Inuyashiki Last Hero

Episode 7

Having an entire episode where the titular character doesn't appear is a big sign of trust in the strength of other characters, and in this case that trust pays off. This is another strong episode that is nonetheless certain to leave viewers with mixed feelings.

In this case, the story eschews all other established characters to focus entirely on Hiro and his developing relationship with Shion. She's in such full-blown denial that even hearing about Hiro's recent rampage isn't enough to shake her desperate belief that he's somehow innocent. Even after Hiro explains everything to her and takes her out for a frightening flight, she can't be convinced to abandon him. It becomes clear that she's not in denial of the truth so much as she can't handle someone else leaving her, since her heart definitely hasn't healed from the loss of her parents. Hiro's reaction to this suggests that he sympathizes with this as someone who is still suffering from his own recent loss, but I have to wonder about the purity of his motives in this regard. It's not out of the question that Shion is becoming Hiro's surrogate for his mother. Whatever the case may be, Hiro decides to save as many lives as he's taken to balance the scales and with Shion's encouragement, he proceeds to do exactly that.

This raises a couple of important existential questions. Can a killer actually gain redemption by these means? Does it matter more whether the killer feels redeemed or whether society judges him so? Perhaps more importantly, has Hiro truly changed his ways or is he just experimenting with different means to feel alive, braced to revert to his bloodthirsty ways when provoked? The presence of those questions makes the final scene, where tactically-equipped police close in on Shion's apartment while everyone is sleeping, difficult to evaluate. It could just be intended as another deep irony, another case where the police finally arrive at the scene in just the right way to disrupt Hiro's change of character for the worse, but that's becoming a repetitive device. This scene could also be viewed as society's response: even the lives he's saved don't erase his crimes. Though he does save lives without asking for anything in return, has Hiro really expressed regret for what he did? Has he really sought forgiveness? He gives more of an impression that he's just doing this to keep Shion happy because he feels that he needs her in some way. Either way, it looks like this idyllic situation is going to collapse hard next episode.

Once again I am worried about the increased inconsistency and sliding quality control in the show's artistry this episode continues to demonstrate, but I remain impressed by the strength of the series' emotional core. The incident with the cancer-ridden office worker shows that the series has not lost its touch in execution, as the woman's despair is palpable before Hiro cures her in the least flashy way possible. That series of scenes could've easily been trite or schmaltzy, but the low-key soundtrack keeps things from feeling overplayed. The woman's utter change upon being cured also forces more of a moral quandary onto what Hiro is doing, as even if his actions are entirely self-serving, he has undoubtedly changed this woman's life for the better.

I'm not convinced that the series is packing enough weight to support some of what it's trying to do thematically, but it's a welcome weekly watch nonetheless.

Rating: B+

Inuyashiki Last Hero is currently streaming on Amazon's Anime Strike.