Three episodes into covering this series. I’m still treating this series of posts as a tryout but it is proving to be a lengthy one. I suppose I’m still curious about this show though I will admit that out of the episodes released so far, I do enjoy this one the most.
This episode begins with Lammis and co. finding the village ransacked by some sort of serpent, the frogs’ apparent archnemesis. This show is putting way more thought into the ecosystem than I expected. Funnily enough, the villagers themselves already took care of the serpent and while a lot of buildings got damaged in the process, no one appears to have gotten hurt. While it is a shame that Boxxo doesn’t get to bust out another children’s science experiment to save the day, it is kind of neat to learn that the village is perfectly capable on its own. I do like the scene where Boxxo successfully calms down a panicked Lammis though I question Boxxo’s seemingly newfound ability to take parts of his automated phrases to create new sentences. It just feels like a cheap workaround for his limited communication.
At least for this episode, the villagers work on repairs. Lammis in particular helps her friend Munami (Yuuko Okui) and the proprietor of the inn she works at, simply referred to as “Okami-san” (Risa Hayamizu), with clearing the rubble out of the ruined inn. A running gag in this show is that Lammis can’t hit for shit unless she’s carrying Boxxo on her back (how that works, I have no idea). I guess this rule does not extend to inanimate objects suck as boulders. During maintenance, Captain Kerioyl invites Lammis to join Menagerie of Fools. Lammis declines, simply because she’s preoccupied with fixing the inn. Considering that Menagerie are recurring characters, I wonder if Lammis will take up on the offer once repairs are done. Even though Kerioyl isn’t antagonistic by any means, I don’t doubt that he has an ulterior motive in trying to recruit Lammis. I think the real goal here is having Boxxo in the ranks.
Past the post-disaster setup, this episode is really a series of scenes where Boxxo interacts with the townsfolk. A recurring theme across these vignettes is Boxxo’s effect on the village’s economy. We first see this when two members of the Merchants Exchange inform Boxxo that he has taken nearly all of the silver coins in the village, what with everyone spending them all of his inventory and credit cards being nonexistent in this world. The Merchants Exchange therefore has to buy some of Boxxo’s items with gold coins so that they can get silver coins as change. It would be really funny if this eventually leads to a shortage of gold coins and the Merchants Exchange have to figure out some way to get them from Boxxo. As if Boxxo hasn’t throttled the economy enough, we then see him add a gambling mechanic to himself. Now people can waste even more money on his stuff, as evidenced by this old man gambling away his savings for a free item, much to his wife’s ire.
Midway through the episode, Boxxo meets up with Director Bear and a new character named Shirley, who appears to run the “entertainment quarter” (which I guess is a thing now). Director Bear notes that the village is seeing a surge of migrants and because them humans are so horny, him and Shirley are worried over the spread of STDs. Fortunately for them, Boxxo is able to change form and provide them with a supply of condoms. The fact that this show is bringing up sex all of sudden is funny enough but what really elevates this bit is the fact that this topic is introduced by a talking bear and resolved by a sentient vending machine. I can’t even fault Boxxo’s access to condoms as contrived as condoms are a thing you can get from a vending machine in Japan (no really, look it up). I had to pause the episode to get the giggles out. By absurdity alone, this is the best bit the show has done so far.
Along with attracting customers and helping Director Bear, Boxxo catches the attention of a rich little girl named Suori (Shizuku Hoshinoya). Suori previously appeared in the first episode, where Lammis rescues her from some thugs. At first, Suori is a gremlin who tries to vandalize Boxxo though she later grows attached to the vending machine after he sympathizes over her daddy issues and gives her a free item. Suori then decides that she would like to buy Boxxo from Lammis, which Lammis declines because Boxxo is her friend. Between Suori, Kerioyl, and some of the extras, it’s clear that people want Boxxo for themselves. I’m not sure if this will amount to anything. Boxxo can protect himself with a barrier and he learns in this episode how to turn invisible. With or without Lammis, Boxxo is perfectly fine. That said, I think it would be great to see some of these people compete against each other for ownership.
Watch Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon on Crunchyroll
Read my Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon reviews.
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