English Dub Review: Saga of Tanya the Evil “Preparations for Advance”

Time to prep our stations.

Spoilers Below

After the resounding albeit hard-fought victory on the Western front in Saga of Tanya the Evil episode “Trial by Fire,” Tanya Degurechaff (Monica Rial) meets with Major Uger. During their chat, Uger allows that the Empire plans to retreat from the Rhine front so as to lure in Republic troops. Hans von Zettour chronicles this plan during a Command Strategy conference, and it’s solidified that Tanya’s mage battalion will serve as a key player in this plan.

Imperial forces spread misinformation of a large-scale attack. Phase two of the Empire’s plan is dubbed “Shock and Awe.” This part aims to take out the Republic command headquarters as well as the communication system.

Doctor Schugel returns as the mad scientist that he is. Schugel remains a fantastic supporting character with a design as wacky as his ideas. The Doctor reveals a high-speed rocket, the V-1. Further, the V-1 will be guided by mages to a few strategic locations of the enemy headquarters.

On the Republic front, forces march into the Imperial troops vacated. Whereas previous episodes such as “Beginning of Madness” and “Trial by Fire” unveiled the true grand scale of the world war, “Preparations for Advance” takes an increasingly strategic approach. That’s not to say there’s no action, as there’s definitely a hearty dose of battle sequences. But “Preparations for Advance” refreshingly slows down the pace to reveal the Empire’s plan.

Bringing Schugel back is much appreciated move. He’s a true mad scientist. In “Deus Vult,” Schugel bestowed the Type-95 computation on Tanya. War time imagery shines: trains chugging through barren landscapes, trench warfare, officer conferences. The misinformation is an excellent touch as well featuring newspapers that sport headlines promoting false intel.

While certainly not a slow episode, I enjoy how “Preparations for Advance” does take the time to detail the Imperial plan of attack. With only a few episodes left, it serves as a set up for the remainder of the season. Well-paced, engaging, and beautifully rendered, it’s another stellar Saga of Tanya the Evil entry.

SCORE
8.0/10