English Dub Review: Infinite Dendrogram “Like a Flag Flying the Reversal”

(Possible Spoilers Below)

As Ray’s groups set out on their journey to Gideon, they encounter a group of goblins attacking a caravan of travelers. Ray and his allies defeat the goblins until they are ambushed by Gardranda, who spreads out poisonous gas to weaken Ray. Marie gives Ray an elixir to temporarily protect him from the poison’s effects while Rook and Babylon keep Gardranda distracted. As the battle progresses, Nemesis evolves into her second form and gains the ability who’s name is titled “Like a Flag Flying the Reversal”, which allows her to reverse any status ailments affecting Ray.

Despite this, Nemesis’ offensive abilities are severely reduced and Ray only kills Gardranda when a bullet fired by the unknown player that both kills and weakens Gardranda at the last possible second. With the boss defeated and the group arriving at Gideon, the quest ends and Ray is selected as MVP. Ray also obtains two magical bracers as new weapons, but he gets himself injured while testing them out, until a stranger in a penguin suit, who calls himself “Dr. Flamingo”, gives Ray a potion that does heal him but also gives him animal ears.

Flamingo runs away, but not before telling Ray that he should return to normal in “10 hours”. Ray and Nemesis are confused as to how this Flamingo person even know Ray, even though Ray never gave him his name. The episode ends on another cryptic cliffhanger, as we see an ominous image of what looks like a player sitting in a dark room looking at monitor screens watching several players and commenting about Ray.

Our Take

The series is slowly becoming more enjoyable with each passing episode. I wouldn’t say the show has fully come into its own along the lines of its Isekai predecessors yet, but it’s much better than it was when it started. I do like the fact that Ray doesn’t immediately become a heavy-hitter when he starts the game, he survives the boss battle thanks to outside help and because Nemesis evolved at the right time.

Talk about convenience. It’s also a nice little detail that the series touches on the fact that the NPC people within the game aren’t just faceless statistics, they’re actual sentient beings with names and families. The best part of the episode has to be the ending, what with Ray almost getting himself killed with his new weapons and then the weird-looking penguin guy making a fool out of him.

I just hope that the show continues to improve for the rest of the season. It has a lots of potential and I don’t want to see it wasted.