「鮫島」 (Samejima)
“Samejima”

It’s well-established now that Inuyashiki enjoys revealing the worst in people, but every week accentuates that fact just a little bit more. Bullying and cold-blooded murder of innocents not enough? How about some rape, prison sauna sex, and a little despair for added dessert. And teasing some more Hiro murder, cannot forget that (don’t deny, you thought it would happen too). Sure the whole story this week was slightly heavy handed and more justice porn Liam Neeson kidnapper phone calling than serious story development, but Inuyashiki certainly does not let an opportunity go to waste.

While plenty can be said about our victims of the week and how common such kidnappings and sex slavery is in real life (particularly the use of drugs to induce dependency), the key for me this week was Ichiro’s evolution. Our geriatric hero is quickly growing into his new body, better harnessing those powers he could barely awaken before and finding new skills he never knew possible. Haphazard flying and nonlethal stun beams? Replaced by conscious activation and one particularly brutal coup de grace. It’s a somewhat surprising (and fast) change considering how unskilled Ichiro was before just last time, but it’s a necessary development for setting the stage for the penultimate fight with Hiro. When Ichiro finally meets his foil properly, he must be able to match Hiro’s strength head on—it’s the only way to make that fight impactful. This episode essentially laid the necessary groundwork, showing the hardening of Ichiro’s convictions and new willingness to use more extreme measures.

The risk with Inuyashiki’s approach, however, is turning Ichiro into too strong a good guy. Vigilante justice is cathartic and all, but having robotic grandpa effortlessly dispatch a villain of the week will eventually grow tiring if emphasized for too long. Much like Hiro with his friendship and (assumed) love for his family, Ichiro needs a similar limitation, something which can hold him back at times or otherwise interfere with his objectives. Part of me for example hoped Ichiro would not have been able to resuscitate/resurrect (it’s unclear which) the boyfriend for this reason; having our hero brutally learn the limitations of his powers would have put his mission in better perspective. If Ichiro learns death is permanent, it would only intensify his desire to save others and improve himself. Another option though relates directly to his body. Ichiro seemingly faints after every major attack, and it’s possible his new abilities may have a timer (ex. overheating) of a sorts. It could be nothing, but it’s happened enough now that it cannot be coincidence. We obviously won’t know until Ichiro finds himself in an actual fight, but it only makes sense for Inuyashiki to start revealing just what Ichiro can and cannot do.

Abilities and yakuza aside though, what happens next is anyone’s guess. With both hero and villain largely used to their powers now (and you can be sure Hiro knows more about them than Ichiro), all that’s missing is some event bringing both back into contact. We just need a spark to set the kindling alight, and I imagine one cannot be that far off. After all, Hiro if you recall is just one daughter away from discovering who Ichiro really is.

41 Comments

  1. This episode illustrated beautifully that rape isn’t so much about sex but rather dominance and ownership; a disillusioned sense of entitlement that one deserves love and loyalty from another human being.

    Little Tangerine
    1. This I felt was a transitory episode, it was meant to give the sort of development Hiro had previously and affirm Ichiro’s role as “good”. Slightly different from what we had before (which is why you were probably put off by it), but necessary to set up the coming fights.

      1. Our geriatric terminator granpa goes a little bit overboard this time

        But seriously, any other option to end the day simply wont work if you storming into a Yakuza’s den. They all must go down so no one can cause further mess fueled by vengeance.

        Klein
      2. Oh it would be, at least if you die it’s over, there’s nothing else. With these disabilities though you still have all your needs and wants, but cannot actually do them. It’s not only suffering physically and mentally, it’s humiliating.

      3. Well while that punishment was over the top, i feel it’s fit with the theme of inuyashiki about people&power…people easily drunk with power and forget that they’re also a frail human being.

        Ichiro forced the yakuzas into a lowest position, a human that can only beg and crying for pity but ironically with their mouth that can still talk sh*t i doubt they can live long, fresh kidneys everyone? 😛

        maou
      4. The punishment seems over the top but when you consider that his other options were to let them go on and continue their thing or outright murdering the yakuza, this seems more of a poetic justice.

        JHN
  2. “Another option though relates directly to his body. Ichiro seemingly faints after every major attack, and it’s possible his new abilities may have a timer (ex. overheating) of a sorts”

    Not really. Granpa is running out of fuel.

    The indication is clear. Blue rocket flame, bending beam (which obviously not photon, most likely thin high intensity plasma), and granpa’s massive thirst in the earlier episodes and after using powerful abilities like the homing beam (the reactor is just freshly started, need a sufficient amunt of fuel to create a sustained reaction, also to refuel)

    Yes, granpa Ichiro’s body is powered by alien made mini fusion reactor.

    Klein
    1. Even bending plasma beams like that would take a pretty big magnetic field. I’m taking that together with the bizarre physics when he hits someone and they rotate, stop and then fall (almost like the yuriphysics in Sakura Trick) because that’s either incredibly sloppy animation direction or it shows that he has at least limited mastery over things like mass and gravity.

      But then, why does he need engines to fly if he can control mass and gravity? Maybe because it looks real badass!

      Angelus
      1. Yeah, in real that amount of force that let them rotate, would just cut of his bones and Muscles. in short he would cut someone in two just with an fist punch.. Even One Punch Men is not that cruel 🙂

        Worldwidedepp
      2. Perhaps on contact he also inject some kind of “protection” for not break the body of them.. perhaps some kind of Bubble

        Also, it is still Alien Technology.. We do not need to explain it with “earth” technology

        Worldwidedepp
    2. Running out of fuel would count as a timer too 😛
      The exact reason doesn’t matter as much as Ichiro fainting in the first place. If Ichiro always faints after a big attack, it implies his powers have a weakness, something Hiro could take advantage of for example.

  3. OMG!¹⁰⁰ I think this episode was about who’s the scariest
    between Ichiro and Hiro. I think we’re all yeah, the yakuza
    got what they deserved
    , but the clinical, methodical, and
    premeditated execution of their judgment by Ichiro is what
    really got me.

    Hiro is more or less random and kills by passion, but Ichiro,
    while he didn’t “kill” anyone, leaves no opportunity of closure
    for the targets of his sentence; you don’t want to bring his
    daughter home past curfew, if you know what I mean :).

    One thing not clear is that Ichiro seems to go into a “trance”
    or something for this attack against the yakuza. Is that because
    he has to imagine what he wants his robot to do? Dunno.
    Why did he pass out when the

    I agree, if the series continues with the bad-guy-of-the-week
    format, it will tire quickly. I agree that Ichiro’s daughter will the
    the focus of the eventual conflict between Ichiro and Hiro.

    Looking forward to the next…

    mac65
    1. Oops —

      Why did he pass out when the…

      …bad guy empties the clip at his head is not explained at all.
      Simple plot device to give him a “weakness?” Also, the yakuza
      was dumb as a brick – no blood after all of that. Hmmm… I
      musta missed and he just fainted. Oh well (to his cronies),
      grab the girl and we’re outta here. But with those holes, it was
      still a great watch.

      mac65
    2. I don’t think “Who’s more scary: Ichiro or Hiro” needs a debate (as of this episode):

      The former only attacks when he he’s being pushed to the absolute limit. The yakuza were practically machine-gunning him down. He only attacks when someone’s continuously being tortured.

      Hiro, on the other hand, kills when he’s bored or annoyed. Or simply because he can.

      Little Tangerine
      1. Basically this. Both Ichiro and Hiro are scary due to their bodies, but Hiro is the danger because of how he uses it. Until Ichiro starts murdering people straddling the moral grey area there’s no competition here IMO.

    1. He can not resurrect the Dead. No worries, how long you can save an Person if his heart stand still? Yes. It this this critical time, where he can heal or repair their Body. Soul, Spirit or Ghost, can not be fixed… He is not an Necromancer

      Worldwidedepp
    1. Not everyone have read the manga and it’s not obligatory, also there’s an enjoyment in watching while predicting what will happen (regardless there’s an answer somewhere else you can actually peek at). It’s the same as reading detective novels and you’re just come out of nowhere and spoiling who the culprit it, it ruins the fun.

      cryarc
  4. Besides Chimi from Ousama game, I feel this is the second Anime I watched that portrayed a girl having sex with out consenting willingly. I agree none of us will be around posting and reviewing about Anime if sex didn’t exist.

    I normally watch senin genres and for nearly 30 years; this is probably the first year where I see this topic seriously acted out. I’ll admit sex sells and rape is controversial enough to get the audience attention. But, if I wanted to explain to a co-worker why anime is also for adults, I don’t know if child rape would paint Anime in a positive light. And if my co-workers watch this episode I would look like a perp who gets off on women’s misfortunes

    Renasayers
    1. perhaps, but he still needs to learn to control them. As you see while doing this Lightning Show of blind the Yakuzas Boss and such, he was unconsciousness.. Seems like the Machine (his Body) react more under his subconsciousness. Also how is his mental state?

      He need to understand his body and how to control it in the “wake state”…

      Also, the Water.. perhaps for cooling purpose, refueling or keep his last Human body cells still running (Ghost in the shell thing)

      Worldwidedepp
      1. But with great power, comes great responsibility.. Can he resist the “attacks” of his own Anger, Hate and Despair? Is only the Life long memories and experience keep him on the “light” side, what the boy lacks?

        Worldwidedepp

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