Sunny Season 1 Episode 6 Review: Kyoto Manjū, So Delicious

Sunny Season 1 Episode 6, “Kyoto Manjū, So Delicious,” sees Suzie fighting tooth and nail to find our titular homebot after the Yakuza kidnaps her. It’s an entertaining outing, more so for the performances, even though it doesn’t move the narrative needle much, nor does it feel as emotionally deep as last week’s fare. 

Kyoto Manjū, So Delicious

Watching Rashida Jones’s Suzie and You’s Himé interact is great fun. That’s easily the highlight of “Kyoto Manjū, So Delicious,” along with Judy Ongg’s Noriko getting herself arrested. Jones delivers a solid performance that’s darkly humorous and filled to the brim with anxiety. 

You makes Himé a quietly formidable antagonist. She cuts an imposing figure and never teeters into over-the-top, mustache-twirling villain territory. She also plays off Jones quite well. 

Where Is Sunny? 

Sunny, the eponymous robot, is absent in this episode. This certainly puts a damper on the proceedings, especially without Suzie and Sunny’s bond. Even last week’s outing presented us with the intriguing dynamic between Suzie, Mixxy, and Sunny. 

Without that, “Kyoto Manjū, So Delicious” stumbles somewhat. It relies heavily on the Yakuza angle instead of the more intriguing, prevalent theme of AI and our reliance on technology. Sunny sings when it deftly balances these two narrative motifs. 

Additionally, the episode runtime doesn’t do it any favors. While, yes, the series is a dark comedy with mystery elements, the story itself feels like it needs more fleshing out. Perhaps it would fare better with longer episodes. 

Blending of the Elements

That said, “Kyoto Manjū, So Delicious” delivers a unique blend of biting humor and tension. I love that Mixxy finding Sunny at the temple stylistically feels like a horror flick. The A24 influences really jump out there. The comedy keeps everything afloat, even when the episode falters. 

However, above all, the performances make it all worthwhile. Here’s hoping next week’s episode brings Sunny back into the fold, continues the show’s insightful exploration of AI, and dives deep into the exciting character dynamics we’ve come to expect. (Give us more Suzie/Noriko, please.) 

Stray Observations: 

• That robot outside the police station dispensing manjū is so creepy. Put that thing in a horror movie. 
• Who knew that giving the middle finger would literally save Suzie’s life? 
• Noriko getting herself arrested because she’s lonely is equal parts depressing and hilarious. 
• I want to steal all of Mixxy’s clothes. 
• I’ve never tried manjū, but reading about it makes me want to give it a whirl. 
• Nothing like being bound to a chair and having a drill aimed at your head courtesy of the Yakuza to motivate you to discover your (potentially) dead husband’s password. That sounds like a standard Tuesday to me. 

What did you think of this episode of Sunny? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Sunny drops new episodes every Wednesday on Apple TV+.

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