Story:
We open with the Angel Brigade having gone their separate ways and Commander Volcott having to get them back together to rival the newly formed Twin Star unit and save his job. It's the same as the other instalments in the franchise in that the episodes quickly become only loosely connected and all have their own little comedic arcs and gimmicks.
I actually have the same issue with this series as I have with the previous two. Except that its actually worse in this. Instead of one random serious episode that sucks, there are three random serious episodes, including the double-lengthed finale. There's one where Ranpha encounters a hologram on a tragic voyage (38). One where Milfeulle has to persuade a depressed veteran to abandon his old post before the planet is destroyed (42) and the finale where the group uncovers a tragic, old case that could lead to disaster. None of these episodes are funny nor are they trying to be. Its almost like there are writers on the staff who really want to prove that they could do serious sci-fi. The problem is that the characters and scenario as a whole aren't designed for serious sci-fi. They're quirky and hilarious. The serious episodes are just out of place and fall completely flat. This is also the first instalment that has a comedic episode that isn't really funny. Basically, there's an episode based off of the old legend about Princess Kaguya being found in the bamboo stalk but the "humour" is all based around the Angels going baby crazy and becoming obnoxious mothers. You know the type, the ones who think they can do whatever they want because they're mothers and everyone hates them. It's honestly a pretty annoying episode.
With all that being said, this series does have some of the funniest episodes in the franchise thus far. The one where they get turned into children, the one where they're dangling from a cliff, the one where Ranpha sets them up on a group date, the one where Milfeulle dimension hops, Vanilla getting a love letter, having to play shiritori to save the universe, the one where they lampoon super sentai shows. All of those episodes stand out as exceptionally hilarious. Which does mitigate the damage caused by those serious episodes and the one comedic one that falls short.
Characters:
All our old favourites return and they're just as hilarious as ever. They also continue to mesh perfectly for comedic purposes. The addition of the twins, Malibu & Cocomo along with their commanding officer, Mary, actually works really well. The writers do a good job of integrating them into the dynamic and finding niches for them to fill that provide for enhanced comedic opportunities. It also helps that they only get used when they enhance the comedy. Like that aforementioned episode where the Angel brigade gets turned into children.
Art:
The anime looks pretty good. There are some strong visual gags, the designs are good and the animation flows pretty nicely. Like with the previous series, the comedic shifts might be overdone for some people but I maintain that they suit the comedy.
Sound:
I've already talked about how good the main cast is and they're still really good. But let's talk a bit about the people who voice our new secondary characters. We have Ohara Sayaka, Saeki Tomo & Sanpei Yuko. All three of them perform their roles really well and bring a lot of energy to their performances. One thing every person in the cast, old and new, excels at is knowing when to be more subdued and when to get a bit exaggerated. I also really love the music. The theme tunes are goofy, well composed and wonderfully performed. The one good part of Final Dish Rebecca is the song, In the Chaos. I'd still suggest skipping the episode, but look up the song for certain.
Ho-yay:
There's a little bit. The series has the occasional scene that reads as having a touch of les-yay, just like the previous series. And like them it's nothing too substantial.
Areas of Improvement:
1. Stop with the serious episodes. Having an hour worth of serious episodes really doesn't work in a series with twelve hours worth of absurdist zany comedy. Especially in a series like this where the characters regularly die for comedic pay off. The tonal shift is too awkward.
2. If you're going to have an episode where parenting is a key part of the humour, actually find something comedic about parenting first. Don't just make your characters act like the worst type of entitled parent.
3. Don't end your zany comedy series with a serious episode. Frankly, having serious episodes at all doesn't work, but it's particularly egregious to make one the finale.
Final Thoughts:
This isn't as good as the second series. The one failed comedic episode and multiple serious episodes do drag it down a bit. That being said, it does have some exceptionally hilarious episodes and everything good about the franchise is still present in force. For fans of absurdist comedy, it's a must watch with all the weirdness and over the top goofiness you could ask for. But I would recommend skipping past Bamboo-Cutter Platter, Galactic Rose Tea, Sub-Zero Hot Hot Dog & Final Dish Rebecca. But check out the song, In the Chaos because it's amazing. My final rating is going to be a solid 8/10.
