Chainsaw Man Chapter 136, Normal Life Review: Excuse Me, What?

You know, I keep going into Chainsaw Man chapters expecting normal, predictable stuff to happen, and every time Fujimoto surprises me with the outright bizarre stuff he comes up with.
I should have learned my lesson after Chapter 105 but I clearly did not because I still ended Chapter 136 “Normal Life” wondering what the hell I had just read.
The chapter centers around Denji’s “normal life” after he quits being Chainsaw Man.
He is back at school, looking depressed as ever, while still wearing his Chainsaw Man t-shirt.
Another student notices this and informs Denji of the rumor that Chainsaw Man is actually taking credit for Asa’s Devil kills, and tells him that he should stop wearing the shirt of a “victimizer.”
If that was not bad enough, another student who loves Chainsaw Man overhears this and, believing Denji agrees with the other student, attacks him.
The chapter then cuts to the aftermath of the fight where Denji is admonished for beating up the student who attacked him, as the teacher automatically assumes Denji started the fight since he doesn’t have parents.
It’s sad but realistic considering how some schools treat those who defend themselves as bad as the actual bullies.
Denji is too depressed to protest his innocence and leaves the room, only to be met by Yoshida, who invites him out to a movie.
They are the only ones at the theatre, since a Devil showed up but it was killed quickly and Yoshida uses this to point out how Chainsaw Man isn’t actually needed, probably depressing Denji further.
It is then that Yoshida reveals he used this movie invite to set Denji up with a girl he knows.
Yoshida probably did this to further convince Denji to live a normal life, since one of the reasons Denji wanted people to know he was Chainsaw Man was so he could get a girlfriend.
Before Yoshida leaves, Denji asks him if this is what a normal life is supposed to be like, and Yoshida replies that it is, leaving Denji all alone in the theater in what is a pretty depressing panel.
The girl then approaches and sits next to Denji, who is not really into the idea of going on a date, given how depressed he is.
He is about to tell the girl he wants to be left alone, when he starts shrieking loudly.
At first, I thought he had got a look at the girl’s face and maybe recognized her but nope, if only.
Instead, what has actually happened is the girl has suddenly grabbed his wiener.
We then get a look at this girl’s face and, yep, she looks incredibly creepy.
The chapter then ends on Denji still in shock that the girl has grabbed his weiner, and once again I can confidently say that I did not expect the chapter to end this way.
The final scene with this creepy, sexual harassment girl felt so bizarre to read.
But that’s what I like about Fujimoto’s writing.
He is always pulling some weird plot development out of a hat that makes you wonder just what the hell you are reading.
He did it with Fire Punch and he is doing it now with Chainsaw Man.
Already, there are multiple theories about who the sexual harassment girl is.
The Death Devil is a popular one but I doubt that since she does not have the spiral eyes of Makima, Yoru or Fami.
Another theory is the Octopus Devil Yoshida is contracted with and I find this much more likely, since it could be a way for Yoshida to keep an eye on Denji and make sure that he is living a normal life.
Or the girl could just be a random pervert, who knows?
As for how Denji will react to her next chapter, well, that is anyone’s guess.
He did tell Asa he wanted to have sex but this mysterious girl’s actions feel a lot like Makima’s sexual manipulation so I don’t know if Denji will fall for it again.
Then again, this is Denji we’re talking about so he very well might.
Either way, given that every woman in Denji’s life tries to kill him, I expect this girl to be no different.
Although, if there’s something I should have learned about Fujimoto at this point, it is to expect the unexpected when reading his works. 

Chainsaw Man Chapter 135, Sentimental Drive Review: A Suspicious Alliance.

In the previous chapter of Chainsaw Man, the Imposter made his debut to the world.
Now, in the recent Chapter 135 “Sentimental Drive”, we finally see Asa’s reaction to the news.
Like many predicted, Asa sees through the ruse immediately.
She knows the real Chainsaw Man is self-serving after their meeting during the Falling Devil fight so immediately recognizes the Imposter as a fraud.
Yoru, however, is more focused on Asa now having a crush on Chainsaw Man after he saved her.
Despite this, Yoru remains in good spirits because she knows that war is coming due to the issues caused by the Falling Devil’s appearance, and war will make her stronger.
Asa suggests that if Yoru gets her strength back then she will not have to kill Chainsaw Man but Yoru is insistent, urging Asa to forget about him.
Instead, this makes Asa think about him more, resulting in Yoru breaking the fourth wall by screaming, “No flashbacks!”
This, in turn, leads to the funniest moment of the chapter with Asa’s mind coming up with a literal poem to describe her time with Chainsaw Man, titled “Sentimental Drive.”
Before Yoru can be tortured with more of Asa’s poetry, Fami arrives as if from nowhere.
Asa and Yoru demand to know how she got there, only for Fami to continuously ask if she can eat their bread.
I still find it hilarious that the Famine Devil is constantly thinking about food.
Once she has her food, Fami produces a plan to Asa and Yoru.
If Asa joins the Chainsaw Man Church, then she can fight the Devils for him, allowing Denji to live a normal life.
This will bring the Black Chainsaw Man (Pochita) out, and Yoru can then kill him, since he is the one her grudge is truly against.
Yoru and Asa do agree to this plan but I find their newfound alliance with Family extremely suspcious, considering that Fami used the Falling Devil to try and get Yoru under ger control, not that either of them know that.
Also, Fami wants to make sure the world stays safe so she can keeping eating human food, right?
Well, the world needs Chainsaw Man to keep it safe and removing Pochita from the equation would remove Denji’s power to do so.
Although, it’s also pretty clear that the plan will not end well because if Asa and Yoru do draw Pochita out there is no way Denji is going to allow him to be killed.
Not to mention Denji seems pretty mad at the end of the chapter when he sees Asa on the TV, striking a heroic pose over a Devil she killed, while news commentators speculate that she is actually responsible for Chainsaw Man’s Devil kills.
Will this be enough to push Denji over the edge and make him transform again?
I guess we will find out tommorrow when the next chapter releases.
One thing I am certain of though is that this will lead to another confrontation between him and Asa, whether that is next chapter or later.
This could be a pretty humorous interaction, since Asa does not remember her date with Denji because Nayuta erased her memories.
One final interesting detail about Chapter 135 that I want to mention is that Fami seemingly confirms that she and Yoru, just like Makima, have no interest in faces.
In Part One of Chainsaw Man, this directly lead to Makima’s defeat so I wonder if Fami saying this is foreshadowing a potential downfall of her or Yoru for the same reason?
Overall, Chapter 135, “Sentimental Drive” is another solid Chainsaw Man chapter, which seems to be building to another tense yet comedic meeting between Asa and Denji.

Nimona Review: A Metal Movie.

A few days ago, I went on Netflix to rewatch a show that I wanted to get back into.
The first thing I saw when I opened Netflix was an ad for the movie Nimona. 
I had never heard of Nimona but I decided to give the ad a shot rather than ignoring it and was pleasantly surprised by the brief scene I was shown.
The animation looked solid and the dynamic between the two main characters Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz) and Ballister (Riz Ahmed) had me chuckling.
So I decided to give it a watch and was not let down.

Nimona is, as the titular character would say, “metal.”

Directed by Nick Bruno and Troy Quane, and based off the webcomic and graphic novel by ND Stevenson, Nimona is set in a futuristic version of a medieval kingdom, 1000 years after the kingdom’s hero, Gloreth, defeated an evil monster that threatened it.
A young man named Ballister Boldheart is set to become the first commoner to be accepted into the Elite Knights who protect the kingdom.
However, on the day of his ascension, he is framed for the Queen’s murder and has to go on the run.
This is where Nimona comes in.
A shapeshifting, anarchy loving, hell raiser, Nimona joins Ballister, first to be his villainous sidekick and then to help him clear his name when she learns of his innocence.
Back when I watched the ad for this movie, the dynamic between Nimona and Ballister was the thing that drew me in, and their growing bond is definitely the highlight of the movie.
Nimona is often darkly hilarious and Ballister plays off on this perfectly with his often horrified reactions to her chaotic actions.

Ballister’s constant concerned reactions to Nimona’s morbid statements will never not be funny.

There is also a lot of heart between these two characters, as they bond over their experiences, which leads to some pretty tragic and dark places for Nimona’s character.
Speaking of heart, Ballister is actually in for a heartbreak as his boyfriend Ambrosius (Eugene Lee Yang), the descendant of Gloreth, is chosen by the Director of the Elite Knights (Frances Conroy) to hunt Ballister and Nimona down.
The relationship between Ballister and Ambrosius is also well done with a lot of interesting tension between the two since they stand on opposite sides after the inciting incident of the Queen’s murder.
Disney, however, were apparently not impressed by this.
From what I have heard, Disney almost cancelled the film entirely, all because of a scene where Ballister and Ambrosius kiss.
Well, the joke’s on Disney in the end because of how many of their recent films have flopped, while Nimona is soaring. 

If the rumor about Disney almost cancelling Nimona due to homophoia is true then it’s disappointing, although not unsurprising.

I will not say that the film is entirely perfect though, as there are a few criticisms I do have.
For one thing, although Ballister’s status as a commoner is important to the beginning of the story, the divide between commoners and nobles isn’t really focused on that much afterwards, which felt like a missed opportunity to expand the world building.
This could have helped further cement the motive behind the villain of the movie, which also felt quite lacking.
They are pretty much just a standard surprise twist villain, a trope which has been especially common in animated movies over the years.
Not to mention the identity of this villain was incredibly predictable.
The rest of the movie, however, was far from predictable, with quite a few surprises, especially concerning Nimona’s powers, which the writers get really creative with, allowing for many excellently animated scenes. 

Nimona transforming into a whale is just the first of many surprises.

The animation honestly reminded me a lot of Arcane at times, and given how much I love Arcane that is strong praise from me.
All in all, Nimona is a great animated movie with a charming and funny friendship between its two lead characters.
I would highly recommend checking it out. 

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Review: A Decent Enough Ending.

Indiana Jones is one of the most celebrated franchises of all time.
Even if its fourth installment was a big let-down, the original trilogy of Raiders of the Lost Arc, the Temple of Doom, and the Last Crusade are all rightly considered classics.
So when a new and most likely final film, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was announced, fans were both excited and nervous.
Would this be as good as the films of the original trilogy or a disaster like Kingdom of the Crystal Skull?
Well, it turns out the answer is neither because Dial of Destiny simply alright.
It is a descent conclusion to the character of Indiana Jones with things to like and dislike about it. 

The Dial of Destiny is an okay film but that an Indiana Jones film should definitely be more than that.

Directed by James Mangold, the film follows an elderly Jones (Harrison Ford) who is just about to retire from his job after suffering a family tragedy, when his goddaughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) shows up.
She is here to take one of Indie’s artifacts, a piece of the Antikythere, which is an ancient device created by the Greek philosopher Archimedes to supposedly travel through time.
However, Helena is being pursued by Nazis who were pardoned for their cooperation after World War Two.
They are led by Dr Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), a Nazi scientist Jones encountered decades before and now wants to use the Antikythere to change the course of the war.
And so, Indiana Jones has to go on one more, final adventure with Helena and her young friend Teddy (Ethan Isidore) to stop Voller. 

It’s a race to complete the Antikythere to stop the Nazis from winning WW2.

Whatever anyone may think about the Dial of Destiny, I don’t think any of them could deny that it was good to see Harrison Ford in the role of Indiana Jones for what will most likely be the last time.
As expected, Ford does a fantastic job as the character, even though it has been so many years since he played him.
He brings a lot of weight to his performance, both emotionally and physically.
I say physically because I quite liked the way Indie’s age was showcased.
It is quite clear that he is not as strong as he once was, given his age and this is portrayed well.
As for his youngers days, this is also showcased with the opening scene, which sees a digitally altered Indie working with Helena’s father Bazel (Toby Jones), fighting Nazis on a train.
This is the best scene of the film, with the CGI used to de-age Ford working, for the most part. 

The de-ageing used on Harrison Ford works, except for a few instances. Although it is weird to hear Ford’s older voice come from a younger looking Indie.

What works less is the CGI used for the action, both in this scene and in the rest of the movie.
One of the many things that make the original trilogy great is how practical they are.
You could really feel the weight of the action because you knew that what you were seeing was mostly real.
Constant CGI, on the other hand, adds a level of disconnect because you can often tell what you are looking at is not there.
This was a problem with Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and it is a problem here.
Although, to be fair, I do understand that some CGI was necessary because we cannot expect the 80-year-old Ford to pull off the stunts he used to. 

I do understand that some CGI was necessary for Ford but I wish there had been more practical effects than digital.

As for the younger actors in this movie, they unfortunately left a bit to be desired.
Helena is a very unlikeable character for the first half of the movie and, while I do understand that this was likely the intent, with the writers probably hoping her growth would in turn make her grow on the viewer, unfortunately I think they went a bit overboard with it.
Helena is quite callous throughout much of the movie and it is difficult to forget that, even when she has her development. 

The writers really should have dialled down Helena’s callousness because it made her difficult to like even after her arc.

As for Teddy, while he does get one standout moment, it did not feel like there was enough to make me latch onto him as a character.
It is the same for Voller who is serviceable as the villain but nothing beyond that.
Boyd Holbrook’s role is worse, with his henchman character being entirely forgettable. 
One thing that is certainly not forgettable, however, is the film’s third act, which goes in a crazy direction that I think may feel like a jump-the-shark moment for many viewers.
Personally, I quite enjoyed this twist, crazy as it was.
It is was some of the characters’ abrupt decisions during this third act that made me scratch my head, honestly. 

Although some of the choices made in the third act are weird, it is still the most memorable scene in the movie, along with the first scene.

This builds into an ending that is emotionally cathartic but also not without its issues because the film forgets to resolve a plot point it set up in the first act, creating quite a jarring plot hole. 
So overall, the Dial of Destiny has a lot of issues.
It is certainly not without its merits, with the first scene, Ford’s performance, and the crazy third act making the film enjoyable.
However, as an Indiana Jones film, it fails to live up to the legacy set by the original trilogy. 
A decent film to be sure but Indiana Jones should never be just decent.     

Vinland Saga Season Two Review: From Epic Viking Tale to Epic Farming Simulator.

Vinland Saga is an all-time great manga and the first season of its adaptation, made by Wit Studio, was amazing.
After finally watching it, I was too interested to wait for Season Two and read the manga.
I was quite surprised by the direction Makoto Yukimura took the story, with the setting changing from the brutal viking battlefields to a farm.
This was far from a bad thing though as Yukimura crafted a beautiful arc centering around the horrors of slavery and pointlessness of war.
It also serves as the beginning of Thorfinn’s (Yūto Uemura) redemption, and now Studio Mappa has adapted this storyline flawlessly.

Thorfinn’s story of redemption is brilliantly adapted by Mappa.

Season One ended with a tease of various characters important to the future of the story.
One of these characters was Einar (Shunsuke Takeuchi), a man who was enslaved after his family was murdered.
Season Two’s first episode sees Einar being bought to work on a farm by land owner Ketil (Hideaki Tezuka).
It is here that he meets Thorfinn, who was also sold into slavery after Season One and is now aimless in his life and suffering from the guilt of what he did while working for Askeladd.
From there, the season follows the two as they work to gain their freedom and grow closer as brothers, while Thorfinn slowly changes for the better in realizing what he needs to do to become a true warrior. 

Thorfinn’s journey in Season Two puts on the path to becoming a true warrior.

At the farm,Thorfinn, Einar, and the audience are introduced to various interesting new characters like Snake (Fuminori Komatsu), Arnheid (Mayumi Sako), Sverkel (Mugihito), and Olmar (Yū Hayashi), all of whom have their own parts to play in commentating on the themes of the story.
All the while, Canute (Kensho Ono) is slowly consolidating his power, becoming more and more like his cruel father as each year follows, eventually building to a tense confrontation with Thorfinn.

While Thorfinn rises, Canute falls into darkness, until their fateful meeting.

Season Two’s story may be of lesser scope and have lesser stakes than the first season but this does not make it any less impactful, with Thorfinn’s growth being especially moving.
Accompanying the excellent arcs of many of the characters is the animation, which Mappa excels at as expected.
The score is also beautiful, with the piano notes composed by Yutaka Yamade being tear inducing during certain tragic scenes.
Speaking of the music, the openings for Season Two are also fantastic.
The first one is “River” by Anonymouz, which seems to highlight Thorfinn’s growth in the first half of the season, and the second OP is “Paradox” by Survive Said the Prophet, which appears to represent the challenges to Thorfinn’s new mindsets, including the consequences of the escaped slave Gardar, and the now ruthless Canute.  

Both OPs perfectly reflect the tone and events of each half of the season.

By the end of the season, it was clear that Mappa had done a masterful job of adapting the Farm Arc, both in their faithful recreation of scenes from the manga, and in new, interesting anime original moments like Einar’s past in the first episode.
I hope that Vinland Saga continues to get the brilliant adaptation it has been getting so far, with hopefully a Season Three and fingers crossed an eventual Season Four.

Chainsaw Man Chapter 134, Ordinary Happiness Review: The Imposter Makes His Move.

In Chapter 133 of Chainsaw Man, Yoshida told Denji that Public Saftey would kill Nayuta if he transformed again.
Despite this threat, Denji decided to continue being Chainsaw Man because he wanted both the fame from that, and to take care of Nayuta.
However, the beginning of Chapter 134, “Ordinary Happiness”, shows that Denji is beginning to doubt his resolve.
Whereas we once saw him proud to hear people talk about Chainsaw Man, in both good and bad ways, now we see him wander the halls of his school and the city streets, looking more and more depressed at every mention of his alter ego.
He does not even look happy that night when he is drying Nayuta’s hair and she tells him that members of the Chainsaw Man Church are fighting the police.
He even tells Nayuta that the Church’s days are numbered because he won’t be transforming anymore, as the fear of what will happen to Nayuta if he does has got to him.
This shows exactly how important Nayuta is to Denji because, prior to this moment, it seemed that Denji being recognized as Chainsaw Man was one of the most important things in the world to him.
Denji now tells Nayuta that he is content because, “nothing beats a normal life.”
Nayuta questions this, asking Denji if he really feels that way, which is quite similar to Kobeni asking Denji if he wants to be normal in Chapter 92.
In fact, I would say that Fujimoto is making a direct parallel to that scene because, just as Denji was inspired by people cheering for Chainsaw Man on the TV after Kobeni questioned him about a normal life, he now sees something entirely different on the TV after Nayuta questions him about the same thing.
On the TV, we once more see that Haruka is being questioned about the Chainsaw Man Church but he responds well to the drilling questions.
Then he gets one that should throw him off, “It’s not as though he (Chainsaw Man) gave you them (instructions) directly, right?!”
Rather than be thrown off, Haruka instead says that Chainsaw Man has guided him and offers to call him for everyone.
Excited, Denji runs for the phone, ready to pick it up, only for the Imposter to walk on stage and declare that he is Chainsaw Man, much to Denji’s shock.
We still do not get a good look at the Imposter’s face, since it is hidden behind his cap, but we can see that he has dark hair and stands tall, making me think that he might be Seigi Akoku from the Devil Hunter Club.
Whoever he is, the Imposter claims that he recieved his power from the Justice Devil and fights to create a world without Devils where there will be an Adam and Eve.
Before he can explain to the reader why Adam and Eve are required, Denji cuts him off by shouting in outrage over someone stealing his identity.
He then breaks down into tears and Nayuta comforts him, ending the chapter.
As for the Imposter, I will admit that him showing up did throw a wrench in my previous theory that he was working against Fami.
I figured since he helped Denji and Asa escape when Fami was trying to kill them that they were on opposite sides and that the mysterious figured who talked to Haruka last chapter was the Justice Devil.
Now it seems that it was the Imposter and he and Fami are actually working togethor.
I also can’t help but think that Yoshida may have a role in all this, since he threatened Nayuta’s life if Denji transformed again and now, as soon as Denji is considering hanging up the Chainsaw Man mantle, an Imposter appears to take his place.
I do wonder if Asa will buy the Imposter’s ruse, however, because there is a theory that she will know he is a fake because Denji told her he was only interested in sex while the Imposter speaks so benevolently.
It is a humorous theory but I think it could turn out to be true.
As for what comes next, I am uncertain about that.
Denji could either transform again to prove the Imposter a fraud, or he could decide to live a normal life, though Asa and Yoru will most likely pursue the Imposter, even if they do know he is not the real Chainsaw Man.
“Ordinary Happirness” is a solid  Chainsaw Man chapter, which is clearly building up future events for the story, whatever they may be.

Barry the Final Season Review: A Fitting, Tragic, Hilarious End.

Going into the final season of Barry, I was quite excited because I had absolutely no idea where the story would go or how it would conclude.
Season Three ended with the fantastic episode “Starting Now”, which saw Barry (Bill Hader) finally being arrested, after falling into a trap laid by Cousineau (Henry Winkler) and Jim Moss (Robert Wisdom).
With Barry imprisoned alongside Fuches (Stephen Root), Sally (Sarah Goldberg) having left LA, and Hank (Anthony Carrigan) and Cristobal (Michael Irby) looking to start new lives after the horrors they survived in Season Three, it felt like the final season could go anywhere.
Indeed, the story does go in some wild directions, with Bill Hader directing all eight episodes.
He made some bold choices with this final season, as a certain turning point halfway through the season did prove pretty divisive. 

Bill Hader certainly took a risk taking the story where he did.

Personally, I found this twist of the season to be warranted, as it fit in perfectly with the arcs of Barry and Sally, and lead up to the morbidly humorous yet tragic ending.
There was a lot of leg work to get this ending, however, and the show makes numerous funny and dark strides to get there; mostly dark because this final season is without question the darkest yet.
This is especially the case with the best episode of the season, “It Takes a Psycho”, which has two scenes that were just painful to watch but in the best of ways. 

It was hard to sit through some parts of Episode Four because of how uncomfortable they were.

Although Season Four is quite dark, this does not mean the show is without its fantastic humor, with multiple great gags of the morbid variety.
The action is also, as always, very well shot when it happens. 
But it is once again the character work where Barry truly shines.
Barry, Cousineau, Hank and Sally all have great conclusions, whether they be tragic or not.
The character I was not expecting to like the most this season, however, was Fuches.
Not only did he provide the biggest laughs of the season for me, with him embracing the role of the Raven, but his arc of accepting who he was resulted in a surprisingly moving conclusion to his character.
This was certainly something I was not expecting, what with how sociopathically manipulative Fuches was in the first three seasons.

I was surprised by how much I loved the conclusion to Fuches character.

Fuches’ conclusion, and the ones of the other characters, is what makes the final episode “Wow” such a fitting finish.
Barry’s ending is also especially well done but I will not say any more than that.
As for the final scene of the series, it is extremely fitting, although I do think there is a bit of a plot hole to it.
This plot hole was not enough to detract any enjoyment out of the ending for me, though, because of how fitting a conclusion it was.

There is one part of Barry‘s ending that does not make much sense to me but, other than that, this was a perfect ending.

In my review for the first three seasons of Barry, I said that if the final season stuck the landing then it would be among the greatest TV series of all time.
Now that I can say the show has stuck the landing, I stand by this sentiment entirely.
Barry is definitley in my top ten favourite shows of all time.
It is darkly comedic, has phenomenal characters, and now an ending that is somehow fitting, tragic and hilarious all at the same time.    

Chainsaw Man Chapter 132 and 133 Review: Offers and Demands.

Chapters 132 and 133 of Chainsaw Man are ones in which characters make tempting offers and frightening demands, yet are turned down both times.
Chapter 132, “Protection”, begins with Nayuta at school, which made me initially think that we were going to get a Nayuta school arc.
We see what Nayuta’s relationship with her classmates is like and it seems that she is pulling a Makima, controlling them so that they give her food.
Nayuta’s school arc is cut signficantly short, however, because just as it begins, soldiers storm the cafateria and point their guns directly at Nayuta.
The chapter then cuts to an unconcious Asa in the hostpital, who is surrounded by chaos, as injured, dead and dying people are still being brought in after the Falling Devil’s attack.
We get a few brief panels showing that Asa is still suffering from her dreams about running through an alleyway filled with dead chickens, and then she awakens, only to be told by the person sitting next to her that their grandkid (about Asa’s age) was crushed by debris.
Asa’s dream represents the guilt she suffers from, due to her parents’, cat’s and Bucky’s deaths, and the news of so many dead is sure to add to that crushing guilt, considering that she was the Falling Devil’s primary target.
We can see this guilt hit Asa, as she thinks about how Chainsaw Man saved her again, only for the focus of the scene to transition to a TV in the hostpital where Haruka is appearing on a variety show to advertise a Chainsaw Man Church, which hopes to prevent the Prophecy of Nostradamus.
Haruka is laughed at, however, and he complains about this to Fami backstage.
Fami seems to have put him up to this but she is not alone, as a mysterious figure places a hand on Haruka’s shoulder, telling him that he should continue to act as the Chainsaw Man Church’s face so he can “walk to a world without evil.”
This statement makes me believe the mysterious figure is the Justice Devil.
Whoever they are, I think they are a different person from the Imposter Chainsaw Man because this mysterious person is aligned with Fami, who wanted Asa to be eaten so she could control Yoru, which the Imposter stopped from happening.
It will be interesting to see just who this figure in shadow is and if the Imposter Chainsaw Man and the Justice Devil really are seperate.
Once this ominous scene ends, the chapter then cuts to its final scene, where we see that Yoshida has captured Denji for his “protection.”
He explains that Nayuta and their dogs are also captured and this causes Denji to make a truly desperate offer… to tongue Yoshida’s butthole for a week.
Oh, Denji, how far you’ve come.
In Chapter 107 you said you would never let a dude sit on you and now you do this.
In all seriousness, Yoshida does dismiss Denji’s humorous offer, and tells him that Nayuta and the dogs will not be harmed.
Denji tells him to go to hell, bringing an end to the chapter.
“Protection” is a solid chapter, which has some humorous Denji moments, while also setting up something interesting with the new Chainsaw Man Church.
As for Chapter 133, “Protest”, it is a brief continuation from Denji and Yoshida’s confrontation at the end of “Protection.”
The chapter begins by showing that Yoshida has taken Denji to an anti-Chainsaw Man rally, where a fight is taking place with pro-Chainsaw Man counter-protestors.
Yoshida explains that the Chainsaw Man Church has been growing, as it now has over 20,000 members, most of them teenagers.
However, politicians know these teens will soon become voters so are giving them support, causing the Church to grow even stronger.
Yoshida even predicts that this “Chainsaw Mania” could grow into a larger conflict.
A conflcit, huh?
That sounds like something the War Devil would like.
Aside from it feeling nice that people are fighting for him, Denji does not really care about any of this, only wanting to know what he has to do to get Nayuta and the dogs back.
Yoshida demands that Denji never transform into Chainsaw Man again or he will have Nayuta killed.
I find it hard to believe this threat is serious, though, because I can’t imagine Kishibe being okay with Nayuta dying at this point.
After all, Kishibe gave Nayuta to Denji so he could raise her, why would he want Nayuta dead, unless something maybe changed?
As for Denji, he refuses to stop being Chainsaw Man, despite the threat to Nayuta’s life because he wants both a normal life and to be Chainsaw Man.
Frustrated, Yoshida says he has to choose between the two but Denji outright refuses again, saying he can have both.
This kind of felt like another Spider-Man reference to me.
A common theme in Spider-Man is Peter Parker (and Miles Miles in the most recent Spider-Verse film) having to choose between saving two important things but, in the end, finding a way to choose both.
Now Denji is facing the same dilemma, yet still choosing both.
This results in Yoshida threatening Nayuta again as his composure breaks for the first time, to which Denji orders the protestors to kill him, which of course does not work because the crowd is too busy fighting to hear him and also has no idea that he’s Chainsaw Man.
Speaking of, I do wonder how this “Church” would react if they learned their saviour Chainsaw Man was just a selfish horny teenager.
The reaction could be quite hilarious.
Yoshida and Denji’s argument is then interrupted by Nayuta and the dogs’ arrival, which was supposed to happen later, ruining Yoshida’s plan.
Still frustrated, Yoshida again explains to Denji that Public Saftey will kill Nayuta if he does not stop being Chainsaw Man, probably hoping that Nayuta overhearing this will make her demand that Denji comply with his demands.
If Yoshida was hoping for this to happen, his hopes are immediately dashed because the opposite happens, with Nayuta saying Denji should tell Yoshida to “eff of!”
Denji and Nayuta then leave, to which Yoshida asks himself, “Did he not understand me?”
Oh, no, Yoshida, he did.
Denji just wants both.
Overall, Chapter 133 “Protest” is another good chapter that may be building up to a dangerous move by Public Saftey, if Yoshida’s threat on Nayuta’s life was serious.
Again, I think it may be a bluff at this point but that could change.
What I am more interested in is why Yoshida suddenly wants Denji to stop being Chainsaw Man.
Originally, he just wanted Denji to keep his identity a secret but, after the Falling Devil’s attack, this has extended to him wanting Chainsaw Man to disappear altogethor.
It makes me wonder why Yoshida is so intent on this, especially to lose his usually strong composure?
My guess is that it probably has something to do with a part of the Prophecy of Nostradamus we don’t know about yet.
Or maybe Yoshida knows about the Imposter Chainsaw Man and wants Denji to be replaced by him.
All in all, these were two good building block chapters which set up Asa’s growing guilt, the Chainsaw Man Church, and a conflict between Yoshida and Denji.
Where these storylines go will be interesting to see play out.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Review: Part One of an Animation Spectacle.

I loved Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse to the point that it was my favourite movie of 2018.
It has brilliant animation and so many standout moments, like The Leap of Faith scene, which I consider to be one of the most inspirational movie scenes of all time.
So, like many others, I was excited to watch the sequel, Across the Spider-Verse.
I went into the theatre with high expectations and those expectations were certainly met, and then some.
Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thomas, the film once again follows Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) who, after the events of the first movie, has become New York’s new Spider-Man.
After encountering a villain known as the Spot (Jason Schwartzman), Miles is reunited with Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) and eventually brought into a society of spider-people from across the Sider-Verse, lead by Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac). 

Conflict quickly arises between Miles and Miguel over the multiverse and the fate of the people in it.

When I say “across the Sider-Verse” I really do mean that because this is a movie that lives up to its title.
Take Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, for example.
It was a good movie but in only dived deep in a couple of alternate universes, not really living up to its title’s promise of a “multiverse of madness.”
Across the Spider-Verse, however, delivers on its title’s promise perfectly, showcasing multiple different universes with multiple different spider-people in absolutely stunning animation.
After watching this movie it is absolutely clear why it took five years to make this film because it is an animation marvel, with jaw dropping details in practically every scene.

The multiple easter eggs in every shot will make rewatches fun.

The time and effort it must have taken to animate all of these different universes and spider-people is honestly staggering to think about it and the animators deserve all the praise in the world for it.
Speaking of the spider-people, this film introduces many interesting new ones.
Miguel is both sympathetic and intimidating, and Pavitr Prabhakar (Karen Soni) is both charasmatic and gets a lot of laughs.
Hobie (Daniel Kaluuya) or “Spider-Punk” was probably my favourite of the new Spider-Men, though, for not only being likeable and funny, but also someone who stands by what they preach.

Hobie is a lot of fun from the moment he shows up.

As for the returning characters, they are also excellent.
Miles’ emotional journey throughout the movie is plenty compelling.
His relationship with his parents, Rio (Luna Lauren Vélez) and Jefferson (Brian Tyree Henry), takes up a lot of screen time in the movie, yet it was so interesting that I was completely fine with that, especially with how this builds into Miles’ conflict with Miguel later on in the movie.
As for Gwen, she gets a big bump-up in screen time in this movie and it is absolutely deserved.
Across the Spider-Verse feels like her movie, just as much as it does Miles, with her relationship with her father (Shea Whigman) also being central. 

I was not expecting Gwen to be a co-protaganist in this movie but this is actually what she is, and to Across the Spider-Verse’s benefit.

And then there is Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson), with his daughter Mayday.
Unfortunately, his screentime is nowhere near as significant as the first movie but this is okay because he will have plenty of time to shine in the sequel.
Yes, I said sequel because Across the Spider-Verse is actually a part one, with the rest of the story being told in Beyond the Spider-Verse, which will release in March of 2024.
I had no idea about this going into the movie and, from the sound of my theatre, no one else did either.
As soon as the movie cut to a “To Be Continued” there was a collective cry of “Are you kidding me?”
If anything, though, this disappointment at having to wait does show how excellent this movie is.
I honestly would not have minded if the movie had just continued for another few hours to tell the rest of the story, and Across the Spider-Verse is 140 minutes long. 

It is a testament to how great Across the Spider-Verse is that we were all disappointed that we would have to wait to see how this story ends.

As for criticisms, I really only have one significant critique and that is the sound mixing.
Sometimes, it is hard to hear what the characters are saying when the music is so loud compared to the voices, and the characters are speaking so fast.
It was not a constant issue but it was noticeable in a couple of scenes.
Overall, though, Into the Spider-Verse is a fantastic sequel, with stellar animation and storytelling.
I would still say that I prefer the first movie, but that might be because the story of Across the Spider-Verse is incomplete.
When Beyond the Spider-Verse releases next year this may change.
One thing is for sure, though.
If they nail Beyond the Spider-Verse as well, then the Spider-Verse movies will be considered among the greatest trilogies of all time. 

Chainsaw Man Chapter 130 and 131 Review: A Feast for the Eyes.

A week ago when Chapter 130 of Chainsaw Man “Kill Building” released, I intended to do a review of it.
However, the chapter was so short that I decided it would be best to review it with Chapter 131, “Taste of Crap.”
Just because “Kill Building” is the shortest chapter of Part Two so far does not make it a bad chapter, though, far from it.
In fact, the reason it goes by so quickly is because most of the pages are glorious full page spreads of Asa and Denji escaping from the Falling Devil and the diner Devil.
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s artwork for these pages is a feast for the eyes, worthy of the Falling Devil’s palate.
In between these full page spreads, we see Denji and Asa continuing to argue about their situation, with Denji humorously assuming that he’s the one who weaponized their stolen motorbike, instead of Asa.
He and Asa also disagree about whether they can trust the imposter Chainsaw Man but they are attacked again by the diner Devil before they can decide what to do.
The diner Devil seems terrified at the thought of being killed by the Falling Devil if it does not eat Asa, for it covers its face with its hands in apparent horror before transporting itself directly to Asa and Denji to eat them.
The two are able to evade it, until the Falling Devil throws a building at them, which they easily crash through, only to be met with the open mouth of the diner Devil, bringing an end to the chapter.
Overall, “Kill Building” is a short chapter but still a great one.
It might not have much in terms of content but the action is fun with a lot of incredible full page spreads by Fujimoto.
The ending of “Kill Building” leads right into Chapter 131 “Taste of Crap” where Asa and Denji are about to be swallowed whole by the Devil.
Given that their stolen bike now has a chainsaw on it, I suspected that Denji would easily be able to carve his way out.
Instead, they are caught in between the Devil’s teeth, and the Falling Devil then flicks Asa and Denji into the Devil’s stomach, seemingly to their deaths.
The Falling Devil then asks for her diner’s opinion on the dish she served it but the diner proves a harsh critic because it vomits Denji and Asa out.
The Falling Devil’s reaction to this is pretty hysterical, as she angrily stammers that she made it with love, before obliterating the diner.
Dejected, the Falling Devil then apologises for failing to feed Asa to her diner.
In a surprise twist, it is revealed that it was Fami who was ordering around the Falling Devil, as she tells her to “return.”
The Falling Devil’s body then falls apart in a burst of flames, leaving only a steaming minature version, which Fami picks up, before asking someone how they managed to get the diner to throw Denji and Asa up.
In the second surprise twist of the chapter, it is revealed that Fami is talking to Nayuta, who used her control powers to make Asa and Denji taste like crap, making the diner vomit them out.
Nayuta is also revealed to know who Fami is, as she refers to her as “sister” when she asks Fami why she tried to kill Denji and Asa.
Fami explains that she was merely trying to starve Yoru in the Devil’s stomach, which would make Yoru her pawn since Fami is able to control those who are starving.
The reason Fami wants to control Yoru is because she may be the only one who can stop the age of Devils prophesied by Nostradamus, which makes sense because in one of his prophecies he said that Mars would reign supreme, and Mars was the Roman God of War, meaning Yoru.
Fami’s motive for wanting to stop this Age of Devils is funnily enough because she does not want pizza or chinese food to vanish.
It’s pretty ironic that the Famine Devil’s motive revolves around food, and it reminds me a lot of Fujimoto’s other antagonists with simple motives, like in Fire Punch where the Ice Witch’s motive was to watch the next Star Wars movie.
Back to the chapter, Nayuta does not seem too bothered by the end of the world until Fami says that would also mean the end of pizza.
Fami then offers the horrified Nayuta a chance to work togethor, only for Nayuta to still refuse.
Why?
Because she has school.
Cue a perfectly timed cut to Nayuta in school, desperately trying to beat the other students in answering the teacher’s question.
This was a funny ending, which made me wonder if we will be getting a Nayuta school arc next.
As for Fami, one question I have about her is how she was able to order around the Falling Devil?
The Falling Devil is a Primal Fear, after all, so she should be stronger than Fami.
Although, considering that the Falling Devil considers herself a chef, maybe she is aligned with Fami in not wanting the world to end so human food can continue to exist.
There is also the matter of the imposter Chainsaw Man.
He tried to save Asa and Denji from being eaten but we now know that was part of Fami’s plan to get Yoru under her control to stop the apocalypse.
So does this mean that the imposter Chainsaw Man wants the apocalypse to happen?
Time will tell.
Chapter 131 “Taste of Crap” is the best of the two chapters.
It ends the Falling Devil Arc well, providing insight into Fami’s motivations while also potentially building into a Nayuta school arc as well.