English Dub Review: Quality Assurance in Another World “Tesla”

Overview

After a nasty encounter with some fellow debuggers, Haga takes Nikola to the Advent Altar to teach her an invaluable lesson about abusing the power of the debugger stones.

Our Take

This time around, our two protagonists receive a mission from the AI to finish the game, reminiscent of “Sword Art Online” rules. Yet the unsettling fate of Haga’s friends evokes the eerie feeling of being trapped in a death loop or ghosting through floors, akin to mid-2000s MMO experiences where certain unpatched games lacked the necessary collision detection needed to avoid that. Monica Flatley (The voice of Nikola) also gives a unique performance as the AI, switching from cute companion Nikola to this unknown entity, adds to the tension. And Haga’s strong desire to abide by the rules and refusal to use debug mode, due to past incidents, is further enforced by the incidents around him…

The enemy/monster designs are disturbingly delightful, reminiscent of the “Stands” of Jojo’s Bizarre adventure, and the frustration of characters making careless mistakes that drive the plot forward. Haga’s refusal to use debug mode, understanding the risks, highlights the gravity of their situation. The AI’s directive to eliminate deviant debuggers to Haga while giving him a goal irks me that Haga never bothers to ask the AI how to get out or why he and his crew are stuck in the first place. The biggest highlight is the T-posing NPC asserting dominance at the end which was humorous yet eerie in how it was presented…

Overall, the episode delves into the complexities of the game world, with Nikola realizing the role of the Seekers as debuggers. The narrative also explores the tension between characters striving to follow to their roles and the consequences of deviating from them. Haga’s determination to fulfill his mission without resorting to cheats, despite the AI’s manipulations, I’m curious to see where this goes next!