Mayonaka Punch

Episode 6

We've got ourselves a softer episode this week. While not on the level of emotional vulnerability as Fu's episode, this one does give us a deeper and more serious look into another member of MayoPan, while also giving the overarching story a shot in the arm. If it's neither the funniest or sweetest episode of the show so far, "Ichiko's Wish" still strikes a good balance between the two.

For one, it's nice to learn more about Ichiko and how this collection of dumbass vampires came to be. Her backstory is pretty typical for vampire fiction – involuntarily turned and forced to abandon her human life and family – but it works with how matter-of-fact Ichiko is about it. She's had a hundred years to process what happened to her, and most importantly, she's found a new undead family with Live and the others. Her story has tragedy in it, but also a century of recovery that allows her to approach her past with a sense of peace. She does eventually have her crying breakdown, but it's over the threat of losing what she has now, and that makes it much more impactful.

Like with Fu's episode, I also appreciate Masaki inserting herself into the conflict without being asked. Sure, part of it is wanting to keep her Vampire YouTuber flophouse going, but I suspect she also takes action because she knows what it's like to lose a family you made for yourself. It's a welcome reminder that no matter how belligerent and dysfunctional this belfry is, they still care about each other, even if they don't always show it.

At the same time, this focus on sentiment means there are not a ton of strong jokes in this episode...or at least, that's what I was planning on writing until MayoPan walked out in church choir get-ups and played "Auld Lang Syne" on bells. That's a funny idea, but what really sells it is the stone-faced commitment the show delivers it with. It's obviously a bad idea from the get-go, and the moment we find out what they're doing, we know it's going to fail. Yet, in an astonishing bit of cringe comedy, Mayonaka Punch makes us watch the whole routine in its full, awkward glory. We see the girls' careful, deliberate, practiced motions as they put their all into a bad idea. We see them struggling to switch between bells, fully locked in, while Yuki and Masaki watch on in mortified silence. It's like watching realistically as a new boat owner accidentally floods their pickup truck while trying to back their trailer into the lake.

That brutally funny scene is enough to elevate this episode on its own, but what seals the deal is the Vampire Queen's stipulation on our girls. Previously, MayoPan had a goal but not much urgency. Now, they've got pressure and time weighing on their shoulders, and I expect that to make them a lot more desperate, which can only bode well for the show's comedy. It's a solid cap to a solid episode, but I suspect it'll be more important as this new dynamic pays dividends down the road.

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Mayonaka Punch is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.