Anime Reviews: Persona 4 The Animation Episode 6 - I'll Beat You, and Beat You Good

Watch the Show Here!

Introduction
Is there such a thing as 'too goofy'? If there is, I hope I never find it. Some people might be turned off from this episode, particularly in the latter half. But others might just find something that makes this one of their new favorite shows of the season.

Plot Summary
The opening scene in the velvet room is a little different this time. Igor is nowhere to be seen, instead Margaret greets the viewer, who we assume is meant to be Yu, and acts oddly flirty. The scene switches to a guy fighting off a biker gang. Later at school two guys are discussing rumors about the guy from the opening. They run off when they see him, and he stalks off. But not before dropping a small cute thing, that Yu picks up and gives back to him.

Back at home Doujima calls Yu, and tells him that he has to handle a case for another detective, and won't be able to go on the trip during Golden Week. The next day Chie comes and invites Yu to go hang out, but he tells her he can't, gesturing towards Nanako. Chie sees Nanako, and invites her to come along with them. They all go to Junes, and eat steak. Yukiko makes fun of Yosuke several times, in a very absent minded kind of way.

The other three talk to Nanako, and find out that Yu was going to make bento lunches for their trip. They are surprised that he can cook, and after insisting that she can cook, Chie gets dragged into a cook-off between them. After a comment about her mom's cooking, Nanako says that her mom died in a car accident.

Later, Doujima apologizes for missing their trip, and brings the two gifts as an apology. He gives Nanako a shirt, and Yu a pair of "fashionable" swimming trunks.

No, he is not being sarcastic. He seriously likes them.

While studying at Junes they start talking about the cases. Yosuke says that there is a motive, the killer isn't random. He shows that each of the victims were girls associated with the first victim. Saki found the victim's body, and the victim stayed at Yukiko's inn before she was found dead. After finishing their discussion, Yosuke leaves, having gotten no studying done.

After an exam montage, Yu is sitting with his family, watching TV, when a news report comes on. The thug from earlier in the episode is on TV, and Doujima recognizes him. He says his name is Kanji and that he got into a fight with a biker gang a while back and has been fighting ever since.

Later that night, Yu sees someone on the Midnight Channel that looks very much like Kanji. The next day they have a meeting about him, confirming that it was indeed Kanji they saw last night. Yukiko says she knew him as a kid, and that he didn't used to be like he is now. She says that his family runs a textile shop, that her inn buys from. They go to the textile shop, where a boy is talking to Kanji's mother.

Suuuuure...

They talk to Kanji's mother, and ask where he is. Yu notices a scarf, that looks exactly like the one they found tied into a noose in the first episode. After they leave they see Kanji talking to the guy from earlier. The guy wants to meet with Kanji later, and Kanji is flustered, wondering why a guy wants to meet with him. He sees the group watching him, and chases them off.

After getting away from Kanji, they decide that they need to keep a watch on Kanji and the textile shop. Yosuke asks Yukiko for her phone number, so he can contact her for the investigation team. Yukiko doesn't address the request, but instead comments that she needs to go buy tofu.

The next day Kanji meets the guy he was talking to, and the two head off. The group breaks into pairs, with Yukiko going with Yu. While the two of them stake out the textile shop, Yu comments about Yukiko being nervous. Yukiko says she's never had any guy friends before, and that she isn't as sued to hanging around guys like Chie is. Yu gets Yukiko's number, for the investigation squad, succeeding where Yosuke failed.

Chie and Yosuke trail Kanji, and after a comment that she's hungry, Yosuke mentions that a local restaurant delivers anywhere, even while you are on the go. Chie calls to order two nikudon, and they are then caught by Kanji. They run, meeting up with Yu and Yukiko, and Yosuke tries to trick Chie into using herself as a decoy to let the others get away. He almost succeeds by suggesting it's her only chance to use a really cool line.

In the middle of the run a girl on a scooter catches up to them, with Chie's order. Chie tries to pay, but realizes she's a little short, Yukiko lends her a hundred yen, and after being paid the delivery girl tells Chie to leave the bowls after she's done.

Once they finally lose Kanji, Yosuke says they might as well give up since Kanji can obviously take care of himself. The others disagree, and in the end they decide to call it a day. After the end credits Yu watches the midnight channel, and sees Kanji's inner self revealed there.

My Opinion
This was a goofy episode, and frankly I loved it. The end was a strange mood change, from relatively serious, to balls to the walls insane. I get the feeling that Persona 4 The Animation is trying to establish an identity for itself aside from that of the game. Right now it's in an experimentation stage. But what it can always rely on is how darn cute Nanako is.

Yu just keeps getting better and better. His reaction to the horrible looking swimming trunks was out of left field and just great. He may not react emotionally to anything, but he has far more personality than a number of anime characters I could name. The writers keep his reactions low key to stay true to the game's portrayal of the blank slate protagonist, but still get a lot of comedy mileage out of him. I can't help but feel that swimsuit is set up for a gag later on.

The scene at the end was so out of left field that I wasn't sure what to think. And I hardly had any time to vocalize my confusion because I was too busy laughing. If nothing else, Persona 4 has a sense of humor, and that alone justifies this series' existence.

If you liked my review, Watch the Episode Here!