I have to be able to do this!’

Mushibugyo Episode 4 Image 0010

Summary: The youngest member of the group, Ichinotani Tenma and his shikigami are very powerful, but even he has a fatal weakness that Jinbei is determined to help him overcome.

 Tenma’s tale… just Mugai’s to go right? I know for the last two episodes I’ve been cool with the whole ‘an episode per character’ thing, but isn’t it becoming slightly tedious? This episode wasn’t BAD or anything… it just wasn’t the best, y’know? It might just be down to my prejudice against characters like Tenma (because I really just don’t like child like characters in anime… especially boys… don’t ask me why…) and it may also be down to the fact that not much really happened in this episode to keep me interested (apart from Oharu’s moist breasts…)  (<— that sounded weirder than I meant it to…) but I found this episode to be quite boring! Sure, there were SOME interesting parts but otherwise it was a drag… hopefully Mugai’s episode next week will get me interested again… that is all…

 So like I said, episode 4 is all about Tenma and his fear of… bugs that wiggle? Yes indeed, a Insect Magistrate is scared of bugs that wriggle, but I too would be freaked out if I went to eat an apple and found thousand of maggots wriggling around… excuse me a moment whilst I throw up… and then drink some coffee… coffee makes everything better… But I digress, Tenma’s fear is real people! Don’t judge him/her! And yes, I found myself extremely confused as to what HIS gender was at first… he’s Mushibugyo Episode 4 Image 0021quite feminine y’know? Anyway, I found Tenma’s dilemma to be more humorous than the other two and it was a refreshing change from murderers and angry granddads! The problem was that it very quickly became boring. Allow me to sum up what happened: Jinbei finds out that Tenma is afraid of bugs, they try to overcome it, a bug attacks, Tenma defeats it and Tenma is still afraid of bugs. The end. Not exactly the most interesting episode ever eh? Nevertheless episode 4 is episode 4 and there’s nothing we can do about that now so let’s get back to Tenma as a character shall we? Tenma… nah, I still don’t like him. All he showed me in this episode was that A. his ‘power’ is the weirdest/weakest of the bunch (because it’s pretty much unable to kill anything, so on his own he would suck, and die) and B. he needs the support of a child that looks like he’s balding to win battles… be a real man! True manly shounen characters kick ass without wimps like the old man child to drive them on! Grow a pair! Although he is a child… and he is doing it for his parents (overcoming his fear and fighting)… and he is a bully victim… and he is the only guy who didn’t react to Oharu falling over and getting wet… wait? What? You sure he’s a dude?

 So yeah, this episode screamed mediocrity. I like how the group is finally starting to come together because A. we’re getting to see more of them all and B. the group dynamic is awesome! Every character is unique and adds something to the team… like Hibachi! She adds boobs and a vagina to the group… and Shingiku! He adds impossibly placed scars and alcohol breath… Tenma? Adds girly screams… Jinbei? Adds a Rock Lee vibe… Yeah, what a great team! It’s the lightheartedness of the anime that’s keeping me watching if I’m being honest. I hate being bogged down with anime that a great and amazing but depress. No matter how awesome Shingeki no Kyogin is, it’s a show about people suffering and getting eaten! Suisei no Gargantia will surely break my heart at some point and Devil Survivor 2 has such a dark color palette that it depresses me the minute it comes on. Mushibugyo is bright, cheerful and funny and that’s awesome! It’s the one show this season that doesn’t make me want to slit my metaphorical wrists…

 To conclude, Tenma is gay and let’s never talk about this episode again… Twas a joke. I joke. Calm down. I liked this episode and that’s all I have to say about it! It didn’t blow me out of the water, it didn’t have me laughing every two minutes and it didn’t give me any feels y’know? Mugai surely cannot disappoint right? RIGHT?! Do it right Mugai! Have an interesting back story… please?

 P.S The damage in Edo must be costing a lot to repair… also, I’d hate to be the guy that cleans up the giant bugs after Jinbei has chopped them up…