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REVIEW: Tis Time for "Torture," Princess Anime Series Review


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Wyvern



Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Posts: 1573
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 11:48 am Reply with quote
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



Joined: 08 Feb 2007
Posts: 1193
Location: A River Named Toms
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 12:46 pm Reply with quote
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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<('_')^



Joined: 20 Oct 2023
Posts: 59
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 12:53 pm Reply with quote
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



Joined: 11 Sep 2020
Posts: 567
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 1:44 pm Reply with quote
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



Joined: 06 Jul 2011
Posts: 296
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 2:46 pm Reply with quote
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



Joined: 07 Mar 2009
Posts: 23921
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 3:39 pm Reply with quote
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



Joined: 13 Apr 2005
Posts: 117
Location: SATX
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 3:51 pm Reply with quote
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



Joined: 30 Jan 2022
Posts: 2239
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 4:42 pm Reply with quote
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



Joined: 17 Jan 2022
Posts: 1061
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 5:00 pm Reply with quote
Hellord is best dad. Loved this show.
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quentntarantado



Joined: 07 Jul 2018
Posts: 13
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 6:25 pm Reply with quote
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:
    Solo Leveling
    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



Joined: 31 May 2005
Posts: 3746
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 8:35 pm Reply with quote
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



Joined: 02 Mar 2018
Posts: 84
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 9:49 pm Reply with quote
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



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 2168
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 10:48 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
Torture Princess

Not to be confused with Keishi Ayasato's isekai series of the same title.
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DarkAudit



Joined: 17 Oct 2020
Posts: 33
PostPosted: Sun Mar 31, 2024 12:03 am Reply with quote
akitainu wrote:
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.


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



Joined: 21 Apr 2023
Posts: 69
PostPosted: Sun Mar 31, 2024 6:27 am Reply with quote
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.

quentntarantado wrote:
I'm watching a second season (if there is) of this show

Like others mentioned, they actually announced one!
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