English Dub Review: Engage Kiss: “High Hopes for the Worst Case”

Overview: Shu (Howard Wang) begins to lose himself even more as he commits to finding his sister, Kanna (Lisa Reimold), as Ayano (Suzie Yeung) struggles with his fading memory of her while helping alongside him. Kisara (Kayli Mills) and Sharon (Anairis Quinones) work together to get to Kanna before Shu does and help without him getting involved. 

Our Take:  Osmadius’ body hopping over a hundred years solves the mystery of Shu’s mother and also explains why she went after his father in keeping him from getting in her way. Hopefully, Shu’s mom is characterized more in-depth than just a demon’s puppet later on. It also interestingly distinguishes Shu’s fully human heritage from his half-demon sister, Kanna, in Osmadius’ lack of regard for him during the fateful explosion that killed his father. 

Shu’s memory loss continues to be a disheartening deterioration in him barely remembering Ayano. It is a brutal and heartbreaking ordeal in it tearing her apart. It also makes for a weighty inner turmoil for Kisara which nicely informs her decision to go with Sharon to the island where Kanna is located, after discerning a pattern of previous demon rituals. It is brilliantly brought to life with Kayli Mills’ grief stricken performance and the characters body language. 

Ayano finds out the government has been covering up Shu’s sister’s location, getting the info out of Linhau. It creates a nice moment of genuine friendship in alleviating her worries over her friend’s true allegiance. We have not got many scenes with them, but for what has been given, they have a sweet bond in their upfront nature and how funnily blunt it can be, in this case, with Ayano’s quick transition after holding her at gunpoint. It is also sweet in how much he is willing to do for Shu, making for a compassionate show of love. 

Mikhail, trying to arrest Ayano, using an outdated, faulty space laser, creates a tense albeit absurdly constructed race against the clock for everyone as she and Shu also make their way to the island. Adding to that nail-biting countdown is Sharon and Kisara differing opinions on how to handle Kanna. That, of which, is interrupted by Osmandius’ in a handsy demonic airborne battle that is visually gripping in all the slick dashing limbs and dodges throughout. With Kisara not willing to sacrifice more of Shu’s memory, especially as he does not remember his own mother, Kanna unleashing a devastating blow kicks off the start to an intense fight.