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Netflix's Ranma 1/2 Season 1 Episode 6: "Kodachi, the Black Rose" proved that Kuno being unhinged is actually a bit of a family trait.
Posted in: Anime, Crunchyroll, Review, TV | Tagged: anime, Crunchyroll, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Review
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End S01E24: Who Volunteers to Kill Frieren?
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End S01E24: "Perfect Replicas" was another impressive effort that saw someone step up to take on Frieren.
This week's episode of Crunchyroll's Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, "Perfect Replicas," was another fantastic episode, I mean, someone strong has to volunteer against Frieren. Thus far, Frieren has been an exceptional anime that does not feel the need to lean a lot into anime cliches we see often. I feel this one arc, the Raid of the King's Dungeon, is the first time I felt the anime has leaned into a tournament-like archetype, but so far, I am okay with it. It has not dragged out. I have been enjoying the pace and getting to know more of the characters.
We start the episode by learning what exactly inhabits the dungeon of the King's tomb: a creature that can read and replicate anyone who enters the ruins, a Spiegel. It seems this creature is able to not just read minds but completely copy the person and match the replica's strength to theirs. The proctors discussing this outside call the creature "the Water-Mirror Fiend" and mention the monster dates back to a mythical era that appears in an old hero's tale. They do point out the most important question: why would Sense pick such a scary place for this test? Honestly, the answer made sense and speaks to her being a pacifist and all— the even match for each of the contestants is themselves. Not only that, but she did provide the Golem that could save them if things got worse. And we see how much worse they can get as Frieren's replica fires so many attacks at once, forcing Denken and his team to move back.
We then cut to Übel and Land, who are currently between a wall and a very hard place, a replica of Übel herself. The replica had already managed to wound Land pretty badly and steal his Golem. There is something about these two characters that really keeps me interested in them. I want not to like them, but I imagine a very tragic or sad background is the reason they are how they are, and I cannot wait for them to actually give us this flashback. At least, I am hoping they do. I find them pretty fascinating, especially their passive-aggressive chemistry and how much Übel is still trying to read Land and how much he is trying to keep her from it.
Still going around, Frieren discovers a hidden room containing an intact mural of the King and his life. For once we see Fern marveled and actually smile without being prompted by Frieren. After the last episode, I kinda feel for Fern and hope we get to see her find things she loves instead of relying on Frieren's happiness for fulfillment. They continue their descent to the dungeons, where they meet Denken, and they quickly start trying to come up with ideas on how to handle Frieren's replica. We also, even faster, realize Frieren's immunity to restraint and hypnosis making them move on to other weaknesses they could use against the replica. One of Denken's party suggests a different test taker called Edel, who might be able to find out if the replicas have a mind they can actually control.
Right after, we jump to Edel and her party and realize there is no mind within these replicas for her to control as she quickly loses against Sense's replica. It was a fast yet vicious fight that followed Edel's predictions and showed the power of the Spiegel monster. She gets hit so fast that she has to use her Golem before getting killed within a split second, warning the other two to run and inform the rest of their discovery. However, Wirbel and his team properly match against their replicas and get to destroy theirs'. Meanwhile, Denken and Frieren agree they will have to use force against them, and Fern volunteers to kill Frieren's replica.
First, I loved Fern's reaction to Frieren getting felt up by the other mage trying to find a weakness. I love that she is so protective of her, and sometimes it feels like Fern is the oldest one. However, I think this resolution to have Fern take on Frieren takes us back to a conversation they had not that long ago: Frieren admitted to Fern being way faster than her firing shots in combat, and I am very much looking forward to this battle. We have seen Frieren's mana; however, I think we have yet to see how powerful Fern really is, and I am here for it. Also, I have been missing Stark. I hope we get to see him sometime down the road on Crunchyroll's Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Season 1 Episode 24 "Perfect Replicas"
8/10
This week's episode of Crunchyroll's Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, "Perfect Replicas," was another fantastic episode, I mean, someone strong has to volunteer against Frieren. Thus far, Frieren has been an exceptional anime that does not feel the need to lean a lot into anime cliches we see often. I feel this one arc, the Raid of the King's Dungeon, is the first time I felt the anime has leaned into a tournament-like archetype, but so far, I am okay with it. It has not dragged out. I have been enjoying the pace and getting to know more of the characters.
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