Episode 2 of Lycoris Recoil aired on Saturday jumping straight to the point and not wasting any time in introducing us to a new character in a way only this series could—with heart-pumping action, a surprising twist, and a pinch of mystery at the end to top it all off. After debuting at #1 in our first Summer 2022 weekly poll thanks to an incredible season premiere, Lycoris Recoil is looking to remain in that top spot after another fantastic episode.
Arguably the best thing about episode 2 of Lycoris Recoil is that the entire episode was focused on the mission at hand from beginning to end. There was no time to waste. From the prologue of the episode, before the opening started playing, to the very end, every minute of this episode served a purpose. I actually became so captivated by the episode that it was over before I even realized it.
There was never a shortage of boring moments. Whether it was Chisato dodging bullets at point-blank range, Takina using a suitcase as cover against bullets, or Mizuki taking dozens of bullets in a squirrel costume and ending up completely fine, fans were given another wonderful action-packed episode.
While the twist seemed so simple yet perfect after the fact, the episode did a wonderful job of hiding just enough information about it so the viewer was on the edge of their seat the entire time and completely in the dark. And when everything was revealed, you find yourself mirroring Chisato and Takina’s shocked reaction.
Episode 2 didn’t give us some original anime-defining plot twist. But rather than just simply introducing the new character, Kurumi, by going “Hey, how are you?! Welcome to the team!”, the entire episode was dedicated to her introduction, similar to how it was with Takina in the season premiere. But the twist leading to her reveal in this episode wasn’t perfect in the overall, wide-spectrum sense for anime, it was perfect for Lycoris Recoil.
The thing we’ve learned with this series in these two episodes already is that it doesn’t stall one part of the plot so another can gain traction and catch up. Rather, everything is moving in one, constant motion as if it’s all in perfect sync. Or, in the words of Heath Ledger’s Joker from the iconic film The Dark Knight, “It’s all part of the plan.” And that’s what everything has felt like–part of a greater plan that we’re just now scratching the surface of.
Even though Kurumi’s character was actually introduced to us before the series even premiered on the official website, we still had no idea that she was going to pop out of a suitcase that ended up being a shield against bullets during a firefight. And the little hints we were given, such as Mizuki receiving an email from Kurumi’s codename “Walnut” at the beginning of the episode, without us even thinking twice about it made this a perfect episodic twist.
The old saying goes “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” However, with Yoshi, it seems like both friends and enemies intertwine here. After learning at the end of the episode that he, Mika, and Chisato have known each other for quite some time, 10 years to be exact, Yoshi still doesn’t know what the two actually do for a living. And after being the mastermind behind everything that happened in Episode 2, it seems like Mika and Chisato are the same towards Yoshi other than what he lets on–making him a potentially wonderful and dangerous antagonist.
While it may be a small moment, the very ending of the second episode when Takina shoots her hairband at Chisato who dodged it was significant in a way. Since first meeting her, Takina has been on edge about who Chisato really is. And after seeing Takina’s shocked reaction to Chisato dodging bullets, it’s obvious Chisato is much more than just some regular Lycoris agent, leading to even more mystery within Lycoris Recoil.
In Episode 1, Takina told Chisato to her face that she makes her “uneasy.” And now, Takina not only tested Chisato’s reflexes but also her beliefs by snapping at her after healing the same enemies that tried to kill her. As Takina explained it’s a Lycoris’ job to kill, there’s a past of Chisato’s we’re unaware of and why she fights the way she does. What this could lead to down the road is up for debate, but it could lead to a drastic turning point in the series.
If you enjoyed Episode 2 of Lycoris Recoil, then make sure to vote for it in our Summer 2022 Week 2 poll! Episode 3 will air on Saturday, July 16, on Crunchyroll.
Screenshots: Crunchyroll
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