Megalobox

Episode 8

Nanbu is a gambler at heart, and in “Deadline of the Dream”, he makes the biggest and riskiest play we've yet seen in the series. Having learned that Mikio calling out Team Nowhere was essentially a bluff, Nanbu manages to get some one-on-one time with Yukiko, and he lays everything out on the table. The match was fixed, Mikio is threatening to unearth some dangerous information about the team, and Joe's lack of Gear makes him perhaps the only fighter who can take on Mikio's AI-enhanced rig. Nanbu even ups the ante once Yukiko turns her nose up at the team, telling her that if she refuses to give Joe another shot at Megalonia, he'll just have to go public with the information, which might mean the end of Team Nowhere, but the blow to Shirato's public image could be equally fatal. It's the kind of desperate haymaker that you might expect Joe to throw when his back is against the wall, but if MEGALOBOX has proven anything in recent episodes, it's that there are more ways to fight than with just your fists.

What impresses me the most about “Deadline of the Dream” is just how engaging it manages to make its action-lite exploration of the politics and culture surrounding Megalo Boxing and Megalonia, which easily could have taken the wind out of MEGALOBOX's sails. Last week definitely felt less immediate until its knockout final scene, but “Deadline of the Dream” perfectly captures Team Nowhere's mad scramble for any way back into the spotlight, lest Nanbu and Joe (and maybe even Sachio!) get turned into soup by The Very Serious Mob Boss. (I know he has a name, but this is just how I refer to him in my notes.) There's an almost noir-like feel to the way the episode flashes back and forth between the team investigating Mikio's hyper-advanced gear and scrounging up some kind of comeback plan. Nanbu and Sachio both get some excellent moments this week on account of Joe not being able to punch their way to victory; their dynamic is simple, but it's impossible to deny just how effective their brain, brawn, and heart roles play off one another.

We also get more of Yukiko and Mikio's family feud, and while it's definitely not as intrinsically bombastic as watching Joe knock out Big Men with Robot Arms, there is a certain manner of satisfying character work going on between the two siblings that I appreciate more as time passes. When the series first began, I figured Yukiko might just end up as the enigmatic and improbable love interest for Joe, but the series has done something much more subtle and interesting with her. I'm not usually one for stories revolving around corporate power-plays and inner-dynastic feuds, but even I have to admit that it's interesting to watch Yukiko try to maintain her place as the head of her family's company while her brother does everything he can to destroy her.

Late in the episode, when she finally takes on Joe's request to admit the team back into Megalonia, Yukiko even gets one of the most drop-dead badass lines of the whole series so far. Turning to face her irritated brother, she tells him: “I finally understand why I was chosen as Grandfather's successor. It's because I make the rules.” Given that Yukiko has only come into her own as a character in these last two episodes, it's a testament to MEGALOBOX's astounding economy of style and its masterful handling of more predictable story beats. Almost every facet of MEGALOBOX's narrative and character development choices could have been unbearably cheesy and rote in the hands of a lesser creative team, but Yō Moriyama and the MEGALOBOX crew have used the show's familiar base as a strength instead of a weakness. Whenever I fear that MEGALOBOX might be running out of fresh ways to spin old ideas, an episode like “Deadline of the Dream” comes along to create thrilling and propulsive drama, and the only thing Joe even hits this week is one of his punching bags.

I've noticed complaints from some viewers that Joe is a static character who hasn't earned the drama and stakes the narrative presents him with. While I can see that argument in a certain light, I've always taken Joe's stalwart characterization as a strength. He is learning lessons and growing as the series plays out, but the fact that his goals and attitude remain steady is precisely what makes him such an imposing fighter. He knows what he wants, and he'll stop at nothing to get it, even if it means driving his beat-up motorbike onto the stairs of Megalonia's stadium and demanding another opportunity from Yukiko herself, right as she's presenting her brother with the final ticket into the tournament. For the first time in MEGALOBOX's run, she looks at Joe, instead of looking down on him. For the first time, she recognizes the spirit and determination that Nanbu is willing to bet his life on. When she tears up Mikio's ticket and gives Joe one final chance to prove that he really is the genuine article, it's a validation of the pride and righteous indignation that has been fueling Joe ever since he gained his name. I don't know about you, but it's impossible for me to come out of that moment and not be supremely excited for whatever MEGALOBOX will deliver next.

Rating: A

Megalobox is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

James is an English teacher who has loved anime his entire life, and he spends way too much time on Twitter and his blog.