Mr. Osomatsu Season 2

Episode 22

I recently complained that Mr. Osomatsu hadn't delivered enough of its over-the-top and zany brand of humor this season for my taste – yet. Episode 22 is a gift to everyone who might have felt the same way. Ichimatsu and Jyushimatsu know they will be punished for too much anticipation, and once all of the plane's hilarious warning lights have transitioned from GOOD to ALERT to LOST, it's time to take the plunge.

Stranding a bunch of colorful characters on an uninhabited island lets the drama basically write itself, but instead of going down hatch-shaped plot holes of increasing implausibility, the path Mr. Osomatsu takes is one of exponentially growing zaniness equally matched by Yukari Hashimoto's reliably glorious soundtrack.

At first the Matsus and "friends" are stuck in familiar patterns of selfishness – leading to Iyami tragically (and toothlessly) fueeeehing instead of sheeehing – but their shared hate of Hatabou is strong enough for them to unite briefly before one of them betrays their escape plans. After discovering that they didn't actually die after giving up on the beach, everyone settles into their new lives rather nicely. From recreating past pleasures that have neither place nor a purpose in their new environment to showing off some beautiful pre-modern hunting skills, the group begins to embrace their former flaws as new advantages. Chibita might grow an impressive beard, but his shiny hairless forehead is suddenly a thing of value. No longer restrained by the need to fit the cute idol mold, Totoko is free to let out her inner beast.

With everyone having more or less essential assets to contribute, it seems that governing themselves has actually brought out the best in our no longer useless NEETs. But all it takes to disrupt the new order is the discovery of the one thing from civilization no one wants to live without. It's enough to re-awaken everyone's well-established selfishness, but given the extraordinary circumstances (or the island's supernatural powers), it also awakens everyone's hidden abilities along with all their parody potential, as our characters summon, transform, and combine in all the wonderful ways anime has taught us to cherish.

The source of Iyami's yoga powers is suffering, which he apparently did enough of to transcend his physical body. Too pissed off to hold it in anymore, Chibita embraces the power of the wild, with some initial challenges to decide on his (not)-final-form. Thanks to Karamatsu, we don't have to miss out on the required shōnen battle commentary as epic fights ensue, Totoko finally accepts her origin and transforms into a fish-themed magical girl, and Jyushimatsu dreams of fields build-it-and-they-will-come style. When Dekapan summons a giant samurai Dayon from an empty grave, the time has come for Matsusion. The rainbow beam this non-mecha fusion version of the sextuplets shoots obviously doesn't come out of his belly, but the following explosion of color takes care of the long-overdue revenge on Hatabou, except that no one notices. This fight is no longer about escape or revenge, it's about what truly brings civilizations to their knees, and the reason our heroes keep on evolving is to wipe their bottoms in comfort.

But then again, maybe they all died in the plane's explosion, and it's just purgatory after all.

Rating: B+

Mr.Osomatsu Season 2 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Anne is a translator and fiction addict who writes about anime at Floating Words and on Twitter.