Fire Force Season 3 Episode 1 brings audiences back to this crazy world and ratchets up the sound design, animation and intensity by a thousand degrees. Shinra Kusakabe and his friends in Company 8 of the Special Fire Force Companies are quickly reintroduced after almost a five-year hiatus from when Season 2 ended on December 12, 2020. David Production has been working on other notable anime adaptations in between this gap, such as Cells At Work! Season 2, Urusei Yatsura and Undead Unluck.
Fire Force Season 3 Episode 1 picks up with Shinra and the team about to uncover the world’s greatest secret. But just as the other Special Fire Force Companies unite to face the looming disaster, Obi is captured by the Tokyo Imperial Army, and Company 8 is branded as traitors. Hunted by the Empire, they must fight alone to rescue Obi and stop the Evangelist—all while a new assassin and the corrupt Captain Burns block their path.
Immediately after the recap, Shinra and his fellow classmate Arthur Boyle square off in a skirmish to see who would win in a fight. Director Tatsuma Minamikawa uses this fight to reintroduce the ragtag bunch that makes up Company 8. This is an awesome way to re-jog the memories of each characters’ role and powers. After around 5 or 6 minutes of reintroductions, the show jumps right into the new season’s drama. Later, the top Evangelists get their reintroductions, too—with antagonist Haumea of the White-Clad cult at the center.
“Anyone who enjoys this world as much as I do will not be disappointed with Fire Force Season 3 Episode 1 igniting the fandom once again.”
From the opening fight alone, the sound design and animation are noticeably better than ever. As this is Fire Force’s final season, the creators are clearly not holding back anything. Every attack’s sound effect is filled with the impact of a whole ion cannon blast—so unnecessary but so satisfying. Every flame attack, environment design or lighting choice masterfully showcases the brilliance behind making this anime come to life, something other shows lack. The high-level audio with stunning, smooth animation sets the bar high for the rest of the final season.
Fire Force Season 3 Episode 1 continues to use the running gag of Tamaki Kotatsu’s self-diagnosed “Lucky Lecher Lure Syndrome” to evoke suggestive situations. It is a bad, cheap joke of the series to describe her unnatural bad luck. So far, it appears to be turned down a bit. Season 2 really runs the joke into the ground, stripping her bare naked solely for fan service—really a terrible detail for an anime of the times, but who am I to kink-shame? Luckily, this is only one small smear in the treasure trove of creative genius and intricate storytelling.
Overall, this conclusive season provides the ultimate sensory experience from the get-go, burning the hair follicles off my face. With previous seasons receiving 24 episodes each, this could be the biggest one yet. The only known fact is this season will be split into two parts or two cours.
Whether this means Fire Force Season 3 is getting two 13-episode cours or two 24-episode cours, I am excited to return to this world. For fans of Soul Eater, this is a must-see series to complete. Anyone who enjoys this world as much as I do will not be disappointed with Fire Force Season 3 Episode 1 igniting the fandom once again.
