Source: Crunchyroll
Overall 9.4/10
Story 9.1/10
The survivors of the attack on Public Safety try to deal with the fallout and consolidation. Makima attempts to rally the troops. The group needs to become stronger. One is faced with a serious choice while others try to figure out how to survive the training.
This episode is slower than the previous two. It gives the audience a much-needed respite. And the slowdown also gives the team time to mourn its losses. And mourning, like many other things, has a way of revealing character.
Source: Crunchyroll
Character 9.5/10
Denji may have lost some of his emotions. But he still has the ability to self-reflect. Though one thing remains unclear. Did he lose some of his emotions because of his merger with Pochita? Or is it because his life has been so miserable that it takes a lot to phase him? It could be both.
Power is very detached emotionally, even more so than Denji. She’s all about making sure that she comes out of things in one piece, which is why she runs when realizes she is no match for Katana Man and Akane. It’ll be interesting to see how this training will affect her bond with Denji and Aki.
Aki has to come to grips with what his decisions have wrought. Because he doesn't leave the division—because he fixates on revenge against the Gun devil Himeno is dead. Perhaps if he had given up on revenge, their lives would’ve been longer and fuller together. But instead, at the moment, all he can offer are tears for the fallen.
Kishibe has seen many students come and go. Now he must deal with the loss of his prize pupil. He has an interesting coping mechanism. He carries a flask around that keeps him drunk. His philosophy is that the devils know how to mess with the sane mind. In his opinion, it’s best to be insane. Unpredictability serves as an advantage against them.
At any rate, Kishibe is sure to put Denji and Power through the wringer, especially considering the fact that they have none of the limitations that his previous students had.
Source: Crunchyroll
Animation 9.7/10
The animation for the action sequences is insane. There’s knife-wielding that offers a blurred effect and forces the eye to keep pace with its movement. There’s a kick that moves so fast that animators have to show it 3 times so that viewers can register it.
At the same time, there are quiet scenes that are incredibly detailed and are designed to evoke emotion like the sparks of a cigarette lighter, tears for a fallen comrade or Aki's descent to meet his future. All are exquisitely done.
Final Thoughts
It'll be interesting to see how strong Kishibe's training makes Power and Denji. This viewer also looks forward to seeing what Aki's power-up will look like. Only time will tell.