Top 13 "WTF?" Moments from Devilman Crybaby

Warning: This list contains spoilers for the events of Devilman Crybaby. It contains description of many violent and disturbing scenes and is not intended for younger audiences. Read at your own risk.

Happy Halloween everyone. Now that my final year of this blog is almost done, I thought I would do something I know I could only do when I've come this far. Earlier this year, the anime Devilman Crybaby began streaming on Netflix. This latest anime adaptation of Go Nagai's landmark manga classic is definitely an anime that was something I was keeping an eye on before I finally watched. I can say that my curiosity was rewarded by a gloriously hard-R series that takes full advantage of its platform and its demographic. So, in honor of this occasion, I thought I would do a list of my personal top 13 "WTF?" moments of Devilman Crybaby. Let's open it up.

1. The First "Sabbath," Episode 1

Right from the word "go," this anime lets you know exactly what you're in for from the first episode. A timid young man named Akira is taken to a party known as “Sabbath” by his childhood friend Ryo, who has definitely changed since he came back from his studies overseas. The party is a place where demons are known to gather in depravity, which Ryo seeks to document. Sure enough, this leads into the next moment in an ocean of debauchery, gold blood and the most fascinating forbidden party since “Eyes Wide Shut.”

2. “I Was a Teenage Demon,” Episode 2

After Akira’s experience at the Sabbath party, his looks and personality change significantly. I know the whole “virgin vs chad” meme is common, but it definitely fits. After just one episode, Akira went from “is your daughter home?” to “your daughter calls me daddy too.”

3. "Girls on Film," Episode 3

This episode is definitely one that is messed up given recent events, wherein someone tries to take pictures of Akira's childhood friend Miki in a compromising position; and is one of the many arguments for watching the series in private, so to speak. Just 3 episodes in, it definitely earned its TV-MA rating.

4. “Airport ‘18”, Episode 4

At the start of the series, Akira’s parents are overseas on business; but send him shoes from time to time. This episode has them return home to Japan. Unfortunately, Akira’s father has become a demon;  which results in him engulfing his mother and close to everyone else at the airport; forcing their son’s hand to stop him. Guess that’s why security got kind of tight earlier this year. For the record, I am pretty ticklish; especially in my feet, which brings me to my next moment.

5. Akira’s “Bedroom Eyes,” Episode 5

After the loss of his parents, Akira starts to have romantic feelings for Miki, to the point he
has an erotic dream and blows his wad all over the ceiling. To paraphrase Lionel Richie: “Ooh what a feeling when you’re coming on the ceiling!” My usual Lonely Island joke was too obvious.

6. “Hungry, Thirsty” Silene, Episode 5

On that note, the demon Silene has an extreme desire for Akira; or anything that can cater to her tastes, for that matter. The whole thing has definitely cemented my appreciation of this anime.

7. "Neither Human Nor Demon," Episode 6

This entire episode is definitely one giant WTF moment on its own. It turns out that not only does the star of the male track team have an alternative lifestyle, he's also a demon. His powers are drawn out by Ryo at the track meet; and massive carnage and chaos ensues.

8. "She's A Little Runaway," Episode 7

The female track star also has demonic tendencies of her own, especially when the lid is blown off their operation in the episode preceding this one. Demons start to appear at a much more frequent rate, and not just with Miko.

9. "We Need to Talk About Taro," Episode 7

It turns out that Taro, a youngster who idolizes Devilman (not just Akira, it turns out that the original Devilman also exists in this 'verse) is slowly becoming a demon himself; which results in him being escorted out of the city by his mother to protect him. Figures: if it's not your kid becoming an obscurus, it's your kid becoming a demon.

10. "Xenon 4: Xenon Goes to Hell," Episode 8

With the arrival of the demon Xenon, the remainder of the series doesn't let up at all. Not only does the general prove to be one of the biggest threats of this anime; it's also one of the major catalysts for who Ryo really is; and I will get into why in the remaining moments.

11. "The Betrayal," Episode 8

As the bodies begin to pile up, the conflicts between humanity and demons reach a head in this episode; where Ryo starts to show his true colors by outing Akira and everyone else who's a Devilman to the world; setting the stage for the end of the series.

12. "Go to Hell, You Mortals," Episode 9

The penultimate episode is easily another one big WTF moment on its own; with close to everyone who's left alive becoming a target at this point in the story. While I've previously pointed out this kind of plot thread is easy to screw up and hard to get right, it's another example of how to do this kind of plot well: that being a main character doesn't automatically grant you plot armor for what's going on. Instead, the second to last episode of the first season (maybe the series) is effectively the Rogue One or "Red Wedding" of the show; and close to all the remaining characters are killed as all Hell is quite literally about to break loose.

13. "Hell on Earth 2018," Episode 10


As the finale centers around the titular "Crybaby," it's definitely one that's symbolic as it is dramatic. It turns out that Ryo is really the human form of the devil himself, taking advantage of what was going on for his own gain. The world is at its end, Akira is cut in half; and the world becomes the moon of a new world. Also, Ryo/Satan is nude; and his junk is on full display. ... Anybody want some orange juice?

While this series is definitely not for the faint of heart, it's definitely worth watching. Though I am unfamiliar with the Devilman series as a whole or the director's previous work; I am definitely interested in checking both of them art. Personally, if you're interested in a brutally entertaining yet surprisingly entertaining series; this anime is for you. Also, it has some of the most memetic running cycles I've seen in recent years.


With this, I will bid you all good night. Happy Halloween, everyone.

Blog Update 10/27/18.

Hello everyone. As I am currently out of town, I will give you a brief update on what I’m doing and what I’m working on. I am once again dressing as a Pokémon trainer variant for Halloween, and hopefully I will be able to get a Nintendo Switch and maybe another game before I pick up Let’s Go Pikachu when it launches. I am also working on my remaining content for the remainder of the year; including a post I have planned for Halloween night. You’ll just have to wait and see what it is: I think you might be pleasantly surprised. Also watching the Toonami premiere of Mob Psycho 100 tonight, definitely going to enjoy watching it again. Later.

PS: Go see the new Halloween, it really is that good.

Recap: Yo-Kai Watch Shadowside The Movie- Return of the Oni King

Happy Halloween, and welcome to my final Yo-Kai Watch recap. It's been a long, strange journey to cover this series; but I'm glad to finally be finished with it. So, let's open up "Yo-Kai Watch Shadowside The Movie: Return of the Oni King!"

Thirty years have passed since the events of the original "Yo-Kai Watch" series. In that time, the people who could see yokai have lost their ability to do so, and the watches themselves have either been destroyed or lost to the sands of time. I rather like this approach, as it not only makes the world unique; it actually draws in the viewer rather than hammering them into submission. Now, a new evil arises as the story begins.

Within the first 10 minutes of screentime, we also get an organic introduction to our three main characters: Touma, a young man who is lonely due to his parents being away on business. Akinori, the eldest son of a family of fortunetellers. Last, but definitely not least is a young woman named Natsume; who almost drowned when she was a little girl, but was saved by a figure she can't remember. Also, I'm intentionally not mentioning her family name for now: we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

As Natsume rescues a child from drowning and Akinori looks for a way to combat dark forces known as “Onimaro,” it turns out that King Enma and the emperor have been overthrown and imprisoned by a being named Kaira! Not quite as cool as Loki, but an improvement over other adversaries already, and we haven’t even seen the titular “Oni King” yet.

Enma then confers with Nurarihyon’s essence in his cell; saying that the time has come for a new generation to wield the Yo-kai Watch and stop the Onimaro before it’s too late! While there are still some silly elements (which I will address); I am pleased the story is making an effort to take its plot more seriously and write its cast like characters; not just toys. That is also still there, and I will address the development of Yo-kai Watch 4 on Nintendo Switch later.

Later that day, Touma runs afoul of some punks outside the arcade; who incorrectly think he’s broke just because he only has 3,000 yen (about $30 USD) in his wallet. Based on what we find out later and how nice his apartment is; the opposite is true. He’s as loaded as a rapper drinking Cristal out of an oversized pimp cup.

I'm gettin' jacked, I'm breakin' myself! I can't believe they're takin' Warren's wealth!

Just then, the Onimaro take control of Touma! He not only beats up the thugs, when one of them swings a pipe at him, a pair of yokai arms bend the pipe as if it were made of rubber!

Upon noticing Touma's plight, three smaller Onimaro ask if he'd like to make a deal with them. Oh, this is going to be good!

We've got friends on the other side!

Touma, feeling alone and ostracized because of his background, agrees after being coerced by a strange figure in a cloak who deems him a shadow. 

We all dance in fire, trapped in this machine!

Elsewhere, as Akinori tries to track a signal he found; his grandmother explains that the "onimaro" are an otherworldly yokai virus that brings out the more aggressive traits of the beings they infect, which proves fatal when they go far enough. This carries over into the TV series, and I rather like how this is addressing one of my major gripes I had with the series: it only dealt with how yokai were responsible for minor inconveniences, and this one instead shows how they could cause much greater problems. Moreover, the writing has changed to my preferred style of writing for children: treating them like adults with less experience; and not pulling punches in doing so. I don't know how dubbing this movie or the show would go; but I'm pegging this film at a PG-13 or at least a hard PG in the vein of a Star Wars or Indiana Jones film.

Back with Touma, the onimaro bestow him with an otherworldly device known as the "kigan gear." It does look quite nasty, and we will see how later.

Akinori and his grandmother then determine the signal on the radar belongs to a familiar butler in white. Wait till you see: I think you'll be pleasantly surprised even if you're a detractor of the series like I am known to be.

Natsume is on her way home from school, and she comes across a capsule machine in an alley! As I have said many times this year, no truer video game quotes have been spoken than this: "Ah, shit. Here we go again."

Whisper appears, and I must say rather like the changes they made to him; both in looks and personality: not only does he have a ghostly formal suit, but he has a much more deadpan performance akin to Alfred Pennyworth or Geoffrey from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He bestows the new Yo-Kai Watch upon Natsume, and apparently it pops off the wrist of whoever it doesn't want to wield it. So, kind of like Excalibur or Mjolnir, it chooses who it deems worthy. Natsume, however, wants no part of these shenanigans; stating that "none of this has been making sense this whole time!"

Natsume would be excellent at Cinema Sins.

Yet, after run-ins with more of the Onimaro and the watch rejecting Akinori as its owner; Natsume still doesn't believe in the paranormal; and decides to go home. Something very familiar about this, and you'll find out why in a moment.

She walks in the front door of her home, and she finds her mother and brother Keisuke looking like brutish ogres; who want to have her for dinner in more ways than one.

Oh brother: not Meat Loaf again!

Upon realizing how serious this is, she puts on the Yo-Kai Watch to help her family; and we find out her surname is Amano! That's right, she's the daughter of Keita Amano. I am glad that she seems to be smarter than her father was at her age. I guess maybe Keita matured later on, and I will come back to this point later. Moreover, having the hero's home and/or family targeted to coerce them into the conflict is a classic narrative device; having been used in countless films from The Searchers to Star Wars and many others.

With help from Himoji's new forms, Keisuke and Mrs. Amano are turned to stone and placed in the middle of the park for now. A temporary solution, but with the Onimaro getting ready to strike under a blood moon, they must find a permanent one, and they need more help from other yokai to fight the forthcoming Oni King.

Elsewhere, Touma has used the Onimaro and Kigan gear to not only take control of the delinquents that attacked him earlier; but also the police! The next stop is the airport, so they can spread their hate plague around the world! It's stuff like this that's why I have to send my shoes and all my electronics through the checkpoint.

I have waited my entire life for this.

One little thing before I move on: in addition to the new watch, the medals have been instead replaced with keys known as "arks," which can summon the "light side" or the titular "shadowside" form of each yokai depending on which way they're turned into the watch before the wearer says the incantation to do so. It's kind of like this series' version of the familiars in Ni no Kuni, and I will address this further as we go.

Now, they go to enlist the help of another yokai, their old friend Jibanyan! However, much has changed about this cat in 30 years. Least of all, he not only can win fights against those pesky trucks; but he cuts one in half! That's a lot of damage!

Though he's much stronger than before, what hasn't changed is that he will help them for two tons of chocolate. Are we talking standard, or metric tons? Before that can be answered, another truck narrowly clips Natsume while she's trying to save a kitten; and knowing how he died and became a yokai, changes his mind and crushes the truck! NOW THAT'S A LOT OF DAMAGE!

So, while Jibanyan joins everyone else headed to the airport; Enma and Nurarihyon go to find a sword that can help stop the Oni King in a place known as the Chamber of Dreams!

They're then confronted by Kaira, who engages Enma in a battle over the sword; as well as who should be the true ruler, given how Kaira was half-human!

This Game of Thrones spinoff pitch is kind of milquetoast.

I must say, the animation has been impressive on this series on the whole since I started recapping it; and this movie I'm ending on is no exception. It may not be Ghibli or Trigger, but the work on this new version really shows off what the series is truly capable of. To me, writing this anime off as a "traditional battle show" is about as accurate as calling The Lord of The Rings a mere "fantasy novel:" technically accurate, but it tends to understate the overall impact of the work itself.

Back in the human world, everyone is trying to slip into the airport and confront Touma; and even Jibanyan's "light side" form is definitely an improvement over the Beanie Baby knockoff he used to be. While there are still some flashbacks to his past, they are thankfully not the main focus anymore.

Also, it turns out that Natsume has known Touma since they were younger! This plot thread thankfully isn't as forced as the other films' backstories; and is a simple way of telling the audience "pay attention, this is going to be important later."

Yet, Jibanyan is not enough to stop Touma and his army; and Akinori uses the ark that belongs to Kyuubi! This beast has certainly made its way around shonen anime and video games: Ninetales, Renamon and its forms, the spirit trapped inside Naruto: I can do this all day, fellas.

Yet, even with the effects of the Kigan Gear taking their toll on Touma; he's still able to trap everyone else! Akinori then pulls out another ark that could help free them. Also, the way he refers to it as a memento from his mother: that line seems to imply that his parents are dead, and his grandmother is his guardian; kind of like a reversal of Rei Hino and her grandfather in Sailor Moon.

Back in the Cavern of Dreams, Enma wins his duel with Kaira; but it turns out the sword can't be taken by force, and the previous one who wielded it demands to know why they want it!

What is your name? What is your quest? What is your favorite color?

It turns out the ark belongs to this anime's version of Komasan, who now looks more like the "komainu" (lion dog, roughly tranlsated) he's based on as well as a downscaled version of Ameratsu from Okami.

He's able to dissolve the shield by urinating on it, and I honestly don't mind one bit of toilet humor as long as it doesn't permeate the whole movie. Even the show itself hasn't done it as much with this version, save for one doing something naughty with a tea kettle; getting them in hot water with S&P in more ways than one even in Japan. If they dub this anime, I definitely think they should just put it up for online streaming and cut out the middleman.

Touma's condition is also worsening, and while Enma is able to stave off the worst of the effects of the Kigan gear for now; they need to find a solution within the next hour before the darkness kills him. Unfortunately, there's only one yokai who can do that, and he's not among them. So, they must find him and convince him to help save Touma. His name is Kitaro of the ghost tribe. I have waited a long time to talk about this, and I am glad that I finally have a chance to do so.

So, Akinori, Natsume and Jibanyan venture into the GeGeGe Forest to seek Kitaro's help. While I may not be the biggest fan of this series overall, I can tell how much the late Shigeru Mizuki influenced this work; so this crossover was a natural move. It's also not for nothing that this year also saw a relaunch of the series just in time for its 50th anniversary; and the first episode was a swipe at a certain douchenozzle making an ass of himself and the infamous viral video in Aokigahara Forest.

On that note, Nezumi, rodent-like con artist that he is; tries to pass himself off as Kitaro; and demands 300,000 yen (about $30,000 USD) for his help! Even after half a century, he's still as unscrupulous as Watto.

Mind tricks don't work on me- only money!

Right on cue, a familiar sounding pair of geta come clicking up the walkway, and the real Kitaro tells Nezumi to knock it off.

One of us! One of us! ONE OF US!

We even get one of the few Jibanyan variants I actually don't mind: Kitanyan, who is sporting Kitaro's vest and hairstyle! As time went on, they became less like Pikachu analogs and more like the absurd amounts of color-swapped ninjas in Mortal Kombat.

Ultimately, Kitaro and his father the eyeball agree to help save Touma; and it turns out the Kigan gear is causing this. Much like in previous versions, the "ahoge" hair on the top of Kitaro's head stands straight up when he finds the source of danger.

I knew those smart watches would be the death of us all.

Kitaro can indeed help break the curse on the surface, but he needs someone else to go into Touma's subconscious and help him through his traumatic memories. He also needs someone who he knew to get through to him, so that means Natsume must help her friend uncover the truth about this past. So, this movie's own little slice of Inception, basically.

Natsume is able to enter Touma's memories and discover the truth about what's going on: she is not only able to visit him on his seventh birthday; but she also discovers the source of his darkness; and bring her own light to guide him! I daresay that this is actual character development and an interesting story!

His parents also discovered the source of the otherworldly pathogen, but this also reveals the true source of the "onimaro" virus! While I do think the "overworked parents" cliche has been largely unworkable for the last decade or so, this is somewhat more understandable.

Touma also tried to run away from home as a child, but is encouraged to open the door to his apartment by Natsume, finding his parents waiting for him! Touma, moved by the truth about his past, breaks down crying in his mother Mafuyu's arms!

With his darkness vanquished and some help from Kitaro's vest, Touma is free from the control of the Kigan Gear as it transforms into the Yo-Kai Watch Ogre!

However, this joy is short-lived when we get the titular return of the Oni King, Rasen! Once again, the heavy use of video game-like CGI in the third act is the one flaw I have with this movie. I am actually glad that they delayed Yo-Kai Watch 4 to 2019, as the strength of the realistic environments is undercut by the animation having a choppier framerate than one of my old PS1 games. There's a reason why Pokémon is doing the simple style of Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee before the real Generation VIII, after all.

I will admit that the traditional animation is still great, and I do kind of like how Rasen cuts a building in half to make a space for his throne as the final battle begins.

It turns out that the source to use the Immovable Sword of Thunder is not "power," but "Harmony," as they're finally able to free the sword as the final battle begins!

I HAVE THE POWER!

The sword can also be turned into a handy keychain, much like fellow Level-5 IP Snack World! Isn't that something?

Yet, even with the help of other yokai, Rasen still throws Natsume into the river! Get ready... Here it comes!

Her keepsake becomes another ark, which summons the Azure Dragon, Seiryu! OK: the campy CGI notwithstanding, the Kohaku parallels are now complete.

Yet, even with the kindred spirits, it isn't enough to stop Rasen! This final act is becoming yet another example of a video game I'm not actually playing; though this time it doesn't drag down the quality of the movie as a whole. 

With the help of Kaira, Nurarihyon and a plea on social media to all the yokai they can find; Rasen's armor is finally destroyed! So this movie's Spirit Bomb is also a Twitter bomb. OK. 

With Rasen's armor gone, Fudo Myoho is able to strike a killing blow with the Iron Hammer Thunder Cut! OK, even as someone who's not a big fan of this series; I have to admit that's pretty awesome.

Still, it turns out that Rasen's head still has some life in it, and he runs through Touma with a spike! ... Wow, that's dark; but close to what I wanted, and I will explain more on why in a moment.

Even with the spike in his chest, Touma is still able to use the last of his strength to stab Rasen's head with the Immovable Sword of Thunder! 

Yet, as he falls back to earth; Touma succumbs to his stab wound, and dies among the company of Natsume and Akinori, calling them his friends in his final moments! This is definitely one of the things I wanted from this movie, and in addition to the series it kickstarted; it reminds me a lot of the 1986 Transformers movie, the first two TMNT movies from the 1990s and the numerous Pokémon films in how it handles the material they have. I'm not covering Forever Friends, but hopefully they'll be able to keep up that kind of change.

Moved by Touma's sacrifice, the remaining three Onimaro named Ogu, Togu and Mogu give their energy so he can live. It may not be Pokémon tears or Cable's time machine, but you make do with what you've got.

So, as the snow falls on the ground; Enma, Kaira and Nurarihyon return to the Yokai Realm while the other yokai decide to remain as protectors of New Sakura Town; tying into the events of the TV series. I haven't seen every episode since it started, but I still feel it's a massive improvement over the previous anime. It reminds me a lot of a smaller scale YuYu Hakusho or how they might potentially make an anime adaptation of Ni No Kuni.

As the credits roll, Touma decides to take his new lease on life to reconcile with his parents over Christmas dinner. I guess this can be considered a Christmas film in the same way Die Hard, Batman Returns or most of Shane Black's filmography is; even as the more traditional holiday films are slowly making way for the likes of Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.

Natsume also decides to go have Christmas dinner with her family. What have we here: matching sweaters? 

We then close on Keita coming home, and it turns out that in the 30 years since the original, he married Fumiko and scored twice. 

Ooh, this is just too good!

"Yo-Kai Watch Shadowside The Movie: Return of the Oni King" is a strong start to the next phase of Yo-Kai Watch, and the first part of the anime that I think is legitimately good. While I don't think I will ever like this series the same way I do Pokémon, it has taken the first step to me considering it a worthy opponent. I don't know what the future holds for both series, but I definitely know between Generation VIII, #PokémonLetsGo and Yo-Kai Watch 4; it will definitely be interesting to see how they all play out.

Here is my final advice to Level-5 regarding the planned localization of Yo-Kai Watch 3 next year: your first priority is convincing people that your product is worth investing in. Regardless of what changes you'll be making, what you've already done with the anime and the previous games forces you to remain in the same timeline. So do that: fix that timeline. Move forward with the soft reset of the licensing deals and ditch the elements that aren't working. For now, hold off on localizing Snack World, Megaton Musashi and Inazuma Eleven Ares: you don't have time for that now. The "international failure" stigma has long since replaced the "Pokémon ripoff" accusations; so this is a key chance to try and change that. With the main installments and #PokémonLetsGo moving on to the Switch, think less about "capitalizing" and more about reaching out to people that aren't ready to upgrade from the 3DS yet. If possible, try to lock down the new voice cast for more content. Most of all, with the budget cuts in effect; forgo dubbing the third movie and giving the live-action scenes costly reshoots in favor of dubbing this movie instead; then release the TV anime for online streaming to avoid dealing with more absurd edits forced on you by S&P. It's been a Hell of a journey to cover this anime, but I'm glad to finally be done with it. I will be going out of town for Halloween again this year, but I will have something planned for Halloween night to be posted while I'm down there. That's all for now. Bang.

Recap: Yo-Kai Watch The Movie- Great Adventure of the Flying Whale and Two Worlds

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens; brown paper packages tied up with strings. These are a few of my favorite things!

I was somewhere in Oregon when the drugs began to take effect... yet anything I experienced under the influence was absolutely placid compared to what's in this film made by people who are stone-cold sober; or I can only hope. -Raoul Juke, Founder of Kermit Journalism


Well, this has been a long time coming. After months of stringing their fans along with cryptic social media posts; Yo-Kai Watch 3 has been announced for release in the US this February and in Europe in winter 2019. So, true to my word; I am recapping the third movie as one of my final two recaps of the series; "Yo-Kai Watch The Movie: Great Adventure of the Flying Whale and Two Worlds."

While Level-5 contemplated doing a full live-action or all-CGI movie for this one; the decision was made to instead make a hybrid of those ideas with a traditionally-animated film. The result, as I am about to show you, is okay; but still has plenty to talk about nevertheless, since the time constraints of the production definitely affected the story, and it shows. Honestly, Solo wasn't this rushed.

Also, even though the film opened at #1 ahead of the Japanese release of Rogue One (one of my favorite films of 2016), I must once again point out that they measure success differently there; basing it more on overall ticket sales than overall gross revenue. Therefore, while Star Wars technically made more money, Yo-Kai Watch sold more tickets. I really don't know how the third game will do, since the second one was a nonstarter and Blasters hasn't been doing so hot (the game peaked at #3 on the 3DS eShop, has been steadily declining and I haven't even heard any official sales). So, let's open this thing up and get stated.

We open on thankfully not an overzealous intro from Whisper, but a news report of a giant object 300 meters in size! There's plot convenience news for you. Elsewhere, Jibanyan is attending a NyaKB concert with Robonyan Type-F and Bushinyan (Shogunyan in English).

Then, a giant humpback whale lets out its cry, which turns everyone in town into a mix of live-action and cheap CGI! Boy, do I have plenty to say about this. As the credits start to roll, Whisper remarks that this is weird. Whisper, you have a gift for understatement. "Weird" is when you wake up earlier than you expecting to. This is more like "what the fuck did I do last night?"

That ether is a wicked high.

After the opening credits, Keita and Whisper decide to go investigate the events of what's going on; but not before the movie actually counts down the live-action appearances of his parents. OK, I know this movie was written for 7-year-olds, but even I think they can tell what's animated and live-action and the differences in how characters behave in other mediums. At least it's not as blatant as the first two movies talking down.

Looks like a bogey in more ways than one.

Admittedly, while I don't think the live actors are that bad; the rushed production definitely shows in the often uneven script and the visuals not being up to par. The fans may have claimed it's an evolution of the VFX in Roger Rabbit or Space Jam, but to me; it's more like those live-action Scooby-Doo movies they had a while back. They looked all right at the time, but now they look more like a live-action cartoon than the reasons they originally intended.

Also, Keita is astonished at the fact he can see all the pores on his skin. Arbitrary thing to be obsessed with, but then look at what I do for a hobby; so it's all relative. There are 20,000 on your face alone; so if you've seen one of them, you've seen them all. He then vows to get to the bottom of this in the name of his grandfather.

I'M A SAILOR PIG AND I'VE LOST MY LEG!

Sorry, I couldn't resist. His first stop is to check in with Fumiko, and decides to just walk up to the front door after stopping short of climbing the fence. Maybe he could try playing Peter Gabriel music outside her window.

Instead, we get another thinly-veiled dose of romantic tension; as the live-action Fumiko is oddly amorous of Keita; even though they're in elementary school. As for her words to Keita: hold that thought for now.

I want to touch the light, the heat I see in your eyes!

Also, it turns out the pores are going to be a running gag. You know, I think I finally managed to pinpoint the moment I officially gave up on the original Yo-Kai Watch anime; and it was the pores. At least I understood the Hyperfuel subplot in The Last Jedi, Russian "nerfherders" be damned.

I digress: Keita then decides to go see his friends Kuma and Kanchi, and his first instinct is to check one of the boroughs in the shopping district. (Sighs) You know, this reminds me of when you watch a movie when you're younger and the effects look cool; and you watch it again 10 years later and realize they haven't held up that well. It's already 10 years later for this movie.

Once again, when Keita spots Kuma at a capsule machine, the movie points it out like it's a Wikia character bio; and Keita claims Kuma looks like a middle-aged man. That's funny, because I went to high school with people about that size.

Insert "Profile picture VS tagged pic" joke here.

Kanchi is also behaving more like a salaryman with a checkbook than usual, and the same treatment is given to him. 

Looks like some kid who keeps killing me in Splatoon.

As for this bit where they get into a bidding war over Kuma's gashapon prize and Jibanyan is mortified at how Emi is behaving in this world: it's not worth addressing, since I have bigger fish to fry in more ways than one. I will point out the live-action Jimenken, who's only slightly as creepy as he is in animated form. Ironically, I actually find him more entertaining than Jibanyan even after all this time.

Do I creep you out?

After spending almost the first quarter of the movie scuttling around the neighborhood, we are finally introduced to one of the factors behind what's going on: Koalanyan! I much prefer Komala, though I'm not using the "ripoff" card if I haven't after all this time, since both Generation VII and Yo-Kai Watch 3 came out in Japan the same year; but still. Hell of a convenient coincidence.

Koalanyan only $19.95 wherever toys are sold!

I missed that joke. He's also apparently a sort of bridge between worlds, and his powers are triggered by dancing. This is going to be one of those days, isn't it?

After everyone briefly returns to their animated selves, USAPyon meets up with Keita to further confirm what's going on. He's mortified that Inaho is acting crazier than usual, even brewing some weird potion to reverse the effects of what's going on! Though we're thankfully spared her mugging this time around, I can't believe that I actually agree with how creeped out USAPyon is. That's a face that someone makes before they ice someone from Los Pollos Hermanos.

Nitrogen bonds to oxygen, which in turn...

After trying to use Bakuroba to get information from Koalanyan fails, Keita decides to regroup at home to determine his next move; which results in another dancing scene! I wish I was more toasted right now, since that's one of the few ways someone whose age is in more than single digits could take this movie. Excuse me a moment.

Mamma mia! Here I go again!

As their investigation continues, not only do they realize that pressing Koalanyan's nose allow them to move between worlds; but the whale's cry does indeed hold the key to what's going on.

Admiral! There be whales here!

Also, Koalanyan is apparently afraid of water; as shown by this old lady throwing out her dishwater. So, much like the aliens in Signs; his Kryptonite apparently covers two-thirds of the planet's surface. However, even with what we learn later, it's still as lame here as it was there; and a key reason that movie hasn't aged well for me. 

The whale's name is Dai-Hoge, and in a hospital overlooking the candy shop; we are introduced to one of our villains for this film, Kanami Mikami. (sighs) I have many choice words for what happens next, especially when the third act comes around.

It turns out that Kanami was originally going to be a ballet dancer, but she was injured in a traffic accident when it was raining out. She then claims, to paraphrase the late, great George Michael that "she'll never dance again" when the information is extracted by Bakuroba. (sighs) I am going to take this part and come back to it later, since it's going to be one of those times.

Anyway, even though her feelings may just be a tad misplaced; her plan is to use the power of the titular flying whale to merge both worlds so she can conquer them both. ... This may be marginally better than the last two movies, but it's not doing itself any favors by reminding me of the 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros. movie.

She then uses the power of whale songs to transform into an enchanted ballet dancer. I don't know why, but this is dangerously close to a G-rated Perfect Blue. 

See that girl, watch that scene digging the dancing queen!

Elsewhere, Fuyunyan goes to see King Enma and Emperor Nurarihyon; who are in an utterly terrible-looking CGI shrine even if their makeup and costumes look all right. For that matter, WHY did they have to use CGI for the shrine? I could think of plenty of ways they could have built a set or filmed at a real shrine, but this looks somewhere in between a kid fiddling with Microsoft Paint or one of my old PS2 games, budget constraints be damned.

(Digitized voice) Good morning!

This leads to what's probably one of the most astonishingly bad chroma key shots not just in this film, but of my entire life of viewing movies this far. I even made a .gif to show you, please forgive 

the watermark and Spanish subtitles.

I mean, wow: this may not be as bad Dragonball Evolution, but this definitely proof that they didn't have the budget or time they needed to get everything just right. The "Chilly Down" scene in Labyrinth had better chroma key than this; and that movie was 30 years old by then!

I also know that while $17 million may be frugal by Western cinema standards, it's still downright astonishing someone greenlit this given how good other films looked that holiday season. Doctor Strange showed how a neurosurgeon could bend the fabric of reality to his will. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them depicted a New York City that no longer exists and a bunch of magical beasts that never existed. Rogue One depicted a story that the Star Wars saga had hinted at for years, and even included Peter Cushing in a supporting role despite the notable handicap of being dead. While some suggested that a potential US release of this film would involve reshooting the live-action scenes with domestic actors; between the budget cuts and the original team being let go, that's no longer logistically possible. I don't think it ever was, based on the changes that have already been made. Yo-Kai Watch 3 may be finally coming stateside next year, but that's already going to be a translation nightmare. I can't even put up my Awkward Zombie comic joke, because it's not worth it this time.

After Fuyunyan tells them what's going on, King Enma presents him with a new weapon to use and toy to sell before they go to face Kanami and the dancing in bad blue screen effects continues: the Enma Blade!

Enma Blade only $29.99! Watch and medals sold separately, batteries not included!

Entrusting the blade to Keita, he grabs the blade and hoists it to face Kanami and the whale! 

I HAVE THE POWER!

The attacks collide in midair over New Sakura Town's skyline, but Enma's power wins, which causes the Yokai Whale Dai Hoge to reveal its true form! It's amazing how casually I can type about his one-winged angel form now; having spent almost three years covering this anime.

Oh dear, what's Avalanche up to now?

This forces Kyubi and Orochi to assume their most powerful forms, Dark Kyubi and Light Orochi! Yet, in an aversion of talking is a free action (which series of this type are notorious for abusing); the whale eats them alive and spits out their banners unceremoniously. OK, that's actually kind of funny.

So, as the third act is about to devolve into yet another mess of overcooked CGI action; the gag is immediately used again when the whale eats Bushinyan. You know, a joke is never as funny when you hear it more than once. That also applies to the old lady throwing out her dishwater, which even annoys the other yokai. That's not a good sign.

Komasan also gives Keita a Yokai Bazooka to attack the whale, but he transforms into his final form: Whaleman, aka Kujira-Man!

"Let her go, Grimace!"

Whisper's dismissive treatment of his name notwithstanding, wow is this CGI bad. I can only imagine how this would have played out if they used practical effects or a live actor in a rubber costume. He also can apparently use bubbles to turn people, yokai or objects into fish; like a bargain bin Thanos after he got his hands on the reality stone.

Also, the final battle takes place at a theme park; with "highlights" including Kujira-Man using a roller coaster track as nunchaku and bouncing around on the Ferris wheel. It may not be as bad as the Netflix Death Note remake, but still very over-the-top. (Note: still skeptical about the sequel being made, it would probably be better to just reboot it with what's already happened.)


Conveniently, USAPyon has a model tank kit to combat Kujira-man; though it does take a while to assemble amid all the shenanigans of Komasan and Komajiro trying to wrangle Koalanyan and tell the old lady to knock it off with the dishwater. When the movie itself is getting sick of its own running gags, you know it's time to wrap it up. Just as well: when Koalanyan's nose is pressed, USAPyon finishes the tank just in time to start turning the tide!

Yet, even after that, Kujira-Man still won't let up! Christmas on a bike: how the deuce does a movie that's only 90 minutes long feel like twice that?! Return of the King didn't have this many endings!

With few options left, Robonyan Type F drinks the potion Inaho was working on; and transforms into his final form: Ultimate Robonyan!

KAMEN RIDER DRAGON KNIGHT! TOGETHER WE CAN FIGHT THE FIGHT!

Then, Ultimate Robonyan transforms into a tank, and the other remaining Yokai are turned into missiles! ... I do plan to wrap up my coverage of Transformers Energon before Bumblebee comes out, so I can finally put that behind me as well.

TRANSFORMERS! MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE!

As the barrage of yokai missiles is fired, all the yokai attack in a "Million Paws of Fury" and Kujira-Man explodes in a mass of CGI bubbles! ... This bit was funnier when they did it in Scott Pilgrim VS The World, to be honest.

KO! "Sweet! Coins!"

Now, as the battle is over, here is the scene from earlier I am coming back to. Keita went to go speak with Kanami's ballet teacher after that; and we now see that her injuries not only aren't permanent; she can actually recover with three years through a physical therapy plan that her instructor worked out. ... Allow this late memetic pitchman to express my disbelief for me.

There are numerous problems I have with this reveal, least of all how Kanami's behavior was throughout this movie. This not only undermines her whole motivation, but also has some very troubling subtext that I don't think the writers are aware of. Even with what happens next, based on how she treated her parents and her teacher after the accident; it seems to indirectly send the message that it's better to lash out at people who are trying to help you, and that it's better to blame your condition on an external force than to try to live with it or seek treatment for it. I find that disturbing, and speaking from personal experience; that's the wrong message to send to people who suffer from a disability of any kind. Even Jibanyan is calling her out for giving up on herself and turning her back on everyone!

Though she is convinced to undergo the physical therapy under her teacher's guidance, this ending is the very definition of "too little, too late" after how she was acting the whole movie. If they developed this plot thread more, maybe I might feel differently. Back on Doctor Strange, which I mentioned earlier, they got this plot thread exactly right: despite Strange's arrogance, he is a brilliant neurosurgeon who is devastated when his hands are injured in a car accident, and the film does show that most of his wealth and many conventional treatments are exhausted before he even gets to Nepal; and his arc is built on healing himself and overcoming his own flaws. By the time of the final battle in Hong Kong, I definitely believe he's one who can master the Mystic Arts even when fate denied him the ability to legibly write his name. Still, the one way I can damn this part faint praise is that it makes the movie shorter, making the denouement a cleaner wrap-up than an episode of Full House.

Everywhere you look, there's a heart and a hand to hold onto!

One of the last two things we see in this movie is the fact that Keita now has a picture of the live-action Fumiko; and I guess this is the inversion of Eddie Valiant "dabbling in watercolors" in Roger Rabbit.

I hope you're proud of yourself, and those pictures you took!

We then close, along with a tease for the next movie, on a positively horrifying live-action face from Whisper that looks like a Japanese Pennywise. Cue the Plinkett clip one last time. 

OH MY GOD! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR FACE?!

Before I give my final thoughts on this movie and offer some suggestions for the upcoming localization of Yo-Kai Watch 3; I need to vent with some of Darth Vader's rage.

This movie may be okay compared to the previous ones, but it still has many of the same issues of the previous two; least of all how it stumbles in its third act when things start to get interesting and how the plot and characterization suffers from the rushed script, especially with how Kanami behaved as an antagonist. Honestly, I've seen Marvel villains with more consistent motivations. Yeah, I went there. Moreover, the live-action scenes are filmed and edited the same way as the animated ones; and it shows. I honestly don't know what to expect come February 2019, and even with enthusiasm of #PokémonLetsGo being somewhat quieter than I expected, even people who are more interested in the series have their doubts.

My advice is this to Level-5: you need to convince people that your product is worth investing in. With the mainline Pokémon games (as well as Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee) moving onto the Switch, you have a good opportunity to fill the void and try to earn the trust of people who aren't ready to upgrade from the 3DS yet, repairing the foundations in the process. Also, abandon the notion of trying to sell the series as a rival to Pokémon, and try to sell it as an alternative instead. With the budget cuts made to the anime, instead of pouring money into reshoots for the live-action scenes, just skip this movie and go straight to dubbing Shadowside. Market that series as a soft reboot, and put it online for streaming; so you won't have to deal with the bizarre edicts forced on you by standards and practices. As for Megaton Musashi, Snack World and Inazuma Eleven Ares: that will have to wait for now. 

In short, I am still not a big fan of this series overall; being more into Pokémon and Ni No Kuni; but Shadowside, Yo-Kai Watch 4 on Switch and possibly Forever Friends give me hope that the series can adapt to a changing market like Pokémon has over the years. Next time will be my final Yo-Kai Watch recap: Yo-Kai Watch Shadowside The Movie-Return of the Oni King! Until then, I'm just another freak in the freak kingdom.