Forum - View topicREVIEW: Tis Time for "Torture," Princess Anime Series Review
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Wyvern
 Posts: 1604 |
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I love this show. It takes what seems like a dark and cruel premise and makes it cozy, funny, and sweet. Not to mention that it's an excellent cooking anime (overshadowed this season by a certain other fantasy cooking show.)
While the central gag of the "torture" not being torture and the Princess always talking either works for you or not, there's a lot more going on here. In fact, I'd say the real point of the series isn't the torture routine at all, it's a story about appreciating the small joys in life. Princess is someone who has never really been allowed to enjoy anything before. Anytime she's presented with a temptation, she always gives a speech about how she's never been allowed to enjoy that particular food or activity. She says it proudly, but over time you start to realize the theme hidden in plain sight: Princess has had a rather shitty life, denied almost every happiness so she could take part in her militaristic empire's endless push for conquest.The "torture" is her first chance to ever really enjoy herself, and the torturers are her first real friends. This leads to a lot of stories in the back half of the series which have nothing to do with the torture formula and are just about happy little moments, like Princess going ice skating with Vanilla or Tortura enjoying room service at a hotel. My favorite sequence is about Princess and Giant taking a walk at night together. I just described the entire plot: they simply go for a walk. But it's presented in such a meaningful way that it becomes a gentle parable about appreciating special moments which are easy to overlook. It's secretly a very special show. I wish this show had gotten weekly reviews, because I think it works much better viewed weekly than binged. If I had watched a bunch of episodes together, I can definitely see how it would start to get old. Instead I watched it every Monday when it came out, and found it to be a comfy way to start the week. Good show to watch just before dinner, too! |
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njprogfan
 Collector Extraordinaire Posts: 1233 Location: A River Named Toms |
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What I agree most about this review is the repetitiveness, especially early on, but once the series expands beyond the dungeon walls it's a hoot and a half. What I most loved about this series was the soul it had for the friendships developed, but most of all - the heart and importance of family. It exuded such a deep bonding between the characters as it progressed it's easy to look at it as a whole as lacking somewhat in the humor department, but that didn't bother me as it winded down. Sure, it's pegged a comedy by and large, but I saw it as more of a goofy slice of life in medieval torture attire, (I know that sounds nuts). I agree with the person that responded above; it works better watched once a week. It's a nice calming buffer after watching a more intense anime. It's anime to sooth the soul and laugh a bit. It was in my top 5 of the season and was easily for me an A- and I'm looking forward to seeing all these wonderful characters again!!
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<('_')^
Posts: 75 |
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Dropped this one after the first episode. Premise sounds nice and wholesome, but it would have worked so much better in a different art style. Or at least if the monsters/demons looked like convincing threats with unsettling appearances. You know more Dark Souls esque and less like bland isekai fodder. The gap moe would have hit harder.
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Glordit
 Posts: 690 |
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Hardly found any repetition other than "It's time for Torture". This was one of the most funs shows of the Winter season.
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sirdano1
Posts: 307 |
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This show was wonderful and I'm incredibly happy it's already confirmed to be getting another season.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24217 |
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This was a pleasant surprise for me. Went in with low expectations and found myself thoroughly engaged by both the show's humour and its heart. I thought they did a great job of keeping the repetitive premise fresh.
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akitainu
 Posts: 120 Location: SATX |
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Yeah, I really warmed up to this show. It was the perfect sugar-rush pick me up/sanity restorer that I needed after an inevitably crappy Monday. Personally, I'm looking forward to more.
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smurky turkey
Posts: 2738 |
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I was afraid of the series becoming boring/repetitive after the first episode, yet due to introducing a solid cast of characters and switching things up that never happened. The torture sessions become rarer as the season goes on (and they were quite varied) and slice of life sections start appearing. It also helps that the jokes were solid and that the show has plenty of heart.
So yeah, I really liked it and am happy with the second season announcement, |
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JustMonika
Posts: 1168 |
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Hellord is best dad. Loved this show.
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quentntarantado
Posts: 22 |
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I'm watching a second season (if there is) of this show rather than all the other bigger splashes that have second seasons announced, like:
The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic and A Sign of Affection The first two are power fantasies, forget it. The third has an interesting angle regarding communication but the romance is a long, slow, effortlessly downward slope towards success I actually got impatient. I like romances, but I like them a little more quirky, perhaps. I find this show, on the other hand, very sly. It's one note and I'm amazed it is so brazen about saying, "Nope, we're not changing". Without all the fantasy trappings it could just be some kind of slice of life. I am 57, male, married with 3 kids. I think those power fantasies just rub me the wrong way. |
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Covnam
 Posts: 3850 |
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I enjoyed this. It wasn't hilarious or anything, but it got some laughs from me. I found this more to be a sweet show though that I enjoyed to have some snacks while I kicked off a night of shows to watch.
I'd love to have another season of Sleepy Princess though. In terms of humor, there's no comparison for the two for me either |
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TheKillerAngel
Posts: 87 |
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Humor is very subjective. Clearly, the reviewer didn't enjoy this piece, but I and many other commenters seem to have had a blast with it.
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Shay Guy
 Posts: 2338 |
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Not to be confused with Keishi Ayasato's isekai series of the same title. |
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DarkAudit
Posts: 35 |
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Watching this show over breakfast gave me the energy needed to face my Mondays this season. Tortura is near the top of my all-time favorite girls now. |
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Mikan-box Glasses-kun
 Posts: 88 |
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I really enjoyed this one; loved the cute friendship stuff, the Hell Lord being best dad, the slice-of-life... Speaking of, I honestly think this is better treated as a sometimes funny slice-of-life series than a pure comedy, and with that in mind I definitely wouldn't recommend binging it either.
Like others mentioned, they actually announced one! |
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