Nanbaka

Episode 25

Nanbaka is finally over, choosing to end where so many adaptations these days go to die: the non-ending. It became obvious as Nanbaka ran down its episode count that it wouldn't be able to tie up all its loose ends, but I never expected it to leave all of them hanging. Nanbaka hints at a big final confrontation with Enki, now that everyone is free and ready to fight—but then it doesn't go there. Meanwhile, all our bigger questions about the nature of characters or the world also remain unanswered.

This is what happens when you waste too much time on plot diversions. This episode should have come several weeks ago. Then we wouldn't be robbed of the final battle to which it's clearly been building. Instead, this "final" episode is all setup. Once it's over, the credits just roll. It's a nice reminder of all the fun our characters had over the course of the series, but it would mean more with a real conclusion before it.

Even if it doesn't work as an ending, this episode was an improvement from the last several before it. It moves through all the major characters and their relationships with each other to remind us why we care about them. It would be perfect if it were actually building up to something we get to see, but it just plays as a reminder of what could have been. Nanbaka might get another season, of course, but even then, this one should have more of a conclusion. The first cour had a stronger ending than this half did!

This has become increasingly common for manga adaptations. I prefer it when manga-based anime would get an original conclusion if the manga were ongoing. Sure, this leads to lots of fan anger when the show diverts too far, but you don't have to pull a Fullmetal Alchemist to give fans a satisfying conclusion. Anime such as Ouran High School Host Club satisfy fans by just "tying a bow on it": following the manga until the last episode or two, then creating a finale that ends the story in a logical place. Another approach is to finish at the end of a specific arc, so fans are ready for more but don't feel left hanging if they don't get it. This is what Attack on Titan and My Hero Academia elected to do, andit's also common practice with Western TV shows that have not yet been renewed.

Shows like this one that just trail off are dissatisfying, but Nanbaka is especially so. It's one thing to begin a new story or introduce a new character (as Yona of the Dawn did with its final episode), but quite another to cut off right in the middle of an arc. Fans don't know if we'll ever get any conclusion. Sure, we can always read the manga, and anime adaptations are designed largely to advertise their source material, but they can stand to be less transparent about it. We should feel welcomed to try out other versions, not forced.

All that being said, it was nice to spend quality time with some favorite characters again. Jyuugo got to show off some stunning displays of his powers. Hajime is free to snark at his inmates more. Even the return of Upa and Jiang felt refreshing after far too much time with the weaker Building 3 characters. As a standalone episode, this is far from Nanbaka's worst, but as a finale it leaves too much to be desired. After such a slog of a final arc, they could've found some way to reward fans' patience. Instead, Nanbaka ends in a way that leaves us feeling cheated.

Nanbaka was a show with more weak points than strong ones. Its arcs dragged on too long, and it struggled to integrate its comedy with more dramatic storylines. Still, it had a lot going for it: goofy and lovable characters, a cool premise, and a style we don't see much in anime anymore. It proves how much anime comes down to execution and especially pacing. Nanbaka just didn't plan out its arcs very well, leaving the story feeling unbalanced. In a way, this unsatisfying non-ending is the perfect capstone for this general drag of an adaptation.

Rating: C+

Nanbaka is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Rose is a music Ph.D. student who loves overanalyzing anime soundtracks. Follow her on her media blog Rose's Turn, and on Twitter.