After giving everyone the bluest of cliffhanger balls, by not ending with Tienshinhan’s most iconic attack of Kikohou—this episode looks to steal our hearts beyond the moe moe!

Video Review

What Stands Out About This Episode?

The Art of Comedic Irony

While people are thirsting for maid Momo or are completely angry at any kind of fan service that pops up—I just end up laughing because it’s the best kind of comedic irony that cloaks the real character development happening under that maid outfit. One of the best series for PEAK comedic irony is The Eminence in Shadow and Dan Da Dan is actually not so far away from it. Dan Da Dan is a series that takes the most commonly satirical funny trope about alien abductions like the “booty-bustin’ alien probe” of our MC in episode 1—sparking a Gen Z backlash where fans change their pronouns just to be doubly offended.”

In this case for Maid Momo, it’s the fact that Momo is a “gyaru,” which is a subset of Japanese culture known for rebelling against society. More specifically, as fans of gyaru culture points out as “Kogaru.” This is quite apparent of Momo’s more assertive traits that matches more of a shonen protagonist. Being a “maid” is the literal opposite of what gyarus represent.. In this case for a “maid cafe server,” she has to be the obedient, submissive, cute, friendly and inviting. These qualities are not exactly how one would describe Miss「くそ野郎！」aka “sack of booty.” Essentially, Momo being a maid is the perfect oxymoron.

EXPECTED DEEP Introspection & SELF-REFLECTION

The comedic irony of Momo being something I recently learned as a “kogal-style gyaru” vs the kind of girl that tries to kick her ex-boyfriend in the face in episode 1 is only one layer to this aggressive changing of progress in her character. The anime extended what the manga panels provided of these maid scenes to give it an everlasting artsy moment that it almost never does. The last time Dan Da Dan delved into the land of the deep was in episode 7 with Acrobatic Silky’s backstory. That was by far Dan Da Dan’s most heartfelt and emotional moment of the entire series. This shows that when Dan Da Dan wants to, it can take a step away from the wacky, lightheartedness—to step into the poetry of letting it all sink in.

Along with the montage and elevator kind of music that gets you to soak in the mood, it’s the extended scenes that allows the character development of Momo to unfold before our eyes. With the clock slowly ticking of Momo walking back and forth after each customer to see the time go by in slow-mo, with some simple animations and just stills of Momo’s actions as a maid, along with her face expressions—this expressed to us how she felt throughout her shift, from embarrassed, tired, awkward, annoyed, but starts accepting her work; how she’s sucking up her pride to earn income not only to rebuild her house, but to help Okarun look for his golden ball like she referenced in episode 8.

This is a stark change of mood for Dan Da Dan that somehow they always end up nailing the right mood and delivery the creators were going for. Momo went through a wild ride of emotions, but still at the end of the day—she wanted Okarun to be there when she got off. This is where Dan Da Dan utilizes frames for “visual emptiness,” using tons of negative space to show the isolation of Momo for a brief moment. With the irony of Momo sucking up her pride to play as a maid and potentially even enjoying her job in a way, she is met with brief loneliness—only to be saved by KEN TAKAKURA!

The Art of VISCERALITY (Love & NTR)

This episode cut very deep into the deepest extent of emotions, using some storytelling tricks to make use of how deep and grounded the scenes of Maid Momo and with Okarun were. That led into the deepest depths of despair that will give nightmares of the worst NTR experience you could have ever thought of. From love, laughter and the payoffs of an early blooming romantic passion—to the utter NIGHTMARE that can send a man forever reeling in question of his manhood by seeing your girl’s arms trapped above, clothes RIPPED OFF.. LEGS UP and by a guy that probably wants to do those things consensually anyways—almost have everyone commit seppuku from this potentially disgraceful end. It’s the visual cues of everything that would ignite a man’s nature to protect and save their girl, just like in this scene where Okarun was completely helpless even as “full-powered Turbo Okarun..”

If you look deep into the core formula of Dan Da Dan’s romance, what would that be? A payoff of the main romantic ship between Momo and Okarun, followed by the squeamish nature of your significant other being “defiled” by another person. That can be visually, situationally and unintended. It’s the power of viscerality from one extreme extent of wholesome butterflies to the other extreme extent of pure disgust and traumatizing agony. That is Dandadan’s romantic formula through the entire story up until this point.

It is building the Momo and Okarun’s relationship to be one step closer to being official like in this episode of Okarun waiting for Momo to be done with her maid work at the cafe, followed by walking home together and swapping the nervous cold sweat transfer of body heat using each other’s hands.

You know what happens immediately, following the introspective nature of Momo’s new maturity and wanting to accept more romantically out of Okarun?

You guessed it! N-T-R!

It’s important to mention that by all accounts, Momo has it the worst when Evil Eye has her visually stripped, choked, leg up and ready to toss her limp body next to Okarun. However, this scene is 100% a catalyst for Okarun to realize that he isn’t strong enough. If you are a female reader of this blog—it’s hard to relay what a man’s true insecurity feels like. In this case, I think Evil Eye trapping Momo with the visual cues of basically your girlfriend be “defiled” while you can’t do anything, is that EXACT FEELING!

Obviously, Jiji has his own problems with Evil Eye and almost YEETING the girl he likes too, but in Okarun’s case, he can’t face Jiji the same like this again until he gets stronger. Evil Eye literally just stripped Momo down, along with Okarun’s manhood at the same time. What he did immediately after was to seek power through Mantis Shrimp’s physical labor, which has some a little bit of significance if you are a manga reader.

In comes Turbo Baba! She provides just that for Okarun and reluctantly Aira. With Aira, we have a flip of the NTR script again from Jiji to Aira. In Okarun’s case, we get a simple answer for how he going to get stronger and that is by a way of “rhythm” with Turbao Granny’s guidance.

Character Dilemma

What’s a story without a dilemma? One of the under the radar ones is actually between Seiko and Manjiro. They are the de facto adults that are responsible for the well-being of over superpowered teenagers. Imagine being Seiko and accepting Jiji at his word that this is the best path to save Evil Eye. At the same time, Manjiro is the realism. We now have this overarching philosophical battle between idealism vs reality.

This episode did an absolutely incredible job at bringing the visceral nature of Evil Eye almost pummeling our poor Momo into a different dimension and that is honestly the risk & reward in the nutshell. Exorcise Evil Eye and never have to worry about it again or try to save something that is already beyond the grave, along with the fact that the threat level is beyond anyone’s control except Jiji’s. The risk-reward in this scenario actually seems highly disproportionate to the level of insanity of wanting to keep around a “wanting to be a serial YEETER” entity.

It’s nice to see characters follow up on a characteristics that she may have been more resistant to before, but Aira apologizing again to Momo about her carelessness that almost got her YEETED. It’s a recurring characteristic you love to see in a redeemed character. Now, if you love the harem aspects of anime—Aira is definitely waifu number 2 and not an NTR. However, the traditional lady will definitely see her as their side of the NTR. On a more lighthearted note, Aira brings a more fun, bubbly and wacky nature that helps balance out the episode. Other than also needing to get stronger, she gets to play the damsel in distress this time as gets to fight as a duo against the “great white” musical genius of our past time.

This episode may be the first time Jiji has looked the most vulnerable. However, the progress he has made with getting closer to controlling Evil Eye might be the only thing he can truly do in his position. It’s a position that he chose himself that comes along with the risk that he might end up hurting all of his friends and loved ones.. It is certainly a balancing act of what you think you are doing is the right thing to do versus almost getting someone YEETED again. Jiji’s realization of the risks of his decisions you can truly be seen as the scene winds down after he turns back from Evil Eye. Fortunately, we will get our answer soon for a “fix.”

Overall, this has been the most impactful episode of season 2 and greatly sets up perfectly for the next phase for everyone’s arcs. What stood out the most was the incredible extended montage for Momo’s character in her maturing stages of her character that went hand-in-hand with the comedically ironic nature of her being a maid. Then, you have this incredibly dark and visceral “NTR” scene that ultimately leads Okarun & Aira to start training to become strong enough to fight the ever -growing Evil Eye. This episode was GOD-TIER!

Miscellaneous

• This episode covers manga chapters 54 (the end) through half of 57.
• There was an added emotional emphasis of the “moe-moe-kikohou” picture that Muko slipped in Okarun’s pocket that wasn’t in the manga.
• Aira goes “Ora-Ora-Ora as a JoJo reference against Turbo Babaa.
• Momo working as a maid in the slow time-elapse was perfect.

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