Hey, Otakus!

March is finally about to be here! That means we’re one month closer to learning the Anime Expo 2024 guest list, relaxing in warm weather and, of course, the debuts of all of the spring 2024 Anime!

This spring we’re getting tons of amazing Anime from KonoSuba season 3 to Demon Slayer to The Hashira Training!

Here’s what’s on today’s agenda:

• Should you go see the “Demon Slayer to the Hashira Training” movie?

• Sakura-Con 2024 is looking to be an amazing time!

• Ryunosuke Akutagawa, a short look into an amazing villain.

Is “Demon Slayer to The Hashira Training” worth going to see?

Demon Slayer, which has become a staple of almost every anime community since it first debuted in 2019, released another movie last week on the 22nd of February. Despite the Anime’s many die-hard fans, reviews have been very mixed.

This is because the studio behind Demon Slayer, Ufotable, has recently started releasing movies that consist of the last episode of the previous season followed by the first episode of a new season.

Many argue that this is in poor taste.

Especially because many times, and this is very prominent in Demon Slayer, the end of a season is action packed and barely slows down while the start of a season is extremely slow and more lore focused. Without saying any spoilers, this is the second special in which a Demon Slayer movie started action packed and ended in a very slow and calm tone.

This is near 180 from how movies are normally structured.

Whether or not you like this take on movies, if you go to see it, you’ll be watching the last episode of To the Swordsmith Village arc followed by the first episode of To the Hashira Training arc early, with the rest of the season set to start airing in April.

Sakura-Con 2024 has its guest list posted and it’s looking to be a good one!

Sakura-Con, one of the largest and oldest Anime conventions in the United States, has released its guest list and is set to be up and running from March 29th through March 31st this year.

And it looks amazing.

Some of the bigger names you’ll be seeing at Sakura-Con 2024 include Natalie Van Sistine, who you may know as Yor in the English dubbed SpyxFamily anime, Aaron Dismuke, who you may know as Senku from the Dr. Stone English dub, Alex Organ, who you may know as Loid in the SpyxFamily English dub, and many more!

We aren’t far away from getting a look at the schedule. Taking a look at last year’s convention, it featured more panels than ever with extended room hours, so we can definitely expect some excitement! From AMV contests, to full on cosplay contests, and even Cosplay Chess, Sakura-Con is in the best shape it has ever been in!

And who doesn’t want to see cosplay competition Tanjiro in a live action chess match against All Might?

Akutagawa, a mafia commander in Bungo Stray Dogs, is an awesome villain.

Of course that doesn’t come as a surprise to most people, but Akutagawa manages to somehow be both incredibly evil, yet sometimes likable in the weirdest of ways.

This is seen especially with his younger sister, Gin. Despite his commitment to the mafia and his constant acts of villainy, it’s very obvious that he cares for his little sister. Anytime she asks him for something, at least simple things, he often obliges without complaining or arguing.

These little pieces of humanity are completely shattered once they begin working again.

Not only is Gin also part of the mafia, but Akutagawa believes the weak should make way for the strong in the most literal sense. He doesn't care to commit the most atrocious crimes known to man, with help from his power Rashomon, in order to complete his goals. To him, it’s just another day at the office.

That is precisely the reason he is so liked in the Anime community. He is one of the few villains in modern Anime that is just blatantly evil. We often see Villains that aren’t very set in their ways, villains that can change and be the good guy. Akutagawa will sometimes do good things, but only if it benefits him directly, making him one amazing villain.

Trivia Time!

There are plenty of streaming services out there. Crunchyroll, Netflix, and Hulu just to name a few. Netflix decided to leak the stats of their most viewed Anime of last year, to which 2 stood above the rest.

According to Netflix, which Anime was the most viewed Anime of 2023?

A. Vinland Saga Season 2

B. Demon Slayer To the Swordsmith Village

The Answer is…

Demon Slayer To the Swordsmith Village! A hard question indeed. Both are excellent Anime. One Piece was right behind Demon Slayer with Vinland Saga holding strong at 3rd.