manwha, and one that the anime couldn’t afford to mess up. Thankfully, not only did the anime rise to meet the emotional impact of Jin-woo’s mother waking up after four long years, it went above and beyond. Jin-woo, who we’ve gotten so used to seeing as a stoic man by this point, starts crying his eyes out in joy as he gets to talk to his mom again. And you can’t blame him! If you went through everything he has all so he could have a chance of saving one of your parents, you’d end up crying tears of joy and relief, too!

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The next few days of Jin-woo’s life are joyous ones. For the first time in years, he has his family back together (except for his missing Dad.) However, now that his Mom is back, doubts begin to set in about his future. He doesn’t say it out loud, but he even questions the need to continue getting stronger as a Hunter.

The timing could not be worse.

The Jeju Island Raid is Coming

Since the first season, Solo Leveling has been steadily building up to the Jeju Island Raid Arc. There’s an army of giant, man-eating ants that’s made the island its home that’s getting ready to invade the mainland. If that happens, everyone in Korea will die. And since all previous attempts to retake the island have failed, Korea and Japan are teaming up to ensure this fourth attempt succeeds. To do that, they’re calling for all hands on deck. Most of Korea and Japan’s S-Rank Hunters will be taking part in this raid, and Chairman Go is hoping that Jin-woo will join in.

To be fair, having Jin-woo there would turn this dangerous mission into an absolute curb-stomp. However, before he can even decide, they get interrupted by the sheer aura of the S-Ranks training together!

A few months ago, the idea of Jin-woo stepping into a world like this would feel crazy. Yet here he now stands, with the strongest Hunters in Korea as they spar together. And then the Japanese Hunters show up, led by Goto Ryuji, the strongest Hunter in Japan.

Can Korea and Japan Work Together?

Japan and Korea have had a complicated history over the years, so the two countries aren’t exactly on the best terms. That enmity seems to bleed over into the Hunters as the two start wanting to scrap with each other. So, to ease the tensions, most of the S-Ranks decide to have some sparring sessions together! Which means that the next episode is going to see what the Hunting Elite are capable of doing!

While it is sad to see that the anime brought an end to the Demon Castle Arc so quickly (the manwha had it last longer), hopefully the season can stick the landing with the Jeju Island Raid Arc. And, despite some people complaining about Jin-woo crying (which will be addressed), the reunion of mother and son was genuinely heartfelt. Congrats, Jin-woo. You’ve earned this!

I Give “It Was All Worth It” a 4/5