Ushio & Tora

Episode 17

Ushio's harem, assemble! When Ushio is at risk of losing his humanity forever, the only thing that can bring him back to reason is the combined ministrations of his entire female entourage. It's a weird, pseudo-psychological turn for Ushio & Tora that suggests the opposite of beastliness is a woman's touch. It's an unlikely plot in a strange episode, but it redeems itself by giving those female characters the limelight and putting prior standalone episodes to good use.

Remember when Ushio & Tora was a “monster of the week” show? Each episode, Ushio and Tora would vanquish a monster never to be seen again, and our two protagonists would move on with their lives, leaving the survivors behind to recuperate. One of my first criticisms about this show pertained to its segmented storyline which, while fairly interesting, did little to advance the plot. How wrong I was! This episode witnesses the return of five of Ushio's potential love interests, his dad, and even a cameo from the early exorcist antagonist Hyou. That “monster of the week” setup certainly wasn't for nothing, and this episode indicates that if Ushio hadn't gone through that lengthy process, he might not have anyone to save him here.

The actual saving process is bizarre. Ushio has become possessed by the Beast Spear, as indicated by his shattered mirrors for eyes and violent demeanor. The comb from his mother holds the key to his salvation—“the women who have ties with Ushio must become as one and comb his hair,” claims the glowing green deity of Ushio's dad's organization, and I'm not going to argue with her. In fact, the girls take the otherworldly situation rather well. However, the process is complicated by Ushio's violent behavior and the hiyou's plan to take advantage of the situation. Ushio's dad, Akiba, Hinowa, Jun, and an always-reluctant Tora do damage control while the girls take turns combing—and removing—Ushio's hair. This takes the form of a battle sequence as each girl summons her bravery to approach Ushio. Reiko's part was my favorite because it showed how much she has changed since Ushio saved her, becoming strong and determined enough to even save her former rescuer. There's no rhyme or reason to this hair-combing solution, but at least some good cameos have come out of it.

Story-wise, this was a confusing episode, and I believe that was on purpose. A lot of our perspective took place from inside Ushio's body, where Ushio's spirit is chained by glowing red bonds, completely helpless to control the movements of his vengeful body. Ushio is half-conscious and bewildered, and neither his fever dreams nor his body's frenzied and unpredictable actions seem to shed any light on what's going on. “You will be dragged along while the Spear seeks the Hakumen No Mono,” Ushio's vision intones, and that's exactly what this episode feels like—being dragged along on an erratic adventure I didn't ask for, full of senseless twists interrupted by Tora's usual comedy. The pacing means we end on a cliffhanger, but since the title of the next episode is “Revival,” I can't say I'm too concerned about Ushio's fate.

This episode shows how much Ushio & Tora has changed as a show. From a “monster of the week” series to a twisting plot that requires the appearance of just about every character so far, things have certainly gotten complicated. Ideally, it will reach a middle ground with a nuanced—and slightly more simplified—plot that once again fits into half-hour intervals.

Rating: B

Ushio & Tora is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Lauren writes about anime and journalism at Otaku Journalist.