Kurokami: The Animation - Episode 5

After a promising opening episode, Kurokami has quickly descended into the world of cliché, without offering anything particularly compelling to keep it particularly watchable.

Thankfully, this episode does at least get one thing right - Mindless though it may be, the first half of this episode is exclusively some pretty kick-ass action (although still not up to the standard of the fight scene in episode one) coupled with a soundtrack to suit the on-screen goings-on. Admittedly it'll feel like the kind of thing you've seen countless times before (with all the synchronising, powering up and so on that is so beloved of action anime), but you've seen it countless times before for a reason - Because it's kind of cool.


However, any dramatic tension brought forth by this potential fight to the death is ruined completely when, after almost fully fifteen minutes of battle, everything stops so that Excel can invite Keita and Kuro for tea and biscuits. If your response to this is "What?!", then you've just repeated exactly what I said while watching the episode.

Over the aforementioned tea party, we do at least learn what Excel and Steiner are doing in Japan, and also get a lead regarding both Kuro's brother and possibly even what happened to Keita's mother. This sets things up nicely for what I suppose can be thought of as the next major story arc, so it's all aboard for Okinawa next time around, no doubt for more slightly tired action and mood swings by the second from Keita.