Pokémon Horizons Volume 3 (EN) Thoughts, Volume 4 Coming November 22.

Hey everyone- whether or not Netflix makes good on the plan to delist the JN seasons today (the “leaving soon” message is gone on my profile); I am drafting my full look at the first HZ storyline. With that out of the way, here are my thoughts on Volume 3 of Pokémon Horizons’ English dub.

Courtesy- Netflix/The Pokémon Company

This volume contains the final two episodes of “The Departure of Liko and Roy” storyline, and the first nine of the “Terapagos’ Shine” storyline. I still don’t know why they didn’t just include them in the last volume; but I’m just glad the next volume will contain the rest (at least going by online summaries I could find). Also, the next volume streams November 22. I know that date has plenty of pop culture events already (the new Moana and the Marvel VS Capcom collection being my most anticipated); so let’s focus on this one for now.

Though there still issues carried over from previous volumes, the “Terapagos’ Shine” storyline does have better pacing than “The Departure of Liko and Roy.” The infectious energy of Iono is indeed welcome, as is Liko’s grandmother Diana. They even managed to streamline some dialogues that bugged me in the subtitled episodes.

While I do still wish they would incorporate more material from the games into the story and characters (just reading summaries of the most recent episodes, I can say I am very much not a fan of the anime’s variant of Grusha; who was one of my favorite Paldea gym leaders); the animation is still a highlight. I may have plenty of issues to talk about with these storylines; but at least I can agree that the anime looks great. 

I am roughly 40-50% done with my full review of “The Departure of Liko and Roy,” and once that is done; I will begin outlining all the episodes of “Terapagos’ Shine” once the English dub comes stateside. I still don’t know what will happen after this anime is over; but I’d be fine with “you know who” coming back. Most likely, I could see the next anime directly adapting characters from the games. That will be all for now, take care.

The Boy and the Heron is a Masterpiece (First Viewing Thoughts)

 For my cat,  Amy

2005-2024

I have wanted to address this movie for a very long time, and now that time is upon me. Here are my first viewing thoughts on the award-winning hit anime film from Hayao Miyazaki; "The Boy and the Heron."

Taking place in Japan in the 1940s, the story follows a young man named Mahito Maki. As he tries to adjust to a new living situation and the loss of his loved ones; he is taken on an adventure to the land between living and dead, with an enigmatic heron and a cast of characters that parallel his extended family as his guides. 

Courtesy: Studio Ghibli/GKIDS

In many respects, this movie is the reverse of Spirited Away. Whereas that film was about Chihiro finding herself in maturity by getting caught in parallel world of spirits, this one is about Mahito willingly going into another world of many layers to prove himself. However, there are two major constants between them. The first is that they both show the limitless potential of animated storytelling (with their Best Animated Feature Oscar wins being well-deserved). The second is that the fantastic journey undertaken also serves as a personal one.

The film's Japanese title, "How Do You Live" is a question that comes from an in-story journal left to Mahito by his mother; and one that the movie explores to answer. Though many critical moments in the story were leaked to me online (something I certainly did not appreciate), seeing them for myself is always something I know I need to do to make sure they're true.

With that said, the acclaim and success the film has garnered is well-deserved. Every story moment and piece of character growth is animated in colorfully vivid and striking detail. From a hospital fire that kicks off the plot to the ending moments in the Japanese countryside; it is certainly worthy of being Miyazaki's final film. 

Not only is it a spectacular animated fantasy to cement his vast legacy, it is a well-rounded and nuanced portrayal of grief. The only definitive story and character details I will reveal ahead of a full review (at a later date to be determined) are these- not only does Mahito care deeply for his surviving family despite everything; this is one film I've seen that accurately captures the more subtle and numbing details of grief. The scene where he deliberately hits himself in the head with a rock just to feel something again resonates with me more than you know.

I have every intention to watch this movie again for a full review in the near future, as it has joined the list of my all-time favorite movies (in the process of revising it for 2025). Before I do that, I have unfinished business with an anime nowhere near as good as this. That will be all for now, take care.