English Dub Review: Black Summoner: “Battle with the Heroes”

Overview: Kelvin (Van Barr Jr.) continues his ruse and takes on the heroes Touya (Belsheber Rusape), Setsuna (Kristen McGuire), Miyabi (Molly Searcy) and Nana (Dani Chambers). 

Our Take: “Battle with the Heroes” is exactly as the name describes in being a fun, all-out brawl in the heroes versus Kelvin. However, even with that, it smartly answers the question as to why Kelvin needs to fight them in winning a wish that he will use for them to testify against the washed up heroes, who took over the Black Wind bandits. 

Kelvin toying with them, using cool unique techniques like his copy ability, getting Sera’s S-rank martial arts abilities is what makes it a good time. The dumb ways the series makes Kelvin overpowered, while mindless in the thought process that goes into him developing them, is damn entertaining in seeing what he could have in his growing bag of tricks. Also, the episode does a good job of logically explaining how the heroes can go toe-to-toe with him, despite the level difference, in their special abilities as heroes, overwhelming numbers and their ability to adapt, becoming stronger. Also, there is a nice transition throughout in Kelvin genuinely offering advice to them on how to become better fighters that nicely highlights that although he is not idealistic like Touya is, he cares about people. The animation does not do the battles any favors, though, with it being a still framed infested fight, aside from a few quick bursts of well designed close combat that are not a mainstay unfortunately. 

The heroes all have their power of friendship moment that is generic as all hell and a cliché you have seen a million times before. It would be one thing had the writing been compelling, despite being retreaded ground, but it is as bland as they come as far as team bonding moments go. They almost feel like a concept of what Kelvin and the team could have been like had they been more uninspired. Touya, Setsuna and the gang lose badly, but after they understand how Kelvin helped them, they all come to respect him for his tutelage with his very odd request for them to drop trou makes for a hilarious cliffhanger to end on.