English Dub Review: Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc. “Do You Like Barley Spice?”

Overview

While deregulation advocates plot their next scheme, Magilumiere defies all precedents by waiting to ambush an enormous, unclassified, and highly irregular Kaii before it emerges. Koshigaya, Akasaka, and Makino struggle on the field as the Kaii’s power escalates beyond all expectation while Nikoyama and Yamimori frantically work together on analysis and support from the operator’s chair.

Our Take

Picking up from the previous episode, Magilumiere finds itself facing an enormous and highly irregular Kaii while several groups continue moving pieces behind the scenes. Koshigaya, Akasaka, and Makino struggle to contain the creature as its power continues to escalate, forcing Nikoyama and Yamimori to work overtime from the operator’s chair. Meanwhile, Shigemoto reveals that Kamakura is behind the recent incidents and has prepared a special job to stop his scheme, while Koga admits he has been using Kamakura to prevent another disaster. With the Kaii now mutating beyond expectations, this battle is clearly going to be much tougher than anyone anticipated.

One of the more interesting parts of the episode is seeing Mei Tsuchiba show a surprisingly human side. As a member of AST, Magilumiere’s rival company, Mei is usually portrayed as extremely serious, professional, and almost robotic when it comes to her work. That’s what makes her encounter with Kana so meaningful, as the two bond over their shared love of the Barley Spice anime. Seeing Mei genuinely smile and open up about something she enjoys gives us a glimpse of the person underneath that rigid exterior, reminding us that she isn’t defined entirely by her job. It’s a small moment, but an important one, especially since we rarely get to see this side of her. Tsuchiba being unexpectedly sweet with Kana was easily one of the highlights of the episode.

Overall, this episode continues to strengthen the conspiracy surrounding the Kaii while setting up what could be one of Magilumiere’s most difficult battles yet. The creature’s mutations make it an increasingly dangerous threat, and with so many different groups pursuing their own agendas, things are bound to get even messier. Between the expanding conspiracy, the escalating fight, and Mei finally letting her guard down, there’s plenty to keep things interesting. And considering the Kaii just grew hands on its hands, it looks like Magilumiere is about to have its work cut out for it.