English Dub Review: I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability “Sylpha’s Blade”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
As Lloyd and Guisarme engage in fierce combat, the members of the Assassin’s Guild are cornered by a horde of demons.  Using the control of their abilities given to them by Lloyd’s spell, the Guild resists but is gradually overwhelmed by their enemies.  Just then, Saloum’s army arrives in time to assist them, including Lloyd’s siblings and Sylpha, whose desires to rescue Lloyd fuel her power.

Our Take:
After this episode came out weeks ago, I’ve seen clips on social media involving Sylpha performing another badass moment with her sword.  Of course, knowing me, I only watched parts of it because I wanted to go into this episode blind.  All I know from these clips is that the series may have gotten a tad better with its animation style and Sylpha herself.  That’s saying a lot, considering everything else was a derivative bore and Sylpha seemed like another example of fan service amid her fight scenes.
After finally watching the episode, I would say that it met some of my expectations.  One such expectation is the 360-degree shot of Sylpha and her Spellbound Sword, which she named “Lloydpha”. This sequence stands out because it combines 2D and CGI elements, making it the only impressive animation in the series. While the rest of the series contains plenty of adorable chibi-like elements for its visual humor and characters, that one scene showcases that there’s more to the budget than what is generally given credit for.  Unfortunately, that scene only appeared at the end of the episode during Sylpha’s fight against Guisarme’s Humpty Dumpty-shaped minion.
Another thing that was mildly sweet was a flashback involving Lloyd giving Sylpha her own Spellbound Sword.  Lloyd was concerned that Sylpha was holding herself back in fear of breaking her regular swords, so he and Dian created one that would kill even the strongest demons that possess people’s bodies.  It emphasizes the relationship between the two and fuels Sylpha’s determination to protect her favorite prince.  Aside from her obsessive behavior toward Lloyd, it’s easy to admit that Sylpha’s skills and willpower are undeniably profound.  Sadly, those expectations aren’t enough to elevate the episode’s corny humor and lack of memorable tension in the fight scenes.