REVIEW: ‘Fire Force,’ Season 2 Episode 15 – “A Three Way Melee”

Fire Force is a shonen anime produced by David Production. As Shinra confronts the Ashen Reaper Nataku’s adolla burst ignites. When Licht discovers this he decides it’s time to call in reinforcements, and the rest of Station 8 moves in to back them up. But Haijima won’t just let them walk away with Nataku, And things only get me chaotic as the Evangelist’s followers make their presence known. Fire Force Episode 15 switches gears back to the action. We get to meet another new pyrokenetic, this one with Haijima, and see if she has what it takes to hold her own with some of Station 8’s finest. Once again, the show does a great job delivering a new character concept that is both unique, yet not out of place for the show. While the action does a good job highlighting the creativity and style the series has shown off before, it does have it’s faults in other areas.

The action here gets interrupted repeatedly by overly long-winded speeches about things like trust, and faith in other people. While stopping mid-battle to have a momentary discourse is fine, to be expected even, the ones that intrude upon the action here wear out their welcome quickly. This isn’t an episode ruining problems, but it does hold Fire Force Episode 15 from being all it could have been.

The only other rough spot for this episode comes with how quickly everything changes. The build-up in the last episode gave the impression that Shinra and Licht would be undercover at Haijima for an extended period of time. While, due to the circumstances, it makes sense for Licht to call in the rest of the team, it feels extremely abrupt, even to the point of being jarring.

While some of Station 8 hold off Haijima’s response to their presence, the rest of the crew meet up with Shinra and Licht to save Nataku from Reaper’s clutches. Nataku is utterly terrified at all that is happening around him. As just a kid who has already been through so much, having been implanted with a firebug in season one, and cruelly mistreated by Haijima now, his abject terror is palpable. Then to make the situation worse, the Evangelist’s minions show up.

With the Evangelist’s people showing up Fire Force Episode 15 gives us our first look at Inca in her white-clad outfit, as well as introducing her guardian. Another new character whose design fits nicely with the other white-clad costumes, while delivering its own goth twist to the group’s trademark look.

Along with these new looks, Charon also returns to the series this episode. Whether or not he and Shinra will finish what they started in their earlier fight this season is something we’ll have to see. Though if they do come to blows, I have little doubt Shinra has cooked up some new tactics for dealing with the imposing opponent.

When all is said and done Fire Force Episode 15 delivers a solid action-oriented entry into the series, despite a momentary misstep here and there. The battle for the sixth adolla pillar is just heating up. With so many combatants, both new and old, in play, it promises to be a huge display of pyrotechnics, tactics, and sheer grit from all involved. I can’t wait to see how it all goes down.

Fire Force Episode 15 is streaming now.