English Dub Review: Aoashi: “Like A Demon”

Overview: Esperion and Musashino exchange blows making for an intense match as Tachibana (Clifford Chapin) gets his confidence back.

Our Take: Doubling down on their aggressive strategy is an unexpectedly smart shift, especially when most would turn tail on the tactic the minute things get dicey. It does allow for Tachibana to step up, making a comeback that both him and the team needed that is so damn uplifting. Being behind the curve from the get-go in never scoring a goal and always struggling, makes his comeback all the more inspiring. It also evokes an emotional moment in showing respect for Nozomi for believing in him. Tachibana does a great job of illustrating why he respects Aoi too and not for a contrived reason to fit the protagonist into his narrative either. Soichiro’s unlocked potential is also a smart element in his mental state being the main deterrent for his poor playing. It’s sensible reasoning for how he has become so proficient so suddenly in his teammates and coach always aware of his true skill. Also, from a stylistic point of view, his upside down goal has a slick, aggressively flashy look that is beyond badass. 

However, Musashino is a bulldozing hurricane in turning their strategy against them, using it to score and getting the point advantage. Musashino’s coach, Satake, proves how much of a genius he is and force to be reckoned he is in recognizing Aoi’s amazing sight and thinking up an ingenious countermeasure. The game has constructed an exciting pace with each team having gotten their licks in, establishing a dominating foothold thus far with Kaneda narrowly missing the score and how going for shots is consuming him in causing not to care about Kanpei’s injury that he inadvertently caused. How Aoi views makes for an impactful and momentous occasion in it dictating what his role on Esperion will be. With Fukada and Hana watching on, it will be interesting if Aoi can rally the team together, with the coach believing him to be the only one capable of doing so.