Fena: Pirate Princess

Plot

Ten years after surviving an attack on her family's ship, Fena Houtman washes ashore on the colonized island of Shangri-La. In the present, desperate to escape the island, Fena sells her virginity and enters an arranged marriage with Maxiver Jr., a volatile British soldier. Her escape plan falters, but she is saved by Otto and Salman, former knights of her family, and a group of hidden warriors that includes the samurai Yukimaru, who helped rescue Fena ten years ago. He knocks her out to ensure her safety as they flee from British soldiers and town guards. Fena, Otto, Salman, and a stray dog named Brule escape Shangri-La on a raft, landing on Goblin Island, home to a Japanese community led by Sanada Yukihisa. Sanada, whose ancestor was saved by the Houtmans, gives Fena a mysterious clear stone from her father, tied to his final voyage and the word "Eden". After cutting her hair and meeting the warriors who aided her escape, Fena receives a ship and Sanada's elite Goblin Knights to pursue the stone's secrets. Meanwhile, Royal Navy officer Abel hires pirate Grace O'Malley to hunt Fena.

Fena's crew, aboard the submersible Bonito II, stops at Bar-Baral for supplies. There, Fena, with warrior twins Kaede and Enju, uncovers a lead on another clear stone from Idar-Oberstein, Germany. Maxiver Jr., now leading pirates under Abel's command, ambushes them. Yukimaru is wounded protecting Fena, and Maxiver is captured and executed by Abel's orders. As the Bonito II sails to Germany, Fena struggles to learn combat. In Idar-Oberstein, the Burgomaster reveals the stone's French origin, its link to Joan of Arc's nickname, La Pucelle d'Orléans, and its purchase date of 1436, five years after her execution. Sailing to Orléans, Fena's crew explores a buried temple, where she experiences visions guiding them through catacombs to a glowing altar. O'Malley's crew, the Rumble Rose, ambushes them, demanding "coordinates to El Dorado" etched in Roman numerals on the stone. O'Malley kidnaps Fena, trapping the Goblin Knights in the catacombs. The Goblin Knights escape using gunpowder, but O'Malley delivers Fena to Abel on his ship, the Blue Giant. Abel, obsessed with a painting of Fena's mother, Helena, claims the Goblin Knights are using Fena to find Eden, where the legendary Kusanagi Sword is hidden. Yukimaru defies orders to rescue Fena alone, while O'Malley attacks the Blue Giant in revenge after Abel refuses payment. Abel destroys O'Malley's ship with a powerful cannon, triggering Fena's memories of the attack on her family's ship, orchestrated by the British. Yukimaru, wounded again by Abel, is saved by the Goblin Knights, who escape with Fena to Chaouen for medical aid.

In Chaouen, Goblin Knight Shitan blames Fena for Yukimaru's injuries, but they reconcile. Yukimaru recovers and vows to protect Fena, kissing her hand in a tender moment. Abel is haunted by memories of Helena, who was burned at the stake for eloping with Franz, Fena's father; Abel pursues Fena to fulfill Helena's wish to reunite in Eden. Fena's childhood song, "Vice Versa", combined with the stone's numerals, reveals coordinates to an uncharted island. There, the crew discovers a treasure-filled cave and a "lattice stage" where Fena's dance unlocks Eden's true entrance. Abel and the Royal Navy invade, and a battle erupts. Abel, delusional, sees Fena and Yukimaru as Helena and Franz, and wounds Yukimaru before collapsing. An entity, the Observer, reveals Fena as the "Maiden of Choosing", tasked with deciding whether to preserve or reset the world, losing her memories either way. Fena chooses, and the island collapses. Yukimaru awakens on a beach, finding an amnesiac Fena with an altered appearance. The Goblin Knights, carrying salvaged treasure, resolve to retrace Fena's journey to restore her memories. Yukimaru's confession of love sparks a partial memory recovery, suggesting he holds the key to her past.

Characters

Protagonists

Fena Houtman (フェナ・ハウトマン, Fena Hautoman)

Voiced by: Asami Seto (Japanese); Brittany Cox, Courtney ChuEp. 1 credits (young) (English)

An 18-year-old, pale-skinned princess with white blonde hair who was set adrift ten years ago by a younger Yukimaru the day her father's ship was attacked. Upon arriving on the island of Shangri-La, she is taken in by some people of a brothel. She is nicknamed the "White Marginal" in Shangri-La because of her white skin and hair. She is a positive, cheerful orphan despite her traumatic past. Years later, Fena sold herself into a marriage to an ill-tempered, abusive British soldier named Maxiver Jr. in an attempt to steal the money to escape the island. Her plan failed until she was rescued by Salman, Otto, and the Samurai Seven including Yukimaru.

Brule (ブルール, Burūru)

Voiced by: Michael SinterniklaasEp. 8 credits

A platinum white dog that lived on Shangri-La. When Fena was rescued from Maxiver Jr.'s men on Shangri-La, Brule followed Fena and has since become a companion to her and the Samurai Seven.

The Samurai Seven (サムライセブン, Samuraisebun) are a group of elite samurai that resides on Goblin Island, and Fena as her loyal pirate crew. They are the descendants of the Goblin Knights that decimated 3,000 Spanish soldiers at the Battle of Dunkirk and were "feared as the incarnation of Lucifer himself".

Yukimaru Sanada (真田雪丸, Sanada Yukimaru)

Voiced by: Ryōta Suzuki, Natsumi Kawaida (child)Ep. 1 credits (Japanese); Robb Moreira, Jackson GreenspanEp. 1 credits (young) (English)

An introverted masked samurai and the leader of the Samurai Seven, who helps to rescue Fena and works to keep her safe. Ten years ago when Yukimaru was a young boy, he helped to evacuate Fena during an attack by the Rumble Rose and the Royal Navy. He was later rescued by Kei, who trained him to be a samurai.

Antagonists

The Rumble Rose (ランブルローズ, Ranbururōzu) is a band of pirates led by O'Malley who are partially responsible for the attack on the ship ten years ago that led to the death of Fena's father. They also allied with Abel to partly obtain Fena for him and partly to get the coordinates to El Dorado. Each of its high-ranking female members have names similar to the famous female pirates and/or Navy members in history.

Grace O'Malley (グレース・オマリー, Gurēsu Omarī)

Voiced by: Rika FukamiEp. 3 credits (Japanese); Dawn M. BennettEp. 3 credits (English)

The female captain of the Rumble Rose with red hair and an eyepatch over her closed right eye who despite her beautiful appearance, she has a strong and arrogant personality that hates to lose. At the request of Abel Bluefield, she is aiming a party for Fena.

Ching Shih (チン・シー, Chin Shī)

Voiced by: Ai KinetaEp. 5 credits (Japanese); Marin MillerEp. 5 credits (English)

A high-ranking female member of the Rumble Rose, she is a staff member who is always calm and is also called O'Malley's right arm. Ching is good at physical attacks and has large sword wound on her left eye.

Charlotte Barry (シャーロット・バリー, Shārotto Barī)

Voiced by: Marina YabūchiEp. 3 credits (Japanese); Courtney ShawEp. 3 credits (English)

A high-ranking female member of the Rumble Rose, with a rapier and being crescent sword user, she has a dark personality, contrary to her cute appearance. Charlotte is most adored by O'Malley among the sailors.

Mary Read (メアリ・リード, Meari Rīdo)

Voiced by: Ayaka NanaseEp. 3 credits (Japanese); Stephanie ShehEp. 3 credits (English)

Supporting characters

Salman (サルマン, Saruman)

Voiced by: Manabu Muraji (Japanese); Frank Todaro (English)

An older knight who helps to rescue Fena from her fate. He was once nicknamed "Salman the Onslaught" for having killed his enemies with a spear and knew Fena when she was a little girl.

Otto (オットー, Ottō)

Voiced by: Hiroaki Hirata (Japanese); Doug Stone (English)

An older knight who helps to rescue Fena from her fate. He was once nicknamed "Otto the Blitz" for his quick swordplay and knew Fena when she was a little girl.

Yukihisa Sanada (真田雪橋, Sanada Yuki-bashi)

Voiced by: Hōchū ŌtsukaEp. 2 credits (Japanese); Scottie RayEp. 2 credits (English)

The leader of a Japanese community on Goblin Island and Shitan's uncle, he is the one that provides the Samurai Seven to Fena in her quest and even gave Fena a stone that her father wanted her to have. Though he later sent a message to the Samurai Seven to leave Fena once she has served her purpose as he sends Kei to recover Fena.

Kei (ケイ)

Voiced by: Kōji YusaEp. 5 credits (Japanese); Keith SilversteinEp. 5 credits (English)

A samurai and Shitan's older brother who was responsible for rescuing Yukimaru and training him. Kei has become like a brother figure to him. Sanada later dispatched Kei to recover Fena.

Other characters

Franz Houtman (フランツ・ハウトマン, Furantsu Hautoman)

Voiced by: Kazuhiro Nakaya (Japanese); Michael SinterniklaasEp. 1 credits (English)

A noble Dutchman who was the head of the Houtman family and had ties to Eden. He pretended to be a butler of the king of England to help Helena to fulfill her task: to seduce the king to make the new La Pucelle/maiden. After that, Franz eloped with Helena and raised Fena as his adoptive daughter. He was killed during a raid by the Rumble Rose and British Army. Before dying and helping a younger Fena set her adrift in a lifeboat, he told her to find "Eden".

Angie (アンジー, Anjī)

Voiced by: Saori TakamiyaEp. 1 credits (Japanese); Zoey MartinEp. 1 credits (English)

A prostitute residing on Shangri-La. She is a co-worker and friend of Fena. Fena has shown her multiple times her escape plans over the years. Angie had a crush on Abel, which she flustered every time she seeing him. However, after learning of Abel's obsession with his past, she decided helping Fena to find Eden.

Helena des Armoises (ヘレナ, Herena)

Voiced by: Maaya SakamotoEp. 9 credits (Japanese); Xanthe HuynhEp. 9 credits (English)

A noble Frenchwoman who was a former maiden, a descendant of Joan of Arc, and the mother of Fena. She was the old childhood friend and lover of Abel. She had blue eyes and had platinum blond ankle-length hair. She came to England on a mission to seduce the king and to produce the new La Pucelle. Together with Franz, who pretended to be the king's butler to aid Helena's task, Helena ran away to a safer country.

Production and release

The series was directed by Kazuto Nakazawa, Tetsuya Takahashi, and Saki Fujii. Asako Kuboyama penned the series' scripts, while Yuki Kajiura composed the music. The opening theme song is "Umi to Shinju" (海と真珠; lit. "The Sea and a Pearl") performed by Junna, while the ending theme song is "Saihate" (サイハテ; lit. "The Farthest Shore") performed by Minori Suzuki.

The English dub aired on Adult Swim's Toonami programming block while simultaneously launching for streaming in Japanese with English subtitles on Crunchyroll, from August 15 to October 24, 2021; the first two episodes premiered back-to-back. In Japan, the series aired from October 3 to December 19, 2021, on MBS, Tokyo MX, BS Asahi, and AT-X. In Southeast Asia, the series premiered on May 2, 2022, on Animax.

On September 28, 2022, Jason DeMarco, senior vice president of action and anime programming for Adult Swim, confirmed that the series was written off by Warner Bros. Discovery after it had been removed from Adult Swim's website.

Episodes

Note: All episodes were storyboarded by Kazuto Nakazawa.

Reception

The series received a mixed reception. Rafael Motomayor, writing for IGN, gave it a 7 out of 10, praising the high production values and quality of animation, but criticizing the poor writing and convoluted ending. Hilary Leung, writing for CBR, also praised the animation quality and setup, noting that "the character designs, animation style and plot are highly reminiscent of anime from the '90s to early '00s, hitting all the right nostalgic notes for fans of that era", but was less impressed by the inconsistent tones and pacing of the series.