Tag: Deku

Demon Slayer Movie

https://myanimelist.net/anime/40456/Kimetsu_no_Yaiba_Movie__Mugen_Ressha-hen

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

The other weekend I blasted through Demon Slayer. In the past, I tried watching it, but it was gorier than the anime I usually enjoy. What made me decide to ultimately watch the season, is seeing clips of humorous scenes online, and growing curiosity. I gave it another chance for the moments of levity. I’m glad I did! Most of the cast is multi-dimensional, we see signs of growth for each of the main characters, and we even get insight into the experiences of the villains. Tanjirou is as pure-hearted as they come, he reminds me a lot of Deku from My Hero Academia, and he works diligently to become a demon slayer so he can keep innocent people safe, and work towards a cure for his sister’s condition. Along the way he meets an inspiring mentor, learns from past students, and overcomes a lot of trials in his journey to become stronger. Zenitsu and Inosuke round the cast out nicely, along with Tanjirou’s sister Nezoku. In addition to the humor of Demon Slayer, what drew me in was the depth of relationship Tanjirou has with his family, and the way the show displayed friendship and family in a non-traditional sense. The ways that people connected to one another, and how some relationships were supportive and nurturing, while others were detrimental, manipulative, and harmful. How friends can be the family we choose for ourselves, and the ways relationships change over time.

Recently, I watched the Violet Evergarden movie, and it was the first film I’d seen in the theater since the pandemic. I felt safe in that theater, it was very clean, and the patrons were very spaced out. However, the theater I saw Demon Slayer in was not that way. Unfortunately, when I bought my ticket online, there were only three other people who had bought tickets. And the day of the showing, most of the crowd came in during the previews! So I couldn’t adequately gauge the size of the group beforehand. Thankfully I was in a corner away from the bulk of the attendees, but I do not plan on returning to that particular theater anytime soon. It was not as clean as I would like, and I suspect they over sold tickets.

That aside, I enjoyed the movie. Some thoughts I had while viewing it;

-How funny that Inosuke ended up chasing his dream invader! I’m sure she was not expecting that. And up a mountain! Why was his subconscious such rough terrain?

-Inosuke has accepted Nezoku! Well as one of his minions at least.

-Even in his slumber, Zenitsu came to Nezoku’s aid! His dream invader also was not expecting his persistent inquiries about his trespassing. Or that his biggest qualm was that it wasn’t a lady!

-Tanjirou knows how much his family loves him, and that they would only speak kind and loving words. That, among other factors, like his Father’s advice, helped him keep his focus and helped him persevere. If the dreams were what the villain intended them to see, how did his Father’s sage advice sneak in there? Or perhaps, Enmu only planted aspects of their dream, and it was up to their subconscious to create what that entailed?

-What was the benefit to Enmu fusing his body with the train? I get that it’s a movie, but I’m not sure I see the benefit. Especially because his neck is where most people would’ve guessed.

-SO. MANY. TEARS. I cried so much, that my face mask got soaked.

If you are a fan of Demon Slayer, and enjoyed the series, definitely check out the movie! But, given the crowd I saw, you may want to wait for it to be released on streaming platforms, or on home video.

The Next Captain

I had to take a break from watching Taishou Yakyuu Musume / Taisho Baseball Girls. Shockingly being a woman in the 1920’s was not as liberating as one might think, and parts were depressing. No one wanted these girls to play baseball because they felt it was unbecoming and unladylike. Their families were focused on their daughter’s marriage prospects. And they couldn’t even have male friends without receiving a lecture. Parts of the show were heavy. I would not have done well during that time. If I was born under those circumstances perhaps I would’ve felt differently? All I know is, I am very grateful to be born when I was. On top of the other oppressive circumstances that came with being a woman during that time period, they were even chastised for running! They were told that it was too vulgar!

So, why not watch a team of boys being fully supported in their athletic endeavors??? Ha, yes I know that is ironic. I actually didn’t seek that out, it was a recommended anime on the VRV page, so I started watching. But I really am enjoying the sports anime, Days! Tsukushi Tsukamoto, the main character, is new to soccer and is improving upon his skills every day. Tsukamoto likes the camaraderie of being on a team and the shared goals and support. While not their most talented player, his determination, drive, and passion makes him the heart of the team. He reminds me a lot of Deku, from My Hero Academia. A lot of people counted him out, but his best friend who introduced him to the sport, Jin Kazama, saw his potential. So did the captain of their soccer team, Hisahito Mizuki.

During training camp with other schools, Seiseki’s soccer team makes quite an entrance. The reputation of their soccer team, and their captain Mizuki, leaves everyone in awe.

However, Tsukamoto’s smaller frame, makes him the subject of ridicule. The other teams make false assumptions about his ability. While new to the sport, he has made strides due to his commitment to training. He is better than he was at the beginning of the anime. Instead of being recognized for the player he is for Seiseki High School, everyone thinks he is the team’s manager.

Now that all the teams have arrived, it’s time to run up a horrible hill! What fun training for their first day of camp!

Around this time, the athletes are wondering, who is running ahead? What school? Who is the person is at the forefront? As you’ve certainly guessed, they’re about to learn why rushing to judge someone, isn’t wise.

“Read the mood of the crowd already!” LOL

He really is a super fan! Look at that heart. I wonder if he got that autograph he requested from “the manager.”

I’m only a few episodes in, but I’m enjoying it so far! I’m watching on VRV / Crunchyroll.

Eri’s First Smile and a New Home

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

Having overcome so many challenges in her life, like accidentally rewinding her father’s existence by an uncontrolled quirk, abandonment by her mother, grandpa in a coma, and abuse at the hands of her guardian, it was heartwarming to see Eri so happy, finally! Eri’s first smile was at the UA High School Festival during class 1A’s performance. Check out the festival episode, as well as the rest of Season Four of My Hero Academia, on Hulu!

Before the Festival, Mirio Togata gave Eri a tour of the UA campus. For some reason folks thought Eri was Mirio’s daughter. Also Mirio tried to pull a prank that didn’t quite go the way he wanted. But his reaction to Deku ruining it was funny.

Eri now has wonderful mentors and role models like Aizawa, Mirio, and the rest of UA. She even has a new home with a new family! And look at that smile!

A Loan

****SPOILERS FOR MY HERO ACADEMIA: HEROES RISING***

What a great crowd for the premiere showing of My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising. I liked how people came wearing their fan gear, I know I did! And such enthusiasm for the film. I thought I bought a ticket for the subtitled showing, since that’s how I watch the series, but it ended up being the dubbed showing! I was able to enjoy the movie after I acclimated to the different voice actors and language. The film was fantastic and I definitely preferred it over the first My Hero Academia movie.

The biggest shock was when Deku shared One for All for Bakugo when they teamed up against Nine. Did anyone (who didn’t read the manga) see that coming? I certainly didn’t! But after the battle it seems Bakugo doesn’t remember and Deku still has his quirk. I wonder if Deku’s intention for it “being a loan” made it revert back to him? I have so many questions now! Anyways, check out the movie if you haven’t already! You get to see the students on their own running an agency, new characters with interesting quirks, and Bakugo and Deku getting along (kind of).

Katsucon 2020

Yesterday was my first time attending Katsucon, held at the Gaylord in National Harbor. I didn’t dress as a character, but I did wear an Aizawa shirt with a giant red heart (also it was Valentine’s Day). Someone told me in the Merchant Hall Aizawa would never do that! (I could see it as him capturing someone else’s heart, like Ms. Joke’s, but I could see how the guy thought it was Aizawa, himself, presenting his own heart lol). A girl can dream!

Redbubble

I’ve attended several conventions and by far Katsucon’s line for pre-registration was the worst. Maybe there were tons more attendees than they expected this year. The registration line was basically nonexistent, so everyone who waited until last minute, definitely had a leg up on the rest of us in the terms of waiting time (not sure how much they paid for entry). I stood in line for about an hour. And this isn’t to knock the volunteers, they were all very helpful, patient, and friendly (especially the fellow who helped me find the Merchant Hall), but I do think it would be beneficial for future events if they can either have more laptops to check folks in or allocate more volunteers to that task, at least for the earlier part of the day. That’s the only difference I can think of, as I compare it to the other events I have gone to. The other events just had more folks to check attendees in and they had clearly marked signs so you knew where to go. Katsucon did not have the giant signs directing people or the big map print outs. They did have maps in their guidebook. If you’re crap at reading maps, which I am, it is helpful having signs. The other hiccup I noticed, but I don’t know how you’d fix this, is intersecting lines. So the line for pre-registration (people who paid ahead of time for entry but needing to pick up their badges), stretched almost the entire length of the first floor. While everyone in line was respectful of other people’s space, at least near me thankfully, I noticed later when I was looking for the Merchant Hall that their entrance was near the pre-registration line. This caused a giant mass of people to accumulate with everyone totally confused. The volunteer there tried her very best to make herself heard, but with the ginormous group of people, it was difficult to sort out who was supposed to go where. This made me very glad I had gotten my badge in the morning! An hour in line was enough, an hour in line, plus confused people messing up that line would’ve been trying for anyone’s patience.

That’s the almost non-existent line for registration, versus the pre-registration line. When I took this photo I was towards the front of the line, but the pre-registration line stretched all the way back into the hallway and the length of the first floor.

The Merchant Hall had so many things! I got a cool hat to wear to my Burn Bootcamp workouts. And some Aggretsuko items for my friend. In case I cosplay as Ms. Joke again, I grabbed a plush Aizawa. I am excited about this All Might pin for my gym bag. My sister got me into Princess Jellyfish so I had to scoop up that dvd. I started feeling light-headed (definitely should’ve eaten something since I went straight from a Reiki session to the con) and felt claustrophobic, so I didn’t tour the entire Merchant Hall, but I’m sure there were lots of cool items at other vendor booths. But my sanity and wallet appreciated my early departure!

The Breakfast Club!
I stared at this bag for a very long time, upon realizing it wasn’t practical for the office, I slowly sadly walked away. I only looked back once…or twice…

I saw great cosplays, but my two favorites were a home made Baby Yoda and Muriel from Courage the Cowardly Dog. I love how happy and excited people are to show off their handiwork, and to display their passion, and support for their favorite characters! Love seeing families in cosplay together and fans of various ages! (I may take some classes at Joanne’s, because I am not skilled when it comes to making things. Just to give you a glimpse; during middle school, in sewing class, we were supposed to make gym bags. And I was stuck at a sewing machine in the dark trying to make my project while the rest of the class watched Flubber because they finished on time). When you think about the aspects of a character that makes them appealing to you, it’s fascinating to see others dressed up and to wonder what appeals to them. It could be as simple as liking an anime character and wanting the challenge of creating and conceptualizing that in real life. Or seeing how a character never lost hope, stayed true to his vision despite the doubts of others, displayed heroic attributes, and trained heard to achieve his goal and wanting to emulate that in your own life (any Deku fans? I know I am!).

She crocheted Courage! She did a phenomenal job!
For some reason my photo of Baby Yoda came out like this, but when I checked it after the photo it looked good ughhhh but he did an amazing job on his costume!

Line and crowds aside, which people can expect at most cons anyways, I enjoyed the event! There was an even a Funimation room when you could just relax, watch anime, and get comfy with pillows. National Harbor is beautiful, with great restaurants, and the Gaylord and surrounding area is beautiful (also a great venue if you’re into cosplay photo shoots). Katsucon had other events too, like this healthy lifestyle panel I wanted to attend but missed while in line. Maybe next time!

https://guidebook.com/g/katsu2020/#/session/25288451
I did watch a few Dagon Ball episodes with my brother. The episode where Piccolo and Goku take their driver’s exam made me laugh.

Even my Lyft driver was an anime fan. He recommended I check out Colorful and FLCL. And of course I made him take a card to check out my blog! Lol hi and thanks for the ride!

If you’re in the area, check out Katsucon. Sunday may be the better day if you’d like to avoid some of the crowd (hence my reason for going on Friday, not a bad way to spend Valentine’s Day!).

Blend S! Funny with a bit of romance!
Tada Never Falls in Love, is one of my favorites! Romance, whimsical music, plus that cat!
I really want to see How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?
Love is War! Romance and Humor! Yeeeeeessssss!
A little treat for the way home! The cashier was incredibly friendly and had great recommendations. If I find myself at National Harbor again, I would drop by for sure. What a tasty treat! And good customer service. They were playing anisongs too!

What Aoyama Wrote

I’ve taken four years of French, but it was difficult to make out the letters Aoyama wrote with his navel laser. Something about sleeping? I’m guessing it’s about the cheese note he left for Deku lol (“I know”).

Bright Future (Post 2 of 2)

“Smile; a society without cheer and humor will not have a bright future” – Sir Nighteye

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

Pro Hero, Sir Nighteye, was All Might’s sidekick for a number of years. He looked up to All Might as a mentor, but also cared for him as a friend. Sir took being a hero seriously, but also appreciated humor. He was overly cautious, likely due to his quirk Foresight. He’d send chills down people’s spines due to his stern piercing gaze. Thanks to an introduction by Mirio (that All Might helped facilitate), he took Deku for the work studies program. Sir really agreed to it because he wanted to show Deku that Mirio was the better candidate to be All Might’s successor. While on patrol with Mirio, Deku runs into Eri and Chisaki. Deku wanted to save Eri, because she’s clearly frightened and does not want to go with Chisaki (Overhaul). For wanting to save her Nighteye chided him (although later they all wondered if it would’ve been better to save her then). Sir did not think Deku was useless, but he definitely gave him a hard time.

Having been a sidekick to All Might for years, there is history between them. Sir Nighteye saw with his Foresight, that All Might would die a gruesome death at the hand of a villain, and he wanted him to find a suitable heir and retire. At that point in time, Sir’s Foresight had never been incorrect, so there wasn’t a precedent for the future being any different. They also disagreed with who should succeed him as the Symbol of Peace.

Not knowing the history behind them, Deku wanted to work with Sir Nighteye. All Might doesn’t feel comfortable introducing them, plus he was against first year students doing work studies. But he does introduce him to Mirio who is currently working with Sir. All Might reflects upon the idea, presented a while back by the UA Principal and Sir, for him to pass his quirk, One for All, to Mirio (before he ran into Deku trying to save Bakugo from Sludge).

This episode really illustrates the meaningful relationships between mentors and those they inspire. Some of the relationships that came to mind as I considered this were All Might inspiring Sir Nighteye, Deku, Bakugo, and countless others, Mirio mentoring Deku at work studies, Aizawa inspiring his students, Sir Nighteye as a mentor to Mirio, Bubble Girl, and Deku, and Nana Shimura and Gran Torino helping train Toshinori Yagi (All Might). There are countless people in the world inspired by the actions, personality, quirks, skills, traits, and outlook of others, not just in the world of My Hero Academia and anime land, but all around us. You likely inspire people by being your true, authentic self, in your daily life, even doing what you consider mundane things.

As Deku works with Sir Nighteye at his agency, alongside Mirio and Bubble Girl, we gradually feel Sir warming up towards him. He is hard on Deku, but since he doesn’t see him as useless, he must see his potential. He is appreciative that Deku showed him the future can be changed.

In the episode, Infinite 100%, we see Sir dejected. He is mortally wounded and the future he sees, shows Deku dying. He doesn’t see a point to the pro heroes and students, especially injured, risking more to fight. As the crew on the podcast Popped Off (@popped_off) pointed out this seems unusual for a hero. But given that Sir’s Foreight has never been wrong, there isn’t a precedent for him to think it can change, so his outlook is understandable. Thankfully, the future is different than he envisioned. Overhaul is defeated and Eri is saved. Sir Nighteye received his wish, through Deku, and the energy and efforts of those helping. But now, in the episode Bright Future, Sir Nighteye (not All Might), has been mortally wounded due to a villain.

Cue my uncontrollable crying and sobbing, which only got worse as the episode progressed….watching on Hulu if you want to cry with me…

New Opening and Ending for MHA in Episode “Smoldering Flames”

We got a new opening and ending, with music of course, for My Hero Academia! It was a total shift in tone. The opening felt bright and uplifting, with moments of reflection for Bakugo, Todorki, and Endeavor. Looks like we have a festival to look forward to! Aizawa has a little coat, is that for Eri??? And the ending scene had old photos of some of our favorite heroes (and some villains) at festivals. Let me know if I missed anyone or if I had any incorrect names. I’m watching on Hulu!

All Might!
Of course Deku has All Might’s Funko Pop! Ha!
Love the image of everyone’s reflection on their day and current events, as they’re getting ready to sleep…because isn’t that what we all do?
The villains look happy and dare I say, not corrupted? What happens to people and characters that put them on a dark path? Is it a major incident? Is it life circumstance? One small thing leads to another? Negative influences? Lack of morals? Survival tactics? Etc? At one point they were just having fun with friends at a festival. I do want to know who is in these photos, like that little girl in the door frame by Shigaraki.
Family photos….there was one image of a burned photo in the ending credits, I wonder what happened there…what was the photo of? Check out Todoroki in his little hat!

Bright Future (Post 1 of 2)

“Smile; a society without cheer and humor will not have a bright future” – Sir Nighteye

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

Thank goodness for Aizawa and his quirk! If it wasn’t for his subtle finger motion to Froppy (or as Amajiki cutely called her, “Miss Ribbit”), and her lifting Aizawa’s head, Eri’s quirk may’ve caused irreversible damage to Deku. During Deku’s fight with Chisaki, Eri’s quirk was the only thing allowing him to fight at 100%. But being able to control her quirk, is something Eri still needs to learn (similar to Deku’s hurdle when he first used One for All). Eri develops a fever after the fight and is later quarantined in the hospital. Since Aizawa is the only one able to stop Eri if her quirk gets out of control, keeping her quarantined will let them assess the situation, and hopefully be able to work with her as she learns to regulate her quirk safely.

Did you catch Uraraka using her skills from her internship to capture Chisaki as he was flying midair? She did a great job of staying grounded and focusing on the mission, even in the moments of chaos. Although she was premature in thinking that everything was over, as Amajiki was right to question.

The aftermath of Chisaki’s fight with Deku, and the battle with the heroes, has taken a toll. It leaves little time to celebrate since several of the heroes have been injured. And one mortally wounded.

There would’ve been more damage and injury during Deku’s battle with Chisaki, but Deku was very mindful of the environment he was battling in, so the damage was minor. This reminded me of his earlier interaction with Sir Nighteye, when he was trying to grab the stamp from his hand. Deku was unable to get the stamp, but he did impress Sir by avoiding any damage to his All Might collector items.

Meanwhile, Shigaraki and the League of Villains are causing mayhem on the highway. What an ominous scene of the three of them walking. I’ll write a proper post on one hero’s ultimate sacrifice shortly. I’m watching on Hulu. Check it out if you haven’t already!