English Dub Season Review: FreakAngels Season One

Overview: Twelve twenty-three year old psychics do what they can to salvage what is left of civilization in London, trying to maintain peace, while also being conflicted with what that is.

Our Take: Crunchyroll Originals continuing their direct involvement and/or collaboration with new and exciting animated series, brings yet another to the platform in an adaptation of Warren Ellis’ post-apocalyptic U.K. webcomic, FreakAngels. 

When you have a cast of twelve diverse characters acting as your main shepherds through any series, you are bound to do quite the juggling act in terms of representation and development. Throw in lore about a post-crisis aftermath and the effects of it on survivors of a demolished London and it runs an even greater risk of falling apart. 

Thankfully, the young psychics are, at the very least, established well. Each one of them is distinctive and bursting with personality, like Connor, the well-meaning and leader of the Freaks, who is often the voice of reason, or the kind-hearted, most powerful of the telepaths, Arkady, who’s limitless evolving power is only equal to that of her sweetness and euphoric nature. Then there’s Jack, strong, stoic and the classic archetype of cool who finds himself constantly battling the feelings of love he has for Sikka, a beautiful woman who abstains from conflict and fighting and loves all unconditionally, with her doing the very same. Another crutch of the team is that of KK, who’s got enough badass attitude and wit to match her incredible mechanical skills. 

It does not stop with them either, there is Kat, a girl obsessed with being a cop and enforcer for the city they protect, Miki, a medic who is sharp tongued but has trouble communicating effectively. Lastly, there is also Karl, a man who spends most of his time alone and who has love and green thumb for plants along with Kirk, his trusty partner and a standoffish guy with a quick trigger. Each one of them is their own special brand of crazy and/or wacky, creating a lot of electric chemistry with one another. 

With that being said, only a few are developed much further than what is initially established. And even with those that are, it leaves you wanting much more due to how personable each is with the desire to understand the inner workings of everyone more so. A considerable amount of the group is almost completely shoved to the side, only contributing to team dynamics, never getting in-depth character work, or even the small bits the main cast in the forefront receive. However, this highlights how it heavily relies on their familial connections/dynamic in how close knit they all are, busting each other’s balls about their personal defects but also being there for each other when they need it akin to that of a family.  

The show also shines at making all of the Angel’s collective abilities known as well as their some with their unique ones in a swift fashion. Their telepathic powers  move the action and plot forward at a brisk pace. 

The two main foils that thwart the group at every turn along with their sanctuary, White Chapel, are FreakAngels, Mark, banished from their safe haven, unapologetic for who is and believing the Freaks to be dominant of that of regular humans and the conceited, slimy jerk, Luke. Mark acts as an anarchist bringing what’s left of the city and civilization to its knees, creating a real threat using his physic abilities to control others into creating havoc while getting stronger all the while. But most importantly, Mark forces some of the Angels to re-evaluate their moral compasses while pushing the group into civil disputes about their involvement in White Chapel citizen’s lives. Luke, on the other hand, acts an extension of that internal struggle as he uses his powers in deceitful and dishonorable ways for his own personal gain, making for a complicated situation as the Angels struggle to decide how to hold one of their own accountable. 

Although, it puts a convincing cease fire on the inter group conflicts, the ending leaves you with plenty more questions than when you started in a way that is somewhat unsatisfying with the vast amount that are left lingering. Another season could answer those queries, but with very few CR Originals getting renewed for second seasons, it does not leave much hope for that to happen any time soon, if at all. Also, from a visual standpoint, this shows fails to break the mold in any way. It features uninspired character models that stray from their designs by degrading to contorted, odd-looking facial expressions and body movements. Thankfully, the voice acting does not follow suit with the U.K talent bringing each of their characters to life with incredible execution.  

Unlike the global catastrophe that plagued their world, FreakAngels does not come in as hot as it could with poor animation that never excites, and unbalanced character complexity that ranges from little to non-existent. However, similar to their powerful youth’s reliance on each other, the show’s strength lies in their dynamic with each other in how much you will connect with their family kinship with each member’s eccentric and uniquely bizarre personality also doing the heavy-lifting. The world that the FreakAngels have shaped, for better or worse, has left me wanting more, but more quality development, as well, in a hypothetical second outing.