RJ Writing Ink

Edens Zero Chapter 44 Review/Recap

You know, I have seen Hiro Mashima do a lot of unexpected things before, but this may be one of the better surprises that he’s done. As we transition out of the Digitalis Arc, we make a surprise discovery about a character!

Recap

We open up with Xiaomei, the fourth-wall breaking narrator of the story, as she asks for our opinion on the Digitalis Arc. Personally, I thought it was sadistic, but I have seen worse on Game of Thrones. She reminds us of where the Edens Zero is headed, but then has to go, because she has guests.

Cut back to the ship and the clothes factory, Weisz is having Homura own up to the deal they made in the Guilst Arc. Which was… to have her dress up in a sexy outfit of her choosing.

Yeah, Weisz is Sanji 2.0, only not as cool and even less likely to get a girlfriend. Cue the fanservice that Mashima seems to love.

In no time at all, the clothes factory manages to give Homura the perfect Bunny Girl outfit. Pretty soon, the entire crew is joining in on the fun and cosplaying.

Even Witch and Sister decide to get in on the fun.

So cool. By the time they’re done messing around, they’re already at Mildian, where they go to meet the legendary fortune teller. Once they get inside her home, though, they’re in a familiar space setting, where a familiar figure appears to speak to them. Familiar to us, because the fortuneteller is Xiaomei!

Review

This chapter was short and brief, as chapters that transition between arcs often are. Once we saw who Xiamei really is, though, I was surprised! I did not see this coming. Of course, this does explain how she’s able to know everything has happened or will happen. She can look through time to see everything at her leisure. Just how she can break the fourth wall, though, is beyond me.

I would end this with some prediction, but to be honest, I have no idea where the story will be going from here. All I know is that things are going to get weird.

I Give “The Temple of Knowledge” a 3/5

Ducktales, “The Duck Knight Rises” Review

When there’s trouble, you call DW! DARKWING DUCK! I may not have been alive when the show came out, but that doesn’t diminish the fact that I am a fan of Darkwing Duck! It also helps that he’s voiced by Jim Cummings, a man with a thousand voices. I ended up watching the show years later online, and I fell in love with it almost right away. So when I heard that DW was going to make an appearance in Ducktales, I was over the moon! No offense to Della!

After watching the new episode of Ducktales, and then rewatching it at least half a dozen times, I conclude that this episode was a love letter to Darkwing Duck. The thing that stood out the most to me, though, was the conflict that I saw between the different aspects f Darkwing Duck’s fandom. I’ve seen how these conflicts can tear a long-lasting fan base apart, and it’s not pretty.

First, we have the old guard, the original generation of fans and actors personified by Launchpad and Jim Starling. Launchpad has always been Darkwing’s biggest fan, be it the reboot or the original. So when he hears they’re rebooting the show as a film, he’s esctatic beyond belief. The same goes for Jim Starling (played by Jim Cummings). They’re overjoyed, but for different reasons. And when they discover that they hate the movie, it’s also for different reasons.

In Launchpad’s case, he’s mad because the director’s idea of Darkwing’s channeling the worst aspects of the DCEU’s Batman. He’s worried that what he loved will be tarnished. Jim, whose channeling the worst apsects of the classic DW (his giant ego), is only made because he’s lost his one chance at winning back his fame. So they team up to save the movie.

Then we have the writers and directors and the people who have to make sure the film sticks the landing. None of them see all that cut out for it, though. The director’s a copy of Francis Ford Coppola, because he’s overbudget, wants to make this a psychological look “at the inhumanity in humanity” or whatever, and the trailer he made is pure nonsense. And Scrooge (who owns the studio) is of no help, for once. He’s the old guy who has no clue about what the film’s based on and only cares about money. He insists that the villain has a mustache! And there’s Dewey, who doesn’t get what the director’s trying to do and wants to add in things that he thinks are cool, but has no idea what he’s doing. He’s the problem with trying to make a film appeal to the youngest target audience when they don’t know what makes a good movie! It’s a recipe for disaster that almost always angers fans.

Then, we have our third party, the new guy who’s playing Darkwing Duck, played by Chris Diamntopoulous . While some people may only take the role for the fame or money, his reasons are more altruistic. He’s a true fanboy of the show, and most important, he took the lessons of the show to heart. He got bullied a lot as a kid, but it was seeing Darkwing that taught him to always get back up and keep fighting. He truly loves the role he’s gotten, and he wants to pass that love and inspiration to the next generation. Make it his own while respecting where it came from.

When Launchpad how much the young actor cares about the role, he realizes that he’s the best person to take up the role. I see this as a reconciliation between the two generations of fans, united by a common love for something. It doesn’t have to be the same thing in each iteration. Look at Batman or Doctor Who. Countless people have played them over the years. The fans may not always like them, but they still love the character.

Jim Starling… doesn’t see it like that. He ends up going crazy with jealousy and starts a fire on the set.

That’s when the new Darkwing appears to save the day from the original. The fight between these two was by far the best part of the episode. And the Chris Darkwing proves to everyone that he owns the role, matching the Jim Cummings Darkwing in hamminess, determination, and ability to handle slapstick. It was EPIC! And then that tragic explosion that seemingly claims the life of Jim Starling.
Fed up, Scrooge pulls the plug on the film, and it seems like Darkwing’s days are done. But in a meta twist, Launchpad inspires the young actor to become Darkwing Duck in real life. To be a hero. This could either lead to a spin-off, or at least more episodes featuring the new Darkwing Duck fighting crime. My brain’s already thinking up fanfiction where he teams up with Gizmoduck and the Duck Family.

In the second meta twist, we finally learn the actor’s name: Drake Mallard, Darkwing Duck’s alter ego. He was truly born to be the Duck.

Then, in the episode’s final moments, we get the biggest twist possible. Jim Starling survived the explosion, but the man he once was is gone. His bitterness over losing his rule and the explosion have driven him insane, and as we see him in the sewers, his costume’s take on a color scheme that any Darkwing Duck fan should know.

I clapped so hard at this moment. The original Negaduck was an evil twin from a parralel universe, but having him be the original Darkwing Duck!?!?!? That’s so brilliant!!

Now that fanboying is over, it should be apparent that I think this was one of the best episodes in the entire show. Am I saying because I’m partial to superheroes and Disney? Maybe. Or is this because I’m acknowledge the fact that the show’s writers remained faithful to the original show while telling a new and exciting story? Without a doubt. This episode opens up new doorways for story in Ducktales, and I hope the writers are smart enough to capitalize on them.
Sadly, we have to wait until September when the new episodes come out. And now I have nothing to distract me from the fact that another hit Disney show, Star vs. The Forces of Evil, is clocking out (until they make a movie or something. I’m hopeful). Or that Game of Thrones is ending.

If there’s one thing this decade has taught me, it’s that good cartoons are never confined to one generation. That’s why I keep watching them, and why I want to make sure future generations can see that as well.

I Give “The Duck Knight Rises” a 5 Purple Hats out of 5.

Stray Observations

• Did you guys notice the model of the Thunderquack in Drake Mallard’s trailer?
• What is it with Scrooge and twirly mustaches? None of his enemies have mustaches.
• Did you guys notice the fat guy in the parking lot? His shirt had the same design that Saitama from “One Punch Man” has on his shirt. The “Oppai” one, but censored.
• I just realized that those electric tower things were Powerline from A Goofy Movie
• “I added chainsaw jugglers. You’re welcome”.
• I really should have gotten Jim Cumming’s autograph when I had the chance.
• Darkwing’s hatred of Gizmoduck is universal!
• They made the opening credits purple!

Ducktales, “The Dangerous Chemistry of Gandra Dee!” Review

We live in a world where superheroes reign supreme in pop culture, and at the moment, Disney seems to own the majority of them. Even Ducktales has its own superhero in the form of Fenton Cabrera, AKA Gizmoduck.

Past episodes have shown that Fenton loves being Gizmoduck, but being a superhero is a hard job. He’s working so hard helping others that can’t even get his own life together. That may have changed in this episode, though.

While out looking for materials for an experiment, Fenton runs into this super-cool scientist named Gandra Dee. And despite him trying to downplay it, Huey uses the Junior Woodchuck Guide to point out that he’s interested in her. So when Fenton invites her to his lab to talk shop, he and Webby team up to play matchmaker.

It’s as hilarious as it sounds. Fenton has no idea what he’s doing, which is sweet. But once he just starts being himself, he and Gandra do end up bonding over their shared love of science. Also, Gandra used nanites to upgrade her body to generate electricity and turn her eyes into a wireless camera.

So yeah, the date’s going great. Except it turns out Gandra’s working for Ducktales equivalent of Mark Zuckerberg, Mark Beaks. He uses Gandra to get the password to the Gizmoduck suit out of Fenton, drinks and incredibly dangerous amount of Gandra’s nanite serum to Hulk out and kidnap Webby and Huey.

It’s actually a pretty awesome superhero fight, and while Gandra makes it clear she’s only looking out for herself, she does end up help Fenton take down the newly minted Mega-Beaks. Using his weakness for social media against him is brilliant!

But alas, Gandra flies the coop before Fenton can thank her. Though she does leave behind a gift: the equation to help with that project he created.

So, what did I think of this episode? I liked it. It had all the hallmarks of a classic superhero story: mild-mannered hero who’s overwhelmed by his double life, potential love interest with gray morality, and a comic book ending. It may seem cliche, but it’s a tried and true formula in superhero stories. And if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

I Give “The Dangerous Chemistry of Gandra Dee” a 4.5/5

Plus, it makes sense that they do a Gizmoduck episode now, because tomorrow’s episode is going to involve this 90s Disney icon:

LET’S GET DANGEROUS!

Stray Observations

• This is the second episode in a row where we haven’t seen Scrooge McDuck.
• Did you guys notice how many weird things that Launchpad has dated over the years
• Fenton keeps a list of all the people who know he’s Gizmoduck. Not so good at keeping a secret identity, huh?

• I just realized that Dr. Atmozphere looks just like Doofenshmirtz!

Ducktales, “Friendship Hates Magic” Review

What’s a good way to help a reboot stand out from the original? By adding a well-written, never-before-seen character. Enter Lena De Spell, Magica’s shadow turned sentient “niece” who became Webby’s best friend. At the end of last season, Lena sacrificed herself to save Webby, but she survived as Webby’s shadow.

I thought that was the end to Lena’s story for the foreseeable future, but in this episode of Ducktales, we get to see the return of Lena. Also, the title’s a clear reference to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Two of the greatest cartoons of the decade for the price of one!

Ever since the Shadow War, Webby’s been researching a way to bring back Lena, who’s been following her around ever since, and making unheard but sassy remarks about her routine. When she runs into this other girl named Violet Sabrewing and strikes up a friendship, she ends up inviting her to McDuck Manor for a sleepover. Lena doesn’t take it very well.

What I like most about this episode is that it really gives Lena a chance to show off her character development. When we first met her, she only befriended Webby so she could get in with Scrooge, but then she actually became her friend. And in this episode, she proves how possessive she is of Webby.

If there’s one thing that I have learned, it’s that jealousy in cartoons can lead to disaster. I think we can all understand where Lena’s coming from, though: she doesn’t want the one person who cares about her to forget her in the end, and she sees a lot of her old self in Violet. At least, that’s what she thinks.

Turns out, Violet wasn’t trying to do anything wrong; she just wanted to satisfy her curiosity about the supernatural. I liked that the writers decided to go with the simple, straightforward route. Giving her ulterior motives would have just been a repeat of Lena, which would have been uninteresting. Instead, Lena ends up being the cause of the problems, as her negative emotions release dark shadows called Tulpas.

By the end of the episode, Webby, Lena, and Violet combine their powers to banish the darkness, and through the magic of friendship/plot convenience, the friendship bracelet Lena made for Webby restores her to the physical world.

Great, now they have to make sure that they continue to use Lena and Violet. If done right, they could be a great addition to the show’s cast.

Also, I really like the sub-plot involving Mrs. Beakley and Launchpad bonding over their shared love of heroes. And that means… DARKWING DUCK!!! That show has been teased time and again since Ducktales started, and if you missed the news, Darkwing Duck will get its own episode this Friday!

So, this episode, while a little bit creepy at times, turned out to be a heartwarming experience for all, and proof of why Ducktales is one of Disney’s flagship shows right now. When Star vs. The Forces of Evil ends this Sunday, Ducktales will be the most suited to take its place. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I give “Friendship Hates Magic” a 4/5.

Ducktales, “Raiders of the Doomsday Vault” Review

You know what I really love about the modern reboot of Ducktales? Aside from the fact that David Tennant’s voicing Scrooge McDuck and the retro look to the show, it’s how the writers are constantly making references to other Disney properties. The first season saw nods to classic Disney Shows like Gummibears, TaleSpin, Darkwing Duck, and more! Plus, look me in the eye and tell me that the dog reporter from the pilot doesn’t look like Roxanne from A Goofy Movie

I think one secret to a long and successful show is world building and adding to the series lore, and Ducktales has done a great job with that since it came on in 2017. And Tuesday’s episode of Ducktales kept building on that lore while giving us new opportunities for story telling.

With Della Duck now back in the game, she’s spending every minute trying to make for lost time, starting with Dewey in “Raiders of the Doomsday Vault!” While Huey, Dewey, and Louie got traits from Della, Dewey’s arguably the one who’s most like her. So when Scrooge goes to the island of Boarway to secure a contract to repair the Doomsday Seed Vault, they tag along for the ride.

One of those seeds just happens to be for the Aurumoros, a literal golden tree that grows money. Soon as they hear about it, Dewey and Della take the Sunchaser (it’s real name is the cooler Cloudslayer, though) and run off to the vault. And they sing this song from A Goofy Movie while doing so!

I may not have seen Ducktales as a kid, but I did see A Goofy Movie. It was one of my favorites as a little kid, so hearing them sing the song from the film made me grin! The fact that the two are able to sing it in perfect sync is a testament to how strong their bond already is.

Unfortunately, the fact that they took the Cloudslayer means Scrooge’s stranded and has to chase them all the way to the vault. And Glomgold comes because he wants to steal the money tree seed. He even said he was going to do so when he tried to win the contract. And Scrooge gets very frustrated dealing with Glomgold’s stupidity and how reckless Della seems to be.

Meanwhile, Dewey’s desperate to prove to his mom that he’s great at adventuring, and puts a lot of pressure on him. And in the end, the combination of that pressure, and Della being Della, leads to the Money Tree seed being released and growing exponentially. That finally makes Della’s maternal instincts kick in and realize that “oh my gosh, I never should have done this”.

In the end, Dewey and Della manage to get everyone out, Dewey realizes he doesn’t have to prove anything to his mom, and Della uses the Money Tree to repair the vault. I think.

So, this episode followed the basic Ducktales formula for an adventure, but with a new spin on it thanks to Della being a part. She does bring about some interesting adventures, and I think it’s a nice change of pace from seeing Donald complaining all the time. But now I want to hear more Powerline!

I Give “Raiders of the Doomsday Vault” 4/5

Stray Observations

• I’m surprised that Owlson hasn’t just quit working for that idiot Glomgold by now. He’s infuriating!
• Loved the appearance of Ludwig Von Drake. I remember watching him as the host of the Disney Sing-Alongs on VHS!
• No seriously, I really want a cover song of “Stand Out”.
• Loved the reference to Indiana Jones in the title
• There is a real seed vault in Norway meant to preserve our planet’s plants in the event of a catastrophe. It’s only been used once as of now.

Ducktales- Nothing Can Stop Della Duck! Review

If you have read my blog in the past, then you may have read my past posts on the reboot of Ducktales. I never got to see the original until I was an adult, but I knew how popular it was in its heyday. So when the reboot came along two years ago, I was one of the first to watch it, and it was awesome.

The new Ducktales not only meets the standards set by the original show, but even surpasses them with incredible voice acting (they got the former Doctor Who to voice Scrooge), animation that’s both retro and modern, and above all, good storytelling. And one of the longest running plot threads has been the story of Della Duck.

Earlier this year, we saw a special episode that showed what Della did while stranded on the Moon (which I reviewed). Last week, the show returned from its hiatus with a new episode every day. I was going to review each episode, but I never found the time. Then I saw the episode last week where Della finally repaired her ship and got back to Earth. Again, didn’t have time.

Since this week’s first episode picks up right where we left off, I think this is the perfect time to start reviewing. After all, this is the most important moment in the show.

And it was as emotional a moment as we could possibly get. Scrooge was on the verge of tears when he saw Della. They hug, argue about how hard it was for Della to get back, then hug again all within a minute. Considering how Scrooge almost spent everything he had to get her back, this was the most important moment of his life.

And meeting her boys for the first time was just as emotional. And instead of just explaining it, let’s let Webby sum up what viewers were feeling:

It’s a truly heartfelt reunion that makes fans want to cry. I got a little misty-eyed at the start. Once the excitement dies down, though, the episode deals with a bigger problem: having Della readjust to life on Earth. While her love for her kids is undeniable, we’ve seen how Della’s not the most responsible person ever. And she drops the mom ball a lot in this episode:

• She overloads the boys with sugar and we saw Dewey throw up
• She ends up scaring the boys with a bedtime story
• She let Huey skateboard using a shield around the house

The main problem Della’s having is that she’s trying too hard to be a normal mom, but she’s never going to be. And the Duck family’s never going to be a normal family, either. They’re adventurers and daredevils through and through, so they should just accept that.

I’m saying this because that’s exactly what happens. A giant stone monster shows up, Della helps kick its butt, and she manages to connect with her sons without messing it up. It’ll take awhile for Della to truly adjust to being a mom, but as symbolized by sacrificing her robot leg to save her son, she’s adaptable. Nothing can Stop Della Duck!

Meanwhile, Donald has now taken Della’s place as the family member lost in space after getting stuck in The Spear of Selene and crashing on the Moon. And the Moonlanders end up taking him prisoner because their leader’s a warmonger who wants to invade Earth, and fooled everyone into thinking Della was the enemy. So, hopefully, that will be a plot line later in the season, so we can see the Duck family fully reunited.

I Give “Nothing Can Stop Della Duck!” A 4.5/5

Stray Observations/Favorite Quote

• Della planned on naming Huey, Dewey, and Louie Jet, Turbo, and Rebel, but Donald changed their names.
  • Dewey’s reaction is awesome: “I coulda been Turbo?!”
  • Turbo Duck sounds like the coolest name ever
• So, are we ever going to learn who the boy’s Dad is
• Scroogian Alliteration. I’m using that term.
• I loved Della trying to practice her introduction to the boys
• They will need to update the title sequence soon

Sword Art Online: Alicization Episode 15 Review/Recap

When we last left off, Eugeo and Kirito had just gotten back their swords and had a mission: to get to the top of the Central Cathedral, rescue Alice, and beat the stuffing out of Quinella. But they have a hundred floors to climb before they can do that. Then they ran into these two little girls.

LINK. START!

Recap

Those two little girls say that they are Linel and Fizel, two sisters-in-training in the Axiom Church. They were supposed to stay inside their rooms while the Integrity Knights fought, but they snuck out. Also, they stab and paralyze Kirito and Eugeo because they’re actually Integrity Knights.

Several years ago, Quinella was experimenting with bringing the dead back. So she had a bunch of kids kill each other and then brought them back. Yeah. In the end, Linel and Fizel were the only ones who survived that experiment, so Quinella pulled the plug and let the girls become Integrity Knights in training. They captured Kirito and Eugeo to prove they could become full-fledged Knights and bring them all the way up to Floor 50.

That’s when Kirito reveals he was just faking being paralyzed. He pulled a Jotaro and realized right away that the girls were the enemy, so he cast a spell nullifying their blades.

While Eugeo waits for the paralysis to wear off, Kirito engages in an epic clash with the Vice Commander of the Integrity, Fanatio. There’s a lot of epic effects and sword fighting. Fanatio proves to be a dangerous opponent, wielding a sword forged from a thousand mirrors that can reflect energy. Through a bit of trickery, Kirito manages to knock Fanatio’s helmet off, revealing that she’s actually a woman.

Fanatio keeps her gender a secret because she’s insecure about her gender. No swordsman will take her seriously because she’s a woman, which she despises. Yet, as Kirito points out, she makes an effort to look after her appearance because she’s in love with the Commander of the Integrity Knights.

Having fought against and alongside tough girls like Asuna, Leafa, and Sinon for years, Kirito knows that gender has nothing to do with one’s skill, and refuses to hold back, actually earning Fanatio’s. Just when Fanatio has Kirito on the ropes, though, Eugeo’s able to move again and uses the Blue Rose Sword to freeze Fanatio in place. Even after all that, Fanatio stubbornly refuses to go down. It all comes down to a clash of wills: Fanatio’s will to fulfill her duty, and Kirito and Eugeo’s will to to protect Underworld. As the final clash begins, the episode fades to white and the credits play.

Review

This episode had one of the better fights of the season. While short, I could tell that Kirito and Fanatio were fighting with everything they had. They even started grinning in the middle of their fight. When I see that happen in anime, that means that a characters enjoying the challenge.

I have to give props to Kirito for being the first person Fanatio’s ever met who didn’t hold back because of her gender. Given how half his friends are women who can kick ass, that’s not surprising. Heck, Asuna’s as good a swordsmen as Kirito!

As for the two little girls, while I knew that they were going to end up being small fry, I found their backstory to be interesting. The fact that Quinella was willing to resort to using kids for her twisted experiments only cements her spot on my “Anime Women I Loathe”. I’m looking forward to seeing how this ends next week.

I Give “The Relentless Knight” a 4/5

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One Piece Chapter 942 Review/Recap

If you’re wondering why I didn’t put up the latest chapter of One Piece last week, it was because I have been too busy to work on all my blogs at once. But I finally have some free time, so here is the latest chapter.

Also, there is no new chapter this week, so I think I have some leeway.

Recap

The chapter starts off with a flashback to more than twenty or so years ago, to Kozuki Oden’s youth. With the passing of his father, Oden would be the new Shogun, though his father had disowned him for his ruffian lifestyle. So he thinks that the Shogunate will pass down to Yasuie so he can fulfill his dream of leaving Wano and traveling the world.

Yasue wouldn’t hear of it, and says that his father only threw him out so he could learn how to be responsible and become the leader everyone sees him to be.

In the present, Yasuie, or Tonoyasu as we know him, tells everyone that he lied about being the Midnight Boy. He said that so that everyone would watch his execution. He then tells the people of Wano of their proud, beautiful country, and how Orochi’s merely a parasite who’s sapped it of its wealth.

To Orochi’s fury, Tonoyasu then says that he made up everything about the Kozuki Clan and the tattoos as a prank to get people’s attention.

Now, Orochi’s men suddenly think that they arrested innocent people and that Orochi’s just paranoid.

As Orochi arrives to personally kill him, Tonoyasu curses Orochi with the most badass, poetic insult I’ve ever read.

He then proceeds to laugh as he thinks about looking forward to seeing the Kozuki Clans’ vengeance from the afterlife as the guards execute him.

As the people of Ebisu Town watch, Toko can only stand there in anguish as she watches her father die. Yet all she and the people of Ebisu do is laugh, to Zoro’s confusion. Hiyori then tearfully reveals that this is all the doing of Kaido and Orochi: the SMILE fruits have robbed them of the ability to show any emotion besides laughter

Review

I will be upfront and honest: when I read this last week, I almost cried. I had a feeling that there was more to Tonoyasu than he let on, and I was right. He may have looked like a fool, but that masked how cunning he was.

By sacrificing himself, Tonoyasu managed to do three very important things. First, by saying he made up everything about the tattoos and the Kozuki Clan, now Orochi and Kaido’s men will let their guards down, thinking there is no threat. Second, that means that most, if not all, of the allies that they arrested will end up being set free, bolstering the Alliance’s forces. Third and most importantly, he made himself a matyr.

Tonoyasu was beloved by everyone in Wano, and I don’t think the people will take his death lying down. If I were them, I’d go home, grab weapon, and riot. Even if Kaido and Orochi surpress the riots to come, they’ll be distracted. All this adds up: the Alliance just had the odds tipped back in its favor.

In fact, if it wasn’t for the SMILE fruits, I would say the Alliance has a good chance of winning. If what Hiyori said is true, then those accursed fruits are even more sinister than I thought.

The second act of the Wano Arc is heating up: riots may start, the Alliance has a chance to regroup, and we all know that Luffy’s going to bust out of Udon Prison with an army of prisoners that have an axe to grind with Orochi. This might be the biggest battle One Piece has seen since the Marineford Arc, and I love it!

I Give “Daimyo of Hakumai, Shimotsuki Yasuie” a 5/5. Rest in Peace, Tonoyasu.

Sword Art Online: Alicization, Episode 14 Review/Recap

First, I would like to offer everyone my deepest apologies for not getting this done sooner. I have been so busy in my life right now, so I am trying to keep up with a lot of things at once.

That said, let us get started with the second part of Sword Art Online: Alicization. For the record, I have not read any of Karandi’s articles on it lately, as I want to experience it for myself and make my own judgement

LINK. START!

Recap

After retrieving their swords from the armory, Kirito and Eugeo now face a brutal, dungeon style gauntlet ahead of them. They need to fight past the Integrity Knights, find Alice, make it to the top floor, and kick Quinella’s butt. It doesn’t take them long to find their first opponent in the form of the Integrity Knight that attacked them earlier, Deuesolbert Synthesis Seven.

The Crimson Knight proves to be a formidable opponent, wielding powerful fire magic and a powerful bow, but he proves to be no match for Kirito and Eugeo’s teamwork. As Kirito holds off his attacks, Eugeo charges in with his Blue Rose Sword and overpowers the knight with powerful ice magic.

As Deusolbert lays defeated, Eugeo recognizes him as the Knight who took Alice away, something he himself can’t recall. It ends up confirming Kirito’s suspicions about Quinella erasing the Integrity Knights memories and then lying to them. The man is shocked by this, but he recalls a faint memory of someone from his life before he was an Integrity Knight, seemingly confirming it for himself.

Eugeo and Kirito choose to spare their enemy’s life and continue to move up the tower. As they stop to rest, though, they are met by two little girls.

Review

From what I heard from Karandi, the rest of the episodes are going to follow the same basic formula, Kirito and Eugeo fight through a different boss fight to reach Alice and beat up the hag who refuses to wear clothes. I don’t care how hot Quinella looks: she’s still a hag!

That said, this should make for some interesting fights, if this is any indication. That duel between Kirito, Eugeo and the Integrity Knight was really awesome the fight between fire and ice.

As far as the plot goes, I don’t think we’ll be expecting that much from it. It’s pretty much gratuitous fighting scenes at point with the plot being put on the back burner.

In action shows like SAO, trying to balance between plot and the action can be a tricky task, and they don’t always do it right. Balancing the two’s going to be what I look for in the show going forward. I know SAO has its detractors, and they do make good points. But I’m not giving up on the show yet.

I Give “The Crimson Knight” A 3/5

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Edens Zero Chapter 43 Review/Recap

The manga was on break two weeks ago, so there was no new chapter for me to add. When we last left off, that loser Spider went crying to Drakken Joe about the crew of Edens Zero beat him up. That’s when we found Joe doing this:

So, yeah, let’s pick up where that left off.

Recap

So remember how Spider called Drakken Joe his “brother”? Joe has no idea who the heck he is, because Spider’s just a low-level cog in his operation. As for the man he’s torturing, he owes Joe 5 million Gree (money). But since he can’t pay up, he’s torturing the poor man. He doesn’t kill him, but he makes him work to pay off his debt with unspeakable jobs.

Joe cares, first and foremost, about money, and his big concern is the fact that with Guilst gone, most of his customers are too. And when he hears that Spider used his name when he fought the Edens Zero crew, he has his lieutenant, Seth, execute the man.

He shoots him so fast, we don’t even notice it. But now Joe sees money to be made off the Edens Zero.

Back on the ship, the Edens Zero’s almost at full strength. The only one of the Demon King’s four Star-Shines still missing is Homura’s master, Valkyrie.

As said before, though, Homura doesn’t know where she is. She had gone to Blue Garden to find some leads at the Guild, but then everything else happened. Hermit says that there’s a legendary fortune-teller who might be able to help them, though. It’s said that this person resides on Mildean, a planet said to be frozen in time.

Back at Blue Garden, the mysterious guild master of Shooting Starlight, Noah, gets a call from none other than Drakken Joe, asking about the Edens Zero.

Review

I had known for a while now that Shiki and Drakken Joe were going to cross paths, but I didn’t think that it would happen so soon. Now that Shiki’s in Joe’s line of sight, there’s no way that he’s going to get out of this fight.

What I liked most about this chapter, though, was the reveal that the Shooting Starlight guildmaster can’t be trusted. I thought it was suspicious that he managed to escape from fake-Sister’s men, but I was distracted by the fact that Rebecca got kidnapped.

Then there’s what Sister says: she got the mission that led to her imprisonment on Guilst from Noah himself. And the fact that of the B-Cubers kidnapped, Rebecca and Labilia were the only ones targeted. Did Noah sell them out to Guilst? It’s highly likely.

Regardless, the ship will need to be at full strength soon, because it may be headed into a full-scale war with the biggest criminal organization in the Sakura Cosmos. I can’t wait!

The plot behind this manga is doing great at connecting everything together, if you ask me. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

I give “The Smell of Money” a 4/5