English Dub Review: Onmyo Kaiten Re:Birth Verse “Don’t Get Used to Being Alone! Takeru’s First Centennial Pandemonium!”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Seimei plans to put Takeru’s explosive but unpredictable power to use in the upcoming Centennial Pandemonium.

Our Take:
Takeru has finally awakened his immense power, though I don’t think it’s worth celebrating, as it appears to be more dangerous than we initially assumed.  Although Seimei managed to subdue the wrath of that said power, there’s still the matter of what it was and how to control it.  But, from Seimei’s perspective, it’s also seen as an opportunity for Takeru to enter his first Centennial Pandemonium.  To explain this briefly with the best of my capabilities, the Centennial Pandemonium is a special type of showdown in which a team of two “five-stars” form a giant shikigami to battle against the oni god.  Of course, for this occasion, Seimei chose Takeru and Atsunaga to be the “five stars” of the Onmyo crew, although this specific confrontation isn’t anything like the previous ones.
While the episode provided a glimpse into the Centennial Pandemonium’s purpose, it also delved deeper into Takeru’s background during his date with Tsukimiya.  It’s revealed that Takeru is an orphan whose parents died when he was young, and he is treated like an outcast by everyone.  He does survive by relying on his parents’ mottos, including not to get used to being alone.  More importantly, it further emphasized Takeru as a person beyond his “tough delinquent” persona, as he was driven by a sense of loneliness, which prompted his decision to stay in Denji Heian-kyo.  That choice would’ve been his last if it weren’t for his mysterious do-over ability, though I can’t say it’s good news for Takeru.
The episode managed to pick itself back up following last week’s episode.  It’s not just due to it revisiting the “Edge of Tomorrow” concept introduced in the first episode and Ethan Connor Condon’s voice work as Takeru.  I’m also referring to the animation that continues to be mildly impressive without resorting to its cheapness.  Tsukimiya’s dance and the Centennial Pandemonium were examples that exemplified the animators’ efforts in providing a style worthy of the show’s isekai/mecha battle narrative.  Even if it falls below the heights of those like Demon Slayer, I would admit that the presentation has kept me hooked for that long.