Asides

YUTA OKKOTSU IS THE GOAT

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

Jujutsu Kaisen S3 Ep 12 Review

If you werenโ€™t allowed to pick Satoru Gojo, who in Jujutsu Kaisen would you consider the GOAT? I donโ€™t know if itโ€™s possible to settle on a single GOAT, as season three of the show has given us multiple contenders for the title. Maki managed to wipe out her entire clan of frauds. Higuruma was a newbie as a sorcerer but managed to become one of the top players in the Culling Game. Takabaโ€™s rule of funny technique could give even Gojo a hard time! But if you ask me, I think the season finale showed us that the biggest GOAT is Yuta Okkotsu. He not only heads to the colony with four of the heaviest hitters of the Culling Game thus far, he also manages to beat all of them by himself by the time the credits roll!

If youโ€™re an anime fan, then you know that when a series chooses to skip the OP, that means it needs the extra runtime for something big. And Jujutsu Kaisen is no exception, as it starts right where we last left off: with Yuta killing one of the four sorcerers that had the Sendai colony stuck in a stalemate. This wasnโ€™t any sorcerer, either; this was a reincarnated sorcerer who was so powerful that, 2,000 years ago, he managed to conquer all of Japan. And the series still decided that it wasnโ€™t worth showing us how Yuta killed him. And that is only the end of the last episode and the start of this one.

The rest of the episode can best be described as Yuta running a gauntlet of boss fights against the other three bigshots of Sendai Colony: Kurourushi, a cockroach cursed spirit, Uro, an incarnated sorcerer who can manipulate the space of the sky like solid matter, and Ishigori, another incarnation whose pompadour doubles as a cursed energy cannon. Each of them could the subject of a fight that lasts an entire episode, and Yuta fights them all in just one.

If youโ€™ve seen Jujutsu Kaisen 0, you already know this, but even if you havenโ€™t, this episode is meant to confirm what the season premiere implied: Yuta Okkotsu is that guy. Next to Gojo, he is the strongest jujutsu sorcerer of the modern-day, and this episode demonstrates it. His reserves of cursed energy are practically off the charts, his innate technique allows him to copy other peopleโ€™s techniques, and if that wasnโ€™t enough, he never has to fight alone. Heโ€™s got Rika, the cursed spirit left behind by his childhood sweetheart of the same name after the events of JJK 0. Add in the fact that heโ€™s distantly related to Gojo himself, is it any wonder why Yuta is the GOAT of Yujiโ€™s generation?

He defeats the cockroach spirit Kurourushi by giving it a mouth-to-mouth Reversed Curse Technique.

He fights Uro, who has it out for him because of something his ancestor did. Then he fights the battle-crazed Ishigori. And then he almost fights the latter two in a three-way domain expansion thatโ€™s only stopped by the return of the cockroach.

And during the entire episode, the anime doesnโ€™t let up on the incredible animation that weโ€™ve come to expect this season. All of it eventually boils down to an epic one-on-one between Yuta and Ishigori, all to the OP of the season, Aizo. When an anime chooses to use its OP or ED in the middle of the episode, you know that things have gotten serious!

https://twitter.com/eagle97jjk/status/2037198355273834776?s=20

In the end, Yuta manages to beat all of them. But since heโ€™s such a nice guy, he doesnโ€™t kill Uro or Ishigori, just taking their points. GOAT status, confirmed.

Sadly, this is where season three of Jujutsu Kaisen comes to an end. Even worse, we likely have to wait a year for the second half of the Culling Game. It feels more than a little cruel to know that we have to wait that long, but maybe thatโ€™s why the anime chose to end things here. They wanted to give us absolute peak before we had to wait. Itโ€™s sad, but we have to give great shows like this time to cook. Plus, this season already managed to leave its mark in pop culture, from the stunning animation to the memes that it inspired. The Game shall continue, but until then, we have other shows to watch!

I Give “Sendai Colony” a 5/5

Some Lowlife Power Gamers are Ruining the Dungeon

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

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime S4 Ep 2 Review

You know what the hardest thing is when it comes to developing video games that are getting constantly updated? Having to one-up players who find exploits and ways to cheat. Itโ€™s like a never-ending battle between players and game developers, because every time one problem gets solved, another gets exploited. The reason why Iโ€™m bringing this up is that Rimuru has just found a new problem to deal with regarding his nationโ€™s Dungeon. Two problems, more accurately.

Hinata almost Ruins the Dungeon

So the good news is that ever since installing Masayukiโ€™s suggestions to help adventurers, the Tempest Dungeon is starting to turn a profit. The save points, rest stops, and the inn are raking in the dough. Masayuki even managed to clear the 30th floor, albeit he did it in a way that reminds of something that Buggy the Clown or Mr. Satan would do.

I know that his special skill, Chosen Hero, makes everyone think heโ€™s that guy, but this level of hype is ridiculous. But thatโ€™s not the problem. Rimuru wants Masayuki to do well so it makes the Dungeon look good and brings in customers. The main problems are Hinata almost wrecked everything, and that thereโ€™s a team thatโ€™s using an exploit to clear the bosses.

Firstly, we have Hinata. After the Crusaders started using the lower levels as a training ground and got their butts handed to them, one of them mouthed off that Hinata couldnโ€™t handle it. So she took that as a challenge and just went on a massive tear like sheโ€™s Sung Jinwoo. She wasted the bosses on the lower floors, killed all the dragons Millim caught, and then just chilled at an inn on the 95th floor just to troll them. Veldora beat her, but Rimuru refuses to give her the prize money.

This is what I meant when I said how games like this need to be constantly updated. A dungeon like Rimuruโ€™s needs to be balanced and ensure that the participants have a fair chance of winning, while also making sure that itโ€™s not too easy. First things first, Rimuru decides to give Adalmann some cool new magic.

Freaking Power Gamers!

The real issue, though, is this new party, Team Green Fury. They managed to catch up to the progress of Masayukiโ€™s team, not by being that good, but through an exploit. Apparently, by using a combination of them and the return whistles (escape ropes) to exit and re-enter the Dungeon, they can gather party members far past what should be the limit. In other words, theyโ€™ve made a party of dozens capable of clearing the Dungeon bossesโ€ฆby save scumming and zerg rushing.

Look, Iโ€™m a gamer. I have used tactics like this before. I know other people do this. But there has to be a limit to how much players should be allowed to exploit without ruining the challenge. And then they managed to beat the 40th floor! If that keeps up, theyโ€™ll reach the lower floors, find the bosses are wrecked, and the Dungeon will be ruined. This calls for admin intervention!

Rimuruโ€™s ultimate solution is a pretty cool one, albeit it copies the concept behind the Avatar films and Pixarโ€™s Hoppers. He, Veldora, Ramiris, and Millim, who just got back from tort-training Gobta and Ranga will put their souls into monster avatars, and crush them on the 49th floor before they wreck everything. Itโ€™s a good planโ€ฆif they didnโ€™t get their butts handed to them. In a surprising twist, it seems the three Demon Lords and one True Dragon are way weaker in their avatar bodies. Which means now they have to train!

So these last two episodes have been pretty lowkey as far as stakes go, but thatโ€™s not why people like Slime Tensura, I think. They like it because of the humor and world-building. Iโ€™m looking forward to seeing how Rimuru deals with these borderline cheaters, and I hope we get some more action soon.

I Give โ€œThe Dungeon Evolvesโ€ a 3/5

Great Rimuru has Returned to us!!!

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

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime S4 Ep 1 Review

RIMURU-SAMA, WE MISSED YOU!!! ๐Ÿ˜ญ๐Ÿ˜ญ๐Ÿ˜ญ

If you remember all my reviews of Mushoku Tensei, then you remember my concept of the Seven Summits of Isekai. They’re the series that I consider to be the pinnacle of the genre that has become so prevalent over the last decade. And while I still have a soft spot for Shield Hero and Mushoku Tensei, we here at the D&A Anime Blog are huge fans of one isekai above all others: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. It’s got an amazing world, great and lovable characters, and Rimuru might be one of the most OP, broken protagonists in all of fiction. So it is with great fanfare that we welcome back Lord Rimuru as we begin the first cours for the monumental fourth season of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime!

It’s been a while since the Great Festival where the nation of Tempest made its grand debut on the world stage. And for Rimuru and his friends and allies, life couldn’t be better! His plans to build a magic-powered train system are progressing nicely. More and more humans are visiting or living in Tempest, making the idea of human- monster coexistence more of a reality. Rimuruโ€™s beloved students are now attending class in Tempest and away from Yuuki, with Hinata serving as a guest teacher. And, as crazy as it sounds, Shion managed to make a tea he can actually drink!

All of it adds up to Rimuru being able to enjoy a happy and fulfilling life. Except for one problem: their new Dungeon isn’t working.

The Tempest Dungeon is Like Dark Souls

Despite all the advertising and work they put into it, too many newbie adventurers keep trying to take on the Dungeon. They’re getting lost, starving, or owned by even the most basic of monsters. At this rate, the Tempest Dungeon will be a financial flop! All of this is leading adventurers to lash out at the citizens of Tempest and say their Dungeon is unfair. Something has to be done, and it’s the kind of thing that a gamer can fix. A gamer like Masayuki.

Gamers Rule

I already enjoy the fact that the world of Slime Tensura has a lot of gaming mechanics, as that serves as the basis for a lot of isekai. However, it made me so happy to see the mild-mannered hero Masayuki come up with the solutions they need. Quick-save points, loot drops from monsters, tutorial lessons and rest stops! It’s everything that goes into making a good video game, and the best games are the ones that show you how to play without holding your hand.

Rimuru and Mjรถllmile take it one step further. They put out ads saying that anyone who makes it halfway through the Dungeon or beats the whole thing will win a hefty cash prize.

Their little advertising campaign works perfectly. More adventurers start pouring into Tempest, eager to get the chance to win money and fame, solving the financial problems of the Dungeon. Though I can’t but feel like they’re overlooking one crucial: what if someone actually does beat the entire Dungeon? Getting past Veldora seems too absurd to consider, but if reading shonen manga has taught me anything, there’s always going to be someone who will wind up doing the impossible. They’re gonna have to eat their words when that happens!

That issue aside, as a gamer, I applaud what they are doing with the Dungeon. As a gamer, I can tell you that having a tutorial and training courses can mean the difference between winning a game or getting owned like a scrub. That, and I like the concept altogether.

Haters Gonna Hate

It’s not all sunshine and flowers, though. Whenever someone is riding high, there’s always a pack of haters ready to take them down. And Rimuru has been dealing with plenty of haters. Falmuth, Clayman, the Seven Luminaries, and now, the Rozzo family. Introduced during the last season, they’re a secret cabal thats trying to dominate the human world from the shadows loek they’re the Templars or Illuminati. And the Jura-Tempest Federation is getting in the way of that, so they’ve been trying to take them down. So far, their plans haven’t worked, but that doesn’t make them any less of a problem. Fortunately, this is Rimuru weโ€™re talking about; heโ€™ll be fine.

This was a good, solid start to the long-awaited fourth season of Slime Tensura. I know not everyone is interested in the more mundane aspects of world-building and just wants to see more fights, but it’s those aspects that make the series so entertaining. A lot of isekai only do the bare bones when it comes to developing their worlds, but Slime Tensura is one of the ones that is a cut above the rest. That, and its sense of humor and fanservice are pretty good!

I give โ€œNew Daysโ€ a 3.5/5

OG Founder: Kid Icarus x PSG Fanfiction Story Complete!

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So…here I am.

Spring is finally here, and Winter is FINALLY gone! After six months since I started this fanfiction project, it’s finally finished. Kid Icarus: Anarchy Uprising, is a crossover fanfiction story between the Kid Icarus, and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt franchise. It’s got crass humor, PSG Season 1 vulgarity, tons of action, romance, and core elements from both franchises. If you guys get the chance, be sure to check it out! The link to the story is right here!

So…why did I start this project in the first place?

Well about a decade ago, I was known for writing a lot of crossover fanfiction stories that featured DBZ, Naruto, Negima! (remember that show?) and Sonic the Hedgehog. The most famous one, according to Amino Apps (if they’re still around) was Sonic plus Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt. Around 2012 I stumbled across PSG, and started to do a Brief-centric fanfic story after the season ended with the ‘infamous cliffhanger’; called Brief & Soulfire. I was under the penname ‘DJ Returns’ at the time.

14 years later Studio Trigger got the right back for PSG, and did a revival of the show. I know us original Panty & Stocking fans are calling it ‘Season 2’, but they’re calling it a sequel series to the original. It’s kinda like how Naruto Shippuden is the sequel series to OG Naruto, and DBZ is the sequel series to OG Dragon Ball. So, New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt; is the sequel series to OG Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt.

I’ve already said how I felt about the show earlier this year, and I’m not gonna say I hate it…but I’m not gonna say I like it. (This is about the dub, not the animation of the show itself.) Nevertheless once the new series ended, I decided to make one last crossover fanfiction with this franchise. So…I chose Kid Icarus.

After seeing what Heaven looked like in New PSG, I guess they decided to go the Greco-Roman route; which was right up the alley of Kid Icarus. So I ran with that thought, and thus Kid Icarus: Anarchy Uprising was created. Panty already had Brief chasing after her, and after the death of that one ghost from the OG PSG series, Stocking didn’t really have a love interest. So, like any other fanfic shipper out there, I shipped Pit & Stocking. (There’s already a shipped fanfic with Pit & Panty.)

This fanfiction is 28 chapters (segments) long, so you’ll probably get through it in a day or two. As of right now I’m retired from writing fanfiction, but there may be some ‘one-shot’ stories to tie up any loose ends from the main story. So, if you like Kid Icarus and Panty & Stocking, go read it and tell me what you like!

OG Founder!

Out!

The Mad Dog is Returning to Mushoku Tensei

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

A Look at the New Trailer for Season 3 of Mushoku Tensei

Mushoku Tensei is coming back for its third season this July, and that means weโ€™re getting into one of, if not the most important arcs, in the entire story. No spoilers from me, though! That would ruin the fun! However, our latest look at what comes next has confirmed that we are getting one arc that some people were worried weโ€™d miss. And it has to do with the most divisive and controversial girl in the series: Eris Greyrat.

I could go on another tangent about how Eris messed up big time by sleeping with Rudy and then leaving him to go on her training arc, but I think I made my opinion on the matter clear. She screwed up, and when she reunites with Rudy, she is going to have to spend a long time making amends for breaking his heart and leaving him depressed for three years. Instead, letโ€™s just focus on what this trailer revealed: weโ€™re going to see Erisโ€™ training arc.

In the anime, the last time we actually saw Eris, she and Ghislaine had left to train and get stronger. Eris had realized that she was too dependent on Rudeus for her own good, and that she wanted to be strong enough to protect him like he had been doing the same for her. With that goal in mind, and wanting to beat the snot out of Orsted, the two women head to the best place for a swordsman to train: the Sword Sanctum, home of the Sword God Style of swordsmanship. And, save for that quick cameo at the end of season two, that was the last time we saw Erisโ€ฆin the anime.

What did Eris do on her Training Arc

Since the anime focuses on the story of Rudeus, it never really shows us what has happened to Eris while Rudy has been living his life. In the light novels and manga adaptation, though, readers periodically get glimpses into what Erisโ€™ life of training at the Sword Santcum is like. She even gets a brief spin-off manga chronicling part of her time there and the adventures she went on. As is the case with a lot of Mushoku Tensei, though, there are going to be gaps during which we know nothing about the lives of the characters, but thatโ€™s not a bad thing. And while we donโ€™t know how much of her time at the Sanctum that the anime will cover, the trailer shows that itโ€™s including the most important parts. That includes the people that she meets, several of whom become important or recurring characters in the story from this point forward. In fact, weโ€™ve already seen one of them back in season two.

Remember that time Linia and Pursena holed up in their room during the mating season of the Beast People and made Rudy fight off all their suitors? And then Badigadi showed up looking for a fight with Rudy? Right before Rudy got his first challenge, we saw a young, blue-haired woman looking at him. That same woman appears in this trailer for the Sword Sanctum arc as someone who knows Eris.

This is Nina Farion, another student training at the Sword Sanctum, and she and Eris come to have an interesting history. I canโ€™t spoil too much about what happens, but letโ€™s just say that Eris’s showing up has a major impact on Ninaโ€™s life, for both better and for worse.

While I canโ€™t speak about how the rest of the fandom views Eris, I think a good chunk of us were probably hoping that the anime would cover her time at the Sword Sanctum. Given how she left Rudy to train there, it’s too important part of the story to simply gloss over! As for whether this will be a special episode like what we got for Sylphie or take place over multiple episodes, that is left up in the air. Regardless, Iโ€™m looking forward to seeing this gets adapted by the anime. And Iโ€™m looking forward to the return of Mushoku Tensei.

I’m Reviewing the new Season of One Piece, and you Can’t stop Me!

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

Primer for One Piece Elbaph Arc

After all these years, weโ€™re finally here. The One Piece anime has officially made it to Elbaph.

A few months ago, Toei Animation shocked the world of anime with some unbelievable news. After almost three decades of near-continuous running, the One Piece anime would no longer be an all-year-round show. Starting from the end of the Egghead Island Arc, the anime would switch to the same seasonal format that has come to define the industry in recent years. While some got upset about this, others understood the need for the switch. The anime was catching up to the manga, and with Eichiro Oda prioritizing his well-being in recent years, that meant fewer chapters were out. Between that and the higher quality of animation the series has gotten in recent years, releasing a new episode every week isnโ€™t sustainable for anyone. Plus, no one wants to see more filler episodes and we hate those recap specials that keep popping up! Hence the need to move to a seasonal release schedule. But trust me, it will be worth it, because if you only watched the anime, you have no idea how crazy the Elbaph Arc is going to get. But I do.

Over the past several years, I have been covering the One Piece manga on my personal blog, recapping and reviewing each chapter from the end of Act One of the Wano Country Arc onwards. And Iโ€™ve been reading the manga for about fourteen years, with it currently in the middle of the Elbaph Arc right now. Which is Iโ€™m going to do something that I havenโ€™t thought of doing before: Iโ€™m going to review the One Piece anime.

In the past, Iโ€™ve never considered reviewing the One Piece anime because I never felt it necessary. I already knew what was going to happen, so I didnโ€™t think that I could properly review it. But then it occurred to me that I review plenty of shows that I already know the outcomes to, both on here and on my personal blog. With that not being an excuse, and the shift to a seasonal format becoming more appealing, why shouldnโ€™t I review the anime? If anything, the fact that Iโ€™ve been covering the manga should help me review everything better!

Plus, when I say that the Elbaph Arc is going to be crazy, I mean that itโ€™s going to be crazy. The first look that just dropped on YouTube is just the beginning.

Why this is So Hype!

I donโ€™t know how many people who read this blog like One Piece or have been a long-term fan of it, but indulge me as I explain why this arc is so hyped up. Next to the island where the One Piece is said to be located, Elbaph has been the most anticipated location in the entire series. Ever since it was first mentioned in an arc twenty-seven years ago, Elbaph has been one near the top fo the places that Luffy has wanted to visit. Itโ€™s the homeland of most of the Giants, who, as we have seen throughout the series, are some of the strongest warriors in the world. More importantly, itโ€™s a land thatโ€™s heavily influenced by Norse culture, AKA the Vikings. Next to the real-life golden age of piracy, the Vikings are who most people think of when they think of pirates. But they’re more than just pirates; they were explorers, traders, nation-builders, and had a culture that has had influenced the world long after the actual civilization faded away. Case in point, we have what Marvel and God of War have done with Norse mythology. Culturally, theyโ€™re a pretty big deal! And Eichiro Oda has spent the majority of the manga feeding us tiny hints of what this fantastical land is like, longer than he has for any other location.

There is a reason for why Oda has devoted so much attention to Elbaph. When he was a kid, he grew up watching Vicky the Viking, a German-Japanese show about a smart but timid boy who used his brains to help out his village. That show is what made him want to become a mangaka, and eventually led him to create One Piece. Part of what makes the series so great is that Oda draws influence from real-world cultures for almost every location the Straw Hat Pirates visit, and in the case of Elbaph, itโ€™s the Vikings. To put it simply, Odaโ€™s spent most of his life wanting to tell a story like that of Elbaph, and so far, he hasnโ€™t held anything back.

You are Not Ready for Loki

If youโ€™ve read the manga already, then you already know just how crazy the Elbaph Arc gets, but this quick teaser is more of the โ€œshow-but-donโ€™t-tellโ€ variety. Thatโ€™s understandable, given how itโ€™s only 30 seconds long, but it makes the best of it to hype us up for what weโ€™re about to see. Granted, by the time this goes out, the first episode will already be released, but thatโ€™s besides the point. The main focus of the trailer, though, is the introduction of a new character that plays a major role in the arc. A character, as of where the manga is right now, is considered a prime candidate to join the Straw Hat Pirates: Loki, the accursed Prince of Elbaph.

If you know anything about Norse mythology, then you know Oda wasnโ€™t playing around naming this behemoth of a Giant Loki. The fact that the first time we see him, he is blindfolded and chained to a tree should be enough to tell you that this guy is dangerous. If that doesnโ€™t convince you, the fact that he tells Luffy that heโ€™s the Sun God who will destroy the world should tell you how dangerous he is. The fact that heโ€™s claiming to be the Sun God, a title that we thought Luffy unknowingly has thanks to his Devil Fruit, only cements this.

I wonโ€™t spoil anything, but for a good part of the arc, Oda does a good job of leaving readers unsure of what to think about Loki. I still remember how people were debating about whether Loki is as bad as his countrymen say he is, or if heโ€™s misunderstood. Oda keeps us guessing for a while, and it was interesting to listen to the debates about it amongst the fans. But Iโ€™m getting ahead of myself.

The Elbaph Arc will begin on April 5th, 2026, and with our release schedule for new posts, itโ€™s likely that has already passed. Hopefully, I will have already reviewed the first episode by the time youโ€™re reading this and it will be scheduled for publishing. If so, I hope you enjoy it!

The OG Dub VA for Luffy Returns as Joy Boy

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

They’re Bringing Back the OG VA for Luffy for One Piece

After all of these years, the OG dub VA for Monkey D. Luffy is getting some recognition.

These days, itโ€™s hard to imagine a world in which One Piece isnโ€™t one of the most popular media franchises in the world. But like anything great, it didnโ€™t start off that way. Itโ€™s taken decades for One Piece to become the globally mainstream hit it is now, and I think that part of the reason why it is that way is due to how bad its initial debut in the West was. The people who enjoy the English dub tend to think of the ongoing Funimation (now Crunchyroll) dub of One Piece, but like Dragon Ball and other anime that came westward in the 90s and 2000s, there were other English dubs. It just so happens that the OG dub of One Piece is infamously considered one of the worst ever made: the One Piece 4Kids dub.

Anyone Remember 4Kids?

Before the rise of Funimation, 4Kids Entertainment was the premier company when it came to localizing anime in the West. From the original Pokemon anime to Yu-Gi-Oh! and its numerous sequel series, 4Kids was once the king of anime. I was one of the kids who grew up loving everything they did, but looking back on it now, you can tell just how much they changed things for their audiences. The shows they dubbed were subjected to a lot of censorship and changes meant to make them what they deemed to be suitable for kids because they thought it was what was best for them. In doing so, though, they removed a lot of the tension and stakes that made the shows so compelling, with questionable results. They could get away with in Pokemon since it was meant for kids, but it starts becoming noticeable in shows like Yu-Gi-Oh! And then came the show that would ruin them: One Piece.

And they never wanted to do it in the first place.

4Kids didn’t know what it was doing

4Kids never had any intention of dubbing One Piece in the first place. The only reason that they did it is because it was part of a package deal they got with Toei that included shows that they actually wanted. They didnโ€™t know anything about it going in, and when they saw all the more mature themes (smoking, death, fanservice) and said โ€œwe canโ€™t show this to our demographic!โ€ So they censored like they never censored beforeโ€ฆwith disastrous results.

Thereโ€™s a reason why the 4Kids dub of One Piece is considered one of the worst dubs of all time, and if you grew up watching it, find it on dvd, or find it online, youโ€™ll understand why. All the blood was removed, alcohol was replaced with other drinks, they removed the guns or replaced with ridiculous props. Not to mention just how bad the voice acting was. I didnโ€™t realize it as a kid, but it was absolutely terrible! And worst of all was how they cut out key moments from the story. I didnโ€™t even know until years later about Laboon or Little Garden because they were outright removed!

Ultimately, their attempt to dub One Piece the beginning of the end for 4Kids. It was so poorly received that their reputation would never fully recover, and several years, the company went belly up. Now all that remains is the memory of it and the dubs they left behind. As for One Piece, Funimation would eventually take up the role of dubbing it, but it would take years for them to undo the damage. These days, the English dub is in a much better position, but Iโ€™m willing to bet that there are plenty of fans that prefer sub over dub partly due to what 4Kids did. Honestly, I donโ€™t blame them. I look back on the 4Kids dub, and realize just how bad it really was.

The sad irony? I actually stopped initially watching One Piece after the 4Kids dub ended.

At Least 4Kids Introduced me to One Piece

I was only ten years old when I started watching One Piece, and I had no idea just how bad a hand I had gotten with it. Even with all the censoring and changes, One Piece still looked so cool to me, to the point where I started going around wearing the closest thing I could find to Luffyโ€™s straw hat. And when it ended and I think Toonami switched to the Funimation dub, I was so confused that I walked away from it altogether. Again, I was just a kid who didnโ€™t know any better. Plus, I wasnโ€™t able to find ways to watch the anime and read the manga until I was in high school, so there wasnโ€™t much that I could do. Yet despite knowing how bad I got it, I canโ€™t truly bring myself to hate the 4Kids dub of One Piece, if only because it was how I got into the series in the first place. Which is why this next bit of news brings a smile to my face.

It will have likely already passed by then, but on March 24th, for the first time ever, the dub of the One Piece anime will be caught up to the subbed. For decades, fans have had to deal with the fact that the English dub remained dozens, even hundreds, of episodes behind the subbed version. That alone is a big win. But it just got even bigger: theyโ€™re bringing back the original dub VA for Luffy.

In one of the final batches of episodes before the anime went seasonal, One Piece introduced us to the voice of Joy Boy, a legendary figure in the lore of the series who was said to be the first pirate, and the last person to wield the powers that Luffy now has. In a fun twist, the Seiyuu for Joy Boy is Uraka Takano, the original voice of Luffy. Most people donโ€™t know this, but there was actually an OVA of One Piece released in 1998, predating the Toei series and with different animation and voices. So itโ€™s poetic to have Joy Boy voiced by the OG Luffy.

The dub seems to have taken a similar stance on the matter, as it was announced that the English voice actor for Joy Boy is Erica Schroeder, aka the original English voice for Luffy from the 4Kids days.

I canโ€™t help but smile at this small tribute to what came before it. Even if it was one of the worst dubs of anime in history, 4Kids is still a part of the history of One Piece. Itโ€™s how I fell in love with One Piece in the first place, so I at least respect it for that. Getting to hear the OG voice of Luffy is going to be something that I hope makes me very happy, and Iโ€™m glad that itโ€™s getting acknowledged.

Plus, for all its faults, yjere was one thing that 4Kids did right by One Piece: the opening rap. Say what you want about everything else, but that rap song isnโ€™t half bad.

Did they Just Have a Final Fantasy VII Battle?

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

Sentenced to be a Hero Ep 11 Review

We are one episode away from the finale of Sentenced to be a Hero, and this has been one of the most visually stunning anime of the year. I only started watching this because it was animated by the people who did the best animation in Mushoku Tensei, but Iโ€™ve wound up staying for the plot. And while weโ€™re all focused on the fighting against the Demon Blight, thereโ€™s an even bigger plot at work in the background. And we just got a hint at what the true goals of the Demon Blight are, as well as what is leading them.

Another Hail Mary in the Works

The fighting in Port Ioff is not going well by any accounts. The Demon Blight is overrunning the place, with the Holy Knights lines being broken in the sewers. The Hero Unit is holding the faeries off for the time being, but theyโ€™re fighting an uphill battle. Then again, what else is new at this point? Every battle we have seen Xyloโ€™s unit fight in has had the odds stacked against them.

The good news is that Xylo and Teoritta manage to save a group of civilians holed up in a makeshift shelter. The bad news is that their goal of storming the lighthouse means that they canโ€™t stick around to protect them. So they have to leave their protection to Rhyno.

There is just something off about Rhyno, and we all know it. He acts like wholeheartedly believes in fighting for humanity, but at the same time, his lack of empathy isnt helping anyone. When Xylo asks him to show the citizens how to use some magic staves they have, he asks him who would make the best cannon fodder if the worst case occurred! I get that in war, civilians die, and that not everyone can be saved. But that doesnโ€™t mean that soldiers shouldnโ€™t at least try to save everyone, or consider using civilians as fodder!

And yet, I can see why Xylo keeps him around. Heโ€™s got marksmanship that rivals that of Usopp or Hawkeye, as he proves instrumental in clearing one of the human mercenaries that Boojum hired to help him. All it takes is a few good shots for him to send the armored Iron Whale to oblivion.

Iron Whale got off lucky, though. As Xylo and Teoritta make their way to the tower, they run back into Shiji Bau. And she ends up being barbecued by Jayce and Neely!

An Epic Boss Fight!

And that brings us to the main event of the episode. The fight of Xylo and Teoritta vs Boojum. As should be expected by this point, the fight is absolutely incredible. I know that I compared their boss fight at Mureed to something out of Dark Souls, but the one here feels more like something from a JRPG. To be more precise, the changing battlefield and Boojum mutating remind me of something out of Kingdom Hearts or the remakes of Final Fantasy VII. Theyโ€™re fast-paced, frenetic, and rely a lot on spectacle to keep the audience enthralled. In short, I loved it.

There was something about the fight, though, that I canโ€™t help but ponder. Before they slew Boojum, we heard him mention how he was following the orders of someone higher up. Not another Demon Lord, but a king. The Demon Blight has a king, presumably the one whoโ€™s been calling the shots for the Demon Lords. Considering how dangerous the Demon Lords have been, we can only assume the Demon King must be terrifying. And should this series get more seasons, I can only assume that this will be the final boss. Assuming that it isnโ€™t the Coexisters.

Speaking of whichโ€ฆ

Yeah, Kivia’s Uncle is Sus

While the majority of the episode is focused on the fighting, the B-plot continues Kiviaโ€™s storyline. And she is starting to lose it.

Throughout the series, we have seen Kivia undergo some significant character development, going from straight up hating the Hero Unit to respecting them. More importantly, she started to realize that not everyone on Humanityโ€™s side is working in its best interests. The Coexisters were already worrying her, but then she heard the name Lideo gave for the person who ordered the hit on Teoritta: Mahaeyzel. We donโ€™t know who that is yet, but the fact that she was shocked means itโ€™s someone important. And then she heard her uncle mention them at the end of the last episode!

The result? She spends the entirety of this episode looking like sheโ€™s close to losing it. And I donโ€™t blame her, either. She has good reason to suspect that her uncle, her mentor, is a Coexister and a traitor to humanity. And since sheโ€™s the only one who knows this, if she decides to act on it, then she will be setting herself up to look like the bad guy.

I donโ€™t need to know the spoilers about what happens to know that whatever Kivia does next, itโ€™s not going to end well for her. Sheโ€™ll be called a traitor and criminal like the rest of the penal Heroes. Though at this point, I think most of the Hero Unit only got sentenced because they were set up by the Coexisters. Which means that thereโ€™s only one solution: purging!

We have one episode left in the season, and I have no idea where things are headed right now. All I know is that things are about to blow up in a big way.

I Give โ€œSentence: Aid in Evacuation of Ioff Cheg Port 2โ€ a 4/5

JoJo! STEEL BALL RUN!

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

STEEL BALL RUN JoJoโ€™s Bizarre Adventure Ep 1 Review

Calling all JoJo fans, calling all JoJo fans!! PEAK ANIME HAS RETURNED! You are all invited to witness history in the making as Hirohiko Arakiโ€™s magnum opus is getting an anime. Come join us for the STEEL BALL RUN!!!

If I sound like Iโ€™m super excited right now, you canโ€™t blame me. Ever since the anime went international ten years ago, JoJoโ€™s Bizarre Adventure has proven why itโ€™s one of the GOATS of Shonen. From the music to the artwork, to the posing and memes, JoJo has become an internet legend. Unfortunately, Netflix had to yank it off the airwaves and make Part Six exclusive to its platform, and the arrival of Part Seven hasnโ€™t changed that. However, if there was ever a reason for anime fans to get Netflix(besides the live-action One Piece and other series), then itโ€™s for Steel Ball Run.

Quick Refresher!

If you are a newcomer to JoJo, then you donโ€™t have to worry about needing any prior knowledge about the series beyond the basics. Itโ€™s broken up into separate parts, each of which covers a different character whose initials can spell JoJo or some variation of it. That, and it follows the adventures of the Joestar family, with each part following a different family member. Moreover, Part Seven is when the mangaka, Hirohiko Araki, chose to start fresh in an entirely new timeline as he took the manga from shonen to seinen. And since Araki is a massive westernphile, he decided to start strong with a love letter to spaghetti westerns, giving us Steel Ball Run.

The Ultimate Race!

The year is 1890 on the West Coast of the United States. Business tycoon Steven Steel has invited people from all over the world to participate in the first-ever Steel Ball Run. Itโ€™s a massive cross-country race spanning 4,000 miles across the continental US from San Diego to New York City, with the winner getting a grand prize of $50 million!

The premise to this part alone should be enough to excite fans, especially Americans. One of Americaโ€™s biggest selling points is its sheer size and diversity. From the deserts to the south and west to the plains of the heartland and the forests and mountains, America is truly a land of such diversity. And I think that Araki wanted to use that to his advantage by telling his grandest story since Stardust Crusaders. And the characters are already memorable and memeable.

So Many Cool Characters!

There are hundreds of people taking part in the Steel Ball Run, but this extra-long episode focuses primarily on the five that will be major players in the arc. First up, we have Gyro Zeppeli, the Italian with gold-plated teeth and these mysterious steel balls. And for those debating about sub vs dub, I recommend dub. Zeppeli is voiced by Kaiji Tang, and he brings that signature charm of his to play.

Next up, we have our resident JoJo, Johnny Joestar. And heโ€™s a piece of work. While heโ€™s part of the upper crust of society like his Part One counterpart, thatโ€™s where the similarities end. Unlike OG JoJo, Johnny was an arrogant and self-centered horse jockey who was once at the top of the world. But when he cut in line for something, the guy he cut shot and crippled him from the waist down, robbing him of his talent and pride. But then this happens!

And that is enough to make him join the Steel Ball Run, so he can learn the secret of the Spin and how to walk again.

Having spent so much time with the noble and heroic Joestar family, itโ€™s a little surprising to see a JoJo whoโ€™s so obviously flawed. Other JoJoโ€™s have had their flaws. Several of them were troublemakers, rude, and delinquents. But Johnny feels like the JoJo with the most overt character flaws, as him losing the ability to walk was entirely his fault. He wrecked his own life, and now he wants to prove that heโ€™s not worthless. Despite that, though, Johnny has the determination and willpower that have defined the Joestars, as he refuses to let his disability stop him from joining the race.

https://twitter.com/KonoYimeDa/status/2034557638122291468?s=20

Friends or Foes?

It wouldnโ€™t be JoJo, though, without Dio, though. And despite him dying back in Part Three, we get an alternate version of Dio, Diego Brando, joining the story as a rival horse jockey. So far, heโ€™s not pure evil like DIO, just arrogant. But we should still give him a wide berth.

Lastly, we have two other characters that are clearly set up to be supporting cast members, Sandman and Poco Loco. One is a Native whoโ€™s determined to finish the Steel Ball Run with his own superhuman legs, and the other is lucky to the point that itโ€™s laughable. In fact, Iโ€™m pretty sure I did laugh watching what went down in the first leg of the race! And what a leg it was!

BEST RACE EVER!

One thing that I consistently love about JoJoโ€™s Bizarre Adventure is its ability to turn the most mundane and regular activities into the most exciting things you can imagine. Now, a cross-country horse race is already plenty exciting, but Steel Ball Run manages to make it into the coolest thing ever. I couldnโ€™t hope to capture how crazy it is in words alone, but thankfully, Twitter provides.

I cannot lie to you about this: I was really invested into what was happening in the race that makes up the second half of the episode. It felt like I was watching an actual horse race to the point that I started cheering at one point watching the jockeys. And the artwork! They managed to capture all of Arakiโ€™s Louvre-level talent in animation form. Combine that with the peak music, and we have a masterpiece.

Again, I cannot lie to you: I wasnโ€™t sure if I was going to cover it for the D&A Anime Blog. But after what I just saw, I NEED to give it the attention it deserves. Steel Ball Run is a contender for anime of the year in my book! I canโ€™t wait to see the rest of the race!

I Give “Steel Ball Run” a 5/5

Megumi Almost Broke his Back!

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

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 Ep 11 Review

Megumi is a badass. Well, we already knew that he was a badass. After all, he is the son of the guy who came close to killing Gojo and was the boogeyman of the Jujutsu world. Even Sukuna has a vested interest in keeping him alive; given how Sukuna doesnโ€™t care about anyone but himself, that speaks volumes about his potential. And the Culling Game is giving us yet another example of how much of a badass Megumi is, as he manages to win a contest of endurance and will against one of the deadliest opponents in the Game. All while almost breaking his back, to boot!

Megumi is a Badass!

When we last left off, Megumi had laid a trap for the Sorcerer Regie Star using his Domain Expansion. Since he hasnโ€™t fully mastered it, he got around that problem by luring him into a closed gymnasium. Thanks to that, Megumi is able to turn the tables while Tengen narrates how his plan is supposed to be working. And as is the case for the entire season, the animation is superb.

Unfortunately, those receipts of Regieโ€™s are super powerful, as is his mind. He was able to figure out that Megumiโ€™s shadow has a finite carrying capacity. He needs to make room for himself or risk bearing the weight of everything in his shadow. So Regie uses his receipts to summon a trio of cars to get sucked into the domain, essentially threatening to crush him!

This fight then becomes a battle of attrition as the two throw the heaviest things they have at each other in an attempt to crush the other. And this is where we get a visible reminder of just how tough Jujutsu Sorcerers are compared to normal humans. The two of them are forced to endure several tons of weight on their backs that could cripple or kill a normal human being. And despite being pushed to their limits and risking internal damage, they are able to make it out alive. And one of those things is a house. An actual house. I donโ€™t even know how Regie got a receipt for a house.

Thankfully, though, Megumi managed to pull a big brain move by cancelling his Domain, sending them down to the pool in the basement and ruining Regieโ€™s receipts. Checkmate! And with that, Megumi takes another W and manages to all of Regieโ€™s points before he dies.

The bad news is that Megumi ends up passing out right afterwards. The good news, though, is that he is attended to by the Angel girl that he and Yuji were looking for in the first place! Talk about a lucky break!

As for Takaba, we get to see the end of his fight with the exploding guy as the latter calls it quits and leaves. The narrator then explains everything that I already did in the last review about how his powers work. Like I said, itโ€™s the rule of funny in jujutsu form.

Everything that weโ€™ve seen, though, is nothing compared to what Yuta is facing.

Yuta is Just Built Different!

If you have seen JJK 0, then you should know just how much of a badass Yuta Okkotsu. Next to Gojo, he is the strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer alive. And the strongest JuJutsu Sorcerer gets sent to the strongest battlefield in the Sendai Colony. The episode explicitly states that it is far deadlier than what weโ€™ve seen in Tokyo, with multiple heavy-hitters caught in a stalemate due to their incredible power. Two are reincarnated sorcerers, another has crazy cursed energy, and the last one is a special-grade Curse! And Yuta manages to kill one of them right after he arrives.

This isnโ€™t an ordinary Sorcerer, either. This was a reincarnated Sorcerer who was powerful enough to conquer all of Japan two thousand years ago. And Yuta killed him like he was nothing. Not even worth showing the fight!

I donโ€™t know how many episodes are left in this part of the season, but if this next episode is the last, then Iโ€™m going to enjoy it. I knew that Yuta was holding back against Yuji, so I want to see what itโ€™s like when he goes all out! This is going to be so cool, you guys!!!

I Give “Tokyo Colony No 1-Part 5” a 3/5