[reviewing the show as a whole]

"So what exactly was all the fuss about?"

"Is this review a food?"

[If you haven't already, I recommend reading parts one and two of this review series. This also contains spoilers, although if you hate the show, that might not necessarily matter]

   Scandalous and infamous, High Guardian Spice is notorious for everything that it is. If you're reading this, chances are, you are already aware of its nasty reputation. The series has received so much negative press, so much vitriol, that I was encouraged to watch it for myself. For this reason, it received much more attention than it is probably deserving of.

   As a result, I actually love how provocative it is, because there are worse shows and better shows that have never achieved the same level of attention or infamy as High Guardian Spice. If you want a show that's even worse, just watch Angel's Friends.

   But I still wonder if it would have achieved its notoriety if it wasn't for the trailer. Make no doubt, even with the studio's questionable ideology and motives behind the show, I think they should be judged separately from their creation, even if the writers, such as Kate Leth, are sexist and specifically wrote misandrist themes into the show. Besides, I am extremely doubtful that anyone will start hating men just by watching a cartoon, especially with the backlash against it.

   Not only that, but I didn't catch any sexism on the show at all. Either that, or I didn't really care about it; the main reason being that I did not focus on gender throughout my entire time viewing it. If they are referring to a lack of strong male characters, I didn't really see it. Characters like Hakone, Thyme's father, Moss Phlox, and even Mandrake are rather respectable. I could even include Slimeboy and Parnelle. If they are referring to an abundance of weak male characters, I also didn't see it. It's true that Rosemary's father, Fennel, is a stay-at-home father, he still has an important role as a parent and I literally don't mind this.

   Although if there is sexism, it's ironic, due to Raye's intention of creating a "more loving and empathetic place by sharing fantastical stories about queer, diverse and relatable characters," even though I don't see anything related to queerness in any of the episodes. Although what doesn't help is that I don't know what the word queer even means.

   Critics are quick to point out the irony of the show's title, because all four protagonists are named after herbs, and not spices. However, the reason behind the name is revealed at the very end of the series. Rosemary, being the leader of her team, comes up with it; and as established, she is impulsive, and may even have below-average intelligence. But even after knowing the names of each herb, I never had a problem with the name of the series.

   Critics are also harsh on the show's intro for being generic with simplistic lyrics. Yet, I'm surprised that they didn't mention Windy Wagner slurring the vocals. Even though another take would've been nice, and the fact I still don't know what's "warm and bright," I actually like intro theme for its optimism and sense of adventure; and the fact that opening sequence is synched to the lyrics.

   To "become the light" means to become a hero, what the girls, especially Rosemary, intend to do. Just look at her face when she looks in the mirror. Her expression shows absolute determination and will. For the reasons above, I find myself listening to the intro on repeat and wanting to watch it for every episode.

   And fun fact, High Guardian Spice is nowhere to be found on Windy's official website. It's like she wants to distance herself from the series. In spite of this, I actually love the work she did for it.

   However, I have a lower opinion towards the credits. While it expresses the joy of friendship, it just sounds too childish. While it does work for the majority of episodes, it absolutely does not when placed after episodes like "Festival of Fall" or "Scypith." The shift in mood is absolutely jarring and I don't know why anyone at Ellation Studios didn't notice. Both parts of the Autumn Processional conclude on dark endings, and after the scypith is killed, the girls melodramatically cry over its death before suddenly becoming happy again in the closing sequence.

   It's even more bizarre considering the content warning before each episode. If the show is not meant for children, then why does every episode have an ending designed for toddlers? Raye has said that the advisory is not his doing; instead, Crunchyroll is responsible, even though the show is nothing a ten-year old cannot handle, save for a bit of profanity.

[the show's advisory, although what for?]

   Although speaking of, I definitely dislike the swearing, not because I am a prude; but because the characters look too cute to use foul language. One exception is Rosemary calling Mandrake an asshole. It's not only funny, but she is clearly the kind of girl to use that word.

   The major conflict in the world of High Guardian Spice is the battle between old magic and new magic. Despite this, the show is extremely vague about the difference between them. It is not clearly explained or even demonstrated beyond their names and how powerful they are. The best I understand is, terrasphere are new magic, and they amplify magic powers. If I am wrong about this, it's the show's fault for not being more clear.

   Going beyond its allegory or metaphor for technology, new magic is a recent development in the show's universe, and the fact it can do anything, it should be causing problems in the world; i.e. new magic is causing new problems that have never been seen before, especially if it's more powerful than old magic for the world to responsibly handle. New magic is more powerful, but also more dangerous.

   A lot of viewers speculate that new magic is behind the Fairy Rot; and in all likelihood, they are correct. For the reasons described above, new magic is causing the destruction of the Fairy Woods. All of this however, is in the subtext, or background.

   I should also mention that I still don't know what a guardian is, beyond protecting someone or something. I'm willing to guess that a guardian is someone that defends Lyngarth, or it may even be a special class of people with special privileges. For that matter, High Guardian Academy might even be a military school.

   Similarly, an explanation for why Rose's parents switched gender roles would've been nice. Likewise, it also would have been nice to know more about Chicory, Rosemary's older brother; because surely, he is an important person in Rosemary's life. But for whatever reason, he is not attending High Guardian Academy just like her, and he doesn't even show up in Rosemary's flashback in the third episode. Even though he could easily be written out the show without consequence, I don't want him to.

   For the reasons above, the world-building terrible. The most crucial elements of the story are not clearly explained or just as bad, under-developed.

   Each of the four main characters have their own personal issue that suits their overall personality; Rosemary coping with losing her mother, Sage being caught between old magic and new magic as well as dealing with a school bully, Parsley needing to assume maternal responsibilities at home, and lastly, Thyme looking for a solution to the rot that is destroying her home in the Fairy Woods.

   Initially, I didn't like Rosemary, not because critics say she is stupid and annoying; but because of her character design. Her hairstyle and frilly skirt are completely impractical for combat. However, I have eventually come to respect her for multiple reasons.

   In the first episode, she wants to chase after an animal she believes has rabies. While this is obviously an extremely dangerous thing to do in real life and should have probably been replaced with something milder, this demonstrates her curiosity about the world, even if it is reckless.

   She is an energetic tomboy that idolizes her mother; and wanting to be just like her, has a strong sense of justice and virtue, as well as perseverance and determination. This is best demonstrated in the second part of "Festival of Fall." Despite her feuding with Sage in the episode, Rosemary goes after Olive anyways and fights her.

   As for Sage, she could've been my favorite character of the show. Despite ostensibly being the smart girl, the early episodes show how innocent and naive she is. Her stubbornness to adapt to new magic is actually her clinging on to her naivety and her desire to honor old magic.

   While I have heard critics deride her outfit for being generic, this actually demonstrates the conservative nature of tradition. Despite being dressed modestly, she still looks cute anyways.

   Although all of this begs the question of why her parents send her to High Guardian to begin with if the curriculum is exclusively new magic. However, I speculate that they're so conservative that they are completely oblivious to the new standards, and even the fact that the world is changing.

   Unfortunately, Sage becomes spiteful, hateful, and vindictive in the episode "Crushing Obstacles." She comes across as condescending when she claims that guys do not talk about their feelings, despite Parnelle talking about his feelings to her in the previous episode, and even crying. Worst of all, Sage's behavior is triggered by Rosemary having a crush on Aster.

   While it turns out that he is not a good match for her (at least according to what the writers intended), how Sage behaves is such a bizarre contrast to what she is like in the previous episodes. The reasons above are why I like Rosemary more than Sage, despite having a personality that is the polar opposite of mine; and despite Sage being a character I have more in common with.

   Now would be a bad time to mention that I actually like Amaryllis. What I like is how, despite being much smaller than the entire student population, she dominates the school in spite of her height, and has a ton of fun doing it. Small, fearless, and proud, she is so entertaining that even the fandom likes her.

   But my absolute favorite character is Parsley. Aside from being short and adorable, and also doing it with short hair, she is the most likeable protagonist for being optimistic, friendly, and cheerful. Having a great personality, she is the one main character that most people, even critics, are fine with. I also need to mention how she laughs in the episode "Transformations." Her laugh is so angelic, I find myself re-watching Rosemary burp just to hear it again.

   But compared to the other girls, she has no meaningful conflict to face. Additionally, she has been a blacksmith since birth, she doesn't need schooling. The second episode shows that she is already proficient.

   For this reason, I had to speculate why Parsley would like to attend High Guardian Academy. Her enrollment is redundant, and she can just get an apprenticeship under her father. However, a deviantArt user I spoke to has speculated that, by going to High Guardian, she will be able to become her own blacksmith sooner. By doing this, she will be able to help her family out by earning a higher income.

   I have also guessed that her life at home prevents her making friends. After all, before attending, it was her responsibility to look after her brothers. Without her, her parents will have more trouble taking care of the boys, although this could be mitigated if her parents had less. But by living away from home, Parsley does not struggle like the other girls do.

   As for Thyme, I don't have any strong opinion on her. Part of the problem is that she is stoic; and as a minor criticism, her bow makes no sense whatsoever. The strings come out from the top and bottom, but then they magically connect.

[either she is distressed, or she had a bowel movement, from the episode "Festival of Fall, part one"]

   The show is not formulaic; and because each episode is unique, I can easily identify any episode just by looking at a screenshot. I also love how each one begins with a cold opening, as a way to build anticipation for the next adventure that Rosemary and the girls will have. The best teaser is the one for "Rainy Day Memories."

   Anyone who has read my previous reviews for Lolirock and Tara Duncan is aware that I prefer shows without a central story arc; and despite High Guardian Spice's linear nature, it is short enough that this is not a problem. And because there's only twelve episodes, the show has relatively strong continuity.

   And even when the show's harshest critics have seen everything wrong with the show, it still has personality. Even if you think the show is terrible, it's still unique for what it is. You could even argue it's so bad it's good.

   Overall, High Guardian Spice feels like a very rough draft that Raye and his studio weren't allowed to proofread or revise. The writing, being all over the place, encompasses an entire gamut from bad, to clumsy, to unfinished.

   What complicates everything is how the show was under-financed, badly promoted, rushed, and lead by an amateur (sorry Raye). After all, the production crew had to start the storyboard process for the first episode before the script was even finished.

   A part of me believes everything would have been explained with a second season, but at the time of writing this, there are no plans for season two. So ironically, the studio actually has been separated from their work, and at the time of writing this, Ellation Studios has shut down. Interestingly, Raye would like to reboot the show instead of continuing it. I can only imagine how badly Crunchyroll (mis)treated the series as badly as it did.

   In spite of all of this, the show looks great, and I absolutely adore the aesthetics. This includes the character designs and the environments; and at least the show doesn't use flash animation all that often. But High Guardian Spice is so cute, it's clumsy; or, it's so clumsy, it's cute. For these reasons, I actually like the show.

   However, there is a caveat to note. Because I already knew a lot about the show before watching a single episode, I was already aware of its problems; so I accepted most of them without question and didn't take it all that seriously. Having low expectations, I just didn't find myself hating it as the average person.

   Although, if you have seen my image of Parsley and Heauxy, you already know that I like the show enough to make fanart out of it, and the fact I posted screenshots from it.

   There are easy fixes for most of its problems; and in fact, I could probably fix them myself. The most effective would be to remove old magic and new magic completely or to explain the difference between them more clearly.

   And besides, with how much hatred it has received, it has a unique, but highly provocative identity, even when the production studio was not trying to make it that way. I actually like it for what it is, and I'm also glad that I was able to review all twelve episodes. This marks the first time that I covered every episode in a series. The only thing I dislike is how difficult this part of the review was to write.

   With (or even because of) the amount of vitriol against it, there is still charm to be found in the world of lHigh Guardian Spice. In fact, I'm in the mood to watch it again to see if my opinion sours.

   For most critics, the show has left a bitter taste in their mouths; but for me, the show just doesn't taste all that bad. This particular spice is not meant for everyone; but at the same time, not all spices need to taste like cinnamon.

Grade: B -

(is the internet going to kill me for this?)

  [ Usually, when I do a review series like this, I don't gain watchers. In fact, I lose a significant number of profile views. For this reason, I am surprised that I gained not one, but several followers here on Newgrounds since I started this series. I really appreciate it]

(also known as, what to expect)

   So, I'm almost done with the High Guardian Spice series review. However, I may have to delay it for another week, if necessary. But once it's finished, I will resume with uploading new images. The caveat is, it will be one image every two weeks instead of once a week. I have been much busier in general, and will continue to be. While this might seem disappointing, it's also because higher-quality art takes more time, and you're going to see how much I have improved.

   As promised, the Polly Pocket season one review will come later this year; but I won't be able to review the first two seasons of Mia and Me before the end. Both seasons combined have fifty-two episodes. It is double the length of Polly Pocket, and more than Polly Pocket and High Guardian Spice combined. However, I can promise that the Mia and Me review will come next year. Over on tumblr, I know how fans are really eager to hear what I have to say about the show. Surprisingly, its fanbase is still relatively active.

   So, that's the game plan for the future.

12. "Attack on High Guardian" Episode Review (GREAT)

   "Sometimes I miss being a kid, when we didn't have to deal with all this... stuff." - Sage, lamenting her new life at High Guardian Academy

   "Sage, Parsley, put out the fires! Thyme, help me catch this asshole!" - Rosemary, commanding her team in the library

   "We had some sick moves yesterday, High Guardian Spice. Because of our names." - Rosemary, name-dropping the title of the show at the very end of the episode

   "Execution." - Rosemary's mother, Lavender, deciding Mandrake's fate

   Much like "Festival of Fall," this episode is at a higher quality than the rest of the show, due to its function as the season one, or series' finale. Much like the second part of the Autumn Processional, the entire plot is action, which is why I can't really talk about it, let alone analyze it.

   Being a lengthy, climactic fight scene to end the show, the art and animation are unique to this episode, to emphasize how dramatic it is. When the girls are in the library, they have darker shadows and sharp highlights due to the fire, which also represents the intense conflict, or fiery action between the girls and Mandrake. Even as the fighting takes place outside the library, the action is still tense, as Rosemary and Sage fly through the sky to subdue him.

   Mandrake makes his debut, and final appearance on the show; but he has an intimidating appearance and personality. Unlike Olive, who has always hesitated with killing the girls, Mandrake is completely willing to do it. For this reason, he is the polar opposite to her, and why he is merciless.

   Either way, the girls are put to a real test, a real challenge that they have never faced before; and in the process, Sage's ponytail, which represents old magic, gets stuck under rubble. To free herself, she literally cuts it off in order to save Rose from Mandrake. Shortly after, she uses new magic to defeat him.

   One major criticism I have against the episode is how the entire school is supposedly crammed inside the basement. With the number of students that are actually inside, it just doesn't look like it. Mandrake also managed to convince every single High Guardian Academy student into going there. Not only that, but the basement is made of stone, which does not burn. Additionally, none of the students have water spells, or a way to extinguish the flames. They don't even use new magic to do it. This is stupid because Sage summons water to extinguish the fires in the library. Although speaking of, she would've also damaged the books.

   All of this would've made more sense if Mandrake had disguised himself as one of the Triad and then called everyone into the rotunda for an assembly. Afterwards, he seals everyone inside, and then the rest of the episode proceeds as normal. And for some reason, the Triad does not appear in the episode whereas every other staff member does.

   Another issue I have is Carroway confronting Mandrake by tackling him to the ground. I don't think he is masculine enough to do this. It's not just the fact that he was born female, but because he is soft-spoken, he is too soft for confrontation, or at least physical confrontation. Ironically, the first thing that the real Carroway would've done is draw his staff and point it at his imposter; i.e. ask questions first.

   And lastly, towards the end of the library scene, the blood that comes out of Mandrake looks really bad, but at least the action surrounding it is good enough.

   As for anything else, it would've been nice to see Aster again. After all, if he is so macho, he should have taken the lead in saving the students, or fail miserably. Either would be acceptable. I also think it would be cute if Zinnia made a cameo appearance. If she thought the Cave of Vinca was a death trap, imagine how she would react to the entire school catching fire. For both reasons, a bit more continuity could have easily added to the episode.

   However, I did not mention the credits, which is a completely different outro that is exclusive to this episode. Rather than the standard one, which is inappropriately used for episodes like "Festival of Fall" and "Scypith," this one is an epilogue, what the girls do for winter break. Not only is it cute and well-detailed, but also tells its own miniature story.

   Just like the seasons, the girls themselves change as they transition into a new stage of their life. Sage is the best example, as her new hairstyle represents her willingness to accept or adopt new magic, which saved not only Rosemary and herself, but also the school. For that matter, her haircut might even represent her transition into maturity; after all, she looks older.

   Despite being the last episode of the show, this isn't the end of my review series. Unlike Mandrake, I still have to judge the fate (hate?) of High Guardian Spice.

Either attack it well or don't attack at all

previous episode review: Scypith

Part three: the show as a whole

list of High Guardian Spice episode reviews

11. "Scypith" Episode Review (ABYSMAL)

   "Nice use of violence." - Carroway, hopefully using verbal irony at the beginning of the episode

   "You're back already? Wait, what happened to your face?! Is Snap ok?!" - Amaryllis, asking what happened to Cal

   "I hope not! That little shit broke my nose!" - Cal, responding to Amaryllis above

   "You know an episode is bad when I don't use a screenshot." - Z-Saint-Box

   [sigh, or groan]

   This episode is so terrible, I almost didn't want to review it. I have to because there is plenty of material to cover; but I also have to deal with a highly volatile subject matter that some people will find inflammatory, and it's the B plot of the episode.

   Because of its nature, I have some fear over how people will react. Although, other people have already criticized it without controversy, so I don't see why I can't talk about it myself. I don't want to engage in nasty discourse, so I'll try to be as careful as possible, because where do I even begin?

   The A plot is just meaningless action where the girls become mermaids in order to help High Guardian Academy's sister school by pursuing a scypith. The transformation sequence is cute, and Thyme develops a crush on Coral, which I don't mind. I also don't need to ask why, because romantic attraction can't be explained and not even Thyme is immune to romantic feelings.

   For whatever reason, Professor Carroway keeps Rosemary's sword, Flowering Thorn, away from her; but Parsley can keep her hammer and Thyme can keep her bow and arrow. This is bizarre because Parsley would be completely unable to swing her hammer and Thyme would be unable to fire arrows. Even though magic does exist on the show, it does not fix the reality of physics. Although these are minor issues compared to rest of the episode.

   So the girls hunt down the scypith and it's just not interesting. Rosemary does have a cute moment where she is electrocuted, but nothing else really happens. None of the girls really use their character traits to drive the episode. They just hunt it down in the blandest, most boring way possible. There's no charm or uniqueness behind it. Later, the scypith threatens Coral's life by holding her in its mouth; so naturally, Thyme becomes distressed.

   The A plot concludes when Sage loses control of new magic and severely lacerates it. Then, Rosemary voluntarily performs a mercy kill on it. This is the best part of the episode; because, in spite of her eagerness to become a guardian, she has to make difficult decisions. Additionally, in spite of Sage's character, she is also responsible for killing it. However, I don't see why they need to cry over its death. I should also mention that Professor Rosebud laments that new magic can be unstable, even though she was talking about how it is better in a previous episode. If it has potential for being both, then she should not be so enthusiastic about it.

   But despite the melodramatic ending, the regular credits play. Once again, it is a sudden shift in mood that is inconsistent with what happens. This is the same problem in both parts of "Festival of Fall."

   But the A plot is nothing compared to the B plot, the main reason why this episode is terrible. And the more I think about it, the worse it becomes.

   I am no stranger to gender issues, but I don't want to face accusations of "transphobia." Although what exactly is "transphobic" when all I am doing is asking questions about a recent phenomenon that is causing real-world problems?

   You also may have noticed that none of the quotes I selected for this review have anything to do with the main plot. The B story not only drags it, it is not as relevant as it would like to be. In fact, it is completely irrelevant to what the girls deal with.

   This is the first time that Snapdragon reveals his gender dysphoria. Because of this, his wish to be feminine is too sudden. It was somewhat foreshadowed during the Autumn Processional, but instead, seems more like crossdressing gone wrong.

   "Trans magic " is so trans parent, that everyone watching the show will know exactly what is being talked about. But it's not even transparent, it is bluntly telling everyone what the issue is. Bringing a real-world problem into fantasy would be more acceptable if the writing was more clever, but it isn't. Because, just imagine if there was an episode focusing on "vaccine potions" to fight against a plague, and why Rosemary and others refuse to drink it.

   But Snapdragon's conflict with his gender should have been more metaphorical, instead of being so grossly direct. For example, he would like to become a healer like Sage, but he is mocked because it's feminine. I can imagine that because being a healer is tantamount to being a nurse. Fantasy can be used as a route to talk about transgender issues if done correctly.

   The B plot for "Lost Cause" also could have been a good way to introduce his gender dysphoria. After all, he loses an arm wrestling match to Rosemary. It also would have been interesting if afterwards, Rosemary made him cry over how weak and feminine he is. Afterwards, he ends up in the same place as Sage and they bond together.

   While there is a flashback to Snapdragon's past, it is not necessarily related to gender. Instead of him playing with dolls or wearing feminine clothing, it's about his brother taking a rabbit away from him and then his father tempting him into fighting in order to take it back.

   Even though Carroway is compassionate and understanding for consoling Snapdragon, he is horribly misguided. Undergoing transition magic cannot be taken lightly nor introduced casually. The ramifications behind it are life-changing and permanent. The implications are even uglier considering that Snapdragon is not an adult. He may potentially out-grow his interest in transitioning.

   I should also mention that Carroway would have been fired for giving Snapdragon a pass after he physically attacked Cal. Not only that, he put Cal in danger by allowing him to run off. I don't think it's enough that Carroway bars Snapdragon from participating in the assignment with the girls. And while I'm assuming he uses verbal irony at the beginning of the episode, he contradicts himself by reprimanding him.

   While it's true that Cal was taunting Snapdragon, he doesn't even use the worst language he could have possibly used. It's not anti-trans or even misogynist. And if Snapdragon would like to transition, then his remarks should not be so infuriating. If anything, they are actually supportive. They also contradict what Raye Rodriguez said about Lyngarth being more open-minded or tolerant of other sexualities. I also have no clue why Cal didn't fight back against Snapdragon, unless he's actually a coward.

   Ironically, the episode; and by extension, the show, inadvertently argues against transitioning. Transition magic is still magic, so the effects are only temporary. In fact, Carroway himself says so. In the episode "Transformations," he directly states that he uses new magic to "keep the spell active." Although, because new magic is a recent phenomenon, Carroway should more leery about suggesting it to Snapdragon. Its potential ramifications are yet to be discovered; and as explained above, it can be unstable.

   Snapdragon's frustration with his gender is unfounded for another major reason. Shapeshifting is possible, as seen in the next episode; so he and Carroway do not necessarily have to change his gender via new magic. Thus, the studio behind High Guardian Spice inserted a real-world issue where the problems associated with it do not exist.

   If Carroway would like to reverse back into his original gender, all he needs to do is stop using new magic. If Raye Rodriguez would like to do the same thing, he is asking for a luxury. While transition magic is possible to reverse in real life, it is difficult and costly. Carroway is lucky that he can de-activate the spell by not taking it.

   I could have used the screenshot of Snapdragon breaking down in tears, but I don't want to give the episode any sympathy. Believe me, it's heart-breaking having to listen to him cry, but the episode is a gross oversimplification of a heavy subject matter.

   In all honesty, this topic should never have been put in an animated series that is not even focused on gender. Not only that, but two of the girls have unnatural hair colors and the other two are a dwarf and an elf; so can it even be taken seriously at all?

   While I have yet to meet and interact with fans of the show, I don't see how even they can possibly like the episode. Because after watching it twice, I decided to skip it on my third time going through the show. For that matter, I will skip it again if I want to watch the series again. I agree with High Guardian Spice critics that this is not only a bad episode, but also the worst of the series.

Why the episode smells like fish

previous episode review: Rainy Day Memories

final episode review: Attack on High Guardian Academy

list of High Guardian Spice episode reviews

10. "Rainy Day Memories" Episode Review (GREAT)

   "You wanna help your dad. You wanna see if you can save the Fairy Woods together. I get as much of it as I can. You can't hide this from a friend." - Parsley, talking to Thyme at the beginning of the episode

   "I have stuff to do too! But unlike some people, I don't feel the need to announce it!" - Amaryllis, wanting Snapdragon's attention by (hypocritically) announcing her intention of leaving

   "Imagine, sad Sage, all her embarrassing memories of wearing dumb hats and being boring and stuff - I don't know - are out in the open. Who will she confide to but the friend who knows her best?" - Amaryllis, manipulating Rosemary into accepting her plan

   "Ok, yes! It looks bad! If anyone asks, it was just homework!" - Amaryllis, after the memory spell backfires on her and Rosemary

   What could have been my least favorite episode of the show is actually not. In fact, it is my absolute favorite of the series.

   The color palette of "Rainy Day Memories" is darker, to tell a darker story, much like a certain Lolirock episode; and the weather reflects the dark period of time between, or among the girls. Despite how different the episode is from the rest of the show, it maintains the show's identity very well.

   Every element of the plot falls into place due to the events of previous episodes. Having a strong adherence to continuity, these include Amaryllis losing Zinnia as her roommate, Thyme attempting to contact her father about the healing waters, and most importantly, the rift between Rosemary and Sage.

   It also has the best cold opening of the series. Aside from establishing the B plot while introducing the A plot; Rosemary, and by extension, her voice actress, is good at spooky storytelling. This sets up the atmosphere of the B plot.

   As for the A plot, Amaryllis is the deuteragonist, despite previously being either a secondary character or an antagonist. By doing this, the episode is all the more unique; and it doesn't stop there. Slimeboy and Parnelle are also important to the plot as they help her and Rosemary with their plan.

   Amaryllis is already an entertaining character, and because this is her most significant episode in the series, she has more screentime here. If she is one of your favorite characters, then I highly recommend this episode.

   Despite her' bad intentions, she is ironically helpful to Rosemary; albeit by manipulating her into using a memory spell on Sage. However, because Rosemary refuses to go along with her plan, at the last second, the spell backfires on them. Funnily enough, this causes all of their most embarrassing memories to leak out to the school.

   Their hijink goes completely wrong, and as Parnelle says, it is "poetic justice." While the other students are laughing hysterically at them, Amaryllis and Rosemary have to capture their memories and seal them in bottles.

   When a memory of young Rosemary runs off crying, Sage finds her, as well as Rosemary herself. Sympathizing with young Rose, Sage finally listens to Rosemary apologize to her. Afterwards, they reconcile; and funnily enough, Amaryllis' plan technically worked out in the end while simultaneously keeping Sage safe. Amaryllis herself reconciles with Snapdragon.

   As for the B plot, it is good in its own right. Thyme seeks to contact her father about the healing waters in order to save the Fairy Woods. Unlike her mother, he is the one parent that she respects.

   This is best seen in the flashback, which also shows who Thyme was when she was younger. Her eagerness to go to the archery course exemplifies her innocence, as well as how energetic she was. She was much happier than she is in the present, and difference between her younger and older self is striking, but fascinating.

   Despite Parsley volunteering to help her, Thyme only considers her a roommate, and not a friend. Parsley however, tags along with her anyways and risks death in order to help her out. This is another reason why she is my favorite character of the show.

   When Thyme inadvertently destroys the salt circle, they end up in a fight against the demon and it is tense. While she failed to contact her father, she and Parsley at least work together to kill it. In the process, they become closer as roommates, in the same vain as Rosemary and Sage.

   There are only three issues I have with the episode. Even though Rosemary and her group use bottles to "capture" their memories, this is actually unnecessary. It would be easier, and more entertaining if Rosemary and Amaryllis smashed all memories. After all, Olive throws her book at young Rosemary and she disappears.

   My other gripe is a considerable gap of time between Thyme summoning the demon and when the demon attacks. It gives the impression that she and Parsley were standing and waiting for him to move. This is due to the A plot going on for too long.

   Rosemary also should not have been the one to apologize. Even though she bravely went after Olive in the previous episode, Sage holds a grudge against her for two weeks.

   And one minor issue is how the demon, who is part mist, bleeds when Thyme shoots an arrow at him. The blood looks bad, and I must also mention that Parsley uses her hammer to slice his arm off, which should not happen unless she had an axe.

   But overall, I love how everything about the show coalesces into one good episode that will leave you entertained. If you haven't seen the rain, you're missing out.

Have you ever seen the rain?

previous episode review: Festival of Fall

next episode review: Scypith

list of High Guardian Spice episode reviews

8/9. "Festival of Fall" Episode Review (GREAT, both parts)

   "Wait, what?! Someone's after me? After us? Neppy, can you track this girl, cat-girl? I'll go find the others. They're in too much danger to be bobbing for apples." - Thyme, after receiving Neppy Cat's report

   "Of course I remember! When we were kids, you had fun just being around me! You didn't need us to go spelunking in some stupid volcano full of hot knives just to consider it a fun day! And you were never, never this annoying!" - Sage, releasing her anger at Rosemary

   "I'm far from the only enemy you have. We hide well, and they'll keep sending us. The others won't be so nice." - Olive, when she is cornered by Rosemary and Sage

   "No, Rose. I... I want to be alone right now." - Sage, refusing Rosemary's offer to join her

[part one]

   "Festival of Fall" is more than just "the Halloween episodes." With the exception of Parsley, each of the girls are taken to their limits. Thyme has to confront her mother again while a rift forms between Rosemary and Sage.

   I pretty much have to review both episodes at the same time because the first part is the calm before the storm and the second part is completely action-oriented. Raye Rodriguez has said that this is his favorite episode, and I can understand why.

   The episode is well animated, and while the Autumn Processional is Halloween, it is visually interesting. There are not only moving crowds in the episode, but every character is wearing a different outfit. It takes much more time, effort, and money for animators to adapt to different characters wearing different clothes. Rosemary's dragon costume is the best because completely suits her character, and because it is the plush she has in her bedroom (in the opening intro of the show), this shows continuity. All of these elements give the two-parter its own unique identity.

   Additionally, the festival, or holiday, is integral to the conflict. The main antagonist, Olive, is a cat that can transform into a cat-girl; and because cats are a popular costume to wear, she practically blends in with the environment, despite not wearing a disguise or shapeshifting into a human girl. When Thyme realizes this, she is unable to find her.

   Speaking of, Neppy cat is one of my favorite characters of the show, and he is a main character in this episode. Despite his inability to articulate himself, he is benevolent and altruist. He's also clumsy; so when a group of girls take interest in him, he has an embarrassing accident at the bandstand. This causes him to cross paths with Slimeboy, and this forces him to run away while a crowd of people just stare at him. It's just awkward and cute.

   As for Rosemary and Sage, the first real conflict emerges between them when they begin disagreeing over what event to attend. Rosemary would like to throw flaming axes while Sage would like to carve gourds. Their argument eventually culminates when Sage confronts Rosemary. Even though she is the character I would be most similar to, I actually agree with Rosemary, especially because Sage approaches the festival like a to-do list. In all honesty, this is a confrontation that was bound to happen, due to how Rose and Sage are almost polar opposites to each other, like I said for the first episode.

   As for Thyme, she is not so stoic throughout the processional. She can show emotions such as fright, but also horror. These happen when she runs into a man wearing a tree costume and when Olive drops the vial of healing water. In the latter moment, Olive successfully tests her limit, and breaks her character.

   Although at the same time, Thyme makes the goofiest face of the entire show. Even though it breaks the drama (and because of it), I think it's funny. So, for this reason, I am half critical of this.

   But my biggest criticism towards the episode, which also applies to the second part, is the credits. Despite closing on a dark ending, and a cliffhanger, no less, the closing credits play and bring sudden happiness on-screen.

   This isn't the first time I have found an episode abruptly shifting in tone at the every end; this time however, it's baffling how no one at Ellation Studio bothered to change or remove it. Starting from this episode onwards, the credits should have been replaced with a different one. Not only that, but it's not like the credits are meant to cheer the viewer afterwards, because this is only part one.

[part two]

   For whatever reason, part two of the festival, or episode, starts off very slowly. In some fairness, it could be every character recovering from the shockwave, or aftermath of Olive's spell. Still, there is an unusual delay when the girls should be confronting each other. Olive does nothing while the girls recover., and then the girls do nothing while Olive is finished recovering.

   But eventually, they do fight, and Olive easily incapacitates Sage and Thyme; but as for Rosemary, she hesitates due to Rosemary carrying her sword with her. She retreats before Rosemary chases after her.

   The majority of the episode after is action, inbetween Rosemary and Olive fighting, and Sage and Thyme searching for them, with Amaryllis and Snapdragon even joining the fray. But, the fight between Rosemary and Olive is tense; and it is also one time on the show where the blood looks good. Rosemary puts up a good fight with Olive and beats her.

   What I don't think receives enough respect is Rosemary's character. Despite her current feuding with Sage, she goes after Olive anyways and risks death, again. Her character shines with courage, selflessness, and heroism in this episode.

   Not only that, but the overall atmosphere of the episode is eerie, something that Halloween, or the Autumn Processional is not. The environment is spooky, as the girls and Snapdragon navigate themselves through a city that, despite its population, is not alive, the result of Olive turning everyone into stone and making dead silence. Any move can literally knock someone down and shatter them, hereby killing them.

   But as a minor criticism, it should not be hard for the group to find them. If no one is making noise, it should be easy to hear someone, or two people running through town square. In fact, it would be even easier to hear two people fighting. Additionally, Olive could have also transformed back into a cat so that it is easier to flee.

   Despite having nowhere to run when Rosemary and Sage confront her, Olive still manages to escape when Sage blasts her terrasphere. Afterwards, Sage reverses the spark spell by destroying the terrasphere and de-stones everyone in Lyngarth. Interestingly, Rosemary is the one that fights Olive, but Sage is the one who reverses her spell. The warrior does her job, and then the mage finishes it.

   As for the outro to the episode, I initially thought it is long and drawn-out, but the reason is, Rosemary is exhausted from fighting; more importantly, her walking alone emphasizes the schism between herself and Sage. Despite being a genki girl with energy and morale, the events of the episode break her and she is left tearful, if not completely devastated at the end. The conclusion is absolutely effective at showing this. Despite the ongoing revelry of the festival, Rosemary leaves town square in order to cry. Unfortunately, despite the dark ending, the credits play seconds after.

   As an interesting fact, even critics of High Guardian Spice like this episode; or at least see some of its merits. This proves that the show's studio is (or was) capable of making a good (or even passable) episode. And it seems the creators really put a decent chunk of their effort into these two episodes. Because of this, I thoroughly enjoyed them for the reasons above.

   Like an actual festival, there are moments that will be remembered for a long time.

Having a nice fall

previous episode review: Cave of Vinca

next episode review: Rainy Day Memories

list of High Guardian Spice episode reviews

7. "Cave of Vinca" Episode Review (POOR)

   "Enough! None of us should be going in there! Why would any of you choose to walk into this nightmare?!" - Zinnia, wondering why they are going into the cave

   "No! No! I'm too young and way too attractive for a suicide mission!" - Zinnia, just before she ditches class

   "Looks like we're all going to die here after all." - Thyme, declaring her and her team's fate in the caves

   "Is that how stars are made?" - Rosemary, asking this question to Sage when the dragon flies into the sky and bursts into stars

   As much as "Cave of Vinca" is less of a filler episode than "Crushing Obstacles," it is a worse episode; but ironically, its opening scenes are not only the best moments of the episode, but also the best of the series.

   It is the one and only time when Zinnia has any dialogue, and the same reason why she is the best part. Being openly terrified of the cave, she is adorable for not only looking cute, but also being cute; just watch how she hyperventilates while Dretch explains their assignment. Zinnia is completely honest with herself and voluntarily fails by leaving class, and presumably leaving High Guardian Academy. In a bizarre twist, what Rosemary and the others go through actually prove her correct; so she made a smart decision by not entering. She was right the entire time about how dangerous the caves are

   But after she leaves, Rosemary's team goes through a series of plot points that are unnecessarily dramatic, yet also trivial.

   Shortly after entering, they are attacked by giant trabbers; and despite being based on real-world crabs, who have shells as a form of protection, none of the girls have difficulty defending themselves. Rosemary's sword easily slices through their flesh, Thyme's arrows pierce their bodies, and Parsley has no issue using her hammers against them. I am, however, forgiving towards Sage because she has magic.

   This fight scene is done so clumsily that you can even see when the animators use flash animation. Not only that, but the blood effects are just as goofy, so it's hard to take the action seriously. Thyme is also somehow able to extract her arrow out of one of the trabbers, but she does it effortlessly. Overall, the fight is just quick action-shots that happen spontaneously and randomly.

   When a large trabber appears above Rosemary, she instructs Sage to blast it with magic, but Sage warns her that it will crush her; and this is true. It also has the risk of damaging her sword. But after doing it anyways, the trabber lands on her blade; and surprisingly, it doesn't even so much as dent. Not only that, but she is able to lift the trabber off of her without much difficulty. And despite all of this happening, Rosemary does not show any sign of injury or harm when it falls. But if you watch very carefully, when the trabber falls, one of its claws lands on her abdomen, and cuts her. However, this happens so quickly you won't catch it at all.

   So when more trabbers ambush them, they locate an exit and escape, even though they could have done this in the first place. Not only that, but none of them are tired after fighting; and shortly later, the girls enter a new room and find Vinca, in the form of a statue. Despite her name in the title, she is not even a character. She's not even the antagonist, let alone a major element of the plot. The one bit of info on her is that she turned her suitors into wine. But who exactly is she, why is she important, and why is the cave named after her?

   The girls discover that Rosemary was injured during the fight; and for no reason, Sage doesn't have magic that can heal her wound. Additionally, the new magic she has, inside her terrasphere, also does not have healing magic.

   Then, a goblin, or troll named Buckles appears and makes the girls solve a riddle. So now, I wonder if Vinca is familiar with him, or he just decided to make his home in her cave. A few minutes pass before Rosemary solves the riddle. For answering correctly, Buckles gives them an egg before opening a trapdoor beneath the girls.

   In the next room, two diamond titans attack them when they try to take the healing water. Because the girls can't defeat them, they make a plan where they maneuver around the titans so that they run into each other and shatter to pieces, but inconveniently, they ran into each other in front of the exit, meaning that it is blocked.

   I can believe that the rubble is too heavy and too dense to remove, but I can't believe that Sage doesn't have magic that can remove it from the exit. She doesn't even try to levitate it out the way. And if new magic is more powerful than old magic, then does it also have teleportation, i.e. can't the girls teleport out the caves? For that matter, wouldn't any kind of magic be able to lift the diamond rubble away?

   Then, the girls decide to bond with each other by playing truth-or-dare. As much as I like Rosemary's energy and cheerfulness, she does not understand the reality of being sealed inside the cave. Because of this, she will not become the hero she wants to be, and instead, she will disappear just like her mother. More importantly, she will not know if she is still alive. This is a fact she should have known before playing the game.

   Afterwards, Parsley reveals that the egg is actually a dragon egg. Because of this, Sage throws it into the healing water so that it can grow into a full-size, mature dragon that takes the rubble away before the girls hitch a ride on it as it flies away.

   In all honesty, this part is fun to watch, due to the fast, break-neck pacing, and especially because of Rosemary enjoying herself. Afterwards, the dragon returns the girls to High Guardian Academy and then flies into the sky to explode and become stars.

   Then, the conclusion at least establishes the events of the next episode, not just the rot that is infecting the Fairy Woods, but also Olive.

   If this review sounds more like a plot summary, that's because it is. I had to explain everything in detail because the writing is just so bizarre. I could not jump around or give a broad critique of why I dislike the episode. The plot is like a labyrinth I couldn't solve.

   I think it would have been nice to see what happened to the other students and how they struggled through the caves. I wonder if they faced similar problems to what Rosemary and the girls go through. And because I like Zinnia, I want to know what happened to her after she left.

   As much as Hakone claims that the cave is wondrous, it is a place that none of the girls, let alone students, should have entered. Not because it's dangerous, but because nothing significant happens.

Why Zinnia ran away, from the episode

previous episode review: Crushing Obstacles

next episode review: Festival of Fall

list of High Guardian Spice episode reviews

6. "Crushing Obstacles" Episode Review (POOR)

   "Hi! I mean, hi." - Rosemary, greeting Aster when he walks by

   "You're way too hung-up on Rosemary" - Snapdragon to Sage

   "Hey cretins, sorry to break up your labyrinth failure, or were you about to make out?!" - Amaryllis, teasing Sage and Snapdragon

   "Son, we need to have a word."- Hakone to Aster at the end of the episode

   This episode is infamous among High Guardian Spice critics, and for good reason. Sage spends the entire episode complaining about Rosemary having a crush, and nothing else really happens. There is no world-building or anything truly meaningful, and there's not even humor.

   I will admit that the intro is cute, even if its only purpose is to introduce Aster. But in all honestly, despite how his relationship with Rosemary will be, he would make a good romantic interest for her. Another thing I like is the title, which is somewhat of a pun. It not only references Rosemary's crush on Aster, but also the first challenge to her relationship with Sage.

   But after the opening sequence, there is a lengthy, drawn-out scene in a gymnasium where Sage whines about Rosemary's infatuation with him. She is not just fixated on it, she is obsessed. And the rest of the episode drags itself with her expressing jealously towards them. For this reason, the episode is relatively plotless.

   After the gymnasium, the students go through an obstacle course, but it is not particularly interesting nor really important to the plot, and it doesn't make sense anyways. Each team is allowed to go through it in any order they want, so long as they complete all three sections. Despite this, it is implied that Sage and Snapdragon, as well as Thyme and Amaryllis only go through the garden maze.

   As a minor criticism, Snapdragon mentions that Sage is not wearing her hat. Even though he references this fact to compliment her appearance, she can't wear it due to physical activity. It would fall off when exercising, so it would be redundant to have it on. I should also mention that students take their weapons with them, even though no part of the challenge requires it.

   The episode emphasizes how each of the girls work with their assigned partners; and in some fairness, they are put into odd couples, which make unique pairings. Parsley and Parnelle work very well with each other while Thyme becomes friendlier with Amaryllis, albeit begrudgingly and inadvertently. But the character dynamics aren't strong enough to carry the episode; instead they drag the pacing.

   And with the exception of Sage and Snapdragon, none of the girls interact with their partners again. Parsley does not team up with Parnelle later in the series; and Thyme and Amaryllis disassociate from each other. Not only that, but the latter two pairs have no influence on the main plot.

   Most importantly, Aster does not appear again. He might not be all that funny, but he could have easily been brought back for later episodes. I have also heard that female fans of the show find him attractive. The writers however, wanted to present him as a chauvinist, despite his worst offense being an egotist that talks too much about himself, as well as talking down to Rosemary. As a way to alleviate this, Parsley pretends to drop her hammer on his foot, even though he did nothing wrong.

   Additionally, I think a more interesting plot would be if Aster was trying to steal Rose's sword. He would actually make for a good antagonist, if he was actually made into one. After all, I can easily imagine him using the sword not just for himself, but also to boost his ego.

   But the one element that has made this episode notorious is when Sage claims that guys do not understand girls. Critics say that this is her sexism, or misandry against males. Not helping is that in the previous episode "Lost Cause," Sage bonds with two males, Parnelle and Slimeboy, over her feelings.

   While she doesn't go into a complete tantrum in this moment, Sage is so blinded by jealousy that she blurts out nonsensical statements. Ironically, the way that she behaves shows that girls are prone to jealousy. And even though I defended her behavior in the previous episode, I do not defend how she acts here. Even though it's wrong for Aster to ramble about himself to Rosemary, the episode allows Sage to ramble about Rosemary, for the entire runtime.

   Although speaking of, if Sage is on a healer or mage track, then why does she even have physical fitness with the other girls? And wouldn't she have the most problems with the obstacle course? If she is a mage, then surely she is not the kind of girl for athletics.

   Beyond this, the events of this episode have no real impact on the rest of the series. As stated before, Aster disappears and nothing in the plot has consequences later on. That being said, I don't see the need to crush it any further.

Crushing the episode like Parsley crushing Aster's foot

previous episode review: Lost Cause

next episode review: Cave of Vinca

list of High Guardian Spice episode reviews

5. "A Lost Sage" Episode Review (MIXED)

   "Blah blah blee blah. "Old Magic is sacred." What's the sacred part, slab? Sweating into plants instead of going to lunch?" - Amaryllis, asking this question to Sage

   "Yeah." - Thyme, agreeing with Amaryllis above

   "Yeah?! Yeah?!" - Sage, wondering why Thyme is agreeing with her

   "I didn't bully her." - Thyme, when the others confront her for making Sage cry

   I am aware that the actual title of this episode is "A Lost Cause," but "A Lost Sage" sounds a lot better. Not only that, but I will also refer to "old magic" as "traditional," and "new magic" as "modern" to avoid repetition.

   Either way, the episode best demonstrates how silly the show's writing is. It seems that, at worst, High Guardian Spice is just so clumsily written, it becomes funny and cute, which is why I like the episode. However, it is also infamous among the show's critics due to how Sage behaves, and I completely understand their criticisms.

   Sage, who is caught between the two worlds of old magic and new magic, must use the latter for a "pruning" assignment that Professor Redbud gives. Students must light a plant and then cut the stem. While this is technically (and literally) the entire assignment, an old magic user like Sage cannot complete it.

   At first, I thought there is no way she can't light it, until I realized that the plants are probably resistant to old magic. This is the only explanation for why it is difficult, if not impossible for Sage to do the assignment. This shows that old magic is obsolete against something as basic as plants.

   That being said, Professor Redbud's assignment is bizarre and unconventional; and a class on botany is not sufficient to demonstrate the futility or weakness of old magic. She explains that new magic can summon and do anything more quickly and with more power. As a result, it streamlines magic; and because of its name, it is also a recent development in the show's universe.

   However, those are all the differences between old and new; and the most her students need to do with new magic is, light a plant. The episode does not elaborate any further, and this would be more acceptable if magic wasn't a crucial element of High Guardian Spice.

   If new magic is vastly superior, then it would be a much more pressing issue at the academy. It would, and should, shift the entire curriculum of the school. To an extent, it does, but barely. Carroway states that old magic is the foundation for new magic, but Redbud's class exclusively requires the latter.

   It would also cause sweeping changes across Lyngarth and the world; but because this doesn't really happen, there is no difference at all. New magic could be an allegory for new technology; but even then, you will never really understand it.

   The episode wanted to show Sage losing faith in old magic as the entire world begins adopting new magic. She, fighting for a lost cause, is exactly why the title is specifically named after her, especially when it's heavily implied that she is the only student that uses old magic.

   In the previous episode, she claims that other students taunt her over using traditional magic; but this happens in the background. Because of this, it doesn't seem like Sage's frustration with modern magic, and her life at High Guardian reaches its boiling point.

   In order to show the conflict she is facing, the hostility against her must be intensified and demonstrated on-screen, even if it might cause discomfort for some viewers. This involves other students stealing her hat, openly mocking her, and maybe yanking her ponytail. This way, she will have a better reason for crying when Amaryllis asks her why old magic is sacred.

   While it is nice of Sage to honor old magic, she doesn't explain why it is worth honoring, let alone using. This is a major reason why High Guardian critics specifically dislike, if not hate her as a character, as well as what she does in the later episode "Crushing Obstacles."

   The most likely explanation is that she would like to honor tradition, but this is pure speculation. You will never know why she believes old magic is sacred; and if the world is shifting to a new standard, then surely there would be other old magic users just like her that feel the same way as she does.

   However, I weirdly like the episode because of Sage. What probably doesn't help is that she is the character I am most similar to, at least when I was younger. The irony is, she might be smart, but also naive. This is crucial because she and the girls are at a bizarre age where they are not necessarily children, but not necessarily adults.

   The second part of "Festival of Fall" reveals that she grew up in the countryside of Witch Country. It is also a minor explanation for why her mother is conservative - people who live in rural areas tend to be conservative. I'm also assuming that Pebble, Sage's hometown, still uses old magic.

   For these reasons, I'm under the impression that she was sheltered as a child, if not protected all her life. After all, her mother has done everything she could to prevent her from using new magic.

   I also wouldn't be surprised if she is homesick and simply unable to cope with her new life at High Guardian Academy. Although this does trigger the question of why her mother would send her there to begin with.

   But as a result, she is unable to articulate any defense for traditional magic when someone challenges it. While I am critical of safe spaces, Sage is not an adult; and I'm surprised that critics didn't point out that she runs into one. Although what doesn't help is that she doesn't actually cry when she storms off; she actually laughs, and I find it cute. The same applies for when she says the second "yeah" in the girliest tone possible.

   At the end of the episode, Sage and Amaryllis do not fight each other; instead, it's frogs (or grogs) flooding the room while Parnelle and Slimeboy are trapped in bubbles; so it's a very silly way for Sage to confront her conflict. Beyond this, Rosemary and Parsley make Thyme, and not Amaryllis, apologize to her.

   Sage is upset with Thyme because she agreed with her worst adversary, who had quickly antagonized with her in the second episode "Disorientation Day." However, Thyme is still rightfully confused over why she has to make an apology; because admittedly, it is unfair that she and Amaryllis were unable to go to lunch due to Sage's (rather childish) stubbornness.

   But everything about this scene and its context is just so goofy, it's hard to take seriously. Adding to this is how Parsley successfully coerces Thyme just by saying her name. In the end, Sage succeeds in using new magic after Thyme believes in her. Afterwards, they reconcile.

   I didn't mention the B plot because it's just Rosemary and Parsley having to write an essay with Snapdragon; and while it is nice to see a continuation of Rosemary's animosity with Snapdragon, it's not really important. But I do love her passionate energy in finding her best friend. Not only that, but the main plot somewhat ends the conflict between them. They do not antagonize again afterwards.

   The writing for this episode so lost, I actually enjoy it. In another bizarre twist, this has been my absolute favorite episode to review, even though it was far more difficult to write about than any of the last few reviews. Maybe I like the episode for the wrong reasons, but I still understand what High Guardian critics are talking about, and it demonstrates how bad (or clumsy) the world-building is.

   As much as Sage has a fair (or even ugly) amount of criticisms against her, she is more or less the symptom or bad writing, and not the cause.

When Sage loses it

previous episode review: Past Present

next episode review: Crushing Obstacles

list of High Guardian Spice episode reviews

4. "Past Present" Episode Review (GOOD)

   "You cannot begin to imagine." - Sage, when she returns home to her cousin's

   "Uh... hi." - Thyme, attempting to introduce herself to Parsley's brothers

   "I'm sorry, did you say Thyme?" - Thyme's mother, when visiting Parsley's home

   "Sure! She's my friend, from High Guardian Academy. The school got all infested with trabbers and was evacuated for the weekend, but her mom's away, so she's staying... with us." - Parsley, answering the question above before slowly realizing she is talking to Thyme's mother

   What feels like a filler episode is not. Instead, "Past Present" is a deeper look into the lives of each of the girls, and it is about as personal as it can be.

   Because High Guardian Academy is infested with trabbers, every student is required to return home; and surprisingly, Parsley is not responsible for this, nor is she held accountable. She could have easily and inadvertently did this in the previous episode. By leaving the underground caves, she could have released all of them into the school.

   But consequently, the girls must reconcile, or confront their home life before going back to academy life. Sage is once again caught between old magic and new magic, while Parsley and Thyme have conflict with their mothers. Similar to the previous episode "Transformations," each girl has a plot, with the exception of Rosemary.

   Having a life and conflict outside of High Guardian Academy, there is a bit more depth to the girls. Although I will admit that it is weird; if not lazy that all of the girls have issues with their mothers. Thyme would like to avoid Flora, Parsley is requested to stay at home with Angelica; and Sage learns that her mother experimented with new magic.

   The latter is most egregious, because despite telling Sage to only use old magic, she does not appear in the episode, and it would've been nice to have some kind of flashback.

   But in spite of Sage's arc focusing on old magic and new magic, there is no direct, easy explanation between their differences. After watching the episode, I wonder if different terraspheres have different properties, or if it is just cosmetic. I'm assuming it's the former, but it seems more like the latter.

   Even though Sage is impressed by new magic in the first episode, when Aunt Aloe produces a new room for her and Rosemary to sleep in; I don't understand why she is so resistant to the terrasphere Anise gives her. And because Sage is the smart one of the group, she would crave knowledge and at least experiment with new magic; but this does trigger the events of the next episode.

   She also claims that other students mock her for using old magic, but one student, Amaryllis, is not enough to support this. This doesn't really happen in the previous episodes, especially when she has never demonstrated or used old magic in front of other students. It could be argued that this happens in the background, but if this really does happen, then it should be shown on-screen.

   As for Parsley, even though she is my favorite protagonist of the show, the conflict with her mother seems contrived. Parsley believes that she is stopping her from making something of herself, but she has already done this, due to being a blacksmith and fulfilling (I assume) family tradition, and this is in spite of being a girl in a masculine occupation.

   Not only that, but in the episode "Disorientation Day," she is allowed to advance into Moss Phlox's third year class because she is already proficient at smithing; so why is she even bothering with academy life?

   However, I'm also guessing that Parsley does not want to help her mother in taking care of their family; i.e. she does not want to be her mother's assistant by taking care of her brothers. I say "guessing" because I'm unsure of why she is so upset. It could also be because her life (and occupation) at home is preventing her from making friends and having a social life, but this is clearly not the reason.

   Additionally, wouldn't Parsley's oldest brother become the next person in charge of helping their mother take care of the others?

   Still, the episode is a good reminder that the girls have lives outside the academy. Even though none of the humor in the episode is hysterically funny, the dilemmas that the girls face still make memorable moments, owing to the awkward moments they find themselves in.

   One good example is the face that Sage makes above. Another good example is when Thyme tries to introduce herself to Parsley's brothers when they are staring at her out of complete fascination. One of the boys even develops a crush on her.

   But the best example is when Thyme's mother visits Parsley's shop to repair a pair of scissors. Afterwards, Parsley explains that Thyme is staying with her in order to hide from her mother. Then, she eventually realizes that she is directly talking to her. The way her smile fades is just funny. Adding to this is how Flora has such a straight face when listening to her and looking down on her

   And sure, the plan to save Parsley's brother, Nettle, is complex and maybe even unnecessarily dramatic, but at least Parsley and Thyme work together to save him, and somewhat mend the relationship between Thyme and her mother.

   Overall, I like the episode for showing that the girls can't run from their problems at home. Things may have happened in the past, but they still have relevance in the present.

But what about the future?

previous episode review: Transformations

next episode review: Lost Cause

list of High Guardian Spice episode reviews