REVIEW: ‘Fena: Pirate Princess,’ Episode 8 — “A Knight’s Vow”

Fena: The Pirate Princess is a joint Crunchyroll/Adult Swim exclusive adventure anime from Production I.G. While the gang managed to arrive in time to save Fena from the clutches of Lord Abel, it wasn’t without cost. With Yukimaru shot twice by Abel himself, the Bonito rushes to reach medical aid before Yukimaru’s life slips away in Fena: Pirate Princess Episode 8.

Change. Change is an inevitable part of life. Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end, as the minstrels say. But when those changes endanger the people you care about or force you to make hard choices between conflicting loyalties, it can be easy to lash out at those who don’t deserve it. The perceived problem or cause of the unwanted struggles life has set before you. We’ve all been there, and if you have as rough a time at handling life as I do, you probably didn’t deal with it so well. In that case, you have something in common with a ninja as well as an amateur writer.

As the crew sees to Yukimaru’s treatment a confrontation boils over between Shitan and the rest of the crew concerning Fena. Shitan unloads his feelings about her influence over the others and what he perceives the cause of it to be. While the disruption of the usual harmony between this forged family is instantly uncomfortable, when Fena accidentally walks in on the discourse Fena: Pirate Princess Episode 8‘s mood goes from uncomfortable to emotionally brutal for Fena. Shitan holds her guilty for things she never asked for, and her gentle personality doesn’t know how to initially handle the accusations leveled against her by Shitan. While the moments between Fena and Shitan are heartfelt and emotionally delivered, they, unfortunately, fall well short of doing the duo justice.

The flaw in this confrontation lies in how easy it is wrapped up. While the resolution of the situation will most likely bring a smile to your face, it comes with a sense of unearned victory. Shitan’s troubles concerning Fena feel far too deeply rooted for them to be cleaned up so quickly, no matter how adorable Fena may be.

Fena: Pirate Princess Episode 8 closes its narrative with a scene between Fena and the recently awakened Yukimaru. I will give no details about what transpires between the two, but I will say this: May you all find someone who will look at you the way Yukimaru looks at Fena.

The animation in this episode delivers all the emotional moments of the story exceptionally well. Production I.G. has shown throughout this serious that they know how to not only deliver emotion, but to augment it with a romantic aura that makes Fena’s journey feel closer to a classic epic, than a modern sea-faring pirate adventure, and these skills do not falter anywhere during this latest installment.

When all is said and done, Fena: Pirate Princess Episode 8 delivers an emotional story that is brought to life through its gorgeous visuals. Even if the core conflict is wrapped up in a way that feels a bit like a cheat, it is nonetheless a wonderful entry into the show’s ongoing narrative.

Fena: Pirate Princess Episode 8 is streaming on Crunchyroll and Adult Swim.