Toriyama, Thank You for Everything

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A Fan’s Reaction to the Passing of Akira Toriyama

Hey, everyone. RJ Writing Ink here, writing on behalf of the D&A Anime Blog. Aaron and I aren’t in the best state of mind right now. You likely know this by now, but late March 7th, it was announced online that Akira Toriyama, the legendary creator of Dragon Ball and dozens of other works, had passed away more than a week ago. Aaron was the one who wound up telling me on Discord. And my reaction was one of shock and great sadness.

Over the next few hours, I watched the Internet cry out sorrowfully, including Aaron and me. So many people, fans, content creators, and those whom Toriyama inspired to do what they love for a living, all mourning the loss of the legendary mangaka. As for me, at Aaron’s behest, I wrote a post for this blog breaking the news for ourselves. It didn’t feel right not to say anything about Toriyama, especially since Aaron told me it was why he and Donte started this blog. Afterward, I went to bed and tried to sleep as best I could. But as I drifted off to sleep, still trying to process the death of the great mangaka, a realization came to me. While I had seen plenty of people, both idols and loved ones, die before, there was a reason why Toriyama’s passing hit me and everyone so hard. And it was more than the fact that he died at only sixty-eight years old. Truthfully, even if he died twenty years old, it still would have felt too soon.

My reason was that the culture we know today might not have existed without Akira Toriyama and what he created.

The Great Tree of Toriyama

Imagine what Akira Toriyama did when he created Dragon Ball forty years ago, like planting a tree in the middle of a field. He would then spend the next eleven years returning to it once a week to tend to it as it grew big and strong. Its trunk would start to reach for the heavens, its roots would burrow deep into the soil underneath, and its branches would become solid and sturdy. Eventually, it grew big enough to create seeds, and others would come and take them to grow their trees. Flash forward to the present day, and the original tree he planted will get big enough to tower in the skies, while the younger trees will grow just as big and potentially just as strong. If all goes well, then that field could become a forest generations down the line. But the man who planted the first tree would never live to see that. He would have to trust those who followed him to continue his work and make something unique out of it.

If you need clarification on this metaphor, then here’s the meaning. The tree itself is what Toriyama did throughout his entire career, with Dragon Ball primarily serving as the trunk. The branches represent everything that sprang forth from the popularity of the original manga: the anime, movies, video games, products, fan-made content, and all the people who found happiness, success, and more thanks to Dragon Ball. The roots are how the franchise has made its way into global culture. The younger trees represent the people who were inspired by reading Toriyama’s work to become mangaka themselves, giving us even more hit Shonen series like Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, Fairy Tail, and likely many more. When you put all of that together, the result should be clear. What Akira Toriyama managed to do was create something that managed to incorporate itself into human culture worldwide. Something that has come to unite people from all walks of life over their shared love of this man’s work. No matter how you look at it, that’s impressive.

Now imagine what life would be like if he had never made Dragon Ball or if it had never become as popular as it is. Suddenly, you might get a world where anime has never become more than a niche interest outside Japan. Where many of the series that you love reading never existed. The people whose lives Dragon Ball changed for the better never got that chance. Bonds that started thanks to that shared love never came about, people who never turned that love into their careers, and more. It would be like the alternate timeline from It’s a Wonderful Life, in which George Bailey was never born, and Toriyama is Bailey.

Toriyama’s Legacy Lives On

Toriyama may be gone now, but his legacy lives on, and it’s more than just Dragon Ball, Dr. Slump, Dragon Quest, or whatever else he helped create. It’s the millions of people worldwide whose lives he changed, often for the better. The mangaka like Masashi Kishimoto and Eichiro Oda. The people who got to work on his series, both in Japan and abroad. The people who can make a living doing fanworks of Dragon Ball like TeamFourStar, DevilArtemis, Daitomodachi, and more. Even fans like me and Aaron. We’re all part of the legacy that Akira Toriyama left behind, and it’s mind-boggling when you put that into perspective. How many people throughout history can say they’ve affected so many people in such a positive manner? Not many.

Am I sad? Yes. I hate that Toriyama died so soon. But Dragon Ball can live on. If we want to do right by Toriyama, we need to ensure that people can continue to enjoy Dragon Ball for generations to come. I know that we’re all mourning for his passing, but no one is genuinely gone, so the world continues to remember him. And with the impact that Toriyama had on the world? I don’t think he’s going to be forgotten for a long, long time.

Sayonara, Toriyama! World Mourns Death of Shonen Legend

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Legendary Mangaka Akira Toriyama, Creator of Dr. Slump, Dragon Ball, and modern Shonen, dead at 68

To anyone who grew up watching Dragon Ball Z, you’re going to want to get your tissues ready; you’ll need them. Akira Toriyama, the legendary mangaka that gave the world Dr Slump, the art for Dragon Quest, and most important of all, Dragon Ball, has died at the age of 68. And the entire world of anime is in mourning.

Akira Toriyama Made Shonen What it is Today

For those of you who don’t know who he was, Akira Toriyama is, for all intents and purposes, the godfather of the modern Shonen anime. Entering the world of manga at the age of twenty-three, Toriyama first made a name for himself as the creator of the popular gag manga, Dr. Slump. Running from 1980 to 1984, it proved to be a major hit. However, it wasn’t until 1984 when the man truly began the work that would cement his status as one of the greatest mangaka of all time: Dragon Ball. Inspired by the Chinese novel Journey to the West, Dragon Ball would wind up becoming one of the most important works in manga history. 

Spawning a media juggernaut that has continued to thrive to this day, Dragon Ball has multiple anime series, dozens of movies, and so many video game adaptations that I can’t even keep track of it. It’s no exaggeration to say that without Dragon Ball, the shonen genre of anime and manga as we know it today wouldn’t exist. By the time it had ended its initial run, Dragon Ball had already sewn the seeds for the shonen genre to thrive. It inspired the next generation of mangaka to create the likes of Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece, the last of which is the best-selling manga of all time. And none of that would be possible without Dragon Ball or Toriyama. 

And then there’s the impact that Toriyama’s creation has had on pop culture. When anime started to make its way to the West in the 90s and early 2000s,ย Dragon Ballย was one of the series that paved the way. It was the gateway anime for countless kids the world over, and the love that it engendered can be found in the all the fan-based content it’s inspired. TeamFourStar, KishinPain, DevilArtemis, Daitomodachi, Slick Goku (RIP), Prince Vegeta. These are only a handful of the people I know of who have made amazing works based on the characters that Toriyama created. And there will likely be even more content coming out in the years to come. Sadly, fans will now have to live with the fact that the man who gave it all to us has departed for the Otherworld.

Toriyama’s Legacy Will Live On

While Toriyama may no longer be with us, he still left us with a few stories left to be told. Less than a month from now, Sand Land, a game adapting another one of Toriyama’s many works, will be released. In addition, Dragon Ball Daima, a spin-off/sequel to Dragon Ball that Toriyama was heavily involved in, will be releasing sometime in Fall 2024. Not much is known about it, but it seems like Daima will be returning Dragon Ball to its roots. However, the fact that it is likely the final project that Toriyama worked on before his death means its premiere will be a bittersweet one for fans.

I’ll be upfront about this: I didn’t grow up watching Dragon Ball on Toonami like a lot of anime fans did. I knew about it, but I didn’t get into it until I was in high school. Once I had, though, I regretted not trying it out sooner. These days, I’m a full-on fan of Dragon Ball. And while I may lack the nostalgia of watching it air on TV, I know how much it means to fans. And more importantly, I understand how much Toriyama’s death is hitting fan. I follow a ton of people who make Dragon Ball-related content, and right now, they’re pouring their hearts out online. Rest in Peace, Toriyama. May you join all the other great storytellers in human history as you deserve. 

Jin-Woo is About to Claim Victims

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Solo Leveling Ep 6 Review

Have you ever seen the โ€œYouโ€™re a victimโ€ meme? It comes from a SupaHotFire video on YouTube from six years ago, and is best used in situations where a person gets absolutely wrecked. And now that Jin-Woo is no longer the weakest Hunter in all mankind, thatโ€™s what will happen to any monsters, or Humans, that get in his way. In this episode, Jin-Woo begins the true start to what will be a long list of people and beasts that he makes victims.

Round 1: Jin-Woo vs Giant Spider

After getting left to die by their so-called party members, Jin-Woo has two options: fight or die. And after facing off against the things heโ€™s fought, the crippling fear that Jin-Woo once felt is not so great. Compared to the demonic statues, a giant spider is nothing.

The fight that follows in the anime seems to take a lot of cues from the likes of Sword Art Online. And thatโ€™s not just because itโ€™s produced by the same studio that does SAO. Like Kirito, Jin-Wooโ€™d movements are based around speed and agility. He jumps, dodges, and constantly looks for new angles from which to attack. The way the fightโ€™s animated even evokes some of the frenetic energy of Kiritoโ€™s more over the top battles. In other words, itโ€™s pretty fun to watch if youโ€™re into that sort of thing.

Hilariously, by the time itโ€™s over and you see how devoted Jin-Ho is to Jin-Woo, I canโ€™t help but hear Deku, subbed or not. This is the beginning of a beautiful bromance.

Hereโ€™s the thing, though: Jin-Woo is not a hero. 

Hwang Dongsuk becomes a Victim

When Dongsuk and his party come back and realize that Jin-Woo and Jin-Ho arenโ€™t dead, they realize they have to cover their tracks. When their attempts to coerce Jin-Ho to kill his newfound bro fail, though, they try to kill Jin-Woo themselves. He no-sells it, but thatโ€™s not the issue. The issue is that the System gives him a new quest telling him to kill Dongsukโ€™s party.

And, if it wasnโ€™t before, what happens next establishes that Jin-Woo is an anti-hero. He might have balked at killing other humans before, but after seeing the worst of humanity in the double-dungeon, heโ€™s ready to respond in kind. Even if the System didnโ€™t threaten to kill him for refusing, Jin-Woo would still kill them. Heโ€™s a man whose spent his whole life as a Hunter being a punching bag. Now that he has the power, heโ€™s going to use it. And woe to anyone foolish to make themselves a victim of his.ย 

Side-note: the music playing as Jin-Woo makes victims is hauntingly beautiful.

This Could be the Start of Something Beautiful

After the ordeal in the dungeon, Jin-Ho and Jin-Woo tell the authorities how the others died in battle, without including the specifics. Even if they did, the law would (hopefully) justify it as self-defense. Thereโ€™s just one issue: Dongsuk has a younger brother whoโ€™s also a Hunter. And from the way he was bragging, heโ€™s likely a big deal. It wonโ€™t matter to Jin-Woo, though. Heโ€™ll keep getting stronger and survive.

Having been unable to resist the wait, I wound up reading the entire manwha in a few days, and trust me. Things will only get crazier from here. By the time the story is done, Jin-Woo will claim more victims and it will be amazing. This is shaping up to be one of the big anime of the Winter 2024 season!

I Give โ€œThe Real Hunt Beginsโ€ a 5/5

Ninja Kamui. Like John Wick, but With Ninjas

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Ninja Kamui Ep 1 Review

Few things in this world inspire as much awe, and fear, as a ninja. Spies, assassins, boisterous protagonists of some of the greatest Shonen Manga, ninjas are everywhere. And when Toonami announced that they would be coming out with an original series, Ninja Kamui, people took notice. Especially given how the anime involves a former ninja going on a quest to avenge his dead family. Itโ€™s like John Wick, but with ninjas.

Joe Higan Wanted a Normal Life

Somwhere in rural America lives Joe Higan, a family man with a happy life. Heโ€™s got a beautiful wife, a cheerful son, and a successful farm, and a cool motorcycle. In other words, heโ€™s set up as the man whoโ€™s living the peaceful, rural American Dream. However, not everything is as it seems. 

Truth be told, Ninja Kamui is very cagey about who Joe is and what his past was like in the premiere. Throughout the first act, the anime drops hints that Joe is running from something. When news reports of brutal, identical murders across the country start making the rounds, they put him and his wife on edge. They know who is doing them, but they try to reassure themselves that theyโ€™ll be fine. 

Then comes the moment when these assassins do come for them. Even with how obvious it was that this would happen, it doesnโ€™t change the fact that the fight that follows is brutal. Thereโ€™s blood everywhere, heads roll, and Joeโ€™s forced to watch as his wife and sonโ€™s dead bodies grow cold on the floor in front of him.

Sunghoo Park Shows off Why he’s so Great

The showโ€™s second act adds a pair of FBI agents working on the attack, sensing itโ€™s connected to the other murders. Theyโ€™re not wrong, but when the culprits come back to finish the job, they canโ€™t even do anything. There’s a chance that theyโ€™ll play a bigger role in the series, if only because theyโ€™re named.ย 

The real highlight of the episode, though, is the moment those assassins come back for a still-alive Joe. If the entire sequence, which is bloody yet has a dark beauty to it, seems similar toย Jujutsu Kaisen, thereโ€™s a good reason. Sunghoo Park, the man who directed the episode (and runs the studio that made this anime) directed the first season ofย Jujutsu Kaisen. The results speak for themselves as Higan goes on a rampage, killing his would-be assassins, and saving the man who killed his wife last.ย 

Higan become the John Wick of Ninjas

The end of the episode only adds on another layer of mystery surrounding Joe Higan. His familyโ€™s dead bodies hinted at it, but it isnโ€™t until Joe pulls off his face that we get confirmation: they were wearing high-tech masks. Between this, the military-grade gear his assassins used, and the savviness they have with technology, paints a grim picture about this group. Whoever they are, theyโ€™re dangerous.

While the ones who directly killed his family are dead, Higan knows itโ€™s not over, leading to some payoff for a good instance of foreshadowing. Earlier in the episode, Joe found his son playing with an Oni mask, something that he and his wife were uneasy about. Given their killers similarities to Oni, it’s a big hint that they were once part of this same group of ninjas. Seeing Higan pull out an Oni mask out of the secret hole in his house is just confirming what we already knew. That, and that Higan is about to go John Wick on these ninja’s butts.

As far as premieres go, Ninja Kamui does a good job of balancing the thin line needed. It provides the basic setup and premise to use, but at the same time, it leaves enough unanswered to keep people in the dark. And when people are left in the dark about something, they tend to want to know more. What is the name of this group of ninjas? Why did Joe and his wife leave them behind? Those questions will be answered over the course of the next eleven weeks, and I’m looking forward to it. 

I Give “Episode 1” a 5/5

God of War, Solo Leveling Edition

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Solo Leveling Ep 7 Review

If Sun Jin-Woo had any remaining doubts that he’d gotten stronger, they are gone. Last week, he didn’t just kill the boss of the dungeon he was in. Except for Jin-Ho, he killed the party that tried to kill him. At this rate, he might start thinking he’s unstoppable, which could be a huge problem. Thankfully, Jin-Woo’s conscious enough to understand that if he doesn’t want to die, he needs to keep getting stronger.

This is good because he’s got the authorities interested and angered one of the strongest Hunters in the world. Time to level grind!

Jin-Woo is Getting Noticed

For someone who just had to kill six people, the episode starts with Jin-Woo handling things well. Some people would be traumatized by killing another human being, even if it was in self-defense. Jin-Woo, though, doesn’t even use that as an excuse to cope. It’s more concerning how irritated he is at how they thought they had a chance against him.

Jin-Woo recognizes the benefits that becoming a Player has given him, both for his confidence and his family’s well-being. Plus, he discovers in this episode that his body detoxes him so fast he can’t get drunk. However, and not just because the System forces him to do so. It’s because he’s attracting unwanted attention.

First, reports about what happened have reached the Hunter Bureau and the desk of Mr. Woo. AKA the guy who saw Jin-Woo after the Double Dungeon Incident. He’s starting to suspect that something’s up with Jin-Woo, which could be an issue. However, what’s more important is the guy that Jin-Woo’s angered.

Remember Dongsuk, the leader of the party that Jin-Woo killed? He wasn’t joking about his little brother being a big deal. He’s an S-Rank Hunter living in America and is now out for revenge. 

Jin-Ho is a True Bro

At least there’s one person who isn’t out to get Jin-Woo right now: Jin-Ho.

It might be because his dub voice is done by Justin Briner or the sincere manner in which he conducts himself, but Jin-Ho is the kind of guy Jin-Woo wants in a best friend. Not only does he keep his mouth shut about what happened out of gratitude, but he makes a massive offer. His dad’s the CEO of a big construction company, and he wants to set up his own Hunter’s Guild. If Jin-Ho helps do raids to help him become a Guild Master, he’ll give him a building worth billions.

It’s a very tempting offer, one that benefits both of them. It would help Jin-Woo hide his strength for a bit longer, and Jin-Ho can show he’s worthy of his father’s trust. Sadly, Jin-Woo has things he must accomplish first. 

This whole conversation highlights what’s great about Jin-Ho. While he wants Jin-Woo to help him for his benefit, he’s also doing it to help Jin-Woo. He’s genuinely grateful to him for saving their lives and wants to do everything to help. Even if Jin-Woo still says no, he’ll keep his secret. Granted, he’s worried that Jin-Woo might kill him, but the loyalty is genuine. That’s authentic bro material, there!

God of War: Manwha Edition-Cerberus Boss Fight

The big highlight of the episode, though, remains the impressive fighting. After blowing past his daily training, Jin-Woo gets a key to unlock an S-Rank dungeon. He can’t resist the chance to see how far he’s come, leading him to head inside. What he encounters, though, can only be described as God of War fused with an urban apocalypse. 

Anyone who’s ever read Greek mythology will know how dangerous Cerberus, the three-headed guard dog of the Underworld, is. The Cerberus that Jin-Woo fights is something straight out of the likes of Dark Souls and as bloody as God of War. It also isn’t as one-sided as it is in the manwha; it’s a deliberate attempt to make Jin-Woo not feel so OP. In the end, it makes his ultimate victory all the more badass.

Solo Leveling keeps managing to raise the bar when it comes to fights, and this is only the start. If you’ve read the Manwha (I binged it in less than a week), you know how insane the fights will become. 

In the end, Jin-Woo leaves the dungeon feeling a little more confident in himself. What he did in the last episode wasn’t a fluke. Now he knows he’s tough and will only get more challenging. At the same time, he took enough of a beating that he knows that he’s not invincible. No matter how powerful he gets, he shouldn’t start thinking himself to be unbeatable. However, doing these dungeons will still be worth it, as they lead him on a path that could end with a potential cure for his comatose mother. 

Sadly, there will be no new episode next week. We’ll only be getting a recap. The silver lining, though, is that we’ll be able to catch up on the dub. 

I Give “Let’s See How Far I Can Go” a 4.5/5

We’re Dealing With Some Assassin-Templar Stuff Here

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Ninja Kamui Ep 2 Review

I haven’t played it in years, but I’m a big fan of Assassin’s Creed. Besides getting to run around through history, one of the big draws to the franchise is the overarching conflict between the Assassins and the Templars. Or, as they go by in modern times, Abstergo Industries. Abstero is this massive, globally-spanning megacorporation that the Templars use to help them control society. That means they’ve got eyes and ears everywhere, and the money and resources to do anything. The main reason I bring this up is that, after learning a little more about the group that Joe Higan was a part of, they reminded me of the Templars, Abstergo, and even the Assassins. At least we now have a name to call them by: AUZA.

Like I Said, Abstero

Just like in the premiere, the show’s second episode remains intentionally vague about the organization that Joe used to be in. The episode does reveal a few details, enough to get the bigger picture, but not enough to work out the fine details. Here’s what we do know:

  • Higan was part of a secret society of Ninjas that protected Japan from the shadows.
  • They eventually fell under the control of a foreign power, which some didn’t agree to, with Higan among them.
  • Higan, and all the people the Ninjas have killed, had defected from the group after the decision

Throughout the episode, the show isn’t subtle about who this group might be: AUZA, a technology company that reeks of Abstergo/Templar-adjacent motivations. Their motto, “from the cradle to the grave,” feels less like a friendly promise to look out for people and more of a sinister threat that they will follow you until you die. And while it’s never stated in the episode that it was them, it’s heavily implied in the episode that they’ve got enough pull to manipulate the government. 

Even a Ninja Needs Help

This is the group that killed Joe Higan’s family, and the group that he’s going up against. And Higan can be as ruthless as them, as shown by how he tortures oen of the people who killed his family for days on end before burning him to death. He didn’t do it for information, either; he was simply venting! However, he’s still only one person. Even Bryan Mills, John Wick, and Batman need help, and so does Joe.

Meanwhile, Mike Moriss, that FBI agent who talked to Joe, is surprised to find himself taken off the murder case. He knows something’s wrong and that his bosses are covering something up, and he’s right. Like I said, AUZA got that pull! However, he and Emma (his partner) can’t do anything about it without getting in trouble. At least, not officially. Once Joe gives Mike a call, though, the veteran agent becomes the Jim Gordon to Joe’s Batman. 

The Jim Gordon comparison is pretty accurate. He’s a good officer of the law that knows when something bigger is going on. However, there’s only so much Mike can do to help, and events that transpire show how big this is…and out of his depth he is. When the ninjas come back for Joe, he’s left sitting on the sidelines while an epic ninja battle goes on. Bullets fly, there’s smoke and ninjutsu techniques, and one of the guys splits into two people! And all to the sound of rap and hip-hop music. Holy cow, this is amazing!

This is Going to be Good!

By the end of it, though, Mike’s no closer to answers, and Joe’s got no leads on finding his former comrades. Worse, there’s a good chance that Mike might die before this show is over. The fact that he’s about to retire is a red flag!

So, to recap: Joe was part of this order of ninjas that’s now working for a corrupt company. He refused to accept that and went rogue, and now they’re trying to kill him. And this is only the second episode. Imagine what’s coming down the pipeline in the next few weeks!

I Give “Episode 2” a 4/5

Sid Meier’s Pirates! is a Real Pirate Game

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Jay’s Look at a Pirate Game that Makes Skull and Bones Look Like Child’s Play.

Seven years ago, after the massive success of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, Ubisoft announced that they would make another pirate-based game. Dubbed Skull and Bones, it promised to give fans everything that made Black Flag tremendous and then some. Instead, the game was met with so many delays that it became a joke. Then, when the closed and open beta’s came out seven years after the game was announced, responses were mixed. One bad aspect is that boarding, one of the best parts of Black Flag, is reduced to a cutscene. A cutscene. They failed if Ubisoft hoped to dig up buried treasure with Skull and Bones. Gamers are better off replaying Black Flag; better yet, they should try Sid Meier’s Pirates! 

The Story (Sort of)

Suppose you need to know what Sid Meier’s Pirates! It’s the name of three games. The first was released in 1987 on the Commodore 64 computer; the second was a remake in 1993. The third, final, and best one was released on PC in 2004. It would then be released on Xbox, PSP, MAC, mobile phones, and the Wii over the next six years. And, modestly speaking, it’s one of the greatest pirate games ever. When I was a kid, I’d spent hours upon hours sinking time into this game, and it was worth it all.

Before you start, you get a quick cutscene showing your backstory. As a kid, you had to watch as an unscrupulous noble forced your once-wealthy family into indentured servitude. Now all grown up, you set off for the New World to find them and avenge this wrongdoing. Before that, though, you have to create your character. Right away, the game shows off its versatility. While the PC version doesn’t let you customize your appearance, it lets you pick everything else. Your skills, the difficulty, what decade you want to start, and even what nation you’re from. After that, you’re thrown into the 17th Caribbean and free to run wild. 

So Much Freedom to Be Had

While you can play as a pirate in the traditional sense and attack everything, it’s not recommended. In this game, being a pirate usually means being a “privateer,” AKA someone a country grants legal permission to attack and sink enemy ships. This is essential because one of the other big things to his game besides rescuing your family is gaining fame. You do this by accomplishing things worth renown. Fighting notorious pirates, plundering ports, earning promotions, romancing governor’s daughters, finding lost treasure, and, of course, finding your family. Play your cards right, and by the end of the game, you’ll be a legendary pirate people will speak of for generations. 

The best part of the game, though, is the sheer amount of freedom it allows. You can use any ship you capture, build a crew as big or as small as you want, and generally do whatever you want. You don’t even have to rescue your family if you don’t want to, though it would be a black mark on your eventual legacy. Because as the game progresses, your character will start to age, meaning you’ll have to retire one day. Depending on how much fame you’ve earned and how much wealth you accumulated, that will affect what your life is like post-piracy. You can govern a colony or live as a petty pickpocket for the rest of your days.

An Oldie, but a Goodie

This game was made over twenty years ago, so the graphics are starting to show their age. And you don’t have nearly as much freedom in combat as in a game likeย Black Flag. That being said, the sheer amount of freedom it gives players is addictive. I’ve spent hours trying to get that perfect play through I want. Compared toย Skull and Bones, this is aย realย pirate game.ย 

It’s available on Steam or the App Store if you want it. So, if you’re disappointed with Skull and Bones or have already beaten everything in Black Flag, try this game. The seas are yours to rule.

I Give “Sid Meier’s Pirates!” a 5/5

McDonald’s is Getting an Anime. No, Really!

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Whether you love or hate them, McDonald’s is one of the biggest fast-food chains in the world. Everyone in America can recognize those iconic golden arches that promise cheap food. And they’re just as successful in Japan, to the point where they’ve made cameos in various anime. Or rather, it’s WcDonald’s, the cheeky, fictional counterpart, that makes the appearances. Debuting in a 1983 episode of the anime Cat’s Eye, WcDonald’s inverts the “M” upside down, hence the name. Since then, some versions of it have appeared in anime, ranging from Cowboy Bebop to Inuyasha. And, since anime is mainstream in the West, McDonald’s has decided to cash in on the success by embracing the fictional counterpart. 

This isn’t a joke. Iย could notย make this up.

From February 26th to March 18th, McDonald’s will be embracing its anime counterpart as part of a promotional event. They’ll be inverting the M to a W, introducing a limited-time chili dipping sauce, and including manga-themed packaging and QR codes to a WcDonald’s manga. 

It gets crazier, though. They’re teaming up with Studio Pierrot to create a series of shorts based on different anime genres. They’ve got a website and everything!

That’s not all. From March 9th-10th, McDonald’s will turn a real-life location in Los Angeles into a WcDonald’s, complete with tabletop projections and mapping inspired by the shorts. Reservations are open on the 28th via OpenTable.

This entire thing is making me chuckle, both out of amusement and disbelief. On the one hand, this feels like further proof that anime has gone from being a niche interest into a mainstream one. Or proof that anime is closer to achieving pop cultural hegemony. On the other hand, this also feels like a cash grab on McDonald’s part. They’re trying to ride on anime’s coattails to make money, and it shows. On the other hand, I’m too interested to be cynical about it.

This isn’t the first time McDonald’s has dabbled in animation. Between 1998 and 2003, they teamed up with animation studio Klasky Csupo to create the miniseries The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald. For context, that’s the studio that produced some of the big Nicktoons like Rugrats, The Wild Thornberrys, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters and Rocket Power. 

Here’s hoping that McDonald’s does an excellent job of distributing the sauce and other items. Many might remember the Szechuan sauce craze brought on by Rick and Morty a few years ago. That did not go well for them, and this could go just as wrong. Fingers crossed that everyone can enjoy the sauce and the anime. 

I will come back once the shorts and manga are out and give you my honest opinion on them.ย 

Special thanks to Aaron for pointing this out to me. I appreciate it, Aaron!

Time to Get Back in the Game, Jin-Woo

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

Solo Leveling Ep 5 Review

If you’ve ever played online games with other people, then there’s a good chance this happened to you, or you saw it or heard about it. If a player’s not pulling their own weight in a group or keeps making things harder for others, the others may decide to not revive them the next time they die. Or they may have to leave them behind if it could endanger the rest of the group. It’s usually not done out of malice but logic. How, some players might purposefully use their weakest links as meat shields, or abandon them rather than give them the share of the loot. Why am I bringing this up now? Because Jin-Woo ends up dealing with these kinds of people in the latest episode of Solo Leveling.

And, yes. I intend to review each episode from here on out. This is a great show, and I’ve been reading the manwha online. It’s going to get crazy!

Jin-Woo is Now Jacked as Heck

After spending weeks stuck in the hospital, Jin-Woo’s finally cleared to leave. However, he’s no longer the same skinny guy who came close to death for the umpteenth time. Thanks to his System-enforced exercise routine, he’s gotten taller, put on a lot of muscle, and has a different appearance in general. To further emphasize how different he is, the episode opens up with all the nurses talking about how attractive he’s become. The nurse who comes to discharge him blushes when she sees him finishing up his exercise routine and then asks for his phone number. Humorously, since he’s not used to this kind of positive attention, Jin-Woo doesn’t realize he’s being hit on!

This kind of transformation isn’t something new. There have been a number of anime where the protagonist has undergone a radical transformation, turning them from either an unremarkable-looking or unappealing looking person into what Jin-Woo is now. This even happened to the likes of Spider-Man when he first got his powers. That said, it’s still amusing to see how everyone else reacts to the change. So, seeing the nurses gushing over Jin-Woo, I couldn’t help but smile in amusement.

Getting Back in the Game

In any event, now that he’s out of the hospital, Jin-Woo needs to start earning money; he’s got to pay the rent for his family. That means that it’s time for him to start going back into the Dungeons, and a local team is looking for two people to join so they can meet the minimum requirement to go dungeon-diving. Thus, Jin-Woo signs a contract with a man named Hwang Dongsoo alongside another temp, a newcomer named Yoo Jin-ho. Who comes way too overdressed for the job.

The first impression that Jin-ho gives is that he’s very much a rookie. He’s ready and eager to take on being a Hunter, but he doesn’t really know what being a Hunter is like. Some people might consider him annoying, but he’s got this dorky charm to him that makes him endearing. It also helps that the dub has him voiced by Justin Briner, the voice of Deku from My Hero Academia. That man is good at making the people he plays endearingly dorky.

Plus, it turns out he’s one of the people that you know you can trust to have your back.

Jin-Woo is about to Start Piling Bodies

What’s the most dangerous animal in the world? A lion, bear, elephant, or shark? While there are plenty of animals out there that can kill a person with little effort, they’re not the most dangerous. That honor falls to humanity itself. Thanks to our ability to think, reason, and adapt, humans are the most dangerous animals on Earth. And even being inside a dungeon filled with otherworldly monsters like giant insects doesn’t change that fact. As dangerous as those beasts are, they’re still hunted by Hunters. And, as this episode reaffirms, not every Hunter is as nice as Jin-Woo was or Jin-Ho is.

The show subtly drops a few hints as the episode progresses that something’s not right with the dungeon. While that could be chalked up to the monsters, the unease only grows as the group makes it to the boss’ lair. That’s when Jin-Woo realizes why Dongsuk’s group needed two more to help them: bait. To get their hands on the mana crystals, they seal Jin-Woo and Jin-Ho in the boss’ cave to wear it out so they can finish mining without worry. It’s a common tactic in MMO’s: weaken the boss first, then rush in and let the rest of the group finish it off. Except this will leave two people dead.

This is when Jin-Woo has the first of what will, no doubt, be many “I am HIM” moments. He looks at the giant spider, and realizes that it’s nothing compared to the giant statues. So he tells Jin-Ho that he’s going to handle things. Alone. 

Full disclosure: I wound up reading the manwha to see what happens next, and we are not ready. This is going to be the fighting animation that we need right now. 

I Give “A Pretty Good Deal” a 4/5 

‘Solo Leveling’ Might be First Big Anime of 2024

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

โ€˜Solo Levelingโ€™ Initial Review

Itโ€™s safe to say at this point that anime and manga have gone mainstream in Western Culture. More and more anime based on popular manga, light novels, and the like are coming out of the woodwork. But now, what the West considers anime (Japanese animation) is expanding its scope to works beyond Japanโ€™s borders; specifically, to Korea, home to a plethora of webtoons and manwha. And right now, the one everyoneโ€™s talking about is the bloodiest since Attack on Titan, Solo Leveling.

This isn’t an exaggeration. Solo Leveling might be one of the bloodiest anime of the year.ย 

A Bottom-Feeder Gets RPG Superpowers

Ten years ago, portals and gateways opened up on Earth that led to other dimensions. And in those dimensions were monsters and entities straight out of a fantasy MMORPG. With conventional weapons useless, people started gaining the ability to hunt and kill these monsters, giving rise to the Hunters. There’s one catch, though: once you awaken your abilities, your stuck with whatever rank you get; no leveling up or getting stronger. Which stinks for those at the bottom, like Jin-Woo

Sung Jin-Woo is an E-Rank Hunter at the bottom of the barrel and is called the weakest ever. He can barely do any damage, he goes down too fast, and regularly comes close to death every time he fights in a Dungeon. But he keeps at it to support his family, until the day the inevitable happens. The party he’s in gets caught in a dungeon that starts slaughtering them in ways that haven’t been seen since Attack on Titan! And when the survivors can escape, he has to get left behind, thinking its for the bestโ€ฆuntil he realizes that this is a horrible way to die.

That’s when he gets this little notification like from a video game saying he qualifies to be a โ€œPlayer.โ€ Next thing he knows, he’s waking up in a hospital, completely healed. There’s one catch, though: he’s now being forced to do daily activities to get stronger or risk dying. The upside to that? He’s now able to level up like in a normal RPG. And he’s the only one who can do this.

Jin-Woo has just entered a real-life RPG.

An Interesting Take on a Premise That’s Been Done Before

As far as premises go, the concept behind Solo Leveling isn’t what one would call unique. Other anime have revolved around a similar premise.

  • Supposed weakling gets thrown into situation that can kill them.
  • Weakling gets a lucky break/special skill that helps them to survive and level up.
  • Weakling goes from being bottom of the barrel to OP as heck.

For reference, look up Arifureta: From Commonplace to Worldโ€™s Strongest. It’s like Solo Leveling, but an isekai and not as good.

I’ve never read the webtoon or web novel versions of Solo Leveling, so I wound up going into this anime blind. After what I saw, though, I can see why it’s so popular and breaking the Internet with it’s hype. The animation is dark, bloody, and beautifully well-done. The story (which is only four episodes in) doesn’t skimp on the details of how dangerous being a Hunter would be, either. While the first episode is lighter on it, episode two sees people in Jin-Wooโ€™s party dying left and right. Limbs get blown off, a man gets crushed to death by a statueโ€™s foot, and one guy got split right down the middle! It’s horrifying, yet you can’t look away. And Jin-Wooโ€™s near-death experience rivals Eren Yeager getting eaten by a Titan in terms of horror! 

Speaking of Eren Yeager, Jin-Woo has a few traits in common with the wielder of the Attack Titan. Like Eren (at first), Jin-Woo is a good person put into horrific experiences that harden his heart. Yet Jin-Woo can’t quit being a Hunter, no matter how dangerous it is. Firstly, Mother is on life support due to being poisoned by mana from the Gates. Secondly, his sister needs the money for school. But he’s so weak that he can barely make ends meet, and his new status can help change that.

Don’t Underestimate RPG Mechanics

At first, the gains aren’t that noticeable, but anyone whose player an RPG should know better. Upgrading stats even a little can make all the difference, as seen in Jin-Wooโ€™s first solo dungeon. While he once struggled against the weakest enemies, he gets strong enough to take down a snake the size of a house. With his bare hands, no less! And then he pierces the defense of another Monster a group of low-ranking Hunters were barely holding off with a broken Sword! The man is like a Korean Kirito meets Deku!

I’ve been reading Manwha and Webcomics for years on Webtoons, but Solo Leveling might be one of the most interesting and exciting that I have seen to date. And after spoiling myself by finding out what’s going to happen, I know I’m going to enjoy this show. Might even make it a weekly review.