RJ Writing Ink

My Hero Academia, S7 Eps 1 & 2 Review

Firstly, I would like to apologize for the lateness of this post. The seventh season of My Hero Academia started last Saturday, but it was May the Fourth, so I was focused entirely on Star Wars. As a result, I didn’t get around to watching My Hero Academia until the day afterward. Then, I decided to wait until this week and double-review the first two episodes. I’m glad that I made that decision, though. That meant that I got to see one of the most highly anticipated characters in the anime make her debut. Star and Stripe, the number one hero from America, the country that invented the modern-day superhero, arrived to end Shigaraki and All for One. And while things don’t go the way the heroes want, Star and Stripe still leave a significant impact. America is coming again to save the day!

Japan is in Complete Crisis!

At the end of the last season, Midoriya returned to UA High after weeks of operating as a vigilante. For the moment, he’s safe from criminals and villains and from his need to do everything alone. However, that’s the only good news. For everyone else, there’s nothing but bad news.

Say what you want about Horikoshi, but the mangaka knows how to emphasize how bad things are. Japan is a war zone thanks to All for One and Shigaraki’s actions. There are too many criminals and not enough heroes. In addition, things are even worse abroad. All for One has mobilized the world’s criminals to keep the Heroes bogged down. As a result, no one can afford to send aid. It’s everyone for themselves, which is precisely how All for One wants things.

Well, almost everyone for themselves. One Hero from America with a personal connection to All Might come rushing to help. Not only is she solid, but she also embodies (what I think) are the best traits of America.

Star and Stripe Embodies America

Meet Cathleen Bate, AKA Star and Stripe, the #1 Hero in America and someone who rivals Midoriya when it comes to respecting All Might. As a kid, All Might saved her while he was studying abroad, inspiring her to become a Hero herself when she grew up. 

I don’t know who created the concept, but when people think of superheroes, they think of America. Besides Deku being inspired by Spider-Man, the most obvious example of American influence in MHA is All Might’s design and move set. But Star and Stripe is the first time we’ve seen a hero from America appear in the series. Horikoshi wastes no time establishing how she embodies his perception of America. She’s loud, boisterous, confident, and quick to help others, regardless of the consequences or if it means beating someone up. And her costume screams American patriotism.

I liked Star and Stripe. She embodies the best traits that I think people abroad envision when they think of the USA. She’s a genderbent version of Homelander if Homelander was a hero. And she has the power to match. Her Quirk, New Order, lets her rewrite the laws of reality on anything she touches! If it weren’t for the limit to how many things she can use it on, it would be the most broken power in the entire series. Maybe even in all of anime. It’s so powerful that when All for One realizes she’s heading to Japan, he uses his duplicate in Shigaraki to intercept her. If Star and Stripe and Deku were to meet, All for One would be screwed! That’s how powerful she is!

America Goes Down Swinging

The fight between Shigaraki and Star and Stripe over these two episodes is epic, plain and simple. For most of it, Shigaraki is kept on the backfoot as Star and Stripe continues to punch him. The only reason that Shigaraki manages to survive is because Star needs to know the name of whatever she’s changing, which Shigaraki himself doesn’t know.

The fight is close, but in the end, Shigaraki proves too much for Star. However, if there’s one trait I can attribute to America as a whole, it’s our tenacity. Even when we’re about to lose, we prefer to go down swinging. And Star went down swinging.

All for One wanted Star’s Quirk to become invincible, but Star had one last ace up her sleeve. She rigged her own Quirk to destroy all other Quirks in case All for One tried to steal it! And the anime doesn’t skimp on the gory details. The sight of New Order, manifested as Star, tearing Shigaraki apart from the inside is gruesome. By the end of it, while the Star dies thanks to Decay, Shigaraki must abandon New Order altogether. 

Star and Stripe Bought the Heroes Tiem

Even though it looks like the last, best hope for Japan died with Star, All Might reveals two big pieces of news to Class 1-A. Firstly, thanks to Star, Shigaraki/All for One lost many of their Quirks. Secondly, the damage to Shigaraki is so bad that it will take him a week to regain strength. If that hadn’t happened, Shigaraki’s merger with All for One would have occurred the next day. In other words, they’ve gotten some extra time. And they’re not going to waste it.

This was a great start to what may end up being the final season of My Hero Academia if I do say so myself. Having read the manga beforehand, I still wish we had gotten more time with Star and Stripe, but it was still awesome to see her in action once. If she had made it to Japan, All Might, and Deku, All for One would’ve been cooked. But it’s time to focus on another lingering plot thread before heading into the final battle. No spoilers, though! Go Beyond, PLUS ULTRA!

I Give “In the Nick of Time! A Big-Time Maverick from the West!” and “Specter” a 4/5 Each

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Talking About the Impact of the Coronavirus and How I’ve Adjusted

It’s been three months now. Three months since reports came of the new Novel Coronavirus in China. Few realized that this would end up becoming the worst pandemic in the last hundred years. Now the vast majority of the world is in lockdown. People and governments are desperate to stop the spread of the virus. So far, the results are mixed.

As an American, I’ve been keeping track of the spread of the virus since January. I’ve watched as its spread, despite the State and Federal Governments trying to keep a lid on it. Our efforts seem to have been in vain, though, as it’s now spread to every corner of the country. Now life across the US has been disrupted to varying degrees. Schools are closing, businesses and restaurants are shutting their doors, and worst of all, people are buying all the toilet paper for reasons that I cannot comprehend!

How is this affecting me, though? Where I live, almost every place where people gather is shut down. This past week, the place where I work told me that I’d be working from home indefinitely. I’ve barely gone outside my house over the last few days, with most people following suit. By my estimates, it’s only a matter of time before my region goes into full lockdown. The worst part, though, is that there’s no telling how long it will last.

How am I handling these changes, though? Right now, I’m great

I’ve Trained All My Life for This

I’ve always been a bit of an introvert, even though I’m trying to get out and socialize more. If I’m not at work, I’m likely to lounge around my home all day; sometimes I go the whole day without setting foot outside! Now that the Government’s basically telling us to do that for possibly months, I couldn’t care less!

The Government’s basically telling us that the best way to fight the Coronavirus is by staying home, sitting in front of our TV, and avoiding as many people as possible. Gamers like me have been doing that for most of our lives. Whereas that would once be the subject of ridicule, it could now be what saves lives.

What I’m Doing to Avoid Lockdown Fever

Humans are naturally social creatures. Sooner or later, people will go stir-crazy from lockdown fever and want to go out and interact with others. How long we can last before that happens depends on how long we can keep ourselves busy. Fortunately, I’ve plenty of things to keep me busy.

First, I have this blog. Since work won’t be as hectic for the next few months, I can devote more time to writing on RJ Writing Ink. I’ve got a few reviews and ideas that I’ve had stored for a while that I can finally work on.

Second, I have my video games and my YouTube channel. I intend to post way more videos now that I have the extra time. I’ve also switched to buying digital games. Which is good, because Gamestop finally decided to close down their stores.

Third, I have tons of show’s to binge watch on streaming services and on DVR. I can finally watch the dub of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind.

Stay Strong

I know that these are stressful times, and that everyone’s having their lives disrupted by it. However, we must not give in to despair! I intend to make it through this pandemic and lockdown, however long it may last! So, I call upon my fellow nerds, introverts, and gamers everywhere. Our time has come! Set an example for our communities: stay inside, wash your hands, and be lazy. Be lazier than you’ve ever been before!! We will survive this crisis!