Ave Mujica -The Die Cast- Episode 9 was a perfect storm of conflict or simply put, chaotic. Before diving into this review, I highly recommend watching the episode on Crunchyroll or Muse Asia, as this discussion will be filled with SPOILERS. If you’ve already done that and want to hear others’ opinions about it, then you’ve come to the right place.
Episode 9 took the series’ tension and cranked it up to eleven. But before exploring that, first and foremost, I was thrilled to see more of Uika. Her reactions to the ever-shifting narrative were a sight to behold. Not saying I love to see her crashing out but it’s more so that I just wanted to see more of her, and witnessing her reactions (whether in sadness or anger) felt strangely satisfying. With the sheer number of twists in this episode, it was absurd, but in the best way possible.
After Episode 7, I assumed the CRYCHIC saga had reached its emotional conclusion. MyGO was moving forward, Sakiko had seemingly accepted reality, and Mutsumi had found closure—or so I thought. But Mutsumi saw that performance as a revival, not a farewell. That revelation alone was shocking, but even more surprising was Sakiko’s willingness to do anything to make Mutsumi’s wish come true.
I love Sakiko, but this is not the right play. I get that she wants to bring happiness back to Mutsumi and, in doing so, perhaps revive the person she once was. But CRYCHIC is over. I thought she understood the assignment in Episode 7, but the moment Mutsumi asked for CRYCHIC’s return, Sakiko threw away the lesson she had seemingly learned. MyGO is moving forward, and so should they. She isn’t wrong for wanting to help Mutsumi, but she’s choosing the wrong method. If she truly wants to save her, it has to be through Ave Mujica, not through a band that has already played its final note.
Sakiko fears that Ave Mujica will only hurt Mutsumi because it keeps Mortis alive, but what she fails to realize is that Mutsumi is already gone and only Mortis remains. Chasing after CRYCHIC now is like trying to revive a song whose melody has long faded. This is what makes Episode 9 chaotic since the entire episode was built on miscommunication and misunderstandings, turning it into a messy one.
As if things weren’t messy enough, Nyamu’s personal troubles add even more tension. Her own ambitions and struggles in the limelight mix into the already volatile situation, making everything even more unpredictable. But if there’s anyone who takes the crown for amplifying the chaos, it’s Uika. The amount of crashing out she had this episode was crazy and I really feel so bad for her.
Her breaking point came the moment she saw Sakiko happy with CRYCHIC. Watching Ave Mujica’s identity crumble before her eyes, slowly falling into oblivion was unbearable as well contributed to the actions she had and would’ve taken in this episode. When she pushed Mutsumi off the stairs, that was insane. Even though it was only in her head, the scene serving as a foreshadowing of Mutsumi’s demise was psychotic. However, I still wish the episode delved deeper into Uika’s emotional turmoil.
Sakiko and Ave Mujica mean everything to her, but I wanted to feel more of that impact. While the episode did a great job portraying her descent into madness, it could have given us even more crash outs or let the episode revolve entirely around her to clearly show how deeply she loves Sakiko and the band. It was still fine nonetheless but it would’ve made Uika even more standout than ever.
Now, with Umiri rallying Mortis and Uika to bring Sakiko back, the stage is set for a dramatic confrontation. Nyamu is still a wild card though. While she’s shown signs of leaning toward Umiri’s side, I’m not fully convinced she’s committed to reuniting Ave Mujica. However, considering her drive for fame and some parts of her ascent aren’t working, it’s likely her best option to climb the ranks.
Ave Mujica -The Die Cast- Episode 9 was a bold swing in the right direction. The writing took a full-force shot at shifting the narrative, but with only four episodes left, it’s still up in the air. If it connects, it’ll be pure cinema but if it whiffs, the crash will be extremely hard to recover from.
That said, all the pieces are falling into place, and everything hinges on Sakiko—the one who started it all. While MyGO isn’t outright opposing her desire to reunite CRYCHIC, this is shaping up to be a 1v9 showdown, with Sakiko standing alone against the rest of the cast. With the odds stacked against her, it’s time to see if she can shoulder the weight of this story and I gotta say, the fate of the series’ success rests upon her.
The screenshots were taken via Muse Asia.
Anime Corner was given an advanced screening of Ave Mujica -The Die Cast- Episode 9.
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