Dekin no Mogura

Dekin no Mogura: The Earthbound Mole

Characters

Momoyuki Mogura

MAIN

Sukekiyo

SUPPORTING

Yaeko Kirihara

SUPPORTING

Kuriaki Magi

SUPPORTING

Shio Inukai

SUPPORTING

Kyoushirou Nekozuku

SUPPORTING

Kyouko Nekozuku

SUPPORTING

Toushirou Nekozuku

SUPPORTING

Maggie

SUPPORTING

Dekin no Mogura: The Earthbound Mole – A Singular Dive into Existential Whimsy (Season 1 Review)

When Dekin no Mogura: The Earthbound Mole premiered on July 7, 2025, it arrived as an unassuming yet enigmatic addition to the summer anime season. Adapted from Natsumi Eguchi’s manga (serialized in Kodansha’s Morning magazine since 2021), this 12-episode series, produced by Brain’s Base, defies conventional storytelling with a blend of supernatural mystery, deadpan humor, and existential melancholy. Directed by Hiroshi Ishiodori and with scripts overseen by Shinzō Fujita, Dekin no Mogura is a rare gem that challenges viewers to embrace discomfort and ambiguity while delivering a narrative that feels both timeless and refreshingly alien. This review explores why Season 1 stands as a next-level achievement in anime, offering a unique lens on life, death, and the bureaucratic absurdities of existence.

A Premise That Defies Expectations

At its core, Dekin no Mogura follows university students Magi Kuriaki and Yaeko Kirihara, who stumble into the orbit of Momoyuki Mogura (voiced by Yūichi Nakamura), a self-proclaimed sage who’s been “banned from the afterlife.” The inciting incident—a Japanese dictionary (Kōjien, no less) falling from the sky and striking Mogura on the head—sets the tone for a series that revels in the absurd. Mogura, an immortal drifter navigating modern Japan’s underbelly, collects the “lamps” of ghosts in his lantern to regain access to the afterlife. Those who cross his path, like Magi and Yaeko, gain the ability to see strange phenomena, thrusting them into a world where spirits, existential crises, and bureaucratic afterlife rules collide.

What makes this premise stand out is its refusal to adhere to genre norms. It’s not a high-octane supernatural action series, nor is it a straightforward comedy or drama. Instead, it’s a meditative exploration of identity and survival, wrapped in a quirky package that feels like a lovechild of Hozuki’s Coolheadedness (Eguchi’s earlier work) and The Tatami Galaxy. The show’s episodic structure, punctuated by moments of surreal humor and philosophical musings, creates a rhythm that’s both disorienting and captivating.

A Masterclass in Tone and Atmosphere

Dekin no Mogura’s greatest strength lies in its tonal tightrope walk. The series oscillates between humor, melancholy, and existential dread with surgical precision. Episode 1 introduces this balance: the absurdity of Mogura’s injury and his refusal of medical help (citing financial constraints) is played for laughs, but his revelation about being “banished from the afterlife” shifts the mood to something profoundly unsettling. The show’s pacing is deliberately slow, filled with long pauses and uncomfortable silences that amplify its “awkward sincerity.” Characters speak with a raw honesty that feels almost confessional, exposing vulnerabilities most anime gloss over.

The art style, helmed by character designer Yōko Tanabe, enhances this atmosphere. Its picture-book aesthetic—reminiscent of a children’s story gone slightly awry—contrasts with the mature themes, creating a visual dissonance that mirrors the narrative’s blend of whimsy and weight. Drawer Street, Mogura’s haunt, is a visual standout, its cluttered, almost dreamlike alleys evoking a sense of otherworldly decay. The opening theme, with its high-school-comedy energy, feels deceptively upbeat against the show’s melancholic core, while the ending theme, “Kensō feat. Aile The Shota” by Mirin Shiino, adds a hauntingly reflective note.

Characters That Linger

Momoyuki Mogura is the heart of the series, a character who’s equal parts enigmatic and pitiful. Voiced with a perfect mix of world-weariness and sly charm by Yūichi Nakamura, Mogura is a cosmic drifter who’s both profoundly wise and deeply flawed. His ramblings—about everything from the horrors of war to the joys of video games—reveal a man who’s lived through centuries (references to 1924 and 1942 hint at a vast, untold backstory) yet remains tethered to the mundane struggles of modern life, like paying rent or fixing bathhouses. His survival mechanism—stealing ghost “lamps” with his lantern—raises questions about morality and desperation that the series only begins to unpack in Season 1.

Magi and Yaeko, while less immediately compelling, serve as grounded foils to Mogura’s otherworldliness. Magi, a literature student with a tendency to overthink, and Yaeko, his more pragmatic counterpart, grapple with their newfound ability to see spirits. Their dynamic isn’t romantic but rather a shared bewilderment at the world Mogura unveils. While some viewers found their designs off-putting (described as “adult children” with oversized heads), their relatability as overwhelmed students navigating an absurd reality anchors the show’s more esoteric moments.

Thematic Depth: A Bureaucracy of the Afterlife

What sets Dekin no Mogura apart is its exploration of existential and bureaucratic themes through a supernatural lens. Mogura’s banishment from the afterlife introduces a Kafkaesque bureaucracy where even death is governed by rules and loopholes. His quest to collect ghost lamps feels like a Sisyphean task, raising questions about purpose, redemption, and the cost of immortality. The series also weaves in commentary on modern Japanese society—overwork, financial precarity, and the pressure to conform—through Mogura’s streetwise pragmatism and the students’ academic struggles.

Episode 2 deepens this by presenting Mogura as a survivor of historical traumas (alluded to through references to wartime drafts), making his flippant attitude a coping mechanism for centuries of suffering. The show’s humor, often rooted in Japanese cultural references (like the fictional Inugami Sukekiyo or the “Get Wild Leaving” phenomenon), may alienate some viewers unfamiliar with the context, but it rewards those who catch the nuances with layered wit.

Reception and Critique

Fan reactions on platforms like MyAnimeList and Reddit highlight the series’ polarizing nature. Some praise its “unique premise and charm,” with one user calling it “the kind of anime I wanna watch the most” for its blend of “washed-up ghosts” and “shady afterlife dropout” vibes. Others, however, found the humor niche and the character designs unappealing, with Crunchyroll’s 3.5/5 rating reflecting mixed sentiment. Critics like Anime Feminist noted that the show’s heavy exposition and cultural references might not land for all, potentially limiting its appeal to a nicheaudience. Yet, even detractors acknowledge its originality, with Sportskeeda calling it “a novel idea that promises both supernatural excitement and perceptive social insight.”

The show’s biggest flaw is its inaccessibility. The slow pacing and reliance on Japanese cultural context (e.g., references to literature like The Inugami Curse) can feel exclusionary, and the lack of immediate answers about Mogura’s past may frustrate viewers craving resolution. Still, this opacity is part of its charm, inviting speculation and rewarding rewatches.

Why It’s Next-Level

Dekin no Mogura Season 1 is a triumph of unconventional storytelling. It’s not afraid to be weird, slow, or uncomfortable, yet it never feels pretentious. Its blend of supernatural mystery, existential dread, and deadpan humor creates a wholly unique experience that lingers long after the credits roll. For fans of Hozuki’s Coolheadedness or Monogatari, it’s a must-watch, but its appeal extends to anyone willing to embrace its quirks.

As the season ends on a cliffhanger hinting at Mogura’s deeper history, the stage is set for a potential Season 2 to unravel more of this strange universe. Whether you’re drawn to its philosophical undertones or its offbeat humor, Dekin no Mogura is a reminder that anime can still surprise, provoke, and haunt in ways that defy expectation. Watch it on Crunchyroll or Amazon Prime JP, and prepare to question the boundaries between life, death, and everything in between.

Final Verdict: 8.5/10 – A singular, thought-provoking journey that’s not for everyone but unforgettable for those it clicks with.