An action-packed episode that still manages to be mostly setup. The image of Queen unleashing the Plague Rounds on the samurai is one of the more distinctive images in the raid on Onigashima. The giant golden chaingun, the chaos unfolding on the floor below, the monstrous transformations mid-battle - it has echoes of Punk Hazard crossed with a bit of American Gladiators in a way that I find pretty engaging.
Most of the episode focuses on the settling of old scores. Wano is just as much about prior arcs as it is about the drama surrounding the island itself. In many ways Wano is such a huge arc because it is the culmination of basically every post-timeskip arc. From Kinemon and Momonosuke's introduction in Punk Hazard to the conflict between Jack, Dogstorm, and Catviper in Zou and the ongoing fallout from Whole Cake Island - the entirety of the post-timeskip era is coming to a head here.
This is a blessing and a curse. It can be too much at times and leave the narrative feeling increasingly overwhelmed and disjointed, much like last episode. Simply laying out the connective tissue between point A and point B for the huge cast can be a massive time sink. At times it is still entertaining or refreshing, but as of late the fatigue has been getting to me more often than not. 1003 has a lot of high moments of drama, particularly for the various Mink characters. But I still can't help but feel that these moments would have hit harder if they weren't all coming one after another in rapid succession.I wish the Dogstom/Catviper/Jack drama was its own episode AND the Carrot/Pedro/Charlotte drama was its own episode. Instead, due to time constraints, these hit within minutes of each other and then we're off to the races again with the Akazaya Nine.
I suppose complaining about “too much cool stuff happening at once” is a bit ridiculous, but I wish these moments had more space to breathe. Alas, we have a lot to cover…
Pokémon Horizons continues to display some of the best the franchise offers with great character work, creative setpieces, surprisingly strong direction, and a focus on a plot that continues to feel engaging.― Pokémon Horizons felt like a breath of fresh air as a new mainline Pokémon series. With a more timid and empathic main character and a stronger emphasis on the adventuring aspect of being a Po...
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Suzumura to concentrate on recovering from deteriorating health condition― Talent agency Intention announced on Thursday that Kenichi Suzumura will take a break to concentrate on resting due to poor health. The agency stated that Suzumura's health condition continued to deteriorate, and after a diagnosis from the doctor, it was decided that he needs to take a break. The agency stated that it will pr...
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Crunchyroll to stream upcoming anime― Aniplex and Crunchyroll announced on Wednesday that the late manga creator Hisaya Nakajo's Hana-Kimi manga is inspiring an anime. In addition, Crunchyroll announced that it will stream the anime when it premieres in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, the CIS, and India. The announcement did not reveal the deb...
James and Lynzee look into Hideaki Anno's latest hint that there might be more Evangelion after the last movie and news on the Lord of the Rings anime film!― Could There Be More Evangelion on the Horizon? James and Lynzee look into Hideaki Anno's latest hint that there might be more Evangelion after the last movie and news on the Lord of the Rings anime film! Plus, we catch up with Kafka and the Ka...
Grant Jones dives into the wild world of giant monsters and how Kaiju No. 8 builds on their legacy.― Kaiju No. 8 is a series that wears its influences on its sleeves. As the first word in its title suggests, it comes from a long line of works in the kaiju genre, using giant monsters and burning skylines as a backdrop to tell stories. While many likely know kaiju in a passing sense, it may help to h...
This steamy manga's appeal is going to depend on how much you can stomach a female protagonist who kicks off the romance by assaulting her former fiance.― This is a tricky one. Before You Discard Me, I Shall Have My Way with You is, to all appearances, a story that opens with a sexual assault. Agnès has been betrothed to Crown Prince Lucilleur since childhood, and she's been in love with him just as...
Japanese studio to handle production slated for broadcast, streaming globally― Kadokawa and Singaporean game developer and publisher Garena announced on Monday that they are co-producing an anime adaptation of Garena's Garena Free Fire battle royale shooting game, with a Japanese studio handling the animation. Kadokawa's Kadokawa Qingyu subsidiary is the production manager. The anime is planned to b...
Healer Nanna's powers have one very unique caveat: she has to have sex with the person to heal them. See why Rebecca Silverman calls it "a cute story, decently racy, and generally good, fluffy fun."― One of the fun things about Seven Seas' Steamship line of racy manga aimed at a female audience is finding which romance tropes are prevalent in any given release. While every genre has its tropes and s...
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