Darwin's Game

Episode 8

It's time to finally end this convoluted in-game event once and for all. Prior to the opening credits roll, we finally learn that the reason Skeleton Sniper hates Wang so much is because he murdered his kid brother. As far as I remember, this is the only time this has been addressed and this harrowing bit of character motivation eats up about :30 of runtime before we're pushing into the next plot point. Darwin's Game never gives anything time to breathe and this episode is no exception.

Kaname continues to bluff the hell out of Wang about the location of the real treasure, making up a lie about the Diamond Code and how it led him to find the key he's holding. He finally throws it to Wang, reveals that it's just the key to his scooter, and quickly puts in the real Diamond Code into the more sophisticated digital locker screen. The treasure is revealed and the teleportation phase starts to pull the players out of the game. Go home everybody!

Everybody except Kaname who opens the box to discover a cell phone. The phone gives him a direct line to the maker of Darwin's Game who offers him some prizes, including big bucks for his clan and a wish. Kaname's first instinct (like any normal human being) is to wish to be removed from the game but the Game Master refuses. Kaname's only way out is to beat Darwin's Game (uh...can you beat ANY mobile game?) or kill the creator and destroy the system itself. Kaname instead thinks up a wish that should keep other players from joining but we won't find out exactly what that is until the next episode.

It's time for after party clean-up. Sui and Shuka spend some time lounging around nude while discussing the merits of real estate in the Minato-Shibuya area. No, really, Shuka is ready to charge her credits to buy a skyscraper to set up the Clan's base of operations. Rein is making is sure Suzune receives the life insurance policy her dad left her and promises to tell Suzune the truth if she really wants to know what happened to her dad. Kaname has skipped class for the last two months to train with the Dango Boxing Club, another Clan. The DBC is run by two Japanophile Russians and its namesake leader can destroy tanks with his fists. No, really.

Kaname has gotten swol in the last two months and he's ready to battle Dango in order to forge an alliance between the two clans. Skipping out on school has caught the attention of one of his classmates who heads to Kaname's apartment to check on him only to find himself face to face with Eighth. I'm actually not sure if that was supposed to be Wang or not; if it is he has an eyepatch now. Also: Shibuya is destroyed but everyone thinks it was mysterious terrorists (not really inaccurate, if you think about it).

For how long this arc lasted, this finale barely measured on the excitement scale. Kaname won through a bluff and the phone in the box was really anticlimactic. I'm expecting the boxing battle to last about an episode before start seeing more of Kaname's clan move in on taking out Eighth once and for all. I'll eat my hat if we get a full blown destruction of the Darwin's Game system in a single season.

Rating:

Darwin's Game is currently streaming on FUNimation.