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Invincible Fight Girl Eps. 9-10 Review

It’s all come down to this moment, folks. Right when it looks like Andy would never get the chance to show her skill as a wrestler, fate (and Craig) handed her a second chance. Unfortunately, that second chance came in the form of the Perm Gang, who were not happy that she beat them back on Accountant Island. More importantly, though, this is Andy’s last chance to master the Perfect Strike. Yet nothing she does has worked up to now! However, Andy is the kind of person who learns best under pressure, as she unlocks the final piece she needs to become an Invincible Fight Girl.

The Perm Gang’s Dark Past

He's afraid of the Perfect Strike?! #InvincibleFightGirl #Toonami pic.twitter.com/oazytt1yOE

— Toonami Faithful (@ToonamiNews) December 22, 2024

At the end of the last episode, Craig managed to bring the Perm gang right to Andy, and they are eager for revenge for beating Immaculate on Accountant Island. However, two things become apparent as the rematch between the two gets underway. The first is that Andy has gotten much stronger and faster since she first fought Immaculate. Given how this is based on Shonen anime, that should come as no surprise. Shonen series like Naruto and One Piece tend to have a power scale that the protagonist has to keep climbing to reach their goals. Even Aunt P admits to herself that Andy can wrestle.

The second most notable thing, though, is the fact that Immaculate has PTSD. While losing to Andy humiliated him, it was Quesa Poblana’s use of Haki that terrified him. He even shaved off his perm in a fit of panic. It gets to the point where Immaculate becomes too scared to even fight back, leaving Andy looking like the bad guy.

The first episode is that it focuses a lot on Immaculate and the Perm Gang, potentially to the detriment of Invincible Fight Girl. However, there is a reason why it’s doing so. Seeing how they started as bullied street rats before becoming bullies themselves highlights some of the core themes of Invincible Fight Girl. Those being how the determination to be the best at any cost can ruin one’s lives if one is not too careful. Still, as bad as the Perm Gang is, there’s still something heartwarming seeing them stand up for Immaculate.

Too bad that gets tossed out the window when they all decide to team up on Andy. And none of the Wrestlers can stop the fight. But what follows next is what defines Andy’s journey to becoming an Invincible Fight Girl.

The Real Fight Begins!

As the four-on-one begins in earnest, Andy’s skills and Mikey’s knowledge allow her to hold her own for a time. However, Andy’s obsession with mastering the Perfect Strike causes her to waste whatever advantage she has and drive her into a corner. And she is at a loss! She’s copied Quesa P’s stance and movement to a tee, but she can’t do it! That’s when Craig, of all people, figures out what Andy’s problem is.

The problem that Andy’s been having is that she’s been chasing after Quesa Poblana’s shadow all this time. She’s trying to be just like her idol, just like Deku tried to be just like All Might in MHA. Craig helps her realize that this kind of thinking doesn’t work, because she’s not Quesa Poblana. She’s her own person and needs to find her own path as a wrestler. That’s what people like Bertie, Ruff, and Tumble never understood. They were trying too hard to be like the great Quesa P rather than finding their own path. Once that realization clicks with Andy, all the pieces fall into place.

THE PERFECT STRIKE!!!#InvincibleFightGirl #Toonami pic.twitter.com/bcmGplbBQb

— Badgerclops (@beeclops) December 22, 2024

And with that, Andy performs a true Perfect Strike. She adapts the move to suit her own physique and pulls off the Perfect Strike, sending the Perm Gang blasting off again. It dislocates her arm, but it wins Andy the match. More importantly, it wins the respect of all the wrestlers present.

It also manages to attract some unsavory attention.

Quesa Poblana Takes Andy as Her Student For Real

Throughout the fight, Quesa Poblana has been talking to someone the show only refers to as “The Scouter” from the GWC. The two of them have history, and from what she’s implied about her past, something bad happened to Quesa that made her leave. When the Scouter sees Andy’s talent, he immediately tries to recruit her, only for Quesa to claim her as her student. It’s not out of any obligation to keeping her promise, though. She’s doing it because she knows that if she doesn’t, someone with ill intent will. And that’s where the season of Invincible Fight Girl ends.

HOLY FUCKING SHIT THE SEASON 1 FINALE…#InvincibleFightGirl #Toonami pic.twitter.com/vTLLQC2E8c

— Badgerclops (@beeclops) December 22, 2024

It’s unclear whether Invincible Fight Girl will be renewed, but if it is, then it needs to start explaining more about what happened to Quesa. There’s a very dark side to the world of wrestling, and Andy has only seen a small portion of it. If she wants to be the best, she needs to know what she’s getting into. And we need to have more epic fights. I’m hoping that it is released, because this show, while a little derivative at times, is still a fun watch.

I Give “Formation! The Perm Gang Strikes Back” & “The Missing Piece” a 4.5/5 Each

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Invincible Fight Girl Ep 8 Review

It’s a painful feeling, having a dream you want to fulfill only for no one to believe in it. Andy has been trying so hard to make her dream of becoming a wrestler a reality, but not enough people are taking notice of her. Now that she’s desperate to master the Perfect Strike like Quesa Poblana wants her to, Andy resorts to finding a new enemy to face off against. The only problem is that no one will take her seriously!

No One Takes Andy Seriously

Andy has done all she can to master the Perfect Strike. She’s copied Quesa P’s moves, she took everything she learned in Rumblewood to heart, but it’s still not enough. She can’t get it to work by training normally. So, at the suggestion of Craig and Mikey, she joins the Busters as part for their monthly wrestling tournament. The plan is that by fighting a tough opponent, Andy will be able to figure out the Perfect Strike under the pressure. In other words, it’s like how a Saiyan gets stronger the more they fight.

The people who made this show must have had a field day with designing the wrestlers at the Rusty Rumble, because they are so unique. There are fighters of all shapes, sizes, and even species at this tournament. I could spend a day or two trying to pick apart the most unique looking fighters, but two that wind up standing out the most are this wrestler called Opening Act…and Mbrandon.

And this is why we stan Mbrandon. #InvincibleFightGirl pic.twitter.com/6gibzuVKVY

— David DePasquale 🐯 (@wolfinsheeps) December 15, 2024

Appearing for the first time since his fight with Andy, Mbrandon is nothing but cordial towards her and his little brother. Furthermore, this episode confirms what I already knew: that Mikey ran away. What I didn’t expect was that MBrandon decided to help him run away, recognizing that having him stay with them was no longer safe. Even more surprising, the other brothers all came around to thinking the same thing! Fighting Andy changed them all for the better. However, it’s doubtful that Mr. Beefpuncha will see sense anytime soon. It’s worth it, though, knowing that Mbrandon no longer sees Andy as a joke.

What Kind of Joke Fighter is This?

Too bad the same can’t be said for the rest of the wrestlers. Seeing them reject Andy’s requests to fight them was beyond frustrating. Andy knew that she could hold her own in a match, but none of them were willing to give her the time of day! To add insult to injury, the only opponent she can get is a living joke: a man dressed in a shoe who’s never even fought in a match before!

This shoe is old and stinky. #InvincibleFightGirl #Toonami pic.twitter.com/LqxaPB10Fj

— Toonami Faithful (@ToonamiNews) December 15, 2024

Andy doesn’t even need to fight this guy to win; the Show is so clumsy that he knocks himself out! After that, Andy has to watch as everyone laughs at her!

But then, just when all hope is lost, Craig seems to come in clutch, finding some actual wrestlers for her to fight. The bad news? It’s the Perm Gang, the bullies that she beat all the way back in the first episode. They’re left without their precious perms, and they’re out for revenge as the episode comes to an end.

Check out the promo for #InvincibleFightGirl Season 1 Episode 9!

Premieres next Saturday at midnight on Toonami. pic.twitter.com/G2eTHNjBcX

— CNArchives (@CNArchivesYT) December 15, 2024

Big Finale in Store

With that, we are prepped for the two-part season finale, and the season is coming full circle. Andy’s first opponents return for a rematch, only this time, people who can make things happen will be watching. Case in point, the mysterious man who narrated the opening to the first episode, an agent for the GWC, will be watching her. While that seems like a good thing, the fact that Quesa Poblana’s unnerved by his appearance adds fuel to my belief that something bad happened to her to force her into retirement. Even if Andy wins, she may end up getting roped into some shady things.

Then again, plenty of Shonen protags have fought against the darkness of their world to fulfill their dreams. It’s par for the course, and I have faith in Andy!

I Give “The Rusty Rumble” a 4/5

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Invincible Fight Girl Ep 7 Review

In my review for the last episode of Invincible Fight Girl, I compared what was happening to the infamous Hatfield-McCoy feud. I didnt find it that interesting, though, since the whole Ruff and Tumble feud felt so stupid. However, after the latest episode, I must revise my opinion. Not only was their feud stupid…but it becomes a tragic example of letting obsession destroy everything one can hold dear. And why deadbeat parents are the worst.

Deadbeat Parents are the Worst

With the Fingers and Toes fighting an all-out war, Andy, Mikey, and Craig are left with the unenviable task of setting things right. Unfortunately, thanks to Craig, they discover the real culprit behind the escalation. It was all Bertie, the lone resident of Tumbleweed that refused to leave. She did all of this as part of some desperate attempt to get her parents to stop fighting so they could be a family again.

I was…honestly caught off-guard by the fact that Bertie was Ruff and Tumble’s daughter. But with her deception revealed, Andy has no choice but to fight Bertie while the boys try and tell everyone the truth. Andy hoped that this will be what finally brings peace back to Tumbleweed. However, the show chooses to subvert our expectations at this point.

SHE HAS BECOME UNBOUND#InvincibleFightGirl #Toonami pic.twitter.com/I6WxUx6I80

— Toonami Faithful (@ToonamiNews) December 8, 2024

When Ruff and Tumble hear this was all Bertie’s doing, they don’t stop fighting. They don’t even care that their daughter did this because she was desperate to fix their broken family. All they care about is that she interfered with their obsession with beating Quesa Poblana. The big irony, though, is that by combining both their fighting styles, Bertie got closer to figuring out the Perfect Strike than they ever did. Andy herself says so as she fights her in a wrestling match!

There Was No Saving those Deadbeats

Deadbeat parents are something I’ve seen many times in fiction by this point, but it still hurts to watch. And when Bertie sees how her efforts backfired, she snaps and starts hulking out like she’s Kale from DB Super! She manages to become this absolutely incredible wrestler that comes close to seriously hurting Andy. Andy only wins by once again using finesse over force.

And what happens next almost had me in tears. Watching Bertie’s own parents drive her out of town like she’s a monster is heartbreaking to watch. All she wanted was to have her family back, but now, they’re gone forever. It’s a sad part of life, but not everything that gets broken can get put back together. Even Andy writes the town off as a lost cause, and the trio bails.

This was an absolutely heartbreaking episode of the series, and as Andy calls her parents back home, you can tell how the experience got to her. For the first time ever, she’s been exposed to the dark side of wrestling. The drive to win and be the best is normally a good thing, but if you let it consume you, it can end up destroying you. Andy needed to learn about this dark side, though, as I get the feeling that this darkness is why Quesa P had to leave wrestling behind.

https://twitter.com/ShroomMeister/status/1865629712854200364

What Will Andy Do Now?

Andy only has one day left to learn the Perfect Strike, and this experience has likely left her with more doubts than ever. But with only three episodes remaining (as far as I know), we’re coming down to the wire. That being said, I did appreciate the number of anime references there were to be found in Andy and Bertie’s fight. Everything from the Gum-Gum Gatling Gun to Bertie going full Kale; even the name of the episode is a reference to a Dragon Ball Z film! Say what you want about this series, but the people behind it clearly know about Shonen!

I Give “Bertie Unbound” a 4/5

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One Piece Chapter 1133 Review/Recap

We’ve been waiting for this moment for two years now. Ever since Vegapunk revealed that Jaguar D. Saul, the Giant who fought for Ohara and Robin’s first friend, was alive, we knew a reunion was inevitable. But then Oda decided to freak us out by having it look like something bad had happened to Saul a few chapters ago. As it turns out, he was just messing with us. Not only is he fine, but the reunion of Saul and Robin is a reminder of why one mustn’t let despair get to them in hard times. Praise Robin for making it this far!

Recap

The chapter starts with a flashback to the aftermath of the Ohara’s destruction. Spandine and the World Government spread lies about Robin being an evil monster, destroying Navy ships and the ship evacuating the other residents of Ohara. As a result of this libel and slander, Robin had to endure a hellish life, fighting to survive on scraps. It got to the point where she even considered suicide! The only thing that kept her going was the memory of her Mom and Saul.

In the present day, the Straw Hats are all reunited at Gerd and Goldberg’s village, with the Giant Pirates and New Giant Pirates all ready to celebrate. Before that, though, Robin has a reunion with Saul to go to. The crew heads off to the nearby lake, learning that Saul is now a history teacher at the local school. However, a Giant calls them and says that Saul collapsed on the beach, shocking everyone…except Robin.

Not worried in the slightest, Robin walks up to Saul…and he tries to jumpscare her. He couldn’t help it. He didn’t know how to say hello after all their time apart. Furthermore, he explains that the reason he survived was due to the fires of the Buster Call melting the ice he’d been trapped in. When he came to, he was already in the water, but got burn scars. After that, though, Robin asks Saul to praise her for surviving all this time. And…the two can’t hold it back anymore. They both break down in tears as the joy of their reunion and what they’ve gone through gets to him. And as the two continue to cry, most of the Straw Hats begin to cry for their friend…except for Luffy. He just has a happy grin on his face.

Review

OH MY GOD, THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!! AFTER EVERYTHING SHE WENT THROUGH AND THINKING HE WAS DEAD, ROBIN HAS FINALLY REUNITED WITH THE FIRST FRIEND SHE EVER MADE!!!! ODA MADE US CRY FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME IN ONE PIECE!!!!

I’m not lying when I say that this chapter left the One Piece fandom in absolute tears. While each of the Straw Hats has been shown to have a very tough backstory, Robin’s might be the saddest. She lost her home, her mother, and was branded a monster by an ignorant world! Worse, the flashback even reveals that Robin considered suicide at one point. It was that bad!

As shocking as the sight of a young Robin considering ending her own life was, the story showed it for more than just shock value. It’s trying to make a point about life. As bad as life can get at times, choosing to end it isn’t a viable solution to whatever problems we may face. What I think Oda is trying to remind us is that we need to remember to keep moving forward, and maybe, just maybe, things will change for the better. Robin doesn’t just deserve to be praised; she deserves all the happiness in the world.

Also, we have another thing to add to our list of reasons why the World Government has to go down. There’s got to be a special place in Hell for adults that persecute innocent little kids!

The Giants May Know the Most About the Void Century

Aside from Saul and Robin’s reunion, the episode gave us another example at how special Elbaph is. As Lilith points out, the Giants have technology from all over the world working in tandem. They’ve got sky islands, sea clouds, the bubble tech from Sabaody, and sunstones. It’s a veritable Mecca of knowledge, which does make sense. Giants live for centuries, so unlike most species, it’s only been a few generations since the events of the Void Century. Ergo, the oldest Giants who lived through it likely passed on their knowledge before they died. With Saul as a history teacher and the library of Ohara, they likely know more about the Void Century than anyone else, save for Vegapunk.

I waited for this moment for two years now, and after everything we’ve seen to get to this point, I’m not ashamed to admit I cried tears of joy. Despite everything the world did to try and kill Robin, not only did she survive, but she found her way back to her first friend. Saul and Robin earned this reunion a hundred times over. Plus, if you notice one of the other panels, Road is being crucified for kidnapping half the Straw Hats. Hopefully, he’ll either learn sense, or just get drummed out of the New Giant Warriors. As for what happens next, we’ll have to wait. However, knowing Oda, it’s going to get crazy.

I Give “Praise Me” a 5/5

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Invincible Fight Girl Ep 5 Review

Have you ever heard of the Hatfields and McCoy? Two 19th century Appalachian families whose blood feud became the stuff of legends. To this day, Hatfields and McCoys are by-words for revenge for blood feuds. I consider it an example of a fight that was relatively pointless and utterly stupid in the grand scheme of things. More importantly, though, it’s the only comparison I can make when it comes to the plot of the new episode of Invincible Fight Girl. When Andy’s efforts to master the Perfect Strike bear no fruit, she and her friends seek out two retired wrestlers who each claim they figured it out. Except neither of them did, and they tore apart an entire town because of their stupid feud.

The Hatfield-McCoy of Wrestling

So, there are now two days remaining in Quesa Poblana’s deadline for Andy to master the Perfect Strike. Despite managing to get some reference material thanks to Craig and Mikey, she’s still no closer to mastering it. Then they find some footage of two of her earliest rivals, a husband/wife duo called Rough and Tumble. After they lost, they said they would try to unlock the secret of the Perfect Strike to beat Quesa P. Thus, the trio head for the town where their Dojo should be…only to find it’s turned into a Hatfield-McCoy scenario.

As it turns out, Rough and Tumble came up with different conclusions for the Perfect Strike. One thought the secret was in the toes, while the other thought it was the fingers. They didn’t agree, things escalated as their followers split, and soon the whole thing spiraled out of control. Everyone not affiliated with them left, save for a lone girl named Bertie.

If I’m being perfectly honest, though, this episode did little to hold my attention. Why? Because this whole Hatfield-McCoy situation just seems so stupid! As soon as they arrive, Andy and the boys find themselves in the crossfire of this stupid feud. Mikey tries to learn what caused it through investigative journalism, but it becomes clear that neither Rough and Tumble know what they’re doing. As Andy puts it, they’re just stewing over the fact that they lost to Quesa P and not moving on with their lives. In addition, Andy points out that focusing on a single body part is stupid, as wrestling involves the entire body! The whole feud is pointless, dumb, and just wasting her time!

I Could’ve Done Without this Episode

I think that the point behind Rough and Tumble is to show Andy what would happen if she let her obsession with becoming a wrestler reach unhealthy levels or something. However, like I said, I don’t really care because this Hatfield-McCoy thing is pointless and stupid. Worse, Andy, Mikey, and Craig’s attempts to extend an olive branch only escalate things. But to be fair, it’s not entirely their doing. Someone (*cough* Bertie *cough*) blew up their dojos while everyone was out, prompting a full-scale battle in the heart of the old town.

While this episode does get points for continued use of silly anime faces, it loses them with what I think is a pointless side quest. I’d rather that Andy just learns the Perfect Strike through the videos so we can skip to seeing her actually train. Considering how this series might only have ten episodes, time is not something it can afford to waste. Get better, Fight Girl. Get better.

I Give “Behind the Wall: The Finger & the Toe” a 2/5

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One Piece Chapter 1132 Review/Recap

After a three-week break to benefit his health, Oda is back with an all-new chapter of One Piece. And, as is often the case when he goes on these extended breaks, Oda cooked. The Elbaph Arc is a story twenty-five years in the making, and from what we’ve seen so far, Oda intends to go all out. Not only do the Straw Hats reunite and we get hints at what threats they might face, but we nought have gotten about something connected to Nika’s legend. Also, our heroes travel on a rainbow bridge in a direct send-up to Norse mythology! An actual rainbow bridge!!!

Recap

As the Great Eirik reaches the shores of Elbaph, Colon, the Giant kid who was with Shanks earlier, runs out to greet them. Since the Giant Pirates are headed to the Sunworld, Colon follows them up and gives them food. All the while, he’s thinking about Luffy, the man that Shanks talked about.

Back with the Giant Pirates and half the Straw Hats, they run into Hadrujin and his friend as they head back up. As the Straw Hats, Bonney, and Lillith watch, a giant rainbow forms right in front of them. Then, the two ships manage to ride atop the rainbow up to the sunworld part of Elbaph!

Elsewhere, Luffy returns to the bridge where Gerd and Goldberg meet him. However, he keeps his mouth shut about his promise with Loki. Meanwhile, the other Straw Hats manage to trap Road under a giant tree they cut down, letting Gerd and Goldberg catch up with them. The two then punish their crew member for kidnapping the Straw Hats. Now that they’re reunited (and have their ship back), Luffy prompts Usopp and Chopper to run ahead to see the nearby village. We then get a beautiful, double-page spread of the enormous Giant village as it comes into view for the Straw Hat’s, leaving Usopp in tears over his dream. The three then get shocked by seeing their friends arriving on the rainbow bridge. The chapter ends with a quote from the explorer Louis Arnot about Elbaph from his books, with the final lines being a warning for one to not linger for long.

Review

Wow, what a chapter. Considering how long fans have been waiting to see Elbaph in full, this was well worth the wait. Getting to see Road get his comeuppance was just a small part of what I liked about this chapter. The main part was the rainbow bridge.

In Norse mythology, the gods of Asgard had a rainbow bridge known as the Bifrost. It served as a means of letting them travel between Asgard and Midgard, aka Earth. Getting to see it incorporated into the story lines up with it taking after Norse mythology. However, what got my attention the most was how the Hiants mentioned how they made it: they claim to have drawn it from a sunstone painter. That’s got many fans thinking about a connection to Nika.

When Luffy is in his Gear Fifth form, he’s able to will anything he imagines into existence via Toon Force. Ergo, we can infer that Nika’s powers are imagination-based. If sea stone is meant to suppress power, what if sunstone does the opposite? It lets anyone using it create whatever they imagine? In other words, it’s the equivalent of a magic pencil or brush, like a rainbow bridge. That could become a game-changer as One Piece nears the final battle for the fate of the world.

Speaking of final battles, it looks like Luffy could end up freeing Loki, which could start the beginning of Ragnarok. While that could prove disastrous, I trust Luffy. I hope he doesn’t get into too much trouble when that happens.

One last thing. The final panel of the chapter shows what appears to be a figure in the forest. Fans are convinced that this is the same figured teased at near the end of the Egghead Arc, and the same person drinking with Crocus. It seems like another thread that Oda is about to tie over. I’m hoping so.

I Give “Adventure in Elbaph” a 4.5/5

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