Since the third episode of The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today is right around the corner, I think it’s time to do a recap and a quick review of the 2nd episode to get you all prepared for the third! So without further ado, here is my review of episode 2 of The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today!
Be sure to check out our review of episode 1 as well!
Episode Summary (Spoiler Alert!)
This episode starts with a flashback from Yukichi (The obviously Masterful Cat) when Fukuzawa (Yukichi’s owner) saved him from a winter storm. He then reflects on his expertise of Fukuzawa as a masterful cat as Fukuzawa comes home. He then reflects on the money-making in the world and Fukuzawa’s work and how that is the only way for him to attain cat food–being the reason why he forces her to work every morning.
And then, of course, he says it’s “lamentable” that his master, Fukuzawa, is a worthless human being.
He even goes as far as saying it’s SAD BUT IT’S FATE.
Then he grows softer and acknowledges that Fukuzawa is the only reason he’s alive. He then attempts to justify even that though.
The morning after, Fukuzawa calls Yukichi for a talk in which she asks him why he had grown so large (like, it’s because he’s Masterful but, whatever). She then reflects on how nothing Yukichi does it normal and begins to semi-cry and thank him. Returning to her focus, she asks him if he knows why he’s so large again to which he remembers a flashback of a younger him and Fukuzawa, seemingly being sick, thanking him. Snapping back to the present, he shakes his head to Fukuzawa’s question.
She resolves to never know and lays back then suddenly remembers her boss, Orizuka, saying he met Yukichi, causing her thoughts to go spinning once again as she strained to remember when he may have met Yukichi. She then realizes that he didn’t remark about Yukichi’s size, meaning he must’ve visited when she first adopted Yukichi and her place was full of trash, causing her to panic. Yukichi seems to collapse on his bed from only thinking about it, meaning he evidently took this news even more seriously than Fukuzawa did.
She reflects on how trashed her home was and wonders if the trash infected Yukichi and somehow made him super-sized. As a response, he slaps her! Then, he gave her beer till she forgot.
We then see Yukichi going to the grocery store which, I was pretty surprised seeing that he did even that, making me believe his ruthless comments against Fukuzawa were justifiable.
Yukichi walks through the store like he owns the place, since he’s Masterful, and gets some weird stares from customers (they’re only admiring him because he’s the Masterful cat, obviously). A worker notices him and tells the manager that he’s there AGAIN, causing the manager to thank him for his regular patronage. To which he walks away. It is then later revealed that, from survey results, people really liked Yukichi shopping there.
The worker still believes he’s a weirdo in a catsuit and not an actual cat (she just doesn’t understand his power).
The next day at work, Fukuzawa is working hard again, showing that she may not be TOO worthless to the viewer. Her boss finally comes back from vacation though, interrupting a meeting between her and a higher-up. Orizuka asks to borrow her, shocking Fukuzawa and causing her to remember her previous fears from the day before.
While Orizuka’s just chilling in an elevator with her, Fukuzawa is panicking, thinking the entire situation is awkward, using Yukichi’s food as an escape in her mind. Orizuka breaks her thoughts though, thanking her for managing the work she did in episode 1 and the tremendous help she was.
He then talks about how she has improved since when she first joined leading to him speaking on her complexion and asking if it was from the help of her cat. Keep in mind, he definitely has a smug smile on his face while saying that. I guess the Masterful Cat just has that effect on people!
His remark causes her to frantically question when he actually visited, causing him to say he didn’t go because he wanted to (in a way that prepares her for the worst.) Orizuka revealed that he found her wasted in a bar on his way home shortly after she began working at the company and, while asking her if she could head home, she vomited and had them both kicked out.
He then took her home and, after reaching her door and being unable to find her key, a young and very small Yukichi opens the door. Orizuka gets completely confused because he can’t handle the immense power of the Masterful cat.
Yukichi runs out and then slaps Fukuzawa, apologizing deeply to Orizuka, making him believe he’s drunk himself.
He then reveals to Fukuzawa that he did see the trash, causing her to basically beg for her to make it up for him and change her vision in his mind from a woman with a dirty house. He eventually agrees and asks her to go to the aquarium with him later that month to see an idol group that Yukichi is apparently obsessed with, ending the episode.
Episode Review
I loved episode 2 from The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today! It was definitely an improvement from the first but managed to keep the same chill, but hilarious vibes. There was a lot of development and exposition provided for Fukuzawa’s relationships with both Yukichi and Orizuka. I’m especially excited to see what happens on the aquarium errand and how Yukichi might react to seeing Fukuzawa finally go out with someone as he already seemed shocked when she mentioned that she would be out.
Character Development
Though it may not be development from what we’ve seen from her in the present, Fukuzawa seems to be attempting to improve upon herself and fix the mistakes she made in the past with her messy lifestyle. Though she definitely hasn’t taken up her own responsibilities yet, she is finally taking on a social endeavor!
Yukichi’s motivations also became clear in this episode which was quite nice as I found myself questioning what his reason behind helping Fukuzawa all the time was in the first episode. It’s both really funny and realistic that he would be doing it for food and it was interesting to see the difference between his thought process and that of Fukizawa, who seems to be comfortable with the luxuries Yukichi provides to her life.
Orizuka himself got a little more screen time in this episode as well as a place in the future episode. Though he mostly kept up his stoic demeanor, it was nice to see a tiny bit of another side of him when he was asking Fukuzawa to accompany him later that month.
Predictions
Episode 2 of The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today gave us some good content to infer what’ll be happening in the coming episodes! From my view, the most impending thing in this episode was the ending as well as the coming aquarium date that I hope we’ll see in episode 3. I’m assuming that Orizuka likely wanted to see the idol show himself but, judging by the way he was animated with his face turning red at the thought, he was likely nervous to go alone as a grown man, especially with his status and position in the company.
Here’s to hoping he’ll regularly have that face around Fukuzawa soon…heh.
So, by asking Fukuzawa to go along with him, he likely wants her to act as a cover so it seems he is tagging along with her to see the show, abandoning the possibility of it being from his own desires. I really wonder if Yukichi will have any strange reactions!
On that note, I’m assuming the trajectory of the show will turn to one of romance with Fukuzawa trying to figure out how to keep her strange, large cat a secret.
Other Elements
The pacing of this episode was quite nice and it felt like every important moment in both Fukuzawa and Yukichi’s perspectives was given their appropriate times to develop. I really love the way emotions are portrayed in this show and how each character has a different way of expressing themselves. As an example, with Orizuka, he is much calmer, hence his coloring is often more gentle and emotion is expressed in a more serene, minute way. On the other hand, Fukuzawa’s emotions are much more exaggerated and detailed, building the sense of her being more hyper and active. Yukichi himself seems to rarely have emotion and, when he does, it comes in the form of some sort of lamentation.
My Overall Review
Review: 8/10
The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today Episode 2 made me love the show even more! From this episode, I was just left hoping that there was more action or impactful scenes. Still, I am totally looking forward to the next episode! Stay tuned for our review on it coming soon!
Miss our review of the 1st episode? Check it out below!
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