Gabriel DropOut

Episode 12

Gabriel DropOut goes out on a fun and appropriately low-key finale. After being mentioned several times, Gab's straight-laced sister Zelel makes her grand entrance and helps advance the story without shaking things up too much. Like many comedies, the show delivers a convenient “everything's back to normal” ending, but in light of the titular character's dedication to sloth, this type of conclusion is particularly fitting.

Hoping to fool Zel, Gabriel puts on a goody two-shoes act that her elder sister is quickly able to see right through. This prompts her to “re-educate” Gab, reverting her back to her pre-fallen state. However, as her friends discover, the rehabilitated Gabriel is more trouble than the usual Gab. As it turns out, Gab is only pretending to be back to her angelic self in an effort to keep Zel off her back, and when Zel catches wind of this, she resolves to move to the human world in order to keep a watchful eye over her younger sister. Luckily for Gab, a timely appearance by Satania's new familiar reveals Zel's intense fear of dogs, which sends her fleeing back to Heaven.

Despite being built up for several episodes, Zelel is exactly the type of character the audience expected her to be: perpetually hard-nosed, not keen on bending the rules, and disdainful of the lifestyle her sister adopted. She serves as a nice counterpoint to Gabriel, but like the rest of the main cast, Zel would have benefited from having a pronounced quirk, her fear of dogs notwithstanding. Still, her purpose is to drive the story, and she serves it well enough. The music that plays during Zel's entrance is absolutely perfect for an angel divine enough to earn the title of “God's Hand.” This heavenly track also offers a stark contrast to the show's usual comedic score, making it clear that Zel means business.

The series ending without Gabriel experiencing any notable character growth is an appropriate choice. Even when she claims she wants to remain in the human world because she's grown attached to her friends, it's pretty clear that she's full of it. In the end, the situation is resolved by sheer luck instead of any effort on Gab's part. Of course, true to character, Gabriel believes herself to be the victor—and her unearned confidence winds up backfiring when she attempts to teleport herself to school.

While the Gabriel DropOut finale offers few surprises, the episode hits all the right beats as a fun sendoff for a consistently entertaining show. Like many episodes before it, this week's installment often goes for the obvious joke, but for the most part, it works. As a whole, Gabriel DropOut didn't always live up to its full potential, but the show's sharp humor and charming characters help make it one of the best slice-of-life comedies in recent memory.

Rating: B+

Gabriel DropOut is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Amy is a YA fantasy author who has loved anime for over two decades.