Overview (Spoilers Below): To become a full-fledged adventurer, Fran must pass an intimidating test. But even if she passes, will other adventurers give a lowly cat-girl a chance to fit in?
Our Take: The quest has begun for the talking sword and his black cat-girl student. But, of course, as stated in every isekai fantasy show, every adventurer needs to have a guild to join. However, regarding Fran’s appearance and history, joining a guild is just as complicated as evolving into a warrior. I already knew what to expect from the first episode and the show entirely, which is an isekai show that combines its RPG elements with a teacher/student relationship. So it’s easy to admit that I wasn’t disappointed with how last week’s premiere turned out, although it does leave room for some improvements in its plot. This leads us to its second episode, with Fran accomplishing the first step of being an evolved warrior: joining an adventurer guild in Alessa Town. “The Hellish Trial at the Adventurer’s Guild” further expands on the friendship between Teacher and Fran, with the former swearing to protect Fran after being inspired by her kindness. It also provides the importance of their friendship, with Fran hiding Teacher’s potential from other people, fearing that they want a taste of that power too. More importantly, it represents the RPG fundamentals of an adventurer’s guild, such as the threat rate on the monsters and the classes. This is a proper direction for people who are new to the genre, even if it does feel a tad familiar from the other isekai RPG shows. The episode also shows Fran feeling more confident in handling threats like Donadrond (Cyrus Rodas), an Oni warrior who’s also an examiner of the adventurer’s guild, and a band of mercenaries. She’s so confident that she can sever the lead mercenary’s legs without Teacher’s magic. That moment alone showcases Fran’s strong desire to evolve like her parents and her hatred towards being insulted by people thinking of her as a cat-child. From the episode alone, the show seems to reflect racism regarding the harsh treatment Fran received. I won’t be surprised if that’s the case. The episode also introduces some additional characters that’ll likely serve as Fran’s allies later. One of them is Nell (Molly Searcy), the Alessa Guild receptionist with a hidden dark side. She secretly wishes death on the adventurers she dislikes but takes a liking to Fran after seeing her pass the exam and stand up to the mercenaries. Nell’s the type of character who’s only distasteful toward others who deserve it, which I can relate to, considering how much she has to put up with rude people. Another character is Klimt (Antonio Lasanta), a Wood Elf elementalist and the guild’s master. Unfortunately, there’s not much to say about Klimt until I see more of him in the later episodes. We’re only two episodes in, and I’m already starting to get attached to its concept. Although, I’m still not entirely convinced about the direction toward Melissa Molano’s vocal performance as Fran, especially when announcing her attacks. Hopefully, that’ll change once Fran encounters another adventurer who happens to know her secret to success.