English Dub Review: My Instant Death Ability is Overpowered “The Agency”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

In Yogiri’s childhood, Asaka Takato is assigned to care for and observe him.  However, Asaka can’t stop him from being kidnapped and held hostage by the “organization”.

Our Take:

Usually, flashback episodes are a way to pause a show’s plot progression in favor of exploring specific characters.  They might be excuses to prolong their season narratives, but they’re also serviceable in allowing audiences to learn more about the protagonists’ journeys.  So, it’s no surprise that My Instant Death Ability is the latest to continue this trend. Sure, the episode doesn’t focus on a flashback throughout its entire runtime, but it’s something.  But do you know what’s even stranger than a kid who can kill with his thoughts?  The episode’s flashback is actually more interesting than the main storyline.

This is mainly due to the relationship between a young Yogiri and his caretaker, Asaka Takato.  Her company trusted Asaka to teach and protect Yogiri, but she didn’t expect herself to stay in his safe room 24/7.  So, her boss, Yukio, advised her to take a vacation.  Unfortunately, that was immediately derailed when Asaka wound up in the clutches of “The Agency”, forcing Yogiri to rescue her.  The flashback sequence only lasted for the entire half of the episode, but it did its job of connecting it back to the beginning of the series through Yogiri’s rescue mission.  More importantly, it showcases Asaka’s growth as a “mother” to Yogiri by accepting his true self despite his dangerous ability.

Following the flashback, Yogiri and Tomochika finally arrive at the royal capital, where they and the remaining students are taking on a challenge from the King of Manii to become sages.  The only moment I surprisingly found humorous was Tomochika kicking one of the capital’s guards, David, in his privates during their duel.  Other than that, it made me wish the entire episode was focused on Asaka and the young Yogiri instead.  Although, I am somewhat curious about what the challenge is going to be.