RJ Writing Ink

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

Click here to see my other animation stuff. 

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

Click here to see my other animation stuff. 

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

Click here to see my other animation stuff. 

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

Click here to see my other animation stuff. 

Invincible Fight Girl Ep 5 Review

Now that Andy’s got a team, it’s time for the hard part: convincing Quesa Poblana to train her. Sadly, the former wrestler is adamant about being the mentor who initially refuses to take on a student. And to prove that she has what it takes, she’s got to pull off a seemingly impossible task of making the perfect strike. However, that’s not the problem; Andy has determination for days! The problem is that she has to learn when to ask for help. And Mikey and Craig have to learn how to work together for the sake of Andy.

The entire episode is about knowing when to ask for help. Even the best Shonen heroes need help.

Andy’s Determination to Do an Impossible Task…

After repeatedly bothering her (and sending her to the hospital), Quesa P is officially fed up with dealing with Andy. Thus, she issues an ultimatum to get her to leave her alone: pull off ten perfect strikes in a week. What is a perfect strike?

Basically, it’s Armament Haki. And Andy has no idea how to pull it off!

This is the part of the story where we deconstruct Andy’s determinator status. On the one hand, her drive to be a wrestler has allowed Andy to become a decent fighter. Like many Shonen protagonists, when she hits a wall, she hits it until it breaks. However, her determination becomes detrimental here as she insists on figuring this out alone, despite threatening to permanently damage her hands. They’re blistered and bleeding by the time Craig and Mikey find her!

…Might Not be Enough

As for her two friends, they both have different opinions on how to help Andy. Craig, rightfully guessing that his aunt set Andy up, wants to cheat. Mikey, though, wants to help by researching Quesa Poblana. Both end up failing rather miserably.

Craig goes to an over-the-top alley full of scammers for something to hack the machine being used…only to get scammed himself.

As for Mikey, he finds that every video of Quesa Poblana is suspiciously unavailable to the public. This makes me question if there’s no deeper reason why she retired…

It’s all pretty standard for a story like this, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And once the two realize the error of their ways and team up, they scare the daylights out of the scammers

They Found a Way to Learn the Perfect Strike

Having gotten their hands on Quesa’s wrestling arc, the trio are able to analyze her techniques, and by the fourth day, Andy looks to be on the road to mastering the perfect strike. She lacks the explosive power of her would-be mentor, but the fact that she still does this in such a short time is impressive. Andy might have some hidden talent after all!

This wasn’t my favorite episode of the series thus far. I could see how the formula was written and would play out from a mile away. That being said, I do love seeing a young person proving a bitter and cynical elder wrong about them. Plus, based on the preview for next week’s episode…actually I don’t know where it’s going. All I know is that it’s going to be chaotic.

I Give “Perfect Strike” a 3.5/5

Click here to see my other animation stuff. 

Invincible Fight Girl Ep 4 Review

In many of the Shonen series I’ve read over the years, there comes a point where the protagonist faces some pushback from the world around them. Someone or something out there often considers their goals to be foolish and something they should give up. On the surface, this is done so that they prove their detractors wrong when they eventually win. However, there’s another reason why this is a recurring plot point. As a demographic, Shonen is aimed at young boys and teens who are starting to learn more about the world around them. More often than not, they’ll learn how unfair the world can be and that people will want to see them fail. Invincible Fight Girl has already shown this, but the fourth episode has Andy fight her most brutal battle against this unfairness yet. Not just for her, but for the sake of her new friend, Mikey.

The result? An absolute feast for the eyes that would make Dragon Ball proud.

Shonen Formulas in Action

After seeing how her new friend, Mikey, was miserable under his overbearing dad, Andy challenged his family to a wrestling match. Her goal is two-fold: prove the other Beefpunchas wrong about her being a wrestler and show Mikey he can follow his dream of being a wrestling journalist. However, her opponent is Papa Beefpuncha’s oldest and strongest son, MBrandon.

Whoever came up with that name, you get a pat on the back for how funny that is.

As expected, Andy finds herself fighting an uphill battle right from the start. Her opening move sees her trying to use the same technique she used to win against Immaculate, which doesn’t work. From there, the fight turns into a David vs. Goliath scenario, with Andy serving as David to MBrandon’s Goliath. Though unlike many cases of this scenario, the fight doesn’t turn out how you’d expect. More on that in a minute.

Continuing to show off it’s love of Shonen anime with pride, the fight between Andy and MBrandon is animated much like one would be in a Shonen Series. The two trade blows at high-speeds like they’re in Dragon Ball. There are a ton of exaggerated facial expressions. We even get to hear Andy and MBrandon’s inner monologues as they think about what’s happening in the fight. And despite being kept on the defensive for most of the fight, Andy demonstrates her smarts and determination. First, she uses her size and speed to gain an advantage at several points in the fight. Second, she proves she can take a punch by letting MBrandon hit her several times so she can get a feeling for his fighting style. More importantly, though, her willingness to stand her ground manages to get through to Mikey.

Mikey Steps Up!

Papa Beefpuncha is a horrible dad for his constant belittlement of his youngest son. Despite being talented enough to become a wrestling journalist, his Dad belittles him to the point where he has low self-esteem, and it shows. However, not everyone in his family is like that, as a flashback about his (likely) deceased mother shows. Seeing Andy stand up for him manages to convince Mikey to openly support Andy against his family. And with his knowledge of wrestling, the two come close to winning the fight!

This, though, is when Fight Girl subverts the expectations of David vs. Goliath by having Goliath win.

Yes, despite coming close to losing, once MBrandon starts taking Andy seriously, he ultimately wins the fight. The look on Mikey’s face as Andy lies defeated is heartbreaking. He actually started to believe what she told him, only for his father to cruelly state that that’s the way of the world. Without strength, you can’t amount to anything in life, according to Papa Beefpuncha.

This Show Gets the Shonen Formula so Well

Ironically, this is another instance of the Shonen formula coming into play. Sometimes, the protagonist is met with defeat despite how hard they try, and that leaves them with a choice. They can either give up, or they use that loss to fuel them to do better. Having the resolve to keep going is an important trait to have in life, and Shonen series can be a good way of teaching kids this lesson. In Andy’s case, not only does she refuse to let the loss get to her, but she gets through to Andy…and Craig. The former says his Dad let him go with Andy to follow his dream, but it’s implied he just ran away. The latter also offers to get his aunt to train Andy in exchange for being her manager.

It may seem premature of me, but as it stands, I think Invincible Fight Girl is a love letter to the Shonen genre. The protagonist with the lofty dream with the world trying to drag her down. The exciting animation and exaggerated fights. Not to mention the themes present found in Shonen series. If they keep this up, I’m going to be recommending this series to many people I know who like anime!

I Give “The Way of the World” a 4/5

Click here to see my other animation stuff. 

Remembering the Cartoon Network MMO for its 30th Birthday

I got introduced to Cartoon Network when I was around ten years old, but it was one of those moments that I remember to this day. I had no idea that there were cartoons this good outside of what I watched on Nickelodeon; I was hooked, and have remained a fan ever since. Now, that same channel’s celebrating its 30th birthday. However, instead of waxing poetic, or ripping on how Zaslav’s screwing it over, I want to talk about one of the coolest things Cartoon Network ever did. This was the mother of all crossovers; the thing that made any fan of the channel go giddy with excitement. I’m talking about the MMORPG of the 2000s, FusionFall.

FusionFall

If you’ve never heard of FusionFall, I don’t blame you. The game shut down years ago, and the fan-run clone ended at Warner Bros orders. If you were one of the people able to experience it, though, you were lucky. 

The whole game takes place on an Earth inhabited by the characters of all Cartoon Network shows. Instead of being a dream come true, though, this world’s a nightmare. Enter Planet Fuse, a wandering mass of toxic, green goo that swallows up everything in its path. And the Earth is next. Thus, most of the Cartoon Network pantheon teams up to stop this cosmic menace from wiping out our world with its army of monsters. And the players are the ones fighting on the frontlines.

A Cartoon Network Fan’s Dream

When I say that FusionFall had almost everything Cartoon Network had to offer, I meant it. Almost every character from their shows up to 2011 could be found in the game. Even if they weren’t, the shows almost certainly got represented via iconic locations. And we could interact with all of it.

Like I said, FusionFall was like every Cartoon Network fan’s dream come true. Being able to visit iconic locations like the KND Treehouse one day, only to travel to the badlands and find Samurai Jack, or meet Courage in the middle of Knowhere? Just remembering it made me giddy with excitement. It really was the ultimate Cartoon Network crossover. 

Which does beg the question: what happened to it?

I’m not fully sure myself. It may have not had made as much money as Cartoon Network or Warner Bros wanted. Not helping things was the fact that the developers of the game went bankrupt. Regardless, after being online for a little over four years, FusionFall shut down in 2013.

Four years later, a group of fans revived the game as FusionFall: Retro and FusionFall: Legacy. However, in 2020, Cartoon Network issued a DMCA takedown, shutting the projects down. Thus, FusionFall fell into memory.

Happy Birthday, Cartoon Network

Regardless of how long it did or didn’t last, I still have fond memories of FusionFall. It had a great premise, and it let fans of Cartoon Network live the dream of hanging with their favorite characters. I can’t think of a better way to honor this iconic channel than remembering the time it brought its entire pantheon into one shared world. 

Except for this. Happy birthday, Cartoon Network.

Click here to see my other animation stuff. 

Close Enough Season 2 Review

You know, when I saw that Season Two of Close Enough was out a month ago, I knew that I had to review it. But then I kept getting distracted by a bunch of other things in life. The things I regularly post about, reading manga, writing my fanfiction. The point is, this is overdue, and I’m sorry about that. Thankfully, I was able to sit down and watch the season over the course of the last month, and I remember some key things that I liked about it.

One: I recognize so many voice actors that did guest appearances on the show. And two, there were a boatload of movie references to be found. I counted parodies to Cast Away, Die Hard, Castaway, Point Break, Alien, Scarface, and more. Way to flex your film buff status, Quintel.

Same Formula, Different Season

So, if you’ve seen any of JG Quintel’s work, then you know that he’s got a formula for this stuff. Mundane problem needs to be solved, only for it to spiral into this insanely chaotic situation. Like, kids trying to earn money to buy a drone by selling hot sauce packs turns into a whole parody of Scarface. Or, Quintel’s stand-in character tries to man up, and then finds himself in the plot of Die Hard. These are the kind of insane, over-the-top things that Quintel does, and I love every minute of it.

Putting the pop culture references aside, there’s a reason why Close Enough may be destined to be a go-to adult show for Millennials. Our generation is all grown up and thrust into an adult world that, let’s face, we’re not entirely prepared for. Or, is it that the world wasn’t prepared for us? Regardless, many of us may still be trying to learn our way in this crazy world. Thus, it’s nice to see a show that tries (and largely suceeds) in capturing the challenges of this modern life.

Not Afraid to Pull its Punches

I think the episode that really stood out the most for me was “Where’d you go, Bridgette?” To summarize, it’s about one of the main characters, Bridgette, trying to deal with her obsession with her smart phone and how much it has control over her life. Their landlady, Pearle, flat out calls it an addiction, and forces her to undergo a phone detox. And yes, that means that Bridgette goes through the classic symptoms of withdrawal, including hallucinations of social media apps messing with her head.

While the way that the show does it is silly, it’s also a very accurate representation of just how glued we’ve become to our smartphones. A lot of people can’t even go to the bathroom without bringing it with us. And while we’re aware of how addictive it can be, the show points out that it’s up to us to say when enough’s enough.

Also, the rest of the cast freaks out when Bridgette goes off the grid and starts assuming the worst. Seeing them freak out is both endearing and hilarious at the same time.

Go Watch Close Enough

No, really. That’s all there is to this post. If you’re a Millennial, then go watch it. WATCH IT NOW!!

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

Close Enough Episode 8 Review

Well, here we are at the apparent end to the first season of Close Enough. I don’t know what’s crazier: the fact that I binged it all, or that I wrote all these reviews in one day? Fortunately, my love for this show has kept me going, and the last episode may be one of the funniest ones Quintel’s done. I had no idea he was such a big fan of Jim Carrey.

Not So Psyched Anymore

Every year for the last fifteen years, Josh and Alex have gone to Medieval Times to drink ale and spout Jim Carrey quotes. However, this year Alex chooses to bail on it in lieu of meeting a publisher for his sci-fi Viking story. Josh doesn’t take it very well, so he goes alone, gets drunk, and winds up befriending this talking dog in an alley.

I’m not joking about that. Josh does, in fact, find a talking dog in an alleyway. His name’s Tory, but everyone calls him Dogboy. He’s a genetically engineered human-dog hybrid running from his creator. The two end up bonding over Jim Carrey and Josh decides to make him his new best friend. Then Alex ends up befriending him after getting pointers on his book, and things get even weirder. The scientist lady comes and kidnaps Dogboy for her crazy plans, and the two have to reconcile to save him.

Another Friendship Problem

While of this is happening, Emily and Bridgette have their own friendship problem to deal with. Bridgette wants them to write a new song, but Emily’s too focused on Candice to pay attention to her. When she tries taking them to a cabin in the woods, that also fails and tension starts to rise.

Really, the whole episode is about two friendship problems between two pairs of adults. One member wants to connect with their friend like they used to, but gets mad when the other doesn’t want to focus on it. Yet another example of the tribulations of adulthood: drifting away from your friends.

As fate would have it, though, both pairs end up getting some great advice from unlikely sources. While Josh and Alex get it from Dogboy, Emily and Bridgette get it from Weird Al Yankovic, guest starring as himself! His advice is that they should both accept their differing views and values, as that’s what will create harmony. That, and to summon a demon song god. Al Yankovic, you’re a national treasure. don’t ever change.

Why Jim Carrey

What I’m puzzled the most about this episode, though, is how it amounts to basically a love letter to Jim Carrey. I get that the guy’s a really great actor, and I think that The Mask is one of his best performances ever. However, why is this episode so fixated on him. Is it supposed to be a jab at his career in the 90s when most Millenials grew up? A nostalgic look at what we loved as a kid?

Ultimately, I don’t think that it detracts from the episode, but seems to enhance it. Especially since it’s Josh and Alex’s re-enacting of that famous “most annoying sound in the world” that saves Dogboy from that crazy scientist.

Speaking of which, her plan was to make dogboy into a movie star to cash in on the demand for more practical effects. Guess people are sick of CGI now.

A Hilarious Finale

While this episode doesn’t reach the same heights as some of the season finales to Regular Show, I still think that it’s a strong finish to the first outing of Close Enough. I loved it, and I think fans of Regular Show will, too.

The one downside to all of this, though? We have to wait who knows how long for more episodes to drop.

I Give “The Canine Guy” a 4/5

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

Click here to see my review of the entire season.

Close Enough Episode 7A/7B Review

So, remember a few posts ago about how I said I’m taking notes on how to be a good parent? Well, after this episode, I’ve added two new notes to my book. Firstly, when I get married, I need to make an effort to keep the romantic spark alive with my spouse. Secondly, I need to make time to spend it with my future kids. This is the Quintel guide to important relationships.

First Date

After a fortuneteller comments on her marriage’s lack of spice, Emily realizes that she and Josh have lost that romantic spark they once had. As a result, the two are determined to rekindle their love by re-enacting their first date at a haunted house. However, the haunted house in question goes way beyond what I can assume is legal to scare them. I mean, I know they signed waivers, but they made them think they were dead at one point! That’s not cool.

As scary as it was, the episode brought up a good point. Love isn’t something that will last on its own forever: it’s something that takes time and effort to maintain. If both parties aren’t careful, they risk losing it forever. While I don’t think I’d go for something this extreme, I can understand where Josh and Emily are coming from. If love could last on its own forever, we wouldn’t have divorces, would we?

Speaking of which, Bridgette winds up on a double date with this guy named Ron (voiced by Chris Parnell) who she thinks she may have a good chance with. However, things don’t go as planned for three reasons: first, Ron won’t stop talking about his trip to Machu Picchu. Second, he’s sewn to his ex-girlfriend. Third, when she calls Alex for backup, he ends up hitting it off with Ron’s ex and makes Bridgette jealous. It’s a very hilarious take on sitcom romances. While the sewn together part does weird me out, though, it did lead to Alex and Bridgette making a connection with each other in the end.

Snailin’ Time

The second half of the episode focuses on Emily’s strained relationship with her daughter. All Candice wants to do is play with her mom, but she’s overwhelmed by the duties her boss gives her. Things come to a head when her boss makes her plant an entire garden at Candice’s school by herself, keeping the two from bonding at all. Frustrated, she takes this magic hat from a giant talking snail that slows down time for her so she can spend more time with her daughter. But then she ends up using it too much, and Quintel shenanigans ensue.

Working full-time can be stressful enough as it is, but doing that while raising a kid can make things even harder. And unfortunately for Emily, she doesn’t know how to stand up to her boss and just say no, and that’s hurting her relationship with her daughter. In my experience, though, family comes before work, and if the boss can’t respect that, then that’s a good sign that you need to work elsewhere. Thankfully, Emily learns to put her foot down once things end, and her boss seems to back off. At least a little.

Relationships Require Work

When you’re an adult and caught up in the hurricane of life, it can be easy to lose sight of what’s important. But you can’t let that happen to you. You need to learn to prioritize what relationships are most important to you and how you maintain them. Otherwise, things may fall apart without even realizing it. At least, that’s the lesson I got from this episode of Close Enough.

I Give “First Date” a 4.5/5, and “Snailin’ Time” A 4/5.

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

Click here to see my review of the entire season.