English Dub Review: Date A Live “The Three Magi”

Overview

As Shido rushes to the Spirits’ side, Westcott blocks his path. Meanwhile, Tohka and the others find themselves overwhelmed and powerless before Mio’s manifested Angel, Ein Sof Ohr…


Our Take

As beloved characters meet their end swiftly left and right, there’s sadly no time for the survivors to process their losses as the proceedings further raise the stakes and Mio’s ruthless determination. It also goes even further back into Mio’s origins and her ties with Westcott, shedding light on his motivations which manages to make him more than just a bland villain with Patrick Bateman-vibes.

In combination with Westcott’s desperation to control Mio’s power and failing hard, Shido’s refusal to cooperate with the bad guy leads to an intense battle, showcasing the powers and progress he’s obtained over the course of four seasons…

Overall, this episode continues its sense of escalation and the overwhelming power of Mio as she continues her “harvest” at the expense of the spirit girls. Despite some issues with the animation quality, Mio’s power poses one hell of a challenge, while giving equal focus on character development and intense battles but it really sells the drama when the bodies start to pile up. Even if things feel decidedly bleak, I’m left with the potential hope that a solution can be found with Shido’s desire to help people and for Mio to stop her final boss status while taking down the ever-present sociopath that is Westcott.