REVIEW: ‘Fena: Pirate Princess,’ Episode 3 – “Bar-Baral”

Fena: The Pirate Princess Episode 3 is a joint Crunchyroll/Adult Swim exclusive adventure anime from Production I.G. Having set forth to unlock the secret of the mysterious gem left by her father, Fena and her crew’s first stop is the free island city of Bar-Baral. There they will take on supplies for their larger journey and maybe run into a spot of adventure.

This week’s episode opens with the introduction of a mysterious naval officer who is interested in capturing Fena. His motivations are left hidden, but the individual exudes an air of seriousness that means he’s going to be significant to the unfolding plot. This opening scene wasn’t what I expected, as it brought a much lower-keyed energy than the show generally puts out. But, that higher energy level came quickly enough.

Fena: The Pirate Princess Episode 3 follows up this opening with a return to Fena aboard the ship designed by Kiran, The Bonito II, as they prepare to put into Bar-Baral for supplies. I love the interpersonal exchanges between the cast surrounding Fena. The group plays off each other like a family. With inside jokes, references to past encounters with the port city, and preemptive threats for repeated bad behavior, one cannot help but feel a familiar warmth from Fena’s crew.

Upon arriving at Bar-Baral, the crew sets out to gather the supplies they need and promptly get separated. As one might expect, Fena finds herself with the two most enabling members of the crew, the mischievous twins. This leads to a number of hijinks and Fena finding a more functional outfit to sail the high seas in. This new design for Fena is wonderful. It delivers the pirater aesthetic, captures the character’s energy, and looks slick while doing both. The fun is interrupted by business as the situation is forced to become serious through a pair of unexpected encounters. Who knew pirate cities could be so dangerous?

The animation throughout Fena: The Pirate Princess Episode 3 continues to deliver the show’s characterful cast and fun moments splendidly. Fena’s adventures with the twins are perfectly delivered. The humorous assortment of clothes tried on by our lead and the reactions shown toward them were perfect. And while the visuals deliver the show’s humor splendidly, it doubles down on the action sequence near the end.

The episode’s big finish is studded with flair, style, and cool visual gimmicks as Fena and company clash with their first threats. This sequence does a great job of establishing how skilled Fena’s escorts are, as even the joking twins reveal some sweet moves in combat. This coolness factor doesn’t stop with the good guys, however, as the foes faced by our intrepid pirate-ninjas are just as colorful and memorable themselves.

When all is said and done, Fena: The Pirate Princess Episode 3 brings a fun entry into the series that establishes new characters, gives the crew a new course to set, and gives viewers a greater taste for the stylish action they can expect from future installments in the series. A near-flawless episode.

Fena: The Pirate Princess Episode 3  is on Crunchyroll and Adult Swim.