English Dub Review: Hatena Illusion “Episode 2”

 

 

Overview (Spoilers Below)

A noise wakes Makoto in the middle of the night. Actually, it’s quite a few noises and they’re all very loud and obtrusive. Who in their right mind could sleep through that? So when he opens his eyes and sees a burglar coming into his room from the ceiling, the boy’s practically beside himself. And when he places his arms around her waist and pulls down on this scantily clad thief, he’s even more confused to see the infiltrator is Hatena—who already lives there.

The servants whisk him to the dining room where Hatena—or Kana or whatever she insists on being called—lets Makoto in on their entire family history. Much like the magic scarf around Kana’s neck, her mother Maeve can create magical artifacts—a dying trait passed down from her ancestors. Maeve’s family used to be the protectors of every last artifact made over many generations. However, against Maeve’s wishes, her family started to sell old artifacts to the highest bidders, and when she objected, they kicked her out of her ancestral home.

Nowadays, it is “Maeve the Master Thief’s” mission to collect all the artifacts—from her family and the potential villains who bought them—and replace each one with an identical but harmless object. This is why she’s absent from the mansion so often, and why she misses Kana’s middle school entrance ceremony even after promising to attend.

After agreeing to keep the family secret, Makoto turns his attention to starting the year at a brand new school. Sadly, Kana refuses to talk to or even be seen with him outside the mansion. Ema, the maid—who is also a student, albeit a few years older—agrees to show him around the school instead. He’s in the same class as Kana where meets a few new friends who might be important later. The most noticeable person he comes across, however, is actually one of Kana’s frenemies, a girl named Kokomi.

Kokomi comes from a very influential family, one who knew Makoto was going to be staying at the mansion, so Kana’s attempts to hide him when Kokomi makes a surprise visit are in vain. The strange girl shows up with her, even stranger and way more intense, bodyguard who is rough and tumble enough for the both of them. The reason Kokomi makes occasional surprise visits is because Mamoru once promised she could keep an artifact if she found one in the mansion and had a meaningful connection with it.

But no matter how much Kokomi digs, and regardless of how recklessly she tears about the house, she is unable to properly name or activate any seemingly mundane objects that are in fact, priceless artifacts.

 

Our Take

Last week, with Kana running around, pining after her mother, and practically speaking a different language with Yemeni, there was a whole bunch of mystery packaged in with our exposition. Makoto, our resident everyman, got a ton of half-information thrown at him all at once and nobody expected him to understand. This may have unnerved a portion of the audience. It’s hard to get into a brand new show without being aware of even the most basic rules.

While I didn’t mind, and even welcomed the cloak and dagger act, I see how such a high-level ruse could be an irritant for certain people. This week, however, the characters committed an even bigger offense by revealing the mystery to Makoto and the audience all at once. Hell, the boy hardly had time to chew. It was a classic data dump that removed more than ninety percent of the show’s intrigue. Luckily it looks as if there are a few more untapped mysteries brewing around the manor making this clumsy reveal a little less catastrophic. Just a little, though—precious information still shouldn’t be vomited out in such a manner.

Admittedly, I was surprised to find out that our matchmaking maid, Ema, was still in high school. When she has on her lacy maid clothes, she looks considerably younger than when she’s decked out in the school uniform. Then again, schoolgirl attire is meant to make one look all young and innocent, just ask your local pornographer. I’m fairly certain he or she will be delighted to share the secrets of the trade with you—for a price.

Welcome to the show, Ms. Kokomi. And oh my, what an interesting lady bodyguard you have there. You’re just rich, snobby, entitled, and dimwitted enough to act as our starter antagonist. While our characters will face bigger threats and more expansive villains as the show progresses, for now, you’ll do nicely. And if you’re ever ready for the big leagues—either you or your bodyguard; she’s got pluck—we’ll certainly consider you for the role. But at this time, it seems more likely that you’ll join us in our time of need, because deep down you’re a good person.