Tensions are rising across ODDTAXI as the Halloween celebrations continue. Out in the streets, Taichi is racing through the crowd with his prize: fresh footage of Dobu up to his usual tricks. Of course, this very act of violence was predicated by Taichi’s own witch hunt, when he blamed Dobu for a shooting he had no involvement in. But to the internet, invented and authentic monsters are equally worthy of condemnation – and if social media’s ire clings to you long enough, you’re sure to create your own crucifixion-worthy rap sheet.

Of all possible holidays, Halloween has to be the perfect choice for ODDTAXI. In many ways, the holiday echoes the form and appeal of online engagement. We all go out into a fabricated, liminal space between our mundane real-world expectations, a world born of our collective desires. In this place, we wear the masks of strangers, using anonymity to protect ourselves from shame or consequences as we embrace strange new selves. And yet, even as our costumes protect us, we seek out intimacy, community, and joy – all the hallmarks of earnest connection, somehow more reachable behind a stranger’s face.

In this place we can dance and run wild, uninhibited and free, at least until the morning comes. We can bellow out our fears in a full voice, or lay claim to desires we could never speak aloud, held safe from consequence by our garish disguises. We can even claim community through these vestments, dressing in the trappings of our gods and idols, and thereby signaling our unity of passion and purpose. Halloween provides an evening of inauthentic presentation and authentic passion, a dreamscape where your fantasies can be realized – so long as you do not lose yourself entirely, and remember to awaken in your own skin.

ODDTAXI is a show for those who regret that waking, as well as those who only see tragedy in our vigorously mediated connections. In the face of a world that demands perpetual performance, it lingers on the moments between viral posts, and the quiet desperation of seeking intimacy through platforms designed for commerce and competition. The intoxication of Halloween revelry is a heady but fleeting high, and for ODDTAXI’s heroes, this night promises more terror than release. With the festivities already in full swing, let’s return to the streets.

Episode 8

Once again, we get an abbreviated version of the OP, with no singers, Taichi, or sax solo at the end. Given that choice’s apparent lack of relevance last time, I assume this shortening is just to pack in more actual episode time

I’d like to hear the full version of this song. It’s got an interesting structure, as basically no refrain repeats over the course of this OP – I assume the rap segment is the verse and finale the general chorus, but I’d be interested to see how the full song integrates segments like the initial speak-singing part, or the instrumental breaks

A good OP does so, so much for a show! The right OP can serve as a concentrated dose of the precise mood the show is trying to evoke, perfectly priming the audience to be in the correct headspace for the show to come. I’m always bummed when a show I love has a mediocre OP, because it’s such a powerful emotional multiplier

The role of an OP also makes good ones a useful tool for introducing new people to shows I love. Something like Tank! captures Cowboy Bebop’s precise vibe in two minutes, immediately letting people know what they’re in for

The enforcer explains to Yano that Kakihana was a dud, and is actually drowning in debt. Congratulations Kakihana: you’re too much of a nobody to have your reputation be worth ruining

What a grim punchline to his lies. He portrayed himself as a rich and successful man, and all he earned for it was being kidnapped and abused by people who wanted to ransom his status by threatening exposure as a creep. He is only saved from blackmail because he has none of the value his social media claims to – in the end, false success only opened him up to new avenues of exploitation

Meanwhile, just as Dobu is about to leave, Odokawa receives a call from Yamamoto

Dobu is old school, relying on direct threats and direct confrontations. It seems like the social media era is only a burden to him

Shiho is actually with Yamamoto, and looking as dispirited as ever. Yamamoto asks Odokawa to take them to the docks – damn, is Kakihana actually going to get to talk with Shiho again?

The optimistic read of this situation would be that Shiho convinced Yamamoto to let her stop running these blackmail schemes, and even apologize to Kakihana herself. The more pragmatic read is that Shiho’s complaints are starting to outweigh her usefulness, and she’s becoming another liability to be discarded. I doubt she’d be the first girl Yamamoto sent to the bottom of the river

“If you want to quit, you have to tell him directly.” So this is the plan – use Yano to intimidate Shiho into continuing her work

“I found someone who said they’d buy it for 900,000. That’s why I want one billion.” Odokawa isn’t a natural liar, but his ability to sell anything with a straight face certainly does some work here

He may have overplayed his hand, though. Yamamoto now knows he’s not some innocent driver, but an actual player on the board, who understands what his information is worth. Yamamoto might not try such friendly tactics next time

“If that’s true, then I need to discuss this with someone.” Yeeep

“Spending time with you was painful. That’s why I want to quit running badger games.” I’m glad Shiho is mature enough to see Kakihana’s continued loyalty as pathetic, not romantic

ODDTAXI is rarely one for impressive cuts of animation, but this cut as Kakihana is dragged up by the neck is excellent, and greatly compliments Kappei Yamaguchi’s terrific acting here

Meanwhile, Odokawa finds Yano’s scooter, but is called away by Goriki, who asks him to identify an image of Kakihana from the back

Shirakawa and Goriki frankly discuss Odokawa’s quirks, from his memory powers to his conversations at home

“He’s been living alone since his parents abandoned him in grade school”

This sequence is certainly casting some ambiguity over how much we can trust Odokawa’s perspective

We flash back to Goriki’s first ride with Odokawa, three years ago. As usual, Odokawa is gruff but oddly eager for company – he’s the one who actually instigates a conversation with Goriki, in spite of his somewhat rude responses. His behavior reflects his perspective: he is fundamentally quite lonely, but unpracticed and uninterested in the social niceties that generally smooth over conversations. There’s an honesty to him that attracts others, and in a larger dramatic sense, acts as a counterpoint to the performance of social media. In a world that demands insincerity, Odokawa is always authentically himself, an oasis of honesty that his friends have come to depend on

“It’s not anyone’s fault that your life isn’t going well.” Their first conversation is going great!

“I can see people’s souls. And your soul is shouting ‘I’m a doctor.’” Odokawa explicitly frames his “superpower” as an ability to pierce the veil, and see people’s authentic selves

Goriki believes his power is a kind of synesthesia

Aw, Shirakawa lowering her ears when Goriki invites her to the diner is just heartbreaking

At the diner, Odokawa comments that they have an interview by Donraku, the person immortalized in the eraser Odokawa received

Goriki begins testing the parameters of Odokawa’s powers, gauging precisely what triggers his powerful memory

The local bartender is extremely charming, and very enthusiastic about joining their games. ODDTAXI is essentially presenting this local diner as the antidote to modern society’s atomization, and I don’t necessarily disagree. On a personal level, I am absolutely infatuated with the idea of a local, after-work culture like this, where regulars congregate at a laid-back social venue, and there is camaraderie, but no real social expectations. On a more thematic/structural level, venues like this embody what has been lost in society as a whole, as communal places and pastimes are destroyed, and the idea of a “local community” is lost. The American version of this trend was famously cataloged in Bowling Alone, but obviously this isn’t a uniquely American problem. The world as a whole is trending towards physical isolation that we mitigate through social media, and considering this has never happened before in the history of mankind, there are bound to be personal and societal consequences that we couldn’t have predicted. Venues like this diner can act as a partial, localized barricade against this trend, but cannot fully replace what has been lost

Yamamoto is genuinely panicking about the dash cam footage. Yano immediately suspects Dobu is involved

But Yano believes Iwai is also involved, and thus that one billion yen isn’t an idle figure, but actually a sum in play

Yano’s a genuine sadist, calling Kakihana’s mom and laughing as he explains he won’t be getting married

Taichi’s next video reveals he actually planned the whole skull mask fiasco, and offered a million yen to whoever caught Dobu. He’s moved on to the next stage of internet shout man, driving his followers to take to the streets and get people hurt. I suppose that makes this our first resolutely post-Charlottesville anime

“For a limited time, the monthly fee is just ten thousand yen!” The ultimate trajectory of all these grifters. They stir up a fire of resentment, directing the unhappiness of their audience towards some convenient target, and creating a community of fanatics bent on causing genuine harm. Through advertisements, merchandise, and donations, they monetize this hate-drive, essentially becoming a vector through which audiences financially validate their deepest hatreds. If the target becomes irrelevant, they’ll happily shift to a new target – the important thing is maintaining a grip on your audience’s sense of dissatisfaction, and directing them towards targets that validate their existing sense of grievance

Gamergate essentially brought this industry to public attention, but it’s existed before and since, and is one of Youtube’s most profitable sub-industries. Angry people with a conspiratorial mindset are among the most likely to fall down a rabbit hole of continuous video watching, so Youtube actually has a financial incentive to make people into paranoid cultists. It would be easy for Youtube to delete the major hate-spewing vectors, but the financial incentive trends in the other direction, and thus the company is happy to destroy public discourse, along with the minds of millions of viewers

In Odokawa’s backseat, a couple note that Taichi is already starting to acquire haters, people who claim he’s a “one-hit wonder.” Amazing that in this reality, your “one hit” doesn’t have to be a work of artistry or invention – it can just be an incoherent scream of rage, applauded by millions of viewers

The Homosapiens made it to the semifinals! Also, is their very name another indication that everyone is actually human? At this point, it seems likely enough that everyone’s animal designs are essentially what Goriki is attempting to diagnose – Odokawa’s way of mentally differentiating the people in his life

Dobu’s apartment has a big painting of monkeys on the wall – potentially Odokawa’s inspiration for his visual design?

Odokawa surreptitiously records Dobu’s plans regarding the bank robbery

Aha. Dobu plans to rob Iwai as he attempts to cash in his ticket. Everything’s coming together

To the actual movers and shakers of the world, social media is a place where marks advertise what you can steal from them. Kakihana and Iwai were so proud of their alleged wealth, but it only brought them the attention of predators

“You’ve been asking some very thoughtful and expository questions.” Dobu is not an idiot

All the same, Dobu still admits that Big Daimon is his police contact

Odokawa very kindly informs Iwai of everything that’s happened, leading into him at last remembering Shiho and Kakihana’s connection

And Done

Welp, those dominoes are certainly tumbling now. All of ODDTAXI’s players are weaving together as we approach this story’s destined finale. Kakihana and Iwai are already paying a terrible cost for their online transgressions, while it seems like only a matter of time before the hammer falls on the passionate and wildly misguided Taichi. Meanwhile, Odokawa himself is swiftly rising into a genuinely heroic role, as he navigates multiple criminal conspiracies, and does his best to protect those closest to him. In a world beset by social fragmentation, the thin threads connecting Odokawa and his associates may still be just enough to save them. I can’t wait to see how this story ends!

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