When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace

Episode 12

I didn't think it was possible. Surely there was no way for When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace to come to a satisfying end with just one episode left. I was braced for a trainwreck, but the crash never came. As it turns out, the series had a few tricks left up its sleeve. It has its share of problems, but this is a much better finale than it could have been.

As it turns out, the show's final face-off only takes up half an episode. The heroes figure out why Mirai's coming after them with deadly intent and Jurai comes up with a plan to counter her power. As brief as it is, I really like the way the confrontation plays out. First of all, it finally lets us know what happened when Jurai awakened Dark and Dark a few episodes ago. The scene also brings the series back to its original joke: the one character who always wanted superpowers is the only one with a useless ability. For bonus points, the resolution doesn't even let Jurai skate by on clever thinking and chuunibyou alone. He has to endure some pretty serious agony in order to win, which makes the outcome feel satisfying instead of merely convenient. The moment is spoiled a bit when the Fairy War characters show up to play cleanup crew, but this story arc still went far more smoothly than I feared it would.

With the bad guys sent packing, the episode's final minutes are devoted to wrapping up any unfinished business between the main characters. Sayumi lets Mirai know why the members of the Literature Club went out of their way to save her. ToMoYo helps Hatoko find a light novel that she'll actually enjoy, and the two of them agree to remain both friends and rivals. Chifuyu chooses to keep visiting the club, even if it means going though a harrowing supernatural battle from time to time. Jurai reiterates his view that superpowers exist for the sole purpose of being totally awesome. It's all well and good to end on a happy note, but a few of these exchanges feel hollow.

The rivalry between Hatoko and ToMoYo in particular is far too neat and tidy for its own good. The idea that these two could move forward without a hint of hard feelings reeks of half-baked character development. Given how eager this show seemed to talk about harem comedy tropes, I expected more thought to go into this relationship. As it stands, their conversation has all the dramatic complexity of two casual sports fans discussing their favorite teams.

In a way, this serves as a good example of my frustration with the show on the whole. It asked some interesting and challenging questions, but always stopped short of offering any fresh answers. Hatoko's tearful rant brought up the topic of self-imposed exclusivity, but was hastily swept under the rug a week later. Nearly every single female character professed a genuine love for Jurai, but they all magically quarantined those feelings once ToMoYo emerged as the frontrunner. If the creative staff didn't intend on addressing any serious themes, then why even bother bringing them up?

The creative false starts are especially baffling since this show could've easily worked as a piece of light and accessible entertainment. Its contagious sense of fun and excellent eye for comedy would have been enough to carry a dozen episodes on their own. As much as I enjoy watching shows that force me to think, there's nothing wrong with simply taking a silly premise and running with it.

Ultimately, When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace is a very difficult title to pin down. I love its sense of humor and admire its loftier ambitions, but it has an infuriating habit of promising more than it's able to deliver. That combination of traits will balance out differently depending on your own tastes and priorities. I'm still glad I watched it, but be warned that it requires a high tolerance for inconsistency.

Rating: B

When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Paul Jensen also covers anime and manga at SharkPuppet.com.