Bucchigiri?!

Episode 6

I said before that there's an art to making a cast full of unlikeable weirdos work, but probably the most simple and effective method is to create a villain who's more fun to hate than anyone else and pit them against all your rowdy, violent assholes. It's hard to get hung up on how some of the cast are belligerent jerks or toxic users when they're all facing off against somebody as effectively villainous as Shindo. He's proud and domineering whenever he's on top, smugly condescending when he cheats with hidden weapons or beats down on somebody weaker than him, and has both the style and smarts to make his beatdowns entertaining, even as you want somebody to slug him in the face. He's simultaneously more of a threat than anyone else, and more of a coward than Arajin, which makes him the exact right target for the whole show to rally against.

With Shindo acting as that perfect focal point for the cast, it allows everyone else to finally show their best sides. Matakara has always been an upstanding boy, but we also get to see how much of a beating he's willing to take to protect his crew and friends. Even if they don't stand a chance, the rest of both Siguma and Minato Kai throw themselves into the fray to protect their leaders, proving that even the biggest, dumbest jerks in their ranks have an unerring loyalty. Despite not being a combatant, Mahoro lands the most brutal blow of the episode, dressing Shindo down and seeing through all his violent peacocks to the cowardly hanger-on he truly is. Of course, Arajin gets the actual final blow, at last finding enough courage – or even just rage – to stand up for somebody else like the hero Matakara's always believed he could be. It's a parade of all our morally dubious heroes getting to be the unequivocal good guys in a conflict, and by far the most satisfying action in Bucchigiri?! to date.

That goes for the action animation as well. While there are some rough corners in places, the highs of this episode far outweigh the lows of last week. The big hits are rendered with stylish energy and heavy line work that makes every thrown fist, blocked kick, or mugging face leave an impact. As Shindo accrues damage, his body begins to move with an almost monstrous anatomy, twisting and morphing until he only feels more dangerous as he's being hit. The show featured some excellent fight scenes before this, and most of them are probably more artistically consistent, but that final blow from Arajin does hit different. No, I will not apologize for that pun.

The flashback explaining Minato and Ken's rivalry can't help but pale in comparison, but it also does its job of fleshing out these characters' personalities and relationships. There's something infectious about the pair's insatiable desire to kick each other's asses, always hoping for a definitive victory and driving themselves forward. It's the exact kind of macho drama that makes these shows work and fits perfectly into the gaudy and flamboyant package. Together with the action climax, this episode represents Bucchigiri?! at its best: simple, effective, just the right amount of stupidity, and a metric ton of fun.

Rating:

Bucchigiri?! is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.