Ushio and Tora Episode 3: The Demon that Dwells in the Painting - Bobble Reviews

Ushio's Dad's Back In Town!!! This week, he's out to accidentally shame Ushio for unleashing Tora from the prison that was the entire reason for the shrine he lives in ever even existing.

So don't take the spear and don't let out Tora!

Uhh...at least don't take the spear?

If you think he's gonna do anything else in any of the rest of the episode besides stay there slack-jawed, then you readers have another thing coming! He doesn't show up again this episode, so I choose to believe he just stood there for at least two days. So move out the way, old man! Today we've got another mystery to solve!

Ushio and his human friends from school plus his evil demon friend go have fun at an art museum. Tora is impressed.

Finally, art he can relate to.

Sadly, they've got to go to school, where Ushio meets a BIG BULLY...

 But Ushio doesn't get beat up too badly because a mysterious young lady walks in and says, "Hey, beat me up instead." And at that point everyone just stops fighting, because they all know she's not trying to look tough; she's trying to look like she wants them to slaughter her and put her out of her misery. Ohhh man, it's the chronically-depressed daughter of the artist of the painting we saw earlier! Not only that, but it's also the subject of his final painting! The one whose dad died cursing everything! It's...it's...!

*hoots, applause*

Dude you just said she tried to commit suicide four times IS THIS YOUR ONLY REACTION?

With that happily over and done with, Ushio asks Little Miss Hanyuu if he can paint her looking happy for once, and she's all "no, no thanks," so he follows her home, and Tora gets hit by a truck, and then Ushio kills the truck.

This is basically where the scene ends.

Ohh, but that wasn't just Tora looking and generally being stupid...that was part of the curse that surrounds Reiko "Reallysad" Hanyuu! Anyone who tries to get close to her gets pushed away by tragic accidents. But they're no mere accidents...they're wrought by the demon that is her dead father! And now that Ushio is getting buddy-buddy with Reiko "2sad" Hanyuu, they're about to come back on their school's track...with a vengeance!

No one says it better.

But that's okay! Tora leaps in and Pikachu-shocks the awful deadguy, and he and his Tornado of Evil disappear, thus surely concluding the very first fifteen-minute-long episode of Ushio and Tora. This is an historic first for avant-garde shonen anime.

Roll the credits!

Nnnnooo, things still aren't okay! Reiko runs away to her spooky haunted house and tries to ledge-leap suicide her dad's wrath away for good. But death is not the answer this time; violence is. Ushio uses his spear to break her fall by breaking her freaking back.

...Roll the credits!

Oh but that obviously doesn't work so he and the bully both do this instead.

They did it! Reiko has successfully chosen life. But now that she's done that...can Ushio choose...the right strategy for defeating her undead dad???

This face is here for no other reason than, hey, this face.

Ushio and Devildad's battle eventually takes them into the bowels of the painting, wherein Ushio will surely be doomed. Tora refuses to help! He absolutely refuses to help!

For all of two seconds.

The day is saved! And as it turns out, even the dad is saved! Now that he's been stabbed by the demon spear, he can turn into a beautiful ghost and tell everyone to find happiness. And look, over there! Now that it isn't haunted by bad mojo, the painting looks beauuuuutifuuuuul.

Eh. Two stars.

 Nice. Job, Ushio and Tora. Now do a cool pose.

Y-y-you ruined it, Tora...you ruined it.

Next time: Tora and the Big City! See you!