English Dub Review: Space Battleship Tiramisu “Lost Memory/Tragedy in the Liquid Room”

I’m not a fan of that awkwardly long title, but the episode is even worse.

Sadly, my concern that the cliffhanger from “Holy Night Scramble/Dim Memory” would give Space Battleship Tiramisu an identity crisis has come true. This week’s installment simply doesn’t feel like the same show, instead offering a relatively straightforward sci-fi narrative that fails to justify its own existence. Subaru’s brother Isuzu receives a semi-proper introduction, although, it seems as though the writers are deliberately withholding some information so that it can be drawn out over several episodes. There’s nothing wrong with constructing an elaborate story that needs to be told in multiple parts, but in my opinion, that’s not what’s happening here. As a result, “Tragedy in the Liquid Room” feels sluggish and weighed down by exposition that clearly isn’t providing the whole picture, making for tedious viewing. This radical shift in tone might be excusable if the new direction were original or intriguing; the bland plot about Subaru being the savior of the universe is neither. It’s entirely possible that my lack of interest is due once again to the show not yet revealing essential details (indeed, given my discussion of Isuzu from earlier, it seems likely), however, the writers should’ve realized that a lack of explanation or stakes is destined to piss off dedicated audiences.

There are occasional glimpses of what Space Battleship Tiramisu has been in the past, for instance, the entire sequence involving Isuzu’s misplaced keys was hilarious. Meanwhile, I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned what a great job the show’s translators do, but the overall disappointment of this week made the brilliance of domesticated lines like “fat guy floaties” stand out.

One bad episode doesn’t mean that it’s time to give up on Space Battleship Tiramisu. Indeed, the brief moments of humor in “Lost Memory/Tragedy in the Liquid Room” at least resembled the show’s typically absurd style. However, the Isuzu storyline doesn’t seem to be anywhere near its conclusion yet, so it might be a while before a true return to form.

Score
3/10