Live On Cardliver Kakeru

Live On Cardliver Kakeru is an anime based on the manga of the same name. Seeing as there wasn’t a review for this, I figured that I should make one. I have no idea how to play the game and perhaps I’ll pick it up throughout the series.

SYNOPSIS/PLOT:
LOCK focuses on our main character, Kakeru who, like usual, wants to become the number one Live player. In his school, he’s the number two Cardliver just beneath his classmate, Ai. It seems that, Ai’s only advantage is that she has a Live Change Card. One day, Kakeru finds a strange dog which is being pursued by a ... group of strange people. During a Live match against one of the people in said group, Kakeru receives a Live Change Card from the dog which allowed him to transform into Blue Mane Wolf and win the battle.

CHARACTERS:
Kakeru is your typical card game shounen protagonist; wishes to be the best, spiky hair and the cards he use are red. He also has the same drive to protect random dog-like creatures that he sees injured which leads him into a fight that he absolutely must win. Ai Kozeri, however, isn’t your typical shounen girl which was a nice change. Her cards revolve around birds and she has the upper hand on the male protagonist [girl power]. How long that lasts can only be told with time.

SOUND:
The music in LOCK seems really…annoying. For the first time in a long time, I just skip past the OP and ED not because I don’t want to hear them but because they just shouldn’t be heard. The background music seems generic but the voice acting however is fine seeing as the voices match the characters’ appearances [so far].

ANIMATION:
The animation is what has impressed me the most about LOCK. Although it began in 2008, the artwork reflects 2009 in my opinion. Colors seem to flow well and the color schemes used for the characters fit them. I must say, it’s nice to see an anime where the male protagonist’s color scheme doesn’t revolve around every single part of his clothing being red and the female protagonist, pink. The villains do, however, look like rip off Team Rocket grunts.

ENTERTAINMENT:
LOCK kept me entertained throughout the episode that I’ve seen and it made me want to look for the following episodes to see what happens. Also, I have this feeling that the Live game itself will be explained should I choose to continue the series.

OVERALL:
All in all, LOCK seems like a good watch but for those anime fans around the ages of 8-13. I’m a die hard cardgame anime fan but I’m just not sure about it. It definitely isn’t an anime I’d download episode after episode and watch in one sitting. I give Live On Cardliver Kakeru 6/10.