May I Ask for One Final Thing? TV Review: Nana Ōtori’s black comedy takes a swing at the 1% with venom & vigor
Plot: After her fiancé, Prince Kyle, besmirches her reputation with lies in front of a ballroom of nobles, Lady Scarlet unleashes her pent-up aggression with a flurry of fists. Her outstanding act of violence then triggers a desire to rid the kingdom of high-ranking men, slave traders, and anyone who stands in the way of Lady Scarlet’s freedom of choice.
Review: While I never encourage violence of any kind, watching Lady Scarlet feed a nobleman a knuckle sandwich with plenty of mustard is one of the most satisfying aspects of this rough and tumble regency anime. Let’s not dance around the truth. Right now, we’re living in a time when high-ranking individuals are determined to run and ruin the world. So, when an anime comes along that puts those who look down upon the 99% in their place, I can’t help but cheer.
May I Ask for One Final Thing? is off to an entertaining start. The story revolves around Lady Scarlet, the daughter of Duke Vandimion, a powerful, learned, and unconventional young woman of vast intelligence and savvy, possessing magical powers, a silver tongue, and fists of fury. Engaged to the intolerable Prince Kyle von Paristan, Scarlet entertains her fiancé’s abuse until one day, she snaps. The moment when Scarlet loses her cool, we’re off to the races. As she lays waste to an entire ballroom of nobles, the show’s “Eat the rich” theme starts showing its true colors. I am all in.
The show also boasts some wildly entertaining characters. Lady Scarlet is hypnotizing. She moves about the world as if on air, her every move deliberate and graceful. She’s five steps ahead of everyone in the room. Oh, unless you’re Prince Kyle’s more reserved, kind, and clever brother, Prince Julius von Paristan. This guy’s name might as well be Slick Dickly. He’s dripping with confidence, cunning, and precision. He’s got a hardcore crush on Scarlet, as he makes no effort to hide his affection. So far, he’s a good dude. I get the impression that Scarlet’s got eyes for someone else, but give Julius enough time, and I could see his efforts getting returned.
Finally, there’s Nanaka, a male beastkin often confused as a girl due to his androgynous figure and gender-neutral name. Nanaka is quiet, respectful, and eager to please Scarlet, knowing they share similar desires when it comes to bringing the nobility down several pegs. Beastkins, while able to transform into a human, often revert to their animalistic side. Because they’re rare and majestic, Beastkins are valuable victims of the slave trade. While slavery is illegal throughout most (if not all) of the kingdom, that hasn’t stopped various slave traders from enlisting humans and Beastkin into servitude.
Unsurprisingly, Lady Scarlet, Prince Julius, and Nanaka won’t stand for this indignation. If Prince Julius is to be king one day, he would see slavery weeded out, one slaver at a time. Meanwhile, Lady Scarlet wants to crack skulls. She gets a thrill out of it, but only if they’re of the nobility. Between the three of them, the kingdom is in for a serious attitude adjustment.
Because it’s early in the season, it’s challenging to know where the series will go and what kind of surprises await us. I’ve only watched four episodes as of this writing, and am doing my best to abide by Crunchyroll’s strict list of spoiler guidelines. Please trust me when I say there are some fun twists, fights that left me grinning ear-to-ear, and the teasing of romance elements is delicious. Every time Lady Scarlet raises her fists, I know I’m in for a good time. I audibly (and excitedly) yelled at my screen twice while watching the show, hollaring whenever Scarlet cracked a rich asshole in his square jaw.
In my estimation, May I Ask for One Final Thing? exhibits plenty of promise. The comedy is dry yet solid, the action is brief but impactful, romance is wafting through the air, and story elements that could expand the scope and scale of the series are beginning to emerge. I’m intrigued and look forward to watching more.
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