P.A. Works sure has been busy. Alongside Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin and Narenare -Cheer for you!-, Mayonaka Punch is the studio’s third anime airing this season. That kind of makes me worried about what’s going on behind the scenes but I must admit that in a vacuum, this is an impressive output from the studio. Funnily enough, Mayonaka Punch is a CGDCT anime like Narenare though that and P.A. Works’ involvement are probably the only things these two shows have in common.
Mayonaka Punch begins with its main protagonist Masaki (Ikumi Hasegawa) getting kicked out of her NewTuber content creator group, the Harikiri Sisters, due to her bad attitude and tensions with her former teammates, Kikka (Chika Anzai) and Otomi (Reina Kondō). While trying to make a career comeback, Masaki decides to film herself at an abandoned hospital, akin to the first stream she did with Kikka and Otomi. By chance, Masaki encounters a vampire named Live (Ai Fairouz), who becomes infatuated with her due to her blood and her resemblance to a girl Live saw in her dreams. Realizing that having an actual vampire would make for some good content, Masaki convinces Live to appear in her videos and help her reach 1 million subscribers. In exchange, she’ll let the vampire “make a meal of [her]” (her words, not mine).
To be frank, I have mixed feelings about Masaki. I kind of feel sorry for her as she falls into a depression over getting canceled, to the point that she’s even willing to die. At the same time, this episode doesn’t really argue that she doesn’t deserve her career setback. Within the first scene of the episode, it’s established that things got so heated that she actually punched one of her friends in the face, during a livestream no less. That alone makes Masaki an unpleasant character and it makes the setbacks she’s facing deserved. Masaki thinks she’s done nothing wrong but without any evidence backing her point of view, she just comes across as unaccountable and even more detestable. I suppose her behavior is due to how tough or unforgiving being an internet celebrity can be but that still doesn’t excuse her from getting violent towards her friends. With that in mind, it’s hard to root for Masaki as she prepares to make a comeback.
I like Live a little bit more. That is admittedly because Masaki sets the bar pretty low but there is a zaniness to the vampire that could be fun to watch. The fact that Masaki is coincidentally the girl Live sees in her dream and that somehow leads to her finding about the NewTuber is pretty contrived. Dreams can be weird like that but the show could just as easily have Live simply stumble upon Masaki’s account while browsing the internet or have her meet Masaki without any prior knowledge.
If nothing else, this episode is pretty funny. You have Masaki holding an audition call, only to meet nothing but trolls. In another scene, Live learns that her roommate Ichiko (Yuina Itō) has made some unwise investments and this actually results in some sharks banging on their door for money. The ending particularly has a solid joke where Live flies Masaki around the city. It’s an enchanting scene that then turns humorous once Masaki gets motion sick. Overall, there are plenty of laughs to be found here. The only missed opportunity is not having Masaki feature Live in an apology video. I mean come on, a vampire in an apology video? The clicks are right there and Masaki doesn’t even realize it. I’m also shocked that Masaki doesn’t even do an apology video at all. Even the most unapologetic celebrities in real life have done it; how unrealistic that this character doesn’t.
Right now, I’m not sure what to make of Mayonaka Punch. I don’t feel that strongly about any of the characters but the premise has a whacky appeal to it and I must admit that the episode did get some laughs out of me. If it can keep up the comedy and iron out the characters, then maybe I’ll stick around with this show.
Watch Mayonaka Punch on Crunchyroll
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