How to keep a mummy

Episode 11

I didn't expect How to keep a mummy to spend its penultimate episode world-building, but suddenly Mii-kun's world became vaster than I ever imagined. Just a few episodes ago, these supernatural creatures existed only in rare moments glimpsed by a chosen few. Now we learn that there are humanoid creatures with their own culture and customs and festivals. The genre has shifted from feel-good mummy-cuddling to high stakes supernatural adventure, and while it's certainly fascinating to watch, it doesn't feel like I'm watching the same show as before.

It's surprising enough when a classmate snaps a cell phone photo of an injured Inugami puppy, but the thing that really catches Sora's attention is Tazuki's insistence that they go search for it. Something has shifted in Tazuki since the episode where Conny went missing, and while Tazuki did confess everything to Conny, he hasn't told the whole story to Sora yet. It leads to a sort of non-fight in which the pair clearly isn't on the same page, but they're not willing to talk to each other about it yet. Sora can't sleep and Daichi even asks him what's up between him and Tazuki, so it frustrates me that they don't talk it out until things get to the boiling point later on.

Meanwhile, as the gang investigates Bachiyama, it occurs to me that if How to keep a mummy wasn't wrapping up next week, this might become a “Monster of the Week” supernatural series. I love this kind of story, popularized most by Natsume's Book of Friends, but it feels like a predictable direction for this initially unusual story to go in. Mii-kun is increasingly out of place among a cast of traditional Japanese mythical creatures, and the hostile forces at play in the form of supernatural animal poachers are at odds with the pets' healing vibes. It feels almost like a zealous editor pushed this story to deliver more action and excitement, and as it struggles to be everything to everyone, it threatens to lose its soul in the process. It's not that I don't like this kind of supernatural action story, but I never expected the cute mummy show to end up in this position.

After a creepy moment in which the mountain takes on a new form at sunset, Sora and his friends navigate danger and intrigue among the forest denizens. Previously, the creatures we've seen have been cutesy enough to be kept as pets. Now the oni we meet are humanoid, wearing clothes, carrying on conversations, and posing an actual threat to our heroes. It brings up a lot of uncomfortable questions about whether it's ethical to keep supernatural creatures as pets—how many years are left until Conny looks like Yamada-san? Still, these characters are nothing more than inconsistent background plot devices, excessively forceful with Sora when necessary for the story yet ineffective with an actual antagonist for the same reasons. Yamada-san is really just here to provide invitations and information about the Inugami (actually a pair named Aa and Uun). The Inugami also turn out to be a simple opportunity for Tazuki and Sora to talk about their problems.

So much happens in this episode, with one thing leading to another in a way that realizes the enormity of this alternate universe with details I never expected to get. It's interesting to be sure, but it occurs so late in the game that instead of marking new growth in the story of How to keep a mummy, it feels like a strange tonal shift right before the conclusion.

Rating: B

How to keep a mummy is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Lauren writes about geek careers at Otaku Journalist.