The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and Genius Young Lady episode 5 has aired and it has exceeded my expectations far more than I previously thought. As I said in my last review, a storm was on its way in the series but I didn’t expect that it would be so insane in terms of production. The whole episode was a fantastic spectacle to witness. Action-packed scenes and soulful moments were combined with breathtaking visuals and effects to deliver a graceful finish to the first volume’s adaptation.
While the episode was, for the most part, amazing and intense, it started off slowly by letting us know more about Anis and allowing us to learn how her enthusiasm toward her passion reaches no boundary. From previous episodes, we learned that she is willing to give up her social status for her dreams. Renouncing her title to the throne, avoiding social gatherings, and constantly fighting beasts for magical ores to fuel her research are just some out-of-the-line steps she took in fulfilling her ambitions. In this episode, we got to see how far of an extra mile she would tread to achieve her goal of having magicology reach new heights. She would do anything to grasp that concept to the point of potentially bringing harm to herself and for the sake of magicology.
As a result, this left Euphie in a confused state which was evidently seen in her facial expressions. As she wears a befuddled face, Euphie is left pondering whether or not she actually knew the real Anis beforehand. However, this doesn’t make her fall out of interest in Anis or question her ideologies, rather it makes her want to learn more about the fervid princess. It was nice to see that their relationship was the preface of this episode as it is subtly the main focal point.
Euphie’s concern falls deeper as soon as Anis starts drugging herself to further her bloodlust. Her movements and expressions are now more frightening to watch as she slices every monster in her path. Not only her actions have changed, but also her voice shifts to a creepy tone mixed with anger and excitement. Sayaka Senbongi is already delivering a fantastic and cheerful voice for the rowdy Anis but the immediate switch in her pitch while still retaining bits of the character just makes her a one-of-a-kind voice actress who can make you rethink your favorite girl.
Following Anis’ rampage, Euphie also cast her powerful magic to set the monsters ablaze into flames. We did see Euphie’s magic before and how dazzling it was, but in battle, it is what I expected – beautiful but deadly. Engulfing the land into flames sparked the dragon’s attention who is the cause of this turmoil. To my surprise, the dragon was well-animated. Fully drawn and rendered in 2D, its design was gripping as it greatly exhibited its ferociousness and viciousness and its flames are bursting with a mixture of red and blue colors making it more trembling to look at. This, of course, does not terrify the drugged princess as she charges forward to the dragon with a smirk on her face. As expected, she did not win the fight due to her naivety and recklessness.
After being unsuccessful in defeating the dragon by herself, Euphie rushes in to save Anis and then gives her a fervent outcry which serves as a respite before the last confrontation. Dramatic cooldown moments like these are always a pleasure to watch as a viewer. It gets us to calm down like the characters after all the intensity that has been built up. However, what makes this moment extra melodramatic is how Manaka Iwami acted out Euphie’s tearful dialogue with Anis. Her voice just bursting with emotions. As she is shouting her frustrations and anxiousness, it leaves a touching impact on Anis and us the viewers. I always found Iwami as an excellent voice actress, not just because of her soft and gentle voice but because her acting is always sensational. The more I hear her voice, the further I’m impressed by the sheer amount of talent she possesses and I’m so glad she executed this beautiful scene exquisitely.
With Anis finally realizing that she needs Euphie in order to defeat their mighty foe, the effects of the drug somehow wear off. It wasn’t clearly shown in the episode but due to the tone of Anis’ voice becoming softer and her actions now being filled with resolute, signals that she’s returned to normal. Consequently, they managed to bring the dragon down to the ground. While I thought that the episode peaked from there, I was wrong.
The final moments between Anis and Euphie against the dragon were the actual highlight as it was a marvelous display of the bond they shared, enabling them to withstand their opposition. As the dragon breathed its one final blow, vivid colors took over the screen along with the effects of the gust of wind expressing the magnitude of the situation. Anis and Euphie’s counterattack was also of high quality either as it was the finest work of art the series has produced so far. As I was watching that scene, I forgot that this show was made by studio Diomedéa as the scene almost was something that came from ufotable or Kyoto Animations.
Studio Diomedéa isn’t really known for its flashy outstanding effects. After seeing Saint’s Magic and Parallel World Pharmacy, I thought The Magical Revolution would also fall under the same line of mediocre animation. After this episode, they surely stepped up their game and surpassed everyone’s expectations. The animation, pacing, writing, voice acting, and music were all woven together into perfection. As Anis and Euphie dance into the moonlight to conclude this phenomenal episode, it makes me think that this may just not be the beginning of the girls’ revolution, but also the studio’s redemption arc.
Episode 5 screenshots were taken via Muse Asia and don’t forget to vote for The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady in our weekly polls!
© Pierrot Crow, Yuri Kisaragi / KADOKAWA / Tenten Production Committee
