Dan Da Dan Season 2 Thoughts

Hey everyone- now that I have finally seen the whole thing ahead of its third season in 2027; I give you all my belated thoughts on the second season of Dan Da Dan!

Courtesy: Science Saru

Having seen the whole thing as well as having read all the manga volumes currently out in the states, I can say it's a worthy second go-round. Though I once again lament I will have to wait to see Okarun's other gold ball returned in that rugby game in the anime, this season builds on what the first did in some very entertaining ways.

Case in point- How Jiji becomes the host for an entity known only as the Evil Eye. On top of the backstory being incredibly tragic (totally understand why the Toonami debut had that disclaimer and crisis lines shown); the spirit is the most powerful being you'll find in a pair of white briefs.

Of course, the offbeat Japanese humor is still plentiful. The aforementioned Evil Eye can be summoned by coming into contact with cold temperatures; and Jiji can change back with hot temperatures. Just the idea of a mechanized balsawood Buddha fighting aliens is highly entertaining to me, as is the portly and proud otaku who helped build it. His name is Kinta Sakata, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of him in the next season; as with the engimatic alien girl Vamola. Had to say right now- she may look like Rei, but she certainly knows a thing or two about Kyoryuger bravery.

Naturally, the animation is making this another winner from Science Saru;  a studio who is making a name for themselves as of late. Honestly would have loved to do this sooner and more in depth, but the relative busywork of this month had other ideas. Rest assured, this will not be the last time I address this anime.

That will be all for now, and don't forget to vote by this Tuesday. Happy Halloween, and I will see you all in November. Take care.

Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2 (2026) Thoughts

Hey everyone- I wanted to have this out right after I finished it; but a brief illness and this PHP breach had other ideas. Nevertheless, now that I have seen the entire season; here are my thoughts on Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2!

When I first heard about this anime being an anthology that follows different characters and stories throughout the fictional universe of Night City, I was not only intrigued; but surprisingly ready to have my heart broken again. The gifted minds at Studio TRIGGER have delivered once again, and the sharp contrast in the theme song chosen sets the mood right off. Rather than "This Fire" by Franz Ferdinand, the tune is the obscure yet melancholic "10:15 Saturday Night" by the Cure.

Courtesy: Studio Trigger/CD Project RED

This time, the story follows an aspiring young filmmaker named Roman as he crosses paths with three distinctive edgerunners experiencing varying degrees of cyber-psychosis: King, D, and Talia.

Honestly, I really enjoy how this anime built upon the ideas introduced previously. On top of its connections to the game (complete with a new major update that has begun rolling out as of this writing); its exploration of humanity in the age of machinery is as timely as ever (I can't say for certain how long this AI craze will last, especially seeing the financial updates; which are not good).

Even as the discourse of how much a game adaptation should keep or change is ever ongoing, I think this is one instance where setting the story in the same fictional universe is the right call. By design, Night City is a big place with an alternate history going back decades; so the storytelling potential is endless.

Of course, the anime is visually stunning; much as I've come to expect from this studio. On top of the source material being perfectly suited to TRIGGER's collective talents, I just love how unique the character designs are (an eccentric and chaotic AI known only as "Capri" being a highlight).

Much like its predecessor, the second season of Cyberpunk Edgerunners is a stunning achievement for both TRIGGER and the wider landscape of game adaptations. I also enjoy how it's introduced me to music I never expected I would enjoy. So, as I continue work on my other projects; I think I will close with its outro, "Watson" by Petite Miller. See you all again soon, chooms.

Tsuchida Hiroshi dies at age 54.

This is not the update I had planned on, but this needs to be addressed. I report with great sadness that Tsuchida Hiroshi has died at age 54.

Hiroshi was the main voice for Professor Sycamore (Platane in the JP dub) in the XY seasons of Pokémon. He was also Ninja Blue in Ninja Sentai Kakuranger, Necalli in Street Fighter V and the Japanese voice of Lightning McQueen in the Cars films among numerous other voiceover credits.

I wish the best for those close to Hiroshi at this difficult time. May he rest in peace.

Pokémon Legends Z-A: One Year Later

Hey everyone- if you’re seeing this, it has been one year since the release of Pokémon Legends Z-A. As I continue work on my other projects, I thought it would be good to check in with the game (especially as the 2027 release of Winds and Waves means I am among many who will be playing it a bit longer). Let’s open it up once again.

Courtesy: Nintendo/Game Freak/The Pokémon Company

Though I only have a little left to complete the Pokédex in the Mega Dimension expansion, I did complete the Pokédex in the main game. I stand by my choice of it being my favorite game of 2025. I am particularly proud of getting Volcanion, and I finally found where I need to challenge Genesect as well.

Having gotten a Switch 2 and the upgrade for the game earlier this year,  I can now address that version in earnest. It is not just a mere framerate upgrade either- the resolution is also higher than the base Switch port; and it’s a title that I have spent a sizable amount of time with on the new system. I am not as bothered by the presentation as others, as I play lots of retro games on my system along with newer titles such as Mario Kart World, Sonic Racing Cross Worlds and Splatoon Raiders. Also looking forward to this year’s Zelda remake and Toy Story retro compilation. As for an associate of mine (believe their name was Sterling) likening Z-A to a Bethesda title, I don’t buy that comparison at all when that company allowed the Switch 2 ports of both Fallout 4 Anniversary and Skyrim to be released in a far less stable condition (I’m well aware they’re not known for nailing their launches, and things have been fixed a lot since then).

The gameplay still remains an entertaining remix of the formula, much like Pokémon Legends Arceus before it. I am glad that Game Freak are willing to continue to iterate on the catching and battle systems over time, while retaining what made the idea appealing to begin with. I maintain the biggest advantage this franchise has over similar monster tamer RPGs is the emphasis on the bond between trainer and partner. Over thirty years, that has naturally grown into a bond between the games and their players. Even as yet more games will see release over the next year, I will enjoy this one for years to come.

Having logged around 250 hours into the game as of this writing, I can honestly say I’m glad to hear there will be more Legends titles from Generation X onwards (Galar, for example- not sure about the ancient past; but I think a steampunk adventure in Motostoke or Hammerlocke during the 19th century industrial revolution would be cool). With well over 14 million copies sold across all versions since launch (there’s even a new all-in-one pack arriving just in time for December), I am here for it. That is all for now, take care.