Series Appetizer: May I Ask for One Final Thing? [Episodes 1 and 2]

This Girl is a Brawler!

Scarlet loves to hit people. Ever since she was a child, this daughter of a Duke had fists of fury, and smacking people up made her happy. (But only when they deserved it). So when her pompous fiancé dumps her at a ball…well…hell hath no fury like a woman with ‘them hands.’ The collateral damage? Miss Terenezza. That liar/man-stealer catches a two-piece combo and a buttered biscuit. Not that Scarlet’s fiancé, the second prince Kyle, is worth fighting for. He’s barely worth talking to—but there are principles to consider and teeth to be loosened. Is it funny? Yes. Was it earned? Without a doubt.

Luckily, the first prince Julius Von Pallistan, makes Kyle look like a runny egg sandwich that rolled down the bleachers and splatted on the track during the 100-meter relay. (Nobody wants that). Even better, Julius recognizes that Scarlet can handle herself and respects her for it. The differences between the two princes are where things get interesting: Julius believes in justice. Kyle is a spoiled fool. Among the nobility, depending on their personal agendas, one prince would make a better king than the other. That dichotomy splinters the royal academy into two factions, and that leads to daily fisticuffs

Now, Scarlet is caught in the middle, but she wants nothing to do with the fights for the throne or for her attention. Why must she be such an overachiever? Even worse, her academic ranking drops down to the second-highest at the academy. Right behind the number one-ranked Julius, with his perfect scores. Scarlet has feelings about that and they aren’t friendly.

Based on the original novel written by Nana Otori, illustrated by Satsuki, and the manga by Sora Hoonoki, is that rage we’re seeing or sparks flying? Is Julius charming, or is he a bigger ass than his brother? May I have the envelope, please? Either way, sign me up for more of Scarlet pounding on the reprobates in a pair of studded gloves with magic and menace.

Sign us up for more of Scarlet pounding on the reprobates in a pair of studded gloves with magic and menace.
Sherin Nicole , RIOTUS

In Episode 2, we learn Scarlet might not be as ready for the consequences of unleashing her rage as she thinks. That’s when the world-building in MIAOFT? kicks in. We learn about the God of Time, Chronoa, and Scarlet’s link to that power along with its limits. There are assassination attempts to deal with, an embarrassed older brother, Leo (who’s a full-blown fop). Oh, and if you thought that’s a lot of layers for the first two episodes, there’s also a slave trade AND spycraft AND secret organizations. Y’all, what kind of world have we stumbled into and just how wild is it about to get?

This new animation from LIDENFILMS has throwback anime appeal, like an updated Rose of Versailles, if she were a brawler. There’s opulence here, but with a bitter infusion of Penny Dreadful.

May I Ask for One Final Thing? is a Victorian-ish story bomb that runs like a game engine, in which a young woman fights her way out of a dungeon scenario. I’m betting the dragons, or maybe monsters, are on the way. It’s gleeful to watch Scarlet enter her anti-hero era with a touch of ruthlessness, no remorse, and fists blazing. Or as Julius calls it, some “merciless thrashing.” The added layers of teasing and gentle humor soften the blow of blood and enslavement, making for an intriguing mix.