English Dub Review: The Unaware Atelier Meister “A Frontier Town With Enemies at All Sides”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Tristan and a demon lord force Marlefiss to summon hordes of monsters to attack the town in order to kill Lise.

Our Take:
With the new atelier all set, it’s now just a matter of keeping things under control, especially with Kurt’s unawareness of being the key to saving Lise’s life.  However, it’s not just Kurt’s obliviousness that they need to worry about, according to this week’s episode.  The gang also encounters an endless horde of monsters seeking to invade the town and assassinate Lise.  The true mastermind behind these basic-looking monsters, like the skeletons, is the corrupted bishop Tristan Meynolf, who serves the antagonistic Demon King.  Additionally, the bishop uses the Flaming Dragon Fang member, Marlefiss, to summon the monsters with the curse previously placed on Lise.  Considering her mistreatment towards Kurt in the first episode, I can easily say that her punishment was deserved, though it also spells bad news for Kurt and his new “friends”.
Fortunately for Kurt, his new atelier is equipped with a barrier spell that reflects curses at the caster, making them glow.  While it does make things easier for Yulicia, Mimico, and Ophilia to find the perpetrators, it also makes the narrative stakes seem underwhelming, especially with Kurt’s useful items purifying the hordes, including the walls protecting the town.  However, even with his immaculate designs, Kurt is still surrounded by his extremely low self-esteem and is oblivious to what’s happening outside.  Despite that and the monsters surrounding the town, he’s willing to prove his “usefulness” by cleaning up the ruins ruined by the Scroller, with Lise tagging along.  Based on that decision alone, the show’s title should’ve been called “The Unaware and Dumb Atelier Meister” instead.  Along with its subpar CGI and Katie Otten’s mediocre line delivery as Marlefiss, “A Frontier Town With Enemies at All Sides” continues the show’s struggles to make its concept shine as bright as the caster’s glow from Kurt’s barrier with its characters and stakes.