Spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen and Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle: Rhyme Anima
Welcome to the Monday Anime Round-up, a weekly series where I talk about the anime I watched over the weekend. This is week three! Oh my gosh! I’ve been so on top of things!
Which, of course, means that one of the series I was watching is done until 2021 (Moriarty the Patriot) and these last two aired their final episodes. I’m not sure when/if we’re getting more Hypnosis Mic and Jujutsu Kaisen will return mid-January 2021.
Guess I should watch more anime to fill in the gap.
To recap: this series of write-ups will, most likely, focus on currently airing anime series, but there’s always room for me to catch up on the other 3.14159~ shows I’ve been neglecting. There will be spoilers for each series since it covers recently aired episodes. That being said, I’ll recap any relevant information if I feel the need to, but for the most part, I’m just diving into the episode.
If you need a recap of last week you can check it out over here!
- Jujutsu Kaisen episode 13: Tomorrow
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
Extra note: This episode is subtitled as the dub is behind (it came out weeks after the sub). Jujutsu Kaisen episodes will be based on the subtitled version for the time being, but I may go in and recap the dub too! (I keep saying this, but with the gap between the next episode I actually COULD attempt to do this lol!).
First of all, I misspoke last week in saying we were getting a new opening/ending. That will come with the start of the next arc (which, now that I’m reading the manga, I can tell you that this upcoming arc is pretty great!).
Technically, the opening has always had subtle changes to it throughout the episodes, whether it was adding more characters, or showing Itadori crying over the loss of his new friend.
I’m not kidding.
Is it just me or is he crying in the recent episode opening?? It’s different, right? #JujutsuKaisen #JJK #ItadoriYuuji pic.twitter.com/Fk5qyydkn7
— Nana (@72410noyo) December 26, 2020
Studio. Mappa. Does. Not. Miss.
There’s actually a really neat breakdown of the opening courtesy of Mother’s Basement. It’s definitely worth a watch so you can really feel how cruel it is to have Junpei in the opening at all.
Anyway, Nanami and Itadori begin their fight against that b*tch ass body morphing mother f*cking UGH Mahito SUCKS (side note: this is a sign of good writing, like, good job show for making me feel this way). Mahito sends some of his transformed humans after Itadori, certain that he won’t kill them because Itadori doesn’t want to kill anyone. And y’all, I can’t take how sad Itadori looks about all of this. My heart breaks for him as he makes the decision to kill.
That being said, the absolute beatdown that follows is EXTREMELY therapeutic to me. This cursed being has hurt me so much, so seeing Nanami and Itadori beat the SHIT out of him is just…
Shout out to The Getting Animated Podcast for perfectly capturing my feelings during this iconic moment.
Sound on 😂😌 pic.twitter.com/IwNXgXiWdG
— Your favorite anime podcast🎙 (@gettinganimated) December 27, 2020
Mahito, in response to being completely and totally OWNED, creates a domain expansion that he traps Nanami in. Nanami uses that time to reflect on life and I’m about ready to throw something at the TV because I WILL NOT lose this man AND Junpei before the series goes on break. Fortunately, Itadori breaks into the domain, which means that Mahito ends up touching his soul by default. Now now, Mahito, didn’t Sukuna tell you that you only get to do that ONCE? So long, domain, which leaves Mahito wide open. After creating a large, wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man version of himself, Mahito manages to escape in the sewers. He decides that Itadori will be his nemesis from now on.
The feeling’s mutual, I’m sure, asshole.
After the fight, Itadori and Nanami talk. Itadori’s trying to come to terms with what happened, and in the end, he vows that he’ll never lose anyone again. Afterwards, we get a scene where the students at Junpei’s school are instructed to fill out surveys about bullying, which shows the impact Junpei’s mistreatment and what it led to has had on everyone. I’m glad that the teachers are FINALLY trying to do something, but I hate that it was at the cost of Junpei’s life (though the school thinks he just moved away).
He was being cornered on school grounds and burned with cigarettes, y’all, pay attention to your students for Christ’s sake!
The episode (and this half of the season) ends with Itadori meeting up with Nanami and Gojo, most likely on their way to start the next arc.
- Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle: Rhyme Anima episode 13: Tomorrow is another day
Where to watch: FUNimation
LOL look at that, two episodes about tomorrow.
Fling Posse is about to be obliterated by Party of Words when Secret Aliens show up to say that Team Bubblegum Pop can still be useful. The plan is to use them as bait to lure in the rest of the rap crews. The dominatrix vibe woman who could, honestly, step on me (Ichijiku Kadenokoji) agrees, but for some reason feels the need to remind Secret Aliens of the poor little children she’ll make miserable if they fail her.
Lady. Just. They’re so obviously gonna betray you.
Meanwhile, the rest of the rap bunch is trying to recover, and I have to take a minute to point out how my ship is absolutely sailing because Doppo is laying on Hifumi and awwwww you guys!
Also? There was no opening theme this week. That’s how you know this is the last episode and things are gonna get SERIOUS!
Tom of Secret Aliens (I cannot type this rap group name without giggling like a child) calls everyone and confirms that they have Fling Posse. Now it’s time to meet for one last showdown! The only one really able to fight is Samatoki, the profanity driven yakuza who will rap out of pure spite. He heads off to face Secret Aliens alone (but you know Ichiro of Buster Bros!!! and the good doctor Jakurai of Matenro are gonna follow so we can have a reunion of their old crew, The Dirty Dawg.)
While on the way to the final battle, we learn about how Tom helped his crew find a better way in the form of helping the less fortunate. All that’s missing is some Sarah McLachlan as we’re treated to scenes of Ramuda imagining the underdeveloped countries that Secret Aliens has been trying to help. We just gotta hammer in the fact that this rival crew is on the up and up.
I love it, though. It’s just so dramatic for no reason!
As I predicted, Ichiro and Jakurai join up with Samatoki. Once they meet up with Secret Aliens they’re surprised that their adversaries release Fling Posse (I’m not, of course they release them, a certain Party of Words mistress overplayed her hand). Tom does want a proper battle, though, and Ramuda joins Ichiro, Jakurai, and Samatoki for a true Dirty Dawg reunion! Ichiro asks if Tom befriending him was a part of his plan, most assuredly creating yet another ship dynamic, especially since Tom admits to actually respecting Ichiro as a person from the bottom of his heart.
The fanfiction just writes itself at this point.
The two groups rap it out but Secret Aliens prove to be too strong because of their world travels and experience they’ve gained along the way. They even have the power to clone themselves, meaning there are a lot more opponents to face.
If only the other members of Buster Bros!!!, Mad Trigger Crew, Fling Posse, and Matenro showed up to-… yep they’re coming, you know they are.
To my utter delight, Hypnosis Mic does my absolute favorite anime trope of playing the opening theme during the final battle! The crews come together against Secret Aliens and perform the second verse to the song, practically annihilating them with their lyrics! Ichiro points out how Secret Aliens does have more experience, but they’ve forgotten one vital thing.
Rapping is fun.
That’s it that’s the final message of the series, pack up it, y’all, we’re going home!
Kinda.
Because Party of Words shows up and for a SECOND I thought that bad b*tch Ichijiku was actually gonna rap. Alas, she’s called back by the woman she answers to, the Prime Minister of Japan, Otome Tohoten. Otome’s in the middle of talking with the man who made the hypnosis mic and my jaw just hit the floor because… a MAN made these microphones?!
I thought this was an idea created by women because men were fighting too much, but… THIS is the mic creator?!
Of course he’s dressed like that OF COURSE HE IS!
Also, HE’S the one who’s employed Secret Aliens, NOT the Party of Words.
Anyway, we get a hint at a cliffhanger as Samatoki’s missing sister is called into the room. Dun dun duuuuun! For now, the sun rises on a new day, and our four rap teams walk away, victorious.
I’m kidding they all decide to battle each other on the bridge because they still don’t get along. Again I ask WHY the Party of Words put together this battle in an attempt to fracture the teams when they’re ALREADY fractured? Eh, whatever, let’s hear them rap through the credits.
Will there be a season 2? Who knows!
That’s it for your Monday Round-up since, again, Moriarty the Patriot is done (I believe until April 2020)! Who else is watching these series? What anime did you watch over the weekend? Are you excited for more Jujutsu Kaisen in 2021? Do you want more Hypnosis Mic?
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