[DreamSword]

Episode 5: Ring

This episode reminded me alot of Crimson Moon due to how it's structured.

In that it's devoted almost entirely to investigation, exposition, and character development, with the action at the end being very quick and to the point.

And as someone who actually likes Crimson Moon, I really only saw that as a good thing. This episode succeeded in drawing me in and making me invested in these characters and where things were headed.

The only real complaint I have is that the animation is slightly off model in a couple spots, making me think that this one was a bit of a budget episode. Outside of that though, there's alot to like. Like, right off the bat I got a chuckle out of the inherent character humor of Sword wearing a suit that barely fits him.

To give another comparison, like with Legend Heroes I really dug how this was an episode that talked about how Toku parents are often pretty trash, and showcasing some of the ramifications those types of parents have on their children's' lives. It's especially refreshing given how many a Toku show tries to justify terrible parenting(hi, Ghost and Build).

In terms of strictly plot though, this episode is all about investigating a rich woman rumored to be able to control Horrors, as well as Sophie getting a deeper look into the world of the Makai before deciding if she actually wants to dive head first into that world or not. And while that certainly lends itself to some nice development for Sophie, I found that Gina ended up showcasing alot of strong bits in this episode as well.

The two's' talk about the nature of humans and demons was very reminiscent of the same sorts of conversations had in the first GARO anime, and through that also let Gina show a more grounded and straight-forward side of her that we didn't really get to see much of in her introduction episode. Heck, even the "fanservice" in this episode is moreso showcased as being grotesque, in a sharp contrast to Gina's' intro episode.

Time will tell if I end up liking this cast as much as I did the characters of the previous two anime, but so far? Things are lookin' up.