Rooster Fighter

Episode 8

Some weeks, I can't really tell if Rooster Fighter is just leaning too far into its camp factor, or if it's just getting high off its own supply of manufactured drama. This is one of those weeks. Does it suddenly want viewers to take the show extremely seriously? Has it always wanted viewers to take it seriously? Or does it simply get lost in the sauce of perpetually one-upping its narrative stakes?

I know it's not the show's sole fault; it does take most of its cues from the source material. But because the show is also moving through the manga at a brisk clip, these whiplash moments of sudden seriousness feel a little jarring at times. Almost as jarring as these Hulu ad cuts to White Claw and sports betting, I have been so spoiled by other streaming services that I'd forgotten what ad breaks feel like (they feel terrible). Literally last week, the series blew half an episode on a group date with a bunch of pigeons. And now we're suddenly foisted into a very bleak and fast-paced episode of new enemies, chicken torture, weird familial trauma, and a mega-dump of new lore. I couldn't have predicted the backstory of Keiji hating his dad because his dad's secret family made his mom die of heartbreak while incubating his sister.

Let me back up, because the last few sentences sounded as bizarre typed out as they did when they were happening on screen. As you recall, at the beginning of the last episode (before the pigeon date—bonus points to the dub for giving them peak vocal fry), we met Keisuke the silkie for the first time and learned later that he is actually Keiji's half-brother. This week, we also learn that he and their father are actually on a mission to destroy demons—not because they're seeking revenge like Keiji, but because it's part of their bloodline. They are descended from a long line (???) of chickens whose lives are deeply intertwined with the demons. That blood, of course, flows through Keiji as well, and may help explain his and Sara's powers.

Tragedy strikes when the father-son duo stumbles upon an abandoned warehouse, where they suddenly learn of the existence of Devils—human-passing baddies who seem to have their own evil plans, and who also can puppeteer fallen demons. The devils catch wind of the feathered intruders, and though Keisuke can escape, the father is captured and subsequently tortured for information.

Keisuke manages to track down Keiji and the other chickens and begs for their aid. This is when we learn that Keiji considers his father to be a two-timing scumbag and the inadvertent cause of his mother's death. You can do your own psychoanalysis as to how that affects his own treatment of hens—especially contrasted with Keisuke, who displays the complete opposite behavior; while Keiji is a serial womanizer (with a heart of gold), Keisuke is terrified of women. The contrast between brothers is further explored when Keiji's dismissal of their father leads to a battle between the brothers. Not only does Keisuke have powers of his own, but he also completely outclasses Keiji in combat. It's a humbling moment for a macho rooster who literally moved mountains in a previous episode. This disparity in skill also doesn't bode well for Keisuke's plan to recruit Keiji's help in dealing with the devils, especially given their superiority.

I really like the addition of Keisuke to the cast. He's an interesting contrast to Keiji in every possible way, and it's nice to finally introduce vulnerability in our hero. That being said, the hard pivot from last week's episode to this week's feels uneven, which is something that I've felt the last few weeks. Rooster Fighter tends to save up all of its major story points or emotional impact moments until it can unleash them in a burst, which can lead to uneven pacing. I personally happen to love the in-between chafe, but the downside is that when the story is pushed forward, it feels like too much is dumped at once. Instead of spending half of last week on the pigeon date, we could've peppered in more of Keisuke's backstory, or teased a little more of what was happening with the devils. Instead, we are hit with a rapid 1-2-3 punch of Keiji's emotional baggage, their family bloodline, the devils and their abilities, and whatever is going on with their motivations.

While it's nice to get a little insight into what has hardened Keiji into the solitary rooster (and womanizer) he is today, the whole story with his family is also weird and sad. It's appropriately soapy, which is appreciated given the context of Rooster Fighter, but combined with everything else that happens, the different episode beats feel rushed and unearned. The past few weeks have been a constant see-saw between humorous time-wasting and overly serious blitzes. On their own, each element is interesting and propels the story and characterization forward, but the inconsistency in pacing makes the series feel disjointed week-to-week. It's nice to get some time to breathe, but not if it results in always having to sprint to catch up later.

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Rooster Fighter is currently airing on Toonami and streaming on Disney+/Hulu.