Nanbaka

Episode 21

I often praise Nanbaka for "upending my expectations." When shows set up a cliché plot twist and then do something unexpected, that's strong creative writing, but not all expectation-defying is the same. Sometimes this bait-and-switch feels like a cop-out, especially if the set-up for the original expectation was stronger. That's what Nanbaka did this week, which left me feeling disappointed.

The cliffhanger at the end of episode 20 was all about Nico. We thought that Nico would be the focus of this week's episode. It promised a no-holds-barred beat-down for Hachiman, likely ending with his death. I was worried for Nico and his friends, but I was still looking forward to that battle. Nanbaka is not a deep show, but it's good at wringing out emotions, goofy comedy, and pulse-pounding action. The show's not so good when it dips into lore or tries for thematic depth.

Unfortunately, that's where things go with Nico. His part in the episode is completely wasted. He's strong, but not unbeatably so, and doesn't end up killing Hachiman. He's quickly subdued when Qi, Hachiman's drug guy, gives him the stabilizer he needs. In fact, crazy Nico isn't really the dreaded killing machine we were promised at all. He just wants the medicine that makes him normal again. He keeps repeating "medicine, medicine" and this is framed as a breakdown. Perhaps it is, but it's not what we expected after last week's cliffhanger and preview.

Instead, we get more of the thing Nanbaka stumbles with the most: lore. Nico is apparently this way because "people subconsciously limit their abilities," but Nico "is more fragile than most." This is due to experiments done on Nico in a past prison, making it clearer that everyone at Nanba is some type of guinea pig. That's interesting, and I'm sure could be explored in more depth, but trying to explain it with obnoxious armchair psychology was a mistake, unless the show plans to do something with that information later. Nanbaka is too shallow and goofy for me to care about its deeper lore. I only care if it's directly connected to one of its characters or arcs.

Luckily, the plot this episode shifts to is stronger material, focusing on the other characters in the room, especially Qi and Upa. We learn more about Qi's history with the Building 5 qigong boys, and Upa gets more backstory, like Liang has in the past. It turns out that Upa had his organs stolen as a child because qigong prodigies' organs are that valuable. (Questions: Which organs? How is he still alive?) Upa joined Hachiman's gang as a way to gain his organs back. Qi felt compassion for him and decided to give him his organs, but Upa didn't know about this until Qi told him just now.

So there are about 1,000 plot holes in this story. (Even if qigong was keeping Upa alive, that doesn't explain Qi's own survival.) The emotional point is that Qi has done one specific compassionate thing for the Building 5 boys. Previously, he'd let himself be used as a pawn for what he knew were awful things. He did whatever he could to survive and get ahead. That's why, until he tells them the full story, Upa and Liang want to kill Qi after he neutralizes Hachiman. Yes, it's Qi who takes Hachiman out rather than Nico, by using a poison that slowly paralyzes him. This creates another plot hole: if Qi was always in the shadows, ready to strike, why didn't he step in several episodes ago?

The emotional conclusion is what matters though, and this was the first time Nanbaka made me care about Upa as his own character. Even if the reason for this makes almost no sense, that counts for something. Qi is a fascinating character who would have countless depths to plunder in a more serious show, but this is Nanbaka, so we'll just have to be satisfied with his potential. His most interesting scene comes at the end, with Samon. He was brought to Nanba because of his expertise in poisons, specifically in the creation of an undetectable one. I'm sure we'll see more to that in the remaining episodes. Also, there's more to explore in how Qi's actions are seen as so much more deplorable than everyone else's. He's even told he won't be able to access the oasis they're building inside Building 5. What's up with that place, anyway?

Over the course of 21 episodes, I've learned not to expect too many answers, and this episode is a perfect example of why. It promises a thrilling fight scene between Nico and Hachiman, but we barely get it. Nico gets sidelined for another story, and even if it's more interesting, I still feel cheated. Above all, I'm frustrated by this continued divergence from the larger story arc. Upa, Liang, and Qi's history is interesting, but what's going on with the rest of the group? What about the fight against Enki? Nanbaka is not very good at writing itself out of these plot cul-de-sacs. I hope we find out soon, but I'm not expecting these answers to feel complete or satisfying. Nanbaka has clearly put its focus elsewhere.

Rating: B-

Nanbaka is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Rose is a music Ph.D. student who loves overanalyzing anime soundtracks. Follow her on her media blog Rose's Turn, and on Twitter.