Forum - View topicDekin no Mogura: The Earthbound Mole (TV).
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Edjwald
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Dekin no Mogura: The Earthbound Mole (TV) Source: Manga (ongoing @ 11 volumes by Natsumi Eguchi) Demographic: Seinen Animation Studio: Brain's Base Genres: comedy, mystery, supernatural Themes: afterlife, ghosts, spirits, sorcery Plot Summary: University students Magi and Yaeko one day witness a Kōjien dictionary falling on the head of a man and hurting him. However, despite bleeding from his head, the man expresses that he does not want them to call an ambulance or the police for him, which seems suspicious. In addition, after this encounter, both Magi and Yaeko start seeing strange things. Air Date & Platform: July 07, 2025 (Monday) Available on: Crunchyroll Episode Count / Runtime: 12 episodes [EDIT: Fancy opener stuff edited. -TK] |
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 25599 |
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Episode 1
The humour in this mostly works for me but it has its annoying aspect, too. That's probably for me mostly centred around the character of Magi who has kind of a George Costanza vibe going on where he's funny but you kind of want to punch him in the face. The show does something I like: it takes an unbelievable premise and then examines the real world implications of it. In this case, what if you actually couldn't die... what are the real implications of that? You still have to make money to eat and live. You fake your I.D.? Then you could get drafted. I enjoy that kind of thing. eta: I had initially identified Mogura as the Costanza character but I was thinking of university student Magi. I actually like Mogura. Last edited by Blood- on Mon Jul 07, 2025 2:30 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Edjwald
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I like the scavenging aspect too, and having to mooch off the spiritual energy of ghosts busted is part of that - the spiritual scavenging part. That said, I'm not really sold on this anime yet. It took me about half an episode to warm up to it a little, and it's not action packed or a laugh riot or slice of life exactly, but kind of hanging in some lukewarm space between these areas, so the quirky humor and character interaction is going to have to carry a lot of weight. I might have been a little desensitized by previewing 8 Sunday anime too.
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smurky turkey
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I am so mixed on the first episode. Mogura is certainly not among the better shows of the season and it has some annoying elements plus mediocre animation. That said, something had me glued to my seat watching. It is likely that the mc being such a useless and cynical bum who can use powers when needed and is facing the real world implications of immortality (as already mentioned) keeps me wanting to see more.
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4990 |
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Yeah, as of the second episode I will watch the whole season. The previously mentioned issues are still very much present but I find there to be a strange enjoyment to the show. The way conversations flow and how over the top quirky many of the characters are reminds of Gintama and similar to that the banter just does not bore me at all. I also like that spirits are simply dead people, not some mystical something.
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Gina Szanboti
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I liked the first episode, mostly Mogura, and loved the second one. It took me awhile to figure out what I was vibing on so hard (besides Mogura's eyes), until toward the end of the episode I realized this was the same dry, cynical humor I loved in Houzuki no Reitetsu. Sure enough, same mangaka. But even before that, I was marveling at the use of color and how the characters act very much like people do, despite the bizarre circumstances. The dialog just sounds right to me, even with the goofy humor.
So yeah, this is an easy keeper for me. |
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Edjwald
Posts: 3507 |
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I had pretty much the same reaction. The first episode grew on me and I flat out liked the second episode all the way through. Mogura is definitely the star, but whats-their-names are growing on me too. Maybe I'll even remember "Big head glasses boy" and "Moppet girl's" name next week.
Speaking of next week, hopefully we'll meet the woman who's always sweeping outside her shop. |
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Hiroki not Takuya
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Just tried Ep1 and stayed for Ep2. Really appreciate the rapid-fire wit, commentary, referential humor and goofy characters "bouncing off" each other. It's a "cryin' shame" this isn't being reviewed because this is one of the stand-out better shows this season if you ask me. A rare really intelligent comedy with a slightly serious edge.
(biting commentary on supernatural Shonen manga/LN tropes and their readers) Everybody asks me to "defeat" spirits, what a bunch of idiots Why don't you go find a ghost-slaying Holy Sword, join a Ghost Hunting Squad, Come up with a "cool" ability name, "defeat" the ghosts with your "killer move", Die beautifully doing it and become a ghost yourself... then I'll exorcise you ... |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4990 |
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The third episode was pretty unpredictable. The first segment dealt with the stalker ghost and newcomer Kyoushirou was the one to do it. His power truly is a curse, no cool ability but making the most out of being stuck with a dangerous demon cat. The second bit showcased more of the theme that the supernatural is never far away and actually rather mundane. That includes the teacher seeing the world quite differently and Magi having to deal with ghosts at work thanks to Inukai. The pacing is just as weird as some of the other aspects of the show but it works.
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 12724 |
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Yeah, the bit about seeing all the spirits hanging around people in Zoom and not being sure which are his students was an unexpected take for sure. As was the cat zoom-bombing the camera.
This show is really talky, and I'm never bored. The WWII story at the end was pretty cool. I guess being affectively flatlined is as much a Nekozuku family trait as being possessed by cat demons. And I thought Mogura's delivery was dry. 
"Die." "I can't. That's the problem." 
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Edjwald
Posts: 3507 |
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It amazes me how the faces on this show - at least the MCS and the exorcist's seem more expressive than most anime characters even though half the time it looks like their noses got erased between the eyebrows and the nostrils.
I'm glad the cast of fringe supernatural dwellers and their world is expanding. The two kids seem kind of bland in comparison to Mogura, but if they're the gate through which we get to see a lot of different aspects of an in depth world being opened up, they can take their time getting fleshed out. And I think the family being hosts for cat spirits/gods/yokai is pretty cool. Though I'm half convinced the cats would be torturing them like mice for entertainment.... |
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smurky turkey
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The entirety of episode 4 can be considered as rather expressive. Given the cast I was not expecting a smooth exorcism in the slightest but neither did I expect pandemonium (or maybe I should say pandamonium). Between Shio being an overpowered musclehead, the panda becoming Magi's pokemon plus details on taxes it sure was something. Up next seem to be creepy dolls of some kind.
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 12724 |
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So Magi's new Pokemon is named Maggie? Surely they're going to do something with that? But she's really cute in glasses. Megane-panda ftw!
The conversation about ages and perception was interesting too. "I'd have to eat all the time. Being a teenager is too expensive!" |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4990 |
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Episode 5 got pretty real. I was expecting a cursed doll given the ending of last week's episode yet we got something rather different. Yes, there is a ghost involved but it is primarily about family drama with a sensitive topic at its core. The same can be said about Magi and his brother, one sibling being more loved and gifted compared to the other is always tricky. Umeharu is impressive in that he is an unapologetic scumbag.
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Hiroki not Takuya
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Ep5- Finally we get some honest supernatural drama! I thought the sister might have some toxic relationship to Maya or vice versa, but that uncle was a creep and Maya is not being the "good girl' anymore...(I guess dying tends to do that) And boy was the VA doing a job "selling" the anger. Can't find who the guest voice is but she sounds very familiar....
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