#Pirate Princess Episode 1 & 2 Review

When Fena: Pirate Princess was first announced, I was intrigued as it was created by animation studio Production I.G and director Kazuto Nakazawa. Nazakawa-san’s and I.G’s most recent project, B: The Beginning, was a solid sci-fi thriller anime series on Netflix, so I came into Fena with relatively high expectations, especially for a show that explored the theme of samurai pirates.  

Fena Houtman is an orphaned captive stuck on an island belonging to an alternative version of the British Empire. The island is designed to serve the needs and pleasures of men, and Fena dreams of escaping and having a taste of hard-won freedom. In the middle of being forcibly engaged to a man, Fena is rescued by a group of pirates and samurai. Aboard the pirate vessel sailing the high seas, she uncovers her family’s secrets that serve as the key to unlocking her past. 

In hindsight, it was a smart decision by Crunchyroll and Adult Swim to premiere two episodes ahead of the season. Despite Fena’s rough upbringing, she is very eccentric and cheerful which is highlighted in her facial expressions. Two episodes allow Fena to introduce enough of the story, characters, and strong sense of mystery without falling short. The two-episode release also gives the audience a small taste of the seven bombastic samurai pirates. The two key samurai we get to meet are Yukimaru, the introverted and powerful fighter of the group, and Tsubaki, the most mature samurai with the ability to cook. 

While the characters themselves are striking, the overall world is also of interest. There is a mesh of settings inspired from the early colonial era of the British Empire, Edo-style Japan, and some possible steampunk based on technologically advanced maritime engineering. 

However, Fena’s background music isn’t noticeable in the first two episodes, despite it being composed by the famous Yuki Kaijura. But, it will be an excellent treat to see how she tackles and blends the motifs typically seen in samurai and pirate shows into Fena. 

Crunchyroll and Adult Swim will premiere the first two episodes on Saturday, August 14. Adult Swim’s Toonami block will screen the English dub.