English Dub Review: Akudama Drive: “Brother”

Overview: The Akudama take on the relentless Executioner, Master (D.C. Douglas), as he makes his final stand to take them down once and for all. 

Our Take: This series has from the very beginning delivered nothing but thrill ride after thrill ride. And of course this episode is no different. The only exception being that this episode is absolute unadulterated NOS that has somehow taken shape as “Brother.” This episode rarely slams on the breaks and even when it does it’s all for a much needed quick pit stop. 

This episode transitions aggressively in the midst of battle constantly between different Akudama in the fierce bout with Master, not allowing either the characters nor the audience much time to catch their breath. They’re all chomping at the bit to get a piece of this and that’s what makes this fight all the more exciting as it progresses. Every Akudama getting their turn also keeps the ongoing battle unpredictable as you never know who’ll dust themselves off and join the fray next. Besides that, as is known with the Akudama at this point, there’s an absurdity to some of their abilities that only help make this episode even more batshit crazy. I challenge anyone not to get a kick out of it. 

Alongside even more kickass action, there is real heart to this episode in not only Brawler and Master’s fatal showdown but the bonds they’ve forged as well. Studio Perrot continues to outdo themselves and raise the bar even higher by delivering jaw dropping scenes with a real emotional backbone. They are real maestros and love orchestrating the series’ signature use of colors to set the backdrop for sequences and create an intensive atmosphere for this climactic fight. That along with water dancing and pulsating seemingly along with it, makes for a gorgeous ballet disguised as a bloody brawl that I couldn’t take my eyes off of. Master hates Akudama but can’t help but have fun. This is akin to how the audience’s emotions are perfectly set up exactly the same. By foreshadowing Master’s inevitable fate to Pupil, you begrudgingly anticipate the end but appreciate and respect not only these two characters but the amazing battle that it took to get there. As the two warriors meet their end, their fight is passed along to those they leave behind seemingly making for not only a heartbreaking end to the battle but a likely continuation of said harrowing battle in the future. 

If I had one minor drawback to this episode (and to a few previous ones quite honestly) it would be how abruptly it ends. What feels like an amateurish cut without a proper closing at times. This just better solidifies that this was cut perhaps intended with a movie format in mind not necessarily a series. But even that is not enough to make me give it any less than the perfect score it so rightfully deserves and will undoubtedly continue to produce in the coming episodes. “Brother”, like Brawler and Master themselves, is a fighter at heart and rightfully goes down as one.