English Dub Review: Petals Of Reincarnation “The Way Of The Returner”
Overview:
The second episode of Petals of Reincarnation has dropped, “The Way of the Returner,” which sees Haitou and Touya meet other “Greats,” while exploring a bit of their own pasts.
Our Take:
Haitou and Touya are set to kill Gacy, an incarnation of the infamous serial killer, but with a clown motif. Kicking things right into motion, Touya even gets his assignment straight after waking up from the last episode’s events. Following this, Haitou hunts down Edward “Playfield Ghoul” Gein with the help of other “Greats,” including Newton and Einstein. A modern-day Florence Nightingale is also available for medical support.
Touya might be a newcomer, but most of the “Greats” seem to welcome him on board. The keyword here is “most,” however, as Ein is somewhat suspicious of his talent.
As the episode goes on, this won’t be the only character not thinking too highly of Touya. Upon returning to the apartment, he and Haitou encounter Kitazuka, a friend of Touya’s dead brother. One would expect this world of reincarnated heroes and villains would be a secret to the world, but Touya openly shows off his petals to his old acquaintance after some cruel prodding. Not only does Kitazuka know exactly what’s going on, he also berates Haitou and Touya for relying on the talents of past lives. Of course, after a confrontation with Haitou, it turns out he might be more involved than it seems.
This episode also explores a bit more about Haitou’s backstory. An orphan adopted by her kendo master, only to cripple him when her ambitions to get stronger got the better of her. She seeks to redeem herself as a Returner before returning home. This show might be surreal, but it still can have its emotional moments.
Ultimately, this series is really one for the history buffs. At the very least, some fans will likely want to look up who is who after, or even before, watching an episode.
Things are starting to get even more surreal from the first episode and that’s saying something. Obviously, the historical figures being designed as attractive anime characters is nothing new. While some changes here and there only being natural, even things like Einstein being a woman can be downright expected. That said, some viewers would likely be caught off guard at seeing Newton with an apple for a head.
