English Dub Review: Akiba Maid War: “Blood in a Sisterly Troth and the Menace of the Red Bat”

Overview: Nagomi (Alyssa Marek) strives to maintain her friendship with Nerula as they are caught in a war between their corporate heads. 

Our Take: With a maid named Crimson Supernova, how can they not intrigue? Manami Yamagashi serves as a quick-tempered and combative returning veteran serving rival corporation, Maidalien. Seeking recompense for Wuv Wuv’s complete annihilation, she presents a serious threat to Oinky Doink’s pigs. 

Nagomi and Nerula’s relationship hanging in the balance of their shop’s opposing sides is a compelling added struggle. Ranko’s own strife with her maid sister continues to show the divide her previously passive nature caused.

The sisterhood pact between Nagomi and Nerula is a cheesy yet endearing new layer to the skirted inner circle. Their wholesomely girly friendship serves as an eye in the storm of heated conflict and hyper bloodshed. 

That brief reprieve does not last with the retaliation against Nerula, after she tips off Oinky Doink and the police to Maidalien’s planned attack. The scene is a saddening end, especially considering her and Nagomi’s kindness was a refreshing throughline. Unfortunately, Nerula’s fate is still hurt by how little time and deeply meaningful moments they share together.

How Nagomi transitions, while taking Nerula’s wish to heart, is intriguing. Rather than absolute bloodlust or withdrawal into oneself, this could be an opportunity to detail her out further. Her loss is prime for building a complex dynamic between her and Ranko in a way that her and Nerula never were.