English Dub Review: Reincarnated as a Sword “The Totally Unfair Spider Traps”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
The party ventures into the Spider’s Web dungeon… But are they the hunters or the prey?

Our Take:
Fran and the party have made it to the dreaded spider-filled dungeon. So if you’re still arachnophobic, now’s your chance to turn away from this episode. Otherwise, you better prepare yourself for a creepy crawly quest that could only get worse from here.
Amid the party’s trek through the icky dungeon, the episode showcases more of Fran’s relationship with Amanda and the latter’s background. Last week’s episode had Amanda understand how much Fran’s late mother means to the cat-girl and promising to support her as a friend and the Guardian of Children. This time, we learn about Amanda’s true origin behind her title and the dangers of the spider’s dungeon. The Rank A adventurer lost her comrades to the Spider’s Web, resulting in her taking care of their orphaned children.
The episode continues to gradually progress Amanda’s personality through her background and knowledge of skills and magic, which helps in making this character more likable than she was in her debut in episode eight. But, more importantly, her experience showcases how much of a threat the Spider’s Web dungeon can be to the party. That, and the different types of spiders inhabiting it, including the Trick Spiders and its ultimate evolved form, the Trickster Spider, who’s responsible for the dungeon’s sudden changes.
This massive creature would’ve been another easy boss fight for Fran and Teacher to handle, but the episode proves otherwise. Fran, along with Krad’s comrades, Barlz and Victor, winds up landing on a teleport square that puts her in the Trickster Spider’s lair. Even worse, they are teleported away from their weapons, including Teacher. With Amanda and Teacher in one room and Fran and the others in the other, things could only get more dangerous from here on out.
The conclusion of “The Totally Unfair Spider Traps” is where we see Fran at her most vulnerable. Fran’s strength usually comes from Teacher’s powerful skills and magic, making her an undeniable force to be reckoned with despite her shortcomings. Here, we see Fran being put to the ultimate test as she starts questioning her worth without her reliable weapon teacher. How can she survive this dangerous predicament without her teacher? How could Teacher live without his trustworthy student? What is up with the hooded man carrying the mysterious potion?
Aside from those questions that we’ll get answers to next week, the episode is an enjoyable and humorous trek through the Spider’s Web. Most of the comedy came from the party encountering the dungeon floor filled with booby traps. Unsurprisingly, the sequence is about as goofy as a Looney Tunes skit, even though it can be a bit much for some viewers. There’s also Fran wanting to learn Thunder magic, which continues to showcase her as an adorable child eager for a new toy, or in this case, new magic skills. With this episode and Fran’s challenging opponent, it looks like the series could finish its first season on a solid note.