BBK/BRNK

Episode 5

I'd like to know where some of the characters in BBK/BRNK buy their clothes. Does this vision of the future include a chain of clothing stores that sell glowing socks and bright yellow jackets, or are all these outfits homemade? Maybe becoming a Bubuki user requires you to channel your power through questionable fashion choices.

Kinoa and Arabashiri take the lead in this episode, facing off in a Bubuki duel as the train carrying Oubu speeds towards its destination. Arabashiri uses his Bubuki to overwhelm Kinoa with images of their past, but she's able to break through the illusion and win the battle. Meanwhile, Azuma and Hiiragi argue about what exactly the Bubuki are, as they struggle to keep Oubu from sliding off the train. Hiiragi is adamant that the Bubuki are just tools, but Azuma seems to think that they have a will of their own. Their debate is put on hold when the train is sabotaged and Horino reveals herself as another one of Reoko's minions.

The story behind Kinoa and Arabashiri's relationship is a bit less simple than the “you killed my father, prepare to die” dynamic that Kogane and Matobai had in their battle, and that extra emotional complexity makes this fight a little more interesting. The story of how they met has enough twists and turns to make up for their relatively predictable fight, and Arabashiri's casual attitude toward the duel works well in making him a more entertaining villain. He's entirely too scummy to actually like, but I'll settle for enjoying the experience of watching Kinoa wipe the smile off his face. The contrast between Kinoa's past and present personalities is intriguing enough that I want to see more of her backstory, which is a good sign for a series that has been light on meaningful character development in the past.

Apart from Arabashiri's fancy ring weapons, the fight itself isn't the most creative action scene ever made. Kinoa and Arabashiri just stand on top of the train and trade attacks, which is acceptable but a little underwhelming. If you're going to have two people duke it out on top of a moving train, at least give them a few bridges to duck under or extra cars to derail. On the positive side, BBK/BRNK continues to work on sidestepping the weak points of its animation style. For the most part, this episode manages to avoid the stiff walking cycles, jerky movements, and not-quite-right facial expressions that have become par for the course with CG character models. If you can't fix it, you might as well work around it whenever possible.

While Kinoa and Arabashiri show that BBK/BRNK can do some decent character development from time to time, Azuma and Hiiragi continue to make a solid case against that argument. The script seems to be dead set on constantly reminding us that the two of them don't see eye to eye on how to use the Bubuki. We get it already, Azuma's the idealistic hero and Hiiragi is his cranky yet pragmatic rival. It's not necessary for the two of them to butt heads every time the rest of the team leaves them alone together. The debate over whether or not their weapons have thoughts and feelings is a potentially interesting one, but these guys desperately need some more subtle dialogue if they're going to be the ones to have it.

This episode is a small step up in overall quality from its predecessor, thanks to a more nuanced pair of Bubuki duelists and a reduction in clunky character movements. In less encouraging news, BBK/BRNK is still having trouble addressing its themes without having the main characters come right out and say exactly what they're thinking. It remains a passable action series, but I'm not holding out much hope for anything deeper than that. Come for the glowing weapons and frequent fight scenes, stay to see if the CG animation can make things work.

Rating: B-

BBK/BRNK is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Paul Jensen is a freelance writer and editor. You can follow more of his anime-related ramblings on Twitter.