Interviews with Monster Girls

Episode 9

Interviews with Monster Girls has already established that being a demi-human causes all kinds of everyday problems, but surely there must also be an upside. That's the idea at the core of this episode, as both Sakie and Yuki look for ways to put their demi natures to use. After getting some encouragement from Ugaki, Sakie tries using her aphrodisiac effects during a conversation with Tetsuo. Meanwhile, Yuki tries to find a way to create cold air on demand as a way of dealing with the summer heat. Neither of the experiments go as planned, but the demi girls do at least get a chance to hang out in the air-conditioned prep room after an exhausting outdoor P.E. class.

While Ugaki has yet to provide any new insights into Sakie's past, his appearance in this episode provides a useful push forward in the relationship between Sakie and Tetsuo. Sakie came into this episode as the only demi-human protagonist who hadn't yet started a direct conversation with Tetsuo about her unique nature, so I guess their chat in the prep room qualifies as her first proper “interview.” The humor here is a hit-or-miss affair, so the chemistry between the characters ends up carrying the majority of the scene. As the two teachers exchange opinions on the use of the aphrodisiac effect, the series does a good job of making it seem like a natural, friendly conversation. Sakie and Tetsuo can address topics that wouldn't really work in a teacher-student interaction, so it's good that they're able to bounce ideas off one another like this.

Yuki's questions about her abilities are less a matter of right and wrong and more about whether or not it's possible to control them at all. Since her body only seems to produce cold air in response to negative emotions, finding a way to trigger it on purpose poses an interesting challenge. Whether or not the experiment is a success remains up for debate, but it's certainly amusing to watch Yuki's attempts at acting sad. Both this scene and Sakie's ongoing dilemma are perhaps more interesting from a thematic perspective than they are as outright entertainment. As the characters start to look for the upsides of their demi-human natures, the show itself seems to be shifting its perspective along with them. Instead of just being a challenge to overcome, we're starting to see being a demi-human as more nuanced, with potential upsides to balance out the downsides.

Somewhat predictably, the only part of the episode that doesn't really go anywhere is the “let's relax in the prep room” scene. Like the majority of last week's episode, this feels more like the kind of thing that could fit into any other slice-of-life series. The girls try to one-up each other with their complaints about the heat, they pester Tetsuo into bringing them snacks, and the obligatory Summer Ghost story is told. Some of the better details come courtesy of Machi, like the image of her head watching her body run laps outside. It's also kind of amusing that the dullahan character would be the one to tell a ghost story about a headless body. It's a lighthearted, if inconsequential, way to wrap up the episode.

I like the thematic implications of Interviews with Monster Girls trying to find the positive side of being a demi-human, and it's a topic that I'd like to see the series pursue further. For the most part, however, this is another leisurely paced collection of everyday interactions between the characters. The extent to which it works for you will depend on whether or not all those amiable conversations are enough to hold your interest. The execution remains solid by genre standards, but I'd still like to see those loftier dramatic ambitions come back before the end of the season.

Rating: B

Interviews with Monster Girls is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.