REVIEW: ‘Fire Force,’ Season 2 – Episode 14

Content warning: Fire Force episode 14 contains a scene of child abuse.

Fire Force episode 14 is a shonen anime produced by David Production. With the revelation that the modern Holy Sol Temple, while corrupt, is as clueless as everyone else about the truth of its origins, Fire Station 8’s investigation now turns to the only other entity in the Tokyo Empire nearly as powerful as the Temple. Haijima Industries. Even as they come to this conclusion, however, Haijima has a plan of its own for Station 8’s star member.

With the reveal that Viktor works for Haijima as a spy last episode, Fire Force episode 14 follows up with his confessing such to the members of Station 8, and proposing they use his place in Haijima to their own advantage.

He suggests that they send Shinra to Haijima with him for study. But since Shinra will be aware of their real intentions he’ll be ready for whatever the corporation has up its sleeve. This plan, along with the revelation that Haijima is performing brutal tests on kids in their search for an adolla flame user, convinces Shinra that, despite the risk, he must go. After all, what kind of hero allows children to suffer?

With this decision made Fire Force episode 14 jumps to Haijima to give the viewer an idea of what exactly is going on at their research facility. Here we are introduced to the shows next villain, a sadistic bully known as Reaper. Our first look at the new character shows him in a fight with a young child. He himself a grown man, clearly has no possibility of losing to the scared urchin before him.

This scene is moderately upsetting as Reaper clearly takes no small amount of joy in wailing on an opponent with no chance of winning. His attitude is reviling, and the fact that Haijima employees his services dispel any doubt that they indeed are a terrible organization.

The final thing to note about Fire Force episode 14 is the presence of new intro and exit credits. The new intro continues to bring lots of energy to the shows opening. Highlighting big moments from the series before, such as Shinra’s saving Tamaki and the joint stations defeating the infernal demon earlier this season, it also has moments looking forward as well. With new characters getting highlighted it gives us a glimpse of things to come. And all to a rocking beat.

The new end credits continues the previous ones video game aesthetics with a chibi Arthur riding atop a Fire Station wagon. We follow Arthur from a third-person view as the vehicle careens around corners, and Arthur slashes away enemies. Both new pieces are fun end caps for the show.

So, when all is said and done Fire Force episode 14 gets the show moving in its new direction nicely. It introduces a new villain and illustrates the stakes for stopping them in an impactful way. I’m already rooting for Shinra to take Reaper apart.

Fire Force season 2 episode 14 is streaming now.