Release the Spyce

Release the Spyce can be a serious competitor for the cartoon “Totally Spies” from Western and Princess Principal (I still consider the latter better). The main difference, the type of missions and the main characters. There is a mysterious taint created during all the episodes. Also, the bad commentaries do not give merit to the show and it deserves some praise. It is not that abysmal, and it is more entertaining than some shows of the same genre and it is highly better compared with some disasters from the season .. Gob..

On the other hand, the series at the beginning has a cartoonish ... behavior. For example, the heroines defeat the bad guys with some easy tasks, gadgets, skills gained from the spice, and they are ready for the next mission like the American toons. Lucky for all, the story revealed a very significant twist, and the outcome improved the whole show.

--The story--

The story is too easy to follow. A group of heroines (Tsukikage) has a unique goal of protecting their beloved city (Sorasaki) from any criminal, including the organization called Moryo. One day, a Momo high student is involved in a Tsukikage operation and is recruited. This group has the Master and apprentice scheme. Momo is assigned a Master (Yuki) who trains her in martial and sword arts. There are other members of the group, for example, Mei and her student Fuu. Each pair had different skills, techniques and combined they are robust against criminals. These spies are young girls who use their student status as a cover. When duty demands, they become an active group with one unique goal. The city of Sorasaki is the center where the plot is developed, but some actions outside it affect the plot directly.

One of the issues found, in the middle of the show the plot could be seen as too fantastic, cartoonish and focused on children where the good guy always wins. For example, I am the good spy, I throw a kick, and all the villains fall into the ground, easy, right?. This kind of outcome could be annoying for a more mature spectator seeking for some entertainment. However, as the plot advances, the mysteries are more prominent, and there is a breaking point that surprised several of the spectators, it creates a mysterious and dark atmosphere that you will love.

Lastly, the pacing is acceptable. The plot advances constantly. Some details will hook the spectators even more. However, in certain parts, I think they beat some villains very easily. No idea if it is because they needed to rush the plot, but it was too easy and leaves you the impression that the show lacks something but is not a big issue. Overall, Release the Spyce is one of the best shows that I have seen in 2018.

--Characters—

The story has heroines and villains. The Tsukikage group are the heroes and has six members:

Momo aka the noob aka tongue. She is the main character. In the beginning, she is insecure, weak, coward. She wanted to protect the city because her father was a police, but she does not have the courage. After she was recruited, her character evolved and thanks to Yuki, she surpassed her fears. She has a unique ability that is helpful under some circumstances.

Yuki aka badass with a sword. She is strict, hard worker, intelligent, and very skilled with a sword and martial arts. She trains Momo, and for me, she is the leader of Tsukikage. However, there is something weird in episode 10, but I cannot give details.

Mei aka cheerful. She is my favorite character. I love her personality. She is positive, very vivid enjoys life and …. never mind. She is the most agile member and is skilled in knives, espionage, etc.

Fuu aka mask. A master in disguise, I consider her like a ninja. She is like Mei, well she is her Mentee, but I think she is obsessed to be accepted.

Hatsume aka brain. She is the brain of the group. Hatsume is very calm, friendly, recursive, very skilled with gadgets and with a spear. However, she thinks that even the villains can become her friends and she tries to change them during the series.

Goe aka muscle. She is Hatsume disciple. She is a powerful girl that in the deep could fear her strength but tries to be calm and loves her Master deeply.

The other characters are the villains, I cannot give details because I could spoil the plot.

--Art and Sound—

The animation quality is good. I wasn’t expecting a good animation from this show but it is acceptable, and the battles are good and pleasant to the eye. There is a combination between action and sound that fulfills the scene. The camera angles help to maintain the visual in the crucial elements. The show uses a combination of a bright and dark color palette. This technique helps to contrasts the slice of the life and the action events.

The sound is acceptable. It does the job and helps to boost the sequences. The OP and ED are good. The OP has a lovely rhythm, catching, and you could end hearing it a few times.

--Enjoyment—

I liked the show, but there are some "childish" parts as I already explained. The anime can be improved, it can be a bit darker, but the outcome is acceptable. There are some boring episodes but it is not a reason to bury the show. Lastly, you should give it a try at least you can be entertained for a few hours.

PS: Now I need to wait for the game in 2019.

Madoka Magica meets Batman TV series.

If you wanted to see a worthy spiritual successor to Madoka, this is what this is. Not because it actively tries to be one, like an entire sub-genre of “dark magical girls Madoka-wannabe” series, but because it’s a show with similar themes that succeeds in the similar ways, while being its own thing and telling a different kind of story.

Like Madoka, this is a show with moe aesthetic, dark tone, yet optimistic message centered around cute girls. Also like Madoka, amusingly enough, in its very first scene it openly sets up a very dark tone, yet some people somehow miss ... it and get surprised when the heads start rolling.
Like Madoka, it reaps all benefits of being an original anime story, not constrained by the arc/plot structure of the source material. Meaning, it’s a single well-constructed, well-paced storyline that starts in the first episode, ends in the last, and every episode in between has a purpose in advancing this story.
Finally, the style of writing is very reminiscent of signature Gen Urobuchi’s writing - gadgetry/weaponry/fighting scenes that are both impossibly cool and feel very realistic and intelligent at the same time; healthy nihilism; complex narrative threads that pay off in a long run. Supposedly, it should be similar to Akame ga Kill and YuYuYu - other series written by the actual show’s writer, but I’m not familiar with those.

Now, about what Release the Spyce does different and why it deserves attention:

First, the selling point of this show is suspense mystery. A single mystery. In the first episode, we are introduced to a cast of cute girl spies, oh, and by the way, one of them is a traitor and works for the enemy, enjoy your CGDCT. Over the course of the series, all of them are built up to be cinnamon rolls that you simply don’t want to suspect. Scarce clues and red herrings are dropped here and there, making you pull your hair out, trying to figure who it is. The final reveal absolutely does not disappoint, and no amount of genre awareness, trope knowledge, or even twist/cop-out expectations can prepare you for how it plays out.

Camp. This is a contentious point, because not everyone enjoys camp sensibility, and this show is very, very campy. When a character is shot point-blank ten times, spends five seconds in a hospital with a bandage over their head and then is completely fine - do you think the writer does not understand how bullets work, or do you think it’s funny? Your enjoyment of this series will depend greatly on your answer. If you do love camp, prepare for a wonderful parade of middle-aged women biker gangs, contract-killing preschoolers and okinawan vikings.

Yuri bait. Deserves a separate paragraph because this is a yuri bait that will yuri bait the heaven. To quote someone else’s words, it’s like the series is playing gay chicken - it tries to make things as gay as possible before turning away and saying “no homo.” All part of the same camp sensibility, and it’s hilarious.

9.5/10 because it’s highly enjoyable, thought-provoking and unique series.

Anime about spies and espionage doesn’t appear too often these days on screen, or at least not popular ones these days. We live in a world where cute girls doing cute things has become part of the norm. So seeing an original show like Release the Spyce is rather refreshing. Actually, there was another show called “Princess Principal” that had similar base concepts. Yet, Release the Spyce stands out very much on its own as an action spy thriller.

When we think of a franchise about espionage, the most famous one that comes to mind is James Bond 007. That franchise is not an anime but ... pretty much anyone who doesn't live under a rock knows who James Bond is. When I began watching Release the Spyce, it made me curious if this show had what it takes to capture the thrill of a spy-espionage. Granted, the first few episodes establishes the show’s core concepts as we are introduced the action girls consisting of a group known as the “Tsukikage”. They use a substance known as “Spyce” to enhance their fighting abilities and hence, we get cool girls doing cool things.

The main storyline details of their conflict with the Moryo, a mysterious corporation with their own dark agendas. You should probably guess that with these expected concepts, this show can get quite complex. But not really. If we just examine the show on the surface, it actually feels like a slice of life at times when detailing the characters’ everyday lives. Momo Minamoto is a typical high school girl with nothing out of the ordinary and until the day she meets Tsukikage, she’s a rather normal person. In fact, Momo is so normal that a lot of the things she is introduced to often makes causes her to react in hilarious ways. But for the most part, there’s nothing out of the ordinary at first glance until you realize what this show is about.

Once we are introduced to the other main characters, it’s pretty easy to say the series capitalizes on its storytelling and character chemistry. To be honest, the plot’s pacing feels just perfect as the first half consists of getting the viewers familiar with the creators’ ideas. The remainder half consists of episodes that builds into the climax with plot twists and revelations. Most prominently, character chemistry is something that really shines throughout the series that begins from the very first episode to the end. Momo’s character relationship with Yuki plays a big role and motivator for her to succeed. Throughout the series, she sees her as a role model and may even have developed a sense of romance towards her. It’s not really yuri or even shoujo-ai but the show does drop in subtle romance hints from time to time. This extends to other members of Tsukikage such as with Mei and Fuu. Character relationships stands out not just for their connection but how each influences each other. It’s especially important in later episodes as we see the length certain characters goes through to prove themselves. At some point, I even find the character relationships to be emotional; not in the tearjerking way but more of a meaningful way.

On the other side is the mysterious Moryo. Much less is known about them although it’s clear that their intentions are malevolent. However, I would say that their characters are far less intriguing compared to the main cast. Characters like Kurara and Byakko are not fleshed out well enough to make fans care about them. Their existence seems to serve only as adversaries against Tsukikage. Even characters like Theresia Ray isn’t too well established with her relationship involving Hatsume Aoba. In respect, Moryo is more known for their actions rather than themselves. But hey, maybe you’ll be caught by surprise by a certain plot twist later on.

Watch now, later, or never touch? To me, this show is best to watch when you’ve decided the first three episodes are ready for you. While the show’s story may get more complex later on, the first half doesn’t do too much to make itself distinctive. It can actually feel deceptive at times with the character designs. Let’s face it, these girls hardly look like spies. It’s also no surprise that their look resembles characters from Yuru Yuri considering some of the names attached to this project. But on most parts, I think the look and feel of this show is faithful to what it advertised. It’s essentially an action girl series with spies that stays closely to its premise throughout the course of its run. The action is also thrilling with vibrant chereography and style. It even adds elements of disguise and stealth to make the role of spies look more credible for some episodes. Yet, it also has time for lighthearted moments to make humor with some of the characters’ exaggerated expressions. Thanks a lot, Momo.

While Release the Spyce doesn’t have much risks, I would say that it definitely had some with the voice acting. Given the premise, it may feel hard to take seriously at some of the character voice mannerisms. Momo stands out in particular since she sounds far too much like a stereotypical schoolgirl. But as the show evolves, you can see that she matures more and become a stronger person. Other characters all define their own personalities thanks to their voices. I could also say that a certain character from Tsukikage really manages to play her role deceptively to the point where it’s almost unbelievable. Oh and before I forget, who can forget that energetic OP theme song performed by the voice actresses themselves? It’s fabulous.

Spa pa pa parapa 🎶
Spapapapaparapa Spa pa pa parapa 🎶

Release the Spyce is a show that may have turned some people’s heads away at first glance. Hell, this looked like Yuru Yuri but with action girls on the surface until you realize what’s really about. I have doubts this anime will be a big talk of the year but it definitely managed to capture the magic of how a spy espionage anime should be. It sets the example of badass action girls doing cool things, something that I need more of. Emphasis on the badass.

Please note while care has been taken to minimize story related spoilers there may still be spoilers within character analysis. You have been warned.

The tale of how six girls protected the world from the predations of a global crime syndicate with daring missions, special abilities and strong bonds of friendship and trust that exist between them while maintaining the illusion that they are just your average group of high school girls.

Based off an original idea Release the Spyce is a action and school genre anime that gives us the opportunity to see what will happen if a seemingly normal high school girl who ... always had unusually sharp eyes were to not just witness a team of ninja girls infiltrate a building while out walking but also not only be drawn into their ranks but also discover that beneath the hustle and bustle of the city that she grew up in and loves a secret war for the soul of the city and its people is currently being waged. Though hesitant at first the sense of love for her city as well as the sense of justice that defines her soon compels her to join the group and enter the shadowy world of Ninja spies where each mission no matter how straightforward it may sounds requires a combination of boundless caution, flawless teamwork and effective usage of the groups creative gear to succeed. While the subject matter of ninja’s is relatively common within the anime world due largely to the mystique that surrounds that profession animes that focus on the more traditional nature of ninjas which is spying and the gathering of information for their cause and in the process thwarting the enemy’s plans are rare ones indeed. Whats perhaps rarer than this however are Ninjas that in addition to having such traditional duties also have access to special skills that rather be used to fight large scale battles across different continents are instead used to help them defend their city from the predations of the many enemies that try to claim it. In an age where ability users allow them to take on entire organizations and countries in no time flat seeing a group of ninja spies make use of a combination of their unique abilities, teamwork and gear as they try to fulfill the original role of gathering intel and trying to piece it all together to find and neutralize the enemies plot to their home was something that I really enjoyed seeing it and was a definite breath of fresh air in the subject of ninjas and ability users. The first episode of the series was one that really impressed me and while it did well in introducing both the main setting and the team it also did well in showing the kind of power that the members of Tsukikage can command when they make use of fieldcraft, teamwork and the unique abilities that they command. As a result of this strong showing, I decided to stick with this anime and I'm glad that I watched it to the end.

The overall story of Release the Spyce takes place in the modern day within the city of Sorasaki a large city whose unique location has allowed it to expand rapidly in recent years and contributed to transforming it into a metropolis that provides its inhabitants with both safety and economic prosperity while at the same time providing a home for hundreds of people. Among the people that call the city their home is Momo Minamoto a young teenage girl whose keen eyes and a unique sense of smell and taste that not only allowed her to meet the secret guardians of the city that she loves but also open her eyes to the fact that like her respected father who died defending the city she too can take up the mantle of becoming a defender of the city and help protect those people and things that are dear to her. As Momo goes through the training of becoming a spy and take part in the many ops that the team undertakes in their quest to defend the city she will slowly come to realize that while the training that she goes through may be harsh and that the missions in which they undertake may be tense and fraught with danger she knows that only by embracing the teachings that she got from training and only by learning to place her trust in her comrades will she be able to not just change as a person but also become an effective protector of the city and its people. But Momo will not be doing this alone for joining her in her mission is her comrades within Tsukikage that include the cool- and level-headed Yuki, the kind and warm Hatsume, the quiet but understanding Goe, the cheerful and confident Fuu and the carefree but surprisingly talkative Mei.

Together these girls must while living the life of a high school student must not only make use of everything that they learned in training but also every ounce of intelligence, creativity, and teamwork that they have as they wage a deadly shadow war against the myriad number of factions that try to bring harm to their beloved city and stop them from corrupting this peaceful and prosperous city to achieve their own nefarious goals.

Momo Minamoto

Momo Minamoto portrayed by new seiyuu Yukari Anzai in one of her first main roles to date is one of the main characters of the series and is the main protagonist of the series. A second-year high school student that attends the local Sorasaki high school Momo in initial appearance can be seen to be a positive, energetic and determined person by nature that approaches each new day with cheerfulness and a smile on her face. While a positive person by nature it can be seen that in the beginning, she was someone that got nervous easily which when combined with her curious and innocent nature also had the effect of making her look cute to others as well. While she can be seen to be rather quiet in the beginning it can be seen quite easily that Momo is someone that is said to love the city of her birth as well as the many people that live within it very much and would do her best to protect them. At the same time, she was also noted to be someone that was law bound and preferred to obey all the rules and regulations that she encounters in her daily life which comes from both her strong sense of justice and the respect that she had for her late father who served the city as a policeman. However, despite this strong desire to become a policeman and follow in the footsteps of her father and her determined nature Momo hides within her a deep fear that restrains this desire of hers due to the belief that she won’t be effective in this role showing that she also has a chronic shortage of self-confidence in her. As a result of this, it's perhaps unsurprising that Momo would admire those people that not just possess boundless levels of self-confidence but also a sense of calm that shows their determination in taking their assigned path in life.

While Momo always knew that she had both an excellent sense of smell and taste she never in her wildest dreams were to imagine that one day these unique traits of hers were to allow her to enter a life where she can not just protect the city that was so dear to her but also serve them as their guardians just as her father did. At first while dumbstruck by not just the scale of the resources that are available to the agency and somewhat put off by the cold attitude that her assigned master Yuki gives her Momo gradually learned to embrace the new sense of purpose that she had discovered after discovering not just the existence of the Tsukikage but also of their role of protecting the city from the shadows as well. While finding the training hard in the beginning which wasn’t helped by the coldness that she got from her mentor that had the effect of creating doubt within her this gradually began to change as a result of not just seeing the types of enemies that the team must face but also of the passion and determination that her teammates have for the role in which they play in ensuring the safety of the city. While still worried to a certain degree Momo gradually learns to overcome the fear that had previously held her back and begins to slowly build up the sense of determination that she needs to be able to make use of when out on missions. As a result, while still seeing the training and the missions as hard Momo rather than seeing them as something that she will struggle with instead see’s them as challenges in which she must overcome. While initially seen by the team as lacking in the ability to stay calm and being wary of their surroundings as the series goes on and Momo’s skills improve she not only becomes able to remain calm under the most stressful of situations but also remain alert of her surroundings as well. Arguably the most important change that came out of Momo finding the determination that she needed to motivate her was her desire to take the initiative during operations while also making use of cunning to lure her enemies into traps where they can be dealt with piecemeal. These changes to Momo’s skills as a member of Tsukikage as well as the gradual change in her attitude to both the teams purpose and her own role within the team I felt served well to show the kind of journey that she went through as she went from a positive and cheerful girl that let her indecisive nature restrain her to a girl that was not just determined to protect her city and her friends from the enemy but also be willing to not just work hard to improve herself but also use these very skills to strike against the enemy using her own initiative.

Yuki Hanzoumon

Yuki Hanzoumon portrayed by veteran seiyuu Manami Numakura of Rail Wars and Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio fame is one of the main characters of the series and is Momo’s mentor within the Tsukikage organization. A third-year high school student that attends the same school as Momo and the rest of the team Yuki on initial appearances can be seen to be a calm, cool and level-headed person by nature that approaches each situation with utmost seriousness. A composed, intelligent and understanding person by nature Yuki while not lacking in social qualities is someone that can be seen to have a level of maturity that is rare within high school students which is shown well in her conduct during missions in which is able to remain calm and composed while making accurate decisions when under pressure. While able to able to display a friendly and sociable side to the people that she encounters in life Yuki, for the most part, is someone that prefers to remain alone or at least with people that she can trust and as a result is seen by many within the school funnily enough of the ideal image of an upperclassman. Despite her standoff attitude however, Yuki is shown to be a perceptive person by nature and able to easily determine when someone is burdened with something and while not always able to help them solve their problems is able to at least hear them out and provide the best advice that she can think off. All of these traits put her in good stead as not just a member of the team but also as their field leader when deployed on missions a role that I felt suited her perfectly. In contrast to Yuki’s default attitude, the attitude that Yuki displays in combat is one that is seen to reflect well on the number of years that she has been a spy as well as the training that she had received as part of that role. In combat, Yuki is shown to be someone that’s not just confident but also inspirational and able to use both her innate sense of caution in conjunction with her fast thinking nature to lead her team to victory no matter the odds against them. This is shown well within the many fights in which the team managed to overcome over the course of the series which shows her talents as both a leader and a tactician.

As the series goes on and more of Yuki’s personality is revealed Yuki’s personality gradually changes. At the beginning of the series while seen to be both capable both as a student and as a member of Tsukikage Yuki was noted to be someone that was very difficult to get close too due to both her quiet nature and the coldness that she shows to strangers. As a result of this, the relationship that she had with her apprentice Momo proved to be a tough one that both struggled with at first. However, after seeing the depth of the determination that lied within Momo and her desire to not just be of help for the group but also be of use to her this frosty relationship of theirs began to change. While shown to be someone that placed her priority in the completion of missions and training than having fun as most high school girls her age would have done at the beginning of the series this aspect of hers gradually began to change as the bond between Yuki and her apprentice began to strengthen as the series went on. While still retaining the harsh training schedule that she had created to train Momo it can be seen that the training while certainly harsh was one in which Yuki took great care to be as through with both in the knowledge that she imparted into Momo and the consequences that can come about should she not heed them which is shown well in the aftermath of the mission to Okinawa. With this, it can be seen that Yuki is determined to train Momo and make her the best possible spy that she can and showing well the increased bond that has been formed between the two. While still largely retaining her workaholic nature Yuki as a result of the improving relationship that she has with Momo also began to realize that while being hardworking and studious is a good thing there must also come a time when you need to take a rest and have some fun to unwind. The character of Yuki I felt was an interesting one whose gradual transformation from a quiet, composed and someone that treated others coldly to someone that was not just considerate and warm but also willing to take steps to bond with her fellows and learn to place her trust in them was a change that I thought was well done. The gradual softening of Yuki’s icy nature when combined with the developing bond that is forged between Yuki and her apprentice, I felt made great use of the mentor-apprentice relationship theme that serves as one of the series main highlights.

Hatsume Aoba

Hatsume Aoba portrayed by veteran seiyuu Aya Uchida of Trinity Seven and Devil Survivor 2 fame is one of the main characters of the series and is one of the members of Tsukikage. A third-year student that attends the same school as Momo and the rest of the team Hatsume on initial appearances is seen to be a kind, warm and friendly person by nature that treats everyone that she encounters warmly and with respect. While a friendly person by nature Hatsume is also shown to be a positive and energetic person that despite possessing both beauty and intelligence is shown to be rather modest in how she sees herself. However, despite the friendly and warm personality that she projects to others it can be seen that Hatsume is also someone that is calm and composed in nature and possesses a great deal of intelligence that she makes use of as both the team’s chief inventor, controller and hacker roles that seem tailored made for Hatsume’s personality. A curious aspect of Hatsume’s personality that manifests itself often within the series is that while she’s very good at explaining things to others she can often get sidetracked and get too engrossed into it something that I felt was quite amusing and matched well with her character.

As the series goes on and more of Hatsume’s personality is revealed her personality gradually starts to change. From the beginning of the series, it can be seen that Hatsume is someone that can be said to take the forging of friendships rather seriously and indeed it can be seen to be something that’s akin to the core motivation that drives her entire being. Though largely as a result of both the kindness and warmth that serves as Hatsume’s core personality traits this is far from being the whole truth for Hatsume instead see’s the bonds that are formed when friends are made to be one of the most precious things in the world and that for every bond and thus friend that she makes the more sense of positivity she can create in the world a motivation that serves to drive her to try to make as many friends as she can in life. In line with this sense of wanting to spread positivity to the world via friendships is Hatsume’s belief that given time she will be able to make friends with anyone that she meets whether they are friend or foe which while dangerous is indicative of just how determined she is to spread positivity to the lives of others by befriending them. While this desire of Hatsume can be seen to be a weakness of sorts given the nature of their jobs it, however, can also be seen as a strength as well for she can use this desire to save those that she has bonded with and in the process possibly gathering intel as well an act that is shown well in Hatsume’s attempts to reconcile with her childhood friend Theresia. The character of Hatsume I felt was an interesting one whose passion for trying to make friends with everyone that she meets and in the process helping them solve the inner problems that they are burdened with I felt was one that contrasted well the role that she has not just as a team member and inventor for the team but also as part of an organization whose job was to take out crime syndicates. While the job itself may be one that’s grim and fraught with peril the fact that some of these enemies can be befriended and turned back from their role, I thought was an interesting idea and one that was used quite well within the series.

Goe Ishikawa

Goe Ishikawa portrayed by new seiyuu Yuri Noguchi in her first main role to date is one of the main characters of the series and is one of the members of Tsukikage. A second-year student and a classmate of both Fuu and Momo Goe on initial appearances is seen to be a quiet, friendly and shy person by nature that finds it hard to interact with all but the closest friends. However, despite her quiet nature Goe can be seen to be someone that’s both perceptive, understanding and considerate of the feelings of others. While each member of the team can be said to be multirole Goe has shown herself to be a capable sniper and often provides sniper cover during the team’s ops. Due largely to the fact that her master Hatsume is able to provide her with the kind of familial bond that Goe has never experienced before then it can be seen that Goe is very loyal to her mentor and would try her best to help her with her duties when possible.

At the beginning of the series due in part to her quiet and shy nature Goe often gets eclipsed by her fellow classmate and teammate Mei but despite this, it can be seen that beneath this nature of hers Goe is someone that is caring in nature and is willing to do her best to help her friends. While not one to openly state it out Goe is someone that views the bond and friendship that she has with her teammates and to Tsukikage as something that she considers dear to her. As noted before Goe is very loyal to her mentor Hatsume and indeed seems to view the bond that she has with her mentor to be something that’s akin to a prized possession. As a result of this, she is shown to be particularly sensitive to the bond being tested and is shown to react rather adversely when that happens which in her case sees her becoming much quieter and at the same time enter a state of depression. This shows very well the type of bond that exists between her and her mentor as to Goe her mentor can be said to be the person that not only saved her from a life of solitude but also one that gave her a new purpose in life which is to help in protecting the people in the city by working as a member of Tsukikage. This is shown really well within the series when Goe was affected by a gas attack that was committed in the city. The character of Goe I felt was an interesting one that while contrasting well with the likes of Momo and Mei also served to show not just one of the reasons that can cause someone that Join the organization but also the types of bonds that can be formed between a mentor and their apprentice.

Fuu Sagami

Fuu Sagami portrayed by veteran seiyuu Akane Fujita of Orange and Akashic Records fame is one of the main characters of the series and is one of the members of Tsukikage. A 16-year-old girl and a freshman that attends the same school as Momo and the rest of the team Fuu on initial appearances is seen to be someone that’s cheerful, quiet and confident in nature that approaches each of her tasks with utmost seriousness. At the beginning of the series due largely to the fact that before Momo she was the newest member to join the ranks of the Tsukikage Fuu’s relationship was Momo was a frosty one. However rather than expressing any sort of actual hatred towards her it can be said that this sense of dislike stems from both the pride that Fuu has for being a member of the group and the wariness that she has towards people that while chosen and held in high regard by her seniors have yet to prove themselves worthy of trust. As a result of this as the series went on and Momo began to not just prove herself to both the team and to Fuu this sense of distrust for her gradually began to vanish and be replaced by a genuine sense of respect and trust that is forged between them. While an intelligent and fast thinking person by nature Fuu is noted to be someone that has a great amount of pride both in her skills as a member of Tsukikage and in the organization itself. As a result of this Fuu while confident in her skills also takes great care to interact with recruits that have managed to pass the tests and have become a full member by trying to bond with them and get to know them both as teammates and friends and at the same time always ready to inject some fun into situations when needed by teasing them. While certainly part of her pride it can be seen that this is also part of her attempts to ensure that the new members have what it takes to fit in and become someone that contributes to the team effectively. However, Fuu while certainly possessing a lot of pride is not someone that allows it to make her conceited and instead is someone that has learned to use it both in moderation and as a source of her motivation. While acknowledging that her skills as a spy are top notch Fuu isn’t afraid to admit that her skills can be improved and indeed she is willing to take up roles and jobs that allow her to improve the skills that she finds lacking. This within the series is shown well in the fact that she’s working in a maid café in order to not just improve her skills at reading people but also in her ability to disguise as others.

At the beginning of the series while noted to be someone that was wary of others and not someone that can be easily satisfied as the series goes on it can be seen that Fuu actually has a softer side to her that she presents to those that she has not just bonded with but also befriended. In this side of Fuu’s personality, Fuu is shown to be someone that’s friendly, kind, considerate and willing to help those in need. While the pride that can be said to be her defining personality trait is still present to a degree this is offset by the rather amusing fact that she can easily lose her confidence and composure when she becomes embarrassed a fact that did well to show that despite all her skills, she is still a high school girl as well. While possessing strong bonds of friendship with the rest of the team and with Momo as the series goes on it can be seen that Fuu also has a very deep bond with her mentor Mei. However, while strong this bond of theirs can also be seen as a unique one due in part to their contrasting personalities. Unlike the bond that exists between Yuki and Momo, the bond between Fuu and Mei can be seen to be somewhat unique as it resembles more of a sibling relationship between a younger sister who’s more responsible and stricter and an older more laid back and messy sister that takes everything in stride. While the two of them are often seen arguing with each other a lot usually in the form of Fuu lecturing her master on things she had done it can be seen that Fuu sees this bond that exists between them as something that’s dear to her and indeed views it as the other half of her motivation to do well in her duties as a member of Tsukikage. The character of Fuu I felt was an interesting one that I felt was developed well as the series went on. Her gradual evolution from someone that was both wary of outsiders and unwilling to bond with them to someone that not just realized the effects that strong friendships and bonds can bring to both her role as a spy but also to her social life was something that I thought was done well. Her relationship with her master I thought was also somewhat unique as Fuu while serving as the apprentice also acted as somewhat as a foil for Mei and help maintain the balance within Mei’s desire to have fun and relax with her duties as a member of Tsukikage.

Mei Yachiyo

Mei Yachiyo portrayed by veteran seiyuu Aya Suzaki of Battle Girl High school and Trinity Seven fame is one of the main characters of the series and is one of the members of Tsukikage. A second-year student and a classmate of both Momo and Goe Mei on initial appearances is seen to be a positive, friendly and talkative person by nature that approaches each day with cheerfulness a trait that mirrors her teammate and classmate Momo. A joking and carefree person by nature Mei is someone that can be said to be the joyful heart of the team as while her attitude can be seen to indicate that Mei does not take her duties as a spy seriously it can be said that the opposite is true. Despite her nature Mei knows very well the types of stress that can come from the job of being a spy that takes on fearsome crime syndicates and as a result takes great care to project a carefree and joking nature to her teammates as a means of both inspiring laughter within them and at the same time help take off the pressure that comes from seeing the things that the enemies does. While carefree however it can be seen that Mei also has a serious side to her as well that she shows when the situation calls for it. In this Mei is seen to be confident, intelligent and fast thinking and depending on the situation can also inject some playful elements into it as well. This last part is shown during the teams first op in the first episode where she began posing despite the battle raging around her. Due to this nature of hers, it's perhaps unsurprising that Mei like her apprentice also has a part-time job that allows her to not just improve her skills but also use it to gather intel. In the case of Mei, however, while the job certainly allows her to fulfill the latter it can also be said that the job also reflects Mei’s true desires to be free to do whatever she wants which in this case is to perform and sing for the joy of others. Interestingly her skill at singing is impressive enough in that she could have taken the path of being a pro singer rather than a spy.

As the series goes on however it can be seen however that despite her carefree nature Mei is someone that is shown to be a caring person and is someone that can be seen to care deeply about her friends. This is shown well in the relationship that she has with her apprentice Fuu as while the two of them often argue mostly due to Mei’s actions it can be seen that Mei in reality values the bonds that she has forged with her and as a result dislikes it when she sees her break the rules and take independent action. This especially is shown well in her desire to stick up for her and in the process protect her something that I felt was especially heartwarming.

AMV

In terms of animation I thought that the animation that was used within the series was pretty sharp and while it didn’t try to use too much color and complex effects, I thought that its emphasis on simplicity was its greatest strength. The various locations and terrain that the team visit over the course of the series I thought made great use of this concept as while each of the locations that were featured within the series while featuring a great deal of variety that reflected well on the main premise of the series also made use of many locations that can be said to be both common within cities and easily relatable to high school girls that serve as the girls day lives. This simplicity also lends itself to the character designs of the series main and support cast as well as while the uniform designs for both the girls school uniforms and combat outfits were distinctive, they were relatively simple designs that aimed to be both functional and at the same time allowing us to easily differentiate between the different girls easily. In terms of combat animation, I felt that the series’ many fights and the many operations that the team goes on over the course of the series were well done as these while featuring many unique enemies and situations that emphasized on the use of teamwork between the girls also made great use of the various mission types that the team can go. At the same time, this was helped greatly by the large number of gadgets that the team can call upon. These gadgets, in particular, I felt while cleverly designed and featuring a great variety of tools also gave the team the much-needed flexibility that they needed to complete their missions successfully without drawing too much attention. Gadgets that I particularly liked within the series include the face changing masks, tranq guns, the hidden boot knives and the hacking tool that was disguised as a selfie stick. In terms of enemy designs, I felt that the designs that were used to show the main enemy fighters were somewhat unique and while doing well in showing their intended role on the field also did well to contrast with their opposite numbers within Tsukikage. Noteworthy examples include Byakko who despite her appearance actually resembling an elementary school student was actually a veteran merc and Dolte whose large bulk hid not just how cunning she can be but also how tenacious she can be on the field as well. This concept of having a character whose physical designs do not match their true skills is perhaps best shown in the various designs that are used by Tendo the leader of the main hostile faction that acts as the teams main opponent within the series as while on the outside she acts and has the demeanor of perhaps a secretary this only serves to hide her inner self who is not just cunning and calculating but also a powerful swordswoman whose skills are above even Yuki.

In terms of music, the series made use of one opening and ending theme which was Spatto! Spy & Spyce and Hide & Seek that was sung by the main seiyuu’s of the cast in the guise of Tsukikage. Both of these songs I felt were rather unique when used in combination with the visuals that are shown with them. The opening theme due to both the lyrics and the visuals while being catchy also had the effect of reminding me of the animes that I seen back in the ’90s and had the effect of creating a sense of mystique and mystery as you can imagine the team trying to shine light into the many shadows that their foes hide behind. The ending theme also had a similar effect but in contrast to the work of shining light into the shadows to find their foes it had an effect that reminds me of a mission complete and of the girls returning to their daily lives as they relax and spend time with their friends. The series OST I felt did a pretty good job at providing solid backing music for the many types of situations that the cast encounter over the series with its trademarked theme that plays when the team starts their mission being a particular highlight of it.

In terms of voice acting, I felt that the series main voice cast all did an excellent job at portraying their assigned characters whether they were main ones or support ones. In particular, I felt that Yukari Anzai, Manami Numakura, Aya Uchida, Yuri Noguchi, Akane Fujita and Aya Suzaki all deserve special praise as I felt that they all did an excellent job in portraying the characters of Momo, Yuki, Hatsume, Goe, Fuu and Mei respectively. For Yukari Anzai and Yuri Noguchi who despite being new to the industry managed to pull off impressive performances in portraying the main characters of Momo and Goe, I hope that they were able to gain valuable experience in this series that would contribute in starting their careers within the seiyuu industry.

At the same time, while I didn’t cover them within the review, I also thought that Shizuka Itou, Aina Suzuki, Mikako Komatsu and Saori Hayami who portrayed the characters of Tendo, Byakko, Katrina and Dolte also did an excellent job at portraying their assigned characters.

Overall conclusion

In overall Release the Spyce was an anime that I really enjoyed and was definitely one of the more unique animes that aired this season. Its main strengths in my opinion was its unique premise, strong story, well designed and developed characters, creative and tense fights, its ability to fuse various elements that often conflict with each other together, a novel way of using the villain of the week type of enemy and excellent voice acting.

The subject of Ninja’s is a well-trodden one within the field of anime and due to the myth and mystique that surrounds the profession has seen it be used in a great variety of anime types be it as traditional intel gatherers or as ninjas that have access to various special abilities with the famed Naruto series being perhaps the best example of the latter. In this reasonably packed genre, how would you introduce an idea that would make use of the concepts of high school girls, ninja spies, abilities and gadgets? And the answer is here in the anime Release the Spyce.

The overall premise of the series which is without a doubt one of the highlights of the series gives us the opportunity to see what will happen if you introduce not just characters but also an organization that in their guise as defenders of the city combine not just the traditional duties of a ninja with that of a spy that has the ability to not just sneak into heavy defended locations to gather intel but at the same time be able to special abilities and gadget’s to not only fight their way through enemy traps and ambushes but also aid them in foiling the enemies plans directly rather than pass it to a higher order. This idea of having ninja’s that are not only able to sneak into the most heavily guarded of locations to gather intel that will aid them in their fight against the crime syndicates but also allow them to deal with them directly I felt was a relatively fresh idea that expanded upon the traditional ninja concept. While the premise of having ninjas that can potentially use their abilities to overpower their enemies and get intel through sheer physical might is certainly a risk to the series I felt that the way in which this hurdle was overcome was an interesting one as rather than a power that can be used that way the power of the spyce to which is the source of the power itself is short lived and its effects are localized and thus can be seen to be akin to a temporary power-up that’s so beloved of ability based animes and as such cannot be relied upon entirely and thus requiring the girls to make use of other tactics and skills like teamwork and their unique skill sets and gadgets to overcome the challenges that bar their path. The fact that the power of the spyce is also localized also allows it to stay true to the theme and their role as spies and not warriors.

The overall story that made use of such an interesting premise was another thing that I particularly enjoyed seeing within the series. While the overall story did an excellent job of showing how Momo and the rest of the team gradually learned to not just embrace their roles as members of Tsukikage and the many personal and professional struggles that they had to overcome to along the way that led to them to forge strong bonds with each other I felt that the series also made great use of the villain of the week concept of storytelling. While traditional villain of the weeks is usually used as stand-ins for the true villains and have no other purpose to the main plot other than buy time for the main villain to appear in the case of Release the Spyce this isn’t the case. In this case, these villains while individually weak still required the team to use strategy against them and even in their defeat they still produced a piece of a puzzle that needed to be used to piece together the true plan that their enemies were planning in the background. This act of making each of these villains relevant in the larger scheme of things not only served to enhance their roles but also make the hunt to determine the enemies true plan that much more tense as the team had to not just determine which of the villains were their targets but also the role that they play in the larger plan as they piece together the evidence that they gathered. This was something that I thought took great advantage of the theme while also making the story that much tenser.

Overall Release the Spyce was an anime that I really enjoyed that did well in expanding upon a well known concept by creatively combining elements that usually don’t work well with other and paring that with a story that was not just heartwarming but also inspirational as we got to see how the members of Tsukikage not just overcome the many challenges that lie in their path but learn to bond with each other as they fight hard to protect their beloved home and friends from the machinations of the hated crime syndicates. As a final score I believe that Release the Spyce easily deserves a final score of 9/10.

So Release the Spyce is a cute girls doing spy things, somewhat similar to Princess Principal or maybe rather to the cartoon Totally Spies. This anime is no masterpiece but it perfectly executes what it promises. We have 6 girls doing spy things.

Story: 7
Compared to Princess Principal we don't have such a mind-boggling story, rather with a different approach we start from zero, as our protagonist is new in the spy business and in the first episodes we can see her hardships during training and how she is gradually getting better. We also have some great action scenes in every single episode, so the show ... is not getting dull.
The show deploys a fair amount of darker tone as well, as they are dealing with drugs, illegal brothels, etc, but generally never too much, so the anime keeps its lighthearted atmosphere.
There is also some mystery elements included, as the main villains face is never shown, also apparently one of the protagonists is a traitor, so we can wonder who it is.
There is also ZERO amount of fanservice in the anime. Ok, that might be a strech, but non of this in-your-face sht. They are constantly jumping all over the place, and there is not a single panty shot.

Art: 7
I'm not an art guy, but I haven't found anything wrong with the show's art. Generally the character designs are nice, the fight animations are fluid.

Sound: 8
Now this one of the strong points of the anime. The opening song is really catchy. Also during the missions and fights there is always some fitting 'spy music'. It makes the spy scenes a real joy to watch.

Characters: 7
Characters aren't overly complex, but they aren't just cardboard cutouts as well. Especially the main character. We can see how she's progressing throughout the anime.
The members of the criminal organization are no fools as well, they are using different tactics to make thigs go their way.

Enjoyment: 9
As I wrote above, the show is not a masterpiece, but doesn't even try to be one. It is a really fun lighthearted anime to watch and although there are slower episodes as well, it is never boring, it keeps the attention well. Even though it is not a comedy anime whatsoever, there are plenty of funny scenes each episode.

Overall I give it 8/10, as this is one of my favourites this season.

I really love the spy anime genre. Despite being a pretty niche genre in the anime community they have grossly intrigued with great action scenes, fun and likeable characters and interesting narratives. Read, or Die TV and Princess Principal are my examples of this because not those shows had well-animated actions that perfectly. It was no surprise that Release the Spice was my most anticipated anime of the fall season as I really wanted the great spy action anime to continue and in the end, the show ended up my great spy action streak. It may not be as great as Princess Principal and Read ... or Die TV writing and character wise but I still believe that Release the Spice is still a great spy action series that has a lot of heart.

Story.
Momo Minamoto is your average, everyday Ordinary High-School Student, who goes out for a walk one night and sees five suspicious figures running across the rooftops of the factory across the river. It turns out that her city is a secret battleground between Tsukikage, an organization of ninja spy girls dating back to the Warring States era and Moryo, a Mega-Corp with sinister motives. Momo is scouted to join Tsukikage... the members of which turn out to be five of her fellow classmates! From there Momo's life as a spy apprentice begins.

The story itself may start off as this typical cute girl with guns doing cute things with guns as they do a bunch of spy work that was given, however, as the series progresses the goes into dark territory where the series dives into serious topics and themes which I won't mention due to spoilers.

The one thing that separates Release the Spyce from other anime of its genre that there spy training and mock test. As much I liked seeing the Paper Sisters from and the small spy group do they spy tasks we don't see them train all much. This is Release the Spyce really starts to shine as from episode 2 we see the main protagonist Momo doing through spy test and trails to not only prove herself but to prove her mentor that she's fit for the spy position. This was such a great of pace as compared to other spy anime because it's generally a great introduction to the characters as well origination setting itself. The spy missions in Release The Spyce were pretty entertaining as each of the girls use clever strategies and tactics to achieve the mission goal.

The final thing that I want to talk about was how the show set traitor towards the end very unpredictable as set character through the series had no signs of the traitor whatsoever but when set character was revealed to be a traitor I was left speechless because I really set character to be a traitor whatsoever thanks to the lack of suspicious facial expressions.

If there were flaws with Release The Spyce, it would be the very slow pacing at times at the show sometimes seems to drag plot aspects way longer than they should Other than that I thought the story of Release The Spyce to be pretty good.
8/10

Characters.
The characters in a release the spice are pretty solid. While they aren't complex chararters by any means but least they were pretty fun and likeable.
Momo is a nicely written protagonist. She starts off as a clueless spy but as the grows a person whereby the end of the series she becomes a powerful spy girl.

Tsukikage group are all a fun, badass and likeable bunch.

Yuki: The strick badass swordsman spy of who is very skilled at martial arts. She's is Momo trainee where she uses harsh training methods in order to make Momo a more capable fighter in spy missions.

Mei: The cheerful spy who is filled with life who trains Fu. Outside of spy missions she plays the guitar and holds street performances in order to gather intelligence.

Fuu: The ninja spy in disguise who has an obsessive relationship with Mei. Outside of spy missions, she works as a maid in a maid to gain money.

Hatsume: The genius spy of the group who is very friendly towards others as well as being extremely skilled with gadgets.

Goe: The powerful but shy spy out of all the bunch who uses a sniper rifle at long ranged combat to take down her enemies. She also has a big love for cute things.

If I had to pick my favourite character out of the bunch, it would be Mei I really liked her cheerful personality as well as having great chemistry with her apprentice Fuu.

As for the other characters, I thought were pretty solid. They may not be as memorable as the main characters but I thought there entertaining characters who served they propose of the plot pretty nicely.
8.5/10

Visuals.
Visually Release the Spyce is pretty good.
The characters design while more on the moe side was nicely done. The background scenery is very good, and it fits the tone of the show well for the most part.
The animation is smooth, consistent and well animated making the spy cases and the fights more thrilling to watch.
8/10

Sound.
The soundtrack for Release the Spice was pretty good for what it is. The series uses a series of dubstep, electronic and smooth track pieces to give the action and slice of life scenes more weight.
The opening theme Spatto! Spy & Spyce sung by the Seiyuus who voiced each of the Tsukikage is an amazingly catchy song where despite being out of place at times it's still a joy to listen to thanks to the upbeat. Easily one of the best opening of 2018 by a long shot.
The ending theme Hide & Seek by sung by the Seiyuus who voiced each of the Tsukikage is a pretty good ending theme.

Now for sub vs dub.
Both are great in their own ways but if I had to pick which one is better it would be the dub. Not only the acting was very spot on but the dub general just fits better with the show set and concept.
8/10

Final Thoughts.
Overall I really liked Release The Spyce. Despite it having saddening MAL score of 7.00 from the time of this review this series ultimately managed to be a financing experience.

While it was nowhere near as amazing as Read or Die series and Princess Principal Release the Spyce was still a fun and great spy anime that I enjoyed from start to finish.
Final Score 8/10

I've been watching a lot of shoujo animes (majou shoujo in particular) recently and i came across this, my first thought was this'll probably a meh but hey i tried it and it was AMAZING like i did not regret watching every single episode of this anime especially the last episodes!!, this is an underrated anime fr, you guys should check this one out i swear this series gives me charlies angels vibes and so i honestly give this one out a 10/10, i'ts even better than madoka ppl, i like madoka but the ending didn't satisfy me but this one did.

Well, I'll be honest. With NO spoilers.

I really enjoyed Release the Spyce, in lots of moments reminded me of Totally Spies! The score does not give merit to this show as it is actually enjoyable and gave me an overall good time watching. I only gonna warn you that the first 5 episodes are really great, then until the 10th it's a little repetitive.. but to the 10th till the last one, it really gave me some killing/emotional/wtf/great moments. Some said that the plot kinda got predictable, but for me, all the twists got me unexpectedly.

Overall, I really enjoyed it! the soundtrack is really ... cool, the OP is amazing (gonna miss it a lot), the characters although are not my style, didn't make me feel weird about it and the animation is cool. I recommend watching if you liked totally spies and if you want a chilling kinda cute and fast anime.

a simple words to describe this anime is "moe turns into sh*t".
madoka magica, gakkou gurashi, shoujo shuumatsu ryouko everyone!!.
yeah, when you expecting some moe dose anime, and they give you bloodbath instead lol.

lets move on to the review.

Story : story is simple, about bunch of cute girls in a mission (read: princess principal with yuru yuri art style), the story is still enjoyable at last.

Animation : nothing outstanding about the animation. in fact, what's wrong with the last 2 episode lol, those lazy animaton tho..

Sound : the opening is okay but somehow catchy, it stick to my ear for a while. the ending... i ... don't even remember the ending haha, so i don't think it was that good. meanwhile i kinda like the insert ost, especially in the battle scene, since i'm a fan of dubstep music. but in the end it's about taste after all.

Characters : Momo or the main character is your typical "genki" girl, fuu is definetely a copy of chinatsu yoshikawa from another universe, the rest is okay i think.. not too powerful also not too bland either, except for goemon, which makes me want to know her more.

Enjoyment : yeah i enjoy this anime, but i kinda hate about a certain episode, there was a cliffhanger and left me frustrated a bit, but it was okay since it's one of anime formula "left you curious till DEATH".

Recap: this anime is okay and still enjoyable, but i don't highly recommed it, and also i don't recommend this anime to those who can't stand whenever their beloved waifu is being tortured.

=================================================

Story : 7.5
Animation : 6.5
Sound : 7
Characters : 7
Enjoyment : 7.5
Overall : 7.5

First, sorry if my English is bad.

[Release The SPYCE] [a little review and personal opinion]

From the beginning of making the series (LN / Anime / manga) it did apply Mentor-Pupil ties, as explained by Takahiro as the 'Series Composition'. So it's very natural if the story is very focused on Tsukikage. Besides that, the story is indeed deep and systematic, in episode 10 makes the audience feel 'Shock Therapy'. It's not enough just that, I think it will be fully Happy ending but again Takahiro makes heartache.

A proper ending, let's think, if the Mentor and Pupil are only separated by distance and place, it can ... still be reunited but if the Teacher and Disciples have shared memories, on the one hand they don't know that being in the same place is painful.

Many unexpected stories such as when May and Katrina planned double spies 2 years ago and many others.

The coolest thing is when Momo vs Tendo, Momo uses the existing service, great when Momo smeared his sword using Sunblock to become Invisible Sword

The Minus of this anime is an inconsistent art, but for me it is not a big problem, because an extraordinary story has covered up the shortcomings.

Nah, This is just my opinion, actually Yuki had asked for a reminder of the bullet eraser bullet to Hatsume beforehand, so the bullet eraser effect didn't work on her. Yuki lied to Momo. Remember, spies are liars.

Yuki's goal was to do that so Momo could move forward and not ask Yuki to be spoiled again, so Momo could be independent and have his own pupil.

Yuki once told Momo that Yuki wanted to see what Momo pupil looked like later. That means Yuki did lie to Momo that Yuki's memories were erased.

*SPOILER-FREE*

I randomly picked this show to binge post-season because I thought high school girls being spies and acting all silly would be funny and entertaining.

Although nothing in this show is ground-breaking, I ended up enjoying it way more than I expected, putting it probably in my fall 2018 top 3.

The "worst" part of this show would probably be characters and stereotypes that I've seen quite some times before, even though there was still quite some interesting character development and relationship development.

The visuals and sound were on point. The OP kinda makes it look like it's just a silly girl spies show but IMO the track ... is pretty nice. All action scenes were well made over the course of the entire show.

And lastly the story and topics that take place in this show are quite serious and interesting. I've read many detective novel, thrillers, etc. and this story was definitely comparable to some of the better stories I've read.

So for me it's a top 3 for this season & definitely a show you should watch ASAP if you haven't already. I think 9/10 score is very justified and that it's quite underrated.

The story is pretty unique. You do not see many spy animes. Other than that, the art wasn't the best but not bad either. Most of this anime is best described as good, but not the best. A kind of anime you would watch and then forget about a couple months later, but the thing surprised me the most about Release the Spyce is the melancholy I feel when thinking about it. It wasn't a sad anime. It's just that sometimes when I am falling asleep while listening to music, the ED song Hide & Seek comes on, and it evokes some emotions inside me. ... It may be because of the way the anime ended or the thought that the anime will probably never get another season, but that doesn't matter in the end. What matters is that the anime caused me to feel something that I can still feel when I think back on it. It is rare for an anime to have an impact like that on me. When I finished the anime, I would have given it a 6/10, but whenever I listen to the ED song, I can't help but feel melancholic. That feeling brings it up to an 8/10.

Release the Spyce was an anime pegged to be a spiritual successor to Princess Principal, an anime that LA very much loved that LA watched it dubbed and still liked it. So does Release the Spyce live up to this title of "spiritual successor" to Princess Principal or did it do something entirely different from the spy genre?

Well Release the Spyce follows the typical cute girls doing cute things...cept it's spy work. Release the Spyce is set in modern day Japan of Sorasaki where Momo Minamoto voiced by Yukari Anzai, a girl who loves her city and wants to protect it stumbles upon a secret ... organization named the Tsukikage taking out the corruption in the city, while their bigger goal is taking out the root of the corruption linked to an organization named Moryo. Momo being an amateur at spy work but has an extremely keen sense of smell and taste to the point of finding your MOOD by licking your skin, trains to fully become a member of the Tsukikage. But once that is done, we move into the character backstory of the Tsukikage members with some exceptions while giving us hints to a bigger and larger plot. So this is clearly cookie cutter stuff but there is a catch obviously. There is a traitor in the ranks of Tsukikage who is leaking info to Moryo...THAT is where the interest and intrigue to this kind of anime especially in the spy genre comes into play and...Release the Spyce worked this in was...mixed to say the least.

See the traitor which LA will not spoil only gives out that she's a traitor near the tail end of the anime, sure that's a given but with all the hints, it was actually PRETTY hard for the audience to trace and find out who the traitor is before the characters themselves do, now LA was thinking along the lines of anyone suspicious of being the traitor most likely of Momo or her mentor Yuki being the traitor, well to say that even that prediction left LA surprised to who the real traitor was...was unexpected even for LA, but well executed, well both good and bad really, as in the bad again, not enough clues or hints otherwise not shown until the traitor was outed and almost ALMOST felt like the anime thought of it on the fly but good in the unexpectedness of the traitor herself and how it was dealt with in the aftermath...LA was and still was mixed to who the traitor was.

Now character-wise, we have a sorta yuri mentor and apprentice towards our main cast of Tsukikage. Momo already having a crush on the leader of the Tsukikage and later mentor to her Yuki, where Yuki herself has a dark past concerning Moryo. Goe Ishikawa voiced by Yuri Noguchi and Hatsume Aoba voiced by Aya Uchida have the yuri thing in spades but in a more friendship kind of way, while Goe is the absolute ace when ti comes to power, Hatsume is the brains and intel, while she has another plotline involving one of Moryo's minions namely Thesersia voiced by Risa Taneda who was once childhood friends of Hatsume and with Hatsume's belief and behavoiur of befriending everyone, this becomes a hurdle for her to get past involving Theresia as she's obviously not so forward as Hatsume is and has beef with Hatsume in the past. Finally Fuu Sagami voiced by Akane Fugita and Mei Yachiyo voiced by Aya Suzaki, Fuu being the money-conserving and tsundere type to Momo and the master of disguises, while Mei is the carefree genki character who's incredibly athletic. LA's favorite character would go to Yuki however even if LA was suspicious of her.

On the villains side, well there are four but really three main centralized villains of Moryo, the main villain herself Bunchou no Onna voiced by Shizuka Ito, a hidden figure who's behind the entire operations concerning Moryo, her minions, the aforementioned Theresia, Dolte voiced by SAORI HAYAMI no seriously, a musclebound hire woman working for Moryo and Byakko voiced by Aina Suzuki, a bratty halfpint focusing on martial arts. Now LA's favourite villain would go to Theresia just out of how much development she gotten in the anime, and while LA would had gotten for Bunchou no Onna, she is your typical laughing ojou villain but her voiced by Shizuka Ito just helped that much for her to still be memorable even if she was slightly cliched.

In terms of animation done by Lay-duce, the animation down to the character designs, fight choreography and background work was decent all round, the character designs were polished and crisp as well as distinct from each character, the mood and background work helped with how atmospheric it was though it was mostly night stuff, the anime did go to other places at times and even still then the background work was decent for a nice change of scenery and the fight scenes were mostly swordplay, but with how modernized the setting is, there is the occasional explosions, chases and gun firing used diversifying the battles. Nonetheless Lay-duce did a consistently decent job on the animation department.

For voice work, LA was rather pleasantly surprised....from the villain side of things, LA just loved the villains voice actors as they had some of the more interesting voice actors and how they played their role in Release the Spyce, Ohhh the main Tsukikage cast was great too, from Manami Numakura as the stoic Yuki to the tsundere Akane Fuigita as Fuu, but the villains voice actors were quite something, from Saori Hayami voicing out of nowhere Dolte of all roles and LA not even noticing it was her voicing her, Aina Suzuki as Byakko channeling her inner Jashin-chan from Jashin Dropkick and LA's favourite voice actors of this anime being both Risa Taneda as Theresia as well as Shizuka Ito as Bunchou no Onna as she was just MEANT for this role as the swarmy femme fatale laughing ojou MAIN villain of the anime. To say the entire voice cast was great for LA was an understatement.

Release the Spyce's ending was sad but uplifting in a ways especially for Momo but how it was executed was finely done, though LA had a niggling suspicions about the traitor...in a ways, but nonetheless the finale made itself go with a bang quite literally though how Bunchou no Onna was dealt with kinda annoyed LA. Nonetheless the ending was decently handled.

So is Release the Spyce a spiritual successor to Princess Principal, well Princess Principal was a double sided plot with it's characters and premise right from the get go and never let it go, Release the Spyce was more like fuse ready to be lit to the bigger plot and the build up leading to the climax was where Release the Spyce was at, both animes focused on it's characters and developed them, both involving spy work but in differing era's and places. With all the shortcomings and cliches Release the Spyce gave us, LA was still satisfied by it either way as it was an interesting look at modern day spies and their daily life of destroying corruption with a great twist of a traitor amongst the main cast. So yes, Release the Spyce though different in many ways to Princess Principal, is still a good spiritual successor to the cute girls doing spy stuff genre and as a standalone spy anime and an original anime at that, it definitely has it's strengths that outweighs it's cliched weaknessness through it's characters and it's surprise element, the traitor.

Release the Spyce gives off the experience like it's namesake, once you eat that spice...you'll get an adrenaline rush with a kick of flavor.

This show came out of nowhere and I didn't expect it to grab me like it is. I'm not usually a viewer of magical girl shows but this show alone has caused me to become addicted to the genre. It's not a comedy, not a deconstruction, not a kids' show, just a straightforward action show with fantastic writing. I'm not sure what the intended audience is for this show, given that it mixes cutesy highschool drama with actual violence and adult themes like whorehouses; which is a good thing in my opinion as it probably means the creators were just trying to express themselves, to ... write a show for them rather than for someone else. There's a moment near the end that I disagree with, but otherwise the show's writing is flawless. And the soundtrack...You wouldn't think that rave music would gel so well with a show about Magical Girl Batman but it works fantastically.

Thanks for tuning to another one of my reviews. I promise I’ll crank these out more frequently now, especially since I’m pretty worry-free this winter break. Look forward to me struggling to articulate the greatness of some of my favorite shows ever in some of the reviews I have coming up.

If you haven’t already, check out my updated waifu list! I worked pretty hard to update it, so I’d appreciate if you check it out and leave a comment!

Enough getting sidetracked, let’s get straight to the point. I’m doing a review for the recently finished airing Release the Spyce, and I’m doing this for ... two reasons: one, to clear up misunderstandings about the show for the people who dislike the show after having finished it due to the misguided expectations they had for it. Two, to get more people to watch this show and hopefully patch up its average MAL score. Just yesterday, Release the Spyce had a 6.70 average rating. Although at the time of me writing this it has drastically increased to a 7.00 average, shows like Kishuku Gakkou no Juliet from the same season has a 7.63 rating. And Kishuku Gakkou no Juliet is no more than your average, tropey rom-com harem show. While Release the Spyce is by no means a masterpiece, it was the highlight seasonal show of the season for me and I aim to express that through the following review. Let’s get started.

To sum it all up in one short paragraph, here’s what my whole entire review is trying to say. I’ll go more into detail later if you’re still here to read it. To be honest, I didn’t start watching Release the Spyce during the Fall 2018 season until episode 9 had already aired. I had avoided the show because the revealing outfits of the girls in Release the Spyce led me to believe that it was just another “skimpily dressed girls battle in your run-of-the-mill battle girl ecchi show” like Ange Vierge or something, but I was way off the mark. Release the Spyce is a moe action yuri spy thriller. Now, you may be confused after hearing that. The bottom line is that Release the Spyce takes two seemingly incompatible things like cute high school girls and high-profile secret agents, mixes them together, and makes it work really, really well. Release the Spyce is a moe slice of life at its heart, with shounen and yuri elements mixed in as supplements. For people who haven’t watched Release the Spyce and are considering it, Release the Spyce heavily resembles most Cute Girls Doing Cute Things shows. If you enjoy CGDCTs like K-On, Gochiusa, New Game, Blend S, etc., definitely give Release the Spyce a watch. You definitely won’t regret it since it’s fundamentally structured like your typical CGDCT show, except the cute thing they’re doing being ninja spies.

That’s it for the summary. Let’s elaborate on the things I may have glossed over in the summary for the sake of brevity.

The first question about Release the Spyce someone may have is how can something be considered an action thriller if it has overarching moe (cute) undertones to everything? The answer to that is I don’t know, and I don’t care. It just works. Release the Spyce is able to take some awesome action tips from shounens like Naruto and mix it together with the campy cuteness of shows like K-On to create something cohesive, entertaining, and unique. It’s not a surprise since other shows from this season have done the exact same thing by mixing up two seemingly unrelated elements and coming up with something that works much better than it has any right to. To name some of my favorites, Zombieland Saga made an idol show about zombies and Tonari no Kyuuketsuki-san made a moe yuri slice of life about loli vampires. Although it’s fundamentally still a moe show, Release the Spyce incorporates many media tropes from the action genre very well. You’re gonna get some serious My Hero Academia vibes with the first episode, with “do you want to become a hero/spy” being synonymous among the two shows that come from two pretty unrelated genres. If you were one of those kids that got all giddy watching the old Batman cartoons that aired on Saturday mornings or really like the Spy Kids movies, then Release the Spyce is definitely worth checking out if you don’t mind that cute anime girls are the focus of the show. To be honest, some of the technology that Tsukikage works with looks a whole lot more practical than a lot of the stuff Batman has in his belt.

A VERY IMPORTANT thing to consider though, as you continue getting engrossed in this world of smartphone pistols, grappling hooks, holographic decoys, and invisibility lotion, is that this is a show about cute girls doing cute things. This especially goes out to the people who were “disappointed” by the ending. No matter how badass these girls are and how much the stakes are raised as the show goes on, the focus is on the moe and the yuri of the cute girls. So don’t expect some Tom Cruise jumping out of a burning helicopter to retrieve the detonator to a nuclear weapon or some insane 007 mind game. Release the Spyce may employ many elements from the action and spy genre very well, but that’s all it’s doing. It’s merely employing those elements, not identifying with them. Don’t be tricked; remember: all spies are liars. Got it memorized? Hating on a moe show for not fulfilling your ultimate fantasy of an anime action spy thriller is the same as hating imouto shows, watching Eromanga Sensei anyways, and then complaining about it. (someone please notice my Eromanga Sensei review)

From here on I’ll move on to covering the story, art, sound, character, and enjoyment of Release the Spyce. To do this thoroughly though, there will be at least some SPOILERS or references that may become spoilers. If you haven’t already quit reading my review to go watch Release the Spyce, go do it now! It’s honestly a really good time. Whether you’re a moe fan that just tolerates action, an action fan that just tolerates moe, or someone that paradoxically loves both moe and action like me, Release the Spyce will be an extremely entertaining ride.

Story: 007/10
The story is honestly the weakest part of this show. I was serious when I said not expect some crazy 007 shit. There wasn’t some crazy plot twist and the show didn’t go all Madoka Magica on us, which led many people (haters, cough, haters) to be let down. That being said, the story isn’t bad at all. As someone who regularly watches moe shows where the narrative is sometimes episodic at best, the story of Release the Spyce is very cohesive, clear, and somewhat moving. Release the Spyce is about our main girl Momo Minamoto, or as she likes to be called, Momochi (lol Peach). Momochi’s father was a police officer that gave his life protecting the city, and Momochi is motivated to step up and protect her home of Sorasaki City to honor her father’s legacy. She looks up to her senpai Yuki Hanzomon because she’s your typical smart, talented, cool, and beautiful senpai that all the girls at the school want to be acknowledged by (yuri intensifies). It turns out Yuki is a secret agent of Tsukikage along with the other girls Momochi met at school and Momochi is scouted to join their ranks, even becoming Yuki’s apprentice (shishou yuri intensifies). From here on out continues Momochi’s story of growth from an introverted schoolgirl to someone who has founded her courage through her efforts and achievements. The cyclical resemblance of the first episode to the last episode is always something I appreciate in shows. Momochi taking her turn after Yuki to be the one standing up for the city and instilling courage in a kouhai definitely demonstrates deliberate consideration and awareness of the overarching theme of a narrative, something that separates mediocre anime from good ones. While it isn’t the most innovative way to lay the foundation for a show, it served its purpose well enough considering how this is a moe show driven by a demand for cuteness as much as it is by the narrative.

HEAVY SPOILERS BEGIN

For people still contemplating the meaning behind Yuki’s smile at the very end, I think it’s heavily implied from her reaction that she still remembers everything in spite of what she said about having her memory erased. All spies are liars, after all. The only evidence I can offer is slightly before the scene with Yuki and Momochi by the beach, where there is a cut to the old lady’s slight reaction to the butcher shop owner talking about the mysterious allies of justice that protect Sorasaki City, which implies she had memories of her time with Tsukikage as well. Make of it what you will; it’s definitely something they left up to personal interpretation.

HEAVY SPOILERS END

Art: 9/10
I don’t really know what to say about the art, other than that it’s really moe. All the girls are very cute and the colorful outfits and hair colors of the main Tsukikage members serve to support this. I especially find the purple and the red on their school uniforms and Tsukikage outfits to be very good choices that bring out the nature of the show. Especially with the effect that spyce has on the girls in making their eyes change colors and glow, I can’t believe some people really forgot they were actually watching something moe.

Addressing the non-moe parts of the animation style, the opening pretty much does a good job of showing how well Release the Spyce employs action tropes to its advantage. The first twenty seconds of the opening employ a bunch of stuff you’d see in an older 007 trailer, like the zoom in on the silhouettes of the main cast in a plain white background, the camera shutter and search light effects as the cast is introduced, and finally the infamous shot of introducing the enemies through the barrel of a spy’s pistol. With its use of shadows and darkness, Release the Spyce definitely knows when to tone down the moe elements to instill dramatic effect. Even a few of the fight scenes are well choreographed and animated to the point where you question if this is actually just a shounen show.

Sound: 10/10
spapapa papa papapapa papapa spy and spice! OST for Release the Spyce is bomb. The opening is probably just my favorite OP this season, like, I’ve been listening to it on repeat while I write this. Nothing more needs to be said about how much value it adds when the VAs participate in doing the opening for their show. The ED is less remarkable, but it also works well and fits in so much that I can’t imagine anything but having the starting jingle of the ED at the end of every Release the Spyce episode. Outside of the OP and ED, the other soundtracks are noteworthy as well. There are some seriously epic battle themes that really shouldn’t be overlooked in this show along with some groovy techno synth that plays for infiltration sequences. Release the Spyce once again makes a good reference to classic spy films with its proliferating use of the trumpet that really does call back to 007 when it’s played during the hype of one of their spy operations.

Character: 10/10
Calling back to its identity as a moe show, Release the Spyce boasts its characters as its strongest asset. Since the narrative of Tsukikage and the spy operations are heavily based on the relationships the girls have with each other, it’s natural that they receive so much attention. The shishou and apprentice system of Tsukikage really does kind of make it resemble Greek life with bigs and littles. Going off of that analogy, you could even call Tsukikage a sorority of sorts. The aspect of sisterhood and very close friendship is emphasized in the trust and chemistry all of the characters have with each other. While many of the characters are just kinda tropey by themselves, their interactions with each other are the most genuine aspects of this show that really make it shine. Especially between the mentor and apprentice couples, there is a deep relationship that is the focus of many of the episodes and gives enough yuri bait to fuel all the Release the Spyce fanfictions. Seriously, Mei and Fuu already moved in with each other, so they may as well just get married and have babies.

Enjoyment: 10/10
I’ve pretty much already littered the reasons why I like this show all over the review, so I’ll just quickly reprise. I’m someone that was introduced to anime through shows like Pokemon, YuGiOh, Naruto, and Dragon Ball Z. These shows are, for the most part, driven by action and hype. Since then I’ve diversified my anime interests to watch really anything as long as it’s well made, taking a particular liking to moe shows like K-On. It’s pretty irreconcilable to balance both a love for shounen and moe, and I hardly ever see these two genres intersect in a way that doesn’t completely fall apart. Release the Spyce is my first exposure to something that put these two things together, and more importantly, put them together well. Usually girls in some kind of action show are sexualized to a point where it’s just hentai, but Release the Spyce didn’t do any of that. Release the Spyce kept all of the bubbly moe friendship intact and even sprinkled in some yuri bait to keep things spicy. Release the Spyce had action sequences with epic OST that could get me hyped over the curious enhancing power of spyce that fuels the adrenaline-rushing, car chasing, roof hopping, and robot slicing goodness. And then the girls would go back to the café again to eat curry and spread more moe around. In an age of repeating tropes and brainless productions, an anime that took my two favorite things and put in real effort to seamlessly combine them was a ray of light piercing the darkness for me. It’s why Release the Spyce is my pick for best anime of the season and why any other moe/action fans should check it out. This show is much too good to just be another flavor of the season.

Overall: 9/10
9/10 means that the show had everything it needed for me to have a really good time watching it, but it also means the show did not perform in a way that made it stand out as an all-time favorite to me. In that way, I would actually have to agree that Release the Spyce did somewhat disappoint me with its ending. Why the show didn’t receive a 10/10 for me is that the ending was mostly predictable and hastily executed. While the ending did cover a lot and I did mention that the cyclical ending really made it stand out, there were still some parts of the ending that didn’t sit right with me. Many people who were presumed to be dead just kinda came back without any tension or drama. While the show did come full circle with Momochi scouting someone new and inspiring them to join Tsukikage, it really lacked impact as well. It really could have been more refined, like fleshing out the epilogue by either showing her apprentice fawning over her like Momochi had fawned over Yuki at the very beginning, or including an homage to Momochi’s father as a testament to how much she grew. But ultimately, that final episode covered so much content that a completely separate episode probably would’ve been necessary to put my ideas into fruition. Seeing how the show was mostly a character-driven moe show, this is really something I can overlook.

All in all, Release the Spyce is a very entertaining show that let me celebrate my favorite parts of anime. So, I write this in celebration of Release the Spyce, in hopes that this show garners more attention than it has now because it really deserves to stand out for the style and creativity it exercised when mixing moe and action together in a single show. The secret ingredient? Just a pinch of spyce.

Now Release the Spyce for me was a great series. Its rating did change quite drastically at times but overall it was a great series.

One the music for the series is the most catchiest I've heard it a while and it always gives off the hero/spy vibe which really helped me enjoy the series to the max.

The characters are lovable and the whole apprentice/master relationship really makes for some great scenes and really made me like the main two Momo and Yuki.

It also helped slip in some yuri like scenes which I always approve of.

The story is very basic bad guy vs good guy ... but that's what makes it so lovable as you can just sit back and enjoy the cliché we've seen all the time but with a new refreshing hero spy twist that you don't see often in anime.

The series however also has surprising twists that I didn't expect as it did give off a hero vibe. These twists I personally I got very emotional over which goes to show how invested I was.

Also just got to point out I like the use of wordplay with the title Release the "Spyce". Personally I just really like this.

Overall Release the Spyce is a great hero series for anyone who likes stuff like Robin and heroes without powers. (If you don't count spice as a power) with its catchy as hell OP and overall soundtrack I definitely recommend people to watch this.

Loved the series and overall give it a 8/10.

I started watching Release the Spyce because someone said it was something similar to Toji no Miko (an underrated masterpiece). And yes, the truth is they are somewhat similar, if we are based only on the concept of 'high school girls fighting with a bit of yuri', but they are quite different apart from that.

Story: 6/10

Well, the story is interesting. The 'spies' theme is something I haven't seen in many anime, and this one somehow executes it decently. It places the story from the perspective of an average girl who starts out as a spy in the group 'Tsukikage', it presents us with an interesting ... plot about an evil organization called Moryo that is related to certain drugs, and through the series, we see the Spygirls defeat various members of other organizations that are related to Moryo, but that in the end of the case are only used as distractions by this evil organization, which made me intriguing.

BUT, here lies the main difference with Touji no Miko. While the latter at least gave you a kind of context about the world and where the superpowers of the tojis came from, in Release the Spyce we know that girls obtain superhuman abilities from the 'spyce', but it is never explained to us why this Spyce only It works on young girls, we don't know the complete past of Tsukikage and when and why it was founded, nor do we know what the 'spyce' really is and where it comes from, which leaves many things unknown. Obviously, it was 12 episodes, but I feel like several episodes were unnecessary and could have been used for worldbuilding.

Art: 9/10

I can't say much. The animation is generic and so are the designs, but is that bad? Not at all, I'm not picky about these sections. The designs are simple, but I found them cute, so that's fine. There were parts where the animation looked weird, but I didn't complain too much about it. Mind you, the fights were beautiful in my opinion, I enjoyed them too much.

Sound: 10/10

Umm, I think one of the things I liked the most was the OST of the show, as well as the OP and ED. They were just great, nothing more to say.

Character: 8/10

For a series that doesn't aim for much, the characters are really great. I don't believe in dividing the characters into 'three-dimensional' or the like, but I can say that these characters were to some extent realistic and well done. But, unlike the characters in amazing Touji no Miko, although in Release the Spyce each character has their own conflicts and thoughts, I feel like many needed a little more background. Momo is the best character in the series, obviously, not only is she the best girl, but she is the best written, but there are characters like Hatsume who were not a big deal.

Momochi: Momo is a very good character. She is presented as an average high school girl, sweet, kind, cheerful, but somewhat shy, which is why she starts out as a social isolate in her second year of high school. She has a strong sense of justice, especially since her father was a cop, but at the same time she is a coward. By joining Tsukikage, we see how Momo strives to become stronger day by day, this thanks to the help of her 'shishou', she goes through hard training but gets used to it over time, we see her fail and make mistakes in some missions , but learn from these, to take the lead in the final mission. The end of the series shows great maturity on her part, because although she was unwilling to separate from her 'shishou' and that she lost her memories, Momo ended up accepting the decision, and transmitted the feelings inherited from her shishou to her next student.

I don't want to extend too much, but the other characters were also interesting, with their own problems, but they, unlike Momo, do not show great development and lack a background.

Enjoyment: 10/10

Well, the series is not boring at all. Every episode is entertaining, comedy is good for this type of series, the fight scenes were the best, and it keeps you hooked if you are someone who enjoys this type of series.

Overall: 8/10

A better-than-average series speaking of CGDCT (although it doesn't have much moe), but it still doesn't surpass the masterpiece for superior people: Toji no Miko.

This is such an underrated gem out there. To be clear: it is a "fairly" light hearted story about a group of ninja spy girls looking over the city and fighting an evil powerful organisation that works in the shadows. Do not expect to be mindblown by some deep plot or highly intellectual content, or every detail being completely covered with no flaw whatsoever. There are some aspects or happenings that are quickly disposed of with some ready explanation and you are just supposed to go with it. But there will also be a lot of scenes that will hit you right in the feels ... and it is not holding back.

That being said! This serie was such a good surprise! I picked it up out of nowhere and with little expectations as I was just looking for something of good company and it's been an absolute blast to go through!

The pace is good, some episodes are slower than others but they never felt boring. There are a lot of cute moments of affections between the girls which I personally enjoyed but it can definitely feel cheesy if you are not into that. The animation is great! The fight scenes are rich and exciting, the music is always on point to make you immerse in this little spy world and the characters are all interesting on their own and you will soon enough get immersed, enthralled, in their lives and struggles.

I feel like the studio put all their heart into this work and really wanted to make something good out of it and it shows in all the cares for the little details, as simple as the concept itself might be.

My first impression of release the spyce was that it was like Princess Principal but not in a European setting. Release the Spyce has its own charm. The story is just average I think. The art was fine too. The character designs are great and it has a decent animation. The soundtrack is absolutely great. The soundtrack and the characters just makes you like it. Haven't seen those types of animes in a while since the trend right now is isekai and most of the isekai animes aren't that good. Like seriously, we need these types of animes more where there's great soundtrack and engaging ... characters without getting isekai'd.

I'll try not to be too wordy here. In an absolute nutshell, I love this anime. Sure it's story is kinda cheesy, reminding me of some of the 1980s western cartoons such as GI Joe, Thundercats or Defenders of the Earth. Colorful, packed with action, an overarching plot against a Big Bad enemy. Interesting characters with obviously different personalities and abilities. Great opening theme song and pretty decent soundtrack (well, maybe not Defends of the Earth on that last point). Indeed, its better animated than the three I mentioned, and better voice-acted.

I won't lie and tell you that it has the best story, or that ... the characters aren't the most interesting in anime, cause they're not. The story itself, because of its reminiscence of 80s western cartoons, is relatively simple and straight forward; it doesn't NEED to be complicated though. Its not a drama, its an action-thriller.

There are certainly parts of the show where I get a little frustrated by odd time-skips, or explanations of things rather than not showing them (NOT referring to episode 11), but when I take the show on the whole I love it. I don't expect everyone to agree - its average rating as I write this is 7.0 where as I gave it a little smidge over 8 and I know plenty of people who write it off.

Now, the next part I'm going to touch on is something I am *extremely* passionate about. And that is that this anime SHOULD BE TAGGED AS YURI. There is zero doubt in my mind that every single member of Tsukikage is at minimum bisexual. There are three obvious pairings who show romantic and very subtle sexual interest in each other. Indeed, the pairings of Mei and Fuu, and of Hatsume and Goe, are pretty damned overt. I will not accept people saying that 'theyre just close friends'. Bullshit. I am lesbian myself. I know lesbian romance/desire when I see it.

Furthermore, and maybe this is out of the scope of the review, but if one were to take the time to read the manga spin-off it becomes even more overt. I won't spoil it, as it should be read, but its super clear that the two above pairings plus of course Yuki and Momo are just that. Couples. That Release the Spyce isn't tagged as Yuri frustrates me, because all the streaming sites (ok well, HiDive is the only one that carries it, so.. HIDIVE LISTEN UP I EMAILED YOUR SUPPORT STAFF MONTHS AGO ABOUT THIS) do not tag it as (in the case of HIDIVE) LGBTQ. Growl!

Now, from the perspective of it being a Yuri anime? I think that it rates pretty high up among the best of them, able to compete with some of the classics. Is it as good as Bloom into You? Well no, nothing is at this point in time. But is it as good as Sakura Trick? Absolutely. I might even say its as good as Strawberry Panic in its own way. Better than Citrus. FAR FAR better than NTR and Kuttsukiboshi.

If you like 80s-inspired action thrillers, funky-ass music (and a GREAT OP), and solid Yuri, then you must give Release the Spyce a watch.