Momo Kyun Sword

Episode 9

Episode 9, “A Huge Plot Twist? Momo's Secret!” is actually one of the better episodes of Momo Kyun Sword in that there isn't anything disgusting or offensive in it, and it actually moves the overall plot forward. While most previous episodes were pointless exercises in fanservice, this one has hardly any. Instead, characters have revelations about themselves and the central conflict of the series, the race to collect the Peach Fragments, enters a new stage. Is the series finally getting good?

Well, yes and no. While “A Huge Plot Twist…” focuses less on fetishes and fanservice and more on plot and character, the characters are still pretty awful. Halfway through this episode, Momoko discovers that not only has her trio of animal companions been withholding the identities of her parents for her entire life, but that the Celestial World might not be the good guys. Our heroine's reaction to this earth-shaking discovery is to cry because she now knows she had parents who loved her, and not acknowledge any of the troubling questions raised by this new information. All series long, Momoko has expressed a deep desire to know her true origins, but the knowledge that her "friends" have been lying to her about it this whole time doesn't elicit any response? A protagonist can be dim-witted and still likable, but there is a big difference between a lovable fool and someone who seems so stupid they might as well be a potato.

The strangest thing about this turn of events is that Onihime also discovers a shocking secret about her past, but reacts more realistically. She freaks out, denies that it could be true, and rushes back to her father to confront him about it. Why is she written believably here, while Momoko isn't? Of course, while Onihime's story is the best-written part of the episode, it's still not that compelling, as her previous appearances haven't given us much of a reason to care about her. Adequate character development of any kind is rare enough in this show that it's worth nothing, however.

Besides Onihime's development, episode 9 is pretty boring (with the exception of Kaguya's line about the moon, which was unintentionally hilarious). There's a big fight between Momoko and the green ogre bad guy from episode 1, but it's so poorly animated that it's hard to enjoy the battle. This is true for all the animation this time around, with bodies often standing unnaturally still for long periods of time, whether they're fighting or having a conversation. If the characters are women however, their boobs flap around like they're on a roller-coaster while the rest of their body stands still as a rock. Of course, this focus on mammaries contorting in bizarre ways is nothing new to Momo Kyun Sword, but the poorer than usual animation has made it even more noticeable.

Despite its uneven script and sub-par animation, “A Huge Plot Twist? Momo's Secret!” is probably one of the best episodes of the season. It didn't make feel dirty inside and actually had a logical plot that moved the overall story forward. It's not exactly “good” and can still be pretty boring, but some of the series' most objectionable features are absent. If this is the start of a trend towards better writing and characters and away from gross fanservice, nothing could make me happier.

Rating: C

Momo Kyun Sword is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Miles Nelson has been an anime fan since 1997, and has been writing about it since 2013. You can read his articles at My Geek Review.