Source: Crunchyroll
Overall: 8.6/10
Story: 8.2/10
Denji gets to grab a hold of a piece of his dream. He thinks that maybe it's not as great as he thought. But Makima keeps his hopes alive. The audience learns more about Aki’s traumatic past. And Public Safety puts together a team to go after the Gun Devil.
The writers create another incredible episode. The character interactions are supremely entertaining. They propel the story forward and reveal a lot about the characters.
Character: 9.1/10
Denji is starting to learn. But he's so easily read that he leaves himself open to manipulation. As the Chainsaw Devil, he possesses incredible strength. But his forgiving heart and naive nature may prove to be his kryptonite.
Power loves facing off against super-powerful opponents. The only thing she’s afraid of is something happening to Meowy. Outside of that scenario, she doesn't seem to be afraid of anything, including death. If she dies against a powerful opponent, she might not even mind, given that she is doing something she loves.
The audience sees for the first time why Aki hates devils. He saves most of his venom for the Gun Devil. But he sees devils as either those that need to be put down or tools to be used to kill other devils. He's admitted as much before. That's why it will be interesting to see how his relationship with Denji and Power will evolve over time.
Makima is a master manipulator. This viewer thinks she would do or say anything to get whatever she wants. And what she wants are results. She’s not above toying with Denji, so he can get results for her. But does she have any intention of following through with her promises? Isn’t Denji just another expendable asset? Does she really care about him?
Himeno is the defacto leader of the field team. She certainly fits the archetype. She’s super powerful. Himeno loves to behave in a silly manner to keep everyone in the group loose. But if she needs to, she'll snatch someone up to get them to behave.
Kobeni is extremely high-strung. Her personality gives this viewer Zenitsu vibes. And like Zenitsu she must be insanely strong, even if she hasn't shown it yet. But what comes with that god-like power, this viewer believes she possesses, is the timid nature of a rabbit. But that duality makes her very interesting.
Animation: 8.5/10
There is very little action in this episode. But the artists and animators make what little there is count. Everything in a story should either push it forward or reveal character in some way. The animation exists to bolster those two things. And this animation doesn't fail to do so. When the group finally encounters a devil, Kobeni freezes. The artists and animators give her face a level of expressiveness that showcases her fear for the audience. By the same token, Power reacts. Her face expresses the elation she feels in battle.
Outside of the level of detail and expressiveness in the faces, the artists sometimes play with light and shadow to make certain characters look more sinister in particular instances. In short, the animation is superb for another episode.
Final Thoughts
The story, character and animation have all been incredible so far. But the character interactions really jump out in this episode. Their interplay is fun and entertaining. And it's bound to keep audiences coming back for more, even when there isn't much gore.