English Dub Review: From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman “The Old Country Bumpkin Faces the Dead”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Someone is controlling the lowlifes taking advantage of Mewi behind the scenes.  Religion and international relations come to the forefront, and with no ties that might cause an international incident, Beryl is asked to flush out the mastermind.  New sword in hand, Beryl battles for Mewi’s future.

Our Take:
Beryl has tackled magic, monsters, and even a manipulative cult, all in the span of four episodes.  However, regarding the end of the previous episode, these encounters are nothing compared to what he’ll be facing next: the corrupted church and its undead army.  While the Dark Hand of Twilight has been dealt with, Mewi’s problem still arises with her sister’s body at the hands of the Church of Sphene.  Led by Bishop Reveos Sarleon, the church plots to use the corpses to recreate the Sphene’s Miracle, and let me tell you: it is anything but a miracle.  Fortunately, Beryl has a new sword, along with the surprising arrival of Ficelle and Curuni, to help him capture the bishop for his upcoming testimony.
“The Old Country Bumpkin Faces the Dead” slightly improved upon the previous episode for a couple of reasons.  It continued Beryl’s attempt to provide Mewi a brighter future, with him attempting to rescue Mewi’s sister from the bishop’s corrupted ritual to give her a proper farewell.  However, that attempt failed, leaving Beryl with no option but to kill her sister to free her from the curse.  It showcased that while Beryl is a skilled swordsman, that doesn’t mean he’s immune to failure.  With him now being promoted as Mewi’s bodyguard, their new friendship could take a very complicated turn if Mewi discovers the truth of what occurred.  The battle between Beryl and Sarleon’s bodyguard, Spur, also had its share of tense moments regarding Spur’s enhancement despite its iffy CGI effects, further indicating that this direction would likely be the main source of the show’s action scenes from now on.  At least it was balanced well with the traditional animation to make the CGI less of a sluggish eyesore.