Review: Ballmastrz: 9009 “Defective Affection?! Dodge the Wayward Strikes of Cupid’s Calamitous Quiver!”

Overview (Spoilers Below:

Love is a many splendored thing, or in the case of Ballmastrz: 9009, love is a many splintered thing. Since success on the game field no longer seems to be a challenge for the Leptons, Gaz and Dee Dee discover that they’ve got some extra time on their hands. Since there’s only so much alcohol that can be consumed in a day, the two turn Lulu into their priority. Gaz and Duleena are determined to give Lulu a tiny slice of bliss, however that may be achieved. However, once they take a closer look into the enigmatic Lepton’s life, they learn that this may be a matter of the heart more than anything else. Not only that, but the Leptons may have their very own super couple that’s been looking for the courage to make a move and go public. Gaz and Dee Dee unexpectedly try to play Cupid between Lulu and Bob, but the two of them both have very different approaches towards romance. Gaz and Dee continue to intervene as Lulu and Bob try to get closer, but the Leptons quickly learn that it doesn’t take four to tango.

Our Take:

Ballmastrz: 9009 is a series that trades in extremes, whether it’s the outrageous storylines that the Leptons find themselves dealing with in each new episode, or the insane animation techniques and styles that are used to bring the show to life. This season of Ballmastrz has done an exceptional job with finding absurd stories that have a kernel of emotional authenticity that help all of them resonate more than just some standard episode where they face another team at “The Game.” This broader perspective for the second season of Ballmastrz: 9009 has allowed many different genres to blend with the cartoon’s chaotic sensibilities. The show finds a way to tell stories that both huge and cosmic, but also incredibly specific and personal. At its core, “Defective Affection?!” is a screwball love story, but because this is Ballmastrz’s take on romance it’s surely to be deeply unusual business.

Love and rambunctious hormones have reared their heads before on Ballmastrz: 9009, but “Defective Affection?!” is such a unique entry because it attempts to tell a romantic story between the two members of the Leptons that don’t talk. Both Lulu and Bob have maybe collectively said four words over the series’ 17 episodes, which is why their tale of romance is much more unpredictable and earnest than Ballmastrz’s other cupid-adjacent stories. Weeks ago I praised Ballmastrz: 9009 for its ability to tell a story that paired Gaz and Dee Dee together. It was an important relationship for the show to strengthen and so it’s satisfying to see that their bond continues to grow in this installment. In fact, Gaz and Dee Dee decide to extend their goodwill to the last female member of the Leptons, Lulu.

Ballmastrz: 9009’s second season has excelled in its character-based storytelling and how it’s succeeded in turning one-note caricatures into complicated individuals. If there are any weak links amongst the cast of Ballmastrz, they’re definitely Lulu and Bob. These are characters that feel more like visual gags than people with evolving motivations. The second season of Ballmastrz continues in its mission to eliminate its flaws and refine what works and “Defective Affection?!” kills two space-birds with one space-stone by its decision to paint an earnest budding romance between Lulu and Bob. Granted, Gaz and Dee Dee shove themselves in Lulu’s business without being asked. They may have good intentions here, but these two aren’t masters of subtlety, so their mission to play matchmaker takes a rather surprising direction once Lulu and Bob increasingly become the episode’s focus.

Most of the fun of this episode comes from how Gaz and Dee Dee attempt to play Cyrano de Bergerac with Lulu to guarantee that her date with Bob is a success. Gaz and Dee Dee both provide wildly different perspectives on how to operate on a date, which throws Lulu into chaos for the most part. Lulu and Bob’s date spirals in unexpected ways and even though there’s an incredible amount of stress on Lulu’s part, the date continues to proceed successfully. Gaz and Dee Dee are ridiculous as they hide in the shadows during the date and “Defective Affection?!” doesn’t struggle with juggling four characters who are all very different. The whole thing is not only a testament to how cute Lulu and Bob are as a couple, but also what a fun team Dee Dee and Gaz have become.

“Defective Affection?!” is heavy on the humor and it’s a rare episode that tries to prioritize jokes over action or game sequences. There are tons of great details on display throughout Lulu and Bob’s date like how all of the media in this universe seems to be produced by and starring Crayzar, which is a whole new level of megalomania. Also, any stray observations about this episode fall secondary to the fact that Lulu does the freaking torture dance from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind (and with Josuke’s hair, no less)!!! There have been some exceptional deep cut anime references throughout this season, but this is by far the pinnacle. I could not believe it.

At this point it’s a foregone conclusion that the animation featured in Ballmastrz: 9009 is going to be top-notch and feature at least one sequence that makes you scream out in awe. All of the different locations that Lulu and Bob visit on their date are the highlights here, but there are still plenty of random moments that work so much harder than they need to just so every frame of Ballmastrz is as gorgeous as possible. The color shifts that occur whenever Dee Dee screams advice into Lulu’s earpiece are wonderful. There’s also a very brief training sequence that Gaz runs the Leptons through and it’s illustrated with a stunning black light-inspired animation style. It’s still maddening that Ballmastrz will utilize new color palates that involve so much effort, only for the aesthetic and vibe to be used for less than thirty seconds. By then, the episode has already moved onto its next eye-popping, brain-blowing animation sequence.

“Defective Affection?! Dodge the Wayward Strikes of Cupid’s Calamitous Quiver!” is another episode of Ballmastrz: 9009 that triumphs around every corner and finds a way to improve the series’ least dynamic characters. There’s a touching story here that still gets to go to ridiculous places and even though it’s an episode that favors emotion over action, there’s still no shortage of the latter. “Defective Affection?!” is one of the funnier episodes of the series and it continues to improve its character dynamics and make these absurd personalities feel like real people.