Dead Account ‒ Episode 8

Episode 8 of Dead Account: A Chaotic Mess of Borrowed Ideas

This week's episode of Dead Account is a wild ride, but not in a good way. It's a jumbled collection of uninspired plot devices, lazy writing, and blatant rip-offs from other, more successful franchises. The pacing is off, the character development feels forced, and the overall experience is just plain frustrating.

Flashback Failures

One of the most glaring issues with this episode is the overuse of flashbacks, particularly during action sequences. These flashbacks are intended to add depth to the characters and their motivations, but they ultimately fall flat. Instead of enhancing the narrative, they disrupt the flow of the fights and feel like cheap padding. We don't need lengthy explanations about a villain's backstory when he's already established as a bad guy. Let him be a bad guy, and move on. Similarly, Renri's origin story could have been explored in a more organic and meaningful way, rather than shoehorning it into the middle of a chaotic battle.

Super Mario 64: Cyberpunk Edition?

The episode's central gimmick involves Renri's cybernetic ability to teleport people to different locations using photos he takes on his phone. This is presented as a strategic way to divide the massive class battle into smaller, one-on-one fights, but it comes across as a bizarre and unnecessary plot device. The reviewer aptly compares it to jumping through portraits in Super Mario 64, but instead of entering cool platforming worlds, the characters are transported to generic fighting arenas where they exchange stale insults. The whole concept feels contrived and serves only to undermine the potential for genuine character development and meaningful interactions.

The Banhammer of Obviousness

During Kasubata's fight with Minoru, we learn that Kasubata's signature weapon is called a "Banhammer." While the name is certainly fitting for a show about exorcists battling online demons, it's also incredibly obvious and uninspired. It's the kind of joke that an out-of-touch person who just discovered internet memes would make. This highlights a larger problem with Dead Account: its tendency to rely on tired tropes and predictable humor.

The Offscreen Tragedy Trope

The episode attempts to tug at our heartstrings by revealing that Renri was raised in a strict exorcist household where he endured harsh training and torture. We also learn that he had a little brother who died off-screen. This is a classic example of lazy writing, as it attempts to elicit sympathy without actually investing the time and effort to develop the characters or their relationships. The reviewer points out that this is not the first time the show has resorted to killing off a character's relative off-screen in an attempt to force the audience to care about them. It's a cheap and manipulative tactic that ultimately fails to resonate.

The Power of Friendship... and Fairy Tail

After his tragic backstory is revealed, we learn that Renri eventually met Kasubata and, after some initial hesitation, decided to join the academy. Apparently, Renri's motivation for everything he does is the power of friendship and family. He even gives a speech about "being a family" before using his teleportation powers on his classmates. The reviewer rightly points out the similarities to Fairy Tail, a show known for its heavy-handed emphasis on the power of friendship. Dead Account's blatant borrowing from other franchises only further highlights its lack of originality.

Pokemon Go To The Polls?

As if the Fortnite, Super Mario 64, and Fairy Tail rip-offs weren't enough, the episode throws in yet another bizarre plot element: an exorcist whose cybernetic ability allows him to summon monsters he caught in a mobile game. The reviewer makes a clever reference to "Pokemon Go to the polls," highlighting the absurdity of this plot device. It's a desperate attempt to be relevant and trendy, but it ultimately comes across as forced and out of place.

Overall Impression

Episode 8 of Dead Account is a disjointed and uninspired mess. The flashbacks are disruptive, the plot devices are contrived, and the character development feels forced. The show's reliance on tired tropes and blatant rip-offs from other franchises only serves to highlight its lack of originality. The reviewer's comparison to a Frankensteinian combination of Fortnite, Super Mario 64, Fairy Tail, and Pokemon Go is spot-on. This episode is a low point for the series and a clear indication that Dead Account is struggling to find its own identity.