English Dub Review: Liar Game “Caution”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Yokoya learns of Akiyama’s plot and begins his counter-strategy.

Our Take:
I still find it hard to believe this round took longer to finish than the others in earlier episodes.  At the same time, I can understand why the structure is intentional.  With Yokoya in the mix, the competition is heavily built on trust, loyalty, and strategy, not just who gets the most money.  Of course, from Yokoya’s perspective, it’s all about the matter of control and dominance, which has been the thorn in everyone’s backs since the game started, including his own teammates.  With the Contraband Game nearing its end, all bets are completely off as Yokoya responds to Akiyama’s new game plan with his own by having Bandana (Akagi) betray the Day team.  But, knowing Akiyama, he still knows how to read the room, retaining his role as the team’s valuable member.
“Caution” provides the same narrative motions as the previous episodes, with both teams countering each other’s strategies with their own.  The only difference is that it now focuses on the competition from the Night Team’s perspective instead of the Day Team, highlighting their own anxieties and speculations towards the opposing group.  With eight episodes in, it still feels like this competition is overstaying its welcome, with its repetition and convoluted plans, as I said in the last couple of episodes.  But it also remains one of the season’s highlights, thanks to the rivalry between Akiyama and Yokoya and their mind games.  Fortunately, it also shows that the game is finally done, and let me tell you.  It can’t get any more tense than when we first started.  Which team will come out on top after an exhausting 50 rounds?  Find out next week on the “Liar Game”!