Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon Season 2

Episode 4

What I like most about this episode is how logically and thoughtfully everything is presented. With Hulemy freed up, she can jury-rig the teleport gate. The question is, where do they go? The choice they settle on is the origin floor. While its citizens are generally the weakest, there is a door to the surface. Additionally, it was the floor to which the Menagerie of Fools went after the troubles began. There's no better place to start.

Moreover, with the village now secure and rebuilding underway, our three main heroes can be spared—and they are the best choice for the expedition. After all, only Hulemy can get two-way travel for the gate working again, Boxxo is a near-infinite source of food and clean water, and Lammis has physical strength far beyond mortal men. Add Mishuel to the equation, and should the floor be completely overrun, they would have an excellent chance at survival. Or, to put it another way, our heroes are chosen for this mission because they are the best fit for it, not simply because they are the protagonists of our story.

While learning of the state of things on the Origin Stratum is important to world building and the reunion with the Menagerie of Fools is a welcome inclusion, the true purpose of this episode is to introduce our newest supporting character: Hevee. On one level, Hevee is a joke character. He's a priest with an addiction to footwear. No, it's not a foot fetish—he cares nothing for those wearing the shoes or their feet. He simply loves the journey told by the shoes—and experiencing that journey through touch, smell, and… drinking out of said shoe.

Of course, the other level to Hevee explains why people would put up with his eccentricities. While Hevee is a competent healer, he is also a master of illusion and mind manipulation magic. Not only is he able to use the invading monsters to eliminate the violent prisoners (which is disturbingly cold-hearted, if pragmatic), he can gather dozens (if not hundreds) of civilians and keep them hidden from all the monsters for several days—and with an illusion so strong none of our heroes can see through it.

While our heroes are no closer to escaping the dungeon (or getting reinforcements from the outside), with Hevee around to support the Menagerie of Fools, it looks like evacuating the Origin Stratum is a real possibility. Now, it's all up to Hulemy to get the teleport gate working before the next big crisis arrives.

Rating:

Random Thoughts:

• The use of light in shadow in the opening scene goes far beyond what I expected of this show. Even if it's just a few seconds long, it gives the animators a chance to flex their muscles and show just what they can do.

• It was kind of a dick move for Lammis to pull Suori into the pool while she was wearing several layers of dress and petticoat. She could have drowned the girl in addition to likely ruining her clothes.

• Have we met the director of the Origin Stratum before? I honestly don't remember.

• I'm with Boxxo on him and Heeve not being kindred spirits. Hevee's shoe fetish makes others uncomfortable, and he doesn't care that it does. Boxxo's obsession with vending machines is something he keeps to himself and doesn't force others to take part in.

Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon Season 2 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.