Tengoku Daimakyo’s fourth episode is behind us and once again we got a perfect blend of action and mystery. We’re finally getting somewhere with the truth behind the mysterious facility Tokio is living in and, unsurprisingly, it is probably very messed up.
The babies Kuku mentioned? Half-monsters with potential superpowers who are also capable of memorizing people and remembering their names. These babies are probably future Man-eaters and if Tokio takes Tarao’s final message to heart, she might be in a lot of trouble once she manages to leave. It seems like some kind of AI creature (Mina) is controlling the space the children live in, with a few humans (or human-looking things) that are assisting. I’m sure everyone noticed that the security camera feed didn’t show Kuku or Tokio; this really stood out to me because it feels like there are three possible explanations for it and each one brings a new potential mystery. First option: the AI doesn’t want to show them sneaking around because it wants to see what these children can do. The second option: the babies are able to alter the feed by using some kind of power – how and why I do not know, but maybe they simply get bored and like the company. And the third option is Kuku or even Tokio – it seems like all of these children have a special talent or some kind of power. Kuku is surprisingly agile (she really reminds me Tsuyu from My Hero Academia) but so far Tokio hasn’t displayed any talents – could this be hers?
Speaking of Tokio, she was finally able to confess her feelings to Kona but in the process, she kind of broke Tarao’s heart. This felt like a perfect portrayal of an awkward teen love triangle: denying one’s feelings because you don’t feel the same makes you feel bad and at the same time it feels like everyone is in love with someone, or at least lusting after them, while you are falling behind. On a similar note, Mimihime had her moment. I am not sure to what extent Shiro’s wild urges are willing to go, but her agreeing to let him keep her in his room “if it’s for a short while” at least lightened up the mood. For someone as perceptive as Mimihime is, this is also a bit out of character.
On Maru and Kiruko’s end, they successfully fought off the Man-eater with the help of weed. Yes, you read that right and I will not elaborate further. The heartfelt moment they shared after the battle was precious – it seems like the two are forming a true friendship that will last forever – if possible.
If this heaven is Mina’s body – a building they control, then maybe the apocalypse was brought on by experimentation that went on in these facilities. Wouldn’t be the first time in sci-fi history. This does feel like an oversimplified explanation, so I will just leave it here as a note. The Director and the staff are definitely growing creepier by the day (Man-eater babies do not help) and Tarao’s warning echoed in all of us. His desire to save Tokio is genuine and I do hope he lives a bit longer to be able to tell her what he knows. Side note: in my review of the second episode I referred to Tarao as “the girl” – this will be corrected.
There is also another thing I need to bring up – the reason it is at the very end is that my colleague Namaryu just pointed it out to me. I feel somewhat dense for not noticing this sooner, but there is a date on the security cameras inside the facility and the year on them is 2017 – meaning that these events are taking place before the great calamity that happened (Kiruko’s “creation” was in 2034). The babies make more sense now and the drawings do too – the Man-eaters could have been modeled after them and then just spent 20ish years chilling somewhere after potentially being released/escaping.
Additionally, my theory about this facility being used for experimentation/breeding of some kind is starting to look more tangible by the episode. The observers comment that they haven’t taught the girls to kiss each other, yet they do it. And in Mimihime and Shiro’s case, someone did send the photo and it was probably them all along, to give him an “idea.” One other thing – Kona’s drawings might be predicting their futures. Man-eater from this episode moves a lot like Kuku and as for Tokio…
This could explain why Maru looks so much like Tokio – she could be his mother. The timelines certainly match and his Maru touch had to have come from somewhere. Not to mention that Kona’s drawing for her was a baby. Also, Mimihime at one point says that she feels like someone with Tokio’s face is coming – could it be baby Maru?
Episode 4 of Tengoku Daimakyo is now streaming on Disney+.
© Tengoku Daimakyo Production Committee