RJ Writing Ink

Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi Review

When I heard that Disney was making a Star Wars anthology series called ‘Tales of the Jedi’ I was stoked. I thought they’d be adapting the 90s comics of the same name. Instead of taking us back 4,000 years, though, Disney copped out by treading familiar ground with characters we already know, like Ashoka and Dooku. After watching it, though, I thought this anthology series turned about two Jedi and the paths their lives took wound up being better than I thought. It encapsulated two different views on the world and how each Jedi viewed it. One of them saw the world for what it was, while the other saw it for what it could be.

That, and we got to see Ashoka as a baby.

Despite seemingly having nothing in common, there are a lot of parallels between the stories of Ashoka and Dooku. Both were raised by the Jedi and held them up on this pedestal. They saw them as the good guys who always did what was right. However, as they got older, they realized things weren’t so black and white. That the Jedi had lost their way, serving a Republic rotting from the inside out. That ultimately made both disillusioned with the Jedi and leave the order.

Nor can we blame them. As we see in both Dooku and Ashoka’s stories, the Jedi had many problems. Despite claiming not to, they served a corrupt Senate and its self-serving whims. Dooku especially grows frustrated as he keeps seeing how selfish those in power can be. Eventually, they both lose faith in the Jedi and decide to leave them behind. 

A Story of Cynicism vs. Idealism

Tales of the Jedi makes no secret how flawed the Jedi had become. However, it also contrasts Dooku and Ashoka’s stories through one key fact: how they dealt with these realizations. Dooku let this anger and resentment build up until he finally snapped and became Sidious’ unwitting pawn. The bitter irony is that Sidious was probably responsible for much of the Republic’s corruption. 

On the other hand, Ashoka, despite briefly giving up, ultimately refuses to give up hope. That for all the flaws in the Galaxy, it was still worth fighting for. That the ideas of the Jedi still meant something. That’s why, when the Empire comes looking for her, she chooses to fight back. As a result, she sets out on the path that will ultimately see her help build a rebellion that will bring the Empire down.

Don’t Let Bad Things Break You

Overall, if I had to say what the theme was behind Tales of the Jedi was, it’s the struggle between cynicism vs. idealism. Not blind idealism, though. I mean being idealistic despite knowing how much people can suck. Dooku saw the Galaxy as rotten and let it corrupt him. Ashoka, though, despite all she went through, decided that despite this, it was still worth fighting for. And in the end, Ashoka’s way of thinking gets vindicated when the Empire finally falls. 

Now, if Disney would just let the Jedi come back, I’d have no problems with Star Wars.

I Give ‘Tales of the Jedi’ a 3.5/5

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One Piece Chapter 1065 Review/Recap

Holy Devil Fruit, people. Oda is back at it with another big chapter of One Piece. We got an even further dive into the mind of Dr. Vegapunk and hints as to why he split himself into separate entities. On top of that, we just got a major hint regarding the Void Century and the Ancient Kingdom. Considering how both connect to Joy Boy and the One Piece, this could be huge. 

Recap

As Punk Lillith continues to lead the Straw Hats along (except for Zoro and Brook, who stay on the Sunny with Caribou,) they’re amazed at the level of technology found on Egghead Island. That is, until they encounter a Seraphim version of Jinbei. 

A skirmish breaks out between the Straw Hats and the Seraphim, but try as they might, their attacks have no effect. Amidst all this, the Punks watch the fighting while eating, using the bathroom, and coming up with new ideas all at once.

Eventually, though, Punk Shaka, the logic, shows up and forces everyone to stand down. Frankly proceeds to gush at Vegapunk about the entire island’s something out of the future, begging to talk with him some more. However, Punk Shaka refutes this, saying Egghead Island’s like that of the past. Not unlike that of an Ancient Kingdom from 900 years ago. Meanwhile, Luffy’s group stumbles upon a junkyard filled with a mecha similar to the one used by Lillith.

Review

Well, once again, there’s a lot to unpack, so let’s get started.

More about the Seraphims

Firstly, let’s start off with the most obvious thing, the presence of Seraphim Jinbei. Given what we’ve seen so far, it’s likely that all the Seraphs are cybernetic clones of the Seven Warlords, modified with Lunarian DNA. The real question is how many Warlords they used. Did SSG merely use the pirates who were part of the Warlords when the series began, or did they include the ones who joined since then? I shudder at the idea of what a Seraphim based on Buggy, Edward Weevil, or God help us, Blackbeard, could do. 

Furthermore, we’re starting to see just how tough the Seraphims are in comparison to the Straw Hats. Despite the massive power-ups they got in Wano, the Straw Hats couldn’t make a dent in one, and not even Sanji could damage it. If that’s the case, they’re even scarier than we already thought, and they were dangerous enough. Worse, it seems that they’ve inherited the genetic memories of their templates. In this case, the Jinbei Seraphim knows Fishman Karate. 

Why Vegapunk Split Himself into Satellites

This chapter also served to confirm, at least to me, why Vegapunk split himself into “Satellites,” or Punks, as I call them. The man’s overflowing with so many ideas for technology and inventions, but he’s hindered by things he considers trivial. Eating, sleeping, going to the bathroom, etc. It’s almost like his head’s so full of ideas that he’s desperate to get them out before they overwhelm him, hence why he splits himself into the Punks. Six versions of himself, six times the work.

I can oddly sympathize with what Vegapunk might be going through. I’m sure many of us wish we had another version of ourselves to help get everything we want done at one point in our lives. It’s frustrating beyond belief, I know. But maybe he won’t have to deal with that for much longer.

Enter Franky. Franky’s idolized Dr. Vegapunk for years now, even completing some of his earliest ideas and inventions for himself. Could Vegapunk’s interest in the Straw Hats partially stem from seeing a kindred spirit in Franky? If so, maybe Vegapunk could declare Franky his successor. Either that, or Vegapunk joins the Straw Hats. He’s too cool for the World Government, anyway!

Not Inventing, Reverse Engineering! The Ancient Kingdom’s Legacy

I heard somewhere that Dr. Vegapunk once said that he wasn’t as great a genius as people thought him to be. At the time, I thought he was being modest. However, if what he said in the final panel is true, then he was being serious. He’s not creating new technology; he’s reverse-engineering it all from remnants of the Ancient Kingdom. 

The Ancient Kingdom, the one that created the Poneglyphs. They’re intrinsically connected to the Void Century, Joy Boy, and the One Piece. If Vegapunk’s implying that they possessed the level of tech found on Egghead Island, then…just how advanced were they?!? 

If all this is true, then everything Vegapunk’s created is technology he reverse-engineered from the Ancient Kingdom for the World Government. It’s not unheard of. I’ve read about advanced technology from ancient history that took centuries to rediscover. It also makes me even more grateful that the World Government doesn’t have access to the Ancient Weapons (I hope!)

The fact remains, the Egghead Island Arc could reveal a lot about the history of the world of One Piece. I’m hoping that we learn more as the story continues. It’s going to be amazing!!!

I Give “The Six Faces of Vegapunk” a 4/5

One last thing. I went to see the new movie, One Piece Film: Red last night, and holy cow did I love it! If you want to see my thoughts on it, please read my review here!!

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One Piece Film: Red Review

I feel like this is a given for those who love anime, but I love J-Pop music! The sound, the rhythm, the raw emotions it invokes in me. I may not understand any of the lyrics, but the truth is, I don’t need to. I can understand the meaning behind the lyrics through the tone and intensity of the music and singing alone. If its meant to sound serious, I’ll feel it. If the music makes me want to dance, I’ll do it. Music is like a universal language that connects all of humanity together, and it’s why I loved One Piece Film: Red.

The fifteenth movie in the One Piece franchise, One Piece Film: Red was highly anticipated by fans all over the world for one reason: it had to do with Shanks. Red-Haired Shanks is one of the coolest characters in One Piece. He’s Luffy’s hero, the whole reason he became a pirate, and essentially the in-universe avatar for Eichiro Oda himself. Whenever Shanks shows up, fans pay attention to him. So when we learned this film would center around Luffy and Shanks’ daughter, Uta, fans went nuts. Shanks has a daughter!?!?!?

Uta is an Amazing Character, Change My Mind

Despite Luffy being the main focus of One Piece, the real star of the film is Uta, whose singing voice’s provided by J-Pop singer Ado. I loved Uta. She may have been created for One Piece Film: Red, but she’s such an amazing character with the voice of an angel. When she starts singing, she manages to light up the faces of everyone around her, lifting their spirits and bringing them joy. Music is meant to make people feel emotions, and Uta’s music brings joy to everyone the world over, which is her whole life goal.

Despite having the voice of an angel and a dream to make the world happier, Uta’s story’s marked by tragedy. She’s disgusted by all the suffering that pirates inflict on the world, and wants to put a permanent end to it. And with her Devil Fruit Powers, she can actually do so, only for her childhood friend, Luffy, to oppose her. She wants Luffy to quit being a pirate altogether, not wanting him to be like the people who hurt so many innocents. It’s a clash of ideals that Luffy must overcome if he wants to continue his journey. The end result is all the chaos and mayhem we’ve come to expect from One Piece.

Music Makes up for Pacing Problems.

Despite being an absolute banger of a film, there are two issues to be found in One Piece Film: Red. First, it’s not exactly the best for a newcomer to the series. It’s for those caught up on One Piece and understand the context behind everything, and given how massive the series is, that can make a lot of newcomers worry. The other issue is the pacing. It feels like the movie’s dragged out just so we can hear more of Ado sing as Uta. Having heard the music, though, I can say that it’s worth the almost two-hour runtime. When paired with the insane visuals of the film, the music more than makes up for the pacing issues. 

My final verdict? One Piece Film: Red is a must-watch for any One Piece fan. It’s got a great story that tugs at your heartstrings, awesome fights, and a killer soundtrack. I loved it and may see it in theaters again.

I Give One Piece Film: Red a 4.5/5.

Now go and read my recap/review for the latest chapter of One Piece.

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