Enen no Shouboutai – 11

「第8特殊消防隊結成」 (Dai Hachi Tokushu Shōbōtai Kessei)
“Formation of Special Fire Force Company 8”

Flying, flaming matois and super cute powerful (?) twins?!

I’m going to be super honest and I’m trusting all you lovely readers not to judge me but I didn’t recognize them as matois off the bat. I identified them as oversized mops. Yup, ‘mops.’ Even though it was only for a few minutes, my immediate reaction was to think Benimaru’s pyrokinetic ability meant he was ‘cleaning up the mess.’ I guess I should have known. The 7th Special Fire Brigade is located in an area of the Tokyo Empire where the population lives by the old ways of the Edo period. And, its members’ uniform is based on the Edo period’s firefighters, the ‘hikeshi.’

Benimaru’s home district of Asakusa, composed of proto-nationalists, recalls a homey neighbourhood, where each person plays a particular role. The caring oba-san, the reliable uncle, and of course, the not-so-misunderstood delinquent. I’m referring to Beni-chan.

Benimaru is the typical bad boy whose outer layers, once peeled, reveal a soft and caring heart. He takes care of his people the only way he knows how: in a rough but compassionate manner. With such a short temper when faced with the Tokyo Empire and the Great Sol, I didn’t think he’d have the patience to have both Hikage and Hinata as members of his team. I wonder what kind of powers they have and if they’re complimentary. That’s usually the case when it comes to twins with abilities. I didn’t think we’d get to see him in action until much later but after this, if he decides to accept Shinra’s challenge, he’ll wipe the boy out in one fell swoop of his matoi and look cool doing it. That doesn’t mean I want them to be rivals. His character could easily become a good mentor to Shinra, even with a few head butts.

But let me backtrack to the beginning of the episode. We discover how and why the 8th Special Fire Force Brigade came to be from Hinawa’s point of view and it’s a gripping story. It wasn’t even his goal or dream to save people from Infernalization but it so happens fate led him to the Fire Force. Hinawa loses a close friend, Tojo, and in the interim meets Captain Obi, who prior to the Fire Force was a regular firefighter serving the Tokyo Empire. Their intention of saving souls and cherishing human life through compassion and prayers has lived on, even with the brigade expanding.

This episode is definitely setting up the playing field for the upcoming investigation. Will Shinra win over Beni-chan or will he dismiss them as he has since we first met him in episode 10?

I vote we get more Beni-chan. I imagine he might in his own way push Shinra to be stronger and perform more than he already does.