Sanda Episode 3: Charred Fruit Tastes All the Sweeter
Manga chapter 7-9
Oshimeter
10 Fans
EPISODE REVIEWS
This episode is the first one to showcase two of my favorite things in the season: The fantastic dynamic between the main 3, and everyone's favorite character, Yagiuda. It establishes how the three of them tackle Santa related issues as a team and they bounce off each other very well, with Amaya's groundedness, Fuyumura's... creative thinking, and Sanda's wish to just be a normal kid. Yagiuda on the other hand is the first real insight at what adulthood looks like in the Tenshi era for someone that doesn't have access to deaging operations like Ooshibu. He hangs onto his credibility as "the secret weapon" to try and still have a dignified life, and he does so effectively, I must admit.It's also worth mentioning that Itagaki still creates very compelling internal issues for Sanda with the reveal of each new Santa related power, pushing him further away from his ambition to just be a regular teenager. Now that Fuyumura, the girl he likes, is asking for his help, he continues to set his desire aside for the sake of seeing the girl he likes smile once more.Like in my Beastars review, it bears reiterating: Saru Science is the right animation studio to adapt Itagaki Paru's work, with how faitful the style is and how flashy the effects are. 10/10, no notes.
Episode three turns Santa into a more reliable character with his new abilities, Fuyumura's desperation to find Ono is actually endearing even if she can be too over the top. I've said it before but the animation fits Paru's style perfectly.
There's a lot of stuff that just catches you off guard in this anime. It's nicely done, though, the pacing feels reasonable, and the plot is not that ridiculous. I really hope Fuyumuru finds her girl!
10
