MEGALOBOX Ep 2 Two Guys, One Ring

• Genre : Cyberpunk, Sports!, action, cool
• Studio: TMS Entertainment

I’m still struggling to find my footing on this one (as an aside, some great footwork animation during the fight….just a really great bout for those who actually mb enjoy boxing but prefer no one really get brain damage). I’m going to do my best to give you a review of the episode as it happened while adding in some romance. This may or may not be a quite stupid idea…

Megalo Box continues to lean heavily on past decade nostalgia with vintage outfits and outdated technology mixed in with all the steam punk. I’m starting to feel like that close up shot of a cassette tape is the go to shorthand for “look the 80s”. It seems a bit lazy but then again if they switched it to something else, I probably wouldn’t recognize it.

The art remains wonderful and JD is looking mighty fine. Tanned with a loose fro is sort of an unusual look in anime. I’m digging the variety. We also saw the intro for the first time, it was pretty meh if you ask me but the soundtrack of the episode was great.

As for the events. In another somewhat classic choice, it seems storytelling is tightly linear with the episode picking up exactly where the first on had left off. No preamble or time jump. You may recall that last episode, JD met Yuri on a romantic rainy night and was instantly struck. Just as JD was wondering how he could see him again, the other man came to him and they were preparing to share a ring for the first time.

As expected, Yuri’s superior experience came through and JD never really been stood a chance. Nevertheless, the young man put up just enough energy to impress the other and Yuri openly stated his desire to share rings once again.

Rawr am I right? If JD was interested before, he’s downright obsessed now, willing to rearrange his entire life purely in order to chase after Yuri. These two kids hardly know each other, come from completely different worlds and run in entirely different circles. Reason dictates that it could never work! But what’s reason in the face of passion.

Although Yuri strives to maintain a stoic mask, his emotions nevertheless peek through in quiet moments as his mind inadvertently wanders back to JD. For his part, restless and boisterous JD isn’t trying to hide anything. He declares his intentions loudly and risks forsaking old friendships and making new enemies in pursuit of his newfound goal.

Unfortunately, JD lives in an unforgiving world and many obstacles stand between him and Yuri. Others will certainly not be as understanding of his single-minded pursuit. But for the moment, his coach has managed to buy him a first (and possibly only) chance, and the future looks full of possibility.

As JD begins his first steps on the journey that will lead him back to Yuri and his ring.

Next week, I’m hoping a beach episode!