English Dub Review: Skeleton Knight in Another World “A Miracle for the High-Minded Princess”

I come into this week’s episode of Skeleton Knight in Another World very astonished. I came into watching this beyond apprehensive because of this being an Isekai anime. But let me tell you this. I was beyond amazed with how well the story progresses, and where the story keeps turning. Last week had me worried that there was going to be a huge error in letting Arc heal his curse. But I should learn by now not to lose faith in the process.

It’s pretty cool that change is a huge part of the story. In Skeleton Knight…, there is constant progression. Even from the beginning where it felt like this was going to be a monster of the week story, until now, where the story is more serial. This is what hooks me. This is an Isekai that is, dare I say, much more than what’s on the surface. Skeleton Knight… doesn’t even feel like an Isekai, because it has a lot of high adventure, almost video game/Dungeons and Dragons theme to it. If you’ve read literally anything I’ve written before, you know that’s right up my alley.

Like I said before, I need to trust the process. Last week, I was worried that giving Arc the ability to heal the curse that’s made him into a skeleton was going to either be a safety net, or just outright be a mistake in storytelling, and I’m glad I was wrong. The healing was only temporary, and we can go on as planned for now. However, something that won’t change is the character designers using “Blizzard Entertainment’s School of Female Attire Design” and showing as much tits as they can get away with on Crunchyroll, which never fails to amaze me. It’s just…cumbersome to see that there’s so much lazy design with women characters. Yet we get a giant dude of a skeleton wearing this extravagant armor. Ariane deserves more.

Unsurprisingly, this is definitely a travel and exposition episode to bridge time until the arrival at Olav. And that includes a check in with the royal family of Rhoden. We have Princess Yuriarna, her attendant Ferna, and a small pack of guards getting ready to depart. In total, I think there was just enough of the Princess and her attendant, who wasn’t as grating as last week. There’s still something going on with her, but I haven’t put my finger quite on it yet.

Now, let’s circle back to the theme of this week: change. In the first couple of episodes, where those giant basilisks were just sliced in half, when Arc and Ariane both fought the haunted wolves, Arc actually took a different tactic, and went to disable the ring around the main wolf’s leg. I can go on and on how I like that Skeleton Knight… doesn’t rely on the possible tropes that it’s developed, and constantly changes to keep things interesting. It shows Arc is trying to make himself better and be better at thinking on his feet.

Speaking of never resting, something of importance finally happens with the princess and her party. And by interesting, I mean “holy crap, there was actual bloodshed!” I can fully get behind this, because seeing some blood to go with some death is a welcome change. There is one thing I can address in this scene, though. I am going to shelve the thought that Ferna was involved in the plot, though. Even though I am not fully convinced yet.

It finally dawned on me as the episode was drawing to a close, that Ariane and company were crossing paths with Yuriarna, because they were going to meet the other’s family. It hit me like a brick. To close the episode, we get our favorite cat-girl ninja messing up some of the local thuggery, and meeting Arc again. I am very content.

It’s not very often that you get a show, let alone an anime, that actively builds upon itself to make the world the story is set in. And as I’ve stated over and over in the last 6 weeks, Skeleton Knight in Another World keeps making strives to keep innovating the world, story and plot. There needs to be more anime like this, because I will be all over them. Week over week, I continue to be impressed by how much actually impresses me. The animation has even improved, and I’m all for it.