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Manga One Piece

Throw The Baby Out With The Bathwater [One Piece 1153]

All bad men need is a good partner to “fix” them.

Classic Oda. Who needs personal character growth when a fat ass lady is all a guy needs to be set on the righteous path? And what a path it is. King Harald did a complete 180. He’s now kind, empathic, and went to college to get his degree in diplomacy. Thanks Ida!

Can someone explain why Ida just gave up marrying Harald? Seemed a bit too sudden to me. I guess she had to “sacrifice” herself for the good of her lover and Elbaph. For a character who had an interesting introduction, Ida went full basic by the middle of the chapter. I’m not blaming Ida, mind you. I’m blaming Oda. The ole “tough” woman but is actually sweet is Oda’s bread and butter. Throw in a woman being in ♥love♥ and you get the complete average One Piece female character.

Even Shou Tucker’s disgusted by Estrid’s actions. What a waste of a perfectly good test subject.

Estrid was a bit more interesting. Where did all her prophecy talk come from? Is it all just B.S.? Did no one ever call her out on it? It’s clear she’s using that feng shui talk as an excuse to go full gold digger on Harald. Hope it’s revealed one way or another the prophecy is garbage.

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anime My Hero Vigilantes

My Hero Vigilantes, Season One: Just Watch It!

It’s fantastic!

…? Oh! You wanna know why?

Well, it’s a faithful adaption of the manga series. Sure, some .5 (i.e. bonus) chapters were omitted and some scenes were altered or shown in a different order than the manga, but I assume it was to make the season more cohesive, avoid copyright issues (The manga’s filled with one-off or minor characters whose appearance references fictional characters from other companies. Heck, I’m surprised Ichimoku Samazu [Fake Cyclops] and Jube Namimaru [Fake Wolverine] made it into the anime unaltered.), or save time.

The companies behind the series, Toho and Bones Film, had a lot to pack into these thirteen episodes and I think they did a great job keeping the overall feel and heart of the original manga.

Adapting a manga can be difficult when it’s a currently running series. Which scenes are important and what aren’t, making filler so as to not catch up with the source material, and having to budget anime production costs for a series you don’t know how long it’ll last are just some of the problems that creep up. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case for My Hero Vigilantes’ anime.

The manga ended years ago, so the animation team knew exactly how long the series would be and budgeted its cost accordingly. It’s probably a big reason the animation looks so darn good. They know how many seasons they’ll have and can work within that limitation.

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anime cartoon Hipster Hotline Wakfu

Wakfu: The Animated Series [Season 4 Episode 13 Review] {Season Finale}

This is it! The final episode of the fourth season, and—until the fifth and final season is created and released in a couple years—the final episode of the series.

Will The Brotherhood of the Tofu save the day or will the next season be a animated version of The Walking Dead? Let’s find out!

I’m going to divide my analysis into three parts: The Sadida Battle, The Necroworld Battle, and The Post-War Wrap-Up.

Sadida Battle

Shout-out to Amalia for inspiring the troops after Armand’s death. She and Armand had their many MANY disagreements, but they still loved each other. They’re family and always will be.

This battle feels more dire than Team Yugo’s because they’re more characters at risk of dying. Take Percedal, for example. The Necros did the smart thing and targeted him, seeing as he’s the most powerful physical fighter there. Thankfully, Amalia’s grief power-up saved him.

Retail employees one minute before their store closes.

Holy crap! Ruel did something useful! He and Kamasutar went full Steven Universe and fused into a giant beast man. A cool moment, indeed. Now, leave the show and never come back.

Categories
anime cartoon Hipster Hotline Wakfu

Wakfu: The Animated Series [Season 4 Episode 9 Review]

Oropo’s back? NOOOO!

Noximilien. Qilby. Oropo. Toross Mordal. The Big Bads of Wakfu. One of these baddies suck. Care to guess which one?

…Qilby?

WRONG! I’m so disappointed in you, dear reader. No Yugo energy dinner for you!

Last episode ended with Yugo’s capture by Mordal. We open this episode, not surprisingly, with our favorite hero confined to a Wakfu sucking tower for the nutritional enjoyment of the residents of evil in Necroworld. Talk about a biohazard.

If Yugo’s Wakfu energy’s completely drained he dies or becomes a Wakfu Zombie. But, not to worry because…

(1.) Mordal knows how to ration Wakfu and…

(2.) Yugo’s got help in the form of…Oropo.

You’ve seen it before, my fellow anime/anime-adjacent cartoon fans. The Big Bad is super powerful—almost unstoppable—so the hero(es) must find a way to level up their skills, train to become stronger, or simply bullsh*t their way to ultimate victory.

Little Yugo’s getting a bit of all three.

Welcome to adulthood, Yugo. Enjoy your complimentary stack of bills and bowl of responsibilities.

~Mind Training~

Yep. Yugo’s mind training to up his EXP Points thanks to Oropo and Bouillon, two of Yugo’s unplanned kids (I guess Bouillon’s a Eliatrope despite not having Wakfu horns. Maybe glowing eyes is enough?) living in Yugo’s subconscious? Consciousness? Whatever. It’s all bullsh*t to make Yugo powerful enough to stop Mordal once he escapes. And you KNOW he’s gonna escape at some point.

Categories
anime cartoon Hipster Hotline Wakfu

Wakfu: The Animated Series [Season 4 Episode 8 Review]

Yugo? No no. Yu-stay!

Our heroes meet Toross Mordal, King of Necroworld. Spoiler: It doesn’t end well.

But all of that happens in the back half of the episode. Lets backtrack a bit, shall we?

Eva reads Flopin’s note while she and the rest of the Percedal Family search for him. Eva’s devastated, of course. But after reading her son’s letter, she decides it’s better to let Flopin go off with her deadbeat super assassin dad and live his own life, no matter how painful that decision is.

For the record, Eva, I agree. Flopin wants to get stronger and see the world. Let him. It’s better than dragging his butt back home and have him be resentful of you and his awesome demi-god siblings. I don’t know if we’ll see the fruits of Flopin’s training before the season ends, but if there’s ever is a fifth season or sequel series I look forward to seeing what happens to the little guy.

*SIGH!*

…It’s back. Ruel’s subplot…

Look on the bright side. Flopin’s room’s free so Goultard doesn’t have to sleep in the bathtub anymore.

Fortunately, it’s short. Just long enough to punish the audience by reminding us it’s still a thing. Basically, Ruel’s wife, Arpagone, is traveling the World of Twelve, donating Ruel’s wealth to charitable organizations. Ruel’s pissed and wants to stop her. Don’t they have police in this world? Call them! Eh, whatever.

Thank goodness that fart of a subplot is blown away by the incredible main plot.

Categories
anime cartoon Hipster Hotline Wakfu

Wakfu: The Animated Series [Season 4 Episode 7 Review]

Toross Mordal wants to know your location. And, no, he’s not asking permission.

I think it’s safe to say the undisputed king of the Necroworld will be this season’s Big Bad. Toross Mordal’s his name; eating wakfu’s his game. And by what looks to be six Dofus attached to his body, he’s playing for keeps. Not that it wasn’t obvious considering he kept the Eliatrope Goddess prisoner for centuries. Safe to say, the World of Twelve is screwed when he decides to take an Uber there himself.

What I find interesting is the other World of Twelve gods not only banished the E.G. to Necroworld knowing it’s residents could keep her imprisoned, but—if Nora’s correct—they did it to also gain more followers. It’s not that farfetched a theory considering Necroworld is described by Nora as a “rotten reflection of the World of Twelve”. Necroworld is the way it is because of that planet’s Dofus. It’s what could have happened if Yugo really screwed up using the Eliatrope Dofus back in the OVA.

School field trips when having social anxiety.

Not that the other World of Twelve gods care. They simply want more worshippers/followers. And you thought YouTube content creators where evil!

Categories
anime cartoon Hipster Hotline Wakfu

Wakfu: The Animated Series [Season 4 Episode 6 Review]

The Necros want a quick meal. But what happens when fast food fights back?

The World of Twelve isn’t taking the Necros invasion lightly. At least the main characters aren’t. Most of the planet doesn’t yet know how screwed they are. But no worries! Yugo and Amalia are on the job!

Most of the episode is focused on them and the Eliatropes trying to stop the invasion. Yugo and Amalia make a great team. The two were able to hold off hundreds of Necros for a few minutes without directly using wakfu. Not bad. Commence appreciative yet slightly sarcastic slow clapping.

You’re supposed to have one more sword in your mouth.

Fortunately, Nora, Qilby and some background Eliatropes decided to lend them a hand (one in Qilby’s case), forcing the Necros attacking Sadidia Kingdom to retreat. Well…actually, a mysterious Necros hiding in the shadows called off the attack. I wonder who this person could—Efrim.

There’s no point in dragging it out. We know Nora’s dragon twin brother fell while saving the Eliatrope Goddess. We learned in this episode a being drained by Necros become a Necros. 1+1=Zombie Efrim. Awkward family reunion incoming.

Categories
anime cartoon Hipster Hotline Wakfu

Wakfu: The Animated Series [Season 4 Episode 5 Review]

Invasion of the Wakfu Snachers!

What I love about this episode is watching both world-wide and interpersonal drama jamming together in dub-step harmony.

For example, the episode was almost bookmarked by the invading Cape Necros—first with their appearance in the World of Twelve and last with the group summoning a giant monster. But then, at the very end, we’re shown a quick shot of Yugo traveling to the Sadida Kingdom in order to help Amalia, defying his mother’s request to abandon this world. The main plot is slowly affecting our main characters in a natural and interesting way.

I talked about the beginning and end. Now, let’s get into the middle/meat/vegan alternate option part of the episode.

Armant and Amalia return to Sadidia after the World Leaders meeting. Armant, of course, is being a prick—concluding that the Eliatrope Goddess is a threat while also trying to gaslight Amalia into thinking she’s blinded by her feelings for Yugo because she doesn’t agree with him. What a royal pain in the tofu bird Az!

P. Necros be wanting to party, and you gotta tell them no.
Categories
Manga One Piece

AA Haki Batteries [One Piece 1122]

Let’s pour out a little oil for our robot homie.

Emet, the (not so) little robot that could. And he did—save Team Straw Hat, that is. But I don’t think anyone could guess he’d do it by unleashing Joy Boy’s haki. I wonder if Joy Boy specifically thought King Imu would be the one causing problems for his robotic friend in the future? Emet should be strong enough to take on just about any threat. Storing haki inside his buddy, Joy Boy probably thought Emet’s opponent would be a living being(s) too powerful or immune to standard weapons. Hmm… I’m really curious when Joy Boy and Emet had that conversation. My guess it’s near the end of their adventures together or even the last time they spoke.

Joy Boy’s haki (I presume) caused the Elders to retreat. Was it them specifically affected or was it King Imu? Are the Elders and King Imu linked in some way? Do the Elders even have devil fruits or does their power come directly from Imu? Hmm… That would help explain their immortality and invulnerability. So, if Imu goes down, the Five Elders go down with him. Interesting, if true.

I don’t know what’s crazier: St. Mars already back at Mary Geoise just chillin’ while waiting for his pizza delivery or King Imu spazzing out over Joy Boy’s big D. energy haki.
Categories
anime cartoon Hipster Hotline Wakfu

Wakfu: The Animated Series [Season 4 Episode 1 Review] [Hipster Hotline]

Because you demanded it, let’s talk about Wakfu: The Animated Series.

After reviewing Wakfu season three as a whole, I think it’d be better to do a full review of the fourth and final season once I’ve watched all thirteen episodes. If it’s anything like season three, I might have to watch it twice to really understand my feelings and give a more accurate assessment of my thoughts. But, since Wakfu doesn’t get nearly as much recognition as it deserves, I want to give my first impressions of the first episode—currently the only season four episode I’ve seen.

Short answer: I loved it!

Long answer: Here are my thoughts…

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