It’s a delicate time for Bucchigiri, that’s for certain. When madcap and zany shows settle down and start peddling the plot. It makes sense that with Kishimoto Taku (91 Days) writing that would happen, because he’s very good at plot. But not every series can successfully navigate that transition. I like this one a lot, but I do find that I enjoyed the first two full-bore episodes more than the last two more contained ones. That’s not to say I’m disinterested in the story (and the twist), but that side of the show still has work to do in fully winning me over.
That said, there are no visible signs of the reported chaos in the production (yet). And while I haven’t made note if it yet, the soundtrack by the wonderful Oshima Michiru adds so much to the atmosphere. While things haven’t really moved that much with Arajin (which may be why some viewers have issues with him) there is progress in other areas. Matakara is checking off the days until his older brother Mitsukuni – the former leader of Minato Kei – comes home from juvie. The two rival gangs are headed for war, and Matakara sets himself to stopping it at any cost. But he gets no help from Arajin, who’s totally giving him the cold shoulder.
I still don’t know what’s going on there, really. Matakara seems relentlessly and totally earnest and incapable of deceit, so it’s hard to know what he could have done to so alienate Arajin that he shuns him to this day. I get that Arajin is a selfish kid in a very normal teenage way, but he doesn’t seem malicious – what the hell happened here? In any event having failed on that score, Matakara turns to Mahoro to try and get her to convince her brother to stop the hostilities. And while initially resistant, she gives in when she hears he has an onii-chan he loves too (though perhaps not in the same way). She turns her charms on Arajin, but he proves to be pretty useless in trying to change Marito’s mind.
Of course, we know that the NG Boys’ Shindo Akutarou is the one behind all this. Superficially the reason is apparently that he got kicked out of Minato Kei and is looking for revenge. We also find out that he whupped Minato’s Zabu-kun for his armband to cast suspicion on them, and the latter has been too embarrassed to admit it. But when Arajin and Senya merge and deal Shindo some pain, we learn the real truth behind the plot – Shindo has a djinn of his own, Ichiya. And Ichiya has a history with Shinya. Whether that info will lead to a cessation of hostilities is yet unclear, but it seems likely to be the main plot driver for the rest of the series.
animealex
February 5, 2024 at 2:36 amRandom thought of the day: The fat kid, which made our dear customer run once again into the “cat cafe” (or whatever is going on), reminded me of Miluki from HxH after he lost at the auction.
The mom is something else; she behaves, like she lives in a trashy romance novel. It’s highly entertaining.
And lastly, I still stand by the fact, that I suspect, something very fishy is going on with Matakara. He’s too nice, always fair and levelheaded and seemingly the only person in the cast, without any loose screws (sans his ongoing devotion to Arajin).. And that raises my suspicion more than anything else.
Guardian Enzo
February 5, 2024 at 8:25 amYou know who the fat kid was, right?
animealex
February 5, 2024 at 3:24 pmI have to confess, no. I thought it was just a random character, to show how cowardly the customer is.
Guardian Enzo
February 5, 2024 at 4:20 pmIt’s Arajin after Mahiro made him pig out on those kebab sandwiches.
animealex
February 6, 2024 at 6:52 am“Sigh” This is what happens, when you get distracted watching anime. I saw the start of the Kebab orgy, got a phone call, realized, I hadn’t paused in time, shrugged and went on.
Nicc
February 5, 2024 at 10:55 amThings are starting to get serious as both Minato and Siguma officially declare war on each other and it’s going to be settled the next day. However, not everybody from Minato or Siguma are fine with this development. One of the Siguma describes it that it will be a battle without honor or humanity (Named for the film series, a nice touch). On the Minato side, it’s Matakara who is the most strongly opposed, but he’s being drowned out. We also get more information about his older brother, who was the previous leader of Minato until he was sent to juvenile detention. However, it sounds like he’ll be getting out soon, though not before the big clash the next day. He tries to get Arajin’s help to stop it on Siguma’s end, but he’s not interested and the two of them are still barely on speaking terms. I’m also wondering what happened between the two of them in the past that caused the break in what looked like a solid friendship. Matakara tries talking with Mahoro again and is successful in getting through to her. Her charm is enough to get Arajin in front of Marito, but he chickens out at the end (At least he got fed, though).
His “lucky” streak continues as he runs into the leader of the NG Gang, Shindo Akutarou. Formerly a member of the Minato (It made me wonder if this had any relation to Matakara’s older brother being sent to juvie), he was kicked out and started his own gang. He beat up Zabu and took his armband, causing the current strife between Minato and Siguma. And, Arajin finds himself facing a 3rd gang boss. Unlike the other two bosses, Shindo fights with a weapon and Arajin’s training with Senya is helpful here. He’s actually able to strike twice now Shindo becomes the 3rd gang boss he has punched. The twist is that Shindo has his own djinn, a blue one named Ichiya. His appearance now certainly has implications and I’m wondering if it’s Ichiya who could be the driver of this conflict.
Joshua
February 5, 2024 at 12:35 pmThe thing that I suspect about Arajin and why people are finding him so contemptible, is that it feels like he’s clearly the kind of character who is insecure with his masculinity. He desperately wants the girl no matter what and believes that being a delinquent means acting “tough” even though he clearly is not, and he’s evidently acting this way because he thinks that it’s the only way that he can distance himself from his childhood friend due to some past trauma that frayed their relationship back then (likely having to do with Minato Kei’s dysfunctions that caused Akutaro to leave and left Matakara’s brother behind bars).
And I do believe that like the Aladdin story that this show is inspired by, his wishing for power so he can impress Mahoro is only going to make things so much worse. We’ve got a gang war that’s about to start because he punched all three faction leaders, a second genie probably hellbent on reigniting his rivalry with Senya, a faction leader who (like the evil sorcerer in that story who steals Aladdin’s lamp) likely wants Senya for himself, and a brother who wants revenge after being released from prison (and perhaps tempted by Ichiya). And it’s all his fault.
That in my view, is why Arajin is due for a major realization and some soul searching when the time comes, that he can’t simply wish/punch his way out of this predicament. We need to see how toxic and unhealthy this behavior has been to him and others around him, before everything goes to hell, and he must realize just how wrong he was. But the real thing that I think is putting so many people off regarding him, is that I wouldn’t be surprised if he was meant to be a deconstruction of the Japanese anime delinquent, particularly with all of its tropes regarding masculinity being dismantled here, because Arajin represents the polar opposite of such an archetype and he desperately tries to act like one. It wants to say that such “delinquent” behavior (often used heroically in series like Tokyo Revengers because of the “heart of gold” trope) is actually quite toxic and that’s why Arajin is getting so much scorn. It’s daring to question the audience.
Or I guess people wanted another goody two-shoes duo like Reki and Langa from SK8 again.
Rob Barrett
February 5, 2024 at 3:29 pmThere’s also still that ominous shadow lurking around Matakara, always at the edge of the shot.