Simulwatch: Murder Princess [Episode 6]

WMD

WMD

Guild Member
Heres the thread we can discuss episodes of Murder Princess. I'll be watching the 1st episode later today.

Episode 1 Friday 17th April
Episode 2 Saturday 18th April
Episode 3 Sunday 19th April
Episode 4 Monday 20th April
Episode 5 Tuesday 21th April
Episode 6 Wednesday 22th April
 
Episode 1

Fun, generally fast paced episode that sets up the premise nicely. I like the general metal feel of the show with the OP and soundtrack. I really like the character designs, especially Dominokov (spikey haired skull guy). The first time I watched it these designs felt so orginal. I hadn't seen an anime that quite looked like this before. Now it seems reminiscent of many things including Soul Eater for instance.
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Like how the designs inform how characters act and fight like the little robot girl using rocket powered boots to kick higher and harder.

Although this show is basically set up I enjoy that it doesnt waste that much time on exposition. The king gives a bit and then dies for his trouble and the show basically makes a joke out of explaining how the body swap happens. The how doesnt matter its what happens next that will. A lot of shows would've spent the whole season having the princess fight her way back to throne, here it's done by the end of the first episode.

I cant really remember what happens but theres sure to be plenty of violence and that's what I'm here for!
 
Episode 1: Birth

Seems decent enough so far, the story gets underway fairly quickly and the whole body swapping aspect could make for either comedy or bloodshed depending on the mood of the moment.
 
Episode 1

Having little or no idea what to expect from this going into it, it wasn't bad; I think in the current climate it's nice to see a high-fantasy series that is neither isekai nor unbearably fetishistic.

The story feels like fairly standard stuff thus far, but if they're going to wrap this within six episodes, it's fine. It even amuses me that it feels a little bit like an extension of Bee Train's 'two women looking for something' cycle that seemed to define their output around this time. It's just unfortunate that they couldn't have spent a bit more cash on it - the animation feels very limited at times. I got the Soul Eater vibe from the character art too, but the production really isn't a patch on Bones's work there.

Speaking of character art, it also seems a bit disappointing that the side characters have all the interesting designs, whereas our two heroines are a bit generic looking. ANN criticises Bee Train for their part in this, but it's not entirely their fault - it's actually pretty faithful to the original manga.

Incidentally, is anyone watching the dub? I went for the Japanese track as I like Romi Park, but I hear the English is quite a liberal interpretation of the script, so I might try that for the next one.
 
Professor Irony said:
Incidentally, is anyone watching the dub? I went for the Japanese track as I like Romi Park, but I hear the English is quite a liberal interpretation of the script, so I might try that for the next one.
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Yeah I'm watching the dub. Episode 1 was good with no weak links performance wise. The 2 heroines are also given distinct voices to match their personalities.
 
Episode 2
That was a slower episode than I was expecting. It was quite fun to see the new princess having to get used to royal life and not enjoy it at all. It was also nice to see some time spent with the former princess mourning her losses and resolving herself for what is to come. It all added a bit of depth to both characters beyond one fights and one doesnt.

I do feel it couldve got to the action a bit sooner mind. Not the best fight scene over ever seen and the episode definitely felt like it was more about setting things up for later episodes and injecting a bit of mystery into proceedings. Though I will say I like that the Murder Princess is an intelligent fighter, quickly analysing her opponent and going for weak spots.

In the dub when the monster is set loose it and it cuts back to cart the Murder Princess very dryly says "that didnt sound good" it really made me chuckle.

Even though the animation can be pretty simple it manages to find shots and bits of action I really enjoyed
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Episode 2: Coronation

Some mourning and some progression-I’m mildly interested to see where this goes but don’t have many strong thoughts either way at the moment.
 
HWR said:
Episode 2: Coronation

Some mourning and some progression-I’m mildly interested to see where this goes but don’t have many strong thoughts either way at the moment.
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Yeah. There was a fair amount of episode 1 I could remember but nothing from episode 2. Overall I remember it fondly even if I dont remember much of what happens so I'm guessing it gets better as it goes along.
 
WMD said:
Yeah. There was a fair amount of episode 1 I could remember but nothing from episode 2. Overall I remember it fondly even if I dont remember much of what happens so I'm guessing it gets better as it goes along.
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I feel as if I’ve watched this series before but have no written log so it’s possible I watched an episode or two before putting it into my backlog. From episode 3 it should all be new for next.
 
Typed this last night, didn't realise I forgot to post it :/

Episode 2

Have now also switched to the dub - it's pretty good. I might actually have a slight preference for it over the Japanese, the dialogue seems a little snappier. Other than that, the loli-robot firing missles was a bit of a laugh and actually reminded me of the daicon girl firing missiles from her backpack:

daicon1.jpg

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I also liked (presumably the same one of the two robots?) having a gun in her arm, but again, it slightly feels like the side characters got all the fun design ideas though. Seems like there's a bit of foreshadowing around the Princess's brother, too.
 
Episode 3

This was a really fun epsiode. We get a reminder of how different these girls are and how difficult the situation they find themselves in is for them. I like how organically their disagreement leads to them being separated which gives the baddies the opportunity to kidnap Milano. I also liked how Alita was never concerned about what might happen to her body, she just instantly went into save my friend mode.

We got some more action this week and really liked Dominokov's flaming wheel motorbike! The Prince makes his appearance at last. Wonder if they are going to tell him the truth? And a mysterious lady watches on fron the sidelines!

This was pretty extreme for what we've seen so far:
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Episode 3: Return

Disagreements and body swapping is bound to cause friction-at least we get some decent action out of it. The idea of a royal figure suddenly becoming cold and acting the opposite of how they were before is an interesting concept.
 
Episode 3

I think if the Prince doesn't actually turn out to be the mysterious guy in the helmet, I'll be disappointed. Nice to see some more action in this episode anyway.

Not sure if it's the same in the Japanese, but one thing that did catch my attention in the dub was Mirano greeting Alita/Falis with 'Hello Queen!', first thing in the morning. Should it not be 'Your Majesty' or 'Ma'am'?
 
Professor Irony said:
Not sure if it's the same in the Japanese, but one thing that did catch my attention in the dub was Mirano greeting Alita/Falis with 'Hello Queen!', first thing in the morning. Should it not be 'Your Majesty' or 'Ma'am'?
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😆
Oh, what?!

Sorry to butt into the simulwatch to add this, but that made me remember something from an issue of NEO magazine some years ago. They were interviewing a Japanese band, I think, who were going to be playing a gig in London. It got onto the subject of the Queen, and one of the band enthused how, if he were to ever meet her, he would greet her politely with "Hello, Queen." 😅

Maybe the etiquette is just not widely known outside of the UK. (Although Sunrise got it right with Code Geass and its English-language uses of "Yes, your Majesty" and "Yes, your Highness" in the Japanese dialogue.)

Anyhow, I digress. 😋
Murder Princess...
 
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Epsiode 4

Things are really hotting up now. We get our first hint that things are not what they seem pretty early when the Prince gives some pretty weird advice to Alita, perhaps suggesting he may know the truth about her. At first I was a bit disappointed in Alita for just blindly following mystery lady when shes normally so careful and logical but then we find out shes left a trail for her friends to follow and I was petty relieved.

Not sure show the Dr and the loli goths got into that party. You'd think they are pretty distinctive regardless of what they wear!

There isnt loads of action this time but it is effective. Both the witch and the big knight are formidable foes in their own right so as a team will be quite the challenge. I was a but sad to see the Dr go out like that with such little ceremony but he has just been a patsy this whole time. Hopefully the goth twins will have their own agency for the final battle!

As Prof hoped the Prince is the big Knight but is he being controlled/manipulated or a partner/boss of the witch lady. Still plenty of mystery to unravel!

The team end at their lowest point, defeated and hurt and in retreat. How will they recover and wiĺl the goth twins now switch sides? This is probably the epsiode I've enjoyed the most. Its had the most stakes, really ramped up the story and in the dub had some really fun dialogue. Especially from Dominokov with his slightly cutting meta commentary on situations "Well this is a new development." and "That's unfortunate."
 
Episode 4: Exile

Reveals and plot development take centre stage this episode with the action being relegated to more crucial moments. There’s also more of the big bad and their connection to the Prince which could have some pay off or just be a “they’re under mind control” angle which would be sigh-worthy as it’s a trope I have little time for. A decent episode overall.
 
Episode 4

I’m surprised they killed off the doctor with so little fanfare - despite him having been the apparent driving force for so much of the plot, he never had much screentime. Considering how apparently mild mannered he was for a villain (even talking through the robot loli in the first episode), it might have been interesting if they'd developed his motivation a little more. While the original manga was fairly short (I think?) I do kind of wonder if there may have been some content cut out here and there.

The Prince being the villain is fair enough, but much like HWR, I'm rather hoping we might get something more elaborate than mind control here, even though it seems to fit. I'm also curious whether we're supposed to take the other characters shipping Falis/Alita with him seriously, when the show seems far more interested in her relationship with Mirano/Alita.
 
Episode 5

Things are getting intense and we some answers after the show had largely been layering mysteries on us. Something I've really been enjoying about this show is its attitude to exposition. Previously we've had characters like the King and the Dr die just as they are about to get on a big exposition roll. Other times Dominokov makes slightly sarcastic remarks or meta like observations. This time we get no information as to how the group could hide in the small wagon. They did, it's fine, move on to fun stuff!

It's a shame we couldnt have had the Dr backstory flashback in an earlier episode before his death but it certainly helps us emphasize to the loli goths and interesting the Dr wasnt being controlled as such but manipulated into corrupting his own morals.

I also really like the reveal that all the fantasy elements this show is built off is just the renemants of old lost technology. Dominokov and Pete are actually cyborgs. Dire wolves and goblins the left overs of genetic experimentation. It's a nice twist that really marries the fantasy and sci fi elementsbof the show into a cohesive whole. It's also good that the show had Dominokov explain all this. Hes not only the best, most charismatic character but hes tied to the old world and saw first hand the destruction it caused.

It's also a nice touch that Alita/Kalis has a personal connection to the witch who killed her father. Its adds a bit more personal stakes to the final episode alongside the save the world angle and the Milano/prince relationship.

Also Dominokov and Pete's Transformation scene was great fun and hilariously like a magical girl transformation scene!
 
Episode 5: Fate

It was neat to get some worldbuilding here, as discussed by @WMD above, as it’s depth like this that gives an anime series some investment and intrigue. Hoping for a decent finale to make this worthwhile.
 
Episode 5

Not much else to add to what WMD already touched on, I think. The world having previously been a technologically advanced one that blasted itself back to medieval times is a nice idea. I’d like it if they’d maybe used that to inform the story more, but hey, six episodes.
 
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