English Dub Review: Hinamatsuri “And It’s The Same Old Hina”

“Somewhere along the way, I guess she grew up.”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

When the Chief of Security arrives on the scene, Anzu is understandably freaked-out. To her relief, she’s only there to secure Hina, but is nervous about how much damage the small, yet extremely powerful, child could cause. After tailing her around the city, it becomes clear that Hina is no longer a threat to anyone. (At least, unless she chooses to be.) But just when the entire premise of the series is about to come to an end, Hina is saved by Nitta’s temper – he threw her only way home into the garbage in a fit of anger.

Our Take:

All in all, this was a pretty good episode of Hinamatsuri. Over the past weeks, it’s become clear that Hinamatsuri is a show that can be whatever it wants to be, really. Super-powered battles or wacky school hijinks? Why not both! This type of chaos has the potential to become unfocused and too scattershot, but luckily, the series avoids this fate by firmly grounding everything in genuinely human terms revolving around a father and daughter-like bond.

The main portion of And It’s The Same Old Hina is spent on the Chief of Security’s arrival. I was curious to see what her appearance would do to the show and if it would signal a change into a more serious, plot-driven narrative. Nope! It turns out, even the people who keep telekinetic kids locked up are kind of kooky in this universe. Or the underlings they send out on retrieval missions are, anyway. I just loved this line: “We leave in three days. First, I have to find a home for a stray puppy.” The Chief of Security is very funny and sweet and I just want to take a moment to appreciate her concern for the puppy she obtained solely to use as a trap for Hina.

Speaking of Hina, this episode was definitely a super showcase for her new persona. It’s rewarding to see the shock on her former handlers face as she learns how much of a good person Hina has become under Nitta’s tutelage. (Which is odd, considering he’s a member of the criminal underworld?) From greeting old friends on the streets to set up an umbrella for the tiny puppy, Hina has learned to use her heart to help those around her. And she even obeys traffic signals! The final part of the episode was a highlight for sure. It honestly felt like it could serve as the series finale – that’s how sweet and dramatic it was. Her inability to even tell Nitta she’s leaving made me feel things, and then her ironic shirts (‘bye bye’ and ‘sayonara’) made me bust out laughing. This show really does strike an excellent balance between comedy and heartstring-tugging.

This episode was excellent, but that doesn’t mean it was a perfect ten. The entire plot with Hina’s obsessed school chum ‘Mami’ was, to me, entirely disposable. It didn’t serve any purpose story-wise, feeling like it could have fit in during any of the previous episodes, and it isn’t up to the standards of the show’s usually top-notch jokes. Mami’s kinetic insanity is sweetly silly (and the lengths her English VA goes to sell her utter belief in her powers are wonderful) but the whole thing gets old quick, and there isn’t much to the bit beyond her obliviousness. In regards to Hina and Nitta’s farewell, I’m not sure I’m in love with the resolution. The rapid-fire cancellation of her departure may mesh with the show’s style alright, but it still can’t help but come across as a bit underwritten. Why can the Chief of Security get to Hina, but Hina can’t get back with her? Can’t the Chief just bring another orb from the base or something?

The eighth episode of Hinamatsuri introduced a fun new character and a somewhat less fun new character. It showed off how much Hina and Nitta have grown through their shared relationship. And it continued to provide plenty of laughs for viewers in need of a chuckle. Now that the requisite tear-ridden fake farewell is out of the way, I’m only more interested about what future episodes will hold for our freaky-powered friends.