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Back Like We Never Left!
5 Plays2 years ago
We are back! In this return episode, we discuss what we've watched during the hiatus and the releases we are looking forward to later this year.
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Transcript
Meloninjas Return and Anime Discussion
00:00:09
Speaker
Every story, every battle, every model, every child, every dream, every team, it don't matter if you proud, gotta bleed for it Yeah, nigga, gotta bleed for it
00:00:20
Speaker
See my ancestors from Manchester to now I've been to underground stories Since niggas was underground we them black ninjas Who making our mamas proud better tune in nigga We taking it all around it's the meloninjas So go and tell the fam we need better figures And we don't fuck with Uncle Sam better get the picture These black hands make black bands And I be the greatest nigga like the last dance meloninjas
00:01:03
Speaker
Hello, we are your Meloninjas, here to talk anime. It's been a minute. It's been a very long minute. But we finally back. I blame Kwon for our absence. Maybe it's ours. I'm so gonna move back to the East Coast and he's late. He's late for his fans.
00:01:23
Speaker
No, but we'll figure we will catch you guys up on what we've been watching, what we're excited for, and just talk that good old anime trash.
One Piece: Love, Patience, and Rewards
00:01:36
Speaker
So Alex, what have you been watching since the last time we recorded? All right, so the thing I'm most excited about
00:01:45
Speaker
to share is I have finally jumped on the One Piece train. Let me, but I got a lot to say about this, okay? I got a lot to say about this because y'all lied. It's like, I get why people say One Piece is the greatest anime of all time. I get it now. But when I tell you that that slope, that is a slow burn.
00:02:12
Speaker
so low. I don't people say like wait till you get to certain arcs and it'll it'll hook y'all all live fish man arc. The first one does not hit I don't care what anybody says. That is not a good arc. I do not care. You didn't care about Nami. Nami did not deserve to be saved in that arc. Nami was not good there. I like Nami better now but I'm just saying like she grew on me heavy because I did not I honestly
00:02:40
Speaker
individually did not like any character except Luffy because he's always been the goat and Zoro who's always been pretty, you know, funny, but like everybody else, I'm not gonna lie. Like I started to really like the squad because I like them now. Like I get it. Like I get it now, but it took, it did not, it took me over a hundred episodes to actually like catch my attention, which is ridiculous that I had to wait a hundred episodes before I realized, oh snap, I'm actually paying attention now.
00:03:11
Speaker
But you put yourself through it. You put yourself through it. I did that for y'all. Literally, I could understand what these memes meant. That's what I did it for. So that I can actually follow. Like I've, I just got to where Zorro lost his eye. Okay. I just hit where Zorro lost his eye. I still don't even know why Zorro lost his eye, but I'm assuming it's because he was in that training art. He, he, he, he didn't lost his eye at that point, but, but like,
00:03:40
Speaker
When I tell y'all, it took forever for me to care about this show. And then when I cared, I cared a lot. It kind of all happened at once. So I get it. The show's great. When you start seeing some of Oda's work come together, come full circle.
00:04:01
Speaker
like those little nuggets that he drops throughout the show and like how deep the lore gets and, um, how, how the story building, like I get it, but it takes a long time to build that. So that's what I got to say. Anybody who's like, Oh yeah, just give it a second. They all lie. You have to give it like, you've got to give it an entire decade. Like you have to get like over a thousand episodes and you got to get like a 10th of the way in to care. I feel like, um, it takes a long time to really invest.
00:04:31
Speaker
but it was worth it and I'm happy I'm here. And now I can have at least say I'm about halfway in, I'm about halfway through. So no spoilers, but that's where I'm at. So that is exciting. I mean, honestly, I had everything you said with 100% facts, but I think the tough, the thing that makes it come full circle is when you have that world building for so long,
00:04:54
Speaker
Then when you have like a Marine Ford arc or even the time skip, you're just like, Oh wow, I'm really invested in all these people. Like who's out post time skip. You're like, Oh my gosh, he's a better. Yes. Yes. Who's not post time skip. I was like, my guy had a glow up. Like his, I mean, his fit is looking good. Like he, he, yeah, he's having his whole, he's having his whole moment. It's great. It's glorious. Um, I have a feeling like,
00:05:23
Speaker
They're going to, they're going to keep my man, Jim Bay, but I haven't gotten there yet. So I know spoilers, but I do like Jim Bay. Um, yeah, I feel, I don't know the only, I wish he didn't have to announce it. I mean, I mean, I was getting at the beginning. Y'all I was getting real sick of going. I'm like, oh, stop. Have you noticed that Luffy's literally the only one that has to announce his fruit while he attacks?
00:05:51
Speaker
I mean, no, that's not true. I'm at the beginning. So now every, every single attack, I vivid everybody doing it. Everybody's saying their name. I mean, like three sword style. Yeah. Everybody's doing it. Yeah. But gum gum is just annoying. Yeah. I mean, even like, even, um, Oozop is over here. Like special attack. The green one hit though. That green star.
00:06:19
Speaker
Yeah. Everybody, everybody has to announce their attack. I mean, even Nami's out here announcing her staff spins. So I don't know what she has yet. I have not seen her development yet. I think I was, I mean, I know she's been studying with the weather people, but yeah. She got some development. All right. Please.
00:06:39
Speaker
Actually, she looks exactly the same. She just is more naked now. Exactly. Precisely. Oh my god. She learned how to control her body temperature.
Chainsaw Man and Vinland Saga: Deep Dives
00:06:49
Speaker
That's real weather control, honestly. Let's see, what else have I been watching? I feel like I've been dominating the waves. But I've also, I mean,
00:07:01
Speaker
we were talking about it earlier, but chainsaw man, cause it's been a while since we've talked chainsaw man was incredible. All right. Um, absolutely incredible. I, yeah, great. Um, I really liked their exploration about like what, what motivates you and like what, what satisfies you. I just think that like the subtext there, like what, what really drives you and makes your life meaningful and worth living. It's a really, really interesting way to
00:07:31
Speaker
characterize it, especially when the character starts at something like noble, but then like, then it just becomes about boobs. And then he grows up from that and it just kind of, he keeps chasing this, this moving target of satisfaction. So it's really interesting. I'm in Vinland Saga. This is like the season two. We all got to talk about that maybe later. I want to know what everyone thinks about Vinland Saga because I've been holding that one in.
00:08:01
Speaker
you've been holding that one in. That head shake is telling me how I think we're on that same, I think we're riding the same train. Let's talk about it now then. Let's talk about it now. Yeah, well, what's the head shake being cool on? Ah, these niggas, I can't remember the name of the guy who created them and soccer, but this nigga stressing me out. Okay.
00:08:22
Speaker
I'm serious. We saw the most vicious, just flat out dominating niggas. He was killing everybody. It didn't matter. The smallest to the tallest everybody was getting. All of a sudden, this nigga's a pacifist now. And I got to watch him get beat on and slashed up. He could have murdered every person on that farm by himself as a teenager. Why are we doing this to this man?
00:08:50
Speaker
I don't know. I kind of feel the same way. Hold on. Hold on. But the fact that he did that to him didn't make it more badass when he was fighting Snake, weaponless. No. No. He could have watched. Go ahead. Yeah, I hear this. He held his own without a weapon against the most yo person on the farm. Because he could have killed them himself without help in his sleep, nigga. And this is Rusty Thorfinn, mind you.
00:09:19
Speaker
This is his orphan, fresh in the game, at 14 years old, killing everybody. This is him, six, seven years removed, got off writers damn near probably, been sitting on the floor at somebody's shitty hay house. This isn't even the best that he has to give.
00:09:39
Speaker
You gotta watch everybody on that phone, by themselves. Anybody also sees like post time skiff, like freaking Thorfinn and be like, what in the hell is this design? Like my man with the ponytail is not giving. He is not certain, like that is not it. I don't know why they designed him that way. He doesn't even look like himself.
00:09:58
Speaker
I don't, I don't know why they designed, I feel like he was going to start growing towards looking like Thor's, but he just, with blonde hair, they really just took him in a whole different direction. They gave him his mindset slightly, but Thor's still through hands. So I don't, yeah, I don't really know. I don't really know. I feel like they're going to keep doing that. Yeah. I think, um, I think
00:10:28
Speaker
The king, the king's hanging out with his own father's head in his hallucinations. I don't know what that's about. I don't know. I don't know what they're going to do with King Canute, but we're going to, I guess, watch him get corrupted while Forfen gets saved. I don't know. It's a weird direction for me. The version paths are good, though. I kind of like that.
00:10:48
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, it would be cool, but like, I don't want to center around, I don't really like King Canoe. I'm not invested in him. Like, I don't, he hasn't earned that from me as an audience member. Like, I don't hate King Canoe, but I don't really, he's not that interesting. Like, I don't find him that interesting, I don't really. He just seems like a, this is what happens when you don't raise your kids. Well, I don't know.
00:11:10
Speaker
I don't I just don't really I like when he when he went to I forgot who who died someone was dying and he went and he had like that hallucination of them being like oh you show up after you poisoned me and like seeing him kind of go mad.
00:11:26
Speaker
I appreciate it a little bit. A little bit. The way that he was the way that he was nasty towards his own brother who was loyal to him and cared about him. I didn't like that. I don't know. It just didn't he like betrayed. And it wasn't it felt like it was trying
Dr. Stone: Simple Characters and Complex Science
00:11:38
Speaker
to be on the level of like maybe Game of Thrones, but it just didn't have that
00:11:42
Speaker
impact that like the betrayals in Game of Thrones had and like the shops in Game of Thrones, but I feel like it's, it's taking, it's in that same vein or in that same, um, taking notes from that same place. That's true. I will say Thor Gill. I fuck with him. Heavy. Yeah. He's a monster. Exactly. It was, him, him, him and snake really saved the season for me. Yeah. I like snake too. I do like snake, but
00:12:10
Speaker
the two main centering characters. I'm like, what in the world? And also, the only time, I think the most interesting thing for me this season too, because I don't really care. I mean, the slave girl, like her situation sucked, but it wasn't like, we spent a lot of time with her, but I don't really think we needed to. We spent a lot, a lot of time with her. But the character that I like when they go back and kind of bring up Asalad, Ascaland. Yeah.
00:12:39
Speaker
I like when they revisit his character and his impact on Thorfinn, because at some point I couldn't tell if Thorfinn loved or hated Askaland. Yeah. Is the fact that he's seeing him and he's guiding him, like saving him from like the underworld and all that stuff. Yeah. Yeah. You also bring up some other gel I've been watching, um, because I have others I could talk about because it's been so long. We have not talked, but.
00:13:07
Speaker
There's been a lot of animates in the meantime. Like I'm watching Dr. Stone right now, watching. Ooh, I have a question about that. Yeah. Well, I guess if you're watching it, you answered the question. But I meant to start Dr. Stone. And I heard that it is a letdown. Like people feel that it's like Thomas Neverland season two. No, no, nothing is as bad as Promise Neverland season two. Promise Neverland season two.
00:13:34
Speaker
went from quite literally, I would fight people about, I thought Promised Nether in season one was one of the best animates of all time. I would fight people. I would have put Promised Nether in season one. I liked it as much as I liked Full Metal Alchemist. I was really out here arguing on that level. And then when season two hit, the volumes of Devastation that that was, when the very last episode was a freaking PowerPoint slideshow, just no.
00:14:05
Speaker
Like, it is not in that. So I can't make them in the same boat, but season two doesn't feel or whatever season we're in now, it's not as good as the, it's not finishing right now where it started for me. Is it because there's no war, no impending war or anything? Like, why do you think it's not hitting the team? I think the characters aren't as dense to carry the story. It's a very like right now, because all the characters are a little bit
00:14:32
Speaker
They're not, they're not, they're, they're unidimensional overall. Like for the most part, they all have their shticks and the show doesn't really lean into character develop or character. Um, it's not a character centered show. I think it's more about the science and about the stories and more story driven show. So when the story lacks and there's less action, it's just being carried by characters and the characters are a little bland and you, I mean, they, they all have catch freezes and they all have like signature
00:15:01
Speaker
things, behaviors, whatever. So you already sort of know if the story's not, if the story doesn't carry enough or isn't pulling enough of a weight where you can't predict everything, you already know it's going to happen and you kind of know how things are going to play out and it can be a little boring. But the science always remains kind of interesting. I also think that towards the end, the science is starting to get more and more a little bit unbelievable. Like they're building things
00:15:30
Speaker
in an almost unearned way, like where they can make something that should take a long time really fast because Cinque was really smart. And now we're just saying, okay, well, he's smart. So like, we're jumping, we're making more jumps in logic than we were at the beginning where everything felt very, very earned. Yeah. So
00:15:49
Speaker
That's my little two cents. Like they built like a, in this most recent episode, they built a drone from like scraps and not in the same way that Tony Stark did in a game. It just felt like it was even less earned than that. Oh man. Okay. Well noted on Dr. Stone, maybe I'll sit that one out. But I did. I mean, at this point though, I'm watching it, so I'm going to keep going. Cause I'm really, the thing that's really keeping me in is like what caused the
00:16:19
Speaker
What caused the initial event that turned everyone to stone and who built it or if there is something, anything that's in control of that, what happened? So that's really the thing that's got me still coming because I think they're kind of getting deeper into that now. Because it didn't affect space, right? Because that's how his dad, that was like the loophole with his father, right? It has an area of effect. So yeah. That's real.
Demon Slayer vs. Hell's Paradise: Visuals and Action
00:16:47
Speaker
Come on, what you what you watching, sir? What am I watching? I've been watching Demon Slayer to the swordsmith village. Yeah, I haven't started it yet. But I heard great things.
00:16:59
Speaker
Oh, it's, it's, yeah, yeah. Now it is weekend, one hour. So Demon Slayer is getting to a point now where it's about to start going up just like, you know how, you know how my hero has a point where like, it might've been like the fourth or fifth season where we just action. Yeah. I feel like Demon Slayer is getting to that point where it's about to be like back to back to back, just nonstop shit happening. And I'm excited for it. I love that. The innovation is,
00:17:28
Speaker
Chef's kiss. Amazing. No one's touching them when it comes to that, honestly. Nobody. You photo bowl snaps. And I thought Studio Bones had something they could light a candle on them, but they can't. I'm sorry. All right. So since we're on that topic, you've seen Hell's Paradise and you've seen Demon Slayer. They were both aesthetically pleasing. And you had to choose which was more aesthetically pleasing.
00:17:54
Speaker
Demon Slayer. You like the bright colors. I mean, they're both bright, but have you seen their first episode of this?
00:18:06
Speaker
No, it's not even close. I saw so many TikToks of that first episode of my man just like rising on that little elevator in the 3d room, the, the rotoscopes, the, everything, everyone bones with that too, but the way, no, it's they're masterful. The camera work. It's not just the colors and the line work. It's the way that they move through a scene and they seamlessly blend 3d and 2d it's untouched.
00:18:32
Speaker
on top of like the colors and the, and it's very stylized. And I like that they just lean into it. It's very pretty. Now I'm not saying that, I mean, obviously we were comparing them to both because they're both beautiful. Right. So that's not to say the other one isn't beautiful, but when you watch them next to each other, it is, I cannot, I have to give it to be foldable. Yeah. Okay. I feel that.
00:18:59
Speaker
And I'm not even about to argue with you, because it's a win-win, to be honest with you. Yes, there will be. But demon slayer to the source, Miss Village. I've been watching some of those weird. Oh, you've been watching Hell's Paradise. Tell us how you feel about Hell's Paradise. Hell's Paradise is great. Honestly, I like it almost as much as I like Jujutsu Kaisen, which is saying a lot, because that is one of my favorites. That's a good comp. It is, but it's like, I can't.
00:19:26
Speaker
I can't get behind that. No, no. Aren't they considered? Isn't that considered one of like the dark triads? So like the, they said like demon slayer, jiu-jitsu Kaizen and Chinese song man are like, or sorry, I said that wrong. Um, the show you just said, um, paradise, jiu-jitsu Kaizen and, um, and.
00:19:51
Speaker
What's the third one? I just, I literally just said chainsaw man. Yeah. Those are the three. They say those are like the dark triad, like very, very like dark that are really popular and kind of their own. They're like their own little niche.
00:20:06
Speaker
I do think if you're ranking them, Chainsaw, I think in that order, Chainsaw Man, Jujutsu Kaisen, and... Wait, Chainsaw Man... I would argue strongly against them. Absolutely not. I love Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen. They are incredible. I think they are, but I think I put both of them, they both eclipse Hell's Paradise. I'm sorry. Jujutsu Kaisen currently does.
00:20:31
Speaker
I feel like, well, Hell's Paradise is still very early, too. And I'll come back with, I'll circle back with a public conclusion after the end of this first season, because you two Kaizen's first season was crazy. And they gave us 24 of them things. 24, like, let me tell you right now, if they stop Hell's Paradise at 12 episodes, they can kiss my ass.
00:20:53
Speaker
They're off the list. They're off the list, okay? They gotta, I need 24. I need 24. It's too good. You just introduced us to these seven weird niggas. I need 24. I need 24. The math gotta math, sir. I need it.
00:21:09
Speaker
I agree. You know, I agree with that. And then to clarify, I like all those, like all these are really, really good. I was excited when all of them dropped, but like the way that I stayed like addicted, I stayed hooked to the screen. When Jujitsu Kaisa came out, I told everybody about it. I don't care. Anime not anime. I was like, well, you got to watch the show. It's the best show. Easiest recommendation I've ever made. Please just go watch it. And then when Chainsaw Man came out, I was like, wow, I actually like this one maybe better. That's crazy. Cause I didn't think that was possible.
00:21:39
Speaker
Um, but I like both. They're both insanely good and for slightly different reasons. Um, but then this show comes out and I'm like, yeah, it's pretty good. I like it. And it's kind of hooking me, but I'm not like blown away by it the same way. So yeah.
00:21:56
Speaker
I feel that. I really, really like the dark shows, like the dark actiony shows. For some reason, I'm all over. I'm having more than they have behind it. They always have some lore, some Japanese folktale or folk story behind it that you're like, oh, I can get behind this. This seems like it's legit.
00:22:15
Speaker
Yeah, and then the whole Buddhism and it was a Buddhism and Hinduism that's kind of woven into the whole Hell's Paradise story. I'm interested in that.
00:22:27
Speaker
Cause I don't know anything about Buddhism either. I know, like I've known some of the tenants before, but like it's foreign. And I like how, I like sometimes when they weave religion into things, but not in like a overbearing way. Like it's more so about teaching or like highlighting these things that we take off of, that we have derived from that religion as opposed to it being about that itself. So I really, yeah. I love that too. Now that's a really good, really good point.
00:22:55
Speaker
Because people be asking me questions now you can learn a lot from anime just by like watching just about like the world so Yeah, I always like it when when when they do stuff like that masterfully Yeah, I like
Anime Themes: Folklore, Power, and Philosophy
00:23:09
Speaker
it too. That's a really good point and it's so funny you're talking about what you can learn from anime I feel like a lot of anime really do spend a lot of time like doing the deep dive and the research to like to actually make to ground the show in some kind of
00:23:24
Speaker
or folklore or philosophy or whatever. It's definitely rooted in something a little bit more tangible than maybe some other media, which is just pure drama. There's just some more substance that really is what unites all the shows. It takes substance and blends it with beauty and good storytelling, and it's just a very, very unique genre is born.
00:23:55
Speaker
OK, OK. I love it. Oh, yeah, I was saying, I've been watching some of these weird, like, I guess they're like Isekai's too, where this dude dies and then goes to another planet and he is somehow broken and has all of the skills. Hello, which one are you talking about? The aristocrats otherworldly adventure. Oh, that's my shit. I've been watching it. Hey, there's that nigga. What? I've been watching that one.
00:24:22
Speaker
The aristocrats? I haven't seen that one. Yeah, born as an aristocrat in another world. Yeah. I want to write that down. Well, I love it because, like, you guys know I'm, like, a big fan of OP characters. And I love when you have a scale in your world and you just break the scale off written. Yeah, like, literally, day one, I was like, yo. Speaking of that, Moshaw, the show. Yes. Yeah.
00:24:50
Speaker
knockoff, Harry Potter meets like, yeah, one, there's, yeah, that show, that show is definitely another one where I'm like, yo, this dude is bringing hands to magic, to a magic contest and is winning the way that he whoops ass has me on the floor. I'm like- When he had the Quidditch match and he was just floating in the air by kicking- With his legs, just, oh my God. And he also talks hella smack.
00:25:19
Speaker
And it's amazing. No, are you guys caught up on that? Oh, yeah, that's in the most recent episode. But I gotta, I gotta watch the most recent. I'm looking forward to it, though, because the way Oh, boy, like wrapped up the last one when you just kept using the explode, explode, explode. Yeah. And then
00:25:38
Speaker
You remember that scene in MASH actually when he was fighting the stone dude and he's like, I'm gonna take 10 punches from you. And then he knocked, he hits him one time and sits down. That was when I fell in love with the show. I was like, this nigga is a gangster. He took him out there and he said nothing. And then he gave him one, let him drop. Catch your breath. I'm gonna sit down. You got nine more coming. I was like, yo.
00:26:02
Speaker
He literally definitely bitched him. He was trying to, but you know what? Like that's the way you want all these people to get hands because honestly, the way that that guy was talking to the other character was just like, he was savage too. So you made him eat that. I don't know. That was a heavy dose of vengeance that I just really appreciated.
00:26:24
Speaker
And then when he, when he, uh, body slammed the girl, I appreciated that. I love it so much. Everybody could get these hands. Don't worry. I treat men and women equally. Oh my goodness. Yeah. You gotta love that. Yeah. That's what I knew. I liked it. It was when he said, don't worry. Everybody equal opportunity hands. These hands are rated E for everyone. Hey man, speaking of hands.
00:26:53
Speaker
that are for everybody.
Tokyo Revengers and My Hero Academia: Character Development
00:26:56
Speaker
Yeah, Tokyo Revengers, you guys watched this last season? The Christmas showdown? I have a small confession, guys. I've watched that show and absolutely there's no force on this earth that can make me like it. I know it's very
00:27:18
Speaker
It's, it's just forbidden. It's like a heinous thing to say around here, but I did not, I do not like Tokyo Revengers. Oh, so what wasn't doing it for you? Everything. I don't like anything about the show. Um, it doesn't make sense conceptually. Um, what, where are these kids parents? Um, why is a four, like a nine year old riding a motorcycle like around town and like,
00:27:43
Speaker
starting it just nothing about the show like I can't get on the premise it's just too foreign I don't understand it um there's only one character Mikey who makes any sense but then you learn his age and then it doesn't make sense immediately and I know that all anime look I know that all anime they always have like these really kind of sketch
00:28:02
Speaker
ages for what they're doing. But that one in particular, the way especially when they hit me with these flashbacks, and these characters are like seven, you really lose like you lose. But you like you like anime with kids. We just talked about Promise Neverland. I know, which is why I said like it's hypocritical. But when I tell you I just cannot like I do not. And the way that I mean, the main character at least at the beginning because the first season is only really all I got through.
00:28:30
Speaker
The way he just cries all the time, I've never really liked the crybaby main character. It's not relatable because he cries to me. You need more. So I don't know. I couldn't do it. It was not for me.
00:28:47
Speaker
That's fair. That's fair. So, you know, I like, I liked it though. It goes crazy. Very interesting. Especially given what you guys are just talking about, about old boy mash, body slamming women. It is brutal. It is brutal. Everybody gets hands in this season. It is wild, but you know, talking about cry baby, cry baby main characters, one that has grown on me.
00:29:10
Speaker
and is growing up now. Deku, because my hero academia was crazy. I was like, I'm eating a cry baby though. That's dumb. He grew up. He grew up. Well, in this season, especially, they don't mess him up. When he spent all that time just going rogue, he grew up a lot in that he's matured a lot.
00:29:35
Speaker
And they did this, like that whole story, the thing I appreciate, like when he, you get to the episode without saying exactly what happens when he fights his whole class. Like this man's exhausted. Yep. And holds his own is crazy to me. Yes. Like one on 24. What?
00:29:56
Speaker
Yeah, that's nuts. You gotta get that man some credit. That's also how the show goes from here on out. It's like one versus 24. Everybody's broken. Which is crazy. Because whenever I see a one versus any like crazy number, I immediately think of like Madara during the Shinobi War. And I'm like, oh, nothing's gonna top a one on like a billion fight. But
00:30:23
Speaker
They're trying to darn this, and I'm not mad at it. Yeah, but I still don't think that, no. I don't think that was that moderate moment in Naruto without rehashing what we know is greatness will always stand the test of time, sir. Greatness, you mean Mike Guy using Taijutsu? Yes, Taijutsu. That was like everything about the final war arc in Naruto was almost perfect. Except for Rock Lee not fighting in it.
00:30:51
Speaker
Yeah, that was tragic. Alex's favorite character in The Heart Took. Yeah, that's what sort of that
Dragon Ball and Fairy Tail: Critiques and Anticipation
00:31:02
Speaker
is. Have either of you seen this? Supposedly, there's like a Dragon Ball movie that had come out lately. Have either of you seen it? Oh, superhero, Dragon Ball superhero? Yeah. I have not seen it. But I was thinking about buying it this weekend, actually. I was thinking about it, too. But I'm going to be honest with you.
00:31:20
Speaker
I can't afford another TV. I say that because if I watch this movie and these niggas give Gohan a bullshit ass power up like they have been doing, I'm going to throw something at my television and I can't afford another one right now. So I need them to do this right. This is a high stakes situation. Allegedly, this power up they give Gohan puts him on par
00:31:45
Speaker
with Ultra Instinct Goku and Beyond Blue Vegeta. How does he magically... Oh, this is killing me. How does he magically jump to Blue Net, like past Blue? Because he wasn't at Blue territory before, was he? No. He felt like on par with Red Goku, but this thing almost knocked his ass out before the tournament. Yeah, I think they're just trying to...
00:32:11
Speaker
You remember when Gohan was actually relevant and he was like 14 or whatever, they talked about all his latent energy. I think the whole principle of it is that because he's both Saiyan and human, he can tap into like, Saiyans apparently are not as emotional, I guess, overall as humans are, but having strong emotions can unlock power in Saiyans, but because he's a human,
00:32:41
Speaker
he can do both like in like use his emotional, um, his emotional states to unlock really deep, like latent levels of power in him better than other groups. And I guess that that's why he's supposed to be so insanely broken just as a, without training. I think that's what they were trying to say that he did back in the day. He's always had this like really crazy power level because he was like the cry baby little kid and then just kind of grew up and trained and
00:33:11
Speaker
all this stuff. And I think that they're trying to go in that direction now. He can get insanely strong even with less training because he's the convergence of both. What about Trunks? I don't disagree with you. And I think that that's correct. However,
00:33:32
Speaker
I feel like, no, no, no, this isn't like me arguing with Alex. This is me arguing with the writers of Dragon Ball Z. It was the however for me. I was like, you're doing good. I feel like that reasoning doesn't. I feel like the same way that Alex was explaining how in Dr. Stone they start making these logical leaps that are like, ah, nigga, what you talking about? I feel like we're at that territory with Dragon Ball Z, because Gohan can't just be skipping these power levels.
00:33:59
Speaker
And I also feel like this is going to be slightly controversial. Dragon Ball Z is becoming trash to me. I say that because I have been spoiled with plot lines that make fucking sense. Did you too, Kaizen? I understand how the characters progress. I understand how their power levels rise and fall. These knickers in Dragon Ball Z scream and somehow have more stamina than when they started.
00:34:29
Speaker
How does that work? Emotion. Emotion. That's the exact premise behind Jujutsu Kaisen, literally. And it works better. These niggas are not like you had all these years. Y'all got to come up with a storyline that makes sense. And ain't no more tournaments of power to be had. There's no more random fights. They have fought everyone in every universe now. Why? How else does Dragon Ball Z survive? Well, let me say that. Oh, go ahead.
00:34:58
Speaker
No, I was gonna say, they only fought the universities that were about to get destroyed because they were the weak ones. Yeah, so there's like a whole extra, there's several universities that didn't even participate in the tournament that they can fight now. But I will say, you bring up something that makes a really good point, Kwon, because
00:35:21
Speaker
The reality is, a lot of these shows, what I've appreciated and didn't realize I appreciated so much is the creativity of how they apply these powers. As you know, again, I was talking about One Piece. I've been really fascinated with how uniquely you can apply some of these really strange abilities, but they can be used in these really cool and unique ways. That's part of the beauty of the world building.
00:35:49
Speaker
you know, just off rip. If someone told me like, all right, you have a character who's made of rubber, like give them powers. Like I would not have even remotely come up with some of the stuff that he's capable of. But even like in these new modern shows, you know, we're seeing really creative, you know, uses and applications of some of these maybe seemingly more simple
00:36:13
Speaker
powers or whatever. And I think that that's where Dragon Ball Z is lacking because really they are not, it's not, it's like losing some of that novelty and the creativity of how they're going about doing things. Like it's just punching and throwing punches and the storylines are recycled, same plot points as before. Like it's just like, you know, power scaling on power scaling, kind of like, you know, climbing and climbing in power levels. But like,
00:36:39
Speaker
you know, it takes a little more than just changing Goku's hair color. And I think that that's probably why this, um, his most recent ultra instinct was a pretty, was a hit in a way, because he, it's so different than like the other sand modes, which just got like, you know, maybe slimmer or bigger, but his, his, his base stats and stuff, like he's still throwing punches. It's just kind of got faster, but like this is more like, it just looked different in how
00:37:06
Speaker
how he unlocked this ability. And same with Ultra Ego. So I think that's probably the most novel direction they've taken in a while. That's fair. And make him pick a little orange. Don't even get me started. Oh, but you know Freeze is the most powerful entity in the universe. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. All right. Let's see. So I watched almost everything you guys were talking about, you mentioned.
00:37:36
Speaker
The only ones I will add to those
00:37:41
Speaker
I watched Blue Lock. Yes. Yeah, Blue Lock was phenomenal. I loved Blue Lock. I loved Blue Lock. It was so good. Yeah, that's the thing threw me for a loop. I'm not really that big into sports anime, but that one did it for me. And I watched it religiously. And I was also playing simultaneously in my work soccer league. So I told myself I was going to be Garu or Baru. And I'm like, yeah, I'm going to eat the field. I'm the king out here.
00:38:14
Speaker
And they gave us 24 episodes. So come on now. Give us 24 episodes of Chainsaw Man. I mean, not Chainsaw Man, Hell's Paradise. Mob Psycho season three. Yeah. Loved. And it might have been... Yeah, it was my favorite ending to a season of anime in a while.
00:38:37
Speaker
Although I will, the reason I had a little hesitation was I really liked the end. I'm not sure if they're doing another season, but I really liked the end of ranking of Kings as well. But I thought the end of Mob cycle season three was dope because, you know, I feel like a lot of people look for, a lot of people I know that want to animate and want a really happy ending. And this was not a happy ending, but he wasn't hurt by it not being a happy ending, which kind of makes it like a real happy ending. Yeah. It was like one of those like.
00:39:07
Speaker
crazy cycles, paradoxes, if you will. And then, much to Kwan's dismay, I watched all of Fairy Tail. I watched all of it. I watched all of it, damn it, and. How do you feel? I thought the end, all right, so one, way too much filler. Yes. Way too much filler. Two,
00:39:33
Speaker
I thought the end could have been better. They really rushed the end. They had filler, filler, filler up to the last eight episodes, and then they just threw a storyline together to get to the end. They tried to do a Full Metal Alchemist ending with the very last episode, which I did not appreciate.
00:39:50
Speaker
where like Natsu and Lucy are just like, he's like, I want to I want to go on adventures with you forever. Like, you can't top full metal alchemists. She's like, I'll give you all of me. Well, 85%.
00:40:08
Speaker
I did like some of the fights, you brought up a good point when you when you warned me about watching it, it gets really repetitive. Almost kind of like what we were talking about with Dragon Ball Z just now, like the power ups got really repetitive, and there's only so much you can do. And I think the juxtaposition of watching anime, current anime while watching like Fairy Tail, which I'm not sure when it finished, but you know, the first episode or so came out in like 2009 is like,
00:40:33
Speaker
Now I'm like the best part of your show is boxing like watching these characters fight. And I can watch anime that does it better and actually have a legitimate story behind it. So I was like, Oh, this is kind of a tough watch. And then the last one was or two more.
Anime Mentions: Erased, Spy x Family, and More
00:40:50
Speaker
One erased really liked the race that one's been out for a minute. But I watched the race because I told someone I like Tokyo Avengers and they're like, if you like Tokyo Avengers, and you like Death Note, you probably like erased and he was 100% correct.
00:41:05
Speaker
Uh, and the last one was recordist rock season two. That was dope. It only gave us like, how many episodes did they give us? Cause they split the season in two. Two parts. Yeah. I think it's like 12 episodes and then another 12 in like two or three more months or something like that. Yeah. The fights in it. I love that. That's one. I actually just watched her fights and they have like really interesting match-ups like Jack the Ripper versus Hercules, which is crazy.
00:41:32
Speaker
So it is good, actually. Jack the Ripper versus Hercules himself. It was a nuts fight, and I appreciated it. I feel like Hercules really should have won, bro. I can't in any... I don't know. He should have won, I agree with you. But he went out so noble that he really was a winner. Yeah, that's fair. Because he did love humans at the end of the day.
00:41:59
Speaker
yep that's fair okay and then i'll kick off the other part of just like anime that hasn't come out yet that we're excited to see probably oh before you do that though i just want to throw an honorable mention is i did watch spy x family it's another one
00:42:18
Speaker
That's the one I was about to start with. Damn it. Season two comes out in October, and I'm very excited for it. Oh, I thought we were talking about what we already watched. My bad. No, no. After that, I'm excited for it. Season two, season two of it. OK. But no, go ahead. Tell us more about it, Alex. What do you like about it? Oh, I'm just going to give an honorable mention. I'm kind of lukewarm on the show overall. I think it has some funny moments. Lukewarm? Yeah. Yuri is that woman.
00:42:45
Speaker
I mean, Yuri does not a whole show constitute. My favorite character in the last season was who I have affectionately named Borth, but it's definitely the Bond, the dog. I liked Bond. Yeah. I could have done without Bond personally, but I think that's because I'm not a dog person in real life.
00:43:11
Speaker
it didn't add to me anything to me. But the way he got jealous and like tore up some stuff that had me on the floor and also just him always saying borf is hilarious to me like why does why did they make him say borf doesn't even like that's not even ready just isn't right. I like it though.
00:43:32
Speaker
Though that's real. Yeah, I'm really curious to see it where they end off, especially the way they ended the last season, where Lloyd finally got to speak to his target. Oh, yeah. And the tennis match. That tennis match was a crazy episode with Nightfall. It was. Oh, man.
00:43:56
Speaker
Okay, okay. All right, we already mentioned Jiu Jitsu Kaizen. Definitely excited for season two, especially given that they had the movie in between. I'm like, are you gonna tie in the movie or not? Or is it too soon? I almost started reading the manga just because I wanted to know. Oh, you should. You should.
00:44:13
Speaker
I heard it's crazy. I heard the manga that I feel like nuts. It's crazy. You should. You should. I'm at the manga, so I have to be careful what I say and
Bleach, Black Clover, and Solo Leveling: Future Excitement
00:44:23
Speaker
what I don't. So if I get eerily quiet at any point in time, it's because I don't know whether I can talk or not. You know what? I'm just going to move past it. I was going to move past it. We get it. We love it. We didn't mention it, but I'm pretty sure all of us watched it.
00:44:37
Speaker
Bleach, thousand year blow. Yes. It's season two is coming out in the fall. Or it might come out over the summer actually. But yes, I'm so excited for it. Yeah, I don't want to do a good job with. Did you guys read it? Do you guys read the manga? The Bleach manga? Yeah, I did. Oh, so you know, you know what's going to happen then already. It's been a long time, but I do know.
00:45:07
Speaker
I do have enough spoilers that it's not going to be super surprising. I don't think unless they take a different direction, you never know. Yeah, it might perfect the flaws of the anime or the manga. I love when when anime do that, they go back and like fix some things that should have been done the right way.
00:45:29
Speaker
I don't know, man. I'm excited for it though, because the animation for it was just so sick. It was crazy. And even like some of the things that I didn't think, never watching Bleach though, my whole life, did I ever think I would be utterly infatuated with an episode that's geared towards each year old's mom.
00:45:50
Speaker
Like, she was dope. Like, when she hit the, when she hit the, what it, what it, was it the hollow? I was like, what? And she said, bang. That's crazy. She wants to be like, you scared, you're a meshy. Cause you, you have to show the anime of all time. Let's see, what else do I have here? A black clover. The movie comes out this, this week. It might come out this week, comes out in June.
00:46:18
Speaker
Yeah, very sad for that. I don't know what the movie is going to be about. To be honest, I didn't know they were doing a movie, but I was kind of I didn't realize that I was starting to miss Black Clover. Like I always considered it kind of like my my junk food, my junk food show. I loved it. Like I enjoyed it. I appreciated it. But I didn't like I wasn't, you know, feeling for an episode to episode for Black Clover. But it was definitely like you never like
00:46:45
Speaker
No, it was good. It was, I just always had viewed it as like a junk food, like something I got comfort food. Maybe that's maybe a better way to phrase it. So when it was, when it was out, I mean, Asta were fighting that demon. I was, I was feeding for it. I'm not going to lie. That was crazy. When he threw him the sword, that was crazy. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That was cool. I thought you said Nami at first, but I, yeah, I, I Yami with a Y. So when you said Nami, it was like, what, I just,
00:47:15
Speaker
I got confused. I take swords over titties any day, just so you know. Are you sure? I think so. I think so. You see how the answer changed that quickly? He was like, I'm going to do it. Possibly. Perhaps. Perhaps. I prefer both. I can will both. Why not? Then the last one I had on my list was solo leveling.
00:47:45
Speaker
Oh, I don't know much about at all. I think it's going to be another like isekai or sort of online type show. But the just like the stills of the art, like whatever art concept that they've been releasing has been so beautiful. I was like, Yeah, I gotta watch this. Yeah, all I've heard about solo leveling is that it's better than every anime we've seen so far.
00:48:10
Speaker
Like the way that the fandom hypes up solo leveling has me kind of like head scratch. So I don't, I don't know what to expect, but I'm, I'm looking forward to seeing if it lives up to the hype. Cause that's how people felt about chainsaw man when it came out. And I think fans, like the, the ones who love, love, love, love the loyalists to the manga, they liked chainsaw man, even though I thought it was like perfection. But I think that they didn't love it. I think they felt like there are certain things that it was lacking or like certain subtexts that they didn't
00:48:40
Speaker
hit that they wish they did. I wonder if that's what's going to happen with solo leveling where like the loyalists, the fan loyalists will be a little bit underwhelmed, but like the folks like us who come in a little bit green without knowing anything are just going to be mind-blowing. That's true. Yeah, I don't like that. All right. Yeah. Also, I want to throw an Audible mention out here. So another thing I've been watching or reading, I should say, is I've been reading some manois on Webtoon.
00:49:10
Speaker
And one of them is called ordeal. And I've been absolutely obsessed with that recently. And it's not, if you haven't seen it, the art is beautiful and gorgeous. I think the, the experience of reading Manwa is so much better than a lot of the manga. So if you haven't given it a shot, I would recommend downloading that the webtoon.
00:49:37
Speaker
app and then checking it out. It's called ordeal. That is, it's just, it's a really, it's really good. And I think that the author deserves some more credit. I think he is, he's a black man who writes this one. I think his name is Brett, but I want to actually look at his name. Hold on. What's his name? His name is Brentz Bristol. And he writes ordeal and he, the show is incredible.
00:50:07
Speaker
Um, I don't want to say too much about it. You just have to check it out. But it is based on, uh, in Trinidad. The characters are Trinidadian and they're basically like black and going crazy. Like the artwork is crazy. You just have to watch it or read it, I should say. But I think it's hard to, you say, I say watch because the art is so incredible that you actually feel like you're watching.
00:50:30
Speaker
Like Madwa, when you read it, at least on this app, there is even music that you can listen to while you're reading through it. That's timed when you get to certain panels. So the experience is so elevated from what you would typically get. They're full color panels, like 3D airbrushed quality art and like the music on top of it. And as it gets deeper in, he gets more and more refined and the music gets better. Like everything kind of picks up steam as you keep reading. So yeah, check it out.
00:51:01
Speaker
I'm going to go ahead and download that. Yeah, I got to look into this. Yeah. Oh, man. Well, it's been a pleasure having you guys back. It's been so long. I know. I got an honorable mention throughout there, too. A couple of them, actually, because we incarnated as a slime. It got announced that they're going to have a season, I guess it'd be three.
00:51:26
Speaker
Um, so I'm looking forward to that. And then we show who 10 say, I don't know if he ever got around to watching that Emerson. They have another season. I don't know how to spell it, sir. Um, I'll just put it in our chat. Yeah. I put a couple of things in there too. Um, especially about, I wanted, what was that show? You guys say it was like the wake up in another world. What does that call you? Oh, born as an aristocrat in another world. Oh yeah.
00:51:55
Speaker
What it's actually called? Yeah. Okay. I thought it was called the aristocrats otherworldly adventure. It could be that. It could be that. Let me know if it's right. Yeah, it's the aristocrats otherworldly adventure. Okay, go ahead, drop it in the chat. Go ahead, drop it in the chat. I got you.
00:52:23
Speaker
All right, anybody have any last thoughts? Can we circle back to Vinland Sagar for like two seconds? Yes. Why is it, I have two additional reps. One, why did they bench the greatest niggas since Yuji Rohanma? Why did they put him on the sidelines? You know who I'm talking about Emerson? Dorkel is a monster. He has not been in more than like two minutes of the show.
00:52:51
Speaker
an entire season. There's no way you can introduce us to a character like that and then let him sit on the sidelines and not get any shine. He has to go off. If I even watch this show next season, he has to go off.
00:53:09
Speaker
I think though, like, it may be this might be me like giving too much credit or overthinking it. But when what's his homies name that he inner inner inner when he was willing to fight to protect ainer. It made me go like, all right, cool. Because he nest the second time he broke his vow to not fight.
00:53:32
Speaker
So I'm like, all right, cool. So he realizes that he is capable of fighting without it being wrong, air quotes wrong. So that might allow him to come back out in these streets and put the brakes on people. To be honest, without killing. Yeah. Yeah. That's a good point.
00:53:51
Speaker
I think that I appreciate Hell's Paradise more because these niggas have tortured me with Vinland Saga for the last four years. So I applaud Vinland Saga for the fact that they have given us some of the same emotional torture that Thorfinn has to go through, trying to figure out whether he wants to be a violent person and how to reform his life. And we're sitting here watching him go through these debacles. And we're getting irritated watching it, which I'm sure is just a fraction of how he feels.
00:54:20
Speaker
However, I think it also made me appreciate Hell's Paradise because Bobby Maro doesn't have these discussions with himself. He's not sitting there worried about whether I'm trying to say, he's like, damn, I got to kill you. He does, he does that. I don't want to, but die. That's his conversation, let me just do it. Yeah.
00:54:39
Speaker
I'm growing tired of characters having moral dilemmas. When we were younger, I didn't mind it. But as an adult, I'm like, if I have to do something, I'm going to do it. Fuck all that, oh, I don't know. Maybe I shouldn't. Bye, nigga. We're not having any discussions. You over here talk about some how dare you have a conscience. Yeah. Right now, I don't. Why are we having this?
00:55:09
Speaker
I don't know. It's just, it gets, it gets to be tiring. But that's, that's, I put my soapbox away. I'm done. I like an affirmative decision. Like make a choice and stick to it. And that's why I think I like got Maro. Cause even when, before they left to go to the Island, he was like, I really have to kill these people. I don't want to kill these people. I guess I got to kill these people. Like, and then they all die. Like viciously tied up. Yes.
00:55:38
Speaker
It's just, I don't know, like I like- He gives Chikamaru energy sometimes. That's a sensational hump. Yeah. Cause he is crazy smart too. So you get that like analysis that Chikamaru always does when he fights. That's fair. When he was like fighting the giant and he was just like analyzing everything he needed to do. And quickly too, like two punches. He'd be like, damn, I can't fight. I gotta go. Yeah. Yeah. Like stay calm. Think about it. Everyone has a weak spot. Where, where can I hit him?
00:56:08
Speaker
What can I do? Yeah, just very analytical. I also think that stuff like that, like the analytic moments where you like into the character's thoughts, like overlooking them, you get like, it makes you more invested because we've been in similar situations before where you have to do like critical thinking on your feet in the moment. And like that, that is overlap there. So it makes me now identify more with the material that I'm watching. Yeah. Also like what would I do if like I had his abilities and I was like,
00:56:35
Speaker
In the moment, I actually appreciate that they don't just let him sit around while he's thinking. There's some moments, for example, Blue Lock. Absolutely loved Blue Lock. It was phenomenal. But there are definitely some moments where we stayed in my boy's head in such a long... We heard his whole thought. The whole half the episode was a soliloquy, but he's got this much time in real time to do it.
00:56:59
Speaker
So I appreciate that though, because then I think for Blue Lock, especially it lets you see how dope like Ren for a character further ahead. He was noggy. He was my man. I love noggy. What's his name? Bocciro? I love Bocciro's episodes. Yeah. Bocciro was nuts too. I liked all the characters. Who's the one that keep calling princess? Shigiri?
00:57:27
Speaker
The one that they kept calling Princess? Yeah, with the long red hair. The one that was super fast. Oh my gosh, I cannot remember his name. I know exactly who you're talking about though. I liked him too. He was super dope. Like having to get past his failures. Yes. Oh man, what a time. Anime is just a beautiful place to be. It is.
00:57:50
Speaker
All right, guys, it's been a pleasure. Now we have to actually schedule episodes. Yeah, I mean, at least we got the ball rolling. We got the ball rolling. We're going to give the people more. Kawan made a promise. Damn. OK. Yeah, we got to. We missed y'all. Yeah, that's facts. Stay with us. Don't travel to see Beyonce. I was like, I don't know if we can compete with Beyonce.
00:58:18
Speaker
I don't think anybody could be weird. Oh my gosh. All right, y'all. Bye. Bye. Deuces. Yo. Ice in my veins, cold and freeze. I protect my own like cocoa and Vegeta. This is my story, pain in the glory. Taking it back all of my territory. Black out the berry, the sweet out the juice. Stock out the flesh.
00:58:48
Speaker
I rock with melanin, just get you vibed with ya Laughing in the face of danger, flexing my guns and the eye of defeat I am the voice of the night of all of my people, unleashing the power in me Deep in my genes, this is my destiny This is my legacy, won't get the best of me
00:59:04
Speaker
make you disappear like Mr. compress I'm making moves and silence in the shadow like oh god gave my brother can you pass me the wasabi Nigga I'm black as fuck and proud of it I won't be modest no, ain't no blockin' me
00:59:20
Speaker
I overcome every obstacle Like a rose out of the concrete I accomplish the impossible Like a rockin' bakugo, yeah, I'm unstoppable Still I rise from the ashes Mama told me never settle And if I can handle all that I got now I'm made for metal Melaninjas, yeah, yeah, metal Melaninjas Black as my skin, how about that?
00:59:49
Speaker
The MacMella Ninjas Black as my skin, power within