English Dub Review: Aoashi “Turn”

Overview: Under advice from Anri (Molly Zhang), Aoi (Ciaran Strange) picks up some tips from watching A team star player, Kuribayashi and later, Fukuda (Eric Vale) drops a devastating development on him regarding his position on the team should he progress. 

Our Take: Anri and Aoi’s chemistry is especially intriguing in how it differs from his and Hana’s in her being educated about the ins and outs of soccer, giving him pointers in watching Kuribayashi’s elusive playing style. Also Kaido’s subtle enthusiasm for him makes it wholesome. Soccer star, Kuribayashi, sets himself up as a badass player. There is also a nice similarity between him and Ashito in being an extremely prideful player while also contributing to the team when he can. It adds to his character in that it comes out of a place of fear, an insecurity of not going back to the bench and wanting to be a standout that makes him feel like a real person. 

Hana feels insecure about her role in Aoi’s life because of how little she knows of soccer, especially with Kaido and Aoi’s connection and how fast he is moving up. It plants the seeds for an emotional scene between her and Aoi that hopefully packs a punch in solidifying their friendship. With Fukuda coming to evaluate someone for the A team, it shows us how he can misunderstand just as easily as acclimate in just power kicking balls to everyone and their mother every which way. Nozomi also shows how much of a critical role he plays, not being overshadowed by Fukuda, in giving advice to Aoi on how to use ingenuous passes as a means of getting goals, which pays off in dividends for him and the team. 

Getting called to Fukuda’s office, it is a gratifying scene in Aoi’s heartfelt appreciation of all he has learned in a short amount of time because of him. Drama cuts it like a knife when the bombshell drops that Ashito will be a defender if he moves to the A team because of his watchful skills with his lack of sprint power and kicking drive is a factor in him not being a good forward long term. The ultimatum in either playing as a defender or leaving the team is a brutal one in leaving a difficult and painful issue in Aoi. How Ashito pushes through that challenge is where the interest lies moving forward.