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Inuyashiki Last Hero
Episode 9

by Theron Martin,

How would you rate episode 9 of
Inuyashiki Last Hero ?
Community score: 4.1

The Fall 2017 anime season is one of the bloodiest in recent memory, with intense graphic violence being a focal point of numerous titles and at least notable in several others. (Even The Ancient Magus' Bride has an unusual level of bloodshed for its genre.) No other series is quite like Inuyashiki on that front though; it may be the most brutal show of the season, excluding the ludicrously-over-the-top gore of King's Game. Unlike that series, the creators of Inuyashiki understand how to exploit violence to dramatic effect without descending too deeply into crass sensationalism.

Episode 9 is a good example. Without question, Hiro's open declaration of war with everyone in Japan on video screens across the country is sensationalistic, but his methods aren't too flashy, just a simple gun-like shot to the head. The reasonable amount of blood-spray makes the kill shots all the more horrifyingly effective, especially when coupled with the realization that he's shooting people from their phones. The scene's brutality is made all the more effective by the kills being utterly random attacks on innocent people, rather than anyone who had been directly antagonistic to him. Granted, murdering random bystanders is hardly anything new for anime, but the framing of this episode and the implication that Hiro is primarily taking glory in his power trip makes it all the more chilling. Trying to appeal to his girlfriend to live somewhere else with him and her grandmother after killing off all of her countrymen probably isn't going to cut the mustard. That he seems to believe she would be fine with this is the surest sign that he has completely lost touch with reality.

This episode also makes some pointed jabs about modern society. Hiro is killing people through their phones until Ando has Ichiro broadcast a message warning them about this, but despite knowing that, many people from all ages and walks of life insist that they can't function without their smart phones, so they opt to risk their lives. The episode also emphasizes the irony that fan clubs are actually popping up around Hiro, and some girls even regard him more favorably for his ruthless displays of power. As twisted as this may be, it's hardly unheard-of for serial killers and mass murderers to be admired by some segments of the population, even garnering romantic interest, no matter how heinous their deeds. For some, Hiro's brand of evil may be regarded as cool.

Though Hiro is an interesting character, the prolonged focus on him is distracting from Ichiro, who's still on the fringe of events and largely unable to act. The approaching meteor which has been mentioned before also pops up again, although no one seems too concerned about it; with only two episodes left, I'm curious to see how it gets worked into the expected confrontation of Hiro and Ichiro, as well as how Mari's knowledge of what her father can do will play into things. Speaking of Mari, the script seems specifically intent on placing her in the observation level of that government building when the plane comes down at the end of the episode. Might a rescue by Papa be coming up? Regardless, I can't see Ichiro staying in the background much longer.

The time for the series to be casual about anything has now long since passed. It should be an intense ride the rest of the way forward.

Rating: B+

Inuyashiki Last Hero is currently streaming on Amazon's Anime Strike.


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