Space Brothers Episode 84
The training mission continues on even as the tension grows.
What They Say:
Mutta and Kenji are forced to compete for the chance to go to the moon. Initially unsure as to what to do, Mutta benefits from Andy’s advice, which helps him settle down and devise a new plan.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
The psychological effects of finding out that the two men are competing for a position for the lunar mission definitely started creeping in during the previous episode. Particularly when it came to some of the mission design parameters where Mutta was focused on getting the telescope going and Kenji had to get him to realize that it wasn’t going to happen. It’s definitely difficult to accept since Mutta has his dream, but it’s also something that Mutta at least dealt with it right by understanding that there is a truth to what Kenji is seeing. All of this combined with a bit of good advice from the quiet Andy helped to cement the way he realizes he needs to approach this entire exercise, something that Mutta is definitely good at doing.
The underwater mission has definitely been interesting to watch since we get the sort-of-lunar experience here with the contained space, suits to go out and do the work and the small group in a relatively confined space having to work together. Everyone focuses on their jobs since they’re all supremely dedicated and you don’t get the usual work related things of problematic people, which is a hugely welcome change in a way. Everyone is interested in doing their best and motivated to do just that. And it can be inspiring as we see how Mutta has truly taken to what needs to be done and is completely focused on doing his best, so much so that it’s making an impression on Kenji as well. Both continue to remain friends and work hard, but there’s still that small strain that will be in there simply because they know what’s at stake. But they’re not taking it out on each other or getting strained in their interactions with each other.
Seeing how this is coming across from the other men on the team that aren’t part of the competition is interesting since they talk about how much more self assertive both Mutta and Kenji are and some of the things they’ve come up, though it’s debatable whether it’s because they’re competing or would have been a natural discovery. There are some moments of strain that come up overall though, especially since they’re also being quiet when it comes to the problem at hand, and that leads to a tension at certain times even though they’re being assertive with the work. The atmosphere within the Aquarius II definitely takes an interesting turn because of all of this, but it’s all about Mutta in the end as we see how he manages to soften the ice that’s been building with Kenji in order for them both to do their best. And that’s pure Mutta.
In Summary:
Taking the time to really explore how this situation would be handled by Mutta and Kenji may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it works very well here to show us just that. They’re both vying for something they thought they could achieve together only to find out they’re really competing. They’re both rational adults about it, even with the creeping fear in the background that’s quite natural, and their focus on the mission at hand is good. As is the way we see how they change and grow from it but also are intent in the end on maintaining the friendship between them because of all that they’ve been through. It’s a very, very difficult situation to contend with but both men really do come across very well here and taking the time to explore it is well worth it.
Grade: B
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
Review Equipment:
Sony KDL70R550A 70″ LED 1080P HDTV, Apple TV via HDMI set to 1080p, Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver and Panasonic SB-TP20S Multi-Channel Speaker System With 100-Watt Subwoofer.