Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash Episode 8 Review (In My Memories of You)

This episode of Grimgar had a lot of action going for it, but it also resolved what the previous episodes were building on, which was the death of Manato and introduction to Mary. Let’s get into how this episode does this!

SPOILERS AHEAD! If you haven’t seen this episode, I would recommend that you stop here. If you haven’t watched the series, please have a look at my first impression of Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash & Zach’s article on Why Grimgar Of Fantasy and Ash is One of the Best Shows this Season (both spoiler free)! 

It looks like team Haruhiro is finally going for it; they are finishing off some goblins and working well as a team! I enjoyed the moment when they huddled together before their hunt; it shows that they have become a good team and have overcome difficult odds and obstacles. This is evident when Haruhiro and the team charge in the cathedral building filled with goblins. The next few scenes are nothing but a display of their raid and actions against the goblins. Remember, Grimgar is strongest when the characters are interacting with each other or when we see characters in motion, full of body language and little to no dialogue. With that being said, we can clearly see how our cast has improved, especially with Mary still new to the team. They all contribute something in the battle against the goblin and because of that, each character gets their own moment to shine in this goblin scene. With Grimgar having such a smooth and slow start to give the characters progression, I can appreciate these scenes even more because we, as the viewers, actually got to see how they developed. Grimgar hasn’t eased up a bit on missing anything and that’s something I enjoy.

The scene where Haruhiro avenges Manato interests me the most. He avenged Manato, but he doesn’t look like he was aiming to in the first place. Mary actually asks Haruhiro about this later on, but it goes to show you that people are different and sometimes avenging people isn’t how some people move on. This is evident with the grave scene where Haruhiro and the rest are at Manato’s grave. I consider this the resolution of Manato’s death; it feels like they have truly accepted his death and are moving on to become a better party. I liked the scene in which they put a badge on his grave stone, since it shows how much he meant to them. That being said, Manato is certainly someone they won’t ever forget.

I have to add a note about the music and art in this episode. The music, as always, added a nice impact to the emotional scenes and the art was as gorgeous as ever. I believe the art was at its best at the grave scene since the camera angle shots panned during the scene. The final scene with Mary and Haruhiro was truly touching, as we get to see Mary interact more with her, saying she will see everyone tomorrow. It goes to show you that Mary has become an important member of the party now; her being there actually means something now.

Overall, the episode was a good one. It acted as the resolution to Manato’s death and Mary joining the party. Although Grimgar has been smooth so far, I do wonder where it will go from here. I do know that in the light novels, it has a slow start as well, with the first part centered around defeating goblins to move up. You’re doing well Grimgar, so I look forward to what you have for us next weekend!

Don’t forget to check out Zach’s article on Why Grimgar Of Fantasy and Ash is One of the Best Shows this Season (spoiler free)!