English Dub Review: Dekin no Mogura: The Earthbound Mole “The Merfolk”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Yaeko invites Mogura and the others to visit her hometown during its merfolk festival.

Our Take:
Following our lovely visit with the Nekozuku family, we now head on over to the gang’s latest mission, which seems to be a bit more personal compared to others.  This week’s episode has Mogura and the others heading over to Yaeko’s hometown on a small island to attend a merfolk festival for Magi’s culture project.  So, we’re assuming that we’re going to be a part of the merfolk’s world for the next couple of episodes.  However, that’s not the only reason they’re taking this trip, as Yaeko’s great-grandfather from Mogura’s past is still alive, prompting her to have Mogura tag along to reunite with him.
Regarding this development, we’d assume that we would get something interesting out of Mogura’s connection with Yaeko’s grandfather.  However, given how the series handled the sibling bonds near the tail end of the first half, I wasn’t expecting much out of this episode, and it managed to prove me right.  But again, I haven’t read the source material beforehand, so that might still be the reason for my continued disinterest in the show.  This is evident when Yaeko’s grandfather doesn’t even recognize Mogura during a visit with Yaeko’s family and the merfolk festival.  However, the real situation unfolds when they encounter a grieving merfolk spirit residing near the island and Yaeko’s friend, Mori, who appears to be acting quite strangely.
Regarding the episode count, “The Merfolk” seems to mark the final ghostly mission we’ll be encountering this season.  Considering that everyone from the previous episodes tagged along, including Shio and the Nekozuku family, this arc offers an opportunity to offer something enticing to close out the season.  Unfortunately, “The Merfolk” wasn’t the best way to kick off the final few episodes regarding its clunky pacing, underwhelming direction, and tiring humor.  Although the animation’s art design is still making a splash, it failed to prevent me from swimming away from the island.