English Dub Review: Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts: “A Sympathy Call and a Hyena Guard Captain”

Overview: On her own, Sariphi (Emi Lo) is tasked with designating the newest lord of the town, Maasya. However, she pairs with a crude hyena for a guard captain, Lanteveldt (Orion Pitts), who brings with him emotional and historical baggage of his kind. 

Our Take: With the various challenges Sariphi’s faces, there’s an issue at the core of King of Beasts: repetition. Despite that, Sariphi’s hurdles continue to deliver her tried-and-true humanity. Although, the reliance on the same formula is becoming more tiring by the day. 

Sariphi’s human biology acts as the catalyst for her struggles once again. As a result, she has no other choice than to have a Hyena guard captain, the dregs of beast society. There’s the illusion that Lanteveldt is no different than the devious stereotype he’s categorized as, using Sariphi for his own gain. Similar to the other beastkind Sariphi’s met, there’s more to Lante than meets the eye. 

Through his selfishness, there are cracks of honesty that shine through even in his indecent acts. Sariphi’s heart is, of course, her greatest weapon, touching Lante with her unwavering kindness, despite the disdain he receives. The sentiment is wholesome in how she sees him for who he truly is rather than how the world does. It’s pleasant for what it is, but the plot points have started to become a one trick pony. All the story beats are so easily predictable and telegraphed that the subplots are becoming monotonous. In short, it’s very much “been there, done that.” 

For what it’s worth, there are good takeaways in this episode. Different species relations within the beast world are engaging in how the history of hyenas has shaped prejudice against them. Also, Sariphi’s compassion continues to be endearing, making for sweet chemistry with Lante in tearing down the walls he builds up. Unfortunately, Sacrificial Princess follows the beaten path that is all too familiar, narratively. With any luck, the show will take a change of scenery to keep things fresh. However, with the new lord, Braun, attacked, it’s not hard to guess who everyone’s first suspect will be.