REVIEW: ‘So I’m a Spider, So What?’ Episode 10 – “Who is This, Geezer?”

The big reveal at the end of So I’m a Spider So What Episode 10 is what saves a decent portion of this week, because the main story itself doesn’t feature any characters viewers know or care about. The anime is an adaptation of the light novel series by Okina Baba, which is published in English by Yen Press. The Crunchyroll Original from Millepensee follows a heroine who is reincarnated, along with her classmates, into an RPG-style fantasy world. However, she is reincarnated as a baby spider, and vows to not let this world get the best of her.

The Hero Julius is dead, and the title/skill of Hero has passed on to Schlain. He is devastated, and rightly so. His beloved brother is dead. Additionally, now he is expected to shoulder the burden. An interesting bit of lore is revealed: which is that it wasn’t assumed that Schlain would inherit the Hero title. In fact, it is actually quite unheard of for it to pass to someone in the same family.

The pressure adds a much needed stakes to Schlain’s character, who unfortunately has been rather boring and one-note throughout most of the anime. It is also likely to affect him given that he is going to be pulled out of school and away from his friends. We meet a few more of Schlain’s family members. Cylis, specifically, has the camera cut to him giving a side eye a comical number of times…to the point where it will be more surprising if he wasn’t an antagonist.

The remainder of So I’m a Spider So What Episode 10 follows mage Ronandt as he tells a tale from his past. The flashback takes place 15 years ago, when he was investigating what is now known as The Nightmare of the Labyrinth. All of the monsters from the labyrinth had been fleeing to the surface and causing havoc. He was sent along with a party to investigate what could be driving the monsters upward. He is accompanied by Buirimus, who through context clues is likely Schlain’s father.

They quickly confront a large spider monster. For those (myself included) who do not like spiders, this one will likely raise your hackles in contrast to our adorable heroine. The spider mows down this party, terrifying Ronandt with its power. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen larger spider creatures in the labyrinth, and once again it gives audiences a taste of our heroine’s potential. The downside to this flashback, however, is even with all the reveals made at the end of the episode, before So I’m a Spider So What Episode 10 reveals its hand, there is little to make the audience care about this entirely new cast of characters.

So I’m a Spider So What Episode 10 is clearly very important for the endgame of this anime, but because it is largely told through a flashback and new cast of characters, the audience won’t have any emotional investment during the action. It weakens the “reveals” the show has in store that changes the entire game.

So I’m a Spider, So What? is streaming now on Crunchyroll.