English Dub Review: Reincarnated as a Sword “The Monstrous Rank A Adventurer”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Fran sets out with a party to tackle the Spider’s Nest, but one party member isn’t convinced she deserves her rank. A friendly duel will set the record straight.

Our Take:

Without further delay, Fran is already assigned to tackle another dungeon quest. However, instead of fighting goblins, she’ll be battling against a horde of spiders. I hope you’re not arachnophobic. Although, this quest is also a promotion exam for two E-rank teams, Dragons Roar and Eyes of the Forest, overseen by the examiners Cruise (Kiba Walker), Rig, and Eizelle (Jeremy Gee). I hope they’re not arachnophobic.

Fortunately for those with arachnophobia, this week’s episode doesn’t immediately head face-first into the Spider’s Nest. Instead, it focuses on the preparation phase of the quest, with Fran meeting at the rendezvous point and getting into a couple of friendly duels to prove her worth of being a Rank D adventurer. First, the cat-girl is challenged by Dragons Roar’s leader, Krad (Scott Gibbs), who accuses Fran of faking her rank. However, that duel swiftly ended with Fran beating the crap out of Krad using the flat of Teacher’s blade, which is my favorite part of the episode regarding the show’s light-hearted comedy.

Finally, the second duel occurs between Fran and Amanda, who wagers that Fran must call her Mama if she loses. Unlike the first duel, however, this friendly yet intense battle winds up being Fran’s first loss since her quest began, but only after she manages to land one hit on Amanda with her Split Mind ability. Considering that Amanda has never been hurt once due to her Spirit’s Undying Favor skill, I’ll call this another win for Fran. But, of course, knowing that Fran already has a mother in her heart, Amanda swears to support Fran as a friend instead of an obsessive motherly stalker.

“The Monstrous Rank A Adventurer” showcases Amanda’s undeniable strength as a Rank A adventurer due to her Whisker Whip and incredible defense. More importantly, it’s another thrilling and humorous episode representing the show’s action sequences through its animation. Sure, they’re not as groundbreaking or heavily stylized as the ones from other shows like Demon Slayer, but they still deliver just enough to keep me entertained. The next episode will see Fran and the team exploring the dungeon, so again, I hope you’re not afraid of spiders.