This is one weird show, there’s no question about it. It puzzles me on so many levels, not least why Bones are the ones who ended up producing it. I’m not even quite sure whether I like it or not. I’m good with weirdness for its own sake, that’s not the problem. But the tone of this series is pretty out there. It’s a mishmash of big action, slapstick, character comedy, tragedy… And it doesn’t really seem to fit together.

Take this whole “human zoo” thing (which seemed to have Mei and his brother Okuto in it). What the heck are we to make of that? There’s obviously suspension of disbelief in most series of this sort but that whole concept is flat-out ridiculous. Manga (especially shounen) is obsessed with assassins at the moment, so there’s an obvious imperative to try and put a twist on the theme. But for me the whole subgenre is wearing pretty thin. These are odd people to try and make heroes or saints out – or victims – out of. They kill people for a living. Why is making them the victim such an appealing prospect for editors?

Be that as it may, that’s what Marriagetoxin is doing with Gero. The showdown with the Water Master is wrapped up with a fair amount of sakuga, thanks to some help from Himekawa. And Gero racks up “nice assassin” points for letting her live. Hell, he even mixes up a salve for her allergic reaction to the air (which is why she wears a water suit). And then lets the scumbag art dealer (thief) off with a “don’t do it again” and a vague mention of consequences if he does. See? He is a nice assassin.

Then we have the date/not-date with Himekawa, which takes place at an extremely bizarre shark-themed restaurant. This scores a few points for being as sheer random as it was, but I’m not sure it was actually funny. In the end Hikaru only asks Himekawa to be his friend – and after what he’s done for her, she’s not likely to turn that down. But Kinosaki has already set Gero up with another gig-date – this time bodyguarding a CEO’s daughter. No argument, this guy needs all the practice he can get. I’ll stick around to see how that goes, but right now I’m not close to committing myself to Marriagetoxin. I need more than it’s giving me so far.