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This is certainly a triumph of good writing, because the bond between the audience and the characters has been constructed with patience and hard work. But it’s a triumph for the actors too, starting with Ryuzanji Shou as Hoshika-san. He hasn't done much anime but what he has been memorable, and he was a brilliant choice for Hoshika. From the first appearance Ryuzanji-san made Hoshika special, not just a side character but an emotional anchor for the show and the audience’s proxy inside JAXA. The long-standing relationship between Hoshika and Mutta-san – even if Mutta had forgotten most of it – made the triumphant moment that much more emotional, because it was almost as big a moment for Hoshika as it was for Mutta. Hoshika proved there was a place for heart and passion in the selection process, and that there’s nothing wrong with making a big decision a personal one.
As for Hirata Hiroaki, there’s not a whole lot that needs to be said at this point. Simply put, there’s no seiyuu in anime who can communicate the innate sense of decency and humility that Hira-Hiro does. Every character he inhabits becomes a real person of astonishing depth, and he’s delivered two of the best performances in anime in the last two years, as Kotetsu Kabaragi and Nanba Mutta – a role that I think surpasses the great work he did in Tiger & Bunny. Space Brothers is a great series, but it says something about Hirata that I can’t possibly imagine anyone else playing Mutta.
There were some nice touches in the episode that surrounded the big moment. My favorite of these was the band-aid – not only did it connect Mutta to Hibito, but also to the boy who memorized the presentations at JAXA. That’s fitting, because both of them are as much a part of this story as the adult Mutta himself. It was also nice to see Nanba-mama finally break down and act unabashedly proud of her eldest son. Of the other candidates, only Mizoguchi was given a chance to be told he’d failed on-screen. He’s arguably the least likeable character in the series, but I thought his moment was handled with a lot of respect and dignity. It’s not easy to watch someone you feel you know well get their heart broken, and Moziguchi surely did – that in itself was a surprisingly emotional moment, and I’m glad the show took the time to show at least one rejection on-screen because that’s the other side of the happy moments we've been seeing.
In the end, though, all of the other moments pale in comparison because the name of the show is “Space Brothers” after all. What happens to Mutta and Hibito is what this series really is, and ultimately it’s Mutta whose story is being told. He reacted to the news exactly as I expected him to – quietly, fighting back tears (especially when Hoshika-san said “You’re one of the lucky ones” and Mutta realized what that meant for both of them) but not breaking down completely, a little awkward and discombobulated. That’s the essence of the man – a very real person with very real feelings who accomplishes the remarkable feat of being completely normal and exceptional in every way at the same time.
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