[Switchblade]

I can definitely relate to Asumu's situation here, too. My dad is alive, but he's never really been part of my life and being around him has never felt comfortable. I remember this episode definitely hit a bit close to home at the time. Now, though, it just feels like another element that doesn't work with the show's pre-Inoue continuity.

We don't learn a lot about Asumu's dad in the first 29 episodes. He taught Asumu drums and he's estranged from Asumu's mom. The only other things we get is that both Hibiki and Ibuki initially remind Asumom of him. From that I've always assumed that he was meant to be an Oni, possibly one who went off into the field and never came back. That's just an assumption, though. I'm pretty sure the plan wasn't for him to just be a neglectful dick.

So, the monster. I said I'd say my piece yesterday and here it is: I don't like the new Makamou we get here. It's not an awful design, but it is definitely not a Makamou. It feels like a lot of the monsters from here on out are just things that Toei had lying around that got repurposed to be a cheaper alternative to giant CGI crabs.