English Dub Review: Ninja vs. Gokudo “Part 4 Young Maniacs’ Death Game, Stage 1”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Shinoha and Kiwami mourn their fallen comrades, while Gamute sticks close to his Mommy.  Rage and a thirst for blood burn in them all.  Thanks to Shiki, Shinoha learns the secret of Gamute’s special ability, and his resolve hardens.  Amidst this, Shinoha runs into none other than Prime Minister Kanshichi Aida, who is visiting the Princess Store incognito.  The story takes a further turn.

Our Take:
The all-out war between the ninja and the gokudo was supposed to be an epic showdown for the ages.  A battle in which not all members of either side would make it out alive.  That’s apparently the case, narrative-wise, as Shinoha lost another ally close to him at the hands of Gamute.  As a result, Shinoha is hellbent on avenging Shiki by giving Gamute a piece of his mind.  However, the vocal direction and execution made this “thrilling” saga into a complete joke, and not a funny one.  But, it looks like we may have another upcoming showdown that could turn the tide of their never-ending struggle, especially since Gamute may have uncovered what Kiwami and Shinoha have been up to.
This is due to Shinoha winning the Prime Minister’s Award for his book report on the Flash Princess anime.  Unfortunately, the ceremony at the Prime Minister’s residence would turn into another stage for their bloody confrontation rather than a joyous event.  At the very least, the episode hearkens back to the show’s earlier episodes, with Shinoha and Kiwami briefly discussing their favorite anime, which was then followed by Shinoha making an unexpected friend from the Prime Minister himself.  But even with that, its familiar flaws still leave a massive stain on the anime adaptation, both in vocal performances and weak premise.  Of course, thanks to this episode, I will also include Gamute in my list of things I didn’t enjoy regarding his irritating voice.  It’s no wonder Shinoha wants to kill that brat so badly.