Zhan Shuang Panini

Quick disclaimer this review will be based on the CN version instead of the JP version. The JP dub takes out many of the best references so it wouldn't be fair to review it based off of an inferior version.

9/10 Overall
Panini Gray Raven is certainly a gem. It's not a very episodic anime that most are usually used to but instead it's a self contained short. Anyone can easily watch this anime even if they don't play the game because of it being just shorts. It's hilarious in many ways especially with how the animation direction is purely just nerds being nerds with their references ... and memes from both pop culture and from PGR. If you are trying to watch something that is more action based or story based you won't find it here but this anime offers it's own unique slice of life takes from our favorite characters and exaggerates their funny traits.

The main notable thing of this anime is the characters individual meme traits being accentuated up to 11. Take out all the depressing main story and plot development of all the characters, now throw it out the window and all you are left with is their fun side traits. What is left is just pure comedy, an example is look at lucia, she has forgotten her past when she was betrayed and "lost" her sister, now she's just a bad cook. Lee has a brother he looked out for and is very aloof, now we got someone who just gets lost a lot. Liv is a kind nurturing person, well just turn that up to 11. And of course some honorable mentions are Kamui who is just a slacker who plays video games and says kimochi yokata and Chrome being an even bigger babysitter. It's just a melting pot of adorable traits that mixes in well with it's light hearted stories and style.

Another major point of the anime is the references. We are all aware that Kuro Games is just full of weebs with the references already in the game. Many of the characters are already inspired by already existing characters in games and incorporate some straight shameless references like in stronghold 14 or 15 you fight the Jojos. Now they just put all of that weeb energy into an anime with references to Naruto, JOJO, Star Wars, A WHOLE ASS GUNDAM, Cyberpunk 2077, and even the dancing coffin meme. They reference it in so many ways from seamlessly adding it into the animation to outright making it part of the side plot. It's definitely one of those animes where when you see the references it puts a smile on your face.

Of course it's not a masterpiece in any way and the gripes that this anime has is it's more slow episodes. The story beats in each episode range from being hilarious to just being a snooze to sit through. It can go from an entire episode about kamui needing to use a toilet in the most bizarre plot line and incorporate a sharingun so seamlessly into a toilet flush but at the same time it can be a boring episode about how to be more feminine with Ayla, Bianca, and Nanami. Of course the amines pacing is non existent because it s a bunch of self contained episodes but for an anime where you want to randomly watch an episode for laughs, it certainly has its more forgettable episodes as well. Because of how it's self contained though, it's easy to just skip the episodes that aren't really needed and just enjoy whatever episode you would want to just casually watch.

The animation and anime are pretty good as well. It's a chibi anime so like Lucky Star it wouldn't need much but seeing how detailed the character designs are in PGR and how well they were able to translate it all and still deliver an anime that isn't a slide show is pretty nice. The characters are adorable, the animation is smooth, and all together the art is very clean and pleasing to look at.. Artistically there is always something to look at and be engaged on when watching it from just a pure art and animation standpoint.

Lastly the music, the intro music is really fun and catchy and epic. The use of 8bit really drives home the idea that it's a guilty pleasure anime more than watching a genuine well rounded anime like Spy x Family or JoJo. And most of the other music incorporated in is mostly just from the game which is already really good thanks to Vanguard sound and other artists that have worked on the OST for PGR. There isn't really much more to add onto it since it's only 2 new original tracks with the rest being already pre-existing OSTs from the game.

All in all its a fun recommendation, because it's very short and doesn't really require full knowledge on the actual game it can easily be watched at any time and anywhere on youtube when anyone has spare time. If you have knowledge of those characters and the game it's even better to watch because you get to see your favorite characters be as goofy and light hearted which lets be honest, we don't get to see that with how depressing the actual story in PGR is.