Recap: Here Come the Classical Yo-Kai

Hello again, and here’s to Devil’s Night. Well, I might as well take care of one of my target Yo-Kai Watch episodes that’s been on my radar for some time. So, let’s open it up.

We get a cold open in a dark forest; where Nate, Eddie and Bear are on something called a “scare dare.” Why? I feel this anime seems to skip over some integral parts of storytelling. Just look at this, just look at that; you want to sell toys? Fine, we’ll help you do that. 

It turns into a diatribe with Bear saying that Nate is shaking in his boots, largely because Whisper is clinging to him and saying “we’re all going to die.” They actually used the d-word in a kids’ anime. 

Bear then berates Nate for his fear. This fucking plot has been done to death. Also, what’s with the way he’s standing? Got a little captain in you, Bear?

Nate then makes them go out again; with Eddie saying “I am not intimidated” In a VERY stilted manner. You’re not voice acting either, Eddie.

So, Nate devises a plan to scare Eddie and Bear; enlisting the help of the classical yokai Pallysol, Boyclops and Lady Longneck, also selling more toys in the process. Joy. 

Only $9.95 each! Available at fine retailers everywhere!

Yet, because Eddie and Bear are stock characters in this dog; they don’t appreciate them and just storm off. Oh dear. Believe me when I say that I have some choice words for this reaction; and you will see them later in this recap.

In the meantime; Nate decides to show the yokai a modern zombie film, with Boyclops remarking that he “Doesn’t need to use the bathroom anymore.” Oh goody, another shit joke. I see we’re still catering to the crowd that has a sense of humor that begins and ends with one’s excrement. Honestly, there are entire Yo-Kai that are based on some bodily function. This is one of the many reasons that I consider this to be on the low end of anime marketed as Pokémon competitors. Digimon has cyberpunk elements to it; Yu-Gi-Oh has dark stories and diverse characters, Yo-Kai Watch has a cyclops soiling himself. Fucking ingenious.

After a few pointers and a training montage that makes about as much sense as your standard Family Guy cutaway gag; they do end up spooking Eddie and Bear, and present Nate with their medals. They even get displayed onscreen like a fucking commercial. If you want to make a story to sell toys, that’s fine; but the story has to come first! This is a totally counterproductive way of thinking that honestly needs to die. Just as well, most places I’ve looked can’t even give this crap away.

Now, we get the return of the crackpot exorcist; who’s honestly in the same category as all those trolls who didn’t like the new Ghostbusters. As a disclaimer; I know how touchy referencing that series is this year, but fuck it. 

Nate quickly recalls all the yokai in the area, but forgets to call Jibanyan back. Once again, I refer you to the clip from That 70s Show.

Red Forman: The reason bad things happen to you is because you're a dumbass.

As we enter the last segment, I must once again point out that if your best argument to counter me is “if you don’t like it, don’t watch it,” you’ve definitely come to the wrong place. You want to get a rise out of someone, do it on 4Chan. 

To be honest, there’s not a whole lot to this last part. There is very little of substance, just the classical yokai bragging about each other like a roundtable discussion on Crossfire. Not the worst, but far from the best. It ends on everyone going to a Next Har-Meow-Ny concert; and I still have no clue why Viz or whoever initially just called them a “girl’s group.” It’s like calling The Cure “that band whose lead singer fought a mechanized Barbra Streisand on that one South Park.” 

While this may not be the worst episode of this anime I’ve done; there’s just way too much about Yo-Kai Watch that I have issues with than I have time to discuss tonight. The animation itself is the only factor I can really lend praise; everything else is just flickering lights and toys. I mean, it took them 143 episodes just to get to the “naked people are funny” brand of humor; when Keita gets a gun that blows his clothes off, barring his socks and shoes. I honestly don’t know if the plans to continue with the series here in the US will be sustainable in the long term; since the sequels have sold less than 45,000 units combined as of this writing; barely a fraction of what they have in Japan by the same point.

Even if the fanbase wants the third game localized; I just think that maybe the whole thing isn’t as good as they say it is. I probably wouldn’t have reacted the way I’ve been if they hadn’t been hyping this fucking thing as the second coming of Gunpei Yokoi. With Pokémon Sun and Moon shattering pre-order records; the fact that Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls are being outsold by Mafia III and a pair of sports games (NBA 2K17 and Fifa 17, to be exact) does not bode well for the series’ future prospects. I will admit I liked the demo for the second game more the first, but that’s kind of like saying that walking barefoot for a mile on Lego bricks and broken glass isn’t as bad as having dental work done without Novocain. 

There will be another time for me to address the series, but it won’t be until after Sun and Moon come out. Tomorrow is Halloween, and I have something in mind to detox from this. Bang.