2x05 (17) Discord ~Choices~

• The intro is always so fun
• So this story is about a world without privilege, right? Being born different?

Mogami: "So what you're experiencing is a parallel world that could've easily come to pass had your circumstances been slightly different. I'll just sit back and observe how you fare in this environment without your powers."

Mogami: "You had many relationships in real life, and you were fortunate enough to be surrounded by good people. But situations like that are rare."

• So in this world, Ritsu is apathetic because his brother isn't special? Sounds kinda counterintuitive to me

Mogami: "You're extremely talented brother is just a stranger here."

• Why?

Mob: "It'd be so much easier if I was stronger."

Mogami: "I'm sure this seems incomprehensible to you,"

• It does

Mogami: "But she's bullying you to secure her position in society."

• Is that the reality, though? Is it? They're in high school, people might call her out later in life cough cough "A Silent Voice" cough cough

Mogami: "But after living in this world for six months without your powers,"

• My problem is we don't feel the passage of time here. It feels really quick. Also, where are his friends or parents? Why haven't we seen anyone but his brother? Like, we don't see them reject him or anything

Mogami: "After my demise, I became an evil spirit and decided to use my powers for myself this time..."

• But you did, and it made your mother an evil spirit

Mogami: "You are allowed to use your powers for yourself. You should use them for yourself."

• But why? All it brought was a bunch of misdeeds and your mother becoming an evil spirit? Like, what is your argument dude? Sure, it's flawed, but what is it, exactly?

Dimple: "You're not staying here? Shigeo's done for. You gotta accept that. Why not run away?"
Reigen: "Because I still have faith in him."
Dimple: "In this situation? You're not really that stupid, are ya?"
Reigen: "Yup, actually, I am. Let me guess: this is the first time someone's placed so much trust in you too, right?"

• I love Reagen :D

Mob: "Apologise."

• Damn, the vocal performance shift

Mogami: "And that's why I didn't want you to travel the same path I did."

• But you're making him travel the same path you did

Dimple: "Yo."

• Lol

Mogami: "The six months you spent here are forever etched into your heart and mind."

• It was less than 10 minutes
• The score is banging though

Mob: "I'm surrounded by good people. I need to be more thankful for them."

• The face animation :D

Mob: "When you interact with other people, it can have an effect. And because of that, I was able to change. Thanks to them, I'm stronger. Much stronger than if I'd been on my own."

• But like, his argument was that you're privileged to have people who helped you. What is your argument Mob?

Mob: "Wait... That's right."
[Grabbing hand.]
Mob: "I remember now. I came here to save someone."

• ;-;

Dimple: "He really has changed huh?"

• The eyes and hair! XD

Narrator: "The powerful blast created from Mob's positive emotions at 100 percent annihilated the great and powerful evil spirit Mogami."

• So the thematic statement is that "positive emotions will triumph over negative ones"?

Mogami: "No matter how much you struggle, your path will lead you to the same place mine did. To ruin."

• But he's doing the opposite of yours, Mogami. Yours led to ruin because you started using your powers for yourself (to save your mother). Mob is using them to help people (which you did before you went down the ruinous path)

• God damn, the animation though

Mob: "That people are able to change. Mogami and Minori both taught me it's possible. The people around me changed me as well. Now I understand I can do the same thing for others too."

Mob: "I don't get it, Master. Why aren't you claiming your reward?"
Reigen: "Just look at how many people got hurt. Not exactly a big success. You should never accept money that you feel you haven't earned. If you do, you'll start taking the easy way out every time."

Reigen: "You know... You're better off working part-time for me than becoming famous or powerful. I hope this serves a good lesson for ya."
Dimple: "Come on, give me a friggin' break..."

• Lol

Review
I know that all sounds like a bunch of nonsense, so let me make this simple. I interpreted this episode's message as, "positive emotions will trump negative emotions and that people and positivity can enable you to change." The problem is that this is what the episode propagates in the second half, but in the first half, it's exploring way more ideas like privilege, bullying, and selfishness. But it's forgotten in the second half? Also, the final message still disregards the earlier one on privilege. I guess it's addressed by Mob pledging he'll use his powers to help people?

This episode is really convoluted, unfocused and confused. It's trying to juggle all these different ideas under the guise of "positivity beats negativity" but it comes off as undercooked.

6/10