English Dub Review: Vermeil in Gold: “A Creeping Madness”

Overview: Alto (Mike Haimoto) enjoys his newfound fame that his and Vermeil’s (Monica Rial) victory against Chris (Olivia Swasey) has won him. All the while, odd occurrences are unfolding in students being frozen across the school.

Our Take: Alto and Vermeil close out their match in rather unceremonious fashion with him drawing an ice blade on Chris, especially in the spectacle the battle was trying to construct. All of Alto’s new attention and dotting from girls is funny in wrath it incurs from Lilia. A new professor is introduced in the much beloved, Obsidian. Despite his popularity and nice guy persona, he has an air of obvious mysteriousness surrounding him, especially in his ominous warning to Alto in not starting excessive conflict that could lead to his downfall. 

There is some intriguing lore in how demon and human relationships have played out over the years. Stories and folktales emphasizing relationships in which they have been used for mana, generally, rather than romantic, naturally makes for a moral inquiry into the nature of his and Vermeil’s bond. Vermeil’s kiss with him is an impactful display in how she does so out of love with the same ideology as Alto. 

Coming off of Rex and Chris’s fallout, they makeup as Chris is back to square one in rank. She is, thankfully, fleshed out to be more than just a dominating personality in having the honor to accept her punishment with dignity and apologize properly to him. The story beat of their reconciliation would have worked a whole lot more had there been more weight and consequence to his separation. However, for the kind simplicity of her apology, it works fine enough. Also, it sensibly scales Alto’s magical power and thankfully not to astronomical levels in relation to higher level mages like Chris with her, seemingly, holding back against him. 

That weird feeling regarding Obsidian does not take long to be reaffirmed in him being the one behind the frozen attacks on students. It does not take long for numerous attacks to catch the interest of the student council. Overall, it does a good job of establishing some new eccentric faces like Jessica Schwartz, who has a weird obsession with student council president Elena, and Ryuga, a more pragmatic and logical thinking student. They all seem unique in their own weird ways that hopefully follows suit with the other members. 

There are some more steamy affairs that are fun in how she is always trying to pounce on him, much to his embarrassment. Even with all the fanservice-y moments and as simple as it may be, Alto and Vermeil’s trust in each other is heartwarming and solidifies them as a couple decently. A scheme from Obsidian is undoubtedly being teed up to be pinned on Alto, especially as Rex seems to be brainwashed, attacking Chris.