REVIEW: ‘Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation’ Season 3 Episode 10 — “An Audience with an Immortal Demon King”

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 Episode 10, “An Audience with an Immortal Demon King,” sees Kishirika Kishirisu (Yuka Iguchi, Plus-Sized Elf) reward Cliff (Ryôta Ôsaka, The Witch and the Beast) for his kindness by informing him of where he could find a cure for Nanahoshi’s illness. The only catch is that it resides within the castle of the local immortal demon king.

The opening moments of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 Episode 10 do a great job of setting the tone for most of what is to come. Kishirika deals with the party in her usual, farcical way, and that energy never leaves the episode’s ongoing proceedings. The diminutive demon’s rantings are cut short, however, when the personal guard of Immortal Demon King Atoferatofe Rybak (Nanako Mori, Buddy Daddies) arrives to seize Kishirika for a slight she committed against Atofe.

Calmly handing Kishirika over to the guards once they’ve been assured they will be rewarded with the plant necessary to cure Nanahoshi, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 Episode 10 kicks its shenanigans into high gear when Rudeus is brought before Atofe. The immortal Demon King is loud, brash, and spends little time thinking.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 Episode 10 keeps a mostly comedic tone.

Her boisterous nature fits nicely with the episode’s comical tone, as she demands Rudeus “accept his reward” for bringing Kishirika to her. Namely, to serve in her personal guard. Obviously, not a likely temptation for Rudeus to go for. Alas, kings don’t take kindly to the word no.

While Atofe fits into the tone of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 Episode 10, one cannot help but find her overall existence out of place. This series has always housed both the dramatic and the absurd, but meeting Atofe an episode after leaving Perugius (Rikiya Koyama, Dragon Ball Daima) creates a huge strain on the world. It’s hard to reconcile that both are leaders wielding great power in the same world. 

After a combined attack from Rudeus and Zanoba (Satoshi Tsuruoka, The First Slam Dunk) sends Atofe momentarily reeling, the party flees the castle, hoping they can make it to the portal and escape before Atofe can regain her wits. But the mad dash for freedom is curtailed as Atofe arrives at the portal first, cutting off their escape. 

Atofe’s arrival creates a clash in tone, with her more serious nature seeming out of place.

The battle that plays out within arm’s reach of the portal is both clever and frustrating. How Rudeus’ group evolves and adapts their plan to the changing realities of their foe’s power level helps to create a captivating moment as each employs their own particular strength in battle. The frustration comes from the enemy’s response to all this cleverness. 

As Cliff tries to dash to the portal bearing the plant that can save Nanahoshi’s life, Rudeus and the others attempt to stave off their pursuers long enough for him to get through. The greatest threat to this plan ends up being the captain of Atofe’s guard, a high-level magic user. As the mage repeatedly attempts to cast a spell of one kind or another to halt Cliff’s escape, Rudeus counters each. The number of times this happens is where the scene’s downfall comes in.

The stubbornness of the enemy mage and his wide array of spells is intended to build tension. As each spell is brought out, there is an attempt to make the situation feel more harrowing, but it doesn’t manifest. This is largely due to Rudeus, who rarely, if ever, gets beaten at magic. As the spells fire off one after another, there is no sense of drama, just annoyance, as it feels inevitable that the mage will fail, causing the moment to drag past the point of effectiveness. 

The build-up of tension flounders, with Rudeus’s interventions undercutting much of it.

While the execution of the battle struggles in some ways from a story standpoint, the visuals deliver on the action. The magical might and physical strength of the combatants come through, delivering some great shots. Atofe herself is an intimidating force as her full power is revealed. This helps alleviate a little of the weirdness of her being a ruler, though it doesn’t undo it all. 

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 Episode 10 sees the party’s victory play out as the credits prepare to roll. Despite delivering on many of its individual elements, the episode’s overall cohesion feels shaky, holding it back from truly coming together. 

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 Episode 10 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

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