To think, at the beginning of this season, I despised Pop Team Epic. The nonesensical nature of this sketch show was just too out there for me. Twelve episodes later, and I am coming around to enjoying what Pop Team Epic has to offer. It’s not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. However, I’ve enjoyed more than I didn’t.
And that leads us to the final episode of season two. In a callback to the first episode of the season, we get a return of the “Endless Love” sketch, except expanded upon a lot. Shouta Aoi is back, in an even more convoluted plot. Let me take this opportunity to fix something from the review of “Identity.” I thoughy that Shouta was Pipimi, and the shorter hair woman was Popuko. This is what happens when you get yourself more educated.
What I love about the “Endless Love” skit, is that they do not shy away from the campy Godzilla-esque dub. And just like in the first episode, I’m all for it. However, “Endless Love” brings a Tokusentai feel to it, with Aoi transforming just like a Sentai Squad member. “Endless Love” just hits every weeb fandom I’m in. The fact that this isn’t animated just brings more dynamic elements into Pop Team Epic, and will cause the bar to get raised higher than ever.
Once Shouta gets her groove back, the show cuts right to a “Bob Epic Team” sketch, and I’m fucking screaming. This “Bob Epic Team” sketch was another 30 seconds of nonsense, this time being about a weather forecast. Next, we get a song and dance titled “The Pop-Out-Your-Spinal-Cord Dance”, which was animated with either actual plushies and stop motion animation, or the CG department went ham on it. The entire sequence is fucking on acid, but I dug it. The animation was really crisp. An the song is a lot more violent than the cheery tone will let on.
After the “The Pop-Out-Your-Spinal-Cord Dance”, we’re treated to the second half of “Endless Love”! The Time Force guy got wrecked by Ishikawa and his goons. But Shouta shows up just in time to save him. And just like with any big ending to a Tokusatsu season, everything converges on one point. Shouta manages to reverse the deletion of all of the alternate timelines with this new power.
The special effects in “Endless Love” is really insane. the CG for Ishikawa and Shouta’s powers are on par with anything you’d see in your weekly Tokusatsu show. The final nod to the Toku shows was Shouta’s motiation, which was “so everyone can smile!” Yeah, that’s outlandish. Speaking of, we then get the finale of “Endless Love,” which is the Multiverse of Madness looking Pipimi and Popuko variant parade that shows up to protect Shouta. What even is life right now? The animation for the Popukos and Pipimis are at a literal minumum, but that’s what makes this finale fun.
Overall, the outlandishness of “Endless Love” is its most endearing trait. If you’re a fan of campy overdubs like Godzilla, or Tokusatsu shows like Power Rangers, this episode will be right up your alley. I was hooked from the first scene, and was honestly pissed when the skit took a break for a “Bob Epic Team” skit. My enjoyment for “Endless Love” was close to how impressed I was with “Rising Hell ~The Hellshake Arrow~.” I am a sucker for a break from the status quo, and “Endless Love” hit it out of the park. Easily a top two episode, and Pop Team Epic ended on a god damn banger.