Dragon Ball Daima was a Worthy Send-off to Toriyama

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

Dragon Ball Daima Full Series Review

One year ago, the anime workd was devastated by the news of Akira Toriyama’s death. Toriyama, the man many consider the godfather of the modern Shonen manga, was gone. Millions of people around the world, from his friends and family all the way up to world leaders, all mourned his passing. However, his death would not be the end of his story. At least, not yet. 

Less than a year earlier, Toei animation had announced that Dragon Ball would be returning with a new anime series to celebrate its 40th birthday. Even better, though, was the fact that Toriyama himself had written the story for this new anime, Dragon Ball Daima. Now, by fate or chance, Daima had become the last thing Toriyama worked on for the world that he created. If fans were already excited as it was for Dragon Ball to return in anime form, now they wanted to see how his final story would play out.

Now that Goku’s untold adventure had come to an end, though, how does Daima hold up? Did it meet fans expectations? Could it have done anything better? Is it even canon? While that last question will likely be debated for a while, the first two have an actual answer to them: yes and yes.

What is Daima About?

If you didn’t keep up with Daima during its run, here’s a quick synopsis.

Taking place shortly after the defeat of Majin Buu, Goku and his family are enjoying their lives now that peace has returned (and Goku’s alive again.) Unbeknownst to them, Gomah, the new Supreme King of the Demon Realm that Dabura ruled before his death, has been watching them for a while. Terrified at how Goku and the others defeated Majin Buu and seeing them as a threat to his rule, Gomah hatches a plan. Traveling under the radar to Earth, he uses the Dragon Balls to turn Goku and all his allies into kids, thinking they won’t be a threat in that state. And, for good measure, he kidnaps Dende to make even more Dragon Balls in the future.

Naturally, Goku and the others can’t let this stand, and when someone from the Demon Realm comes saying they were sent to bring the ones who beat Buu, they embark on a quest to rescue Dende and return to their normal ages. This quest will take them to the Demon Realm, a part of the cosmos that has never been fully explored in the history of Dragon Ball!

This is Like GT but with Better Writing

In case it’s not obvious, Dragon Ball Daima takes a lot of inspiration from another anime in the franchise, Dragon Ball GT. Released back in the 90s by Toei as a sequel to DBZ, GT told a completely original story that starts with Goku being reduced to a child by a set of Dragon Balls. The initial arc would see him, Trunks, and his granddaughter Pan travel the galaxy to retrieve these Dragon Balls in the hopes of saving Earth from being destroyed. Because…reasons!

In hindsight, GT felt like an attempt by Toei to fuse the original adventure genre of Dragon Ball with the more popular Shonen fighting genre that most people know the franchise for. Unfortunately, while it did have its good points, most notably Super Saiyan 4, GT wasn’t as good as DBZ. Toriyama himself had little to no involvement beyond some character designs, and it showed! The plot tried too hard to be funny, only to come off as cringe. Several of the characters became unlikable. And the less said about Dolltaki, the better! It’s for these and many other reasons that fans debate whether or not GT is even canon or part of another timeline! 

Daima is Toei’s second attempt to tell a story that returns Dragon Ball to its adventurous roots. And unlike before, Toriyama was fully on board. In a recent interview with Akio Iyoku, Daima’s exec producer, it was confirmed that the series was a deliberate attempt to evoke the feeling of GT. Funnily enough, that same interview confirmed that Toriyama was only meant to have limited involvement. But Toriyama found it so exciting, he pretty much handled it all by himself. 

In hindsight, that might partly why he died so young, but at least he died doing what he loved. And it also explains yet another thing he worked on being a big influence on Daima.

Good Old JRPG Action!

Outside of his work as a mangaka, Toriyama is famous for his work in another medium of entertainment: video games. He was the character designer for the Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger series, the latter being one of the greatest JRPGs ever made. Whether he intended to or not, it seems that his experiences with those games helped to influence how he wrote Daima, because it feels an awful lot like a JRPG.

It’s been stated several times throughout this blog’s reviews for this series, but Daima feels like the Dragon Ball equivalent to Dragon Quest. The quest to save an entire world from a tyrannical king. The ragtag party of heroes that add more members as the adventure goes on. The concept of the Medi Bugs even sounds a lot like items you find in an RPG! 

It doesn’t stop with the story and gameplay mechanics. Up until the final battle against Gomah, the fights give off the feeling of a classic JRPG fight. And this blog isn’t the only one who’s noticed the similarities. Plenty of other fans have noticed the comparisons between Daima and Dragon Quest. One article from Screenrant even says that it only serves to make Daima an even bigger tribute to the legacy of Toriyama. It combines his magnum opus for both manga and video games into a fairly entertaining story that could easily work as a standalone video game! It’s funny enough to be one!

Toriyama Never Lost his Sense of Humor

When it comes to the action, Dragon Ball Daima can feel a tad lackluster when compared to Z and Super. However, there is a good reason for that: Dragon Ball didn’t start out as a franchise focused solely on fighting. Fighting and martial arts were always a part of the story, but in the beginning, Dragon Ball was more concerned about the adventure. The entire story starts because Goku and Bulma go on an adventure to find the rest of the Dragon Balls together. Daima was an attempt to return to the franchise roots as a story inspired by Journey to the West, best exemplified by Goku’s retrieval of his Power Pole. By focusing more on the adventure aspects, this meant that the series could also focus more on the comedic aspects.

Toriyama was a man with a pretty good sense of humor. His first big manga, Dr. Slump, was a gag comedy. And while it would come to be best known for the fights, Dragon Ball never really lost its sense of humor. Thanks to its premise, Daima was able to bring the comedy back in full. From the oaf and straight-man routine that Goku and Glorio established to even the villains proving to be fairly goofy, you can tell Toriyama wanted to make his fans laugh. And it largely worked. Special mention goes to Hybis and his absolute deadpan attitude towards everything! 

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Thankfully, Daima never forgot about the action, and when it wanted to focus on that, it went HARD! By the time the final episodes rolled around, it had already returned to the same levels of action from DBZ before starting to edge closer to what comes in Super. And judging by the Internet’s reaction, fans were more than satisfied with what we got.

SUCH EPIC FANSERVICE!

Speaking of which, can we just bring up the fact that Daima was amazing at delivering fanservice? Most people associate that concept with images of attractive anime characters, but in a broader sense, it’s about giving the fans what they want to see. In the case of Dragon Ball Daima, it was getting to see things that plenty of fans wanted to see. The return of Goku’s Power Pole was a good example of fanservice for those who like the earlier Dragon Ball adventures, but there’s more than that.

Exhibit A: Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta. Vegeta was only ever shown achieving this form in video games, which were, by their nature, non-canon. Getting to see that form appear in the anime, albeit as Kid Vegeta, was a big deal. However, that would end up paling in comparison to what we would get next.

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Exhibit B: Super Saiyan 4 Goku. Say what you want about GT, but you cannot deny that SSJ 4 was cool! The red fur and wild hair may feel super-edgy these days, but that can be chalked up to it coming from the 90s. That decade was all about being edgy! What was more important is that this marked the first time in decades that fans got to see the fabled SSJ 4 in the anime, and we just ate it up! People are already saying that Goku’s transformation into SSJ 4 is the second coming of the legendary first time we saw SSJ 3. And they’re right! 

Just don’t expect any explanation as to why this form never comes up in Super.

They Shouldn’t Have Rushed Things so Much

When it comes to it, there are two main problems regarding Dragon Ball Daima. One seriously affects the overall story, while the other is something that mainly concerns hardcore fans.

The big problem is the length and pacing of the series. The first nine episodes are focused on the setup and then Goku and the others’ journey through the first of the three worlds making up the Demon Realm. The time spent in the Second World amounts to around five episodes, with the last five focusing on the final battle against Gomah and his army. No matter how you look at it, that’s some pretty uneven levels of focus! The show spends so much time in the Third World and expanding it, the lack of attention the Second World gets is a problem. Especially when you consider that it was hinting at parts of the Demon Realm we may never get to see! 

The other problem is regarding whether or not Daima counts as canon. Since none of what happens gets mentioned in Super, some fans wonder if it counts as canon. The fact that Super Saiyan 4 never gets brought up doesn’t help matter. However, that same interview with Ikoyu confirms that, yes, Daima is canon, mainly because it was written by Toriyama. That answer, though, does imply that anything made for the franchise following his passing may be non-canon. 

My thoughts? Who cares?

Let’s be Happy We got more Dragon Ball

Who cares if Dragon Ball Daima is canon or not? Who cares if might contradict the established lore for Dragon Ball in a few ways. And who cares that none of this ever comes up in Super (yet.) At the end of the day, I don’t think whether Daima is even canon should be what’s important. What’s important is that we got more Dragon Ball.

It’s not something that fans want to think about, but the passing of Toriyama marks the end of an era for Dragon Ball. From now on, the franchise will have to continue without its creator, and while plenty of franchises have managed to do so, there’s always the concern that things won’t be the same. What’s more, many of the people who voice the characters aren’t getting any younger. Sooner or later, they’re going to have to retire or will eventually pass away. Masako will let her voice live on through AI, but there’s no telling what will others will do. Even Bulma’s original seiyuu passed away years ago! 

The bottom line is that Dragon Ball may not last forever, as much as we may want it. Sooner or later, it’s going to have to end or end up like The Simpsons: a pale shadow of its former self. So the way I see it, we should enjoy Dragon Ball as much as we can while we still have it.

A Worthy Send-off for a Legend

So, was Dragon Ball Daima a perfect series? No! It had its ups and downs, and I do think it could’ve benefitted from more episodes. However, the idea of a perfect story doesn’t exist, and if it did, that would just mean mankind couldn’t tell anything better. At the end of the day, though, Daima wasn’t trying to be a perfect story. It was just trying to entertain people, either by making them laugh or squealing in joy. And it largely succeeded, with most of the people I know and follow online loving it. 

What’s most important, though, is that this series was the final gift that we got from Akira Toriyama. There’s no telling if he knew that his life was coming to an end, but if he did, then he chose to spend his final days pouring his heart and soul into making Daima the best that he could make it. And it paid off! Most fans seemed to love Daima, and consider it a worthy final work from a man who helped change the world. Dragon Ball will likely go on for years to come, and it might not be the same without Toriyama, but he’s already given us everything he had. He’s more than earned the right to go to that big studio in the sky where all the great storytellers in human history get to chill for the rest of eternity. The least we could do as fans was make sure he got the sendoff he deserved.

And we did. Arigato, Toriyama-Sama. You’ve earned the rest. 

DAIMA WONDERLAND! ARIGATO, TORIYAMA-SAMA

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

Dragon Ball Daima Episode 20 Review

It’s over, everyone. After five months and twenty episodes, Dragon Ball Daima, the series made to honor the franchise’s 40th anniversary, has ended. The real question, though, is whether or not the series ended on a high note. And since it wound up being the last thing Toriyama worked on before his passing, fans wanted the finale to be the highest note possible. So, did it stick its landing? Did Toriyama choose to end the story in an epic fashion, or a comedic one?

Let me put it this way: if you loved Toriyama’s sense of humor, then you’re going to laugh at how the finale plays out.

Going Wild Right from the Start

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The second the episode cuts away from the Toei logo, Daima lets everyone know it’s not messing around. Instead of wasting time with the OP, it opts to get right into the action as SSJ 4 Goku and Gomah continue their final battle. And much to Dragon Ball fans elation, Daima gives eight minutes of glorious, uninterrupted fighting. And I do mean uninterrupted, as beyond the screaming, there’s almost no talking of which to speak. Just two super strong people punching each other in fast-paced sakuga fashion, epic beam struggle and all!

Those eight minutes aren’t just to entertain the audience. They’re a testament to why Dragon Ball is such a legendary anime. When it wants to go all-out on the fighting, it will pour every yen it has into giving the audience a show to remember.

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Unfortunately for the heroes, their big gambit fails at the last second, leaving them unable to get the Evil Third Eye out of Gomah. For a moment, it looks like things might really be all over for Goku and his comrades with Gomah poised to kill them all. It’s like those cutscenes some video games add after the player defeats the boss, only to make it seem like they failed. And like those cutscenes, Daima pulls something out of the fire that saves them in the most unexpected fashion.

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At first glance, it might seem like having Kuu be the one to stop Gomah feels like a cheap copout. However, this is Toriyama we’re talking about. That man loved to make everyone think things would go a certain way, only to have something unexpected and silly happen. Like Yajirobe cutting off Vegeta’s tail? Or Recoome getting one-shotted? Watch something long enough, and you’ll notice these sorts of things!

Plus, it makes what happens next pretty funny, too.

ALL HAIL KING KUU

So, Gomah doesn’t die after being defeated. Instead, the heroes opt to imprison the now ex-Demon King along with Degesu in a magic prison for the next 99 years. At least they’ll have plenty of video games to play while they think about what they did. However, things get interesting when Arinsu declines to become the next King (or Queen) because she didn’t get her wish from the Dragon Balls. Instead, the title goes to the one responsible for defeating Gomah: Kuu!

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Of all the ways that this could end, I don’t think anyone expected Majin Kuu to be the one becoming the new King of the Demon Realm. However, it makes sense. He may not be strong, but he’s good at befriending others and recognizing their talents. Case in point, he makes Arinsu his Vice-Demon King so she can keep using her knowledge to help everyone. Even better, he makes Neva, Marba, Glorio, Duu, and Kadan all Ministers to help him rule. And for the first time in eons, the Demon Realm has a ruler worthy of the position!

And so, like any good JRPG, the world this adventure took place in becomes a better place. People can now travel freely between the Demon Worlds, and thanks to the tunnels opening, the gas that gave Goku so much trouble in the Third Demon World becomes much lighter.

And so, with their quest done, Goku and the others head home, heroes one and all. But not before we get one last joke.

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Leave it to Toriyama to turn a seemingly ancient and unique artifact into something found at a drug store. I had the biggest grin on my face when I saw that.

PEAK. ANIME.

So, how was the finale to Dragon Ball Daima? Honestly, it was pretty good! It did a great job of balancing fan’s expectations for the action with Toriyama’s sense of humor. That final fight between Goku and Gomah may not have been as epic as the fights he’ll have in the future, but it stands as one of the series best in recent years. The kamehameha alone might be among the best in the entire franchise!

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As for the comedy, for those who saw the outcome as a cop out, I reiterate my previous examples. Toriyama understood the humor behind hyping someone up, only to have them absolutely embarrassed, and that was something he never forgot. The ending wasn’t just an epic shouting match. It was also a return to the comedy found throughout Toriyama’s works!

We’ll likely be doing a full series review for Daima soon, so we can fully explore what worked and what didn’t. However, at the end of the day, I would say that Daima proved to be a success for Dragon Ball. Even if it hadn’t been the last thing Toriyama worked on before he died, it likely still would have been a success.

Also, it should be pointed out that the finale ended right before midnight, March 1st in Japan, exactly one year to the day that Akira Toriyama left this world to join the other great storytellers in Heaven. That could not have been a coincidence! People knowingly chose the finale’s date in honor of Toriyama’s memory! It was Japan’s way of allowing him to move on to Otherworld, his work fulfilled!

Go, Akira Toriyama. Go teach a dinosaur to ride a ball in Heaven and spend eternity with the great storytellers of history.

I Give “Maximum” a 5/5

Why is Jeju Island so Important to Solo Leveling

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

A Quick 411 on the Jeju Island Arc

In the original Solo Leveling manwha, the story opens right as Sung Jin-woo is facing certain death in the Double Dungeon. However, the anime chose to start things off differently. Instead, it begins with a scene on Jeju Island, where a group of Hunters is fighting for their lives against Monsters. This original scene was the first of several added throughout the anime, most of which would revolve around Jeju Island. There’s a very good reason for this: it’s the anime’s way of building up to one of the most important arcs in the entire story. And if you’re reading this, it means that the anime is making that arc into its season finale and not giving it the Demon Slayer: Mugen Train treatment or theatrical release, much to my dismay.

Personal feelings aside, this is meant to serve as a quick summary of what makes Jeju Island such an important location in Solo Leveling. And why what’s about to happen is going to be a speedrun of Hunter x Hunter’s Chimera Ant Arc on steroids.

Four Years Earlier…

The story begins four years before the events of Solo Leveling. An S-Ranked Dungeon spawned on Jeju Island, the largest island in the Korean Peninsula, forcing Hunters to attempt to close it. However, due to it being the strongest possible Dungeon, and how weak Korea’s S-Rank Hunters were back then, they failed to close it in time. As a result, it underwent a Dungeon Break, AKA what happens when the Monsters inside can spill over into the Human world. In this case, it was legions of ants the size of your average human being, if not bigger.

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Thousands of people ultimately died at the monstrous mandibles of the insects, and the Hunters and Korean Government were powerless to stop them. All they could do was get everyone left alive and get them off the island before they met the same fate. Thus, Jeju Island was left abandoned, a wasteland devoid of any human life while its buildings served as an eerie monument to the Hunter’s failure.

And the ants were free to multiply and make the island their own kingdom. But Korea wasn’t going to sit back and let things remain as they were.

Three Years of Failures

Over the course of the next three years, the Korean Government and its top Hunters made repeated attempts to take back the island. To say that they proved disastrous would be an understatement. Their third and latest attempt not only failed, but it cost the life of one of their S-Rank Hunters. Baek Yoonho, Guild Master of the White Tigers, had to watch as that man died and couldn’t do anything about it! And their mutual friend was so traumatized that he quit being a Hunter altogether!

After that failure, the Korean Government decided they couldn’t afford to risk more lives, especially with how few S-Rank Hunters they had. So, they decided to leave the island and its ant masters alone, hoping that once they ran out food, they would either starve or turn on each other.

It didn’t work.

The Chimera Ant Arc on Steroids

The Ant Queen that served as the Dungeon’s boss wasn’t a mindless beast; she was intelligent. Intelligent enough to realize that if things remained as they were, her children would die. Unfortunately, that meant evolution kicked into overdrive. The newer generations of ants started being born with wings and the ability to fly. Slowly but surely, the first scouts started making their way to the surrounding nations, all of them full of humans and animals upon which they could feed.

In other words, if those ants aren’t taken care of now, then they would overrun Korea, Japan, and even China. And the rest of the world could be next.

The earlier comparisons to the Chimera Ant Arc from Hunter x Hunter weren’t hyperbole. Both center around fighting a colony of incredibly powerful, super-intelligent ants. If left unchecked, said ants could spread enough to conquer the world and turn humankind into its food source. And if that wasn’t scary enough, the Hunters of each story have to face an opponent that is beyond their worst nightmares. The only difference is that what’s about to happen in the Jeju Island Arc is going to be speed-running through the entire story and look far cooler doing so!

Regardless of whether the Jeju Island Raid Arc is a movie or just the season finale, the coming battle will be Solo Leveling’s biggest to date. It’s the kind of battle that will make even the internet-breaking feats of Jin-woo vs the High Orcs look tame. For a series that seems to thrive on serial escalation, that should not be taken lightly! So make sure you are prepared and have snacks ready. You will need them!

Jin-woo Slays the Demon Monarch

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

Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadows S2 Ep 8 Review

Week after week, Solo Leveling continues to shatter streaming records on Crunchyroll. It is currently the most-watched anime on the platform, and a big part of that is due to its constant escalation of conflict. For example, two episodes ago, the Internet lost it over Jin-woo’s fight with the High Orcs. But that fight manages to get topped by this episode’s climactic battle and introduce the second-best girl in the series. Not only that, but it continues to build up another battle that’s been coming since the start of the series.

A New Waifu Approaches

When Jin-woo came looking for the group that was beating his Shadows, he fully expected a fight. He got one at first, but as soon as his opponents were down to one left…she surrendered. Then she tried to pull of a sneak attack, got intimidated, and surrendered for real.

This cowardly woman is Esil Radiru, the daughter of the distinguished Radiru family of Demons. As she explains to Jin-woo, she and all the other Demons were summoned to this Dungeon from the Demon Realm and ordered to defend it from intruders. I.E. from Jin-woo. Any further attempts to learn more, though, are hampered by the System.

Esil is into Sung Jin-woo

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Between this and his failed attempt to learn from Beruka, it’s clear to Jin-woo that there are things the System does not want him to know. However, since he’s gotten stronger thanks to it, he gives it a pass for the time being. In addition, he also chooses to spare Esil and her house in exchange for two things:

1.) He wants their permit to head to the next level.

2.) He wants Esil to come with him as a guide/porter.

The Best Fight Yet

If it’s not obvious by the end of the episode, Esil’s fallen for Jin-woo for both his strength and his kindness to those weaker than him. This latter part proves important, as it shows that, despite his colder outlook on life, Jin-woo remains a kind and caring person to people like Esil and Jinho. As long as you don’t pick a fight with him, he’s a chill person. As a result of this kindness, Esil chooses to repay him by distracting the final boss during a critical moment that would have otherwise killed him.

As for the final boss of the Dungeon, Baram the Demon Monarch, it is as epic and as high stakes as you’d expect. Jin-woo pushes himself to his absolute limits to fight the anime equivalent of a Dark Souls boss. Even with all his power and army at his disposal, though, he only comes out by the skin of his teeth. Which is further proof that he needs to keep getting stronger if he wants to survive.

Especially since a threat that’s been looming in the background is about to rear its exoskeleton-covered head.

Wrath of the Mutant Ants

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Over the course of the two seasons, the anime has given viewers glimpses at a powerful threat brewing in the background. We prepared an entirely separate post better explaining it, but here are the basics.

  1. There’s an entire island overrun by giant Ant Monsters
  2. Even the common Ant Monsters are as strong as an A-Ranked Hunter.
  3. They’ve developed the ability to fly and reach other lands.

As shown in this episode, one of them reached part of the Japanese Islands, tore the place to shreds, and killed several Hunters before they could kill it. And there’s an island with thousands of them ready to leave to find more food.

In other words, if they get off Jeju Island, every country in the region will die. And the rest of Asia will be next.

Thus, the governments of Japan and Korea decide to do something about this and have agreed to form an alliance. The top Hunters from both countries will invade Jeju Island and wipe out the Ants before they can invade the mainland.

The Ant War is Coming

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You can already tell where this is going. As the main protagonist, Jin-woo is going to be the lynchpin to making sure this operation succeeds. But now that he has the ingredients for the medicine for his mother, will he be willing to risk his life like this? He might want to take it easy for a while.

Who are we kidding? The plot will demand that he has to help fight the mutant ants. The sight of his Shadow Army fighting an army of killer ants is too good to pass up.

Now, who is the best girl?

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I Give “”Looking Up Was Tiring Me Out” a 5/5

Sung Jin-woo, Our Glorious King, Awakens!

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

Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadows S2 Ep 7 Review

Anyone who’s read this blog’s reviews of Solo Leveling should know its stance on Sung Jin-woo by now: he is HIM! Some might say that’s glazing him and his series too much, but the Internet would argue it’s not enough. The last episode alone managed to not only crash legit streaming platforms but even piracy sites! The hype surrounding this show is the real deal. Therefore, it seems only fitting from a meta-standpoint that the majority of this next episode centers around people fawning over Jin-woo in his own story.

And he deserves every second of it.

Sung Jin-woo, our Glorious King

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At the end of the last episode, Jin-woo’s 3-day waiting period for his new S-Rank status ended. All he had to do was pick up his new license and then get on with his day like it’s no big deal. What he didn’t count on was the fact that him becoming Korea’s 10th S-Rank Hunter would make national news.

Nor did he count on being bombarded by an army of reporters trying to talk to him.

Like in the manwha, this episode (at least the first part of it) is meant to be seen as funny, mostly due to Jin-woo. He’s gotten to the point where he sees being recognized as an S-Rank Hunter is purely pragmatic. It’s a means for him to get the gear he needs to conquer the Demon Castle Dungeon. He’s already been at S-Rank for sometime, so he didn’t consider it a big deal. For everyone else, though, it’s the exact opposite. And the anime does a good job of showing how everyone who knows him personally reacts to the news.

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I Laughed So Hard Seeing this

The funniest part, though? It’s not the fact that Baek Yoonho and Choi Jong-In, both try and recruit him to their guilds like he’s the new all-star football player joining the NFL. It’s the fact that the press wasn’t even there for Jin-woo. This pretentious actor who awakened as an A-Rank called them there to make a big deal about him becoming a Hunter. Seeing Jin-woo ruin this man’s plans without even trying is hilarious! And he deserves it!

It’s unfortuntate that the series doesn’t spare some extra time on Jin-woo dealing with his newfound fame, but since it doesn’t matter to him, it doesn’t matter to the show. To his credit, though, Jin-woo uses his summons to protect his sister and neighborhood covertly.

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Also, despite it happening right away in the manwha, Baek Yoonho being the first person to realize Jin-woo can level up is accurate.

Jinho Leaves Home

As for Jin-woo’s brother, Jinhoo, there’s good news, bad news, and worse news. The good news is that, despite failing to get Jin-woo to join the guild his dad wants to form, his dad still offers him the job of guild-master. But he turns it down out of loyalty to Jin-woo. The bad news is that this means he has to move out of his home and stay with Jin-woo and his sister. To be fair, though, he leaves voluntarily rather than get kicked out like in the manwha.

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Now, for the worse news: his Dad has Eternal Slumber Disease. It’s what happens when a person who’s body isn’t compatible for mana suffers from repeated exposure. The end result is a permanent coma that, without life support, will be fatal.

The worst part? It’s the same thing that Jin-woo’s mother suffers from.

Good thing that Jin-woo is already planning on getting that medicine!

Jin-woo Gonna Conquer that Dungeon

The final part of the episode revolves around Jin-woo returning to the Demon Castle to finish what he started. And thanks to his growing army, he’s now able to delegate farming for enemies to his subordinates. Until he realizes that someone’s picking off his Shadows one by one. And since they’re only going after the weaker ones first, he knows that this isn’t a normal Monster. They’re intelligent and capable of planning out a strategy.

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The episode ultimately ends with Jin-woo confronting the ones picking off his soldiers and killing all but one of them. Don’t be fooled, though. This is only the start of an arc that (hopefully) will last a few episodes. Given what’s coming in the future, this might be one instance where the anime would do well not to rush things.

I Give “The 10th S-Rank Hunter” a 4/5

Jin-woo Washes an Army of High Orcs

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

Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadows S2 Ep 6 Review

This was one of the episodes of Solo Leveling that I was looking forward to seeing! When we last left off, Jin-woo had gone into an A-Rank dungeon so he could see what they were like. However, his plans to be a simple porter went south when the Hunting party got captured by an army of High Orcs. Now, they’re face-to-face with the boss of the Dungeon who’s ready to rip them to pieces. Little do the High Orcs know, but they’ve merely prepared their own execution, with Jin-woo being the one to carry it out.

Kargalgan the High Orc Lord

To clarify how bad this small army of High Orcs is, the Hunting Party members say that if the Dungeon breaks, they could flatten a few cities. Their mere presence is enough to make the women quake and the men want to wet themselves. Worst of all, their leader, Kargalgan, manages to keep the Hunters paralyzed with just his Haki.

As if to emphasize how dangerous the leader is, he uses the Force to throw the party leader Kihoon around like a rag doll! In fact, the only reason the Hunters were brought to them alive was so he kill and eat them for his army’s entertainment! He was playing with his food!

How does Jin-woo respond to this? He saves Son Kihoon, takes care of a High Orc that tries to attack, and asks him one question:

“Want me to take care of these guys?”

Kihoon says yes. And what follows is Jin-woo’s biggest flex to date as he summons his growing Shadow Army.

Kargalgan is a Victim

In the manwha, the fight between Jin-woo and Kargalgan was the biggest fight up to that point. While some criticisms can be levied against how the Shadow Army was animated fighting in the background (it looked pretty stiff), few, if any, criticisms can be found with the actual fight. Karglagan is an effective fusion of the best kinds of bosses in video games, complete with multiple stages and strategies for fighting opponents. Despite knowing that Jin-woo is inevitably going to win, he shows why he was the leader of the High Orcs. He’s the kind of boss that, were he in a game like Dark Souls, would make most players want to tear their hair out in frustration.

The real highlight this time, though, isn’t even the fight itself; it’s how those watching react to it. The other Hunters go from thinking they’re going to die to being utterly dumbfounded as Jin-woo single-handedly wipes out the High Orcs. While this isn’t the first time Jin-woo has flexed in front of others, the context makes this different. The public still doesn’t know that Jin-woo’s an S-Rank Hunter yet. Thus, seeing the man who served as their porter be stronger than all of them is absolutely surreal. It gets even stranger when Jinchul from the Hunters Association shows up and tells them not to speak of what they just saw. That alone is enough to tell them how important Jin-woo is! And while they don’t fully get it, they’re all happy to be alive and thank him.

Yeah, Cha is into Him

The character whose reaction is the most important, though, is none other than Cha Hae-in. Out of curiosity, she went back to the Dungeon on her day off, only to learn what had happened. She proceeded to run into the Dungeon, armed with only a pick-axe, hoping that she can somehow help. Instead, she gets a front-row seat to Jin-woo showing off his power.

Ultimately, Jin-woo kills all the enemies and adds them to his army, including Kargalgan, now renamed Tusk. Everyone leaves the Dungeon in one piece, and Jin-woo is happy. But his days of pretending to be an E-Rank are over, and he knows it. It’s only fitting that the episode ends outside the Hunters Association on the day Jin-woo’s status becomes official. Reporters are there for a celebrity getting his own Hunter Rank, but after they hear about Jin-woo, he’s the only one they’ll pay attention to.

Get some popcorn ready, because this next episode will be all about the hype of Jin-woo.

I Give “Don’t Look Down on My Guys” a 4/5

It’s Official: Daima is GT 2.0!!!!

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

Dragon Ball Daima Ep 19 Review

There are only two words that can be used to describe these final episodes of Dragon Ball Daima: absolute. Cinema. And the fandom certainly seems to think so.

We are now in the final two episodes of Toriyama’s last gift to the world, and Daima has never been more popular. In-universe, though, things were looking dire for the Dragon Team. Goku and the others were unable to leave a dent in Gomah thanks to the Evil Third Eye. To make matters worse, Glorio chose this crucial moment to summon the Demon Realm’s Dragon on behalf of Dr. Arinsu. It looked like the betrayal that was teased earlier was about to take place, and the episode’s title didn’t help much.

Guess what? We got punked! Classic Toriyama!

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Glorio just Played us All!

The episode starts off with everyone, from the Dragon Team and their allies to the audience, watching as Glorio has summoned the Demon Realm’s Dragon (Red Porunga). It looked like he was about to make Dr. Arinsu’s wish to be stronger than Gomah a reality. However, much to everyone’s astonishment, he didn’t end up wishing for that! Instead, he wished for the Dragon Team to be returned to their adult selves!

This isn’t the first time that Toriyama decided to give us this kind of bait-and-switch; after all, he did it when Krillin chose not to shut down 18. However, the fact that the audience was just as in the dark about Glorio’s wish due to it being in Namekian was brilliant. Cliffhangers may not always be enjoyable, but when done right, the payoff is worth the wait.

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As for why Glorio chose to betray his employer, who had saved him from the Third Demon World, no verbal explanation is given. However, the look on Glorio’s face as he’s warmly greeted by the others says it all. He did it because he’s grown to like his traveling companions. Good on him for that! Even better knowing that Goku finally got his name right.

Besides, it’s not as if Arinsu has no other allies. Kuu and Duu remain loyal to her, and the relationship she has with them seems pretty positive. Even moreso when it’s thanks to Kuu that Arinsu learns how to get the Evil Third Eye out of Gomah.

Vegeta Gets his SSJ 3 Moment Yet Again!

Now that they’re back in their adult forms, the heroes can fight Gomah on more equal ground. Unfortunately, they fall back into the old habit of fighting the enemy one at a time, with Vegeta going first. Try as Vegeta might, not even his adult SSJ 3 form is enough to hurt Gomah. Or rather, it does hurt him, but the damage doesn’t stick, thanks to the Evil Eye.

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No wonder why that eye is considered so dangerous. It basically gives the user infinite health and stamina! But, like any good video game boss, it does have a weakness. And it’s something so simple, it’s actually laughable: hit the user on the back of their head three times, and the Eye will fall out.

That’s nowhere near as funny as the threat that Bulma gives Vegeta if he won’t let Goku and Piccolo fight, though.

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Toriyama. He knew what fans wanted!

It may seem silly (and it is), but it’s moments like this that show just how much Toriyama understood his fans. He knew what would make us laugh, make us cry, and most of all, leave us squealing in joy. And if seeing SSJ 4 Goku as a kid was awesome, that’s nothing compared to what happens next. As Goku prepares to distract Gomah so Piccolo can get in the hits, we not only get a call-back to one of the most famous transformation sequences in the franchise, but a bonus.

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And on this day, manly tears were shed the world over as the Internet exploded from sheer joy.

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In all seriousness, though, these last few episodes have done wonders to help make up for whatever shortcomings Daima might have. It’s very bittersweet to think that the next episode will likely be the grand finale, but all good things must end. Let’s make sure that Daima gets the attention it deserves before we send Toriyama off to that great studio in the sky.

I Give “Betrayal” a 5/5

SUPER SAIYAN 4! SUPER SAIYAN 4 IS REAL!!!

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

Dragon Ball Daima Ep 18 Review

Over the years, Dragon Ball GT has been a great subject of debate in the Dragon Ball community. Does the anime-original sequel hold up against its predecessors and successors? Is it even canon anymore since Super showed up? One thing that many fans agree on, though, is that Super Saiyan 4 was freaking awesome. From the shadow trim around the eyes to the red fur, SSJ4 gives off this wild, untamed look that was built for aura farming. While the canonicity of GT remains up for debate, it seems like Toriyama decided to give us one last gift: he made Super Saiyan 4 canon for us!

And the fans have been freaking out over it!

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Gomah is the Real Deal Now

If anyone doubted how tough Gomah would be when powered by the Evil Third Eye, that doubt has been thrown out the window. In the last episode, he managed to take every blow that the assembled party’s fighters could throw at him and shrugged it off like it was nothing!

Let me repeat that. The series broke the unwritten rule of fighting one-on-one by having eight fighters jump Gomah at once. And the best they could do was slow him down. Not even Goku is going to SSJ3, and Duu achieving a similar form is enough to pressure him for a long time. The Evil Eye is no joke!

To be fair, we cannot accurately assess how strong Gomah is in this form, as he’s not fighting Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, and Shin at their full strength. As strong as they are as kids, they’re still kids, and have to deal with the nerfing that comes with that. However, given everything that we’ve seen so far, and what he continues to accomplish in this episode, it might be fair to say Evil Eye Gomah is close to the level of Kid Buu. Considering the absolute menace Kid Buu was, and where this takes place in the timeline, that’s a pretty serious threat.

Things get so bad, in fact, that Neva has to go and pull a deus ex machina and give Goku a power-up just to save their hides. And what happens next is going to be debated among the fans for years to come: Super Saiyan 4 returned to Dragon Ball!

SUPER SAIYAN 4 RETURNS!!

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As previously mentioned, fans have debated for years over whether or not Dragon Ball GT is canon. Some say the story is not up to par with its predecessor, DBZ, or its successor, Super. Others want it to be canon simply because of how cool Super Saiyan 4 looks. And some would prefer it would be scrubbed entirely. Regardless of what fans think, one cannot deny how the addition of Super Saiyan 4 is a big deal. Given how Toriyama himself wrote the entire story for Daima before he died, this is basically him giving the form his stamp of approval. And just listen to how the fans have reacted.

Granted, many of those same fans will now be questioning why this form never appeared during Super. And through that, they may question if Daima is canon at all. But you know what? Who cares? It’s awesome, and so was the fight that followed.

In a series that has preferred to keep the action on a level to the early days of Dragon Ball, the fight between SSJ4 Goku and Gomah is a fantastic return to the days of Z and Super. The animation is fluid and fast-paced, Goku’s fighting style really leans into the more primal nature of his appearance. The whole thing is just awesome! The only reason that Gomah even survives is simply due to the plot armor he’s wearing!

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Sadly, despite the huge power boost the heroes get, it turns out Gomah had been holding back the entire time. It’s unfair, but the story has to do it to justify the next plot twist as Glorio’s double-agent status finally comes into play.

I must admit, it’s a little disappointing to see that the Demon Realm’s Dragon is just a red version of Porunga. I know it’s supposed to keep with continuity, but come on, Toei. You could have had the dragon look like anything you wanted, and you chose to reuse Porunga? That feels like wasted potential! However, it was a good call to have the wish Glorio makes be spoken in Namekian. Since the audience doesn’t understand Namekian, we won’t know what he wished for until the next episode. Did he follow through with Dr. Arinsu’s wish to become the strongest in the Demon Realm? Or did he decide to turn on his employer and help the heroes? We won’t know until the next episode, and that’s the best kind of suspense the audience can be left on. Hopefully, the last two episodes of Daima will get the attention they deserve and end things on a high note.

I Give “Awakening” a 5/5

Gomah. He Looks Goofy, but is Dangerous

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

Dragon Ball Daima Ep 17 Review

Last time on Dragon Ball Daima, Goku and the other heroes made it to King Gomah’s castle. There, they managed to take down Degesu and rescue Dende, fulfilling one of their two goals of traveling to the Demon Realm. However, when they arrive at the final Tamagami, they realize that the Dragon Ball is missing! At the same time, Gomah manages to get his hands on the Evil Third Eye and places it in his forehead, unlocking a powerful new transformation. Will Goku and the others be able to defeat the Demon King in their current state?

Honestly, they’re in for a pretty rough go of it.

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Duu and Goku Fight…

Since the beginning of Daima, this blog has said that Dr. Arinsu was working against Gomah. The signs were all there: she gave him the idea of trying to mess with Goku and his friends. She hired Glorio to bring them to the Demon Realm and retrieve its Dragon Balls. She created Duu and Kuu to get the last Dragon Ball. The writing was on the wall, and it should come as no surprise when this episode has her say it. She wants to overthrow Gomah, and use the Dragon Balls to turn the Demon Realm into her own empire. An empire from which she can conquer the rest of reality.

Again, none of this should be a surprise. Arinsu had “Starscream” written all over her face. What is surprising, though, is the fact that she doesn’t have Glorio turn on the others right away and give her the Dragon Balls. Instead, she has Duu fight Goku with the Dragon Balls on the line.

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Only for Gomah to Crash the Party

The fight between Goku and Majin Duu is brief, but it also turns out that the two are pretty evenly matched. Goku does a good job, but Duu manages to tank most of his hits and give them back just as well. However, their fight soon becomes moot when the real threat shows up: King Gomah.

A few weeks ago, some fanart of what King Gomah’s ultimate form would look like wound up trending online. He was seen as this big, menacing figure akin to Frieza and Cell.

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Imagine the disappointment fans must have felt when this episode reveals Gomah’s Third Eye form looks like this.

However, keep in mind that when it comes to the villains, Toriyama liked to subvert our expectations regarding their appearances. Frieza’s true form may look plain, but in truth, it’s downright terrifying. Cell may look more humanoid than bug in his perfect form, but his power is unreal. And let’s not forget the menace that was Kid Buu. So, as goofy as Gomah’s new form seems, the power he has is the real deal.

Don’t believe that? Here’s proof: Goku takes a moment to ask all the other strong fighters to help him jump Gomah. In a franchise famous for having the main heroes fight while the others watch, that doesn’t often happen. The fact that Goku is openly acknowledging that he cannot handle this on his own shows how serious this is!

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Let’s Kick Things Up a Notch

So, the climax of the episode has Goku, Vegeta, Glorio, Shin, Piccolo, Duu and Kuu, and even the Tamagami all rushing Gomah. And, in keeping with the Dragon Quest leanings, the fight feels like the climatic boss fight of a video game. It’s incredibly well-animated with some great, continuous shots. But, much like in the original Broly movie, not even jumping him at once is enough for the heroes. Gomah just tanks all their hits, and comes dangerously close to killing Goku. It’s only thanks to Duu and Kuu jumping in at the last second that he’s able to catch a break.

The episode ends with Goku powering up to the only form he has that can handle Gomah, Super Saiyan 3. He may. Or be at his full power as a kid, but this is his last resort. And judging by the previews for the next episode, this fight is going to be wild. Something that fans have been wanting to see from the very beginning!!!

This is the good stuff!

I Give “Gomah” a 4/5

Megumin Took a Page from Darkness for 100 Girlfriends Audition

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

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 2 Ep 5 Review

Masochism is a noun describing the act of deriving pleasure from one’s pain. And in the anime world, no masochist is more famous than Darkness from KonoSuba. Darkness will throw herself in front of enemy attacks to experience pain. She regularly (and openly) fantasizes about painful and humiliating scenarios she can go through. She might be the ultimate masochist, but 100 Girlfriends may have just given us someone who rivals her interest. And for extra irony, this new girl is voiced by the seiyuu of Darkness’ party member, Megumin!

Also, good on the anime for updating the OP to now include Mei Meido.

Megumin Joins the Family!

As Rentaro is walking near the entrance to his high school, he sees a girl in a baseball uniform asking other girls to join the baseball team. But then, the two’s eyes meet and…zing!

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Meet girlfriend #9 Iku Sutou, a tomboy and only member of the girl’s baseball team. She loves the sport and is determined to be the best at it. She’s so determined, in fact, that she will practice until every part of her body is screaming at her to stop. And she likes it! She’s a colossal masochist!

Most of the girlfriends have quirks that viewers and readers will consider funny, but Iku might be among the funniest. Rentaro sees her have hearts in her eyes while dealing with the pain of swinging the bat 10,000. And when she finds out Rentaro already has a girlfriend(s), she’s heartbroken…and loves it!

The funniest part about Iku isn’t even something found in the manga; it comes from anime. Her seiyuu is Rie Takahashi, AKA the seiyuu of Megumin from KonoSuba. This was a brilliant casting choice, and it cannot have been a coincidence. Someone must have realized how hilarious it would be to have a character that takes after Darkness’ looks and personality but has Megumin’s voice. She’s easily the funniest character to join the cast since Hahari’s reveal as one of Rentaro’s soulmates, and the same goes for her love confession. He pretends to reject her confession because he knows she’ll love it.

Doing that is so painful it makes Rentaro vomit blood. Peak comedy, and girlfriend #9 is now secured.

Masochism+Determination=COMPLETE DISASTER

Iku’s masochism might be used for laughs, but her determination is very genuine. With all her teammates training in America, the girl’s baseball team is in danger of being shut down. Hence why she’s spent every day asking girls to join the team for an upcoming practice game so it can stay open. Once the Rentaro Family accepts her, though, they all agree to help. Partly because they’ve been trying to burn off the calories from the eating contest but mostly so they can exercise with Rentaro.

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As expected, the girl’s practice is full of jokes and visual gags centered around how their quirks affect their practice. They’re all pretty funny, ranging from Kurumi trying to eat the ball (it reminded her of a candy,) Nano throwing the ball like a pitching machine, and Kusuri copying Zoro’s three-sword-style with bats. If you like the jokes about each girl, you’ll like the training. However, things do take a serious turn when Iku stays up practicing all night, only to collapse from exhaustion!

Like every girl, Iku deconstructs an archetype found in fiction. In this case, her determination to do better, combined with her masochism, feed into this loop that could quickly become self-destructive. She is what would happen if Goku or Vegeta trained themselves past their limits but never gave themselves the time to rest. It’s not something one should always do, and it moves the Rentaro Family enough to stay overnight to look after her.

This is gonna be fun

Black comedy points for the reason they found it being Hahari overhearing Iku underneath the bed in the nurse’s office. The anime even shows her doing this!

Iku might be one of the best girlfriends to join the Rentaro Family thus far. Her determination is endearing, she gets extra points for being a tomboy (#tomboysupremacy), and her quirks, combined with her seiyuu, are hilarious. Welcome to the family, Iku, and good luck at the game.

I Give “Most Athletes are Masochists” a 5/5