Failure Frame episode 11: Seven Arcs makes CGI look good as tension mounts in penultimate installment

Failure Frame episode 11 was expected to primarily focus on protagonist Touka Mimori’s upcoming battle with virtually every beast in the Land of Golden-Eyed Monsters. Officially released on Thursday, September 19, 2024, this certainly was one of the episode’s focuses, but not its chief one, splitting time relatively evenly with other major highlights.

However, Touka’s battle in Failure Frame episode 11 is notable for the fact of how well Seven Arcs incorporates CGI animation into the action, and how high quality CGI animation is. While it’s not perfect (as almost no use in anime truly is), it’s without a doubt one of the best implementations seen in the medium, made more impressive given the series’ rocky CGI start. It’s yet another perfect installment for the series, which has no true negatives it can be docked for.

Failure Frame episode 11 review: Great animation all around, intense plotlines, and more help achieve perfection

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To more specifically discuss Failure Frame episode 11’s use of CGI animation, there’s a sequence at the start of Touka’s fight, which is particularly impressive. As he launches his first attack, Piggymaru’s tentacles strike the eye as particularly well-animated despite being CGI. This segues into a focus on the berserk-afflicted monsters fighting each other, which also looks incredible relative to what one may generally expect from CGI-style animation.

While there are the typical CGI tradeoffs that linger, such as difficulty with facial expression, it’s generally a very well-produced approach to the style, which is implemented well here. The direction specifically serves to bolster the CGI and present it in as favorable a manner as possible. Closeups are generally avoided, but when implemented are swift and are typically hallmarked by brevity and dynamic movement in each.

Failure Frame episode 11 also excels with Slei’s CGI animation, which looks much better in fast, rapid action than it did standing still during the character’s initial introduction. The aforementioned enemy monsters are also equally well animated for the most part, specifically the “human-faced monsters” in the episode. Finally, there’s a particularly fluid scene when Touka is fighting on the ground, lacking the disjointedness CGI is known for when attempting static focus on dynamic motion.

Failure Frame episode 11 review (Image via Seven Arcs)

While the episode's use of CGI certainly deserves to be front and center in this review, many other aspects combine to make up the third perfect release in a row. Rising tensions in the plot specifically enthrall viewers here, especially the focus on Class 2-C, which reveals conflicting philosophies and egos in the wake of certain students’ deaths. This is also clearly meant not to be hard-hitting, but to serve as a setup for future developments.

This seems especially likely considering Failure Frame episode 11 serves as the first season’s penultimate installment. Likewise, this scene also serves as good payoff for the time spent with Class 2-C thus far considering those characters most focused on are the main players here. It serves both as an acceptable conclusion for them in season 1, while also presenting a clear opportunity for season 2 set up in next week’s finale.

Speaking of set up, episode 11’s next major source of tension comes from its cliffhanger, seeing Eve Speed run into Kobato Kashima instead of Touka, leading to Itsuki Takao attacking her. The episode ends before Eve’s fate is resolved, with fans only knowing that she was fully paralyzed as Itsuki rushes her. While not extremely dramatic in and of itself, tension is heightened by the death flags which signal for Eve in a prior scene.

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Essentially, Failure Frame episode 11 sees Eve make an argument for her going after Touka, getting approval from Seras to do so and sentimentally parting ways with Lizbeth. However, Lizbeth’s final words ask her to take care of Touka, to which Eve apologizes mentally. Clearly, this is a major death flag which suggests she plans to sacrifice herself for Touka’s sake, as her apology makes little to no sense otherwise.

In turn, this makes the cliffhanger more impactful by nature of suggesting that the same destination will be reached, but on a much different journey. This also emphasizes how well characterized and developed both Eve and Lizbeth have been; in the episode’s final moments, viewers’ thoughts naturally and immediately go to each because of the bond they already have with these supporting characters.

Likewise, this aspect of Failure Frame episode 11 speaks to how excellent the series’ writing is in general. Certainly, the character writing speaks for itself, but there are other highlights as well. While it certainly toes the line at some points, Touka’s ranting and raving on revenge, nor his and Seras’ implicit love, comes off as cringeworthy at any point. This also speaks to additional general dialogue of Touka’s, which is certainly dressed up, but never to a point of alienation.

A final major highlight is the manner in which Touka chooses to fight the literal forest of monsters he attracts to his location. The sheer number of enemies brings out the best of Touka’s powers and abilities, and drives home that he’s as dominant against a crowd as he is one-on-one. It’s an effective means of showing how versatile and powerful Touka is, while also still creating tension via the sense that his plan has gone “wrong.”

Beyond this, Failure Frame episode 11 maintains an adequate enough level of quality in other major areas to not be considered true negatives. Voice acting is acceptable but hardly remarkable across the board, with Daiki Yamashita’s performance as Tomohiro Yasu being particularly high quality. 2D animation is also as smooth and consistent as ever, featuring some great stylization choices such as Eve’s eyes when she first approaches Kobato Kashima.

Failure Frame episode 11 review: Final thoughts

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As the series’ third perfect installment in a row, episode 11 is particularly promising and feels like a microcosm of what the series can be when fully unshackled. While it’s unlikely fans will see this level of quality weekly, it serves as a blueprint of what each arc will likely be building towards as its climax. In this way, there’s plenty for fans to be excited about as the first season heads into its conclusive release.