If one word could describe Tsuritama at this point, it’s “whimsical”. With a plot as focused on Yuki’s debilitating social anxiety as it is on Haru and him learning the surprisingly intricate art of fishing, it’s done an exemplary job of not getting bogged down with pointless melodrama. Even the hairier moments for Yuki are somewhat downplayed by his cartoonish distortions and Haru, his ever-cheerful foil. It’s competent with establishing mood, switching effortlessly from two people dancing in front of a crowded classroom, to one of Yuki’s all-too-relatable panic attacks with very little whiplash. Any show that can have a 25 year old Indian agent of some kind obsessed with a duck has to be able to keep things relatively light in order to remain enjoyable, after all.
Absurdity is the lifeblood of Tsuritama, once again evidenced by my favorite character, Akira—the 25 year old Indian agent of some kind obsessed with a duck. The idea that he’s part of some kind of Men In Black-esque organization after Haru and Coco could have been played seriously and with the straightest face imaginable, but instead it chose to have him part of a borderline-cult that reveres ducks for reasons that aren’t made terribly clear. Granted, because the reasons would probably be utter shit, because ducks are among the least worshippable animals on the planet behind hagfish and paramecia, but we can’t let that simple fact get in the way of their fun. And fun it is; it’s difficult not to find several Indian men in the back of a surveillance van eating curry just a little amusing.
Yet, even keeping the above in mind, there’s a certain gravitas to every situation that the characters find themselves in, regardless of how silly the recorder soundtrack and vibrant colors would lead you to believe it might be. Even when things start to sober up just a bit, it remains lighthearted fare that likely won’t screw up along the line. Not unless it decides to take a turn for grim darkness that would compel most people make a beeline for the nearest pint of rocky road ice cream to drown their sorrows in, but expecting that from a ball of fun like Tsuritama would just be silly, right? Right?
Fuck. Well, there goes my optimism. We got hinted at this in the previous episode, when poor grandma gave the audience the telltale Cough of Death, triggering a death flag in the process. But seeing her condition get worse, coupled with that line up there, really put a damper on the confidence that I had in this remaining an enjoyable experience that wouldn’t try to inject melodrama where it didn’t belong. However, it’s not the end of the world if it decides to go the route of having Grandma in the hospital; maybe it’s just an excuse to have Coco or Akira move in with no opposition from an authority figure, furthering Yuki’s anxiety problems and leading to him attempting his big planet-saving catch hinted at in the synopsis. As long as it doesn’t dwell on her condition for too long, or make a big deal of it, I’m not going to completely give up my hopes.
At least that’s what I thought I’d say until Haru asked her about death, and then gave Yuki the Lecture of Death about death. It’s like Tsuritama’s trying to off Grandma in the least subtle ways possible, while avoiding actively doing so. It’s the one thing in this show that I say could potentially reek of laziness, unless it’s just a minor plot development to speed the main one along with no harm done.
For once, there’s some bad mixed into the good with this week’s episode of Tsuritama. While the casting practice was amusing and Haru’s little bout of depression was surprisingly moving, helped in part by the tumultuous rainstorm of symbolism swirling above him, it’s like it keeps trying to kill off Yuki’s grandma at every given opportunity. For something with lightness of tone like this, it’s an unwelcome development. Tsuritama still has more good than bad, even if the likelihood of a grim twist seems to be looming ever closer. If that’s the case, it’s up to Akira and Tapioca to save the day. But from those two, I don’t think it’s asking much at all.
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