Bladedance of Elementalers

Episode 7

Call me a desperate optimist, but it seems like Bladedance of Elementalers is starting to show signs of improvement. This latest episode manages to pull off some respectable character development while still keeping the plot moving. A short flashback offers an intriguing look at Fianna's past, and she's refreshingly frank about wanting to use Kazehaya's abilities to achieve her own goals. A second confrontation with Jio also helps the series by forcing its heroes to fight a legitimately challenging opponent. How exactly does one go about defeating an enemy with access to an arsenal of magical weapons? I assume we'll find out soon enough.

Sadly, the series still insists on getting in its own way, and far too much of this episode's runtime is wasted on a handful of boob jokes. We all get that Claire is insecure about her appearance. Can we please stop recycling scenes from other harem comedies and move along?

What's frustrating is that the show has other sources of humor that it fails to take notice of. Est's deadpan death threat to Kazehaya's horse generates more laughs in five seconds than the cleavage comedy manages in over five minutes. Bladedance of Elementalers is moving in the right direction, but it could move a lot faster if the creators stopped pushing its weak points into the spotlight.

Rating: C+

Bladedance of Elementalers is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Paul Jensen also covers anime and manga at SharkPuppet.com.