Kyōkai no Rinne

Episode 6

If the prolific nature of lolcat memes is any indication, people adore being entertained by cats. This episode of Kyōkai no Rinne borrows from our ready affection and presents two feline villains you just can't hate. It's an effervescent episode for people already acquainted with the characters, focusing on deadpan humor and quick visual gags.

When Sakura's friends are scared away by cries for help coming out of a roadside shrine, her instinct is to walk right past the doting Tsubasa and seek Rinne for help. Comedic timing merely enhances Tsubasa's troubles, as he wrestles his affection for Sakura versus his violent form of exorcism she seems to dislike (if low-key Sakura can be said to have feelings one way or the other about anything). At least it is clear that she doesn't rely on Tsubasa to pummel spirits into submission, but prefers Rinne's compassionate alternative.

However, Rinne is predictably busy offering aid to a bandaged student concerned about his brother Hiroshi, so Sakura decides not to share her troubles just yet. The roadside shrine and Hiroshi's problem are related of course, and the uniting factor is the bakeneko, a malicious cat spirit who has transformed Hiroshi into a scratching menace overnight. From there on, it's cat jokes galore as Tsubasa and Rinne each attempt in to exorcise two playful, troublesome cat spirits in their own ways. I loved the pun in “nekodamashi,” the hand-clapping sumo technique the cat uses to paralyzes Tsubasa. Rinne appears just a little too late, and once again comedic timing exacerbates Tsubasa's woes. The mischievous kitties make a toy out of Rinne's fire wheel, as they are easily swayed by oversized cat toys and will do anything for a meal of fatty tuna, much to penny-pinching Rinne's dismay. In the end, it's Tsubasa who makes the cats' gentle exorcism possible. He's growing and learning from Rinne's techniques.

We soon learn these oversized kittens aren't the real problem. The puppet master is a pink haired damashigami, a perverted version of a shinigami who will cut any corners in order to make her quota of souls to bring to the afterlife, including delivering the souls of people who aren't dead. Unlike the easily placated cats, it's clear that this damashigami, her mysterious boss, and his no-nonsense secretary, are going to be around for episodes to come. It's probably no coincidence that this evil boss character shares Rinne's red hair. It'll be good to get some new blood into Kyōkai no Rinne; by now, we're deeply familiar with the current characters, their personalities, and their hang-ups.

Sometimes Kyōkai no Rinne strikes me as deep, touching on the mythology of various religions. Despite its focus on cat spirits, this episode was not one of them. It's a collection of silly gags relying on viewers' familiarity of the characters—and Rumiko Takahashi's style of humor—that comprises a fun, light half hour.

Rating: B+

Kyōkai no Rinne is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Lauren writes about anime and journalism at Otaku Journalist.