English Dub Review: Tribe Nine: “Declaration of War”

Overview: With Ojori (Corpse Husband) having usurped the role of Chiyoda’s leader from Tenshin (Michael Sorich), he enacts dangerous new XB laws and challenges Minato to a game, which they struggle to come to terms with.

Our Take: Ojori, having killed the old prune, Tenshin, is now in power in Neo Tokyo. He enacts rules that allow any and all types of violence in XB matches. This in turn, allows the crazies to come out of the woodwork, with it feeling almost like Neo-Gotham, the futuristic Gotham City seen in Batman Beyond. However, the city shift feels a bit one-dimensional, in how maniacal assault and murder in XB games is treated as almost everyone’s favorite pass time. Not to mention, Ojori and the Chiyoda Tribe as a whole being the reigning government of the city is an odd development considering it is never deeply delved into or even stated, if memory serves, that they are the law. It feels the stakes needed a shot in the heart and this was the quickest way of doing so, albeit the sloppiest. 

Of course, the tribe really not hacking the Chiyoda Tribe’s supremacy is Minato. When Chiyoda demands a game with them, it challenges their beliefs in the sanctity of the game and the free will it represents between competing XB teams. It is a compelling issue that truly challenges them and is given a wholesome resolution in the team eventually coming together to take on Chiyoda to save the fun, purity of XB, the sport that Shun loved. It also brings with it the cheesy yet endearing humor and heart amongst the team that series had in spades before.