March comes in like a lion

Episode 16

March comes in like a lion continued its resurgence this week, with another episode that demonstrated many of the shows best qualities. There weren't any harrowing depictions of depression this time, but there was plenty of character work, lots of shogi, and even a fair amount of solid visual invention. If the show can stay at this level until the end, I'll be very satisfied.

We opened with a relatively goofy sequence, as Rei's efforts to avoid failing high school brought him to the After School Burners club. The show got a lot of mileage out of Burners' president Noriguchi's ridiculous appearance - with his impressive mustache fervently contradicting his high schooler status, this felt like one of the few times the show's visually written commentary ("actually a high schooler") felt appropriate. But along with being pretty funny, this sequence also solidly reiterated Rei's teacher's feelings from last episode. Rei seems to have truly recovered from his Shimada loss now, and perhaps even arrived at a healthier point than he was beforehand. Laughing with schoolmates and rushing off to see the Lion qualifier finals demonstrates Rei has found something resembling passion in the world, escaping from the consistent grey malaise of earlier episodes.

The ending of this sequence introduced this episode's central thematic throughline, as Rei's teacher told him “if things feel hopeless, rely on someone. Otherwise, to be honest, no one will rely on you.” Rei immediately linked that thought to the Kawamoto siblings, and seemed ashamed at the thought that they'd never relied on him. But of course, this isn't true - Rei has already reached out to all of the siblings in his own way, and simply hasn't been able to see his own value. Hopeful piano undercut Rei's ambiguous thoughts, as a very pretty sequence of Rei rushing off to the finals emphasized how much energy he now possesses, and how far he's come.

Arriving at the shogi match, Rei learned that the demon Gotou had been slain by Shimada. Though Shimada had won, he seemed utterly defeated by the match, and was barely able to summon some anxious and too-frank words for the press. But seeing a newspaper group from his hometown seemed to perk him up; putting Rei's teacher's words into practice, he held strong for the sake of the children who relied on him. Shimada's been a great addition to the cast basically since his introduction, offering a more multifaceted and fallible portrait of adulthood than most other adults in the series. Seeing him put the show's themes into practice felt like a natural extension of his existing role.

The episode concluded with a visit to Shimada's workshop. The fact that Rei sought out the workshop at all represented another firm positive step for his mental well-being, and seeing Rei talk shop with Harunobu and fellow professional Morio Shigeta was a charming experience. Scenes like this one and an earlier one starring the Kawamoto family benefited greatly from this episode's consistent visual energy - balancing the show's usual closeup cuts and a variety of topical images, they were both brimming with the energy this show's upbeat moments demand. At its best, March's color work and pacing effectively echo Rei's own mental state, and that was consistently true here.

Overall, this was another steady and enjoyable episode. The show hasn't featured one of the big emotional blockbusters that defined its first season in a while, but between sequences like the Kyouko flashback last time and the Shimada material here, March is still full of things to appreciate. And watching Rei escape his demons fully enough to enjoy things like chasing after ducks with Harunobu is its own reward.

Overall: B+

March comes in like a lion is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Nick writes about anime, storytelling, and the meaning of life at Wrong Every Time.