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Listeners
Episode 4

by Nicholas Dupree,

How would you rate episode 4 of
Listeners ?
Community score: 3.7

In my initial write-up, I made a pretty big deal about Listeners' copious amounts of real-world musical artists and bands. And I contend that's a significant portion of its appeal – the focus on both mainstream and underground rock throughout the late 20th century goes a long way in creating distinct visual and audio personality. Not to mention the inspiration it draws from its myriad musical landmarks helps to build a decidedly moodier atmosphere for its stories than similar semi-episodic roadtrip anime. But it's also important to not treat those influences as the sum total of the series. Listeners is interested in building its own world and characters that, while reminiscent of the icons it homages, are ultimately separate creations that have to stand on their own.

This is all a long way of saying that while it is massively awkward to have a story where a suicidal character with long, blond hair named Nir is being manipulated and taken advantage of by a character named Hole, I don't think the show is actually trying to go to bat for the various conspiracy theories that persist around Kurt Cobain's life and tragic death. After all, the members of My Bloody Valentine weren't a married couple, and as far as I can tell Einstürzende Neubauten doesn't feature a trio of Drakengard cosplayers. So it stands to reason that as much as this episode pulls from Nirvana's lyrics and themes, it's not trying to be autobiographical or peddle any particular take on the actual people it references. It's certainly a bit uncomfortable when juxtaposed with real life, but to some extent that's going to be unavoidable for a show that so openly broadcasts its inspirations.

All that being said, this week's pit stop for Echo and Mu does end up feeling a little incomplete, compared to previous episodes. The main Player this week is Nir, a misanthropic student creeping around the fringes of Freak Scene Academy, a prestigious training ground for future superstar Players. It's here we also learn Players aren't just freelance individuals hunting the Earless on their own, but are often groomed to join the military as disposable foot soldiers. What's more, there's a performance enhancer called Teen Spirit that many Players take to sharpen their minds in the field, with the risk of addiction and psychological damage as the side effects. Both in and out of the literal world of the show this raises a lot of questions – Echo's book may have any number of well-known Players listed, but there's necessarily countless more who died anonymous and alone, and it's hard not to wonder what the show might have to say about a system like this within the wider themes of musical expression it wears on its sleeves.

The answer to those questions, if they exist at all, will have to come later though, since “Teen Spirit” is largely a truncated character piece about Nir, who's grown up alone and unwanted and is absolutely brimming with resentment towards the world around her and herself. She treats her power as a Player as both curse and thrill ride, buzzing with the energy of piloting Equipment, before following that head rush into an attempt to crack her own skull open on the concrete. It's a striking conflict that makes Nir a fascinating addition to the cast – being a Player is an obvious analogy to being a musician, and the combination of euphoria and self-destruction hits very close to home with the lyrics and personality of her namesake band. The problem comes in with the subplot with Hole, who spends most of the episode distracting Mu from the thin mystery around who's supplying Teen Spirit to the academy's students. While Hole's sudden but inevitable betrayal of Nir is important to her story, it also means taking focus out of her headspace, and it makes her relationship with Echo feel more hollow than it should. That the story doesn't so much conclude as it just stops doesn't help – Nir disappears into the night warning Mu that being a Player will eventually drive her mad and wistfully wondering when that'll ultimately happen to her. It's not so much a bad finish as it is one begging for further exploration, so I hope this isn't the last time we see Nir.

But for now, that's all we really have. And while “Teen Spirit” continues Listeners' strengths in character writing and drops a load of music reference easter eggs in the background, the failings of its plotting and structure leave it a lot less satisfying than usual. Depending on how the rest of the series plays out this may go down as just a small speedbump in the larger narrative, and it's far from terrible or even forgettable, but here's hoping next episode's journey into the wild world the Artist Formerly Known As Denka can find stronger footing.

Rating:

Listeners is currently streaming on Funimation.


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