REVIEW: ‘Fire Force’ Season 3 Cour 1 Lays An Uneven Path To The Big Finale

After over four years, Fire Force Season 3 Cour 1 arrives from David Production (Cells at Work) to set the stage for the series’ final battle. As Station 8 prepares to halt the White Clad’s goal of manufacturing a second Great Cataclysm, they quickly learn that their enemies are far more numerous and deeply ingrained in their society than they originally realized.

Between the extended hiatus and the start of the final season, high expectations abounded. Fire Force Season 3 Cour 1 needed to hit on all cylinders to get the fan base back and engaged with the long-dormant story. It manages to do this, to a degree, but several stumbles keep it from being everything it could’ve been. 

After a brief refresher in the opening episode that reintroduces Shinra (Gakuto Kajiwara, Romantic Killer) and the rest of his allies, the series wastes no time getting to the crux of the narrative. The opening arc of the cour revolves around the White Clads kidnapping Captain Obi (Kazuya Nakai, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising), in the hopes of turning him into a fiend and denying Japan a heroic personality who may be able to stop their plans.

This opening arc brings great fights and twists as it sets the tone for the coming season. Surprises for established characters like Captain Leonard Burns (Taiten Kurunoki, Sonic X Shadow Generations) and Joker (Kenjirô Tsuda, The Ingenuity of the Househusband) keep the narrative engaging, while new powers and challenges keep the threats interesting.

The best element of Fire Force Season 3 Cour 1 is its focus on Obi.

The best element of the arc, though, is the central focus it places on Obi. As one of the few main characters with no pyrokinetic powers, it’s easy to undervalue how important Obi is as a leader. The decision to open the narrative focusing on him and highlighting his critical presence in shaping the outcome is a brilliant choice.

Even as the early episodes of Fire Force Season 3, Cour 1 establish strengths that fans can expect throughout the twelve-episode run, it also introduces some struggles that will persist. The humor is hit or miss throughout the cour, as the series tries to balance its danger with its comedic nature.

This hits its worst during this arc, when the series picks one episode to lean a bit too hard on Tamaki’s (Aoi Yûki, NieR Automata ver.1.1a) Lucky Lectury Lure. While the element has been refined over the series to be more than a fan service gimmick, the way the camera treats Tamaki in this cour is badly handled.

Another element of the narrative that knocks a lot of wind out of its sails is when the series tries to deliver emotional hits that don’t land. The show dearly wants big payoffs for characters that don’t feel earned. This leads to key moments feeling more awkward than impactful.

Fire Force Season 3 Cour 1 fills in the world’s lore.

Fire Force Season 3 Cour 1 does a lot to overcome its shortcomings, however. The narrative is compelling, and this cour does a great job of hinting at a lot while not giving too many things away. It also fills in many of the remaining questions about the world’s lore. This is largely thanks to another of the run’s strengths: its expansive cast.

Even as Station 8 finds itself in ever hotter water with the impending confrontation with their enemies, Fire Force Season 3 Cour 1 allows some of their allies to step into the spotlight. Princess Hibana (Lynn, Arcored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon) uncovers many of the revelations that help illuminate the narrative. Other allies like Benimaru (Mamoru Miyano, Undead Murder Farce), Juggernaut (Katsuyuki Konishi, Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut), and Ogun (Makoto Furukawa, The Beginning After the End) all have a chance to set up and help their old comrades again. 

The final aspect of Fire Force Season 3 Cour 1 that is critical to the story is its scale. Not only are the White Clad still seeking a second Great Cataclysm, but they have far more allies in their endeavor than previously realized. The growing scope and the massive number of forces that come to be arrayed against Station 8 make the coming battle feel overwhelming. This leads to a heightened sense of danger and a feeling of isolation for our heroes.

Bringing everything to life is the series’ trademark fiery art style. With rare exceptions, the animation shines throughout the cour. The cast’s various pyrokinetic abilities look great, with flames animated so smoothly that there are times you would swear you could feel the heat.

The animation in Fire Force Season 3 Cour 1 is striking.

Even though David Productions frequently showcases its mastery of fiery visuals, this isn’t where the visuals become the most impactful. When a surprising turn of events takes Shinra on an unexpected journey in the cour’s finale, the animation delivers some gorgeously surreal and downright trippy effects as his mind is pushed to the breaking point. It’s an immensely striking sequence that will easily stick in the minds of fans until the series returns.

Fire Force Season 3 Cour 1 delivers some good and some bad. Even with a few bumps in the road, the series delivers a strong story full of twists, effectively utilizes its great cast, and delivers striking animation that makes its biggest moments pop.

Fire Force Season 3 Cour 1 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.