Btooom!

The following review DOES NOT contain any spoilers.

Story: 9
Btooom! follows 22 year old protagonist, Ryōta Sakamoto. Ryōta is one of the world's best Btoom players, an online multiplayer where the objective is to seek out and destroy your opponents using BIMS (bombs). However, after being kidnapped and transported to a secluded island, he is forced to play the game for real.

The story entails a mix of survival and psychological. The story is literally booming with ideas. From the unique BIM variants, to the psychotic inhabitants trying to blow you apart at any opportunity.


Art: 8
In terms of art, Btooom! has a lot going for it. ... The scenery is superbly detailed, and the lighting is magnificent. My only negative comment so far is blood lacks detail.


Sound: 7
The voice acting is what you'd expect from the majority of anime. Unfortunately, the soundtrack isn't anything impressive.


Character: 9
The story has your typically pathetic protagonist that we all hate to relate to. Being a psychological drama, the show is full of gritty characters with rather interesting and unpredictable personalities.


Enjoyment: 10
It's rare to come across an anime with so much to offer it's audience. Explosive action, great characters, and a story that will actually keep you guessing.


Overall: 9
Fans of Mirai Nikki, Gantz and Deadman Wonderland will be in for a treat that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

That feeling when you get when you realized your life is now fucked up, turned from virtual fun into a bloody reality, and your only chance to survive is to trust in no one (I mean it here) but yourself. With only your disposal – a package of bombs, a strange gem on your hand, and your own intuition, you realize that your life has been changed forever with your new life now residing on a strange island in the middle of nowhere...

So, what should you choose to do?

A) Panic! Scream and hope someone will help you out
B) Try to team up with someone and ... trust in him or her and hope that they will not betray you.
C) Do the opposite of choice B. In other words, when you find the first opportunity, KILL THEM after you've gained their trust
D) Just try to survive. Your life belongs to you and yours only

These all sound pretty horrifying, right? Well, that's Btooom! for you.

Btooom! is survival horror themed anime series based off the manga of the same name. It doesn't take long for the characters in the series to realize their lives have changed forever to be quite honest. The series takes itself from the very beginning and presents a game senario where in order to survive, you must kill seven other people before they can kill you. It's survival of the fittest and it's a every one for themselves.

The basis of the series is actually based off a game from the anime series itself called Btooom. But now, our 22-years old main protagonist Ryota Sakamoto's life has changed forever when he realizes the new situation of his reality. In fact, he used to be an pro gamer from the game itself. However, his new life puts on the edge between survival and death. The difference? It's real. In other words, there's no pause button, no restart, or bonus lives. No, now you're dead, YOU'RE DEAD.

The influence of the series seems to be based off of the classic deserted island theme. Only this time, the island itself becomes a battlefield for survival. And of course, series with themes like this isn't new especially in today's anime industry. Series like Mirai Nikki, Deadman Wonderland, and Gantz all have these themes where survival is absolute. Even in manga series, these themes are present such as Psyren, Mahou Shoujo of the End, and Cage of Eden. The fact is that these series all share a common factor in which an ordinary main male protagonist's lives are changed forever after a certain event. These events turn from peculiar, to dangerous, to tragic, to emotional, and one which will leave a memory in their minds for the rest of their lives.

Those characters/contestants:

Well, it's hard to describe them all but let's look at some of the most prominent ones, shall we? We begin with the main male protagonist -

Ryota Sakamoto. He is a 22 year old young man who has achieved mastery and fame in the Btooom world. In the game, he is ruthless but yet cunning as well as being infamous for his skills. In real life though, he is described as a NEET. In other words, he has almost no life but rather chooses to spent them playing the game. Yet, he is a brilliant, caring, loyal, and courageous young man if we look at him carefully especially during his time of playing the real Btooom game in the anime series.

On the other hand, there's Himiko (also known as Hemilia). She is the main female protagonist with a pair of big boobs but with a small interest in the opposite sex. As a matter of fact, she hates the male population in general for fear of her past. It's for this reason that she carries a stun gun throughout the series as a warning sign to any men who dares to approach her. In her mind, every men in the game (and possibly on the planet) is her enemy and that she is their prey. This is especially true in the beginning episodes where some of flashbacks are shown in a dark fashion.

The other contestants of the Btooom game all have different ideologies, goals, and personalities as we see the series progresses. What they all have share in similarities is their desire to win the game and get off the island. As such, most of them are willing to hurt, betray, and even kill to ensure that their goal is achieved; well, most of them anyways. For people like Kiyoshi Taira, there seems to be hope and friendship. But for others, there exists hatred, dominance, power, and intellect as part of their characteristics.

For example, Kousuke Kira, a young boy at the age of only 14 holds a hatred for his father due to his childhood. It turned him into a child murderer and one that lacks empathy. Then, there's Masahito Date who is willing to do anything to ensure his successes throughout the game and becomes its victor. Then, there are some others who uses their brains rather than their brawns such as Nobutaka Oda who has mastered his usage of the Remote Control type BIM. The point is that every one the island wants to get out of it and return to their lives.

Yet, they know their lives won't be the same again...

The games' concept involves survival and thus, there are some science fiction themes mixed in with the brutality of violence, strategy, and a little bit of luck. After all, a game is never easy when there are others with skills that matches your own. To add to the game, there are the BIMs or bombs that players use as their main weapons of destruction. These bombs all have different abilities that can lead to the death of an opponent. It reflects the science fiction side of the series. The horror side? Those would be some of the flashbacks of the characters as well as the reality of what the players face. They realize that it's not a game anymore and once they're dead, it's game over forever.

Now, the series isn't as good as it sounds. Make no mistake because every survival series has a lack of something that should have been there. In this case, Btooom has them too. The series lacks a diversity in which how the game is played. In other words, there is only bombs that are the primary weapons for the contestants. It does play on its main title as “Btooom!” seems to be synonymous to “BOOM!” That's of course what happens when one of those BIMs goes off and your body splatters. As gruesome as it sounds, the series tries too hard occasionally. Furthermore, the main male protagonist often comes with cases of deus ex machina. It's almost as if he is protected by the “main protagonist should not die” shield. Other problems I've run into the series is that the seemingly rushed sequences. Some of the contestants are killed off in a single episode with little to no screen time given beyond their performance in the game. In other words, they don't stand out as much as the main protagonists. In the end, they're just more like obstacles for them to get by and almost a way for them to “level up” or gain experience in the game.

The artwork of the series is fine but nothing unique. What it does reflect though is the nature of the game of Btooom and its survival themes. These include the abandoned buildings, the tropical forests, the shallow waters, the high mountain cliffs, and other things you typically see on an abandoned island. In fact, most of the characters' outfits reflects this as well in their casual wear and their battle scarred clothing. Most of them are dressed in ways in which they are of themselves which means that none of them were prepared for a real life version of Btooom. And of course, the battlefield has left ashes and bombs going off is usually visually represented with its spectacular explosions. Nothing else is more than that though as I found the artwork to be typical but gets to the point.

The soundtrack of the series is presented with its action paced OST. In most scenes involving action, there is the rhythm. There is hardly any comedic or lighthearted soundtrack in this series as it doesn't fit within those grounds. Yet, it does occasionally have emotional melody especially for flashback scenes of the contestants; more often these are represented as being tragic. The OP song, "No pain, No game" by Nano is a classic for this series. That's right, no pain means no game and in the world of Btooom, there's both of that. On the other hand, the ED song, "Aozora " by May'n is presented in a more soft paced style especially featuring one of the main characters, Himiko.

Ultimately, Btooom is one of those survival horror series that can be enjoyable but at the same time, becomes frustrating with its strange twists. The cliffhangers and occasionally plot twists have become predictable especially in later episodes. At the same time, there is a feeling of explosiveness (more than just the BIMs) when we watch the action scenes. It's not intelligent but packs that feeling of survival horror where your life really is at stake here. In the world of Btooom, it ultimately comes down to how to play the game. If you play your cards right, you'll win. If not, then game over for you and no second chances.

As my expectations for starting the show "Btooom!" were relatively low, running into this action packed Dark Thriller, was actually quite a blast, It is hard to put away, despite the noticeable harsh flaws, it has great character backgrounds, and throughout most of the time, great execution.

Story:10, Like most popular shows recently, it is resolved around a video game. In this show, its resolved around a game called Btooom, a game where you attempt to kill a team of other players with bombs, obviously not sounding very exciting, that quickly jumps into a real life psychological triller death match on a island, leading you to ... feel concern for many of the players at multiple times, leading to a great ride.

Art:8, Not being this shows strong point, the art was actually pretty good, the way they added the Ecchi, in this type of show was where it lacked, and aside from that, the non main character design was poor.

Sound:9, Unlike most masterpieces that can use sound to overly make a show more and more amazing, this show still used Sound in the casual way, for expense, nothing bad to say about it, but i have certainly seen better. At the very least, the Opening Song, is one of the best Opening's I have ever heard.

Character:5, This is the part where this show was lacking the hardest, its not that the characters weren't lovable, or had good backgrounds, its more of the fact, that throughout the series, It was like the characters has the inability to pickup on the most obvious details, this literally make me want to scream.

Enjoyment: 7, This was both a good, and bad. The good coming from a game about bombs, literally turning into a suspenseful dark as fuck, fun ride, I had no expectations for the way the bombs could be used as good fight scenes, during the beginning of the show, but as you get going, you can see, they really did that well.
The problem was the needless fan service and needless rape, now, sure it brought decent backstory's and traumatized the characters in a positive way. but it could have been done far better, to a non aggravating standpoint.

Overall:7/10, Despite the rather mediocre execution, Btooom, was an extremely good marathon, and i would love to see a second season, It's honestly underrated on MAL, and the reasons for that stand out, but at the same time, it has its own personal redeeming factors in the midst of that. The background stories were great, and if future seasons are released, should show greatly in the future.

Final Thoughts: Greatly surpassed my expectations, fun ride, worth even a rewatch some time, and i can't wait for the next season.

FEEDBACK: I would definitely appreciate feedback; it would help me to become a better writer.

#AnimeX

Videogames, and Anime seem to go hand in hand. A combination of the two should be a perfect union with the similar niche audience they target. There have been several attempts at such a union, and why not? Should be easy enough. For me, though, these shows never quite hit their mark. However I think I've come across one particular show that did - well, mostly.

Story: 7

"Btooom!" as I stated blends the two concepts of Anime and videogames together to form its narrative. Unlike other attempts at this such as "Sword Art Online"/".Hack Sign" "Btooom!" does something different. Instead of bringing the players into ... the game the show brings the game into reality (there is a difference). This works greatly in the shows favor by showing the blurred line between the virtual world, and physical. Anyone who has had a "addiction" to gamming, specifically online, knows exactly what I mean. Having the characters being placed in a game like scenario while staying in reality is just more interesting. The idea of a "survival game" has been done before throughout the medium; so I wouldn't blame someone if they said "the whole idea seems tired at this point", but what "Btooom!" has going for it is its setting. The lush tropical island is ideal for something like this, and is a beautiful paradise filled with danger- human or otherwise. One problem that I had with the show is the jarring fan service. It was just tone conflicting, and destroyed any idea of taking some parts/characters seriously. The show is still a lot of fun, but just seems unsure of itself. Now for the elephant in the room, which is the ending. There isn't one. Of course this is due to the fact that the Anime only adapted a few chapters of the Manga, and not the whole thing (which isn't finished yet). This might be a problem for some people, and I completely understand. I however don't mind seeing as I can just read the rest of the story from the Manga itself, but I thought this was still something worth mentioning. Overall concept is sound, and mostly nails it on the execution. Just some missteps here, and there hold the product back.

Art: 8

The lush, colorful, and vibrant jungle environment is truly something behold. The sandy shores of paradise is animated beautiful by Madhouse. The character designs themselves were handled well besides for a couple of hiccups (referring to Himiko, but more on that later). No real complaints on this end. My eyes were pleased.

Sound: 7

So where the OST is concerned it's a mixed bag. Half of it was pretty damn good where the other was...interesting. I personally enjoyed it, but it had this really awkward roaring sax piece that threw me for a loop by how ridiculous it was. However certain action pieces were kept up with some upbeat music, and played off the scenes nicely. The voice acting was also top notch, and no real complaints performance wise. Not much more to say except damn good job.

Characters: 7

So here is actually one of the best, and worst parts of the show. I'll be breaking this down by focusing on the three main characters: Himiko, Ryouta, and Taira. For the rest of the lot they were a mixed bag of interesting to nonexistent (except for that little kid, sweet Jesus).Anyways so Ryouta is our protagonist for this tale, and I must say I was impressed. Unlike most shows of this breed where the main characters are normal, functioning humans "Btooom!" showcases what people who dive an inhuman amount of time into online gaming actually are like. NEETs, losers, social outcasts, people who make the game their life. Online gaming is used as a sort of escape from ones reality for some. Seeing this represented through Ryouta was refreshing. You usually don't see such a realistic take on a matter such as this in the medium. This is a nice transition actually into talking about Himiko. Himiko is actually the biggest problem with the show. The root of the matter is she helps reinforce the clash in tones that I mentioned earlier. Spoilers aside to be short she has this aversion to men, and has a pretty damn good reason why. The issues are in the writer trying to pull something serious using this character. She is over sexualized to a point where it devalues her character so that us as the audience can't take any of her actions seriously. Slight spoiler, but I will be as vague as possible. There is one instance where a character throws a grenade at Himiko, and it ends up bouncing off of her breast with a jiggle/moan. This is one of many instances where the Author undermines any chance of the audience being able to take her serious. We are left at going strictly by face value, which leaves us with basically just a heroine that Ryouta is meant to conquer. This is a shame actually because I find the relationship between Ryouta, and Himiko to be well crafted. For people who use online gaming to escape from reality these online relationships are the real deal. Starved of social interaction true bonds can actually be found via online gaming, which is why the understanding shared between both characters is a solid base for such a romance to exist. I just wish there was more to her as a character than this relationship with Ryouta, and that any attempt to add more to her is undermined by her being over sexualized. Now with that out of the we finally can talk about Taira. I love this man for being so wonderfully Human. Sadly I can't go to much in-depth without going into spoiler territory, but he was probably the best "character" in the show. He is with Ryouta for the entire journey throughout the short 12 episodes, and adds some much needed context to the situation. His interactions off of Ryouta are downright relatable, and believable.

Enjoyment: 8


I had a ton of fun with this show, and I'd be lying if I said otherwise. The general concept, and the overall execution of the series was really appealing to me. "Btooom!" was actually quite the surprise for me, and I'm really happy with how it turned out.

Overall: 7.4

"Btooom!" is a very entertaining show with a cool concept, and for the most part pulled it off really well. With a few tone/character issues, and nonexistent conclusion "Btooom!" is held back from being truly great. But despite these complaints I had a damn good time with it, and would recommend it. It was worth the watch, and I'm glad I gave it a shot. As always, thanks for reading.

‘It’s just a game, right?’ – Ryouta Sakamoto

Btooom! is a psychological-action-thriller anime which is set predominately in the serious tone.


The Story: 7/10
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The ‘game-then-not-a-game’ setting in anime has been used quite frequently these past years. They’ve become the main storyline in romances, harems, actions, thrillers and even horrors. Btooom! is another type of example, but it’s the most serious one that makes it different to all the others. The story is set like this: A young adult who plays the game Btooom! suddenly finds himself stranded on a mysterious island equipped with a bag of bombs where they need to kill other people, and take their ... crystals which are embedded on one of their hands so that they can then leave the island. Basically. Each of the episodes were fitted together in a continuous story, with episode two being the sole exception. Occasionally there would be various flashbacks in scenes where Ryouta is being hit with memories which he had forgotten or times where it shows Himiko’s past and how she mainly got there (mainly episode two). The story had a fine mix of complexity and simplicity in where rules would be well defined but hard to catch on to and where plot twists can be predictable but not foreseen. The thriller in this series was definitely there, though- it won’t send you being unable to sleep at night and the psychological aspect of the anime was executed very realistic-ly. The action part of the movie is actually quite good as well, as there was a good amount of scenes to help not keep you bored. There is little romance in this anime, but for what it did it was actually quite fitting for the overall story. The ending is quite satisfying but leaves giving a note to the viewer that there might possibly be a season two. Not exactly ‘cliff-hanger-y’ but enough to make you feel like it could’ve been more.

The Art: 8/10
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The art is substantial for a modern anime, with crisp visual effects and scenes which always seem to be moving. There is always a dark tone which you can feel in every episode- and it stays there for quite a while, adding to the dark psychological part in the anime. Animation panels were fluid throughout the work and didn’t feel ‘blocky’ at all. Background scenes were done spectacularly- they were made with a mood much lighter than what the anime was, and that contradicted sometimes with what the main characters were feeling at that moment which feels a bit strange for the viewer. Character designs were done quite well, with all of them feeling different and each matching the characters own personality and lifestyle.

The Sound: 7/10
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The opening song sets the scene for which direction the anime is going into, though, it’s not particularly special in any way it did a favourable job. Character voice actors fit for the actual cast they were playing. It matched their body type, their personality and even hints about what they were planning and such. Background soundtracks were very fitting for the part they played in the anime- being accompanied by action visuals and stunning explosions which added to the enjoyable factor in this series. The ending theme song is not as particularly as catching as the main opening song, but it leaves you with a very good conclusive feeling to the end of an episode.

The Characters: 8/10
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Each character was well rounded; each of them had a strength and a flaw which could also be a part of that strength. Apart from the usual anime ‘mega jump’ where seemingly life-like characters are able to jump across rooftops and such, none of them really had a super power which made them completely godlike to everyone else. All characters reacted to events in a realistic way. Though, sometimes you really have to wonder if you would do what a member in the cast was doing if you had been in their position. Even so, the reason behind certain things were obscure enough to make you interested and makes you feel engaged in the story, as well as being prudent in the characters engagement with everyone else. Almost every character starts as the most seemingly harmless person in the world. Then, they are met with blood, gore and death. At this point they warp into insanity. In a psychological anime, this is called character development. Antagonists in the anime were just as well developed as the protagonists. Their background is clearly defined and explored as a flashback for the viewer, which shows how and why they were placed into the survival arena.

The Enjoyment: 8/10
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Others familiar to the psychological genre will see this probably as nothing more than the average. For the newcomer perhaps, this anime is quite the inauguration into the style. Btooom! comes personally as one of my most favourite psychological anime. The combination of well done psychology, chilly thriller, excellent fight scenes with a unique fighting style and exceptional character development really gets it in the end.

Overall: 8/10
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The anime itself has a concept that has been drastically overused throughout past years, but even then this one is the most simplest, yet, most complete one with the survival game setting. And for that, I give it a bright, cheerful, rainbow ice-cream sticker.

NOTE: Although it’s not my first time writing a review, I’m still inexperienced with it (with this review being my first spoiler-free review), so please bear with me.

When I heard that Btooom! was going to get an anime adaptation, I got so excited about it, being a fan of the manga. Although I’m not a fan of it since the very first chapter, I could say that I’ve been a fan long before the news about its anime adaptation was announced, having read the manga for the first time when Chapter 13 was just released by the scanlators. The idea of people fighting and killing ... each other in an uninhabited place for survival might not be original (think Battle Royale), but having an in-game video game turned to a worst case scenario of a dog-eat-dog world feels fresh. So, how does the anime fare compared to the manga? Quite nice; in fact, it’s very good…although not without faults of its own.

Despite the anime’s length, it’s more or less faithful to the manga. It’s very accurate for a 12-episode anime covering the manga’s first 50 chapters (with the last few of them released in a monthly basis), not counting the credits portion of the 12th episode showing a portion of the 51st chapter. Because of that though, the anime has the action compressed in a single episode, with story arcs lasting for only a few episodes. And despite that, some filler parts were added, although for necessity, as the producers would need to air some material at the episode’s remaining minutes. Perhaps, if the adaptation was given 20+ episodes instead of 12, it would’ve explained the story (and the characters’ back stories) in more detail.

As for the art, well I can’t say anything bad about the art actually, as it’s quite close to the manga’s. Okay, maybe except the dye job that Ryouta got, with his hair turning to black from brown-black, but it’s nothing major. The graphic scenes in the manga (involving murder, rape, and of course, dead bodies) were considerably toned down in the anime, most likely to make it more TV-friendly. Not that I have anything against it, but I would find it better if they didn’t do a significant amount of content dilution. But then again, doing that would make the anime have more censored scenes than it already has (which is two scenes, throughout the series).

People who like similar anime to this would surely enjoy Btooom!, and the long-time fans would still enjoy the adaptation, if they don’t mind the content distillation.

Btooom! An old idea with a twist.

First person shooters such as Modern Warfare as well as Halo have been around since the turn of the century. However, even with guns, grenades and carepackages, none have ever decided to remove the most essential element of the games- GUNS.

If I had to explain what it would be like it would be somehow be similar to Ice cream without ice or chocolate cake without cake. However, it is not as bad as it sounds.

Story-8

As you know, it is a survival game where only bombs are used. There is a set limit to the number of bombs and they ... need to discover how to use it, the rules of the games and what kind of player they want to be. However, not everything is as simple as it looks as the players are no longer playing for fun, but instead, their lives.

It quite a unique, fun and enjoyable plot. There are many elements to a survival game that I dislike however the goods rule over the bads. It is still possible to enjoy the storyline and it isn't mindless killing.

Art-7

It is good/ok art but for some reason I always see the characters a bit weird and think they look a bit off. Everything else such as the background or effects/ battlescenes are quite nice.

Sound-9

The voice acting is quite nice and the background music fuses with the scenes for a more pleasant experience.

Character-8

The characters all have unique traits and have doubt, guilt and suspicion. However, I always seem to find the characters a bit too slow and dislike the fact that they are so hesitant and end up in sticky situations because of it. however, it benefits the plot and increases the character development and strengthens relationships.

Overall-9

This is definitely a worthy watch if you like watching warfare and survival type game anime. There is some strategy involved but only about as much as there is in a first person shooter (camping, aiming for the head, scope etc.). If you do not like blood and gore you should not watch it as deaths do occur. However, if you are on the border you should definitely at least give it a shot and you just might like it.

Thanks for reading my review! Please send me a message if you spotted an error or something.

As a reader of the manga, I came into watching the Btooom! anime expecting alot. When I heard it was being made into an anime I was ecstatic.

The thing about Btooom! that worried me the most was, nowadays, there are alot of "I'm in a video game!" anime out there, so for the anime Btooom! to come out now was pretty risky. But, since Btooom! isn't actually in a video game, it strays from the norm, and presents us with something new and exciting. Btooom! story wise, does have a video game undertone, but also has the psychological thrilling side like Battle Royale.

I ... always like it when anime has alot of blood and gore in them, and Btooom! definitely has it's fair share. The story basically has to do with blowing each other up to survive, obviously I'm not going to tell you the whole plot, so if the explosions didn't blow people's limbs off, or even blow people up completely(which happens), then this anime would not be worth watching.

The characters are great in Btooom!, and the characters are honestly the best thing in Btooom!. Characters ranging from murderers, rapists, otakus, NEETs, businessmen, and normal people like highschoolers, are trapped on the island fighting for their lives. The many professions or backgrounds of the characters really makes it interesting to watch this show, and it keeps you engaged every time they introduce a new character. Probably the best thing about this show is the main protagonist. His name is Ryouta Sakamoto, he is a NEET, and is ranked in the top 10 in the world in the Btooom! video game. It is difficult to find a good main character, but Ryouta definitely fits the bill. He is definitely confused at first, and kind of dumb, but that is explained. Since the survival game is based on Btooom!, he has greater knowledge than most other contestants, which makes him a force to be reckoned with. His character is progressively getting more smart and cunning, which is one aspect that makes a good mc.

Another good aspect about Btooom! is the realism. The notion "I'm gonna kill you, cause I want to survive", is portrayed perfectly, and even though not all the characters think like that, it is still really great to see characters who do think that way. Although there is some rape, which is kind of disturbing, I do think that if they didn't have the rape, then some of the character's back stories wouldn't have been as impactful. I'm not trying to turn people away from this anime, I'm just trying to say that if you can see past the disturbing parts, then you will definitely enjoy this anime.

All in all, this anime is not for the feint of heart. As a Btooom! manga reader, I think that you can believe me when I say that this is a must watch this season, if you are looking for a gory story-driven seinen anime. I haven't seen the whole anime, obviously, so I don't know what my final score will be, but right now it stands firmly as a 7(which on my scale is above average).

I found this anime searching for something like Sword Art Online and this one was one of the top recommendations an many sites. I have to say that it's very different from SAO, it's more like The Hunger Games because the action takes place in the real world.

I sincerely don't know why Btooom is not so popular because it has a pretty interesting story with different types of characters and the animation is really good. As I don't want to give any spoilers I will just say that the game follows the rule "Kill or be killed.", so the participants need to kill other ... 7 participants in order to get off the island. The only weapons they have are different types of bombs so you have to be smart enough to have a strategy and know how to use them.

The characters are ok. Ryouta, the main character is a smart 22 year old who is used to using the bombs, he's caring and a good person but this feature becomes annoying at times because he puts his faith in other competitors without knowing anything about them while all they want is to get kill him and survive. However, I didn't really like Himiko. In the beginning, when she first meets Ryouta she is presented as a strong badass bitch (which is a good thing), but as the series go on she becomes soft and turns into a completely useless scared girl, letting Ryouta do all the job to keep them alive. Still, she helps him a lot but I really wish she had more confidence in herself.

The anime was very short, only 12 episodes, but at least it wasn't boring at all. The ending is open, they could easily make season 2 because lot of things are yet to happen. I kinda felt that when the anime was over, the real action was about to begin. Although I don't think there will be a second season, I'll keep my hopes. Btooom wasn't truly a masterpiece, so I rated it 9/10. It had some "glitches", but that's all I am going to say. You have to watch it to really understand what I'm saying.

When I watch an anime...I never compare them too other anime or related games..... I only judge on what i can see and my own feeling towards the series

Although the title seems a bit...childish....the poster seems interesting(most of the fan i know choose anime base on cool poster...lol)

a beautiful girl and a cool hero...

The character designer did a very good job.....the characters are beautiful and cool..

the director and writer also did a wonderful job in introducing the characters and gist of the game....the action sequence is exciting.....and in my opinion the development of the hero and heroin romantic relationship...is welll plan.... not ... too fast and not too slow....

I think that the production team were not given enough episode to fully tell their story... it is a pity that there are no 2nd season..... maybe if they were able to have a few more episode, the series would have made a better impression on the viewers.

I couldn't find any other anime that uses bomb as their fighting tools...so i consider this series is unique and original(if you can forget about the game).

I think that the series is worth watching and you will enjoy it very much
however, the ending will be a bit disappointing as i feel that there are no closure.

watch it and have fun

So this is my first serious review, and the only reason I'm doing it is because this show was so good it drove me to write one as I feel like none of the other present reviews quite explain or appreciate the depth of this show.

Story: 9/10
So I know that the videogame-turns-real-life idea has been used quite a bit but never in this way, btooom uses several unorthodox things to develop character and storyline. I'm going to say something that is going to sound very strange. The rape in btooom is amazing. Now I sound like a psycho but I mean it in a ... different way, what I mean is that the social stigma we call rape is displayed amazingly in btooom, it is brought about by male sexual urges and instincts, in an environment where no rules exist males are shown oppressing the weaker females in the show, this develops a strong character with Himiko (one of the main characters) as her life even prior to the game was destroyed by sexual assault and male lust. Now my favourite part about this is that Himiko has become fearful of all males and cannot trust anyone, but our trusty protagonist is the absolute image of what is just even among chaos, he stands out above the rest as a shining example of humanity and morality. The juxtaposition of the protagonist and his environment is drastic and constantly displayed. Other things to note about this plot is that it is certainly unfinished and it is absolutely FULL of cliffhangers and it is quite possible for you to dislike the ending because it leaves so much for the second season (which I really want).

Art: 9/10
The art in this show is really good, only thing I would complain about would be the digital painting on some of the bush backdrops, I'm a digital painter myself and I can tell that they didn't spend enough time on them. Other than that, high framerate, cute girls, good breasts and good explosions.

Sound: 10/10
Sound is where this show stands out again, amazing OP and good ED with really upbeat and hyper drum and bass tracks for the fights. Also the sounds of the explosions are done really well. As far as voice acting goes I think they did a great job as the protagonist sounds great along with the girl and the scenes of crazy people spouting mental stuff sounds like they're actually mental.

Character: 10/10
The characters in this show are VERY complex, mainly concerning the protagonist and the girl. The girl's side is riddled with her past experiences of sexual assault while the protagonist's is more to do with him being violent and ungrateful nerd who doesn't appreciate what has been done for him. The interactions between these two is what makes the show what it is. I can't think of a more beautiful romance than with a girl who is afraid to open her heart for such reasons, and it being overcome by such a protagonist.

Enjoyment: 10/10
Thoroughly enjoyable. Great plot, amazing characters, deep themes concerning human instinct and modern human values.

I wasn't really sure I was going to like this anime after the first episode. The main character was a bit of a prick, and I kept drawing parallels to other anime that are also wildly successful. It struck me as a mash-up between No Game No Life and Sword Art Online, with a less interesting focus game. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised as I watched it all. The character's develop in a meaningful way, it's as action packed as anything I've ever seen, thoughtful, and it even manages to tug some heart strings.

Story: The story developed really strongly in a way that ... made it stand out on it's own. People are thrown onto an island where the only notable prize is survival. Allegiances form and dissolve, enemies are made, fights are had and love is found. Not only does it keep you on the edge of your seat, it also makes you wonder. Why are they there? Who can be trusted? Who is behind this twisted game and why?

It's not the most original of themes, granted, but it does what it does quite well. The story it tells is to the point and told well, and sets itself apart in a very good way.

My biggest complaint here is it seems to progress a bit too fast. It's a machine-gun of events that simply never relents. If there's not a fight happening, there's about to be one in the interest of survival. If they're eating they're also thinking of the next betrayal, or past trauma. There is zero filler, no smelling of the roses at all. This isn't entirely a bad thing, but I feel like it was 24 episodes worth of events crammed into 12. Still, some people will absolutely love that and I'm certain it was a conscious decision on the creator's part.

Additionally, the plot armor is strong in this one. Explosions are huge but unless they go off right under the victims feet they appear to do very little. Shrapnel and shock waves don't exist, and the protagonists seem to have some type of super-healing abilities and are almost immune to concussions altogether. Komodo Dragon's and knives seem more powerful than the BIMs massive explosive force as far as that is concerned.

7/10

Art: The art is beautiful. The fight scenes are well choreographed, if a bit lacking in the plausibility department. The characters are great and the environment is stunning.

9/10

Sound: The music is good, though nothing incredibly notable. The voice acting is done well also (I should mention here I watched the dub), and the sound effects are top-notch. Really nothing to complain about here at all.

7/10

Character: Initially, the main protagonist Sakamoto Ryouta really bugged me. That being said, the character development is fantastic. I managed to hate him a little less every episode, and he eventually became a decent human being - if a bit naive.

Himiko, the female protagonist, manages to develop a lot as well. Enduring a hard past and present, learning to want to live again, and learning to trust again. I really enjoyed this character, because she made me feel for her, as well as root for her.

The antagonists range from just-trying-to-survive to completely evil. There's a great range of characters, even if there's not a huge number of them. Everyone has their own story, and while said story isn't always completely explained, it's always apparent in their actions.

9/10

Enjoyment: I definitely enjoyed this series, and eagerly await a second season. It might be a while, especially if they want to keep up with the pace they've set in the first season. I feel it will we well worth the wait however, and I'm excited to see where the story goes next. That's not to say there absolutely must be a second season for this to be enjoyed, because it does stand up on it's own just fine. However, there's not much of a resolution either and doesn't feel anywhere near complete.

8/10

Overall: Well thought out and well executed, though not without it's flaws. Definitely a good idea to watch if you enjoy survival action anime with a gaming base.

8/10

Let's start with saying that BTOOOM! is very interesting. I prefer the survival genre too so yeah ^^

Story:
Btooom! doesn't have the most original story, but it's not a complete cliche. Just know that it's a typical survival anime, but a little different. On the other hand, you might think it's quite original because the only weapons they use are bombs.
Now about the good stuff: they worked the story out so well. I can't really explain it myself but the anime is almost perfect with the exception of a few things, but I'll tell you about that later.

Art:
Yupp, I gave the art a 10. Why? Well, ... I just love it. And take a good look at Himiko's face everytime they show it. The way they drew it is very cute but not too much, haha.

Sound:
I loved the opening music, but disliked the ending music. The opening was very much related to the whole anime itself, but the ending was a bit too soft.
The sound itself was good, so here you go.

Character:
This is where it actually gets interesting. The annoying characters get eliminated (IMO...), and the remaining characters are interesting as hell. ESPECIALLY Kira. Seriously. I love that little psycho. He's creepy, he's cute and he has an interesting story. Sakamoto is also pretty interesting and it's cool to see him change. It kinda surprised me that he was so naive and that he liked helping others so much, cause we saw how he acted towards his family and the change was a bit too early, but it's not so much that you'll be bothered, so don't worry.
Himiko's 'change' had a perfect timing. She doesn't trust men for the half of the anime and after that she really starts trusting Sakamoto bit by bit, but she's still a bit scared of men, and that's perfect. She doesn't overdo it, and that satisfied me very much. She stays who she is. And that's with all the characters. Well, not all, but almost everyone. They stay pure and real.
To make a long story short: the characters are very interesting, some have an interesting background and they create interesting fights. They're very realistic.

Enjoyment:
Hell yeah, definitely a 10! Btooom! doesn't fail in entertaining you! It's so nice to watch. I got excited for each episode, haha. Seriously, there's not a SINGLE moment that you'll be bored, I promise.

Overall:
A 9. Cause btooom! isn't perfect, unfortunately :c

Negative points:

- the ending went way too quick. The ending was good, but too hasty. I just hope there will be a second season, but if not I'm definitely not satisfied with the outcome, just because it's too hasty. I expected like 6 more episodes, too be honest. And btooom! isn't necessarily a slowpoke anime, but no, they could've made even 10 more episodes if you ask me!

- A bit more attention for other characters, thank you? For example: Kira. IMO, he was the most interesting character and we only get a short meeting with one little fight and then we only see him once (actually twice, but the ending doesn't count cause they show everyone who's still alive) more? So hasty, seriously. And Oda seems so important at the last few episodes, but except for Sakamoto's past he isn't important. Don't let them fool you.

- Yes, haste. Haste is btooom!'s worst point. They could've shown us more interesting things with the other characters, and not just Sakamoto and Himiko.

Anyway, GREAT anime, but not perfect.

If you're wondering whether you should watch BTOOOM! I'll ask you a few questions. If you answer yes, than this anime is for you.
Are you looking for enjoyable anime with no great plot or twists?
Some gore?
A lot of fanservice?
Go watch BTOOOM then! :D
Basically, a lot of people got letters, asking if there's anyone that they dont want in their lives. And those people who were written, dissapeared. Now, they didn't vanish in thin air,they got transported to an island in the pacific, where they were forced to play a real life version of the game BTOOM!.
As for the animation, it's not bad, but I must ... admit it bugged me on some occasions. Himiko's face looked... weird in certain cases, like her eyes weren't on the spot or something. Though, those scenes are rare, and the rest of the anime is pretty well animated, I must say.
The sound, not much I can say about it, really. The opening is pretty mediocre; It's not bad, but it ain't Zankoku Na Tenshi No These either. I liked the ending slightly more. The voice acting is decent, though it could use some fixing on certain parts.
The story is enjoyable. Nothing to twist your mind around though, but it's fast-paced and easy to comperhend. Though, the thing I hated was the cliffhanger endings between the episodes, and the respawning of the characters. The main character, Ryouta, got hit by one hit kill bombs... AROUND 10 TIMES. He somehow magically survives them all though, when everyone else turns into a dismembered pool (also, there's a guy who snuck a knife in his anus there or something, no idea how he got it when everyone else got only bombs). Not really representative, I must say. It has slight hints of romance flying through at times, and I enjoyed those bits. The ending is begging for season 2, but it's still nice.
Now, for the characters. You have the main male protagonist, Ryouta, and the female protagonist Himiko. Now, what'll happen between them is obvious and I wont mention it, but it's really nice that they actually did something with it, not just leave it hanging. Now, for the character progression. It's not great, but it's decent. It's really obvious on certain parts, but hey, at least there is some.
And, for my grand finale, the overview.
Cheap entertainment, fanservice, mediocre plot and a lot of action make a decent combination, I must say. This anime, although not great, is pretty enjoyable, and I believe that most people will like it when watching.
Please, leave your feedback if you have some, I'm still pretty new with writing reviews.
Thanks for reading :D

A show with a lot of promise, BTOOM! does little to showcase that potential depth.

BTOOM! features a slew of characters who were selected by those closest to them to participate in a game called BTOOM! It's a survival challenge, where the participants are armed with miniature explosives called BIMS (basically small bombs with varying effects) and then must kill the other players. Each player has a green gem imbedded in their hand. In order to get off the island, a player must gather 8 gems (seven including their own) and in order to get the gem, that player must first die. For the most ... part, the show follows a guy named Sakamoto, a NEET (not-in-education or work training), who endeavors to escape the island without killing. As the show goes on, Sakamoto meets other players, some who are willing to kill and others who aren't.
The basic concept of 'kill or be killed' is nothing new, although I like the video game spin on it. The BIMS themselves are neat, making the battles more than just people shooting at each other. I originally wasn't impressed with them as the first few you see are just standard "time-delay" or "explosive" types. As the show goes on though, more complicated/powerful BIMS are introduced. This makes the confrontations MUCH more complicated and force the characters to think on their feet.

I also really dig the idea that the people who have been forced into this game are being 'punished'. Sakamoto, as a jobless NEET, just plays the video game version of BTOOM! all the time. When his parents try to talk to him about getting a job, he flips out - and so his mother, at her wits end, chooses to just get rid of him. That is some hardcore stuff man. Ultimately, a situation like this really highlights a persons morals and beliefs and, as the audience, I find it very interesting to see people that flawed. No one is perfect and I think BTOOM! generally does a good job of showcasing this.

Except in regard to our star, Sakamoto. When the show opens, it takes several episodes for Sakamoto to accept his situation. I know, part of this can be written off as shell shock. After all, who would believe that you were kidnapped and are now forced to kill people in order to survive? That's some weirdo crap man. But given that Sakamoto is #3 in Japan for the video game, I can't help but think that he should have acclimated a bit more quickly to the circumstances. During the first confrontation, he continually tries to talk down his opponent, fighting back only by accident really. Eventually, he does kind of find his footing, but he still decides NOT to kill - and I'm not sure why. Thinking back on the show, I see no reason why Sakamoto won't kill anyone else. He's shown to be cold and cruel to his mother during flashbacks and these people are nothing to him. Other than "killing is wrong and I'm morally above that", I don't see why Sakamoto is so unwilling. I don't believe that there is any time spent on explaining this - he just decides not to kill.
I also find that Sakamoto feels very...plain...at the start of the show. I feel like he is literally just a stand in for the audience and so lacks any and all depth. Why doesn't he kill? Dunno. When he learns that people are chosen to participate in the game, he immediately realizes why he's there and chooses not to be a jerk anymore. When one of his fellows turns on him, he immediately realizes why - without talking to the other player - and vows to change. There is no learning, there is nothing to him. He just reacts and gets better and better because he's the Main Character. I almost feel like the show is a message to the NEET population of Japan - "Hey, you can be a better person, just stop playing video games and do something with your life! You might even be able to get a hot blonde with boobs! C'mon kids!"
Otherwise, I like the job done with Sakamoto throughout the show. He ends up working with two other characters, which both benefits and comes back to bite him in the ass. But I feel like his relationships with these two was very well done. A bit one note, but the acting comes through and makes me believe in them.

There are a few coincidences that line up too perfectly for me in terms of the plotting and that bugs the crap out of me. There are also, in my opinions, a few really dragged out parts of the show that I just wanted to move beyond. The first few episodes really take their time, explaining the cast members and the concept (which should have taken like five seconds), and just dragged. I really didn't find myself engaged until about the second half of the show.

That said, BTOOOM! is a pretty good show. I don't think it's any amazing or ground breaking, but the characters are interesting, if a bit stiff at the beginning; the conflicts - both with BIMS and with people - are thought out and intriguing; and overall the execution isn't bad. A show worth watching, but nothing special.

*mild spoilers*
The trouble with 12 episode anime not meant for school children is that they often go a bit too far to make it more “mature”. Which is exactly why I felt the rape scenes, sexual assault and abuses were completely unnecessary; they were included for shock value and judging by the positive reviews of how realistic this anime was, they worked.

I’d have given the anime a solid 8 if not for the extremely annoying female MC. Blonde, blue eyes, big breasts and a chubby face – the animators thought it’d be enough to make men swoon over this sniveling piece of mess, but nah. ... The girl was a plot device who showed courage and instantly switched to becoming a damsel in distress whenever the plot required here to do so; there was no consistency in her character development. Also for an anime aiming to be realistic, blue irises 1/3 the size of your eyes and breasts 3/4th the size of your face don’t really make the cut. Nor does the fact that your breasts are so cushion-y that a bomb just happened to BOUNCE off them. Wow. Just, wow.

Apart from that, my issue with the anime was how a lot of time was wasted on the flashbacks regarding that one high school friend (which didn’t add anything to the final arc) and the fatty’s (who tagged along with Sakamoto) hallucinations. The doctor too was given an inordinate amount of screen time while characters like the psychopathic boy (the most interesting character, in my opinion) was given very little screen time. And then there’re the other players – what happened to them? There were scores of people on board the plane and none of their stories were touched upon. I mean, you didn’t have to show them in depth but a 1-2 minute explanation for every 3-4 characters would have sufficed. A 10 second preview of who was left barely did them justice. Then there was the question of the disappearances of these people back in the real world – why didn’t we get to see the police involved and media creating a storm about so many people disappearing at the same time? Why were the games created in the first place and why did they have multiple rounds to them? Also, what’s up with the ending? It went completely over my head + it was too rushed. It was almost as if in the middle of animating the 12th episode, the animators were told,”Hey, we’ve run out of our budget so better end the series here”. A lot of people will defend it as being out of the box or some BS, but truth is that it was ill conceived.

But I’ll give where credit is due. The dub VA for Sakamoto did an excellent job. Kudos. Second, despite people complaining about it, I actually found Sakamoto’s character development quite believable (even though his switch to a selfless good guy was a little too much to digest). The only issue I had was the fact that when he met the annoying blonde for the first time, he was tempted to rape her, which seemed VERY out of character for a NEET like him. I mean, you have to show his moral development but do you HAVE to do it by showing him as an almost rapist?

Anyway, some of the maneuvers and battle moves between the participants were excellent, especially when cunning strategies were used. A lot of them made my jaw drop (which doesn’t happen very often). The music was pretty forgettable while the art did drop in quality from time to time. I expected better from Madhouse, to be honest. But it’s still worth a watch if you’re tired of watching 14 year olds as protagonists in probably 99% of the anime out there.

If you're looking for another Sword Art Online or Mirai Nikki, I'm sorry to disappoint you but you will not find that here.

Don't get me wrong though Btooom is great, its a level higher than most of the mediocrity out there, it just doesn't have the breathtaking action & art of SAO nor does it have heavy psychological trauma or unique characters like Yuno.

If your still reading I'll assume your not looking for the above.

The story was good but it had a lot more potential, you'd expect a 12 episode series to squeeze as much information into every episode as possible and the pacing would ... be uncomfortably fast but btooom just seemed to skim over the plot omitting anything unnecessary. Its definitely worth mentioning that there are some twists that make the story very interesting especially for those new to the survival genre but at the same time the story was very simplistic, I suppose this can be seen as good or bad but I prefer more complex. If your looking for something short and light then btooom is the anime for you.

I have mixed feelings about the ending and it mostly depends on if there will be a sequel or not. IF there will be one then the ending was good and the set up for the next season is great. IF there will not be another season then the ending was completely anticlimatic. I still have my hopes up though.

[ 8 | 10 ]

I am a fan of color so I will try my best not to sound cynical. I loved the character designs on the two main characters they were executed very well, I also enjoyed the designs of some of the other characters because they were very natural. On the other hand I despised some of the facial expressions some of the characters made, after making that much effort to keep everything as "human" as possible so that we could relate to the characters and situations, it was disappointing that they had certain scenes where I would have had no idea how the character was feeling without some context, it was such a waste. The explosions and the fire that ensues were well drawn and I feel they had the appropriate color and weren't exaggerated as most other animes do. The art style is certainly befitting the story it was kept simple and definitely succeeded in matching the characters with they're personalities

[ 8 | 10]

After watching anime after anime you begin to become numb when it comes to the opening, but the opening of btoom stands out between episodes I was looking forward to listening to it again and I'd go as far as to say its mp3 material. The voice actors of each character did an AMAZING job at capturing each of their characters, you could not imagine any other voice befitting any of them. There was never any notable background music or noise and I think this was a blessing as it never affected any of the scenes. Sound effects were very good, everything was kept simple and there were no exaggerated super-loud explosions even planes in the sky were at the appropriate noise level it wouldn't be hard to think your inside the anime.

[ 9 | 10 ]

The characters are what really carried they anime and I think this is why everything was kept so simple, every character was given a back-story or a flashback of some sort so you knew exactly what kind of person they were, what they were capable of and there was great suspense when certain characters came into contact with each other you couldn't tell what was going to happen it was exciting. Every great story has a little romance in it Btooom is no exception and how our two MC's think, talk and act around one another is probably the highlight of the anime for me anyway.

Our heroine Himiko is not your average gorgeous, well endowed highschool girl with blonde hair and blue eyes so don't be fooled. After learning of her back-story I really started to feel empathetic towards her and remember myself thinking people can be so cruel. I could safely say shes been through hell and how her character behaves/develops throughout the series is rewarding in its own right and contributes largely to my total score.

Ryouta our protagonist is a little older than what most of us are used to I found this refreshing(If I ever come across anything like Shinji from Evangelion again......) a lot of users(myself included) can relate to him with ease. It then comes as no surprise that his character is a little predictable at times and there is an event that happens that almost made me hate me very early into the anime but I let it slide and seems he was behaving very out of character after looking back.

[ 9 | 10 ]

I thoroughly enjoyed every single episode but what really lowered the result was mainly because the cover and synopsis are slightly misleading I was expecting a lot more action and a lot more psychological moments, now they were present there just wasn't enough or it wasn't emphasized enough during the scene. Variety is the spice of life as they say and unfortunately there was about as much variety as there were types of bombs. In terms of plot it was like a harem without the harem at some points and if the characters weren't so great btooom would have been a failure. Its a great piece of work but it had a lot more potential and if they give us a sequel with a much larger budget I reckon it will be a must watch but sadly Btooom only delivers half the package.
[ 8 | 10 ]

Out of 10
Story:8
Art:8
Sound:9
Character:9
Enjoyment:8
Overall:8

-------------------SOME SPOILERS NONE PAST EPISODE 2-----------------------
Jerked out of your everyday life only to be placed on an island with an 8 pack of grenades and a chip in your hand.

Story : 9
This story revolves around Sakamoto, an avid Btooom! player. A game much similar to everyday shooters but with 1 major difference. Only grenades. He is jerked out of his everyday life only to find himself on an island hanging from a tree, with a bag slung over his back and a pack of grenades at his side. Oh and with no recollection of how he got there or ... what happened.

Art: 8
The character art was very good, but I found that that they put more focus on the direct characters than the surroundings. When they would zoom out to watch a 'nade fly it would blend the background, merging the trees, not very noticeable but I'm a picky guy.

Sound: 6
All of these points where just for the opening. "No Pain No Game" by Nano. This is an amazing song and the only reason that this got a 6. I can't remember a single OST from Btooom! and that in my eyes brought it down.

Character: 10
This anime had amazing characters, each with their own back story and reason for being on the island. The main character Sakamoto is a stay at home 21 year old who is the top Btooom! player in Japan. After a visit to his local store he suddenly gets surrounded and blacks out, only to wake up on the island with no memory of what happened.

Enjoyment: 9
This anime had great cliff hangers but once or twice made me very mad at how the story developed. Other than that I would wait every night for Btooom! to come out on realitylapse to watch.

Overall : 9
Good anime, It had it's strong points and it also had it weak points. This is an anime for somebody who wants an action/fantasy anime with a well rounded male lead who has his good points and flaws. I strongly recommend that you watch it and hope that you enjoy it. :)

-
StellerScale

i have seen 3 episodes so far.
When you think about Btooom you think about a mix of Predators, Sword Art Online, Call of Duty and Gantz. Its about a guy who is on of the Worlds best Btooom Players what is an online game about killing people with bombs. One day he finds himself on an tropical Island after falling from a Parachute (pretty much like Predators) and after a while he relalises that to get from that island he has to kill people like he did in the Game.

Story: 8
its pretty entertaining so far but since its not really something new and i see ... elements of different animes and movies mixed together i just give it 8.

Sound: 8
Cant say that much about it but i love the OP

Art: 10
The Character and Enviroment looks awesome and the main character and drawing Style remembers me on Death Note

Enjoyment: 10
So far i enjoyed it a lot and cant wait for the next episode and this is the first anime the made me write a review what says a lot in my opinion ;D
What ive seen so far makes this Series very enjoyable

Its totally worth watching in my eyes.
PS: this is my first review dont be too strict i hope i could help some people

This is my first review and I'm not sure how to make one. (so all comments are welcome)

Story (8):
The storyline itself is good but not the way I really like it. In Betooom! Ryōta Sakamoto (main character) is pretty good with the bombs but never get any better at using them. (Almost never he used the Bombs) Most of the time he is running away and avoiding the bombs.
In my opinion he should be less good at the beginning and get better over time.

Art (8):
I have not much to say about the art. I don't look at the details and stuff, I look more ... at how the characters are drawn. I don't dislike the way the characters are drawn but I have seen better.

Sound (8) :
I don't have much to say about sound either. In Btooom! it didn't sound wrong so I gave it an 8. (no real references)

Character (7):
Like I said by Story, He is good at the beginning and he never get any better. I would like to see him less good at the beginning and getting better over time.

Enjoyment (7):
At the end of each episode Btooom! didn't give me the feeling I should watch the next episode immediately, but that it could wait for a few more days. But once I started the episode it become enjoyable to watch.

Overall (8):
This isn't the worst season I've seen but it is also not the best. If you really like explosions and tactics Btooom! is something for you.