English Dub Review: YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of This World “The Truth of Dela Granto”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

When we left off last week, Takuya had just discovered that the famed Masked Woman is Yu-No. Syncing with the Grand Mother for the Divine Emperor has given her memory loss, and she can’t remember her father. Takuya, Deo, and Kartz make it past her, and find Ryuzoji imprisoned. He offers to save Yu-No if they free him, but Takuya turns him down. Eriko shows up, Ryuzoji uses the distraction to brainwash Deo and Kartz, and he escapes.

They find Yu-No and Takuya is able to return her heart/memories to her by rekindling Sayless who is still living inside her, I guess? While this is happening, Amanda breaks into the Hall of Memories and discovers a cute lil hologram helper named Ai. Takuya goes to confront the Divine Emperor, only to learn it is Ayumi! She tells him the whole story of Dela Granto, as well as the fact that they will soon collide with Earth and be destroyed unless Yu-No performs the ritual.

Our Take:

Yikes, what an episode. Even I’m not sure if I mean that in a good or a bad way yet. This episode just had so much going on. It felt like a double-length episode, even though it only lasted the usual 20 minutes. The Truth of Dela Granto reveals, well, the truth of Dela Granto. However, it did it in the most boring, expositional way imaginable. Almost the entire second half is nothing but an info dump, and I’m not sure it worked for me.

The big story of this episode is all the reveals. While we got the Yu-No reveal at the end of last week, we really don’t know why she’s working for the Divine Emperor until now. The whole ‘sacrifice a bodily function’ thing is pretty weird, but also helps explain why Sayless couldn’t talk and why Takuya’s mother was blind. Although I’ve gotta say, couldn’t you have picked something less critical than your heart to sacrifice, Yu-No? Unless she wanted to get rid of it on purpose to shield her from the pain of losing everyone close to her, in which case, damn.

Ayumi being unveiled as the Divine Emperor is not something I saw coming. I kinda suspected it would be one of the wacky ladies we’ve seen before, but Takuya’s stepmother? No. It’s an interesting twist that’s told in one of the most boring ways possible. Exposition is necessary, but it’s usually best doled out in small portions, with action in-between. Dedicating such a large portion of this week’s episode to listening to Ayumi (and Ai) tell the tale of Dela Granto isn’t the most engaging of decisions. But then again, how else were they going to wrap up everything in just one more episode? Honestly, though, I would’ve preferred to learn some of these things naturally rather than all at once. It makes everything less critical, just because there’s another thing coming to process so fast.

I won’t get into the entire backstory of Dela Granto, but suffice it to say it’s nothing too special, just the usual smart people saving themselves by leaving Earth stuff. But I did really appreciate Ai the AI. I mean, c’mon, how can you not love her with such an adorably catchy title?

This week’s dub was good, although I expected Takuya to sound more astonished after learning Ayumi was the one responsible for killing his wife. “I’ll kill anyone who defies the Emperor.” Poor Yu-No has been seriously traumatized. And I thought Takuya was messed-up! “Don’t tell me you’re thinking about saving the daughter who attempted to take your life.” Man, Takuya has had a messed-up couple of weeks recently, though. “Where did the hot lady come from?” Kurtz and Deo are becoming less essential as time goes on, but they still have their moments. “Honestly, if you’re here I figure the castle’s pretty much done for anyway. I’ve already had my share of fun with the guards.” Sarah is a maid now, I guess? And she knows Amanda. “Thank you, that concludes my presentation.” Ai ending her info dump with that made me forgive her, just a little.

The Truth of Dela Granto has a lot going on. Some of it’s good, some of it’s okay, and a lot of it could’ve been great if the show had approached the telling in a bit more of an original or unique way. Still, as we approach the ending, I’m glad we got so many questions out of the way. I’d rather be overwhelmed in the penultimate episode and leave room for the true finale to breath.