Mayonaka Punch

Episode 11

This is a penultimate anime episode that, by-and-large, does penultimate anime episode things. That means it's mostly setup for what's to come with the finale – upping the stakes, setting the stage for the gang's last live stream, all that good stuff. It largely does it well, but that's just not all that interesting to talk about, especially when the mysteries around Live's past aren't going to be openly explored until next week. So instead, I wanted to focus on the first half of this episode, and how well it exemplifies the way Mayanaka Punch really understands the mechanics of online connection in a way I haven't seen before in anime.

It happens when Masaki, having finally snapped under the pressure of a million (or what feels like a million) negative comments has fled to an onsen in the countryside. Trying desperately to detox from the internet, she can't help but notice every phone screen around her – including a nearby teenager who just so happens to be a Hyped-Up Sisters fan. She recognizes Masaki. Masaki recognizes her recognition, and every nerve in our heroine's brain is bracing for a fight...only for the girl to freak out and ask for a selfie. Masaki's baffled that all she can do is yell at thin air before going to drink her problems away, and it could be tempting to do the same; just chalk it up to a two-faced teenager who defaulted to fanish adoration when meeting somebody she badmouthed online.

Except...like, did she badmouth Masaki? Sure, here comments could be a bit rude, but I've seen people say far worse to e-celebs they love on Twitter, all under a mistaken sense of jovial ribbing that we sometimes share with our friends. I'm sure to this girl, her jokes about Masaki reusing ideas or throwing haymakers is all in good fun, and she sees herself as part of Masaki's support base. Yet the anonymity of the internet totally strips that intent and context until, to Masaki, this is another faceless and ruthless hater ready to throw her to the wolves for what she's done. These two's interactions didn't need to be negative, but through the collective asymmetry of social media it became one.

It's a small thing at first, until you realize that level of social calculus is going into every single interaction Masaki has with anyone who has a phone. Then it becomes quietly the most incisive portrayal of modern interaction I've seen from an anime. Combined with the rest of Masaki's breakdown, it paints a powerful picture of how this kind of pressure can amass, and not even entirely off of bad actors or “haters” or whatever. I have no idea if this is the final word Mayonaka Punch has on the internet as a whole – the final episode seems entirely poised to resolve the Vampire half of the premise, which is fitting enough. If it is, it's a fine one to go out on, and if not, I hope its last word is as striking as this one was.

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Mayonaka Punch is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.