English Dub Review: Kakuriyo -Bed and Breakfast for Spirits- “A Silver Beast on a Moonlit Night.”

You know, if Genji died, this show might actually get interesting. Just saying.

Overview (Spoilers Below)

This week, Aoi faces a newcomer to the inn, a thunder beast spirit named “Raiju”, who, like basically every other new spirit that arrives at the inn, is fascinated with Aoi’s cooking and her grandfather’s legacy.

Aoi spends some quality time with Genji, who talks to Aoi about how to get the scale required for the sacred ritual, and how he’s been out adventuring to try and find the said scale. Aoi tries to heal up his injuries. After we learn more about Ginji’s backstory and his place at Orio-Ya, the danger is soon afoot, when Ranmaru finds himself gravely injured.

Our Take:

The quest to save the southern lands continues this week on Kakuriyo, but if one didn’t know any better, it would seem like nothing is really at stake. Though the “plot” of Kakuriyo has had more focus recently, with the cast trying to obtain some magical MacGuffins to save the southern land, the anime’s tone and tension is the same as it’s always been: boring, boring, boring. Yes, there isn’t a conflict that persists beyond the end of the episode, yes, there is a comfy cooking scene that solves the problems of the episode in one big deus ex machina. It’s Kakuriyo being Kakuriyo and there isn’t a whole lot more to say than that. But, let’s get our hands a little bit dirty here and parse through the muck of this garbage water story.

There is an attempt at the plot here, an attempt. Genji’s backstory, while being heavy handed and poorly told, (Not to mention cheaply animated) at least has some pathos going on even if it just a giant exposition dump. Flashbacks are such a cheap storytelling tactic, and I’m not at all surprised that Kakuriyo decided to make this episode about 50% flashback to create the illusion of depth. Of course, my bitter soul is not amused.

One of the things that really draws people to anime is that, as a format, it can do things that a lot of other shows can’t do. Freedom of setting, freedom of plot, the ability to tell a fantastic story in long-form. But then there are shows like Kakuriyo, which take the medium and do the barest minimum possible to function and sell merchandise without trying to take advantage of the medium they’re in. Given how much static dialogue there is here, with characters just staring at each other while delivering their lines, one has to wonder why this isn’t a live-action soap opera or some other kind of budget-friendly television show.

There’s nothing to see here, the plot never really gets off the ground but just sort of putters along from the start. Not to worry, though, I’m sure Aoi will soon solve all the troubles of the southern lands with her “miraculous” cooking skills. This is the anime equivalent of bashing your head against a wall. It offers nothing good for you, and will certainly cause you to lose some brain cells.