English Dub Review: The Water Magician “The Sealed Dungeon”

Overview

The aftermath of the Great Tidal Bore brings visitors from out of town who might be just as troublesome.


Our Take

This time around, we get an episode that broadens the scope of the story, shifting attention away from Ryo to highlight nobles, investigators, and adventurers who each add new intrigue to the kingdom’s growing mysteries. Layers of politics, hidden agendas, and unexplained dangers steadily build tension, hinting that the calm is only temporary and that a larger turning point looms on the horizon.

The pacing feels more deliberate, relying on dialogue and setup rather than direct action. Still, these slower beats succeed in fleshing out the world’s structure, introducing fresh perspectives through characters like Phelps and Natalie while reinforcing the looming sense of danger. Every exchange carries weight, suggesting that major revelations are only a matter of time.

Overall, this episode leans into careful buildup, relying on political maneuvering, dungeon mysteries, and small but meaningful character beats to keep the tension simmering while Ryo remains more of an indirect presence. Much like series such as One Punch Man or Eminence in Shadow, the side characters take on the weight of advancing the serious plot, while said protagonist is just sort of there, doing their own thing that just so happens to coincide with the plot from time to time, while accidentally having a huge influence on how things play out. At the very least, the cliffhanger ending raises the stakes and draws the threads closer together, leaving anticipation high for the confrontations and potential twists ahead…