REVIEW: ‘To Your Eternity’ Season 3 Episode 7 — “The Attack”

To Your Eternity Season 3 Episode 7, “The Attack,” spends the bulk of its time looking at the life of the young girl Mimori (Rumi Okubo, Dead Mount Death Play), who is possessed by The Nokkers and attacks Fushi (Reiji Kawashima, The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic). Told through her brother’s eyes, we learn about her, as well as some uncomfortable things about him. 

When the last episode ended, we saw Mimori being carried away from her confrontation with Fushi by her big brother, Hirotoshi (Tasuku Hatanaka, Clevatess). As To Your Eternity Season 3 Episode 7 opens, we find the older brother groggily awaking in his room. Confused about how he got there, he discovers Mimori sleeping nearby, which causes Hirotoshi to look back on his history with his step-sister, and how he noticed a strange shift in her behavior. 

At its core, the central story of To Your Eternity Season 3 Episode 7 has a lot of potential, even if it’s mired in some overused cliches. At the start of the flashback, we learn that Hirotoshi, 30 years old, was a slovenly shut-in, spending his days playing games and indulging in questionable reading materials. That is, until his father puts his foot down when he remarries, and brings his new wife and daughter, Mimori, home. 

To Your Eternity Season 3 Episode 7 can’t quite escape its cliches, but it manages.

Mimori is a shy young girl with little confidence and no friends. Hirotoshi is instantly smitten with her. He soon takes a vested interest in his kid sister, as he tries to learn the role of a big brother. While at first his concern is kept at a distance, he eventually learns to approach her and begins to form a genuine bond. 

This story could be a sweet narrative about two social outcasts coming together and growing, if not for one unfortunate detail. Hirotoshi is a lolicon. For those unfamiliar with the term, it is an individual who likes imagery that portrays young girls, or those appearing to be young, in sexual ways.

Those questionable reading materials mentioned earlier featured girls of uncertain ages on the cover, in poses that, while not overtly mature, are certainly intended to imply sexuality. His father refers to them as “unsavory materials,” seemingly confirming the nature of the magazines. Hirotoshi’s dad also warns his son not to do anything weird with her because of this trait when he and his wife leave for a week for their honeymoon. 

While To Your Eternity Season 3 Episode 7 never has Hirotoshi do anything untoward with Mimori, the existence of the character element raises many questions. You can never shake what his true intentions are for the girl, leaving a disquieting element that hangs over the entire tale. This is at its worst when Hirotoshi helps Mimori up from a fall, and the camera chooses to linger on the girl’s skirt-covered croch for a moment, from what feels like Hirotoshi’s POV.

Despite the uncomfortable truths unearthed, the background exploration offers much to unpack.

There is even evidence that Mimori was aware of her brother’s inclinations, given how the Nokker behaves once it has possessed her, leading to a disturbing moment that thankfully seems to unsettle Hirotoshi as much as it unsettles viewers. 

Aside from this massive hurdle, the background story does create some strong moments. One scene, when Hirotoshi tries to cheer up Mimori, plays out innocently and with a fair amount of charm. And the moment when Hirotoshi sees Mimori after she is taken by the Nokkers hits with a shock. The delivery of the original Mimori’s death and how her brother reacts to his suspicions is well-crafted. 

Once To Your Eternity Season 3 Episode 7 returns to the present, we see Fushi begin his search for Mimori. When he confronts her, the twisted Nokker’s possession of the girl is on full display. How the character twists, contorts, and rages as she attempts to eviserate Fushi is incredibly well done, as it produces a truly horrifying moment. 

To Your Eternity Season 3 Episode 7 delivers an excellent narrative, if not for one massively unfortunate decision. The inclusion of Hirotoshi’s unpleasant tendencies leaves a foul taste that spoils the rest of the presentation. 

To Your Eternity Season 3 Episode 7 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

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