It’s time for the thrilling climax of our first major arc! And everything goes better than expected!
What They Say:
Lucifer is wrecking the neighborhood in a big way, and he’s brought along some unexpected friends! To save both themselves and their new Earthly home, can Emi, Maou, and Ashiya do the impossible and… work together?!
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
I’ve been getting a little worried about the direction this series has been heading in. It started out with a serious-seeming introduction, only to use that as the comical juxtaposition for what the show truly was, a comedy that was really good at what it was doing. Because it was so good at being a comedy, and because the serious parts have mostly been used to be laughed at, assisting that comedy further, it seemed wrong for it to start heading in the serious direction it seemed to be. However, after watching the climax of all this, it’s clear that there was never anything to worry about. This show doesn’t forget how to be funny, and most importantly, it doesn’t forget how to be really good.
The showdown with Lucifer is about what you might expect from any other series that presents a similar plot to deal with. There’s betrayal all around, and the “heroes” (which in this case of course include a couple of guys who are supposedly as far from heroes as possible) have to pull out some clever moves, hard work, and maybe a little bit of plot convenience to just barely save themselves and those they’re trying to protect and ultimately win the battle in the most ideal way possible. It’s an acceptable plot for sure, and it’s not surprising that the action and drama are dealt with very well in this case, but it’s also very important to note that there’s no shortage of hilarious comedy.
This might sound like it could be even more problematic, but again, if this show is anything, it’s really good, especially when that involves comedic timing. In the midst of the dramatic showdown to determine the fate of this new world and the characters from both worlds, the writing finds countless times to interject with this show’s classic comedic banter, and somehow it manages to blend the two contradicting moods seamlessly, which makes for the best experience we could possibly get. After all, we do need a plot, we do need something to care about, something to grab onto, something to keep us watching, and having some really intense and emotional aspects to it make it that much better. So if a series that’s made itself known for a certain comedic style can fit even that into these moments, that’s pretty perfect. That’s not even mentioning that the animation for the entire action sequence, which is a huge part of the episode, is at its absolute best, making it a treat to watch for the moments that don’t make you laugh.
In previous episodes I had mentioned that a character in Chiho’s position would often be left out of the loop for most of the series, always having the truth hidden from her. I’m very glad to see that, not only does Chiho inevitably see the truth all around her, but it’s decided that, even with the ability to erase these memories available, she won’t be forgetting any of it. That should work much better for the future of her character and her interactions with the others.
In Summary:
Despite any prior misgivings regarding the direction the series was heading or what might fail in the future, this episode proves that everything can be balanced very well. The action is epic and well-animated, the drama is real and emotional, and the comedy is still there, and still hilarious.
Grade: B+
Streamed By: FUNimation
Review Equipment:
Custom-Built PC, 27” 1080p HDTV.
