Asides

Wait, Diablo got WHO?!?!

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

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime S4 Ep 14 Review

There have been several times throughout the series where Rimuru has come close to dying. The most apparent example was his initial fight with Hinata, where he had to resort to using a body double to escape. However, our GOAT has come close to dying without even realizing it, which is why so many people are left dumbfounded when he does something unbelievable. And thanks to Diablo, we just got to see the biggest example of Rimuru cheating death without even realizing it. And he does it by gaining the loyalty of a trio of beautiful Demon women.

Who are the Primordials?

While Rimuru and the others were dealing with things with Maribel, Diablo was largely absent for the first arc of the season. That’s because he decided he wanted some extra hands to help him serve his glorious king. So, he headed back to the Demon Realm, the dimension where all Demons originate. Spawned from chaos, they constantly fight, die, and revive in a struggle to get stronger. It’s basically a place of anarchy, chaos, and survival of the fittest. Being the ultimate glazer of Rimuru, Diablo decided that his master deserves only the best minions, so he decides to recruit the biggest, baddest, toughest Demons in the Netherworld: the Primordials.

In the Demon Realm, power is determined by how old a Demon is and (I think) how long they’ve gone without respawning from death. And at the very top of the food chain are the Primordials, of which Diablo is one. They’re the original seven Demons that appeared near the dawn of creation, making them some of the most powerful characters in the entire series. For reference, remember Guy Crimson, the oldest and strongest of the Demon Lords? He’s the original Primordial! With all of that said, is it any wonder why so many people have freaked out upon learning who Diablo is? He could’ve easily killed Rimuru when they first met if he had wanted!

And he wants to recruit three more of them.

Three Demon baddies who can kill you

First up, we have Jaune, the delinquent. Her main hobby is firing off nuclear magic at the base of Demon Lord Leon Cromwell, simply because she’s bored. And when Diablo comes to her to spread the word of his lord and savior, she tries to kill him…to no effect. He just tells her about the glory of Rimuru the slime while she tries in vain to beat him. But all that ends with her being planted into the ground and told to think about her attitude before he comes back.

Next is Violent, the Princess. She actually has some history with Tempest from the series first movie, where she had made a deal with a royal family that was supposed to end with her getting her a body to incarnate in. Thanks to Rimuru, though, she found out one of her subordinates broke the rules of the deal, forcing her to end things. Needless to say, she’s pretty sadistic. But Diablo wins her over when he says that her counterparts will get to incarnate into the mortal world. Now, it’s important to note that Violet, Jaune, and the final Demon have been competing for eons to see who can incarnate first, so it’s important to them.

Speaking of the final Demon, we have Blanc, one of the oldest and strongest. She is the textbook image of an elegant, beautiful lady, and she is already aware of Rimuru. It doesn’t take much to persuade her to meet with our resident Slime. But she also shows just scary she is by casually maiming two of her subordinates for speaking without permission.

Again, these are the ones that Diablo wants serving Rimuru. Three Demon ladies that most Demons fear. And Rimuru has absolutely no idea about any of this.

Thank god that Rimuru has Raphael to back him up. Because if he hadn’t figured it out…the girls would’ve killed him. But the danger was worth it to see him flex his Haki.

Good Lord, Rimuru doesn’t even know what he’s doing.

And so, without even meaning to do so, Rimuru managed to hire three of the most powerful beings in the multiverse as his newest minions. And with them, the 700 Demons that serve under them, giving birth to what will be known as the Black Numbers. And, in keeping with Diablo’s name, he gives the girls car-based names: Carrera for Jaune, Ultima for Violet, and Testarossa for Blanc. And he gives them all artificial bodies so they stay in the physical world for as long as they want.

This is honestly hilarious. Rimuru doesn’t even realize just how much power he’s managed to obtain for his nation. It’s probably going to end up upsetting the balance of power in the world of Tensura before it’s all over! But, again, he’s not entirely at fault. I blame it mostly on Diablo gassing up Rimuru. Either way, things are about to get a lot more fun!

I Give “The Black Numbers” a 4/5

You Won’t Believe Who Rimuru Hires this Episode

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

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime S4 Ep 13 Review

It’s been a good time for Tempest. With Maribel’s defeat and Yuuki laying low, Rimuru and his friends are free to relax and enjoy the fruits of their labor…is what I would like to say. Sadly, Tempest is getting to the point where the work is getting to be too much for who they currently have to handle. Speaking as someone who has experience with more work than one person can handle, I can tell you how disastrous this can be for morale. So, it’s time for some new recruits for Tempest! And as fate would have it, Rimuru gets some perfect hires without having to post a ‘Help wanted’ ad.

Firstly, we need to talk about the OP. With this being the second cours of the season, that means it’s time for the anime to receive a new OP. This way, its remaining up-to-date on what’s happening in the story. And this OP is one of the most enigmatic, with heavy emphasis on subdued colors or outright black and white, chains, and, it should be noted, Hinata and Chloe. Anime logic dictates that what’s going to happen in this second part is going to put a lot of emphasis on the two girls. Just something to think about.

Dino the Freeloader

So after Millim gets dragged back home due to shaking her duties for the umpteenth time, Rimuru decides to get back to work. You can’t exactly blame Millim, though. She’s so happy getting to play with Gaia after these millennia. Sadly, the Dungeon is the only place where it can survive, so it has to stay behind. In the meantime, the work in Tempest is starting to pile up, and Rimuru’s team of Veldora, Ramiris, and more are needing some extra hands to help with their work. As fate would have it, though, one seems to show up right on Rimuru’s doorstep.

This is Dino, and like Rimuru, Ramiris, and Millim, he’s a Demon Lord. However, that title might be stretching it a bit, even by the standards of Demon Lords in this series. Dino is known as the Sleeping Demon Lord and is infamously known as a slacker amongst the other Demon Lords. He doesn’t have his own home or domain to manage. He’s just been freeloading off of Guy Crimson, the oldest and strongest of the Demon Lords, forever. And Crimson finally decided to kick him out, only to dump the responsibility onto Rimuru. And it should be noted that Rimuru cannot refuse. Guy Crimson is far stronger than him, and could easily wipe Tempest out if he wanted.

Rimuru, being a hard worker, doesn’t want to have a freeloader mooching off of him, but thankfully, the problem solves itself. Dino takes one bite of the food in Tempest, and for the first time in forever, he’s motivated to do work. So, he gives him to Vesta the dwarf as his assistant. He’s literally been bribed by food. Honestly, though, it’s a good deal. Food and a roof over your head is a good motivation for working.

As for Veldora, he’s also wants an assistant, but his choice surprises Rimuru: Ifrit, the Fire Elemental.

I don’t Understand how Ifrit is this Way now

If you’ll recall, Ifrit is the Fire spirit that was sealed inside Shizu when she was summoned to this world as a kid. It saved her life, but she had to spend so much of it keeping Ifrit from going on a rampage that it led to her eventual death after Rimuru split them up. Naturally, Rimuru is not keen on Veldora’s request, but there’s a catch to it. After getting sealed inside Rimuru’s stomach, the flame spirit befriended Veldora and they kept each other company. Thanks to that, Veldora was able to help Ifrit chill enough to realize how much pain he caused Shizu and to regret it. Now he wants to make amends by helping Rimuru, and he’s already done so. He provided the salamanders needed for the Magitrain!

So, thanks to Veldora’s recommendation, Rimuru gives Ifrit a chance and gives him a new body to inhabit and renames them to Charys. For some reason, though, Charys can now change from man to woman whenever they want, getting stronger with fire or wind depending on their gender. I don’t know how this is possible, to be honest, but I think we should just roll with it. I’ve already seen a character in One Piece with the power to make people swap genders, so this is nothing to me!

This is a very slow and lowkey episode, in my opinion, as it revolves around Rimuru getting more help around Tempest. Ramiris gets even more helpers in the form of more Dryads thanks to the artificial bodies Rimuru is making, so that’s good. However, the real highlight is the ending as we cut to one servant of Rimuru that has been notably absent: Diablo. Earlier in the season, he said he was going off on a trip to find some worthy assistants for himself, so he’s gone back to the Demon Realm to do so. And he’s apparently bringing up to a thousand subordinates with him when he gets back. Rimruru is cool with it, but he has no idea just who Diablo has in mind. And I’m not spoiling it for you guys!  It’s going to make the surprise all the better! So, see you guys next episode!

Also, I really liked the new ED that’s based on a board game. It’s pretty obvious that, besides Rimuru, the other person playing the game is meant to be Chloe. And she’s on some sort of journey to find Rimuru. I’m not sure if you know this, but besides being her teacher, Chloe has a crush on him, something he’s well aware of (and wishes someone had said that to him when they were 18 or 20). It’s adorable for right now, but it seems like it might be more serious than we realize.

I Give “New Companions” a 3/5

Luffy is Fighting one of the Roger Pirates! So Cool!

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

One Piece Ep 1170 Review

I have been reading and watching One Piece for many years now, and I have come to notice a formula to the way that Oda writes the story. Whenever the Straw Hats make it to some new island, things will start out pretty low-stakes as they explore the place and get a feel for things. Eventually, though, the big bad of the arc will make themselves known, and then everything hits the fan. We are now at that point in the arc where things are about to start hitting the fan, and trust me when I say this, they are going to need Loki. But first, Luffy has to win the key from Scopper Gaban, ex-member of the Roger Pirates.

If you’ve followed One Piece at least as far back as Sabaody, then you know that the hype behind the crew of the Pirate is well-deserved. Rayleigh was able to go toe-to-toe with a Navy Admiral despite being well into his 70s, and he was able to scare off Blackbeard not that long ago. Needless to say, most of the crew can be counted as some of the strongest in the world by default. And that’s why seeing Luffy fight Gaban was so hyped when the manga came out. If Luffy could hold his own against one of Roger’s two hands, then we would know just how strong he has gotten. And the anime knew this.

This was a Good Training Session

I know that there were fights while trying to escape Road’s brick model, but truthfully, this was the first real fight of the Elbaph arc. The anime knew this, because it went all out on showing just how wild this fight was. Luffy was bouncing around the place like crazy, but no matter what he did, he couldn’t play a finger on Gaban. The man held him off using the very key they came to get as a weapon. Regardless, though, the fight was very well animated, and it more than lived up to the hype. And that moment when Zoro decided to jump in, and Luffy went into Gear Five? It was incredible. The strongest of the Straw Hats were getting ready to double-team a legend in what we thought would be a legendary duel, and if it had continued, I do think they would’ve won. But, nope! Gaban drops his axes and surrenders!

To be honest, I already knew that the two won when Gaban tried shoving the key into Luffy’s mouth in a goofy fashion. He did say he wanted them to get their hands on the key, and they did. From the way I saw things, Gaban was only doing this to test them and see if they were on the level that Shanks said. Because if they let Loki out, they would have to be prepared to fight him, and if they lost, they would lose the trust of the Giants. But more importantly, though, Gaban did it because he knew that Elbaph was about to be in danger. The greatest threat it has probably ever faced, if you ask me.

EVIL! EVIL! EVILEVILEVILEVILEVIL!

Meanwhile, as the children at the Walrus School are playing, Gunko and Shamrock are about to make their move. Their goal is to conquer and enslave Elbaph so their master can use the Giants in the coming war for the fate of the world. And so they summon reinforcements to help them in the form of two more God’s Knights, Sommers and Qillingham.

Don’t be fooled by their goofy introductions, you guys. I have had years to get to know these two as individuals, and trust me when I say this: they are monsters. Not just monsters as in they’re monstrously strong, but monsters as in sick, twisted, and sadistic demons! The two of them and Gunko are going to be enough to cause a catastrophe the likes of which Elbaph hasn’t seen in years. They are absolute menaces to society, and at this point in the manga, I am genuinely hoping that the Straw Hats send them home in body bags.

Don’t believe me? Their game plan to conquer Elbaph is to capture the kids and take them back to Mariejois as hostages. It takes a special kind of evil to go after kids!

I hope that you guys got your fill of the low-key stakes, because that is about over. From here on out, things are going to get progressively crazier as the Straw Hats face their biggest battle yet! And I can’t wait to see it animated!

I Give “Get the Key! Luffy vs. Scopper Gaban” a 4/5

O.G. Founder: The Old Guard Needs A New Castle!

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So…let me talk to ya!

This is not a post bashing modern anime fans; nor is it a post bashing the community, the industry, or conventions. This is however my thoughts and opinions on how I feel as a 30-year veteran of anime. I’m a member of the ‘Old Guard Anime Fandom’ (O.G.A.F.), and I’m from an era where access to the medium was not as widespread as it is today. I come from an era where it costs $150 to buy 24 VHS tapes of the first and second seasons of Ocean Dub Dragon Ball Z. I come from an era where Yaoi Paddles roamed the halls of convention centers, and people shouting outdated memes were the norm. Lately, I feel like myself and many other fans of the O.G.A.F., have felt the brunt of the shift in the atmosphere.

Many of us know it as ‘The Great Shift’.

I couldn’t find my usual picture…

Since this shift, a lot of things have changed in the anime community, as well as the industry and the convention scene. Many conventions have become more industry-driven as opposed to fan-driven. The con Runners want to appeal to a wider audience; a.k.a. A more ‘Family-Friendly’ audience, which caused many core members of said conventions to pull out and not attend them. Not only that, but this shift has drawn the attention of a group of individuals, who do NOT have the anime community’s best interest at heart. In fact they DON’T EVEN LIKE anime, but pull up to mock others who do, just for the sake of clicks and giggles!

Okay, I’m not bashing ALL modern fans, but I’m calling out the ones who are contributing to this behavior. For the rest of us who just wanna enjoy being an anime/gaming nerd, it sucks having to deal with petty incidents like this. I come from an era where if you had a disagreement about something in a show, you talked about it and in many cases, agreed to disagree. Afterwards you dapped it up and moved on. NOW IN 2026, if you have that SAME disagreement with modern fans, you’re getting DEATH THREATS in your DM’s!

The older I get, the less I wanna even be around any of this…

This is what its like to have an opposing opinion (hot take) in 2026!

POC Cosplayers, I feel ya! Do NOT even get me started on how some modern fans, treat Black Anime Fans as well as Black Cosplayers. I say this, because I’ve had a few shots come my way, and I only do partial cosplay. I can go on and on about the many incidents that have happened in the community whenever black anime fans are involved. Honestly, its tiresome!

Maybe that’s just it. As a member of the O.G.A.F. We NEED a NEW castle! A NEW space to call home that is created BY US, FOR US! No minors, No clout chasers, and NO PDFs! It’s time we have a space for Old Guard Fans, in fact its time we have conventions for members of the O.G.A.F.! I know some are gonna say that it feels like I’m alienating New Gen Fans, but ya’ll got enough conventions and spaces to go to. We need a place where ‘Oldtakus’ and ‘Unctakus’ can crash, watch old school anime, and party! The way it used to be…

I’m working on a few things in regards to that with several friends (a.k.a. a NEW Convention for OLD Guard Anime Fans), and if you feel that the Old Guard needs a New Castle, then follow us on the blog and social media platforms! Also follow Yours Truly on IG (as Avidd Minddset), to see where the next DJ & Cosplay Afterparties will be.

I hope things get better within this space, but I’m not holding my breath. So Old Guard Fans, lets put our resources together, and make something for us that we can enjoy!

Old Guard Founder!

Out!

The Legend of Love, Scopper Gaban!

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

One Piece Chapter 1169 Review

I’m going to be honest with you: I had no clue that Toei was going to be airing all the episodes of One Piece this year back-to-back. I genuinely thought that we would be waiting until the fall for the show to kick back up, but I’m not complaining. It won’t be long now until the Elbaph arc really begins in earnest. But before that can happen, the story needs to add a few more players to the board. And on the side of the pirates, we’re getting an absolute legend. Not only is this man one of the most famous in the entire world, but he’s also a legend of the art of love.

The Legend is Here!

So, Luffy, Zoro, and Nami are still looking for the key to Loki’s chains, with the group being on the fence about what to do afterward. To be honest, I wasn’t that worried in the manga. If Loki tried anything, Luffy would just kick his ass. Heck, Luffy even says that’s what he’ll do in this episode. The real concern is how Elbaph would take it. Unfortunately, any attempts by the group to fly under the radar are gone, as they’ve been found out by someone: Ripley’s husband and the father of Colon. Though, it should be his real name that should be more, and for good reason, as we get a story from the Giants that exposits why he’s so important.

In the days of the Roger Pirates, there were three men who were the pillars of the entire crew; their equivalent of the Monster Trio of Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji. Roger’s right-hand man was Rayleigh, but his left was a man named Scopper Gaban, and he was every bit as strong as the others. Once, when Roger was sick and resting at a hospital, hundreds of pirates showed up trying to take him out. In response, Gaban walked out of the building, axe in hand, and proceeded to single-handledly run all their fades! None of them got near Roger! And after the Roger Pirates disbanded, he settled in Elbaph, where he all but married Ripley and they had Colon. And now, that man was sitting in the ruins of Aurust Castle waiting for Luffy to show up to see what he would do.

I was absolutely floored when Gaban was introduced. He had been teased about years ago in the cover stories as this mystery man who met with Crocus, this guy who briefly sailed with Roger as his doctor. Most fans were convinced that he was another member of the Roger Pirates, and we were right! We only know a little about the lives of Roger’s old crew even after all this time, so seeing Gaban was like meeting pirate royalty. Also, I couldn’t help but respect him for managing to get someone as nice as Ripley as his wife. Though I do think that one day, Oda has to explain how the technical aspects work. Otherwise, fans are going to be making weird assumptions.

Luffy Beating Loki=Being on Shanks’ Level?

At any rate, Gaban wants to ask Luffy what he intends to do about Loki, testing him. He even points out that the only reason he got captured was because Shanks had to step in and do it when the Giants couldn’t. Of course, I took it, and Luffy probably took, to mean that if he managed to beat Loki, he’d be on Shanks’ level. Which is something that has both been a goal of his as well as a necessity if Luffy wants to become King of the Pirates. So, he gives Luffy a challenge: if he can beat him in a fight, he’ll hand over the key. So, bet!

Luffy is going to need to get stronger sooner rather than later, especially since Elbaph is about to be in danger from the God’s Knights. If he can stand on the same level as Roger’s number three, then I like the odds. That, and I wanna see how he measures up to a living legend. This next episode should be fun.  

I Give “The Legend Lurking in Elbaph – The Identity of the Mountain-Eater” a 4/5

So, What are you Watching this Summer?

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

Some of the anime that RJ Writing Ink’s Watching this Summer

Summer time! That means it’s time for family trips, smashing watermelon on the beach, and arguing over who looks best in a swimsuit. Anime fans do all that, and we have to keep an eye out for all the new anime that’s coming out. This year, we’ve got a pretty good lineup of new and returning anime to watch, with Crunchyroll having dropped a list of some of its biggest upcoming shows. And, I’m going to be honest with you, I don’t know how much of it I’m going to be able to watch. Not because I don’t want to, but because I’m going to be so busy covering things. But that’s not going to stop me from giving you my list of anime that I’m looking forward to enjoying! I’m RJ Writing Ink, and here are all the anime for the summer season that I’m probably going to watch! Hopefully!

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 3-July 5th

The Rentaro Family is back! And just as crazy and wholesome as ever! If you remember my writings from the winter of last year, then you know that I’m crazy about the ultimate harem anime. Naturally, I’m going to want to cover it as we get even more members joining the Rentaro Family! I won’t spoil anything about them, but let’s just say that this next batch will contain some of my favorite girlfriends thus far, as well as some that will make you question how the mangaka got away with them. So, just be prepared in advance.

The Elusive Samurai, Season 2, July-

Two years ago, we got the first season of the anime The Elusive Samurai, and now we’re finally getting the second. Created by the mangaka behind Assassination Classroom, the Elusive Samurai is a historical fantasy about Tokiyuki Hojo, the last surviving heir of the former Shogunate, forced to go on the run when his family is overthrown. I liked it well enough at the time, but I never got into it as much as I could have. With the manga having ended earlier this year, though, I might be willing to pick this story back up.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4-

So, it turns out that I was mistaken. I knew that the fourth season of Slime Tensura was going to be split up into multiple cours’, but I assumed that they would be split up into different seasons of anime. As it turns out, I was wrong. That means that we’ve got another 12 weeks of Slime Tensura to get us through the Summer, and I’m looking forward to it! I can’t wait to see what Rimuru gets up to next, because I have no clue.

Speaking of peak Isekai…

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3-July 5th-

You know that Crunchyroll is pushing a show to be a frontrunner for the season when they make one of the main characters the thumbnail for their trailer for said season. Mushoku Tensei has exploded in popularity thanks to the success of the anime, and I have been waiting for the last two years to see us pick up where we left off with our boy, Rudeus! He may have lost his arm and his dad while saving his mom, but he’s gotten a second wife in the form of Roxy, and more importantly, he’s a dad now! The real highlight of this season, though, is going to be the return of Eris, AKA the girl who broke Rudeus’ heart. If you’ve read my reviews of the show, you’ll know my opinion about Eris: she’s going to have to spend the rest of her life making up for bailing on him the way she did. More importantly, though, we are going to get to see something happen that will reframe the story and what happens going forward. Something that I’ve had to keep my mouth shut about for years now, and if the anime doesn’t go into more detail, I will!

Baki-Dou: The Invincible Samurai-June 18th

I know that this comes out three days before the actual summer solstice, meaning that technically, it doesn’t count as a summer anime. However, this is Baki we’re talking about. If you’ve seen Baki, then you know that the characters in this series do things that regularly defy common sense. They can do whatever they want! And in this case, the second half of Baki-Dou has the entire cast throwing everything they to defeating the resurrected Musashi Miyamoto, AKA the undefeated Samurai of legend. A man who was able to go toe to toe with Yujiro Hanma!

And this is just the start of the anime that are coming out this season. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go watch some beach episodes and see who wore a swimsuit best!

Devil May Cry: Naruto and Sasuke Style

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

Devil May Cry Season 2 Review

It almost managed to fly under my radar due to how busy I’ve been covering things, but last month, the second season of the anime adaptation of Devil May Cry dropped on Netflix. I’m sorry that I didn’t get to it until now, but again, I’ve had a lot of things to do, and I’m sorry. That being said, I was looking forward to seeing how this crazy series would continue telling the story of DMC, even though I’m not that big a fan of the games.  More importantly, though, the plot manages to get better as the war between humans and demons gets even more dangerous with the threat of an ancient evil’s return as well as our introduction to Dante’s twin brother, Vergil.

And I would just like to say that while I don’t know much about the games, I liked how Vergil is portrayed in the anime.

The end to the first season of the anime was a pretty bleak one, if you’ll recall. Dante was captured by Lady and forcibly put on ice just after learning his brother was alive. Vice-President Baines was able to use the White Rabbit’s actions to justify a war against demons, leading to an invasion of Makai. And now, hundreds of humans and demons are dying in a so-called crusade. As someone who grew up watching the War on Terror on TV, the analogy was not lost on me.

You would think that this war between Earth and Makai would be the driving plot of the second season, but you would only be partly correct. The war does play an active role in the series, but the main focus is on two other plots and everything surrounding them. The first is kickstarted when Lady steals a chalice from the Demon King Mundus, with it revealed to be one of four artifacts needed to unseal Argosax, AKA the original ruler of Makai and the series in-game equivalent to the Devil. He was so evil and chaotic that Mundus and Sparda rebelled against him to seal him away. His agent and the one pulling Baines’ strings, Arius von Enhrenberg, wants to free Argosax and bring about the end of the world, which prompts DARKCOM to bring Dante out of stasis so they can use him as a pawn in the game.

The second and most important plot, though, is the introduction of Vergil, Dante’s long-lost twin brother.

Vergil is AWESOME!

I had to look up Vergil’s story on the Internet, and apparently, he was kidnapped by the same demons who killed his and Dante’s mother. They brought him back to Makai, where Mundus raised him to be his ultimate weapon, a history that very much remains intact in the anime. Unlike the games, though, the anime changes up the circumstances. Whereas Vergil was broken and brainwashed by Mundus into becoming his weapon, the anime had Mundus be smarter about it. He lied to Vergil and told him that his mom was killed by demons loyal to Arius’ organization, Urobouros, and thus, Argosax. Naturally, this enraged Vergil, and he willingly chose to serve Mundus because he thought he was avenging his mother and atoning for his father betraying Mundus. Because why brainwash someone when having them work for you freely is a much better strategy?

Now, I’m an outsider with little to no experience with DMC, and therefore, I have no emotional connection to its characters. I know that game purists probably didn’t like the changes to Vergil’s character. I, on the other hand, like Vergil in the anime because it reminds me of Sasuke from Naruto. Both were originally very kind boys who lost their families. Both let the need for revenge guide their actions for most of their respective series. And both of them serve as the edgy rivals to the friendlier protagonists, to whom they are siblings. The main difference is that Dante and Vergil are actual siblings, while Naruto and Sasuke are the reincarnations of the brothers who were their ancestors.

I would also like to point out the fact that Vergil is very smart and charismatic. There’s a memorable moment in the second episode where he goes on live TV and tries to expose how the White Rabbit was a human, what they’re doing to demon civilians they detain, and that the whole reason for them going to war is a lie.

Again, the War on Terror analogy is in play. But I do like how Vergil was smart enough to know that getting the public’s sympathy was a great idea. He wasn’t wrong, either. Knowing that the demon refugees she saved were tortured makes Lady turn on DARKCOM.

The Ship Sailed. And then Sank

Speaking of which, we need to address the relationship between Dante and Lady. I’m told that in the games, their relationship is purely platonic, but in the anime, it was dropping a lot of ship tease from day one. You would think that the ship would be sunk considering how Lady left Dante on ice, but you would be wrong. Once he wakes up, Dante gives us this hilarious retelling of how Lady was so sorry for betraying him and telling him Vergil is alive. The man was either coping, or he really didn’t care about what she did. Either way, they manage to keep working well together throughout the season. And yes, there is a point where they took things further. Sadly, the ship remains sunk, because at the end of the season, Lady opts to go on her own so she can settle some personal things. But to be honest, we’re not here for the shipping. We’re here for the fighting.

And the fighting is pretty awesome, I have to admit.

If Naruto and Sasuke were Half-Demons, We’d Get this!

Given what the series is, it’s natural that the series would spend a lot of time focusing on the fighting. And while my memories of the first season are a bit hazy, I think that this second season was a step up in the fighting department. From the reunion between Dante and Vergil to the climactic fight against Argosax and then Mundus, I think the show did it’s best to capture the chaotic nature of the games. Though, again, I am just an outsider looking in on this, so I don’t exactly have the best view on what’s happening. What I will say, though, is that for all the talk about how terrifying Argosax was, he went down a lot easier than I thought. I even question if Mundus needed the help of Dante and Vergil to defeat him, it’s so easy.

The real crux of the season, though, lies on the relationship between Dante and Vergil. While Vergil ultimately learns the truth about his mother’s death, he still chooses to side with demonkind rather than humanity, unlike his brother. As a result, the two brothers are separated as the barrier between their worlds is sealed once more. The only difference is that Vergil vows to bring down Mundus, become the new king of Makai, and then invade Earth. As for Dante, he is left all alone, but not disheartened, to find his way in the world, with the season ending on this note.

I don’t know if Netflix will choose to greenlight a third season of the anime. It will likely depend on how well the viewership is, but there’s a good chance we will get another season. Where the story will go from here, though, is anyone’s guess, as there was a sense of finality to the season finale. When it does come out, though, I hope to review it. And in a more timely manner, I might add.

The Harley Mural, the Most Important Lore in One Piece, is Revealed

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

One Piece Episode 1168 Review

This is it. Of all the episodes of One Piece that I’ve been looking forward to all year, this is probably one of my top three. The chapter that this episode is adapting was one of the biggest and most talked-about in the entire series. Given how the series has been ongoing for almost three decades and 1100 chapters and counting, that’s saying something. However, I can attest to the fact that the two big events of that chapter left the fandom foaming at the mouth. Not only did it confirm a long-standing theory that apparently existed, but it dropped some of the biggest lore in the entire franchise!

Shanks Has an Evil Twin

I don’t know who first came up with it or when, but there was this theory going around about Red-Haired Shanks, the pirate who inspired Luffy to become one himself. It all stems back to this one scene at the Reverie, the summit where world leaders meet to discuss important matters. We saw what looked like Shanks meeting with the Five Elders of the World Government. Since Shanks is a pirate, that should be impossible. I guess someone thought that this means that Shanks might be a Celestial Dragon by birth. I didn’t think too much of it at the time, but then this guy from the God’s Knights showed up on Elbaph looking like Shanks with longer hair. And all of a sudden, fans were saying that this mystery guy was Shanks’ evil twin brother! And you know what? They were right! As Shamrock and Gunko finish beating the tar out of Loki, the former reveals that Shanks is his younger twin brother!

Oda pretty much dropped a live bomb in the room with this reveal, and I remember the tweets and Reddit posts and discord servers going crazy over it. Suddenly, people were asking all kinds of questions about Shanks’ backstory, and it revealed just how little we actually knew about him. The most we knew was that Gol D. Roger and the Roger Pirates found him in a treasure chest after this big adventure and adopted him. How could a baby Celestial Dragon end up like that?

Well, regardless, fans were glad that this ended up happening, because it was the best thing that could happen to Shanks. Being raised by the Roger Pirates saved Shanks from becoming as cruel and sadistic as the majority of the Celestial Dragons, who are among the most toxic groups of people I have ever seen in fiction.

Speaking of Shanks, when Luffy is talking with those Giant guards and they say Shanks jumped him, Luffy adamantly refuses to believe it. They argue that it looked exactly like Shanks, but in a rare show of intelligence, Luffy is able to point out several flaws in their logic. Firstly, Shanks is chill, while Shamrock is arrogant and a jerk. Secondly, Shanks would never become violent unless he had to. And when the evil twin theory is mentioned, Luffy remembers how Shanks never mentioned his biological family. As far as he knew, the Roger Pirates were his family…except for Buggy. Loved the shade thrown at Buggy.

Good on Luffy for not being fooled by this. He’s always been a good judge of character, and if he says someone is good, then we should take his word for it.

All of that, though, takes a backseat in comparison to the part that set the entire fandom ablaze: the Harley Mural.

They Will Meet again

As Franky and Ripley are exploring the massive tree that covers the island, they come across a mural that’s believed to have been painted during the Void Century. This gets juxtaposed with Robin, Chopper, and Saul back at the Owl Library as they read this ancient book called the Harley that tells the story of the Sun God, Nika. We hear Robin begin reading the story aloud as we join Franky looking at the mural, and the anime went above and beyond for this. In the manga, everything was summarized in a single panel over a look at the Mural, but the anime has the whole thing revealed bit by bit as Robin reads the story, which I will now show to you.

In the days and weeks after this chapter, there so many video essays about this story that I found online. The most die-hard fans of the franchise poured everything into deciphering the meaning behind the story, and I will be including one of the most prominent at the end of this post. In a nutshell, though, it’s saying that the world has been destroyed twice in the past. Someone tried to stop it from happening, first in the form of the Sun God, Nika, and then in the form of Joy Boy, but for whatever reason, they failed, and the world became what it is today. The last part is a prophecy, though, saying that this time, the Sun God will bring about a new world, one that is better than the current one. In other words, Luffy might be the guy who will end up saving the world.

Pirate. Jesus.

To casual fans, this all might sound confusing, but to those who have stuck with One Piece for the long haul, this was big. One of the big draws of the story is the amount of worldbuilding put into it, with the mysteries about the past being something that fans have wanted to know more about for decades. It’s gotten to the point that when given the opportunity to learn the truth early, fans will refuse. So, this was a big moment for us.

And we’re going to get even more big moments soon. According to rumors, the second batch of this year’s episodes will drop in July. Which means that I’m going to have multiple shows to go over this summer! Tough, but worth it!

I Give “Ancient History – The Harley Passed Down by Elbaph” a 5/5

OHMYGOSHABABYDRAGONITSSOCUTE!!!

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

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime S4 Ep 12

With the threat of Maribel defeated and Yuuki forced back to the drawing board, life in Tempest returns to normal. Well, as normal as it can get in a nation that’s evolving at such a ridiculously fast pace! Really, that is what this entire episode is about, though. Tempest is continuing to evolve as Rimruru looks towards the future of his nation. And there is plenty for him to look forward to as we head into the second cours of this incredibly long season!

This episode is more or less a breather episode to get us all caught up to speed on what comes next for Tempest, as Rimuru goes around meeting with his friends and allies and discussing what comes next. First up, he meets with the other leaders of Tempest to discuss the need for a legal system. Now, none of them would object to Rimuru being the end-all for the law, but he must have read up on history, because he knows that doesn’t end well. So, he comes up with a governmental system based on one of the most (objectively) successful on Earth: the United States government! And I say objectively because, let’s be honest, there are times when the US Government is its own worst enemy. Thankfully, everyone in Tempest is incredibly competent at what they do, so it’s not that big a problem.

CHOO-CHOO

One of the bigger highlights of the episode, though, is the surprise unveiling of the first-ever Magitrain! Thanks to Veldora and Ramiris’ help, the engineers got it done faster than I think Rimuru thought it would take!

I know it may not seem like much when we have cars and planes, but when locomotives were first created, they were a game-changer. For the first time, journeys that would take days or weeks were cut down to a fraction of the time. That led to an explosion of travel and trade in our world, allowing populations to skyrocket to what they are today. And with Tempest being the ones building these trains, it stands poised to become the biggest economic hub on the continent! Everyone will be clamoring to be on good terms with them, and that means that the idea of Humans and Monsters living together in peace is one step closer to reality.

The real highlight of the episode, though, has to be Millim and the rebirth of her beloved dragon.

BABY DRAGON

Thanks to Rimuru managing to save them in the last episode, Millim finally has a second chance with the beloved pet that she thought was lost to her. There’s one scene where Rimuru finds her fast asleep clutching the egg like it’s a beloved toy or pet, and it really shows us just how much this means to her. Millim may be very childish in nature, but there has always been that part of her that’s used it as a way to cope with her tragic past. Getting to see her enjoy this second chance is just so heartwarming, and it only gets better.

Given how this is the end to the first cours of the season, it’s natural for the anime to give us a special ending to reflect that. In this case, we see everyone in Tempest celebrating their accomplishments as of late l, only for it to be broken by the news that Gaia’s egg is about to hatch! As everyone in Tempest gathers around, we see the egg crack open as Gaia, Millim’s dragon friend, is reborn into the world. It’s honestly just so wholesome to watch, like a big family welcoming its newest member to the world. Seeing Millim happy over getting to see her friend again is enough to make a grown man cry, and that’s okay! Weep manly tears of joy!

This was such a sweet moment to end this first part of the season on, but thankfully, we don’t have to wait long for the next part. This season is so big that the anime is splitting it up into five parts, and the next one will be coming next week! Which, judging by when this goes up, will have already passed. So, hopefully, I will already have it ready! Fingers crossed!

I Give “Tempest Evolved” a 4.5/5! Bonus for the cute Dragon!

Shamrock Blew Our Minds

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

One Piece Ep 1167 Review

Remember what I said about the next episode going to blow the minds of the anime-only fans of One Piece? I wasn’t joking! When this chapter came out around two years ago, it had fans foaming at the mouth like that guy from Avatar. And it’s all thanks to the appearance of the commander of the God’s Knights, Shamrock!

Aurust Castle is Spooky

So, the Romance Dawn trio (Luffy, Zoro, and Nami) make it to Castle Aurust with Rodo serving as their semi-reluctant guide and begin their exploration of the ruins. That is pretty much what a good two-thirds of this episode consists of, in my opinion. Since the anime is trying to match the pacing of the manga, that means that it has to take chapters where nothing really happens and stretch them out. Once again, though, this new pacing proves to be a double-edged sword, as while it gives us more time to sit with impactful moments, it also means the slower moments can drag on longer than what viewers may want.

Take, for example, the group’s exploration of the ruins of Castle Aurust. On the one hand, the anime gives us time to properly see what the castle has been reduced to since the day King Harald died. It’s as quiet as a tomb, and it’s got the bones of the Giants who died that day to qualify as such. If this were a video game, then this would be the perfect setting for players to explore and learn about what happened. Since it’s an anime, though, we are stuck with hearing exposition from Rodo as he talks more about what happened that fateful day.

Now, I do not mind seeing all of this personally. The vegetation growing into the stone, the bones of the dead, and the light peeking in through various gaps all give it a very creepy atmosphere. It’s perfect for an adventurer like Luffy. But not everyone is going to enjoy that. What I was more interested in the manga, though, was Rodo telling us more about Elbaph’s history and his and Hajrudin’s backstories. It was a surprise to learn that Hajrudin is the son of the late King Harald from another woman from another country making him Loki’s older half-brother. The fact that him being born out of wedlock as far as Elbaph’s elders were concerned also added some extra depth to his character. He’s nice to someone like Rodo because he knows what it’s like to be discriminated against for trivial reasons. More importantly, the fact that Elbaph believes in things like blood purity adds a darker shade to a country that has so far been mostly warm and inviting.

The Loki Situation Needs Addressing

As soon as I heard about that, I already knew where Oda was going with this. Everywhere the Straw Hats go, they take care of some problem that is keeping the locals from being truly happy. In this case, it’s clear that the Straw Hats are going to have to address the Loki situation and how the Giants view their current place in the world before they leave. With the arc still ongoing in the manga, we still don’t know how it will turn out, but I stand by what I said: Elbaph needs to take up arms. The world’s future may depend on it. If it didn’t, then why would the World Government be trying to seize control of Elbaph?

Speaking of which, the latter half of the episode is much more interesting from an action point of view. I’ve gotten used to seeing how strong the God’s Knights are in the manga, but this is the first time we really see just how destructive they can be in the anime. Seeing Gunko use her Devil Fruit powers to torture the defenseless Loki over and over is every bit as jarring to watch in the anime as it was to read it. She was making the man cough up a ton of blood, and he couldn’t even defend himself! The fact that he not only able to survive that kind of punishment, but had the will to keep refusing their offer, is a testament to how strong he is.

But then, we get to the real twist of this chapter. The thing that made the entire fandom lose it when we read the manga: the introduction of the leader of the God’s Knights, Saint Shamrock Figarland, son of Garling of the Five Elders…and he’s the spitting image of Shanks!

This was the kind of reveal that had us foaming at the mouth. For years, there had been a fan theory that Shanks was born one of the Celestial Dragons, based on the fact that we (apparently) saw him speaking to the Five Elders in Mariejois back in chapter 907. Shamrock being the spitting image of Shanks made that theory explode in popularity in between chapters. Many of us were speculating that Shamrock was Shanks’ evil twin after this, as there was no way Oda would be trolling us about it! That also meant that Luffy’s idol just got an extra wrinkle regarding his past that made some people even doubt if Shanks was as good a person as we thought. Which is understandable, given how wicked most of the Celestial Dragons are. Sadly, we have to wait another week to learn the truth, and it is going to be worth it. More importantly, we are going to get to see one of the best chapters of the manga get animated, and what we see is something that set the fandom on fire.

I Give “Shamrock Appears! The Commander of the God’s Knights” a 4/5