REVIEW: ‘Otherside Picnic,’ Episode 7 – “Resort Night at the World’s Edge”

Otherside Picnic Episode 6 continued Toriko and Sorawo’s adventures in the Otherside’s haunting nightlife. In Otherside Picnic Episode 5, the girls met a troop of American soldiers who had been yanked into the Otherside, much like the girls. Things immediately got hairy as the Otherside’s night sank its proverbial fangs into them. In the end, Otherside Picnic Episode 6 concluded their time with them, leaving viewers on a cliffhanger. It also transitioned viewers into a new story arc that’s sure to be filled with all manner of supernatural goodness.

In Otherside Picnic Episode 7, “Resort Night at the World’s Edge,” the girls get a beach episode, which struck me as particularly hilarious. After all, who would expect a literal beach? Still, Otherside Picnic Episode 7 is a nice “filler” episode… at least, so it seems.

We see the girls in media res, waking up from a bender the night before. Drunk—literally and figuratively—on their successful return back to their reality, they went shopping. And by shopping, I mean they spent every bit of money they had living it up. This included buying swimsuits to hit up the beach that they landed on.

By this point in the series, these antics feel quite comforting. If anything, Sorawo and Toriko are at their best when they play off of one another’s impulsivity like this. In fact, it’s when their character traits shine the most. Often, their antics lead to some of the best scenes in the show. I imagine that they’ll lend themselves to this beach episode.

So, with snacks in hand, the girls are off to the beach in a taxi… or, are they?  Like all the episodes before, Otherside Picnic Episode 7 can’t help but connect the girls back to the Otherside and the supernatural. This immediately becomes clear when they wake up in a taxi covered in morning glories. Fun fact: morning glories are a flower that, in the language of flowers, can represent willful promises, especially in Japan. Additionally, the flower can represent young lovers. I find this particularly fitting, seeing that Otherside Picnic is explicitly a Yuri anime. Hopefully, we’ll be treated to some more bonding between the girls.

Flower language aside, this is still a beach episode, regardless of their seaside getaway’s supernatural nature. Toriko is right; it doesn’t matter if this is the Otherside or not. A beach is a beach, and since the girls are still armed from their trip in Otherside Picnic Episodes 5 and 6, they’ll be okay no matter what happens!

Toriko’s enthusiasm for a day at the beach is catching, especially as Otherside Picnic Episode 7’s plot meanders to the end of the episode. Even the music becomes lighter as the girls settle into their otherworldly beach vacation with a couple of beers. It truly seems that Otherside Picnic Episode 7 will be a decidedly light episode in terms of Otherside events.

Ultimately, Otherside Picnic Episode 7 is a nice breather from the tense action of the previous arc at Kisaragi Station. Fans of Sorawo and Toriko will get lots of good bonding tidbits and more of their antics. Viewers interested in the Otherside will get a good dose of the supernatural throughout the episode. Fans of Otherside Picnic, in general, will find yet another solid entry.

Additionally, I think this is a necessary episode, especially to help connect us to Otherside Picnic Episode 8. Sorawo and Toriko continue to bond and develop their already close relationship. This sets up the potential for one final arc of growth before the series ends. It’s honestly just really nice to see Sorawo and Toriko safe in the Otherside versus constantly in danger.

My only grievance is in the back half of the episode, which felt a bit out of place. Some of the animation looks a bit wonky, and the plot loses its pleasant, peaceful stride. It does pull it back to Otherside Picnic’s creepy roots in the end, but I felt the twists thrown in weaken a very pleasant, low-action episode. Still, I’m largely optimistic as Otherside Picnic transitions into the last episodes of its first cour. 

It’s hard to believe that we’ve only got five more episodes to go before saying goodbye to the Otherside. Still, I can solidly say that my adventures with the Otherside and the girls have been enjoyable. Otherside Picnic Episode 7 was pleasant. I wholeheartedly expect the remainder of this series to be just as enjoyable as it has thus far been.

Otherside Picnic is streaming now on Funimation.