Cop Craft Episode 4

Cop Craft Episode 4

In the Air Tonight

I know I’m always saying that the most recent episode of every series is the best episode so far, but I really mean it. Episode 4 of Cop Craft is the best episode of the series up to this point. Sure, it’s not perfect, but I think it got rid of most of my concerns regarding the series as a whole.

The first act of the episode continues the same story arc we’ve been following from the start of the anime. That is, there’s some evil organization which allied with alien drug dealers so that they could create psychic weapons of mass destruction.

Previously I expressed my thoughts on how the whole terrorist group route didn’t really feel right for this series. Well, it seems that’s not actually going to be the focus of the series anymore… or is it?

Kei and Tilarna successfully defeat Zelada, the Red Wizard, and “defuse” the psychic bomb. But this doesn’t exactly go as planned. Zelada was never confirmed to have been killed and the fairy who was the catalyst for the psychic bomb sacrificed herself to save Kei and Tilarna.

The fact that this arc ended in a Deus ex machina aside, I think it was for the best that the arc ended when it did. I’m sure Zelada will come back into the series later on, but the terrorist organization route just never felt right to me for this series, so I’m glad to see a shift away from it.

But what’s next for Kei and Tilarna? Does the fact that Zelada’s plot was foiled and the fairy died mean they’ll go their separate ways? Kei seems to think so.

Kei & Tilarna’s Slice of Life Adventures

Luckily for us, and Kei I guess, Tilarna decides not to return home after her mission to rescue the fairy ended in failure. Instead, she decides that there are plenty of other crimes on Earth she can assist in stopping, and is formally promoted to the rank of detective within the police agency.

She also continues to live at Kei’s place, and is shown to be wearing much more casual attire. Will we now get to see Tilarna in all the various outfits showcased in both the OP and ED for the series? I hope so. Tilarna may actually be the best girl of the season, so more content of her is always welcome.

I also like how Kei just accepts that Tilarna lives with him now. It truly is the perfect setup to a slice of life comedy series. An old, angry cop living with a teenage alien. That said, I know that’s not what this series is going to become, and I’m thankful for that.

Tilarna Exedilica holding Kei's cat from the anime series Cop Craft
Tilarna holding Kei’s cat

But there is one thing I wonder about in regards to the new relationship between Kei and Tilarna. What exactly is their relationship and what is it going to become? I like the dynamic they have now, which is that of two, somewhat equal, crime-stopping partners, but I get the feeling this might not always be the case.

Sure, they’ll probably remain as what I just laid out on paper, but I think their true relationship is going to shift. In this episode we’ve already seen the two of them “flirting” with each other as one of the other cops put it. So will their relationship turn romantic?

I hope it doesn’t. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for some good romance, but not every series needs it. I view Tilarna more as Kei’s student than anything else, so I think romance would only hurt the good dynamic they have going on.

But it was I, DIO!

Let’s talk about the new arc which began in the latter half of this week’s episode. This is what I really wanted to discuss because I have some strong feelings about how this arc has gone down thus far. I’m not criticizing the story itself, but the choices the characters made within it.

To set the stage, some alien criminals robbed a grave and then were caught while transporting the coffin they stole. Nothing too suspect yet other than the fact they stole the entire coffin rather than the valuables inside of it. However, things quickly take a turn straight out of a bad horror movie.

Not only is there a mysterious coffin involved, but said coffin has something written on it in an ancient, alien language. If the coffin was the first red flag, the ancient writing on it is the second. I don’t know about you, but ancient writing on spooky coffins is a no from me (not actually, I’m a historian).

Tilarna Exedilica reflected in the vampire's eye from the anime series Cop Craft
Tilarna reflected in the vampire’s eye

But it’s not as if those are the only two red flags. When Tilarna attempts to read the ancient writing, she can only decipher a few words. And what are some of the words she can decipher? “Blood” and “moon.” At this point, if you’re anything like me, it’s obvious what’s about to go down.

There’s a coffin with ancient writing on it that includes the words blood and moon. If that doesn’t scream “vampire,” then I don’t know what does. And yet, they decide to not only open the coffin, but take the mummified body out to undergo an autopsy.

Oh, and don’t even get me started on the fact that the morgue is the most dimly lit place on the planet. You think I’m staying in a dark, quiet morgue alone with a mummified body that’s obviously a vampire? No thanks.

Conclusion

Despite how much I disagree with the choices made by our protagonists when confronted with what’s obviously a vampire, I do think this is a good direction for the series. Fighting against out-of-this-world monsters just feels right for this duo rather than taking down more real-world criminals.

But what do you think? Would you rather the series continued on how it had been going? Or do you prefer the more supernatural turn it’s taken in this last episode? Let me know in the comments, as well as who you think could be best girl of the season if not Tilarna.

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My review of the next episode is available here.

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