English Dub Review: Darwin’s Game “Heads Up”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

One month has passed since the conclusion of the Treasure Hunt Game, and Kaname has formed his own clan (the Sunset Ravens) and is undergoing training at Danjo Boxing Club. Danjo challenges Kaname to an anything goes Vale Tudo style match to gauge his training progress and to decide if he is a worthy partner to form an alliance, but the match is interrupted by the arrival of Liu Xuelan.

The number one ranked player in D-game, Xuelan kidnaps Kaname in order to make him her successor as an assassin. But he won’t take that lying down, and neither will the rest of his teammates in the Sunset Ravens. They mount a rescue mission, and it ends with Kaname’s return to the team – as well as Xuelan joining it.

Our Take:

This ninth episode of Darwin’s Game is a fun and entertaining romp filled with flashy battles and a surprisingly interested cast of characters. Liu is ruthless, but has honor of her own, and she’s a dynamic addition to the team. Kaname’s battle of both mind and body with her makes for exciting viewing, and by the end of Heads Up, I was curious to know what’s coming next.

The episode begins with Kaname’s match against Danjo the boxing club ringleader. Their fight is brief, but it’s still fascinating to watch how our protagonist stacks up against a top ranked player in D-game. Danjo’s strength is limitless it seems, but I liked that the show doesn’t make him out to be just a brainless muscle. He’s got strategy to, shown in the fact that he doesn’t reveal his Sigil right away, but waits until Kaname’s played all his cards before showing his own hand. Their battle is heated, but never really malicious, and even before its untimely end, Danjo declares he will become allies.

That’s when Liu Xuelan breaks in and ends the party. Her sudden appearance is questioned by Shuka, which just shows how attached she’s become to Kaname. Ryuji and Rein insist they couldn’t have stopped her, and that Danjo wasn’t involved in a setup. Despite Liu being the number one ranked player in D-game, Shuka has no qualms in going after them, and the rest of the group is in too. The way they’ve come together and formed a little family is cute. I especially loved Rein’s confusion at their clan name of the Sunset Ravens, and everyone having their own personal explanations for why it makes sense.

Kaname states that he’s “full of fun surprises” near the start of this episode, and I have to say it rings true for both Kaname and Darwin’s Game itself. While getting stuck in a virtual app world filled with superpowered people fighting is definitely not the most original idea on its own, the series has brought together an enjoyable cast that I already care about after only a single episode. And now with Liu joining the mix, it’s going to be a crazy next few episodes for sure!