After sealing Evil Eye within Taro’s body, Seiko and the others mull over how to exorcise it.

Video Review

What Stands Out About This Episode?

The Many Pleasant Surprises!

This episode was amazing in many ways that “anime-onlys” may not have realized! In the past few episodes, the anime has done an amazing job taking four chapters of the manga to form one of the best adaptations in recent memory. The biggest adaptation has to be the action choreography sequences. I’m not too sure about the technical terms here, but the fight scenes were really creative, changing up the pacing during the fight and delivering various angles to experience the action.

This episode in particular like most dramatic high-flying payoffs is followed by slice-of-life, insightful exposition, setting up future plots and following up on various character arcs. These are the kinds of episodes that literally build “character.” With this episode only covering 3 chapters of the manga with similar page lengths like the previous four from chapters 49 through 51, there is a lot more to fill in for anime-only scenes. And that might be THE BEST GIFT for this episode in particular.

Develop Them Characters!

There are various reasons why this episode ended with the end of chapter 51, but the most obvious is that it was “explosive,” in a dramatically funny way. The more realistic reason is that to build character, there needs to be time to dive deeper and feel truly invested in the characters. Jiji, Aira, the slow-brewing romance between Ken & Momo, Naki Kito and even Mantis Shrimp & Chiquitita—all had their moment to shine and revealed certain aspects of their character to be fully invested in their payoff.

Everyone wants to see the eventual payoff between Okarun and Momo’s relationship as the ship that they are meant to be. So, in moments like these in the car ride between them, it just shows that no matter how much Aira and Jiji try to NTR our MCs, these are the small rewarding moments that we hold onto until “the confession” ultimately happens.

After Jiji is able to turn back into himself with hot water and eventually “shed” Taro’s body, we are able to witness the same “Jiji” before the haunted house. For some, that may be a bad thing.. However, the difference this time is the fact that we got to see the other more heroic side of his character that we wouldn’t be able to appreciate otherwise.

This episode also features the return of Aira’s character. For those that remembered after fighting the Alien Diddies and Mantis Shrimp, Aira “turned a new leaf.” For her embarrassment from Momo, she spread awful rumors and even tried to trap her in an abandoned house. Good thing, with the help of Acrobatic Silky and a guilty conscience, she did what many girls and guys can’t do these days.. TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY! That was probably the most heartfelt moment of the entire episode, as Aira realizes within her heart that she did wrong against Momo.

Extended Scenes and Differing Visual Frames

You know what they say about comedy—jokes come in threes! However, it comes in pairs this episode. The creators played with our emotions on a “double-tap,” meaning the scene at the beginning with Seiko and the others trying to exorcise Evil Eye, was done twice. And if you start with a double-tap, you end with a DOUBLE-TAP! The animators have gotten really creative with their moving angle shots to create a very cinematic and dramatized moment, as just a drip of soy sauce can turn Jiji back into everyone’s worst nightmare.

The Kito Family reveal of Naki Kito being a subterranean was another additional bonus as we get to immerse ourselves briefly back into the theme of horror! When Naki showed her floppy limp anaconda arm, took off her face and threw it at the tree—those are the kinds of subtle differences that make it all the more menacing.

Fun Easter Eggs

With extra screen time means Jiji gets to sing MORE of Ranma 1/2’s iconic S1 OP of Don’t Make Me Wild Like You (じゃじゃ馬にさせないで).

Aira mentions that SKK Golden Experience as a high-end lotion she uses to maintain good skin. The “Golden Experience” is a Jojo Bizarre reference here.

Please comment below what other fun easter eggs you caught onto!

Miscellaneous

This episode covers manga chapters 49-51. There are only three chapters this time, due to fewer action sequences. Anime-only scenes involved: the Serpos role-playing has a Hayashi Band, Mantis Shrimp gag involving getting in the UFO to get dropped off a short distance later, the double-tap cliffhanger scene with the soy sauce and added Naki Kito animation turning into the subterranean. There are various other anime frames that differ from the manga, which gives the experience a slightly different touch.

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