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This week we get a milder episode. While not as emotionally fragile as Fu’s episode, this episode did give us a deeper, more serious look at another member of MayoPan, while also giving the overall story a shot in the arm. While “Ichiko’s Wish” is neither the funniest nor the sweetest episode of the show to date, it still strikes a good balance between the two.
First off, it was great to learn a little more about Ichiko and how this bunch of silly vampires came to be. Her backstory is pretty typical of vampire fiction—involuntarily transformed and forced to give up her human life and family—but it fits the facts of Ichiko. She has a hundred years to process what happened to her and, most importantly, find a new undead family with Live and the others. Her story is filled with tragedy, but also a century of recovery that allows her to face her past with peace of mind. She did eventually break down crying, but only under the threat of losing what she had Nowwhich makes it more impactful.
Like Fu’s episode, I also appreciate Masaki stepping into the conflict without being asked. Of course, part of it was to keep her vampire YouTuber flophouse afloat, but I suspect she also took action because she knew what it was like to lose the family she’d built. It’s a welcome reminder that no matter how belligerent and dysfunctional the belfry is, they still care about each other, even if they don’t always show it.
At the same time, this focus on emotion means there aren’t too many strong jokes in this episode…or at least, that’s what I was going to write about until Mayopan walked out in church choir garb and played “Friendly Place” “Syne” on Bells is an interesting idea, but what really sells it is the sheer commitment the show makes. It was clearly a bad idea from the start, when we found out what they were doing. At that moment, we knew it was going to fail, and yet, in a surprisingly awkward comedy, Yolk Medium Punch Let’s watch the entire routine in its full, embarrassing glory. We see the careful, deliberate, skillful movements of the girls as they pour all their energy into a bad idea. We see them struggling to switch between ringtones, completely locked in, while Yuki and Masaki watch in awkward silence. It’s like realistically watching a new boat owner accidentally submerge their pickup truck while trying to back the trailer into the lake.
This brutally funny scene would be enough to elevate the episode on its own, but it’s the vampire queen’s rules for our girls that ultimately seal the deal. Previously, Mayopan had a goal but not much urgency. Now, they have pressure and time on their shoulders, which I expect will make them even more desperate, which bodes well for the show’s comedy. It’s a solid cap for a solid episode, but I suspect it’ll be more important because this new dynamic will pay dividends in the future.
grade:
Yolk Medium Punch Currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
Disclosure: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation and the majority shareholder of Anime News Network, LLC. One or more companies mentioned in this article are part of the Kadokawa Group of Companies.
