English Dub Review: Listeners “Teen Spirit / Teen Spirit”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

After leaving Bilin with a plan to track down information on Jimi Stonefree, Echo and Mu find their first clue when they stop at Freak Scene Academy. It’s an historic school where Players go to train, and the head mistress has a file on Jimi that they need to read. Only, they have to do a favor for her first.

Our Take:

The fourth episode of Listeners is good. Maybe even really good. After the last two weeks went downhill from the initial fun of the premiere, Teen Spirit is an episode filled with the kind of wacky fun that Listeners excels at. It’s got jokes, mystery, and even a little bit of battling. But maybe the best part about it is how it lets Echo win the fight with friendship.

I wasn’t sure what to expect after Bilin sent the kids on a quest across the globe, but the Freak Scene Academy is pretty much the coolest place they could’ve gotten assigned to visit. Not only does it allow for plenty of cute scenes with Echo and Mu, and he tries to fit in and she tries to stand out (to the boys, that is), but it even gives us more background into the Players, and a differing view of their usefulness. Hole and Nir don’t see being a Player as a good thing. Society condemns them to fight the Earless until they die alone and unloved, and it’s interesting to get that perspective on things.

I was totally expecting the student president to turn out to be the villain. His name is Hole, after all. But I didn’t anticipate how Nir’s participation would play into things. It’s a sad but realistic situation in which Hole takes advantage of a girl who’s already down on her luck. That’s why it was so cool to see how Echo didn’t give up on her even after she started attacking Mu. The Teen Spirit is a powerful drug, but it affects the mind in bad ways, and Echo’s struggle to get through to Nir paid off. I’m sad to see her fly off in the moon, but hopefully she’ll make a return when they need a hand.

This week’s dub had some great comedic moments, like when Echo was so excited about the school, only for Mu to comment: “Yeah, so cool.” And then, under her breath, “Like a prison for kids.” It’s funny, but also made how excited she got later on to attend feel a little off. Then when Nir says just saying hi to Echo would’ve been too embarrassing, but somehow tailing him around like a stalker was better, that got a laugh out of me.

From the school setting to the unique supporting cast introduced in Teen Spirit, this episode was a return to form of sorts for the show. The past few episodes have felt a bit too formulaic and boring, but I think Listeners really stands out when it goes off the rails, and this week, it certainly did. I mean, who knew math could be fun?