Overview (Spoilers Below):
Momo’s childhood friend Jiji has come to stay with the Ayases. He explains that he needs Seiko’s help with some strange phenomena at his house.
Our Take:
Another contestant has entered the romance competition in this week’s episode, and he’s named after the cat from Kiki’s Delivery Service. Yes, I’m talking about the same guy who teased Momo over her grandmother’s rituals when they were young. But before then, Jin Enjoji, or “Jiji”, used to be Momo’s first crush, which unsurprisingly doesn’t sit well for Okarun based on the previous episode’s conclusion. So why did Jiji make this surprise visit to the Ayase residence? Well, it’s due to his house being haunted by a seemingly powerful spirit that resulted in the hospitalization of his parents, so he needed to find a place to stay. Since he and Momo used to be close, what better place to reside than at the same residence where Jiji teased Momo as a kid?
This episode showcased what we should expect from Jiji regarding his joining this dysfunctional gang of yokai and alien hunters. Personality-wise, Jiji is seen as a childish and eccentric teen hidden underneath his attractive jock appeal, which could’ve been another irritating factor if it weren’t for the show’s self-awareness and Aleks Le’s energetic performance. It also sheds light on Okarun’s fears about Momo not hanging around with him anymore because he thinks she may fall back in love with Jiji. Fortunately, thanks to the pursuit of a jogging mannequin-like yokai, Okarun may have found the courage to fight to keep his friendship with Momo intact. Regarding the mannequin chase sequence, it’s not as visually impressive as the fourth episode. However, it was still a delightful scene due to the animation and Kensuke Ushio’s score, especially the William Tell Overture remix.