Black Sensei Society

Season 3 of Open Dojo is officially LIVE. Santo, Miles, and Lani are back from DreamCon Houston (barbecue, hoops, and one very cursed rental car) and they get into all of it: why these companies are weaponizing our childhood with microtransactions, Call of Duty Black Ops nostalgia, the World Cup and the never ending Messi GOAT debate, the state of rap, and the Blue Lock agenda that refuses to die.

Heads up: we lined up a full Video Games x Anime crossover ranking and only got part of the way into it, so treat this as the kickoff. The rest is coming next episode.

Catch everything we do here: https://linktr.ee/blacksenseisociety

SPOILER WARNING: current arc Blue Lock and One Piece talk starts around 03:00:00. If you are not caught up, skip straight to the outro.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro: Season 3 premiere, DreamCon Houston and Texas barbecue
08:03 DreamCon basketball recap (the VSS runs, Ty vs the crew)
12:34 Favorite DreamCon moments
15:02 Road trip chaos (lost keys, flat tire, the rental saga)
53:19 Starstruck or not: meeting people in person
54:00 World Cup breakdown (England, Argentina, Kai locks in)
01:02:00 Is Messi really the GOAT?
01:45:19 Call of Duty Black Ops and the nostalgia trap
01:52:34 Companies weaponizing our childhood (microtransactions)
01:53:50 Pokemon XD, Nintendo, and paying for nostalgia again
01:59:23 Digital ownership: Sony, Crunchyroll, and losing your library
02:02:31 Battle passes everywhere (Olive Garden, PrizePicks)
02:07:42 Blind ranking video game franchises
02:16:27 The state of rap: is hip hop dying?
02:39:49 Chris Brown: why isn't he bigger?
02:53:53 Usher vs Chris Brown and concert culture
03:00:04 The Kai apology form: Blue Lock agenda (spoilers)
03:05:41 Outro and shout outs

KEYWORDS
Open Dojo, Black Sensei Society, Alive Podcast Network, anime podcast, video games x anime, Call of Duty Black Ops, gaming microtransactions, gaming nostalgia, Pokemon XD Gale of Darkness, Nintendo Switch 2, digital ownership, battle pass culture, World Cup, Messi GOAT debate, Blue Lock, One Piece, DreamCon Houston, state of hip hop, Chris Brown, power scaling debate

Open Dojo is part of the Black Sensei Society universe on the Alive Podcast Network. Hosted by Santo with Miles and Lani, featuring Kai and Trent.

https://linktr.ee/blacksenseisociety

The crew is BACK and this one is loaded. Solo Leveling dropped a concept trailer so clean we thought it was live action, Blue Lock introduced a new England villain who walked into the locker room and asked them to THROW the match, and the Celtics traded Jalen Brown in one of the most disrespectful front office moves we have ever seen.

Follow everything Black Sensei Society here: https://linktr.ee/blacksenseisociety

Plus: DreamCon Houston is THIS WEEK and we break down all our plans, the Mushoku Tensei author somehow made his most hated moment worse, Kagurabachi's first episode has Anime Expo losing its mind, Omniscient Reader adaptation hopes, the USMNT got embarrassed at the World Cup, and YouTube drama that belongs on reality TV.

SPOILER WARNING: We discuss the latest Blue Lock chapter starting around 18:42. Skip to 24:40 if you are not caught up.

TIMESTAMPS (approximate, verify against final upload):

0:00 Cold open: WWE and World Cup chaos, USMNT gets embarrassed by Belgium
3:19 Paraguay senator racism scandal and Mbappe
4:55 Messi GOAT talk and the Argentina problem
7:50 Neymar wastes the clock, Brazil eliminated
9:19 Welcome to BSS: DreamCon Houston plans and travel prep
18:42 Blue Lock chapter reaction: Teddy Knight arrives (SPOILERS until 24:40)
24:40 Darren Peterson has that Blue Lock ego, Utah Jazz talk
27:34 New anime season roundup: Mushoku Tensei and Eris debate
31:01 Bleach hype and the wildest new anime this season
36:20 Solo Leveling concept trailer reaction: is this live action??
39:55 Omniscient Reader adaptation: A-1 or CloverWorks?
44:00 Kagurabachi at Anime Expo + Ichi the Witch needs a studio NOW
46:01 Hero Killer manhwa getting an anime
47:40 Planning DreamCon debates: Guts vs Kenshin, Gojo vs Sukuna
48:49 The Mushoku Tensei author made it WORSE
59:00 USWNT dominance and the pay gap
1:03:26 The Jalen Brown trade rant: Celtics disrespect, Paul George, Giannis
1:21:28 The Krillin hax debate returns
1:28:50 NFL season, Bengals agenda, grass vs turf
1:32:20 Gilbert Arenas, Underdog fallout, betting market madness
1:35:00 What we're most excited for at DreamCon
1:43:36 House of the Dragon and Love Island talk
1:51:04 YourRAGE friend drama explained
1:53:47 Outro: follow the socials and the Discord

KEYWORDS: solo leveling season 3 trailer, solo leveling anime, blue lock chapter reaction, blue lock teddy knight, jalen brown trade, jalen brown sixers, celtics trade jalen brown, kagurabachi anime, omniscient reader anime, mushoku tensei controversy, dreamcon 2026, dreamcon houston, anime podcast, black anime podcast, ichi the witch, hero killer manhwa, anime expo 2026, world cup 2026, usmnt belgium

https://linktr.ee/blacksenseisociety

Bleach is officially back and the crew is not calming down about it. This week Black Sensei Society breaks down the Bleach return and the movie reception, then throws it against the entire summer slate to see if it can actually beat the field. Before that we get into an NBA free agency that has completely lost its mind (LeBron, the Lakers, and that Wizards rumor), blind rank the Spring 2026 anime season, cape up for Black Clover and Saga of Tanya the Evil, defend Sakamoto Days, and close out on the state of boxing (Usyk vs Dubois, celebrity and creator boxing) plus why WWE is frustrating everybody right now. One more episode until DreamCon.

Spoiler zone: the Bleach segment (57:00 on) gets into current arc and movie details. Jump to 1:36:00 if you are not caught up.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Cold Open: House of the Dragon Slander
02:00 Welcome Back: One Week Until DreamCon
07:00 NBA Free Agency is CRAZY (LeBron, Lakers, the Wizards Rumor)
38:00 Blind Ranking the Spring 2026 Anime Season
57:00 Bleach is BACK: The Return, The Movie, The Reception
1:07:00 Bleach vs The Field: Can It Beat the Summer Slate?
1:16:00 Black Clover and What We Want From Summer 2026 Anime
1:27:00 One Piece Heroines and Defending Sakamoto Days
1:36:00 Celebrity and Creator Boxing (Ray J, Ochocinco)
1:41:00 The State of Boxing: Usyk vs Dubois
2:00:00 Live 2K Team Build
2:21:00 What is Wrong With WWE Right Now
2:55:00 Blue Lock on Crunchyroll and DreamCon Sendoff

Myles and Radell are BACK breaking down One Piece Chapter 1186 "Once More" and the takes are FLYING. Brooke's backstory wraps up, a brand new Celestial Dragon character enters the chat, and Luffy shows up to punch Imu clean in the face. Is Imu officially a fraud? We're putting the entire World Government on notice.

https://linktr.ee/blacksenseisociety

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Intro, Housekeeping
5:55 Chapter 1186 "Once More" Begins
10:11 Brooke Backstory Ranking (vs Frankie, Robin, Sanji, Ace)
17:00 Imu's Dot Dot Dot Moment, Does He Feel Anything?
22:00 Celestial Dragon Pregnancy Disease Theory (Bonnie, Candle, Jenny)
30:00 LeWevin's Decision to Go to War for Shuri
37:00 Groh Manmayor Reveal, The Eyes, Gojo Clan Parallels
44:00 Dragon vs Shanks vs Imu Portrayal Debate
55:00 Brooke's Amnesia Explanation, Stabbed in the Head Critique
1:00:00 Straw Hats Rally to Save Shuri
1:04:00 Usopp Needs a Crumb on Elbaf
1:07:00 THE PUNCH. Luffy vs Imu in Base. Fraud Watch Activated.
1:13:00 Imu vs Blackbeard Portrayal Comparison
1:20:00 Akainu, Dragon, and Sabo Endgame Predictions
1:28:00 Chapter Rating and Next Chapter Predictions

In this episode, we break down One Piece Chapter 1186 and go ALL the way in on Imu's portrayal. Brooke's backstory is officially wrapped and while it had its moments, we're ranking it among Oda's weaker efforts. The new character Groh Manmayor brings some serious lore about Celestial Dragon eyes and what Imu is really after. We connect the dots between Shuri, Bonnie, and a pattern of Celestial Dragons using surface dweller women for something bigger.

Then Luffy pulls up and CLEANS Imu with a Conqueror's Haki punch in base form. Is Imu cooked? Is Blackbeard the real final boss? We break it all down and give our predictions for where the Elbaf saga goes from here.

Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an upload. New episodes every Tuesday. Open Dojo drops every other Friday where YOU join the conversation.

KEYWORDS:
one piece, one piece chapter 1186, one piece manga, imu, luffy vs imu, brooke backstory, groh manmayor, shuri, celestial dragons, elbaf, one piece theory, anime podcast, black sensei society, one piece reaction, one piece breakdown, luffy base form, imu fraud, blackbeard, dragon one piece, shanks

MAPPA dropped the Jujutsu Kaisen Season 4 Culling Game Part 2 trailer AND the Chainsaw Man Assassins Arc trailer at their 15th anniversary, and the crew goes to war over one question: has MAPPA finally passed Ufotable as the best animation studio in the game? Plus a full Giannis to the Heat breakdown, a Steph Curry to the Cavs debate that nearly broke the pod, ReZero climbing to the number two rated anime of all time, and House of the Dragon dragon picks gone very wrong.

Catch everything BSS (socials, more): https://linktr.ee/blacksenseisociety

Spoiler warning: the JJK, Witch Hat Atelier, and ReZero segments touch current arc territory. We flag the heavy ones, but tread carefully if you are anime only.

In this episode:

• Giannis traded to Miami: does it fix the Heat, or just make them a top five roster with no shooting?
• Steph Curry on the Cavs: would he win the chip, or does swapping out James Harden not fix the real problems?
• JJK Season 4 Culling Game Part 2 trailer: the storyboarding, the Megumi shot, 10 million views in a day
• Is JJK the best produced anime ever? We rank it against Demon Slayer, Frieren, Fate, JoJo, and Mob Psycho
• Chainsaw Man Assassins Arc trailer: can Season 2 hang with JJK, or is the bar just too high?
• MAPPA vs Ufotable: quality versus quantity, and who actually deserves the crown
• ReZero hits number two on MyAnimeList: deserved or reaching? Plus why people quit on Subaru
• Streamer University: should you quit your job for Kai Cenat? (no)
• An NBA media take so bad we had to defend Kendrick Perkins
• Witch Hat Atelier Season 1 finale, Lord of Mysteries Season 2 getting 40 episodes, and House of the Dragon

Chapters:
00:00 Cold open: Giannis to the Heat (old clip) and intros
02:30 Would you rather give up kissing or sauces
08:30 Giannis traded to Miami: does it fix the Heat?
27:00 Steph Curry on the Cavs: would they win the chip?
40:45 JJK Season 4 Culling Game Part 2 trailer reaction
46:00 Is JJK one of the best produced anime ever?
58:15 Chainsaw Man Assassins Arc trailer reaction
1:09:00 MAPPA vs Ufotable: who is the better studio?
1:25:00 ReZero hits number two rated anime: deserved?
1:38:30 Game: how many anime is ReZero better than?
1:46:00 Spider-Man, Bleach, NBA Draft rapid fire
1:52:00 Streamer University and Kai Cenat
2:12:30 Is an NBA championship a participation trophy?
2:20:30 Witch Hat Atelier Season 1 finale
2:30:00 Lord of Mysteries Season 2 gets 40 episodes
2:33:00 House of the Dragon Season 3 and the great dragon debate

Black Sensei Society is your home for anime, manga, power scaling debates, tier lists, and pop culture takes from four hosts who actually argue about this stuff. New episodes on the Alive Podcast Network.

Keywords: Jujutsu Kaisen Season 4, JJK Culling Game, Chainsaw Man Season 2, Chainsaw Man Assassins Arc, MAPPA, Ufotable, Demon Slayer, ReZero, anime podcast, anime trailer reaction, Giannis Heat, Steph Curry Cavs, Streamer University, Kai Cenat, House of the Dragon, anime tier list, power scaling

Link up with everything Black Sensei Society right here: https://linktr.ee/blacksenseisociety

We are back at it again, and this time we are going full arc by arc on Tower of God Season 3 (webtoon, not the anime). Radell, Lani, Myles, and the crew break down Bam's glow up, the Cage Arc, the Wall Arc, the Nest Arc, and the family leader civil war that ends with a death nobody was ready for. Power scaling, moral gray areas, and a whole lot of "who is actually the bad guy here" energy.

HEAVY SPOILER ZONE for the Tower of God webtoon through Season 3, plus light setup talk for the Yurik (Eric) side story. If you are anime only, save this one for later.

What we get into:

Bam's complete personality shift and why he might be one of the most underrated protagonists in manhwa
The Cage Arc: recruiting Yama, Dang Dang and Louie, and freeing Doom
The Wall Arc: sealed ancient heroes, Doan and Caliban, and the question of whether the people you protect even deserve it
The Nest Arc: Bam beating a ranker one v one, Leobrook's betrayal, and the run to save Jinsung
Bam vs White: the crash out, the souls, and one of the most satisfying wins in the whole story
Yama vs Yasracha and the full Yama family backstory (one of the best arcs in the series)
Traumary, the Leviathan memories, and the marriage tournament that is not really about marriage
The family leaders saga: Gustong, Traumary, Amizu, Enkidu, and how loneliness built a villain
V taking over Bam's body and what it means for the thorn
The first family leader death and why losing administrator protection changes everything
Yurik little bro-ing everybody, plus the Axis and Fantanium lore that reframes the entire Tower

Tower of God is lengthy, but it is peak. If you mess with One Piece, you will mess with this.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro and Season 3 anime return talk
06:11 Starting Season 3, going arc by arc
06:40 Cage Arc: recruiting Yama, Dang Dang, and Louie
17:55 Freeing Doom and the Fug Elder's plan
23:39 Wall Arc: the sealed ancient heroes
27:00 Doan, Caliban, and the Jihad lookalike
32:44 Nest Arc begins (best arc contention)
36:30 Bam's ranker hacks explained
44:00 The mouse game and everybody's mission
49:44 Bam vs White
57:30 Bam surpasses his limits
1:02:50 Yama vs Yasracha and the full backstory
1:11:00 Traumary, the Leviathan, and the marriage proposal
1:15:00 Marriage tournament arc
1:18:55 Bam beats a high ranker one v one
1:20:30 Yuri, Tiara, and the Gustong princess
1:27:00 Kun challenges Traumary to a chess match
1:34:00 The family leader civil war
1:43:00 The Red District reveal and Jihad copies
1:51:00 Yurik shows up and washes everybody
1:55:30 Family leaders origin: Gustong, Traumary, Amizu, Enkidu
2:20:00 V takes over Bam's body
2:28:00 Traumary's death and the final chess match
2:38:00 Season 3 overall thoughts
2:40:00 Yurik, the Axis, and Fantanium lore
2:47:00 Wrap up

Subscribe and turn on notifications so you do not miss the Season 4 prep and the Yurik side story deep dive. Drop your power scaling takes in the comments: is Bam already high ranker plus, and who is really the final boss, Jihad or Fantanium?

KEYWORD TAGS

tower of god season 3, tower of god webtoon, tower of god explained, tower of god recap, tower of god review, bam vs white, tower of god nest arc, tower of god family leaders, yama vs yasracha, tower of god power scaling, tower of god lore, gustong, traumary, jahad, yurik, tower of god axis, fantanium, tower of god manhwa, tower of god breakdown, black sensei society, tower of god season 3 spoilers, tower of god v, tower of god bam, manhwa power scaling, webtoon review

Santo flies dolo and runs the dojo solo this week, and somehow it still turned into one of the most chaotic Friday hangs yet. Hoops crashouts, a Luka debate that nearly ended a friendship, a heavy Blue Lock chapter breakdown, World Cup energy, and a Big Three trivia game that came down to the wire.

Tap in with everything BSS: https://linktr.ee/blacksenseisociety

WHAT WENT DOWN:

• Kent walks in fresh off the worst Finals performance he has ever witnessed and crashes out about the Spurs losing to the Knicks. "Trade everybody but Carter Bryant." We get into worst Finals showings ever, the Wemby crown, and which rings get milked the hardest (08 Celtics, Cowboys, Bulls).
• Gabe and Riddell go to WAR over Luka Doncic: roster construction, the PJ Washington and Kyrie value debate, was it really only one good year, and that Anthony Davis trade. Things got real.
• BLUE LOCK SPOILER ZONE (current chapter, skip to the next timestamp if you are not caught up): the "What is Ego?" chapter, Rin getting sat down, Karasu stepping up as the voice of the team, the Nagi truthers staying undefeated, and predictions heading into the England match.
• World Cup on US soil: England's bench depth, Messi tying the record, Ronaldo looking washed at 40, and the legendary hot tub vs Texas heat debate.
• THE BIG THREE TRIVIA: Bleach, Naruto, and One Piece, Family Feud style, two teams, and a finish nobody saw coming. (When in doubt, the answer is LeBron.)

CHAPTERS (approximate):
00:00 Welcome, housekeeping, Patreon and Linktree
05:14 Spurs vs Knicks: Kent's Finals crashout
30:00 Most milked championship rings debate
37:00 The Luka Doncic roster and trade argument
1:02:00 Blue Lock spoilers: What is Ego and Rin benched
1:24:00 World Cup talk: USA, England, Messi, Ronaldo
1:47:00 The Big Three trivia game: Bleach, Naruto, One Piece
2:55:00 Final score, the draw, and outro

If you rocked with this one, hit that like, subscribe, and the notification bell. Pull up to the Discord through the Linktree to get in the conversation, and check the Patreon for exclusive content.

KEYWORD TAGS:
Blue Lock, Blue Lock chapter reaction, what is ego blue lock, Rin benched, Isagi, Nagi, Karasu, Blue Lock manga, anime podcast, manga podcast, Black Sensei Society, Open Dojo, BSS, the big three anime, Bleach trivia, Naruto trivia, One Piece trivia, anime trivia game, NBA Finals reaction, Spurs Knicks, Luka Doncic debate, Wembanyama, World Cup, Messi, Ronaldo, sports and anime podcast, weeb podcast

The whole gang is back and we did NOT hold back this week. We open on the eternal Final Fantasy debate (is 7 really the GOAT or is that just glaze), react to the Kingdom Hearts IV trailer, then get into the Knicks finally winning a championship, the UFC card at the White House, and a stacked manga slate: the One Piece Kong reveal, Blue Lock benching Rin Itoshi, and us settling Gojo vs Sukuna once and for all. Plus a Would You Rather that broke the chat, Code Lyoko coming back, House of the Dragon S3, and Kai Cenat's Streamer University.

Everything BSS in one place: https://linktr.ee/blacksenseisociety

SPOILER WARNING: current chapter spoilers for One Piece, Blue Lock, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Berserk. Jump the timestamps if you are not caught up.

Timestamps:
00:00 Final Fantasy VII vs the GOAT + Kingdom Hearts IV trailer05:10 Would You Rather: give up kissing or all sauces11:05 The Knicks won the championship (Brunson, OG, KAT, Wemby)32:45 UFC at the White House: Pereira vs Gane47:20 Code Lyoko is getting a sequel54:15 House of the Dragon Season 3 hype1:07:40 One Piece: the Kong reveal and Brooke's backstory1:14:40 Ichi the Witch is built different1:19:00 Blue Lock: Rin Itoshi gets benched1:27:50 World Cup talk1:33:00 The biggest moment in anime history1:38:55 Dragon Ball discourse: is Gohan actually a pacifist1:50:40 Gojo vs Sukuna: settling it for good2:11:30 Krillin slander hour2:21:00 The anime you dropped after reading the manga2:26:30 Kai Cenat's Streamer University is back2:52:00 Berserk, Frieren outselling One Piece + go read Chojin X2:55:30 Toy Story 5, Leviticus & Disclosure Day

Drop your Gojo vs Sukuna take and your One Piece Kong theory in the comments. Rate us 5 stars, subscribe, and pull up to Open Dojo this Friday.

https://linktr.ee/blacksenseisociety