REVIEW: ‘So I’m a Spider, So What?’ Episode 14 – “You’re Rebelling? I’m Self-Deprecating”

What would be exciting action in So I’m a Spider So What Episode 14 is hindered by disorienting editing choices. The Crunchyroll Original from Millepensee adapts the light novel series by Okina Baba. The fantasy isekai follows a heroine and her classmates who are reincarnated into a fantasy world. The heroine, however, wakes up as a baby spider in a dungeon, and every day is a fight to survive. The light novel (and manga adaptation) is also available in English from Yen Press.

The heroine is on her own, having dispatched her other consciousnesses to take care of her mother. No sooner does she begin to enjoy the quiet does she encounters a group of bandits attacking a carriage. By far, the best part of So I’m a Spider So What Episode 14 is the POV cuts between the heroine and the humans. We always see her in her adorable form. It is a near-hysterical transition to see a legitimately terrifying-looking spider flailing around during one of the protagonist’s monologues. 

A concern from last week was the clarity of the timeline, which was thankfully cleared up this week. However, it may require a double-take for some viewers to understand. The heroine meets another reincarnation as a baby, further confirming that all of the classmates awakened in this world at different times. When the episode’s second half cuts to Schlain and company, we eventually meet that baby now all grown up. While still an indirect clarification, it does help. 

So I’m a Spider So What Episode 14 gets fairly violent in comparison to its predecessors. It is the most exciting episode, plot-wise, on the human side of the story so far. Schlain is still a pretty one-note hero, but clearly, certain events in this episode might trigger a change in that, and hopefully, they will. Unfortunately, this is where things start to get rocky.

Much of the action and excitement are marred by bizarre cuts, perspective camera angles, and editing choices that almost make one dizzy. It is hard to figure out what is even going on during the action. Obviously, no one is expecting the entire time and animation budget to go to this one battle. However, this one is on a pretty large scale, and many of the shots have little movement and instead feel like a quick, disjointed slideshow. Additionally, the CGI Fei looks a bit odd on-screen next to the rest of the group. 

So I’m a Spider So What Episode 14 has some enjoyable moments early on but then gets almost painful to watch with its chaotic fight scenes. The action with the protagonist is great, but on the human side, strange editing choices make it near impossible to watch and figure out what is going on. Thankfully, the episode clears up the timeline confusion again, so at least the series is heading in a good direction with its plot and character progression. 

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

Olive St. Sauver

Olive is an award-winning playwright with BAs in English and Theatre. At BWT she is a manga and anime critic, with an additional focus on mental health portrayals in media and true crime.