English Dub Review: Fairy Tail “The Mightiest Demon of the Book of Zeref”

Natsu just can’t catch a break.

Overview (Spoilers Below)

Natsu, as it turns out, is the strongest monster within the Book of Zeref. This we already knew, as E.N.D. turns out to be the initials of Natsu’s name, but its significance is amplified here when it turns out that because of his role, Natsu is the ultimate target of Gray. The stage is set for conflict between these two old rivals, even though it’s made completely by circumstance. Lucy is confronted by Brandish, who expands the tumor within Natsu once more. Brandish declares her service to Alvarez and fights Lucy, who’s completely outmatched but is somehow able to scrape her way to a near victory with the help of her friends.

However, Dimaria, who was watching the whole time, steps in and declares Brandish a traitor, deducing that Brandish was merely putting on a show for her. With her time-stopping powers she stabs Brandish in the chest and knocks out Lucy, capturing her for her own sinister uses. Meanwhile, out on the battlefield, Gajeel reunites with Levy, who is completely in tears over him being alive.

Brandish is revived by Porlyusica while Lucy and Natsu are tied up downstairs by Dimaria. She begins to interrogate Lucy, threatening to blind her with her knife, when she’s immediately knocked out in a blinding blast of fire. Natsu, revived by some deep infernal anger, has defeated Dimaria in one go, leaving the dungeon just as Brandish and Porlyusica discover Lucy. Elsewhere, Natsu confronts Gray and faces him with fury in his eyes, and the two are set to fight.

Our Take:

Things chug on in the Alvarez arc of Fairy Tail, not pausing to worry about whether or not the story it’s telling is any good or even worth telling at all. Structural problems, acting issues, and flimsy characters abound here, weighing down a show that already doesn’t get the most critical goodwill. If you must watch this, prepare to turn your brain off and crack open a cold one, because I’m not sure there’s any other way to enjoy this.

Is there something I’m missing about Alvarez? Because I’ve been extraordinarily confused about this so-called “Empire” for some time. The members of the Spriggan 12 don’t just have the normal kind of dedication one might have to an evil empire if they lived under an oppressive regime. Rather, as Dimaria demonstrates in this episode, they have a real, tangible conviction to Zeref’s cause, which is completely bizarre to witness. The structure and uniting force of Alvarez is barely even discussed, except for the fact that it was founded by Zeref, who isn’t exactly a charismatic leader. This makes these potentially emotional scenes of Spriggan 12 members fall flat on their face. Without taking the time properly set up character motivation, I can’t really care about what Brandish or Dimaria is up to. Brandish, who gets a focus point in this episode, is a particular failure since she hasn’t been in the series for that long. She doesn’t even have the benefit of past arcs to build her up.

The reunion of Levy and Gajeel scratches the surface of emotionality but doesn’t come close to what I would consider worth watching. Gajeel’s resurrection after his sacrifice was already a mistake in the plot, since having him come back so easily steals tension away from the danger of Alvarez. Having Levy come back to him here is just an extension of that failure. There’s a spark of something there, but nothing that made me get choked up.

What occupies the rest of the episode is Dimaria taking the time for a good old fashion interrogation. This serves to be little more than another way for Lucy’s clothes to come off (Big surprise there) and put her into a lewd situation. (Another big surprise) Because of the total ham of the situation, Lucy’s declaration of courage against Dimaria is a total joke. Hearing these lines makes me feel like I’m watching the bad parts of professional wrestling. Flat delivery and awkward writing everywhere. This one is a real groaner, folks. Fairy Tail just doesn’t seem to have staying power these days.