Magical Circle Guru-Guru

Episode 10

Our heroes conquer the Endless Tower and begin the next leg of their journey in a characteristically fast-paced Magical Circle Guru-Guru. Although he's arguably the strongest opponent these budding adventurers have faced thus far, Satanachia goes down rather quickly despite putting everyone through their paces. Chronicling two big battles and the outset of a brand new adventure, episode 10 is among the most jam-packed episodes the series has given us, but fortunately, it's far from the most scattershot.

Following a good night's rest, the gang resumes their trek to the top of the tower, only to have their progress impeded by Kaya, who's intent on having a showdown with Kukuri and learning the secret of Guru Guru. Kukuri, of course, emerges the victor, and Kaya promises that their next encounter will prove more perilous. Soon after, the group reaches the top of the tower and faces off against Satanachia. Through the combined efforts of Kukuri, Erdle, and Dokido (who is dead-set on returning the statue carved in his likeness), our heroes are able to call forth Plahto, defeat Satanachia, and bring down the tower, thus fulfilling an ancient prophecy. Their quest complete, Nike, Kukuri, and Toma head for the continent of Copa, entrusting Erdle with Dokido's statue and allowing him to claim the million-rin reward for the daemon's defeat.

Because of the role it played in Satanachia's downfall, the Plahto elders in Dohgma Village now regard Dokido's statue as a depiction of their god—and Dokido as Plahto himself. Displeased by this development, Juju decides to leave home and sets off to join Nike and Kukuri at the behest of Runrun and the Dark Magic Society's canine president. Meanwhile, in Copahl Kingdom, the main group is having a hard time adjusting to the kingdom's exorbitant cost of living. After leaving Toma to converse with perverse ancient item merchant Adamski, Nike and Kukuri fall into a trap set by a band of thieves, thus ending the episode.

Although it features an overly long denouement that tosses the audience headlong into the next adventure, episode 10 presents a spirited, evenly-paced resolution to the Endless Tower arc. While Kaya is mostly a pushover, the fight against Satanachia is funny, challenging for the heroes, and just a touch tension-fraught. Satanachia himself generates a few laughs, but for the most part, he's less comedic than the previous dungeon bosses. Erdle being the only one immune to his magic (thanks to the grass armor he received from Mogel) is also a nice touch, as it finally gives the poor guy a win. Raid, and to a lesser extent Kaya, are relatively ineffective villains in this arc, but the show is probably building to a larger confrontation with them down the line.

With Old Man North-North temporarily (?) departing from the group, it makes sense that friends from previous stories would step in to fill the void. Since Juju, Runrun, and the Dark Magic Society president didn't receive much development in their previous appearances, they'll hopefully be given their due this time around. (Granted, their previous lack of screen time is likely a result of the extremely condensed nature of this adaptation.)

With a solid balance of comedy, action, and plot progression, this week's Magical Circle Guru-Guru is one of the series' best offerings yet. While the show's insistence on cramming copious amounts of material into each episode continues to be problematic, recent weeks have seen things ease up a bit in this area. With new allies en route and a new continent to explore, it's safe to assume we're in for another wild ride.

Rating: A-

Magical Circle Guru-Guru is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Amy is an author who has loved anime for over two decades.