# More Than Headlines | David Wald vs Crunchyroll, Solo Leveling -ReAwakening-, Sakamoto Days, Dandadan, Dragon Ball Diama, Yakuza Fiance, You Are Ms. Servant, Marriage Toxin

An episode of [Sakura Society | An Anime Appreciation Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1667084472), 17 Nov 2024, 55 min.

Audio: https://op3.dev/e/podcasts.captivate.fm/media/b775dc09-4060-42d9-b49a-287ca77f198f/Headlines-24.mp3

The twenty fourth episode of More Than Headlines, your go-to podcast for all things anime is here and it's bringing with it a tasty serving of curry that was made with love. Join hosts Brendan White and Courtney Smith every week as they dive into the latest news, rumors, and must-know updates from the world of anime. Whether you're a seasoned otaku or just getting started, this is your ticket to staying informed and entertained. Don't miss out on the freshest insights and hottest gossip in anime 🥳 Episode twenty four sees the rivals discussing: • David Wald leaves Crunchyroll • Solo Leveling -ReAwakening- • The latest promo video for Sakamoto Days • Laid Back Camp is getting a fourth season • Aka Akasasa working on their next manga • Yakuza Fiance is getting SPICY • The Oshi no Ko story officially comes to a close • Dandadan's perfect seventh episode - our review • Ongoing impressions on Blue Box, You Are Ms. Servant and Ranma 1/2 • + lots more anime yappage! If you enjoy the show, please rate, review, like, and subscribe to Sakura Society | An Anime Appreciation Podcast — and any other podcasts you love. It takes seconds, costs nothing, and means everything to us creators. (The algorithm only accepts 5 stars, just so you know.) • Stay up to date with me on Bluesky | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter • Join our Discord — a community full of anime and culture fans just like you • Follow my anime Spotify playlist My amazing sponsors: • Audio-Technica — the best in audio equipment • Iced Tea Aesthetics — anime streetwear done right (use code SAKURASOCIETY5 at checkout to save $5) • Japan Crate — Japanese snacks and treats delivered to your door (use code ATEBIT15 at checkout to save 15% + get free shipping) Affiliate links: • Captivate.fm - the best podcast hosting platform • Komi.io - the best linkinbio website • Riverside.fm - the best remote video/podcast recording platform

## Chapters

- 0:14 Introduction to the Podcast
- 0:42 The Emotional Journey of Anime Viewing
- 12:27 Exciting New Releases and Updates in Anime
- 20:44 Exploring the Depths of Anime Relationships
- 30:15 The Heartwarming Journey of Yuki
- 40:45 Tonal Shifts in Dundadan: A Deep Dive into Episode 7
- 52:00 The Emotional Impact of Dandaran's Final Moments

## Transcript

[0:14] Hello and welcome to More Than Headlines weekly anime news podcast
[0:17] powered by Audio Technica.
[0:19] Made by Australians for global citizens.
[0:21] I'm your extremely humble host, Brendan White, AKA the salt
[0:24] and pepper senpai.
[0:25] And joining me in the studio, my trusted co host and rival, the
[0:28] grace to my yuki, Ms.
[0:30] Courtney Smith.
[0:31] How the bloody hell?
[0:33] Oh, yeah, I am amazing.
[0:35] How are you?
[0:36] I am doing pretty bloody great.
[0:38] It is arcane Saturday.
[0:41] Get ready.
[0:42] Because I don't know if my emotions have repaired themselves
[0:45] enough from the first three episodes, let alone all the other
[0:48] stuff I've consumed this week that has me feeling very, very vulnerable
[0:51] and very fragile.
[0:53] This week.
[0:54] You know that episode of Spongebob where Mr.
[0:56] Krabs loses his shell and he's just like a pink blob?
[1:00] That's how I feel this week.
[1:02] Yeah, I am also pink blob.
[1:04] And right now, and it's not a good time.
[1:06] Like, I love and I'm very thankful for all the art that we've
[1:09] consumed this week, but man, my little old heart is on life support.
[1:14] So.
[1:15] Yeah, someone send help, please.
[1:17] Yeah, it has been a week of tears for sure.
[1:21] And, like, not even like, bad tears or like good tears, but just
[1:27] like, anime tears.
[1:29] And anyone that's watched anime knows how much crying does
[1:32] occur in anime and how big the tears are.
[1:34] It's just like rivers out of your eyes, you know, it's like waterfalls.
[1:38] Just so.
[1:39] Yeah, my eyes are a little stingy at the moment because I've.
[1:43] I've watched Dandadan episode seven three times since, like, it
[1:47] came out yesterday.
[1:48] And yeah, I'm.
[1:50] I'm hurting.
[1:51] I need a cuddle.
[1:52] Are you okay?
[1:53] No.
[1:54] In many reasons, no.
[1:56] Why would you subject yourself?
[1:57] I literally, I went from having like a menti be to watching
[2:02] that episode and it was just like, constant crying.
[2:05] I was like, oh, my God, my eyes were so puffy afterwards.
[2:09] Like, the number three, like, yeah, I.
[2:11] I caught it during the day and then when I got home last night,
[2:14] I watched it again and then I had it on while I was just putting
[2:17] in my notes for this episode.
[2:20] So the third watch, like, I sort of just skipped the first few
[2:24] minutes and just wanted to catch the back end to just to get
[2:27] some of the wording and sort of scenes more embedded in my head.
[2:30] But then, yeah, my eyes started to catch fire and here we
[2:34] are.
[2:35] You are crazy.
[2:37] Crazy for that.
[2:38] I've been called much worse this week, so I'll take it.
[2:41] So thank you, Courtney.
[2:42] But yeah, we're here.
[2:43] Episode 24 of More Than Headlines.
[2:46] It is exciting.
[2:46] We are recording on November 16 at nearly 3pm Australian Eastern
[2:52] Daylight Savings time.
[2:53] We've got some good news to talk about then we'll be deep diving
[2:56] on some of the things we've been consuming this week as well.
[3:00] So what do you think, Courtney?
[3:01] Shall we start off as a tradition?
[3:03] Let's read the news.
[3:04] Let's do it.
[3:05] You like the news?
[3:13] What do you got for us?
[3:15] All right.
[3:16] After making the claim that Crunchyroll opened his mail without
[3:19] permission, English voice actor David Walsh is leaving his
[3:22] role as Gajeel in Fairy Tale, as well as refusing to return to
[3:26] Crunchyroll's recording studio.
[3:28] Wald claims on Twitter X back in October that his fan mail was
[3:32] being opened for years without permission by Crunchyroll staff,
[3:35] with letters being thrown away and items handed out to staff for
[3:38] free.
[3:39] Some items were allegedly returned to him after being found
[3:42] on the company's giveaway table.
[3:43] Crunchyroll has told Anime News Network that it is investigating
[3:47] these allegations.
[3:49] I'm honestly glad that Wald stood his ground here because it's
[3:53] never, ever appropriate for this to happen in the workplace or
[3:57] at all.
[3:58] But especially as someone who has had things like this taken from
[4:01] me and not returned at work.
[4:03] Rest in peace, my golden ice cream scoop.
[4:08] I feel very bad for you.
[4:09] Golden ice cream scoop.
[4:10] And rest in peace to my Mont Blanc fucking pen that someone stole
[4:14] from my office years ago that I'm still salty about, very clearly.
[4:17] But, yeah, don't touch other people's is what it comes down to.
[4:21] Like, and if you're going to ask permission first, maybe be a
[4:25] good human being.
[4:26] But circling back to this, totally agree.
[4:28] And yeah, good on Wal.
[4:30] But I am very much impatiently waiting for him to spill all of the
[4:35] tea, though, on this whole situation, because after that sort
[4:38] of tweet that he fired off last week, he said that in quotes.
[4:42] Maybe I just become the whistle that never stops blowing.
[4:47] So what tea is David Wald going to be spilling in the foreseeable
[4:52] future about the.
[4:53] The Crunchyroll workplace and maybe the broader anime community?
[4:56] I am so curious and so intrigued, Courtney.
[4:59] Oh, my God, that's such, like a mic drop.
[5:02] Like, maybe I'll just become the whistle that never stops blowing.
[5:08] It's sexy, too.
[5:09] That's a bit of a sexy thing to say.
[5:11] Like, you know, there's a lot of context that could be taken from
[5:14] that.
[5:14] But, yeah, don't touch other people's stuff.
[5:17] Respect people's personal space and just be good humans.
[5:21] Yeah.
[5:21] And I don't know who took my golden ice cream scoop back at my
[5:26] old job, but I want it back.
[5:28] Okay.
[5:29] I don't own an ice cream scoop.
[5:31] And that was a cool one from Messina.
[5:33] Oh, yeah.
[5:34] You know what?
[5:34] And I know that probably would have cost a pretty penny because
[5:36] ain't nothing cheap at Messina.
[5:38] Like, the pistachio praline is worth it, but also, like, settle
[5:42] down a little bit, Messina.
[5:43] I remember when you just started in Parramatta way back in
[5:45] the day, and I was one of people to try it, and the queues
[5:48] weren't as long, the costs weren't as high, and yeah, just.
[5:52] Just get back to your roots, Messina.
[5:53] All right?
[5:53] Stop selling out to everybody.
[5:55] Yeah, Messina, we love you.
[5:59] We do love you, Messina.
[6:00] But, like, come on now.
[6:01] Maybe.
[6:01] Maybe send Courtney another gold ice cream scoop that will.
[6:04] That will sort of make everything be water under the bridge.
[6:08] Okay.
[6:09] All right, What's.
[6:10] What's next?
[6:11] Yeah, moving on.
[6:12] Valet gold ice cream scoop.
[6:14] A minute long trailer for Solo Leveling Reawakening was streamed
[6:17] this past week with more info about theatrical releases of the
[6:20] film.
[6:21] The Solo Leveling movie is a recap of the first season of the
[6:24] anime and will be released in Japan in Japanese theaters from November
[6:27] 29th.
[6:28] The film will then screen in cinemas in the US and Canada from
[6:32] December 6th.
[6:33] We're hoping to hear about an Australian release soon.
[6:36] Fingers, toes, noses crossed.
[6:38] Yes, please, I'm begging.
[6:41] The film comes out with good timing though, as Solo Leveling season
[6:44] two Arise from the Shadow will begin airing on Crunchyroll in January
[6:48] 2025, which is less than two months.
[6:51] I cannot wait.
[6:52] Courtney.
[6:53] I am super hyped.
[6:54] Solo Leveling was one of my favorite new anime of the past year.
[6:58] And knowing where this story goes because I have cheekily read
[7:02] the entire manoir and I'm all over this world.
[7:06] It is fantastic and I'm so hyped.
[7:09] Also, very excited to announce we'll be actually interviewing Mr.
[7:13] Alex Lee, who is the voice actor for Sung Jin Woo in the English
[7:16] dub of Solo Leveling.
[7:18] So keep your eyes and ears peeled for that one.
[7:20] Hitting this feed in audio and video forms in the very near future
[7:24] as well.
[7:25] I'm so excited to hear your interview.
[7:28] What kind of questions do you want to ask him though, if you haven't.
[7:32] Sort of put this together about me?
[7:35] I like to dabble with the fun.
[7:37] I like to make things a little lighthearted.
[7:39] So it will be enjoyable.
[7:41] It will be memorable.
[7:42] I don't want to just have the generic, oh, what do you think about
[7:46] Solo leveling?
[7:47] You know, how can you relate to Sung Jin Woo.
[7:50] Like, yeah, like, I'll weave some of that type of stuff in, but
[7:53] I'm gonna get out in the weeds and do some very extensive research
[7:57] on Alex Lee and throw him some welcome curveballs.
[8:01] I hope.
[8:02] For better or for worse, that's what's happening.
[8:04] I just want to quote you as saying, I like to dabble in the fun.
[8:11] That's the quote of all time.
[8:13] That's gonna be on my gravestone when it's all said and
[8:16] done.
[8:16] Brendan dabbled in the fun.
[8:19] It was like became and it was.
[8:21] What is it?
[8:22] That was his downfall.
[8:24] Back to solid leveling, though.
[8:26] I honestly think we'll be getting an Aussie release of the
[8:28] film because Sony and Crunchyroll are distributing in the
[8:31] US And Canada and they also do they have like a Australian arm as
[8:37] well where they do distributions of these films.
[8:39] Like, we had Spy Family, I think it was.
[8:43] Is the movie called Operation Strix?
[8:47] No, that's the overall it was White.
[8:49] Oh, Operation White.
[8:50] That's right.
[8:50] Code White.
[8:51] And they did that.
[8:52] And they've done a bunch of others.
[8:54] They did the Haikyuu movie.
[8:56] So I'm pretty sure we will be getting this release.
[9:00] But I'm also so excited for season two of this anime.
[9:04] But how the hell are we already at the end of this year?
[9:08] It's insane to think about.
[9:10] Like time flies when you're having fun.
[9:12] And I think for the most part we've been having a lot of fun here
[9:15] in podcast form and in life form this year.
[9:17] It's been a big year.
[9:18] But yeah, that whole cliche that time seems to be speeding up.
[9:22] Feels like it runs truer and truer every year.
[9:25] Because yeah, we're.
[9:26] We're just about to tip into December.
[9:28] It's.
[9:28] It's insane to think about.
[9:29] But I'm thankful for the year that we've had so far.
[9:33] Me too.
[9:34] I'm also thankful for an announcement about the Sakamoto Days
[9:38] anime.
[9:39] The promo video has been released on the series official website,
[9:43] and the video includes a bunch of cool action scenes as well as
[9:46] a snippet of the show's opening theme song.
[9:49] The video also reveals that the first episode will release on
[9:52] January 11th, and the series will run for two cours with the second
[9:57] part starting in July of 2025.
[9:59] So I watched the promo video and it's first of all, it's so cool.
[10:04] Like it's just full of these like cool action scenes and cool
[10:07] like shots of them like walking around.
[10:11] But already.
[10:12] Brendan, this won't be a Surprise to you, but I have a crush
[10:15] on Sakamoto already.
[10:17] I'm not at all surprised.
[10:19] And like, his physical transformations that happen in this
[10:23] franchise are a sight to behold.
[10:25] Like Sakamoto, whether he's in, I guess, out of shape convenience
[10:29] store Sakamoto or Badass Super Assassin hot to trot Sakamoto, like,
[10:35] he's bringing two flavors to this world and both are very tasty
[10:39] for very different reasons.
[10:40] And I'm not at all surprised.
[10:42] When you saw fit Badass Killer Sakamoto, you went, oh my, it's a
[10:46] little hot under this collar here.
[10:47] So, yeah, I knew it was coming.
[10:49] It was inevitable because I had seen like, from the promo art,
[10:55] like, the key visuals that, you know, he does have his assassin
[11:00] form, but, like, we hadn't really seen anything animated yet.
[11:04] So I was like, oh, like, I know he's going to be like a daddy,
[11:06] it's fine.
[11:07] And then we saw him in the promo and I was like, oh, yeah.
[11:12] Whether you want, like daddy or dad bod, you get both in this.
[11:16] So, yeah, he's serving for all tastes and flavors.
[11:20] Serving Messina ice cream with your gold spoon.
[11:24] He stole it.
[11:25] He stole the scoop.
[11:27] But yeah, I'm so excited for Sakamoto days come January.
[11:31] I love that we're getting, you know, 24ish episodes, I'm guessing
[11:34] is the rule of thumb, like 12 and 12 is my understanding, is how
[11:38] this is going to play out.
[11:39] So super duper mega hype for that.
[11:42] I've been saying it and you've been saying it since we first announced
[11:45] or we, since we first like, wished this rumor into existence
[11:49] way back in, like episode one or two of this podcast, that this
[11:52] is going to be one of the next big things.
[11:54] And I am like doubling down, tripling down, quadrupling down on
[11:57] that because I think it's going to be one of the biggest and
[11:59] best anime of 2025.
[12:01] And it will be in the same discussion as Solo Leveling, Kaiju
[12:05] Number eight and Dundadan once the thing starts rolling.
[12:07] Because it is that good.
[12:08] The franchise is great.
[12:09] I love it.
[12:10] I love the manga.
[12:11] And yeah, these trailers just get me more and more excited for
[12:14] next next year.
[12:15] Yeah, it really.
[12:17] I feel like we've had heavy hitter after heavy hitter after heavy
[12:22] hitter and I'm so glad.
[12:25] It's amazing.
[12:27] But let's talk about what's on the horizon.
[12:29] Let's talk about some rapid fire news, because there is actually
[12:32] a fair bit compared to last week, presented by our friends over
[12:36] at Otaku Box, the Only anime box with scale figures, voting and
[12:39] ecchi.
[12:41] My God.
[12:41] Liz sent me some stuff to my inbox the other day.
[12:45] Like the spice levels were.
[12:47] Were at a high, I think.
[12:48] Courtney.
[12:49] There is so much getting done over at Otaku Box.
[12:52] There is.
[12:52] Like we were talking about a flavor and a taste for everybody
[12:55] regarding Sakamoto.
[12:57] The Otaku Box has that and then some.
[12:59] Like no matter what you're craving, it is there.
[13:02] But just get ready because it's a bit of a sexy time.
[13:05] Okay.
[13:05] Otaku Box, if you're listening husbandos, that is my request.
[13:11] I think that's accurate.
[13:12] Yeah.
[13:13] Yeah.
[13:13] But let's talk about the Rapify news.
[13:15] So Laid Back Camp or Yuru Camp is getting a fourth season, which
[13:22] I think this will be like the fourth official season.
[13:26] But they've had a lot of spin off series as well.
[13:28] So there's just so much Laid Back Camp and I love that show so
[13:32] much.
[13:32] It's just as the title says, like it's Laid Back.
[13:35] It's easy watching.
[13:36] It is just a little cozy, cute anime about a bunch of girls going
[13:40] out, getting into the wilderness, camping, living their
[13:42] best life life dealing with high school and everything else in
[13:45] between.
[13:45] Like it is just warm and wholesome and it makes you feel good
[13:49] because it's just.
[13:50] It's just nice, cozy, fun watching.
[13:53] And yeah, I'll be checking out season four when it drops because
[13:55] yeah, I've loved the first couple of seasons before that.
[13:58] Yeah, it's so.
[13:58] It's so fun.
[14:00] Like just.
[14:02] Oh yeah, cozy watch.
[14:04] Very cozy.
[14:06] We also now have a date for the second season of Toilet Bound
[14:10] Hanako kun.
[14:12] They'll be releasing that in on January 12th.
[14:15] So in Japan.
[14:17] January 12th.
[14:18] We'll hopefully get simulcast.
[14:20] If not, we'll get it probably the day after.
[14:23] Yeah.
[14:24] So two days after episode one of Sakamoto Days airs.
[14:27] So there's a little bit of breathing space where you can jump
[14:30] from Sakamoto to Hanaka kun.
[14:32] So yeah, get excited because it's.
[14:34] It's also just a fun watch.
[14:35] Like it's so silly.
[14:36] But I.
[14:37] I love it.
[14:37] It's just easy, enjoyable.
[14:40] Toilet based madness.
[14:41] Spirit based madness.
[14:43] I feel like there's not even that many toilets.
[14:45] Like it can.
[14:47] It is a little misleading.
[14:48] Now you, now you say that out loud.
[14:49] And I think back, I'm like, yeah, we don't get too many toilets.
[14:52] I mean I'm.
[14:53] I'm grateful.
[14:54] Like I wouldn't want the whole thing to be about a toilet.
[14:57] But anyway, the designer of cinema role Miyuki Okamura has left
[15:05] Sanrio to become a freelance artist.
[15:08] That's interesting because, yeah, she's decided to sort of do
[15:11] her own thing and further study drawing and writing and sort
[15:14] of, I guess, further hone her craft.
[15:16] So let's see what happens with your little.
[15:18] Your little mate there in the future.
[15:20] Like, I'm assuming, like the character is still heavily owned
[15:23] through Sanrio, but what's going to happen is the production
[15:27] quality going to drop?
[15:28] Is she going to do like a little sort of offshoot that's going
[15:30] to compete with Cinema Roll?
[15:32] Who knows, Courtney?
[15:33] But I'm here for it.
[15:34] Oh my God.
[15:35] Can you imagine Cinema Roll?
[15:37] Who will win?
[15:37] Cinema Roll or evil Cinema Roll?
[15:43] That's the question that's going to keep me up late at night
[15:45] tonight, I'm sure.
[15:45] Yeah.
[15:47] In your head, you can just imagine the fight.
[15:50] And finally, AKA Akasaka, the writer of Oshi no Ko, is launching
[15:55] a new manga series in autumn of 25.
[15:59] I went down a little bit of a social media rabbit hole in this
[16:02] one.
[16:03] And there's a lot of people that.
[16:05] I don't know if they're just all collectively wishing it into
[16:07] existence that this will be like Tokyo Blade from Oshi Noko pulled
[16:12] in as the new manga.
[16:13] That's gonna become like just the focal point.
[16:16] But that is all I can think about now.
[16:18] And it's all that I want.
[16:19] So Tokyo Blade, the manga, please and thank you.
[16:22] That would be actually amazing.
[16:25] Like, I would be obsessed.
[16:27] But apparently there's like a bunch of people working on this.
[16:30] Like Akasaka san is just the.
[16:34] Not just, but is the writer, I believe.
[16:37] And then there's a bunch of other people working on it.
[16:39] So I think it'll be good.
[16:42] Yeah.
[16:42] Like a.k.a.
[16:43] akasaka, good pedigree.
[16:44] Like Kaguya sama, Lovers War was sort of the first one that I
[16:47] guess really catapulted them into the mainstream.
[16:50] And then obviously on the back now of Oshi no Ko just blowing up
[16:53] all over the world as well.
[16:54] So yeah, Tokyo Plane Tokyo.
[16:58] I'm wishing it into existence right now.
[17:01] All right, let's talk about what we've been watching this week.
[17:04] Because this week has been so hectic in anime for me at least.
[17:11] Yeah, I.
[17:12] My.
[17:13] My sort of diversity of franchises that I've watched this
[17:16] week hasn't been as big as weeks prior.
[17:19] I've just sort of hit my main focal points that I've been sort
[17:22] of consuming more often than not.
[17:24] Haven't sort of branched out to some of these other Isakai and
[17:28] Resurrection Villainous based ones that are on the radar that I
[17:32] was curious about checking out.
[17:33] But where do you want to start us off?
[17:35] Actually, I want you to start us off because the line you wrote
[17:39] in the show notes, that is just all in bold here.
[17:41] I'm still a few episodes back on this franchise, but, like, I'm
[17:45] gonna, like, eat on your behalf as you sort of tell us about
[17:48] Yakuza fiance.
[17:50] Okay, I'm gonna.
[17:51] So, yes, you're so right.
[17:54] But I'm actually gonna start with Dragon Ball Daima because as
[18:00] we spoke about it last week, it's not really like either of us,
[18:04] not really in our wheelhouse.
[18:05] But I was invited by Suguiko.
[18:09] Thank you, Suguko and Sly for the invitation to watch the first
[18:13] three episodes of Dragon Ball Daima, dubbed in the cinema, which
[18:17] was so fun.
[18:19] It was just like a really nice time.
[18:22] There was like a little message at the beginning from Goku's
[18:26] voice actor.
[18:27] And she was so, so cute.
[18:29] And she was like, everyone, thank you so much in Japanese, obviously.
[18:32] But it was really, really nice.
[18:35] And while I'm not a huge Dragon Ball or Shonen fan, it was
[18:40] really, really cool.
[18:41] Like, seeing Shenron, like, on a cinema screen.
[18:45] Like, you know how, like, because he's a long dragon, right?
[18:48] Like, his back moves.
[18:50] Seeing that and his, like, face in the center, like, looking
[18:53] at you was so cool.
[18:56] That would have been really imposing, I reckon, because, yeah,
[18:59] like, Shenron, like, it's a hell of a character.
[19:02] And the.
[19:02] Just the character model itself is amazing.
[19:05] Like, it's one of the coolest things I've seen from the Dragon
[19:08] Ball world.
[19:09] And you're seeing it on a big screen, just like eyeball to eyeball
[19:12] with Shenron would have been.
[19:14] Would have been intense.
[19:15] It was.
[19:15] So does this make you more of a Dragon Ball fan?
[19:18] Like, are you thinking maybe.
[19:20] Maybe I'll dip a toe in one of these many Dragon Ball offshoots?
[19:23] Or were you just sort of happy for what it was and thankful to experience
[19:27] it?
[19:27] In that regard, I think for shows like Dragon Ball, I am always
[19:31] happy to, like, just watch.
[19:33] Like, if anyone.
[19:33] If I ever went to someone's house and they're like, hey, I'm
[19:36] going to put on some Dragon Ball.
[19:37] Like, I would never be upset, upset about that.
[19:39] Like, you know, it's just.
[19:42] It's a good show.
[19:43] It is what it is.
[19:44] And, you know, I'm never watching and going, oh, Dragon Ball.
[19:48] Like, it's.
[19:49] It's just on sometimes, you know.
[19:52] But they had anime.
[19:54] Yeah, yeah, it's Good.
[19:55] And they had what I really liked.
[19:57] So in this spin off, like, they get turned into children, but
[20:01] so they're mini, but they have their own, like, adult, like, memories
[20:05] and knowledge.
[20:07] And there's.
[20:08] The bad guy is King Goma, who's like this little.
[20:12] Like, he looks like a little bug.
[20:13] He's so funny.
[20:16] I love him so much.
[20:17] He's just, like, so silly.
[20:19] And it's good.
[20:21] Okay.
[20:21] Okay.
[20:22] Yeah, I'll.
[20:23] I'll try and cop it because I'll end up on the streamer soon
[20:25] enough.
[20:25] And I'll probably give it a look down the line.
[20:27] At least just get that first three episode experience as well.
[20:30] Just to sort of feel it out.
[20:31] Because it sounds fun and we need some fun in our lives.
[20:35] It is.
[20:35] It is just fun.
[20:38] All right, now I'll talk about Yakuza Fiance, which is the one where.
[20:47] Okay, so in the show notes I've written in all caps, kirishima
[20:52] is so kinky.
[20:53] Get the fuck out then.
[20:56] Not in caps, but in quotes.
[20:58] If you cheat on me, let me watch, then I'll kill the guy.
[21:03] End quote.
[21:04] Caps again.
[21:06] Keyboard match is what I've written.
[21:10] Yeah, it is.
[21:11] That's spicy.
[21:12] That's one of the sexiest, scariest lines in anime I've heard
[21:17] all year.
[21:17] Like, I'm a few episodes back, so I have not experienced this firsthand.
[21:21] I'm just living through your great recap here now.
[21:24] But goddamn.
[21:26] Like, we knew Kirishima was a bad mother, but, like, yeah, that's.
[21:30] That's a line.
[21:30] That's a memorable one right there.
[21:31] That's a mic drop.
[21:33] Yeah.
[21:34] Honestly, I was watching it, and I was doing my skincare as I
[21:38] was watching it, and, you know, I'm just like.
[21:40] And he says that.
[21:41] And I'm like, it was.
[21:48] It was a lot.
[21:49] But here's the thing.
[21:50] I've seen a lot of people, like, kind of complaining about this
[21:54] show because it is a bit like, you know, toxic relationship.
[21:59] And I just.
[21:59] I need to say, guys, it's just anime.
[22:02] It's not real.
[22:04] Okay.
[22:04] It's okay.
[22:06] And this definitely, the more I watch this show, the more I'm like,
[22:09] oh, this is definitely playing into a lot of, like, female fantasies.
[22:14] Like, it's written for women very specifically and in that vein
[22:18] of kind of like elder or older women who enjoy anime and manga.
[22:27] That's who it's for.
[22:28] And it's great.
[22:29] It's fantastic.
[22:29] If that's what you want, like, you definitely look at it.
[22:31] And I'm like, if this was real life, I would be running away from
[22:35] this guy, but it's fake, so I'm gonna run towards him.
[22:40] I respect that.
[22:41] And yeah, like you said, there's a difference between this
[22:45] being reality and fantasy.
[22:46] And people need to remember that.
[22:48] You know, you happily watch Game of Thrones with incest and all
[22:51] kinds of nonsense and barely bat an eyelid.
[22:54] But like when two animated characters in, in a.
[22:58] In a Japanese high school environment get up to stuff like
[23:02] this, then that's a no.
[23:03] No.
[23:03] Like, yeah, pick your battles, I think, and just appreciate it for
[23:06] what it is.
[23:07] And what it's not is the big thing.
[23:08] Right.
[23:08] And yeah, it does sound all kinds of raunchy and it certainly
[23:13] does have a target market for sure.
[23:15] I think I've watched the first three, maybe four episodes, so I'm
[23:19] a couple episodes back from where it is currently with the schedule,
[23:22] but it's been fine.
[23:23] Like the animation was.
[23:25] Is clean, the voice work was great.
[23:27] Yeah, the tone certainly does raise an eyebrow and it can be a
[23:31] little jarring for some.
[23:32] Like, I don't think this is an anime for everybody, but if this
[23:36] is something you might fantasize about during your day to
[23:39] day or your evenings alone, then maybe give it a look because
[23:42] it's certainly endorsed by my little rival here.
[23:46] Yeah, it's honestly, it's a great female gaze romance.
[23:51] Honestly, it's fantastic.
[23:55] I also watched episode four of Rama one half and so I got to the
[24:01] scene where the hair, the hair gets sliced off and so there's this
[24:10] moment where Ramadan and who's the main character?
[24:16] Akane.
[24:16] Akane.
[24:17] So when Ranma and Akane, after her hair gets cut off and Ranma is
[24:24] in female form and there's this really great scene that's like
[24:31] kind of shot where we see Akane as this masculine figure and
[24:36] Rama as the feminine figure.
[24:38] And it's a really great kind of like flipping of the, like their
[24:43] kind of their relationship.
[24:46] It's.
[24:46] It's a very sweet end to that episode.
[24:50] Like that hair slice moment, like it was like a bit of a.
[24:54] What's going on?
[24:54] Because like, you know Akane, she's such a beautiful, strong woman
[24:57] in, in this show and like she like her hair like in these first
[25:01] episodes, you can see like it's.
[25:03] It's such a focal point of her, of her character and her just
[25:06] her look.
[25:07] And then to see that all gone in one fell swoop due to the.
[25:10] The battle that Ranma is having at the time, it is like a
[25:14] bit of a record scratch.
[25:16] But you can see like she's still so strong and just takes it
[25:19] in her stride.
[25:20] And then you can see.
[25:20] Yeah.
[25:21] The.
[25:21] The care that Ranma has in this moment too.
[25:24] Like, it's really sweet.
[25:24] Now, I like the way you described it is sort of like a bit
[25:27] of a gender reversal or a role reversal between the two in those
[25:31] sort of quieter moments as the episode sort of runs to a close.
[25:34] Yeah.
[25:35] And it just.
[25:36] Seeing female Rama with Akane, I don't know if it's just because
[25:42] I'm a bisexual mess, but, like, seeing them together, like,
[25:47] lit a fire under me.
[25:48] I was like, please, no more Boy Rama.
[25:51] You are.
[25:52] You are.
[25:53] You are just surrounded by fire.
[25:54] 24.
[25:55] 7 watching anime this fire's getting lit by Kirishima from Akane.
[25:59] From Sakamoto.
[26:01] My goodness.
[26:02] Like, you need to have fire extinguishers around you at all times.
[26:06] Just like a giant fan.
[26:08] Wait, that will make it worse.
[26:09] Yeah.
[26:09] Yeah.
[26:10] Anyway, Blue Box Episode five.
[26:16] So this is the episode where Chi and Hina come across each other's
[26:22] paths at the chiropractor, at the, like, physical.
[26:28] Physical therapy.
[26:29] Physical.
[26:29] Yeah.
[26:29] Physiotherapist.
[26:31] Yeah.
[26:31] Thank you.
[26:31] Thank you.
[26:33] The physiotherapist.
[26:35] And it's just like the misunderstanding of, like, you know,
[26:39] they're both there.
[26:40] And then Hina is telling Chi about her experiences with Taiki,
[26:45] and she is obviously misinterpreting that, but we're like,
[26:49] does Hina like him?
[26:50] Like, we don't know.
[26:51] But then, oh, we see the hot best friend with glasses, like, looking
[26:57] at Hina, like, some kind of way.
[26:59] There's like a one frame where they kind of pause on him and I'm
[27:03] like, sis, tea.
[27:07] But no, I'm just eating it up.
[27:09] It's so good.
[27:11] So, yeah, this.
[27:11] That was sort of the.
[27:13] This episode's really sweet because obviously we get the aquarium
[27:16] date in parentheses and then, yeah, the way it ends where.
[27:19] Where Hina is realizing that she's starting to feel something
[27:23] for Taiki.
[27:23] And then it's like, the will they, won't they?
[27:25] Is this a love triangle?
[27:27] A quadrangle?
[27:28] A dodecahedron?
[27:30] When it's all said and done, who the heck knows?
[27:31] Like, it's so good.
[27:33] I watched episode eight today before we recorded.
[27:36] And yeah, I'm still just, like, so happy.
[27:39] This.
[27:40] This anime, this world, this manga just makes me smile.
[27:44] Panel to panel, scene to scene, constantly, like, the latest
[27:48] chapter in the manga.
[27:49] Like, I feel like we're three seasons ahead in the manga where
[27:52] it is now.
[27:53] But, like, man, the story is so good and it is so wholesome and
[27:57] so pure.
[27:58] And the animation style, like, every time I watch Blue Box, I think
[28:03] of Blue Lock in a weird way.
[28:06] But it's more so tied specifically to the way the sports
[28:09] scenes are animated.
[28:10] Because in Blue Box, the basketball, the badminton, the gymnastic
[28:15] scenes are gorgeous.
[28:16] Like, it is stunning.
[28:18] No expenses spared.
[28:19] And then you watch Blue Lock and it looks like you and I tried
[28:22] to animate it in Microsoft Paint or something.
[28:25] So there's that jarring contrast between the two from the
[28:28] sports worlds.
[28:29] But yeah, Blue Box is so good.
[28:30] It's.
[28:30] It's on the fringe of top five for me of the year.
[28:34] Yeah, it's just well written with really well written characters,
[28:39] I think.
[28:40] Yeah.
[28:41] And yeah, shout out to Ko Taiki's glasses wearing blonde friends.
[28:45] There's just.
[28:45] There's just a good bunch of kids in this world, like, everyone
[28:48] you meet.
[28:49] Like, there's a couple of turds that we get introduced to down
[28:51] the line, but overall, the sort of the main ensemble cast, they're
[28:54] all great in their own unique ways, and I love it.
[28:57] Yeah, I'm definitely excited to see more of Kyo and I.
[29:01] Okay.
[29:02] My wish is that him and Hina get together.
[29:06] Like, now that I've, like, seen the inkling of that kind of
[29:10] ship, I'm like, yep, I'm all in.
[29:12] Let's sail, boys.
[29:14] Yeah, I'm not saying a word either which way, but, like, there's.
[29:19] There's good blossoming romance throughout this world.
[29:22] That's all I'm going to say.
[29:23] And, like, we get introduced to more characters over time, and
[29:27] who knows what's going to happen?
[29:28] But Blue Box is so good.
[29:31] Watch it immediately.
[29:34] All right, let's.
[29:36] Let's switch to you first, and then we'll talk about the name that's
[29:39] on everybody's lips.
[29:40] Oh, yeah.
[29:41] Oh, yeah.
[29:41] Okay, so I've just got a couple that I want to focus on this
[29:45] week.
[29:45] I caught up with you are Miss Servant.
[29:48] So it was a couple of episodes back, so I'm fully up to date.
[29:50] I've watched all seven episodes of the run so far.
[29:54] It's just super cute and an easy ride.
[29:57] That is a fun watch.
[29:59] And it slots right in tonally with Spy Family and Buddy Daddies.
[30:03] So if you enjoyed either of those franchises, I think you're
[30:05] gonna love.
[30:06] You are Miss Servant.
[30:07] Like, watching Yuki attempt to adapt to normality and, like, civilian
[30:13] life in parentheses, because obviously she's a.
[30:15] She's an assassin.
[30:16] If anyone doesn't sort of know that.
[30:17] The context here is really funny.
[30:20] And really heartwarming.
[30:22] And there's so much relatability to this girl because
[30:25] she's got such a strong love for food, like a strong love for
[30:28] bread and tonkatsu, which are like, you know, two big kryptonites.
[30:31] I think you and I can at least to.
[30:34] So you just always rooting for this girl because she's almost like
[30:37] a little baby deer, like, coming back to normal life here and
[30:41] not understanding how things work and just how to deal with people
[30:45] and what she's feeling and like, realizing that, you know, food
[30:49] is good for the first time in her life because she's just been,
[30:51] you know, fed gruel just to energize herself to go out and kill
[30:54] people because she's just been neglected her entire life.
[30:56] So it's really heartbreaking, but also endearing at the same time.
[31:01] The last couple episodes, we get some backstory on Yuki, and we
[31:05] find out that she's part of the Dragons nine, which is like,
[31:08] the most, like, nine badass assassins in the world.
[31:11] So she's.
[31:11] She's a bit of a big deal.
[31:12] Ms.
[31:13] Yuki.
[31:14] We get introduced to Hidden Yoshi's sister Riko, who's a sweet
[31:17] little character, comes in big energy, immediately bonds with Yuki
[31:21] is like, you're my big sister.
[31:22] I love you.
[31:23] I've never had this in my life.
[31:25] We meet the famous Tonkatsu source creators, the Katsudas, also
[31:29] just a lovely old couple.
[31:30] They have some really cool moments with them.
[31:32] And then we get introduced to an assassin named Grace, who at first
[31:37] was masquerading as the school nurse, complete with a lot of maximum
[31:41] pervy fan service, which, you know what?
[31:43] Never a bad thing.
[31:44] What am I going to say?
[31:45] And then later we find out that she then sort of masquerades
[31:48] as the PE teacher at the same high school.
[31:50] Because Yuki's like, you know what?
[31:52] I want to.
[31:52] I want to, like, live a normal life.
[31:54] So she enrolls into high school.
[31:55] She's going to high school with Hideyoshi.
[31:57] They're in the same class.
[31:59] They play it off as, like, their cousins, and that's how they
[32:01] know each other.
[32:02] So funny.
[32:03] So it's just fun.
[32:04] You get that awkward dynamic.
[32:06] We get some really cool battles between Grace and Yuki in
[32:09] this.
[32:09] Like, Yuki's a badass.
[32:11] Grace is also a badass, but Yuki's just next level above because
[32:14] she's part of the Dragons nine.
[32:16] So there's some cool combat scenes, some typical awkward high
[32:19] school moments playing out, and there was one moment that just
[32:22] had me cackling out loud where Hideyoshi's like falling asleep at
[32:25] his desk.
[32:26] The classroom teacher launches a piece of chalk, as we see in a
[32:30] lot of these scenarios, and Yuki sort of wires up to the situation,
[32:34] grabs one of her little daggers out, and in the blink of
[32:36] an eye slices this piece of chalk right down the middle.
[32:39] But all that then does is split the chalk and gets hit a Yoshi
[32:42] in both of his eyes.
[32:43] So he's like, oh, I can't see and has to go to the nurse's office.
[32:47] And so you get this moment where you're like, man, she's such
[32:49] a badass.
[32:49] But then she's just like a bit of a ditzy, cute thing as well.
[32:53] So you see that going on.
[32:54] But there's this one line, you know, I think it was like episode
[32:57] five when she's, she's doing battle against Grace because Grace
[33:01] captures Hideyoshi and she's got him tied up on the, the soccer
[33:04] goalposts.
[33:05] And Yuki comes in and she goes, do you know what will ever
[33:08] happen to you if you lay so much as a finger on him?
[33:10] I'll make you suffer so much you'll wish for a death that never
[33:13] comes.
[33:14] And you're like, holy.
[33:15] Like, that made me scared, but also stimulated at the same time
[33:20] because she's just a badass woman, takes no will die for the
[33:25] people she cares for.
[33:26] And it's just, it's one of my favorites of the season.
[33:28] Like, it is firmly top five.
[33:30] The animation quality is great, the soundtrack's great, the
[33:32] vocal work.
[33:33] We're getting like a two episode delay for the, for the dub
[33:36] compared to the sub, depending on your preference.
[33:37] But I'm all in on you, Army Servant.
[33:39] It's been a really enjoyable watch.
[33:41] Courtney.
[33:42] I've been watching this too.
[33:43] I've found it's, it's good.
[33:47] It for me is a little predictable.
[33:53] Like, I kind of wish, you know, there was more of those moments
[33:57] where, you know, the chalk is being thrown and like she slices
[34:00] it and it hits him in both eyes.
[34:02] Like those kinds of moments.
[34:04] Like, I want more of that.
[34:05] I also wasn't expecting her to like rock up as a transfer student
[34:11] and then be like, yeah, I have the same last name as that guy.
[34:15] And everyone's like, what?
[34:18] That was really funny.
[34:20] And then, yeah, the other Grace as her, the school nurse.
[34:25] And it's just so wrong.
[34:29] It is super wrong, super wrong.
[34:30] And then she becomes the pervy PE teacher.
[34:32] And then because Hideyoshi is known by Grace and Yuki, obviously
[34:37] you get the school envy where they're like, what's going on.
[34:39] How do you have these gorgeous women around you and a bit of tropiness
[34:43] from that.
[34:43] But yeah, it's just, it's just a fun, enjoyable watch.
[34:46] And I enjoyed a bit more serious tonal shift in a few of these
[34:50] episodes.
[34:50] Like seeing the backstory with Yuki and you know, how she came to
[34:54] be and how she's just been like a robot for so many years and
[34:56] now she's starting to, I guess her heart starting to thaw a little
[34:59] bit.
[34:59] It's.
[35:00] It's super cute.
[35:01] Yeah, I do, I do like how easy it is to watch.
[35:04] Like, it's definitely, you know, you can pop this on and it's.
[35:08] That's fine I think for almost any audience.
[35:12] Like, I wouldn't shy away from showing this to my friends as just
[35:17] like, yeah, this here's a generic anime for you to watch.
[35:20] Off you go.
[35:21] Yeah, it's, it's a safe, it's a safe watch.
[35:23] I'll quickly just skim over a couple of manga and then we'll deep
[35:26] dive on what potentially everyone might be here for.
[35:29] Who knows?
[35:30] Read the final chapter Oshi Noko this past week, my heart is
[35:35] very thankful that it is over.
[35:37] And I mean that in like the nicest possible way.
[35:39] Like, it was a great story, perfectly timed as far as getting
[35:44] to that end point.
[35:45] We get a lot of closure, we get a lot of clarity and they give
[35:49] us a nice big bow on the end of this journey.
[35:52] And yeah, I, I was, I was teary eyed, I think from page one
[35:56] of the final chapter all the way through.
[35:57] Just because there's a lot of send offs, there's a lot of, okay,
[36:00] here's what's happening with this person and that person.
[36:03] And just some of the, the writing like you're seeing, like
[36:06] the, the conversation between these characters is just so perfectly
[36:09] done.
[36:10] And yeah, I'm really happy that this, this manga sort of stuck
[36:14] the landing, it felt like.
[36:15] And I can't wait to see it eventually translate to screen because
[36:18] yeah, it's, it's special and it stands out in a whole host of
[36:21] positive ways.
[36:23] I'm so ready for season three.
[36:27] Like, I just, I love this show.
[36:30] I, like I said before, I'm reluctant to read the manga because
[36:33] I really, really like what they're doing with.
[36:36] So I'm looking forward to it.
[36:38] Yeah, yeah, me too.
[36:39] I'm looking forward to sort of revisiting and continuing on that
[36:42] journey.
[36:43] Even though, like, I know what's 99 going to happen, I'm still
[36:46] no less excited to to get in on when we see season three and potentially
[36:51] a fourth.
[36:51] So yeah, that one and another one that I stumbled across this week
[36:55] is a manga called Marriage Toxin.
[36:57] I don't know if you've heard.
[36:58] You've heard of this one before.
[37:00] I'm assuming you would have.
[37:01] Yeah.
[37:02] So I've heard of, but didn't really give it any.
[37:05] Any sort of time of day.
[37:06] But this week I'm like, you know what?
[37:07] The art looks clean.
[37:09] It sounds interesting.
[37:10] Let's jump in.
[37:11] So I jumped in.
[37:12] I'm at chapter 45 now, I think.
[37:15] I think they've released 110 chapters or so at time of recording,
[37:18] give or take.
[37:19] I love this world.
[37:21] Listeners.
[37:22] Viewers.
[37:22] Segoy Squad Picture this.
[37:24] Hikaru Gero is part of the Poison Clan, one of the five original
[37:27] assassin lineages in the world.
[37:30] And he's never lived a normal life.
[37:32] But one day the Poison Clan states that, you know, if Gero does
[37:35] not marry and produce an heir to carry on the lineage, his sister
[37:38] is going to be forced into bearing a child against her wishes
[37:41] to carry on the lineage.
[37:42] The lineage on behalf of the Geru family.
[37:46] So he, being the stoic, proud, you know, protective older brother
[37:51] that he is, goes, you know what?
[37:53] I'm going to stop this from happening.
[37:55] And then he ends up asking one of his assassination targets to marry
[37:58] him.
[37:59] We find out then that the cross dressing marriage swindler
[38:02] Mei Kinosaki declines the marriage proposal, but sort of says,
[38:05] hey Gero, don't worry about it.
[38:06] I got you back.
[38:07] I'm going to train you on how to go on dates and appeal to women
[38:11] with the goal eventually finding Giru a wife to then avoid
[38:15] the sister.
[38:15] Obviously going down the dark lineage path of the Poison the Poison
[38:19] Clan.
[38:20] It's super duper fun.
[38:22] Gorgeously drawn like it is some of the best looking manga that
[38:25] I've read in a long time.
[38:27] The character models and, and the way they handle motion and the
[38:30] fight scenes and the emotional moments is phenomenal.
[38:33] And it feels like it's one of my favorite new little discoveries
[38:36] of the year so far.
[38:37] Like it's an easy read.
[38:39] We sort of get like a.
[38:41] An Assassin of the Month type of thing every couple of chapters
[38:43] or every couple of arcs where you know, Geru's taking these low
[38:47] paying jobs to go out and meet women and practice his his skills
[38:51] in the social world.
[38:53] And having May sort of there as his, as his senpai in the background
[38:57] to sort of guide him through the art of romance is great.
[39:01] It's kind of Cool that we do get, like, May, who is a male, constantly
[39:05] cross dressing as a female.
[39:06] So we do have a bit of a different dynamic there.
[39:08] We've got sort of this constant gender bend going on.
[39:11] Maze, a gorgeous character in both the female and the.
[39:14] The male, sort of guys, depending on which way he or she
[39:17] goes at the time.
[39:18] But it's just fun, Courtney.
[39:20] It's so fun.
[39:21] And like I said, the animation, the.
[39:24] The art style.
[39:24] Sorry.
[39:25] Is so, so goddamn impressive.
[39:28] And the characters we meet along the way are just nuts.
[39:30] Like, all these various, like, assassin clan archetypes are just
[39:35] nuts.
[39:35] Like, I don't know what's going to come next.
[39:38] Like, it's just getting crazier and crazier as the pages
[39:41] turn.
[39:41] But, yeah, I'm all for it.
[39:43] This is one that every time I open up my, like, manga apps, this
[39:49] one always pops up.
[39:50] And I'm always, like, kind of tempted, but I'm always just there
[39:53] to read.
[39:54] Kaiju number eight.
[39:57] Well, if you have a bit of downtime, give this a look.
[40:00] Because it's just.
[40:01] It's fun, it's easy, it's enjoyable.
[40:04] The characters are cool.
[40:05] The.
[40:06] The whole assassin world that they sort of building out is cool
[40:09] and understanding, you know, the five original lineages.
[40:12] And then, like, all the other assassin subsets are just derived
[40:15] from those five lineages.
[40:17] So it's kind of cool that it ties into bloodlines and, you know,
[40:21] hierarchical type of nonsense within the assassination world.
[40:24] And there's a chick that rides a shark, like, who ain't on board
[40:27] for that.
[40:28] Like, she's got a.
[40:28] She's got a shark offshoot friend that rides around the ocean.
[40:32] It's.
[40:32] It's so great.
[40:33] I respect it.
[40:35] So good.
[40:36] It's so good.
[40:36] But something else that's so good.
[40:38] We're gonna end with our discussion on Dundadan.
[40:41] Episode 7 aired this past 24 hours.
[40:45] Courtney, you want to start us off?
[40:47] God.
[40:47] Okay, so episodes one to six of Dunda Dun are nothing like episode
[40:55] seven.
[40:55] And I mean this in, like, the best way.
[40:59] It's such a tonal shift where we kind of.
[41:05] We finally find out what happens with Silky.
[41:10] What happens with acrobatic Silky, the yokai?
[41:13] Because in the previous episode, she has been following Aira
[41:18] around for years.
[41:19] We find out, and it kind of come all comes to a head and they
[41:22] have this big fight.
[41:23] And then this episode, rather than going straight back into the
[41:28] fight and how they defeat her, they go to what is essentially acrobatic
[41:34] Silky's backstory, and they start with this, like, rainy kind
[41:39] of, like, perspective of someone that we don't know looking
[41:43] at a street, and it gets so intense and you will cry.
[41:50] Yeah, I.
[41:52] I knew this was coming, and it still did not hit me any less.
[41:56] Like, my.
[41:57] My sort of show notes, I just started off with, like, no words
[42:00] because it just elevated a near perfect part of this story.
[42:05] And I think seeing it animated just further made it ascend into
[42:09] new heights.
[42:09] Like, seeing some of these manga panels translate the way it
[42:13] did.
[42:14] Like, I was just in awe.
[42:16] And, yeah, it broke me all three times that I've watched this
[42:21] since it aired yesterday.
[42:23] It still hit just as hard that third viewing, because seeing the
[42:27] story of Acrobatic Silky and her daughter and just the gorgeous
[42:33] smile and laughter that her daughter has, like, you can see like,
[42:37] her daughter, like her mom is her daughter's world.
[42:41] Like, she adores her mama and will do anything for her.
[42:45] And seeing the little cutaways to them, practicing, you know, the
[42:48] ballerina routines and seeing, like, Acrobatic Silke, you can see,
[42:52] like, she's had to do some pretty horrible things to make a
[42:55] living, to make sure her daughter gets the best life possible.
[42:58] And she's doing these things in an effort to then be able to buy
[43:02] all these nice dresses for her daughter and show how to do these
[43:06] dances and these cute moments where they're sitting down, eating
[43:08] curry together in the.
[43:09] In their little kitchenette.
[43:11] And it's so beautiful.
[43:13] But also then seeing how this weaves into the Aira story just made
[43:19] my heart just shatter into a million pieces.
[43:22] Like, I feel just as beautiful as it was.
[43:25] It was just as brutal in these moments, like, seeing how Acrobatic
[43:29] Silky became a yokai and the hardship and the punishment.
[43:34] She felt like they did not shy away from showing the violence in
[43:37] this episode.
[43:38] So there is some hectic going on.
[43:41] So a bit of a trigger warning there, because you see this woman
[43:44] get thrown through glass and beat and abused and be near death.
[43:50] And then even when you see her in the yokai mode, like, in the yokai
[43:54] form, and, you know, to show that she's of no threat to anyone
[43:58] anymore, and she, like, rips her jaw in half so she can't attack
[44:01] and eat anybody anymore.
[44:03] Like, there are some moments in here where you just like, whoa.
[44:06] Like, it hits like a truck again and again and again.
[44:09] But the animation in this episode, and I felt especially the
[44:13] use of color and sound, absolutely crushed, like, it was
[44:17] just making these massive moments even bigger.
[44:21] Getting more context and backstory with Acrobatic Silky.
[44:24] And even getting some context and backstory with Ira and seeing,
[44:28] like, she lost her mother.
[44:29] And you can see her father has a quote to her when she's still processing
[44:33] why her mom's no longer around.
[44:34] And he sort of says, you know, you need to be strong for her, like,
[44:37] for when you eventually meet again.
[44:39] And so you can start to see now on episode six, where she's talking
[44:42] about she's going to be a superhero and save the world and
[44:44] be strong.
[44:45] That's where this was sort of implanted from at a young age and
[44:49] to seeing that and then also seeing Momo collapse at the end of
[44:53] this situation because she's using her powers to connect and exchange
[44:57] the aura between Aira and Acrobatic Silky to an.
[45:02] And allow Aira to continue on.
[45:04] And then knowing that she just lived all that in the span of, like,
[45:06] five minutes flat, you know, that would crush anybody.
[45:10] And the way this episode ends, where you see Ira hugging Silky as
[45:14] she's passing on, and she says that she won't ever forget her, was
[45:18] just a perfect end to a perfect episode.
[45:21] And, yeah, the hits come constantly in this episode, but it
[45:25] is, I think, minute for minute, the best 20 minutes that
[45:28] I've experienced.
[45:29] Or you.
[45:30] I definitely have some kind of, like, standout scenes that I
[45:35] want to talk about.
[45:36] So first of all, the home first.
[45:39] Actually, not even first of all, that one.
[45:41] First of all, just the relationship between Silky, when
[45:45] she is human, and her daughter as a daughter of, like, a mom who
[45:51] really cares about me, like, that.
[45:53] That already hit really close to home, like, seeing that relationship.
[45:57] And I was like, oh, my God, this is so sweet.
[45:58] Like, I get it.
[46:00] I understand, like, you know, kind of being in a situation where
[46:03] maybe, like, you're not as well off or, you know, you have,
[46:06] like, a single mom or a mom that struggles with whatever it is
[46:12] that was already really real.
[46:14] And then the home invasion scene, the.
[46:18] Just the camera angles were fantastic.
[46:22] The way that the space was utilized to show this kind of constriction
[46:27] and this fear and this tension was so amazing.
[46:31] I.
[46:31] Science Saru.
[46:33] They ate it up, left no crumbs.
[46:35] Like the scene where the glass is digging into her skin.
[46:40] And you see that shot, that perfectly drawn shot.
[46:44] And, like, just.
[46:45] And then the shot where they hit her in the eye and she's running
[46:50] after them, and we've got that kind of, like, tilted camera, just,
[46:54] mmm, perfect.
[46:57] It was so good.
[46:58] And I like that they did go back to that first person perspective
[47:02] when.
[47:02] When you're seeing her desperately Chase this car through
[47:05] these rainy Japanese streets trying to save her daughter.
[47:09] And sort of we get a completely different tonally, but
[47:12] the first time we're introduced to that was we were seeing
[47:14] Turbo Granny chase Ken in the tunnel.
[47:17] So they're using those same sort of consistent ways to sort of
[47:20] give us perspectives of different characters.
[47:23] And.
[47:23] Yeah, I loved it.
[47:24] Like, it's so good.
[47:25] Courtney, what's.
[47:26] What's a couple other scenes that stand out for you?
[47:30] So definitely the kind of last bit where we, you know, see the.
[47:37] The aftermath of everything.
[47:39] And Ira's crying and kind of Momo.
[47:43] Like, Ocarun is like, you get her.
[47:46] And Momo's like, no, like, don't.
[47:49] It's.
[47:50] It's done.
[47:50] You know, like, it's fine.
[47:52] Like, just leave it.
[47:53] And like, she's crying.
[47:55] And then obviously, my highlight scene was when.
[48:01] Is it when Ken transforms?
[48:03] Yeah, when he transformed, he, like, slides in, like, whoa.
[48:07] He transforms.
[48:08] And then after that, when he slides in between Momo and Silky,
[48:13] because still he's, like, about to hit Momo, and he, like,
[48:16] slides in, like, takes that hit for her.
[48:18] Like, that was just okay.
[48:23] It was so good.
[48:24] Like, it's.
[48:25] I said earlier, I feel.
[48:26] I don't know if it's recency bias.
[48:28] I need to probably reflect on some of the other great episodes
[48:30] we've had this year, but it's right up there.
[48:33] From what I saw earlier, it's.
[48:34] I think it's the highest rated, like, from.
[48:36] From IMDb as far as equal highest singular episode of the year
[48:41] so far, and deservedly so.
[48:43] Like, it is special.
[48:44] Like you said, Courtney, Science Saru were just on fire this
[48:48] episode.
[48:49] Like, everything they did in this episode.
[48:52] I could not fault the animation styles, the color palettes,
[48:55] the way they frame certain scenes, the way they sort of were
[48:58] tighter on some shots and more broad on others to add more emphasis
[49:01] to certain areas.
[49:02] And I like that you described the home invasion scene, like, where
[49:06] it felt like it was suffocating and like they were, like,
[49:09] strangling the characters there with the way it was framed,
[49:12] because that's how it felt.
[49:13] Like, it felt like you were in that little apartment with them watching
[49:17] this play out like you're in the corner.
[49:19] Because it was intense and completely different to anything
[49:23] we've experienced in the previous six episodes.
[49:24] Like, it fits right into this world.
[49:27] But I think for people expecting more fun times and ball
[49:31] jokes might be a little jarred watching this episode, but I think
[49:35] once they sit back and realize that it's all part of this same connected
[49:39] universe, they're gonna have a great time because, yeah, it's so
[49:42] special.
[49:43] I do like that with the yokai in this show.
[49:47] Even though it is, you know, a bit like Monster of the Wiki, it's.
[49:52] They still give this backstory, right?
[49:54] As, like, how they came to be.
[49:56] Because that is something that's so prevalent in, like, most
[50:00] human cultures.
[50:01] Like, you know, what, like spirits, like, where do they come
[50:03] from?
[50:04] How did they get there?
[50:05] Like, evil spirits, especially, like, yokai, things that
[50:09] are more than just like a ghost.
[50:11] Like, how did it come to be?
[50:13] And I love that kind of explanation there as well.
[50:16] Like, you know, because we got it with Turbo Granny, like, her whole
[50:19] thing with all the girls being killed near the tunnel, we've got
[50:23] it with Silky with her, like, extremely traumatizing experience.
[50:27] So I'm really enjoying it.
[50:29] Yeah, me too.
[50:29] Like, I think storytelling, when you can humanize villains and
[50:33] monsters and give them backstory and context as to why they
[50:38] are the way they are, like, it just hammers home the story so much
[50:42] better.
[50:43] And yeah, it's just expertly done.
[50:45] And yeah, it's Anime of the Year.
[50:47] Like, I.
[50:48] I have no doubt in my mind it's Anime of the Year with a bullet
[50:51] to me.
[50:52] Like, it is 10 out of 10.
[50:54] Cannot fault it.
[50:55] And I can't wait to see these final five episodes play out.
[50:58] It's sad to know we've only got a handful to go for before this
[51:02] season wraps.
[51:03] I'm excited to see future panels translate because what's to
[51:07] come is still also great.
[51:09] But yeah, this.
[51:10] This episode, I think, will be talked about for a long while when
[51:14] this season sort of is completed.
[51:16] Yes.
[51:17] So good.
[51:18] Go check out Dante, please, if you haven't already.
[51:22] Yeah.
[51:22] And if you want to sort of check these little bite size Dunder
[51:25] Done reviews, we've got them on our YouTube page.
[51:27] So click those links in the show notes to sort of check these,
[51:31] you know, five minute deep dive bangers on Dundadan as we go
[51:35] through the season, minus episode four because recording conflicts
[51:39] did not allow us to unpack that one.
[51:40] But Courtney, that brings us to the end of episode 24 of more
[51:45] than Headlines.
[51:46] Anything you wanted to mention or shout out before you got on out
[51:48] of here?
[51:50] The juxtaposition of episode 7 of Dandaran going straight into Turbo
[51:55] Granny blowing herself in the face of the hairdryer was amazing.
[51:59] It was good.
[52:00] But I, like, that's the only, like, I won't say a black mark, but
[52:04] I wouldn't have minded if they went to just acquire the credits
[52:07] just to allow that final moment with Aira and Silky to maybe
[52:13] just linger a little longer because it was a beautiful ending.
[52:17] And then it goes and it's like, whoa.
[52:20] What?
[52:21] Like, I felt like I got shot in the head with a hairdryer.
[52:23] Like, I was like, whoa, Jesus, what's going on?
[52:26] Crying in Turbogren.
[52:27] He's like, yeah, yeah.
[52:30] Like, yeah.
[52:30] I was so emotional and like, I guess it's good that it sort of does
[52:34] reset the emotions in a way where you're like, oh, yeah, okay,
[52:37] the world isn't as bad as I just felt it was for the last 20
[52:40] odd minutes, but it was a very jarring, hard cut.
[52:43] I gotta say.
[52:44] Yes.
[52:45] What about you?
[52:47] I'm excited for KFC and Arcane.
[52:50] I am so hyped.
[52:51] Like, I know Arcane isn't, you know, Japanese animation, but do
[52:55] yourselves a favor and check it out, because the first three episodes
[52:58] of season two dropped last week, and the next chunk of three
[53:02] episodes will be out by the time this episode is airing.
[53:06] It is special.
[53:07] It is some of the best animation and best storytelling you'll
[53:11] ever see across any medium.
[53:13] I love animation.
[53:15] Me too.
[53:17] And I love Arcane.
[53:18] My God, it is stunning.
[53:19] Like, you can see where 250 million bucks went because the character
[53:24] models, the way they, you know, cut frames here and there to
[53:27] add certain emphasis.
[53:28] And just the artistic stylings, like, my God, it is fantastic.
[53:33] But also, fuck off.
[53:35] Imagine Dragons, please.
[53:36] I can't stand that band.
[53:39] I hate them so much.
[53:41] Courtney.
[53:41] Oh, my God.
[53:43] Let's get out of here.
[53:44] Let's get out of here.
[53:45] But once you're done checking out this episode, be sure to rate
[53:48] review.
[53:49] Subscribe this podcast and all the other podcasts you listen to
[53:52] on the regular.
[53:53] Takes no time, costs no money, and means the world to little guys
[53:56] like ourselves.
[53:57] Do that on your podcast player of choice, as well as on TikTok and
[54:01] YouTube if you can, please.
[54:02] Thank you and follow Courtney at cottonysan.
[54:05] You can follow me at More than Senpai.
[54:08] Whether your anime be subbed, dubbed, or still yet to come.
[54:11] Enjoy yourself and much love to all the gorgeous waifus and husbandos
[54:16] out there.
[54:17] Goodbye.

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