Let’s just get this buildup out of the way. So the parasites have to take down a monster that is far away, but is getting closer. As they get close to it, it kinda looks like a giant squid. They then attack and risk being absorbed into the monster. Which is what happens when Argentea gets caught. Then Gorou pushes them out by sacrificing Delphinium.

He blacks out and the viewer does as well. We get an update and learn that he ejected Ichigo at the last minute so he cannot move. The team talks to him and he basically decides that he will sacrifice himself in order to stop the monster. His “last moments” reveals that he loves Ichigo and it’s actually humanizing and tender.

I detest Christ Complex characters more than anything else. There is the notion of sacrificing yourself for the greater good, but when you try to do things on your own and cannot rely on others, I find this one hundred percent off putting. However, Gorou is possibly the most adorable and dorky character ever and I cannot hate him. Rather, I was cheering for the team to save him. His sweet demeanor and honest disposition really helped put him in a good light. Too bad he’s not the main character. He’s definitely won a spot in my heart.

After the last two episodes of Violet Evergarden, it’s so hard not to want to pick Violet Evergarden as my weekly hot picks. I had so many feels! This latest episode had a lot of character development for Violet who was basically a walking doll. I legit thought she was a robot for first part of the anime. In this episode, Violet had to relive her past and starts to really feel as if all is lost. Claudia tries to help Violet, but it’s evident that she has to work through everything herself. This is when he brings up the phrase “burns on your body” discussing how she to live with them because they cannot be taken away. He states that everyone has burns on their own bodies. Then we see Violet descend into a momentary depression as she allows emotions to finally wash over her and then slowly come to accept everything.

To me, this moment was extremely powerful. I actually felt moved by Violet, someone I really didn’t care for until the last two episodes. And Claudia’s thoughts about everyone having burns on their body is so true. I wouldn’t phrase it like that exactly, but it is so true. We’ve all been burned, hurt, and had things happen to us. We just have to pick up and move on after accepting that fact. It’s not something we can ignore. This was just so great and I cannot say how much I loved this week’s episode of Violet Evergarden! Now, the question is, what the heck is going to happen after this last episode? There’s still 5 episodes left and yet….this felt like a finale.

Since the beginning of the season I knew there would be something to mention about this anime, and finally there’s a story that deserves our attention. Junji Ito is a well known master of horror and disturbing stories, and the first one depicted in Junji Ito Collection episode 10 is definitely gross. This is a short story named Glyceride, one of the most popular between Ito’s fans but one that many people may not know. Yes, Ito’s work relies a lot in monsters, ghosts or creepy yet charismatic supernatural beings lakie Tomie, but Glyceride is an exaggerated tale about something a bit more realistic. Long story short, this is about a girl living with her brother and father in a room above the man’s barbecue restaurant, which leaves the house with a disgusting greasy cover. The animation may not be the best, but the illustrations accompanied by the girl’s voice describing the feeling literally puts you there, and soon you’ll be trying your best not to puke. Everything feels oily and it only gets worst, so by the moment you meet Goro, the oil-drinking elder brother, your stomach will be in serious trouble… can you picture yourself drinking oil like it’s water? If that feels gross, just wait and see what he does to his sister when acne appears on his skin! Even if this story is shocking (and it stands out even more if you compare it to The Bridge, presented in the second half of the episode), I feel it could be better given more time to develop the story. For example, the father cooking and selling Goro’s meat after he kills him is implied, but I could understand if someone just missed it. All in oil… I mean, all in all, I really like how this story finally made the anime, showing us a master of horror can take a break from scary things just to mess with your stomach. Go watch this right now!