Migi & Dali

Episode 4

This episode was a scattershot effort to propel the plot forward, leaving little room for its absurd set-up to breathe. The series couldn't stay within the confines of the Sonoyama household forever, but episode four is a speed-run of the twins' integration into the school, squeezing the family housekeeper for insight and a twisted romance to help Migi overcome midterms. Yes, the episode starts with the first day of school and closes out mid-semester testing in the span of 25 minutes.

Migi & Dali ended in 2021 with a total of seven volumes. It appears the anime adaptation may have its sights on covering the entire story if this episode's pace indicates things to come. The wealthy families of the Origon neighborhood employ Micchan, a housekeeper, and the twins decide to leap at the opportunity to wring her for information about which house may include a room with paisley wallpaper. Viewers will recall that this wallpaper is the only clue to their mother's past. The boys put together a clever ruse utilizing their mom's wig to get Micchan to talk. They learn that the Ichijō family's home has a room with this wallpaper, so they begin working together to befriend their high-achieving son, Eiji Ichijō.

Eiji is no slouch and seemed to already know something was up with Migi and Dali when they met the welcoming party. He's uninterested in socializing with "lower" people and keeps company with sycophants eternally impressed with his accomplishments.

While Migi and Dali are clever and often able to out-maneuver their doting parents and most kids, they aren't preternaturally gifted. They are still 12-year-old boys who have lacked any formal education for most of their lives. Regarding academics, they can't fake their way around test scores. This leads to a series of events that, while absurd, isn't absurd enough. By the time the episode gets to "Dali is masquerading as a beautiful girl in the library" and "Whoops, Migi is head over heels for 'Sali,'" there isn't enough runtime to milk it for laughs. The story is running full speed ahead to get Hitori into the academically gifted class, which means Migi's emotional investment in his 'girlfriend' who helps him study, falls limp.

This was a weaker outing for Migi & Dali. It doesn't hit the highs of bird-obsessed neighbor reveal, but hopefully the choice to barrel past the set-up leads to more focus next week.

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Migi & Dali is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.