Mr. Osomatsu Season 2

Episode 8

In this week's two-parter, Mr. Osomatsu pays homage to The Fly but skips the part where the pods are actually meant to transport matter from A to B, jumping directly into full fusion fun by introducing us to Dekapan's attempt to fuse ingredients into a dish that's already simply segregated by nature: curry rice. With Dayōn once again getting the chance to show off his more psychopathic side, results quickly escalate into a grotesque need for pixelation, until the newborn mad scientist's efforts requires a Sawano-esque insert song to accompany his search for God while transfiguring the entire city. (This could also be another Megami Tensei reference lost on me.) The result is somewhat ambivalent but humbling. Either Dayōn found a rather anticlimactic answer to the nature of God, or he's only able to realize the shit he's been doing once it's staring him in the face.

As teased last week, we're then treated to a segment dedicated to Jyushimatsu's love for dolphins—or rather his professional aspiration to become one. Fueled by unwavering determination, courage, and devotion to his impossible dream, the ridiculous nature of Jyushimatsu's endeavor simultaneously pokes fun at every shōnen story about how never giving up will allow you to accomplish your dreams, while also treating us to everything that makes this kind of story such a favorite among writers and audiences alike. Mr. Osomatsu can accomplish this balancing act because of Jyushimatsu's sincerity, which makes it so easy to root for him as he vows not to give up to classic strings and piano after receiving a crushing anti-pep talk from the Girlymatsus.

Even Jyushimatsu's mentor, whose belief in him is strong enough to put him through the mandatory training from hell (and who looks an awful lot like his almost-girlfriend from season one who might have chosen to become a dolphin trainer in an alternate Matsu universe) is ready to give up on Jyushimatsu after he fails his dress rehearsal miserably. But that's just how these things have to roll so that our hero can kick butt when it truly counts: in front of an audience.

Already trained in the art of creating storms of passion, Jyushimatsu's calisthenics sessions truly paid off. And when he finally succeeds at becoming Jyushiolphin and freeing his fellow dolphins with a giant dolphinado, it's time for Yūsuke Saeki to treat us to another glorious insert song, like he did with his Proper Gattai Theme back in this season's first episode. This one, called Iruka ni Natta Seinen (or "The Young Man Who Became a Dolphin") sounds awfully '70s and might just be a parody of Iruka ni Notta Shōnen ("The Boy Who Rode A Dolphin") by Michiru Jō. (His outfit alone is worth the click.) To such sophisticated lyrics as flip flop splish, splash, full monty, Jyushiolphin swims into the sunset, leaving us much more inspired than Totoko and her nemesis, the cat-themed wannabe idol Nyaa, do in a post-credits scene.

Both of Mr. Osomatsu's seasons have managed to get a lot of entertaining screen time out of a single joke or idea per segment, but compared to what the second season's had to offer so far, this week was neither the funniest nor the cleverest. Still, even an average Osomatsu is reliable enough to provide a better time than some shows do in peak form.

Rating: B-

Mr.Osomatsu Season 2 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Anne is a translator and fiction addict who writes about anime at Floating Words and on Twitter.