Things are starting to heat up! One villain down, three to go.

The focus of this episode on Belle AKA Succubus Hitler was kind of interesting. I’m glad to see that, characterization-wise, the villains and heroes alike have been given some complex layers. Seeing how these different perspectives play out is a big component of why this show is so good. Even small instances like at the party where Ken can’t understand the point of a party but Joji points out that after being around unconscious bodies so long that seeing people genuinely smiling and laughing makes him very happy.

What will it take to make Emi care? It doesn’t look like she can be indifferent anymore, so this should be interesting. Now that Maria has disappeared, it’s almost guaranteed that Emi will be more proactive. This seems like a good time for it too. With a seemingly all-powerful wish granter, hopefully instead of just running she’ll be able to contribute to the fights. She keeps making the point that she didn’t ask for protection so the least she could do is back it up.

I’ve mentioned this in the two other posts, but the rule of three dictates it again. I normally dislike when people like Joji save the villains from death just because they see the ‘other side’ of the villain’s personality. Normally. However, I really don’t mind it in this show. Nowadays when I go into action and ‘good vs evil’ series I more or less expect someone to die. In this scenario, that wouldn’t have made any sense really but I didn’t dislike that fact. It didn’t even cross my mind as an option.

Speaking of Joji… does he have to do that laser engraving thing every time he puts on his suit? My god, that’s the highest toll I’ve ever seen just to put a suit on. That’s not even counting the damage he takes afterward. Not gonna lie, him and Belle would be pretty sweet together. I ship it. If she can get over the whole genocide thing, she’d be pretty cool. I mean, the genocide thing seems like a pretty big hurdle to be fair. Regardless, how could Joji turn down a life of repopulating an entire race of people?

Ken has given up on correcting people for calling him grandpa. It was bound to happen sooner or later. He also willingly cooked and didn’t get naggy about it, so I guess his misogyny is diminishing. Woo! Progressive gender roles in society. I like that he’s the one most willing to call Emi out on her shit. Like when she was being completely unfair to Maria and he walks over and tells her to stop and be grateful for a caring friend and then tells Maria off for saying she’s doesn’t mind when Emi says that. He really is a grandpa.

I didn’t know Maria long, RIP in the void, but I don’t know how she put up with Emi for so long. Based on her anecdote though, at least we know Emi wasn’t always apathetic and looking for death. So then was it just a natural progression, or did something happen to her? They dropped it so casually, I keep forgetting Z is Emi’s dad. If my dad left to traverse the multiverse with the intent of destroying it, I guess I’d be pretty nihilistic as well.

 


So, it looks like Belle is out of the race. I doubt after a physical and emotional thrashing like that that she’ll ever debut again as a villain (but if she popped up as an ally that’d be cool with meeeeee). That leaves Raja, Zed, and Dammy. Oh Dammy boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling. And by pipes, I mean Takeshi. And by calling, I mean friendship. The episode ends with Raja ringing the doorbell. Just… standing at the entrance in his full getup. Bold approach. Zed seems as passive as ever and Dammy is probably still recovering from the effects of Takeshi’s friendship. If Joji countered Belle perfectly and Takeshi has Dammy, I wonder if Ken and Casshern will each take one of the other two villains.