Suicide Squad ISEKAI

Episode 5

This felt like the show's most ambitious episode so far regarding animation style and setpieces. I recognized four different animation shifts during the entire sequence where the squad was fighting the dragon in the latter third of the episode. It was exhilarating and made for some great spectacle, with a highlight being Harley deflecting the fireball with a giant frying pan. I love other stylistic choices, like at the beginning, where animators utilized a diagram from the ending sequence to portray a montage of the squad making progress in reclaiming land for the kingdom. However, some moments were a bit too ambitious as it was difficult to follow the action's trajectory.

It is disappointing that the threat of the bombs around their necks was resolved rather unceremoniously. I understand that's the joke, but as everyone was staring at the portal back home, I expected an emotional reaction from the cast. Now that I think about it, why didn't they try to get supplies from the portal? I understand the portal was suspended in the air, but surely there would've had to be a way to throw something or ride some mythical creature from the kingdom through it and reconnect with Waller. Am I missing something?

The squad's little dinner party with the prisoners at the halfway point was an episode highlight. There was a lot of subtle irony. The squad was very judgmental about the prisoners' satisfaction with their limited freedom as long as they obeyed the empire's demands. The squad seemed unaware that the two groups' circumstances were exactly the same. It's the foundation for the Suicide Squad itself; they go on missions in exchange for a taste of freedom without ever being free.

Although you could argue that the prisoners are more free because they don't have bombs in their necks under threat of constant detonation! Still, I like the bond that the two groups formed, and I felt genuinely sad at the end of the episode when it seemed like they were under attack, likely by Thinker and the Enchantress. I'm curious about the Enchantress because she already had magic in the real world, and if they were setting up that people can have dormant abilities unlocked in this isekai world, then I want to see just how much of a threat she could potentially be.

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