English Dub Review: The Dawn of the Witch “Beyond the Steam”

Overview: Saybil (Travis Mullenix), Hort (Kimmie Britt), Kudo (Joe Cucinotti) and Los (Monica Rial) bond more deeply with one another as their adventures go on. 

Our Take: Hort and Saybil’s heart-to-heart under the stars solidifies her role as his potential love interest. One that I am perfectly happy with due to the cute chemistry they have. Simple as he has been thus far and while nothing especially new, Saybil’s plain honesty and good-hearted nature and Hort’s kindness is winning me over so these two crazy kids have got my vote. 

Kudo getting his arm healed and being taken in warmly by random bystanders, accordingly, is one of the last story aspects I expected and pleasantly surprised me in Los showing the kids different sides to people than that of a volatile or scared reaction to magic. Because not only does it begin to paint a picture of the world’s potential complexity but also her own in showing Los’ motherly side. That part of her is echoed with a montage showing the gang spending time together learning from her as she encourages them to help wherever they are. However, this would have been more effective had it been properly shown through actual episodes or even just one, even if they are just side romps, rather than just scenes cobbled together by Saybil’s narration. 

Kudo and Saybil bonding at the hot spring was also a great way to continue off of the good momentum built around the former and Hort’s intimate conversation. Kudo’s motivation for becoming a knight is heartfelt in being saved by a brave knight indiscriminately for his beast heritage. It also makes for genuinely shocking and hilarious levity in Los’ lack of tact in regards to her nudity as well as Saybil’s “monster”, as Kudo and Hort put it, poking itself out with the two lovebirds seeing each other naked. It is fun how the show is willing to go to some risqué places for a good laugh that I can not wait to see more of. 

The gang runs into a boy in danger and with him presents an intriguing new threat in a mysterious beastman mercenary, who was fooling him with threats to get him back to his village, seemingly, at least. The tigerman is very smart in choosing not to engage in a losing battle against the witch and her cursed powerful staff, Ludens, showing he knows exactly who he is dealing with. Not to mention he also knows Hort, Saybil and Kudo are her students, showing he has inside information and most likely connected to the church in some way. However, he is off to a much better start as an antagonist than Tyrant but how intelligent and strategic he is. He is set up as an interesting looming figure just as another new character is teased in the aforementioned boy’s father.