English Dub Review: Tribe Nine: “A Real Enemy”

Overview: Shun (Jacob Hopkins) and the rest of the gang face off against Ojori (Corpse Husband) of the Chiyoda tribe in a jaw-dropping game of XB.  

Our Take: Shun’s stand off with Ojori does not disappoint with various aspects of their match being an enjoyable fun ride throughout. 

Shun, by his very nature, is very casual and easygoing, differing so greatly from the intense energy given off by emo metal mask, Ojori. It makes for a great back and forth between the two as Shun revels in teasing and prodding his overconfidence feelings of dominance over other XB teams, while Ojori shows that he is just as formidable of an opponent as Minato Tribe’s fearless leader. Thankfully, there are incredible visuals to boot that help elevate their pitches and battles to the bases. What is less than stellar is that of Tenshin, the Emperor Palpatine to Ojori’s Darth Vader and founder/ruler of their tyrannical group, the Chiyoda Tribe.  He is very much a maniacal, over-the-top villain who spouts off about nothing more than him and his tribe’s supremacy, not matching the imposing nature or aesthetic flair of his disciple. 

The one puzzling element of the game is that while it proves to be an intensive match that leaves you guessing as to who will win, it ends with the loss of Shun and the tribe. It is not the loss that’s perplexing but how it is established in technically Shun being the victor in tagging Ojori with the baseball. Why is this never brought up or any intention from Shun to do so when he must shut down his team on account of Extreme Baseball rules? There is the lingering mystery of Shun’s health that plagued him during the game that made him vulnerable to Ojori, and how it will affect him and his playing ability moving forward.