Mushi-Uta (episodes 4-6)  .

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When [teenagers'] dreams become so big and powerful that they cannot suppress them anymore, the “bugs” (supernatural beings that look like bugs) appear out of nowhere and eat their dreams. The bugs deprive teenagers of their dreams, but give them unwanted superhuman power.

The bugs are parasites to humans and their hosts are called the “Mushi-Tsuki.” Though the Mushi-Tsuki’s existence is officially denied, everybody knows the term and the Mushi-Tsuki are discriminated against and feared by the public.

That’s what Mushi-Uta’s marketing tells us. The marketing blurb also talks about a conflict between the S.E.P.B. (bug hunters) and Mushibane (freedom force fighting for the rights of bug-infected humans).

Episode 4: Shattered Dream

Three minutes into Episode Four and we’ve already got one guy going psycho due to his insect’s corrupting influence, as well as a war of words between the first-class aces from rival organizations S.E.P.B. and Mushibane . . . a war that quickly escalates beyond words.

Episode Four makes clear what was hinted during the first set of episodes: Daisuke’s bug-busting gun is made more powerful when infused with his own insect friend, the cleridae. An encounter with the series’ powerful “wild card” character — every time two factions are duking it out, you know there will be a wild card character — shows off the strength of his bug-boosted cannon.

All in all, this episode finally does what should have been done three episodes ago: it treats us to fancy action, fleshes out some supporting characters (if not the hero), and demonstrates the danger inherent to the psychic bug powers.

Basically, if the bug takes over, the host could die. But killing the bug can turn people into vegetables.

And then it all goes to hell…

In episode 5, ascerbic schoolgirl Rina treats acquiescent Shiika to some food. Afterwards, they visit the grave of Rina’s mother. This sudden friendship is all because Shiika helped Rina escape from a trap laid by the S.E.P.B. Rina didn’t actually need much help thanks to some dumb plot twists (one of the S.E.P.B. members is actually a member of the freedom fighters and openly picks a fight with the S.E.P.B. ace. Both organizations are aware of this and inexplicably cool with it) but she’s thankful anyway.

Rina then does what everyone does the first day they make a new friend: summarize her entire backstory.
1) Rina’s father used to beat her mother.
2) Rina’s mother got really sick and died without accomplishing anything in life.
3) Rina tried to kill her father with psychic bug powers, but accidentally sent him to some kind of abysmal purgatory instead.

After such an absurd and borderline psychopathic exposition, any sane person would freak out and run away. Shiika just stands there and says things like “Rina…” to convey sympathy. There’s nothing more sympathetic than saying someone’s name, especially when you say someone’s name with an ellipsis.

In episode 6, another episode without any action, the following exchange takes place between Rina and Shiika. I’ve paraphrased a bit to save space:

Rina: “I need to go to school.”
Shiika: “Can I come?”
Rina: “Sure, I don’t see why not.”
Shiika: “I’ll bring sandwiches.”
Rina: “Well, I’m leaving. Don’t open the door for anyone.”

[????]

Shiika: “Can I come to school?”
Rina: “Sure.”

[????]

Shiika: “Look, I’m wearing funny clothes.”
Rina: “Don’t come to school.”
Shiika: “Okay. Sigh. I wish I could go to school.”

[!!!!]

Mushi-Uta wastes two minutes on that pointless and un-funny scene, a scene which could have been summed up much quicker:

Rina: “I need to go to school.”
Shiika: “Can I come?”
Rina: “No, it would be better for you to stay here.”

This is some terrible scripting. Mushi-Uta also “treats” us to lengthy segments where Rina and Shiika shop for clothes, sing karaoke, and hold a “pretend class” so that Shiika can get a taste for what school is like. This is the Bug Battle Show that forgot to actually include any bug battles.

About those bug battles…

16 minutes into the fifth episode, Daisuke is briefed on his next mission — he must take down a fellow officer who has organized a revolt against S.E.P.B. headquarters. After the briefing, Mushi-Uta skips the actual fight and jumps straight to the aftermath. Fresh off the battlefield, scarred both emotionally and physically for reasons unseen, heroic Daisuke receives orders for his next mission. He refuses! Why? I’m not sure. The anime failed to show us the character-developing battle against former comrades.

Mushi-Uta is one of the most poorly paced anime I’ve seen. The first three episodes were excruciatingly dull, the fourth episode had some energy, and then the next two episodes go back to dullness while skipping over potential fight scenes. Maybe the producers are trying to appeal to an older audience . . . but it’s a show about bugs that give people supernatural powers. A good production staff knows their niche and fills that niche as effectively as possible. That’s not what happened here.