At Tesla’s recent “We Robot” event, held at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California, tech tycoon Elon Musk unveiled an eyebrow-raising spectacle that would’ve made Isaac Asimov roll over twice in his grave. Musk’s Optimus Gen 2 robots mingled with attendees, served drinks, handed out gift bags, and even danced a little jig in a display blurring the lines between what was once science fiction and reality.
One person tweeted, “It’s like nobody watched iRobot. What the entire f*** is wrong with you people??”
At Tesla’s recent “We Robot” event, held at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California, tech tycoon Elon Musk unveiled an eyebrow-raising spectacle that would’ve made Isaac Asimov roll over twice in his grave. Musk’s Optimus Gen 2 robots mingled with attendees, served drinks, handed out gift bags, and even danced a little jig in a display blurring the lines between what was once science fiction and reality.
One person tweeted, “It’s like nobody watched iRobot. What the entire f*** is wrong with you people??”
This Disney+ show grows ever more popular as we travel through October toward Halloween. Every step along that path, each episode has focused on the song that is central to the story: The Ballad of the Witches’ Road. But the song isn’t always the same. (Spoilers for Agatha All Along episodes 1-4 ahead!)
The first episode, titled after the song’s opening lyric (“seekest thou the Road”) sets us on the journey outlined by the song the coven sings to open the gate that leads to the Witches’ Road. Each of the witches on this journey hopes to regain her lost power by traveling, but that will mean something different for each of them. Alice Wu-Gulliver (Ali Ahn) sings the same “sacred chant” lyrics as the rest, but she is secretly dancing to a different beat.
Alice’s mother, the rock goddess Lorna Wu (Elizabeth Anweis), left behind a platinum-level hit version of the ballad, with slightly different lyrics. Comparing the first verse from the two, the differences are immediately visible:
Seekest thou the Road I have learned the lesson To all that’s foul and fair Of all that’s foul and fair Gather sisters fire, Our love was forged in fire water, earth and air water, earth and air
We’ve seen the Witches’ Road test Marvel’s Coven of Chaos with water and fire so far with flooding houses and burning music studios. Episode 4 ends with what might be a trial of earth, as the witches are pulled underground. But it also saw them flying through the element of air on broomsticks, so we’ll have to stay tuned to know what’s next.
Lorna’s version of the ballad focuses on the more personal parts of the journey, offering to “risk this heart of mine” rather than the general promise of “glory shall be thine” as offered in the original. In episode 3, Alice explains that her mother was trying to open the Road every time she performed the song. Confiding in Lilia Calderu (Patti LuPone), she says that the whole crowd at her sold-out shows were her coven.
Some of the biggest departures in the songs’ meanings occur in the chorus. Both invite us to go down, down, down the Road. However, the chant tells us we are in a “circle sewn with fate,” while Lorna asks us to “follow me, my friend.” As the relationships in the show swing from antagonism to friendship, viewers can feel the tension between those concepts. Will they walk the road, as Lorna’s version says, “together and alone?” Or will only one of them find “glory at the end?”
Verse two raises some interesting questions regarding the true identities of some of the characters we’re on this jourrney with. In the original, the witches sing, “I hold Death’s hand in mine.” Along with fans speculating over the Teen’s real name, many are wondering whether green witch Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza) is actually Lady Death, Thanos’ ultimate beloved and the Marvel universe’s personification of death itself. This is juxtaposed to Wu’s defiance in her lyrics: “to love that never dies.” Based on the conclusion of episode 3, we can assume that love is the one she shares with her daughter. But with Alice down for the count at the end of episode 4, we don’t know anything for sure.
The 1970s rock version of the ballad has one thing the original does not: a bridge. It contains instructions seemingly meant for Alice alone: “remember what I told you/ it’s the only way we survive.” Those these words might have gotten the daughter through a trial by fire, they might mean even more as the Road leads on.
Finally, the two cuts of the ballad hold hints about where Agatha All Along and the road will end. The original speaks of “tricks and trials,” which we’re already seeing plenty of as the miniseries heads to its conclusions. Lorna’s song, however, tells us “what’s lost is found, what’s fierce is bound,” which hints at reversals of fortune to come. The fierceness that’s bound might be Agatha’s power, or that of the Teen, revealed in episode 4 to be Wiccan, also known as Billy Kaplan, son of Scarlet Witch. Like his mother, this hero can warp reality. Scarlet Witch has used this power in the past to resurrect the dead and preserve those she loves. As Wu’s song says, we still have to “dance with death” but she also says, “I’ll see you at the end.”
This likely means we have not seen the last of this mother-daughter duo. And we shouldn’t count anyone out, no matter how dead they seem to have been. You can catch new episodes of Agatha All Along on Wednesdays at 9pm ET / 6pm PT on Disney+.
Earlier this year, I went to the Viz website to look up when the second volume of Hirayasumi dropped and stumbled upon the news that the manga publisher had launched a new project tiled the VIZ Originals One-Shots program created “for aspiring mangaka,” run by former Weekly Shonen Jump editor-in-chief Hisashi SASAKI!
I love manga and adore a good one-shot via manga. A one shot in manga is more commonly known as a single, sometimes standalone story. It is the manga equivalent of a short story and an excellent way for readers to get a feel for a manga creator’s storytelling and art style. The one-shots in this newer project–which are free to read–online and in the app.
I wanted to continue this series and share my thoughts on the third round of entries after reading them and give my thoughts below! This roundup is full of (good surprises!) with creators I’m already familiar with and excited to see more of their storytelling via manga and this program!
The creative in this batch of one-shots that I may be most familiar with is Alissa as Image Comics’ Sleepless was the first work I remember seeing her name attached to. (Weeaboo has long been on my to-read list and it just got bumped up). When I saw her name, I immediately knew that this one shot would be a winner in my eyes and one I would gush about here in my coverage of it. And guess what, my friends? She did NOT let me down! Sun Tribe Waffle Shack Index features “two psychics and one normal guy, please enjoy this unique and funny story about one extraordinary night in an ordinary diner…” as supplied by Viz.
Here’s the thing: Sun Tribe Waffle Shack Index, as a one shot, is just a lot of fun to read. Sallah’s short is obviously influenced by many pieces of media that we love like The Twilight Zone, Doctor Who, different anime and manga series–it is uniquely its very own story. This one-shot earns an award from me just for the many great one-liners throughout the entire work from “Nothing sane about middle America” to “This ain’t the garden of Eden, b#tch, it’s a waffle shack!“. This great mashup of cosmic horror, gorgeous artwork, and a story that slips in a great ending touching upon the harsh reality of the inability of moving on, this one is worth rereading again and again.
With an obvious admiration for the real-life Waffle House (that is a part of the backbone of America), I love that this entry punches up the weird and imaginative storytelling that Sallah has brought to us with characters that I totally want to see more of, in action again. Those who are chronically online (hello that’s me), may feel rewarded with the later half of this story when the proverbial crap hits the fan and Abbey gets down to business. Bring me back to who I was when I read this one-shot for this first time! Let me experience this amazing story all over again!! Sun Tribe Waffle Shack Index blazes strong with all the really cool fights, dialogue criticizing everything from American work culture to comfort food, and comedic spots that don’t feel out of place in this wickedly hilarious and wild one-shot.
Yes, yes, yes! If you read the first roundup I wrote, you know that I was a fan of Naf’s Cinematic Certitude one shot in our coverage of the roundup of the first entries. So when I saw his name once again, I got hyped for a new story from him. “Flux is the divine energy that allows its users to perform miraculous abilities. But how far will humanity go to master its potential?” is a bit of synopsis of the one-shot provided by Viz which gives us a tiny bit of context for the world we are introduced to. Our protagonist, Mr Sang is mysterious man who travels to a remote village that has seen better days with an employer who is shady at best, evil at worst.
We do find out that Mr Sang, mister main character is a Impellor–a human being with the abilities and powers that border on superhuman, early on in just the first few pages. Naf’s storytelling masterfully shows of the narrative of two men: one on a mission to put a stop to someone committing atrocities–and another man well past reason already controlled by desire for unspeakable progress. On the artwork side: I do appreciate the creator’s tight and controlled fight scenes and special attention to facial expressions so nothing looked goofy or out of place. There was a lot of really cool imagery in the laboratory where the final fight takes place that looked horrific but was appropriate to show the lunacy of the villain and just how far he went, out of control.
The later pages of the one-shot zero in the motivations of the big baddie while also allowing the minor character who initially sent for Mr. Sang, a shining role in the climax. Naf really understands the story beats in this format and how to make a simple story stand out with a great ending. While the tiniest of criticism is that the big fight’s dialogue got a little wordy , the big reveal from the hero and the satisfying ending, for sure made up for it. As I said of his first one-shot, I would love to read more of this universe as well–I would love to see Naf’s name again in another roundup coverage piece in the future–he’s earned it.
I stumbled upon Gigi Murakami late last year and I was pleasantly surprised as I am always on the look out for more Black women artists in comics and those inspired by and who also create manga. I’m also not a huge horror fan so her work intrigued me as well as I don’t always see a lot of folks who look like in most of the mainstream face of the genre. The short synopsis Viz dropped for this one-shot was, “Rippers avenge those who have been murdered, but is revenge ever truly justified?” So Resenter is a darkly beautiful yet bittersweet introduction to Rippers, like Jackie who walk between two worlds with a very important job to do. Vital to the progress of moving souls along, Rippers hunt down the murderers of freshly dead folks and with their permission of those dead, avenge them.
Gigi Murakami brings us Jackie who is tired of her job but knows it has to be done. Readers will get the chance to see Jackie the Ripper, this avenging dark angel of sorts move between comforting and stone cold angry to the folks on her recent job. I could not help but fall in love with this dark tale with a Black female lead balancing the scale and reminding everyone that actions have consequences: regardless of intent, age, gender, or circumstances. Weaved into this one-shot’s narrative is that plight of mortality and how having a conscious weighs down on everyone–even those who aren’t fully apart of the Earthly realm anymore.
The creator’s world is a fleshed out one and the world in-between is one I had fun exploring in this short. I am intrigued and endeared to Jackie as a character and the small and subtle ways this short reminded me that was standing solidly in the horror genre but not a in overly grotesque and over the top way. Emotionally, I felt the pages that Jackie spends with both the victim and the murderer really carried the story and complimented both sides of the narrative at hand. The creator here really did a number with being able to bring out anguish, shock and despair via the artwork as well too. Jackie herself has a full palette of emotions that was super impressive to see that it is worth rereading the short just to study that. I can’t wait to see more of Gigi Murakami at this level and more of the really thought-provoking and meaningful storytelling she has up her sleeve. And that colored cover illustration? I need it on a poster, postcard, bookmark, laptop sticker, nail art decoration, and more!
About VIZ Originals One-Shots:
The One-Shots Program is a showcase for aspiring manga creators, led by renowned former Weekly Shonen Jump editor-in-chief Hisashi SASAKI! The Viz website goes on to put out a call to action: “Whether you are an established creator with a new idea or are putting the finishing touches on your very first one-shot, if you are passionate about manga, we want to hear from you! Learn more about how to submit your work.”
Read all the one-shots from aspiring creators chosen as the first batch in this exciting new project here!
Read more about the VIZ Originals One-Shots Program and read Hisashi SASAKI’s thoughts on each selected entry on the Viz website!
NOTE: I’m catching tweets and bits of discourse online to the Viz One-Shots being region locked. Apologies to thosepossibly being outside North America–disappointing for sure! (Try a VPN, friends! And keep bringing these concerns to Viz!)
Before we begin, at the time of writing, My Hero Academia has relatively recently completed its decade run with 430 chapters in the mainline series, 127 chapters of the spin-off MHA: Vigilantes, a few volumes of side stories, four video games, and three movies, with You’re Next being the fourth theatrical release. The anime is currently in season 7, with 157 episodes and 9 OVAs. This review is going to assume knowledge of events that happened in the series up to the end of the sixth season of the anime because that is canonically when this movie takes place. For any of you anime-onlys, don’t worry, I’m not gonna spoil the manga, but if you’re unfamiliar with the true nature of One for All or the other movies in the series, you may want to catch up just a little before delving into this.
With that said, it is also important to acknowledge that anime movies are fundamentally weird because they ostensibly take place within the canon of the world, a fact that is doubly true for My Hero Academia. Horikoshi’s direct involvement with the movie’s stories meant that several plot points that were brought up originally in a movie (like Melissa’s general existence or Bakugo temporarily becoming a holder of One for All due to shenanigans) have been referenced within the anime and manga. And like other anime movies, the world-shaking events that occur during movies are only acknowledged in passing if not at all which is wild given that under the right circumstances, these villains probably could have their own arcs. But that’s the genre. That’s the medium. We accept this oddity, and we move on.
You’re Next occurs between the intermission of the Paranormal Liberation War Arc and the Stars & Stripe arc. While Shigaraki’s body finalizing for the final confrontation, our heroes find themselves catching convicts during the downtime. This of course goes completely off the rails within ten minutes as one of the convicts is causing particular havoc while dragging a hostage around. Then, everything goes even further off script when a well-dressed gunman seems myopically focused on killing the hostage and someone who resembles All Might enters the scene with comically villainous flair claiming to be the true successor and new Symbol of Peace. It’s hard to take him seriously when he is surrounded by a Mafia-esque entourage on a flying neon ship that quickly transforms into a flying fortress with All Might statues and takes all of Class 1A and various civilians as “specimens” for some sort of nefarious plan. All Might’s copycat quickly adopts the new name Dark Might and then shenanigans happen inside the fortress.
While all the movies are Deku-focused, where Two Heroes centered on a batch of 1A kids, Heroes Rising on the totality of Class 1A, and World Heroes Mission on the core trilogy, You’re Next opts for small group assembles as Class 1A is operating in three teams and throughout the movie reconfigure to better face several situations. This constant back and forth within the one hour and fifty-minute runtime is further cut into by learning more about the movie original good guys, Anna and Guilio, and the movie villains, Dark Might and Gorrini crime family. It’s a constant march through the action and plot at a breakneck pace, and answers to key questions get deferred in favor of keeping everything in motion.
I opted to watch the dub and it was a good dub. All of the cast reprised their typical roles, and Christopher Sabat got to flex his incredibly villainous hammy chops as Dark Might. Studio Bones brought their A-game as always and the movie looked incredibly clean the entire time. The extra budget for a cinematic experience showed and each scene was just beautifully rendered. It is peak anime movie; everything you love about the anime dialed up to eleven.
And on the plus side, Dark Might did not fall into the first two movie archetypes of having multiple quirks and inexplicably being related to All for One. On the other hand, there was a whole villainous family of six members who exist as mini-bosses with barely any characterization, and Anna’s whole arc more than resembles Eri’s as a girl with a quirk that plays into the villain’s evil plan and relying on a neutralizing party. Although, Anna’s neutralizer is her butler Guilio who I did enjoy as a character. Guilio’s various cybernetics and long-range fighting style made him a nice counterpart to the super-quirk close quarters technician that is Deku.
Given the entirely too large ensemble, some of the moments where characters shined were only moments and some were epic sequences, but the movie looked fantastic the entire time. And for better and for worse, I teared up whenever the orchestral arrangement of “You Say Run” started playing as the kids I have watched for the better part of a decade continued to be paragons of hope, worthy successors to All Might. Midoriya, Bakugo, and Todoroki, fan favorites that they are, of course got the most epic and key moments, and you better believe I shouted “YOU BETTER RESPECT LORD EXPLOSION MURDER GOD DYNAMIGHT” (you gotta say the full name every time), cheered when Todoroki created his signature ice walls, and pumped my fist and legs as Deku called out every smash. The movie is pure anime music video fodder. Pure spectacle in the best.
I enjoyed the movie, it put a smile on my face several times. I can’t confidently say it’s good though. It’s ridiculous and over the top. We’re not unfamiliar with reality bending quirks, but You’re Next takes it to a truly absurd level (even if it’s justified in story), and it’s hard to take Dark Might’s claim of succession at face value for even a moment. It’s territory the manga treaded already with Stain and treaded better honestly. And the bar was set so high with the three previous movies. The fourth time around on the silver screen does not offer anything particularly novel. We know these characters. We know what they are about, and whereas Two Heroes expanded the world, Heroes Rising took the time to showcase each member of 1A, World Heroes Mission anchored its action on a core three and an original character that felt fully fleshed out in a unique way, You’re Next is just a compilation of moments that look cool and is a sequence that almost resembles a complete plot.
If you’re a fan of the franchise, see it on the big screen. Enjoy it for what it is: more My Hero but don’t expect too much more than that.
My Hero Academia: You’re Next premieres in US Theaters on October 11th.
