English Dub Review: Onmyo Kaiten Re:Birth Verse “Don’t Give Up on the Future! I’ll Seize the Possibility I’ve Long Desired”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Seimei deduces the true nature of Takeru’s powers and how they are the key to unlocking the future.

Our Take:  

This really turned out to be one hell of a season, particularly regarding its second half.  With its shocking narrative twists and character motivations, Onmyo Kaiten has truly become one of the shows that delivered more than just another isekai show featuring mech battles.  But, of course, like the other isekai shows, Takeru’s journey through an alternate world, or worlds given the World Whittle, was fun while it lasted, as he and Seimei prepare for the ultimate clash against Tsukimiya.  Although their previous attempt to subdue her failed, that doesn’t mean they will give up easily.  Besides, Tsukimiya still deserves a massive ass-kicking after the stunt she pulled on Takeru.  

This resulted in a final battle that has Takeru confronting the source of Tsukimiya’s ability, as well as Takeru’s: The Great Time Bird.  Utilizing the powers from that seemingly impossible creature and inspired by his family’s mottos, Takeru faces the impossible odds of destroying the Time Bird and ensuring a brighter future for everyone.  Of course, that includes him being with Tsukimiya even though she betrayed him.  However, it also showcases the strive to help others instead of oneself, which helped Takeru in overcoming his formidable opponents.

Unsurprisingly, the season finale of Onmyo Kaiten features some of the thrills and closures we expect from an action-packed conclusion, accompanied by its animation and enjoyable action scenes.  However, the emotional heft that’s highlighted by the characters, including Seimei, was diminished by its rushed pacing and direction.  Despite its usual 23-minute length, the episode felt like it was fifteen minutes long, which might have been due to the entertainment value of the final showdown.  Regardless, this is a fairly satisfying conclusion to one of the biggest surprises of the isekai genre, though not enough to consider it a masterpiece.