What They Say:
Mutta has returned from his training in the desert and gets some rest as Christmas approaches. Meanwhile, Kenji and Nitta finally learn about the mission they’ve been assigned to.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
With a heavy focus on Betty the last time around, Space Brothers managed to work well in that it showed the team starting to reveal things about themselves and forge connections. Eddie Jay has provided the right catalyst for getting everyone on the same path and that’s definitely a good thing. What had me worried though is that we’d spend the remaining episodes of the series doing more of the same in a direct manner which would be a kind of awkward way to draw things to a close for awhile. Luckily, they aren’t keeping us stuck in the desert for all that long when you get down to it as the show shifts away, including giving us some time with Kenji and his family as they’re figuring out ways to adapt to being in Houston and America for more time.
It’s pretty nice to spend some time with Kenji again though, seeing him and his family and the way that those in that position deal with being a part of NASA and what their work entails. With a pregnant wife, you know that factors in as well, but we do see him doing well by his job and working and learning what’s ahead with the craft and missions they have to deal with, especially since it also means he’s working with Nitta, which makes for some fun. His time at work intersects a bit with Mutta, who back himself is doing plenty of training and work for his mission, but the two of them are just fun to watch when they do cross since it’s light and friendly but based on quite a lot of shared experiences now. Getting time with Kenji and Nitta to see that they are adapting to life here in Houston and NASA is actually quite important in a lot of ways, reminding us that they’re fully realized characters themselves that are not dependent on Mutta being on screen to exist and move forward.
Some of the material is just light fun, which is really cute when a lot of the characters are at the bar/restaurant and we get to see Mutta line dancing and just enjoying himself. Kenji and Nitta can do only so much since they’re in the midst of larger plans, but it also works out for them as Chief Butler starts to fill them in on what their real mission is, which is important and hugely motivational for them. Information is always piecemeal in larger organizations but getting more helps to really push them forward. And what a mission they get by being the first human expedition to an asteroid, which will secure their names in the history books to be sure. But for Kenji, he’s also really wrapped up in the birth of his new child, which has a naming connection to the target asteroid as well. It’s a lot to pack into the episode but they do pretty well with it overall, enough so that I’m seriously craving this arc alone to happen now.
In Summary:
Sometimes you can never be sure how well a side story will go since there are so many characters and ways it can unfold. With the focus largely on Kenji with a good bit of Nitta along the way and a tangent towards Mutta, this episode shows us how the cast continues to move forward at the same time as Mutta but in different directions, some of which are pretty damn exciting. With Kenji getting his mission, it really left me wanting to see the reality of that unfold, to understand the challenges and to watch the execution of it. It won’t happen for obvious reasons, but my mind is already racing with the ideas and it leaves me wanting so much more.
Grade: B+
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
Review Equipment:
Sony KDL70R550A 70″ LED 1080P HDTV, Apple TV via HDMI set to 1080p, Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver and Panasonic SB-TP20S Multi-Channel Speaker System With 100-Watt Subwoofer.
