Otherside Picnic (Episode 4) – Space, Time, and a Middle-Aged Man

Otherside Picnic Title

Sorawo was visited by a strange phenomenon which appeared in the form of a middle-aged man who told her that she would be trapped in the Otherside the next time she went with Toriko. What will she do?

What happened?

This strange middle-aged man appeared to Sorawo out of the blue and warned her about going to the Otherside. It got to her and the next time she met with Toriko, Sorawo suggested that they stopped going together and that Satsuki is likely dead after being in the Otherside for three months.

Toriko wasn’t happy and left. Sorawo tried to go to her apartment to make up, but the middle-aged man was there and he kept trying to interfere. She even received a number of strange images by text that got her worried.

Sorawo took those images to Kozakura and asked her to come with her to the Otherside. Kozakura refused, insisting that she’s not built for the Otherside, but then three people appeared at her front door wanting to talk about her neighbour. However, when they spoke their mouths didn’t move…

Otherside Picnic Episode 4 Sorao and Kozakura being taken to the Otherside

Sorawo and Kozakura went to the front door, armed with a handgun and a shotgun. However, there was no one there. Then suddenly a woman appeared, her head growing big enough for her to swallow them both whole. Their surroundings went blue and then they were on the Otherside!

Kozakura was furious but agreed to help Sorawo find Toriko. What else was she going to do? As they searched, Sorawo told Kozakura about her past. Her mother died when she was young. Then, her father and uncle joined a cult and tried to abduct her. She ran away, living in ruined buildings. Then, one night, she recalled something red cuddling up to her and asking her if she needed her father and uncle. She said she didn’t and went to burn down their house, but they never returned. Soon after they were both found dead on a mountain.

Eventually, Sorawo found Toriko, although the middle-aged man appeared again and tried to stop her. Then, there were these plants that looked like people. Sorawo kept going and found her way to what looked like Toriko’s apartment and Toriko was inside. She had found Satsuki and was ready to go with her…

Only it wasn’t Satsuki, but another strange being that was trying to take her away. Sorawo shot at it and it eventually vanished. They made up and returned to the Otherside where Kozakura was waiting for them.

Otherside Picnic Episode 4 Sorao searching for Toriko

What did you think?

I’m writing this review about twenty minutes after watching this episode and my skin is still crawling. This was peak creepiness and I loved it. The music used to amp up the tension was absolutely spot on. Then, there was the people banging on the door and even the middle-aged man who were all amazingly intense.

I still don’t know what’s going on, but I cannot wait to find out more. My gut feeling is that this is playing off the fears and psyches of people in the real world which is why there are so many similarities with urban legends and folk tales, but it could be the other way around. Either way, it’s absolutely captivating. I need to watch more.

Otherside Picnic Episode 4 Toriko Nishina

What have you learnt?

I mentioned in the last episode how Toriko and Sorawo complement one another, but in this episode, we learnt that they are much more similar than it would initially seem. While they haven’t necessarily spoken to one another about their past, we now know that they have both been through a lot. Hopefully, that will strengthen their bond going forward.

It’s quite refreshing to have a show that keeps the mystery alive after four episodes. Too often, storytellers are afraid to allow the audience to work out what’s happening. Sometimes, it can go wrong where the clues weren’t clear enough and people think it’s something that it’s not. So, leaving it vague allows us to enjoy the terror and mystery without having it spoilt. I think back to Deca-Dence and how it revealed too much in the second episode and how that changed my enjoyment of the show significantly.

Otherside Picnic Episode 4 Satsuki Uruma

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What did you think?