The Creatureland Group disowns the Oinky Doink Café. Ranko seeks to resolve Nagi’s grudge against her.
Episode 11 – “Battles Without Moe”
Hmm.
Last week, Akiba Maid War showed us the tragic almost-happy ending for Ranko. Would she take up the way of the gun to avenge her lost chance at love? We got our answer this week, and it was not a happy one. Because the almost-happy ending was for Nagomi! We saw a glimpse of peace for Nagomi and Ranko before it was taken away. Akiba Maid War keeps finding a way to surprise its audience through dark comedy or black tragedy. I can’t even predict how Nagomi will react in the season finale. But her character development has a fork in its path. Ranko chose to stick to her principles of non-violence as a café maid. Will Nagomi do the same?
Prosaic repetition is a narrative device we often see in anime. Slice-of-life anime likes using it to show how different generations of children experience the same things. Non Non Biyori was the master of interlacing flashbacks of the main cast’s older sisters to add a layer of nostalgia. The shocking ending of the Akiba Maid War episode showed us how the cycle of violence and grudges continues for mafia maids. The maid belonging to the Axolotl Maid Café reminded us of Okachimachi’s dark past. She was a young maid given an order to kill another maid to further her career. It appears Ranko was the victim of similar circumstances.
That pink-haired maid was at the Moon Rabbit Café when Ranko walked in and killed almost everyone. She was being forced to cut off a pigtail the same way Nagi wanted one of Nagomi’s. Was it a personal grudge she held against Ranko as a Maid Alien? Did Nagi order the Axolotl maid to assassinate a philosophical rival she couldn’t abide by? It doesn’t matter. The prosaic repetition filter only has to remind us of a past event to add a deeper emotional level to the scene. Ranko’s final moments recall the first scene of the anime. The cycle of violence in the Akiba Maid War story never changes.
Heh.
Akiba Maid War starts with disturbing news. A mutilated male body was pulled out of the river. I’ll keep this detail in the back of my mind. The blessing of Lady Omoe keeps the Oinky Doink Café busy. Tenchou is a hoot, fanning herself with ten-grand yen bills. Uh oh! Okachimachi the Panda was strung up to a billboard! Killing Suehiro the Hitman has consequences. Oh, good. Okachimachi wasn’t in the suit. Ha! She had a tight-fitting panda leotard! With a smaller panda head! Instead of a horse head in a bed, the Oinky Doink Café got a panda head with a sign. Disowned by the Creatureland Group! All the maids too! This is the first time I’ve seen their full names. Tenchou is Yausko Yaegashi, Yumechi is Yume Hiiragi, Shiipon is Shino Ayato, Okachimachi and Zoya are themselves.
What will happen to them? Guh. The bullying has already started! So mean! “Yumechi had plastic surgery,” and “Ranko is a 40-year-old sow.” She just turned 36 in Akiba Maid War! Oh no! One of Nerula’s regulars was the man found dead in the Kanda River! The mafia maids target customers too. Ugh. The cow, cat, and bear maids that harassed Nagomi at the Akiba Maid Festival are here to act like gang toughs. The Creatureland Group wants to provoke a reaction to justify retaliation against the “independent” Oinky Doink Café.
Akiba Maid War waited until the end of the season to let Ranko reveal her secrets to her colleagues. Shock! Ranko used to be Nagi’s sister-maid! Michiyo’s Maid Teahouse was the location of the Oinky Doink Café! The Dorama Ramen shop is still the same. What caused Uzuko, later Nagi, to turn to violence? For Ranko, it’s time to load up. On ammunition! Nagomi wants to help, but her colleagues know Ranko needs to settle the grudge with Nagi. What happened to Nagomi’s ninja skills?
All right! The Oinky Doink Maids are ride or die with Ranko! They had to convince Tenchou, though. Oh, man. Akiba Maid War had to add dark comedy to this touching scene of sisterhood. When Shiipon and Yumechi get together, they hatch diabolical plans. They kidnapped the Dazzlion boss for leverage! When it comes to violence, the Oinky Doink Maids still punch above their weight. They holed up in the lion maids’ café. Where are Ranko and Nagomi?
Ah. The pair went straight to the source. While the others cause a distraction, Ranko and Nagomi talk to Nagi. Ah, it didn’t work out that way. But Nagi still wants to hear what they have to say. Nagomi returned the Lady Omoe sash and statue. Ouch! Nagi doesn’t care about the figurine! Akiba Maid War is a gangster show, so Nagi made Ranko an offer she couldn’t refuse. If Ranko kills everyone at the Oinky Doink Café, Nagi will make her a top lieutenant. Nagi irrationally wants that place empty.
Welp, there’s a death flag. Ranko offered her life in exchange for letting the Oinky Doink Café survive. Nagi is stone-cold. She let Ranko explain how much fun it was to work with her fellow maids. Ranko said they had gone to the casino, played baseball, and had a birthday party. But she didn’t mention the dead bodies we saw in those Akiba Maid War episodes. Ugh. Ranko ketchup-doodled with her blood! Nagi made a calculated smile when Nagomi insisted on doing her share. Foreshadowing, folks.
Meanwhile, in the shootout at the Dazzlion corral, bullets keep flying! Tenchou always wants to quit earlier than the others in Akiba Maid War. Uh oh. Ranko said words guaranteed to piss Nagi off. Nagomi reminds her of Miss Michiyo, their late boss. Now Nagomi is the hostage. But Nagomi won’t let Ranko kill for her sake. Ranko swore an oath as Uzuko’s sister-maid. Ranko reached Nagi’s heart by calling the Oinky Doink Café her home. Nagi let Ranko and Nagomi go! The dues will increase in exchange for their lives, but the Oinky Doink Café will stay.
The shooting maids at the Dazzlion standoff received word to stand down. Whoops! One shot too many. Akiba Maid War never quits. Tenchou’s fault, of course. The graffiti was cleaned off quickly too. Har. Nagomi called Ranko “moe.”
Things look like they’re back to normal. Ranko wants to buy Nagomi a new hair clip. And then Ranko got stabbed in the back by an Axolotl maid! Just like Miyubi stabbed the late Maid Alien boss in the back! It was the maid at the Moon Rabbit Café that was forced to cut her hair as Ranko and Nagomi walked in to deliver Otaku Enforcer’s provocative message! The citizens didn’t want to get involved. Not even to call an ambulance. Oh, no. Ranko died! There won’t be a happily ever after for Ranko or Nagomi.
Akiba Maid War (Akiba Maid Sensou) streams on Hidive in Japanese and English with English subtitles for the North American region. Crunchyroll streams the anime worldwide elsewhere.
