'King Grizzle Beard' (or 'King Thrushbeard') is a story that has grown on me over-time. On first read, the unlikeability of the female protagonist and what to me seemed over-the-top abuse of her put me off. But now as a young adult, they don't put me off anywhere near as much and really do appreciate the story for its character growth and the valuable lesson/message it teaches. An important one to teach and is hardly out of date today, far from it.
Although it is not without its flaws/inconsistencies and some episodes are better than others, 'Grimm Masterpiece Theater'/'Grimm Fairy Tale Classics' is well worth watching and is quite a fascinating series. Of which its version of 'King Thrushbeard' ranking all the episodes is in the better half. It does very well at making the story engaging and accessible and gives it near-full impact while still being tasteful. It handles the story better than 'Simsala Grimm' did, which made the titular character too cruel.
Will admit to not always being particularly bowled over by the voice acting, which is generally one of the more variable components of 'Grimm Masterpiece Theater'. That aspect was starting to improve, fit more and become more consistent, and this felt like a step backwards. The narrator and the voice for Helena's father came off best, the latter being the one that fitted the most. Did think that the titular character should have had a more mature voice, he sounded more like a prince than a king and it didn't fit his treatment of Helena. Who came off better and softened when she grew as a character but sounded shrill at the start.
Some of Grizzle Beard's treatment of Helena, while thankfully not too extreme, was done in a way that made one feel sorry for Helena too early, despite hating her at first.
The animation though is bright and detailed, if not always with finesse in the drawing. The music doesn't feel as recycled or too 80s and is in sync with what's happening well. Really admired the maturity of the writing, perfect for a story that is very mature, and the story compelling. The lessons Helena is taught make their mark without going too extreme on the cruelty.
Helena's character writing is one of 'King Grizzle Beard's' most striking assets. You do hate her at first but by the end she's the one one feels sorry for. Of the female characters that have negative character traits and are taught a lesson, Helena is the among those that to me grows the most throughout the story and her change is believable as a result. The valuable lesson/ message 'King Grizzle Beard' resonates without being laid on too thick.
In conclusion, very well done. 8/10