English Dub Review: Onmyo Kaiten Re:Birth Verse “Don’t Just Focus on What You Can See! Yura’s Wavering Feelings”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

When Takeru proves to be a good battle partner for Atsunaga, Yura has some difficult decisions to make.

Our Take:

Well, the good news is that Takeru didn’t die in battle again, although it did result in his joining the crew as Atsunaga’s battle partner.  However, Yura didn’t seem too thrilled with the new recruit, given her distrust of Takeru’s carelessness.  But as it turns out, it’s not just her jealousy that’s holding her back, but also her personal feelings towards Atsunaga.  Amid her duel against Takeru, the episode reveals that Yura wants to be recognized by Atsunaga through her determination and top-class skills.  Of course, with Takeru being Atsunaga’s partner, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for her to do so, especially since she struggles to share her wavering feelings personally.  That is, until Takeru’s family advice and the return of the oni that killed him helped her put more trust in the outsider.

This episode strived to further develop its supporting characters amid the mech battles against the mysterious oni, with Yura being the notable example.  She’s essentially a typical rough-around-the-edges character who hides her emotions behind a tough persona, but to Ezra Vervin’s credit, she did a suitable job conveying that personality well.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t help but notice that the lack of sound mixing in the action scenes has become more noticeable.  It was the same issue I experienced with I Left My A-Rank Party, and now that show seems to have contaminated Onmyo Kaiten.  The action is still fine to watch regarding the animation, but the lack of sound in its impacts just drives me up the wall.  Hopefully, the next episode will be aware of this issue, especially when Takeru’s newfound power is starting to overwhelm him.