Ep 8. Ripper Dipper

The anime series Princess Principal transports viewers to a Victorian-style world of spies and espionage. In season one, episode eight, titled Ripper Dipper, the plot thickens as the lives of the five spies who make up the team known as "Team White Pigeon" become more complex.

The episode begins with Action Girl Chise leading the team into a derelict building outside the city. While its façade looks innocent enough, the rundown establishment harbours a dark secret that poses a threat to the British Empire. As they enter the building, they discover a murder scene that looks like it was committed by Jack the Ripper, the infamous 19th-century serial killer who terrorized London. The team is horrified by the display of mutilated body parts, and the gore intensifies when they realize that "Jack" was sloppy this time and left a fingerprint.

Team White Pigeon is tasked with getting their hands on the criminal's fingerprint to find out if he is really Jack the Ripper, or if this crime was committed by an imitator. The fingerprint leads them to the house of a former constable, an oddball who spends his days tinkering with machinery. Though their intended plan of retrieving the fingerprint fails, the team is given an unexpected gift when a mysterious, steampunk-style device called the "Ripper Dipper" is revealed.

The device, captured in all its shiny glory by the anime's vivid art directions, is a spectrometer that can detect and analyze things such as fingerprints on any surface. As it turns out, the ex-constable is the inventor behind "Ripper Dipper." Despite his initial hostility, he is intrigued by the team's expertise and agrees to work with them to capture the real Jack if he is still alive. The team is eager to ace this opportunity to prove their skills.

In "Ripper Dipper," the show emphasizes how the five girl spies work in tandem, leveraging each other's strengths to create a cohesive unit. As the team goes on a mission that involves getting invited to a high-society meeting, they cross paths with a gentleman who helps them acquire a map of Jack the Ripper's supposed hideout.

But things never go as planned in Princess Principal. Viewers get introduced to a new character, a formidable lady fighter known as the "Black Lizard." With the help of her loyal dog, she ambushes Team White Pigeon and steals the Ripper Dipper. As Lady Black Lizard attempts to flee on a flying gyrocopter, several soldiers catch on and shoot her down.

The scene is the highlight of the episode, with dizzying aerial acrobatics and explosions animating the action. The episode's gripping pace climaxes in a thrilling plot twist, proving Team White Pigeon's resourcefulness and perfect synchronization.

In the end, Princess Principal's season one episode eight, "Ripper Dipper," delivers another layer to the show's spy thriller plotline. As viewers grow more invested in characters like Chise, Ange, and the rest of the team, the show crafts an engaging blend of action, intrigue, and distinct worldbuilding. The sharp animation style and memorable characters create a world that's believable yet imaginative, as the show explores the Victorian era from a fresh perspective. As the credits roll, viewers are left eager to dive deeper into the show's mysterious and thrilling world.