English Dub Review: Saga of Tanya the Evil “Deus Vult”

Could this be Funimation’s strongest series?

Spoilers Below

Whereas Saga of Tanya the Evil “Devil of the Rhine” introduced Tanya Degurechaff (Monica Rial), and “Prologue” gives her origin story, “Deus Vult” probes Tanya’s current self. It’s more focused on Tanya and her relationship with Being X, as well as how the magic functions.

Tanya is rewarded with the Silver Wings Assault Badge in the finale of “Prologue.” Resuming after Tanya’s recovery from wartime injuries, she’s sent to the Tactical Instructor Squad. Because Tanya must die a natural death, Tanya is overjoyed at her new position. Her assignment is testing a new variety of computation jewel, the Elenium Type-95. It’s a volatile jewel, and completely unstable. Despite Tanya’s warnings, Development Chief Engineer Adelheid von Schugel (Nobuo Tobita) insists on continuing tests. Tanya puts in for a transfer, and it’s approved. However, Being X appears to Tanya in a dream, and in the morning she finds a piece of paper that reads “Deus lo vult,” or God wills it, in Latin. Resolving to experiment with the Type-95 once more, Tanya is saved when Being X intervenes, but she’s forced to pray to Being X.

“Deus Vult” further probes Tanya’s relationship with Being X. Their banter during a dream sequence is really marvelous. “Receive my blessing,” Being X commands. “Are you giving me the power to part the sea or something? Cause honestly I’d rather be able to turn water into wine,” Tanya quips. It’s an entertaining moment and shows more depth to Tanya’s character. Sure, she’s calculating. This is evident from the onset of the series and show in moments like Tanya’s promotion. Although she’s ecstatic about her role away from the front lines, Tanya masks her enthusiasm.

There’s more humor in “Deus Vult.” Additionally, the source of Tanya’s power is clarified. Being X allows her to use the unstable Type-95 jewel, but there’s a catch. She now has to pray. It’s really comedic, especially Tanya’s disgust. This character depth crafts Tanya as an increasingly interesting character. Moreover, I enjoyed witnessing Tanya’s evolving relationship with Viktoriya Serebryakov (Jeannie Tirado). Visha as she’s called, is a Second Lieutenant in the Empire Army. Under Degurechaff, Visha is fearful of Tanya. In the pilot episode, Degurechaff sent two soldiers a command post that resulted in their deaths. But Tanya appreciates Visha’s change into a seasoned soldier. It’s fun to watch their work and personal interactions.

In “Deus Vult,” there’s a lot more internal dialogue from Tanya. This serves to make Tanya a more sympathetic character. Sure, Degurechaff remains cold, but she brings a scientifically logical approach. Rather than malicious, Tanya’s actions and thoughts are shaped by reason. “Miracles are illusions caused by lack of observation and reason,” Tanya explains. I enjoy learning more about Tanya and hearing her thought process and emotions. Rial particularly is fantastic using lots of inflection to show Tanya’s feelings. There’s still a bit of mystery, as Empire Army officers continue to disagree on Tanya. While she’s an incredibly capable officer, Degurechaff is also a kid, and dubbed a devil or monster by some of her superiors. Especially after “Deus Vult,” I’m pretty curious where the next episode will proceed. Sources of conflict are three-fold: Tanya contends with Being X, the Empire Army, and the Republic.

Ultimately what makes “Deus Vult” so engaging is the increased humor. It’s still dark in spots which I quite appreciate. But the added comedic elements balance out the action and drama. Additionally, there’s an onus on interpersonal relationships which is poised to continue. It’s this depth to the series and characters that benefits “Deus Vult” so much.