Disney Twisted-Wonderland The Animation

Episode 8

That went by quickly! It felt like it took no time at all for Disney Twisted-Wonderland The Animation to conclude its first season. The result is a neatly encapsulated magic school story, infused with Disney IP and wrapped in a bow like an unbirthday party gift. Well-considered character designs and standout voice acting performances in both Japanese and English are its strongest suit, making up for the cookie-cutter aspects of its redemption plot. I've come to realize that more than any other element, it's Riddle and the gang that keep fans invested in Twisted Wonderland, whether as a game, manga, light novel, or now, this anime. This show did an excellent job of accentuating the characters' charms.

“Finale for Heartslabyul” is quite the literal title for this episode's content: a wrap-up of Riddle's story. Headmage Crowley has done absolutely nothing and he's all out of ideas, so it's up to Yu, Grimm, and the gang to slam a kendo sword into the Overblot Phantom. Unlike the boss battle in the game, this sequence is short and sweet. The real change is happening on the inside of Riddle's head, as he wrestles with his traumatic childhood. It's a knockout vocal performance from Paul Castro Jr. as he runs the emotional gamut from unhinged to defanged. This sequence is the first time Riddle really admits that what his mother wants him to do is different from what Riddle wants for himself. It would have been gratifying to see him stand up to his mother and tell her exactly that. But Riddle is close to being a grown adult and he doesn't have to answer to anyone, not even his narcissistic mom; he gets to figure this out for himself. Conversely, Riddle's friendship with Trey is portrayed visually as a light in the darkness. I think it's beautiful that Riddle's found family is what is going to help him heal from his trauma. More than the kendo sword, it's kindness, forgiveness, and grace that is going to be Riddle's salvation.

But perhaps Riddle isn't going to get any of that forgiveness from Ace, or at least not yet. The more I get to know Ace, the more I like him, and it's because the story is not afraid to show his biggest flaw: dude needs to learn that there's a time to shut up. Since it's nonnegotiable that these gacha game characters all need to have attractive visual appearances, the franchise instead uses the time-honored tradition of giving them garbage personality traits—and I think that's beautiful. Ace is the perfect example: his inability to read the room adds balance to the too-perfect veneer of his looks. Now that I think about it, it's Ace's character flaws that set the entire Heartslabyul arc in motion. On the other hand, there's Yu. Other than a magic-free kendo strike, he's deeply inconsequential to this story. Armed with his camera, he's here as a witness. He's not in any of the pictures himself; he's there to see how the story unfolds.

Despite all of my early trepidation about this season's short 8-episode run, this finale was downright leisurely. There was plenty of time to process Riddle's trauma and to even see Trey and Chenya's reflections on the events of the past. There was even space for a humorous mini-story about Riddle learning the hard way that some rules are there for good reason. There's even a teaser at the end with Leona, which gave us another chance to hear the perfectly casted Major Attaway's booming voice. When I think back on this anime, I won't remember the specifics of the plot (other than the multiple occasions of egg violence). But I will remember the standout English dub.

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Disney Twisted-Wonderland The Animation is currently streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.